History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 46

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438

USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 46
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 46
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 46

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Abisha Woodward.

Thomas Schoonover.

John K. Woodward.

Elijah Dix.

Daniel Bunting.

Jason Torrey.

Levi Green.

Solomon Moore.

David Kennedy.

Jonathan Jennings.

John Mumford.

Homer Brooks.

Sheldon Norton.

Samuel Preston.

Alvah W. Norton.

Benjamin Wheeler.

L. C. Judson. Amos Polly.

Pope Bushnell. Oliver Hamlin.

Bethuel Jones.

James Manning.

Amzi Fuller.

Isaac Dimmick.

Eliphalet Wood.

Jacob S. Davis.

Thomas Spangenberg.

The first officers of the society were Solomon Moore, president ; Jacob S. Davis, secretary ; and John K. Woodward, treasurer. All of these were at the time holding important county offices. The first fair was held in Bethany, on the 12th of November, 1822, and proved to be for the times an interesting exhibition. The quaint little county town was full of people, and the taverns, at least, did a thriving busi- ness. There was no charge for admission, so there was no prospect of an overflowing treas- ury, but it is to be presumed that the parties interested in the enterprise cared little for that if the outcome of their movement should be a general improvement in the agricultural status of the county. The total expenditures, including premiums, were one hundred and seventy-two dollars. These were provided for by the regular contributions of members, sixty- four dollars; donations, eight dollars, and county appropriation, one hundred dollars. In order to raise even this sum, it would appear that the society must have construed the law pretty liberally. By the act of March 20, 1822, the House of Representatives was fixed at one hundred members, the ratio of apportionment at twenty-one hundred taxables, and North- ampton, Wayne and Pike were to elect three

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WAYNE COUNTY.

members, the return judges to meet at Easton. As the entire population of Wayne County in 1822 was but little over forty-two hundred, it is clear that she could not fairly be regarded as entitled to more than one of the three members apportioned to the district, and hence to but fifty dollars of the county fund ; but from the fact that the society was permitted to draw one hundred dollars annually, it seems evident that population rather than taxable inhabitants must have been made the basis of the demand. When tlie question of the election of officers came up in 1822, Major Jason Torrey was occupying the present A. B. Gammell property, and hav- ing recently fenced in the lot, had planted it with potatoes, which, though themselves grow- ing finely, were badly hampered by a luxurious growth of weeds. His name was suggested for president, but the brusque Quaker, Sam. Pres- ton, the first associate-judge of the county, pro- tested that a man who had developed such a crop of weeds as that ought not to be at the head of an agricultural society, and Mr. Moore was re-elected.

The second fair of the society was, at the urgent request of the Mount Pleasant members, held at the public-house of Enoch C. St. John (now John Reilly's hotel), in that township, on Tuesday, November 4, 1823. The domestic exhibits were made in the school-house. Con- sidering the condition of the county, the prem- ium list was comprehensive and the prizes ex- tremely liberal. Its first item reads :

" For the best stud horse, worth at a fair value not less than $250. . $10.00"

From this may be inferred the general range of premiums for live-stock. There was 110 classification of pure bloods or grades, strains or breeds sixty years ago. There were no prizes for heifers, or lambs or poultry. En- couragement was mainly given to stallions, working oxen and steers, rams and breeding swine. What were then regarded as good yields of cereals and vegetables may readily be gleaned from the premiums offered for excep- tional crops. For instance-" For the best crop of Indian corn raised on an acre, not less than 70 bushels, $6 ;" "For the best crop of

hay on an acre, not less than three tons, $7;" " For the best half-acre of potatoes, not less than two hundred bushels, $5;" " For the best quarter acre of turnips, not less than fifty bushels, $4;" " For the best tenth-acre of car- rots, not less than fifty bushels, $4;" and so on. Corresponding prizes were offered for the best acres of winter and summer wheat, rye and oats, quarter-acre of barley and half-acre of flax. The list of premiums under the head of " Domestic Manufactures " is decidedly inter- esting as showing the character of household work the matrons and misses of that day were engaged in. There is a noticeable absence of rewards for crochet work, crazy quilts, em- broidery and kindred finery, but there is, in- stead, a generous recognition of the more sub- stantial and useful products of the dainty fin- gers of our grandmothers. The following ex- amples are from the list :

For the greatest quantity of grained maple sugar made at one sugar-camp. . $4.00

For the best specimen of cheese, not less than thirty pounds . 2.00

For the best and most butter made from one cow in ten successive weeks. 2.00

For the best ten yards of woolen fulled cloth 4-4 wide, manufactured by one family (dressing excepted) from wool raised by the claimant. . 5.00

For the best ten yards domestic casimere . 4.00

For the best ten yards of flannel 7-8 wide made

from claimant's materials. . 3.00

For the best ten yards linen sheeting 4-4 wide . 3.00 For the best ten yards of linen diaper .. . 2.00 For the best two pairs of woolen stockings. 1.00

For the best three sides sole and three sides

upper leather, each 3.00

For the best pair of boots. 2.00

For the best plow 5.00

For the best machine for the dressing of flax without rotting . 5.00

Twenty-five dollars were set apart for pre- miums for articles of peculiar merit, to be awarded at the discretion of the directors. Ani- mals offered for premiums were required to be owned or raised within the county, and com- petitors were obliged to make affidavit of their ownership for six months previous to the fair, and produce proof of the ages of their respective- animals. No animal having taken one premium was eligible to another at any subsequent ex-

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ch of

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

hibition, " except for qualities different from those for which the former prize was awarded." Competitors for premiums on implements of husbandry, and on manufactures, were required to prove, on oath, the facts relating to the fabrication of the articles exhibited, and their property in the same, and all articles of domestic manufacture (excepting the machine for dressing flax), to be entitled to premiums, must have been wholly made within the county. The directors of the society were evidently not wholly devoid of gallantry. The last clause of its rules and regulations runs as follows : "No premium will be awarded for articles that are not above mediocrity, nor to others than members of the society, who shall have paid all arrearages, females excepted."

The Mount Pleasant exhibition was hardly as satisfactory as its predecessor, and it was de- termined that the next fair should be held at Bethany. In the mean time it appears that the quaint objection to Major Torrey's presidency had lost its force, for the announcement of the " Third Annual Agricultural Fair, Exhibition of Domestic Manufactures and Cattle-Show, to be held in thic Borough of Bethany, on Tuesday, the 2d of November, 1824," which appeared in the Republican Advocate, February, 6, 1824, is signed by Jason Torrey, president, and Sheldon Norton, secretary. John K. Woodward was still retained as treasurer.

By this time there began to be mutterings of discontent among certain property-holders at the increased taxation required to maintain the society. The times were hard and every addi- tional mill was regarded as a burden. There were hints that the requirements of the law under which the society took its charter had not been strictly complied with. The com- missioners were reluctant to sign checks for the annual grant, and Major Torrey was obliged to advance fifty dollars from his own purse, whichi amount was not paid him by the county for many months afterward. The remaining fifty dollars for the year 1824 was paid to Treasurer Woodward, on November 2d, the day of the fair, upon his urgent representation that the amount was needed to meet the pledges of the society. The only change made in the officers for 1825

was the clection of Amzi Fuller (commissioners' counsel) to the position of treasurer, in place of Mr. Woodward. His duties were not arduous, as during that year the society was disbanded. The payment of fifty dollars to the new treasurer is the last trace of its existence that can be found on the records or evolved from the memory of " the oldest inhabitant." The money was doubtless used to cancel what- ever debts the association may have had, and the well-intended scheme was allowed to die and remain buried for nearly a generation. The operation of the act under which it was organ- ized was restricted to a period of eight years, and its provisions were repealed by limitation in 1828.

For the following nineteen years, or at least until the sumer of 1847, there appears to have been no agitation for a revival of an agricul- tural society within the county limits. In- terest in husbandry had not died out, however, with the demise of the old as- sociation, and the local papers maintained throughout well-edited farmers' columns, to which Pope Bushnell and other prominent tillers of the soil contributed timely and instruc- tive articles. Meanwhile the county continued to increase in population and its farm lands to augment in acreage and value. The completion of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company's works brought with it a large influx of people and a consequent improvement in the market for the products of the soil. A new demand sprung up for better stock, more prolific seed, more scientific modes of culture, and finally this sentiment crystallized into a call for a meeting to consider the propriety of organizing a new society. It was held at the court-house in Honesdale, on Thursday, September 9, 1847. It was court week, and in those days the town was overflowing with people at the quarterly sessions of the County Courts, so that a well- attended meeting was assured. Farmers from all parts of the county were present, and a free interchange of views as to the expediency of forming such an association was had. The re- sult was in favor of the movement, and a com- mittee was appointed, with Hon. E. W. Ham- lin, of Bethany, as chairman, to draft a consti-

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WAYNE COUNTY.

tution and by-laws for the government of the society, and to present them to an adjourned meeting to be held at the conrt-house during the December Term. Mr. Hamlin declined the position assigned him, and Pope Bushnell, of Dyberry, was substituted. He called the com- mittee together at the Mansion House on the 6th of December, and submitted the plan for the organization and management of the society, which he had drawn up. It was adopted, and a general meeting of the friends of the scheme was held at the court-house on the following evening (Tuesday, December 7, 1847), when an organization was effected, with the following board of officers : Richard L. Seely, president ; James Manning and Moses Tyler, vice-presi- dents ; Charles P. Waller, corresponding secre- tary ; Samuel E. Dimmick, recording secretary ; Stephen D. Ward, treasurer ; E. W. Hamlin, Richard Lancaster, James Mumford, Paul S. Preston, Daniel Blandin, Lucius Collins, Zenas H. Russell, John McIntosh and James R. Dickson, managers. It is interesting, as show- ing the exceptionally high standing of the officers thus chosen, to note that Colonel Seely and Mr. Russell were, respectively, for many years presidents of the Honesdale Bank ; Messrs. Manning, Tyler, Preston, Mumford and Dick- son, associate judges; Mr. Waller, president judge of the Wayne and Pike District; Mr. Dimmick, attorney-general of the State ; Messrs. Lancaster, Preston, Collins and McIntosh, sheriffs ; Mr. Ward, cashier of the Honesdale Bank ; and Mr. Blandin, collector of the Dela- ware and Hudson Canal Company.

The constitution of the society provided that semi-annual meetings should be held on the first Monday in May and the third Wednesday in October, at the last of which dates the annual fair should be held. At a meeting of the execu- tive committee, held on the 9th of February, 1848, an address to the farmers of the county was agreed upon, to be published in connection with the announcement of the first fair, the time for which was fixed for Wednesday, Oc- tober 18th. It was stated in the advertisement, that on the day of the exhibition the society would meet at the court-house at two P.M., at which time addresses might be expected and

the business of the association would be trans- acted. The objects of the society were set forth in rather high-sounding terms, as follows :

"The advancement of agriculture, the me- chanic arts, liorticulture and domestic and rural economy in Wayne County." There appears to have been a noticeable backwardness on the part of farmers to take hold of the enterprise with the enthusiasm which the executive com- mittee anticipated, and their disappointment found expression as follows :

" It is not an organization designed for the exclusive benefit of those originally associated with it ; the ob- ject, far beyond this, is the advancement of the general good of our county. It is for this that the society works, and it is not presumed that any individual who has or who may become a member is prompted in doing so by a desire only to make private gain out of it farther than a realization of a proportion of the benefit accruing to the community of which he is a member. From the apparent backwardness of the great mass of our citizens it is feared mistaken views are entertained in reference to the society. We can- not believe it is from a want of a proper public spirit. It is not the individuals in most cases who obtain the premiums for the best horse, or cow, or crop that re- ceive the greatest benefits from the operations of the society. It is often at great expense that animals of superior blood are introduced, yet the community shares the advantage ultimately. He who produces a superior crop by a successful experiment is not more the gainer for the small premium the society offers than the community around him, who thereby acquire a knowledge of the process without the trouble and risk of making the experiment. Imme- diate and exclusive personal interest, or dollars and cents considerations, are not in accordance with the spirit and object of the society."

The first semi-annual meeting was held on Mon- day evening, May 8, 1848. The board of managers then submitted a statement of the affairs of the society, from which it appeared to be in a flour- ishing condition and with sufficient means pro- vided to insure the financial success of the first exhibition. The precise figures were : Life members, 12; yearly members, 59,-total, 71. Amount paid into the treasury of the society since its organization, $174; disbursements, $18.89 ; balance in the treasury, $155.11. The cost of membership was one dollar per year. The payment of ten dollars into the treasury secured a life membership, and twenty-five dol- lars constituted the donor a " patron " of the

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

society. The Hon. William Jessup, who was then the presiding judge of this district, deliv- ered an address to the assembled farmers, urg- ing the practicability and importance of intro- ducing agricultural science into common schools as a regular branch of instruction. He alluded to the wonderful discoveries which had lately been made in other departments of science, and contended that the improvements iu agricultural knowledge had been equally surprising. He regarded farming as the most important of all human pursuits, as upou it all other callings, and even the existence of the race, depeuded. Hence he believed that the youth of the coun- try, the great majority of whom must necessa- rily be engaged through life iu agriculture, should be as thoroughly educated in agricultur- al as in other sciences.

The efforts and arguments put forth by the executive committee to awaken a general inter- est iu the organization met with a fair degree of success. The first fair was held under somewhat discouraging circumstances, yet it was regarded as an entirely satisfactory exhibit. The day was very stormy and disagreeable, notwithstanding which the attendauce of farmers from all parts of the county was quite as large as had been an- ticipated. Citizens of all pursuits manifested great interest iu the proceedings of the day. The meeting at the court-house was highly satisfac- tory. Rev. Abel Barker, Pope Bushnell and C. S. Minor were the speakers. After the ad- dresses Judge Dickson moved the appointment of a committee to select officers for the ensuing year. The committee reported the following, and their report was adopted : President, Paul S. Preston ; Vice-Presidents, James Mumford and Ezekiel G. Wood ; Corresponding Secre- tary, Charles P. Waller ; Recording Secretary, Samuel E. Dimmick ; Treasurer, S. D. Ward ; Managers, Zeuas H. Russell, Alexander Calder, George Goodrich, J. P. Darling, Pope Bushnell, Oliver Stevenson and Daniel M. Eno. Among the prize-winners at this fair was Hon. Pope Bushnell, of Dyberry, who took the first prem- ium on spring wheat, his yield being twenty- three and a half bushels to the acre. Iu his statement as to the cultivation of the crop, Mr. Bushnell gave the following interesting partic-

ulars : " The land was originally timbered with beech and maple, which was full of brush. Burnt in the spring of 1818 and corn grown that year amoug the logs. In the spring of 1819 theground was cleared of logs and sowed with spring rye. In the fall of the same year it was harrowed and sowed with wiuter rye. In the spring of 1821 a plough was for the first time used on my farm. The land was ploughed and plauted with corn. Since that time it has been every year planted aud cropped with wheat and corn, and has never failed of producing a good crop." At a meeting of the society held at the court-house on the 12th of December following, Mr. Bushnell was made its president in place of Mr. Preston, who de- clined the honor tendered him. Judge Jessup delivered an interesting address, the result of which was the adoption of measures looking to the organization of farmers' clubs throughout the county. The second annual fair, hield on the 17th of October, 1849, was well attended, despite the inevitable storm which prevailed. The show-grouuds for live-stock, around the court-honse, were at an early hour well occupied by a creditable display of animals of im- proved quality. The court-room gave satisfac- tory evidence of the interest awakened among the ladies iu the success of the exhibition. In the artistic department Judge Seely, then Mas- ter Henry M. Seely ; chief clerk of the Patent- Office, Colonel F. A. Seely, then Frank Seely, and others who have since filled prominent positions here and elsewhere, were among the successful competitors. The new board of officers elected were E. W. Hamlin, president ; Lucius Collins and P. W. Lerch, vice-presidents ; Thomas H. R. Tracy, W. R. McLaury, John Torrey, Aaron Loomis, Henry Welch, Amory Prescott, Oliver Stevenson, Sylvester E. North aud Thomas Clark, managers. The old secretaries and treas- urer were retained. The exercises in the court- room included addresses by Messrs. Bushnell and Welch, which were well written and were. listened to with marked attention.

The next meeting of the society was held at the treasurer's office, February 9, 1850. It was addressed by Rev. George D. Miles, of Wilkes- Barre, Judge N. B. Eldred, Alexander Calder and Pope Bushnell. Mr. Miles dwelt upon the

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WAYNE COUNTY.

moral influence of agriculture on society, and showed that the prosperity of communities was in direct ratio to the advancement of agriculture. Judge Eldred introduced in his remarks com- ments on the diligence of the agriculturists of Dauphin, Cumberland and other central coun- ties, and expressed the opinion that if the farm- ers of Wayne would use the same care, their farms would produce equal, if not superior, crops. Mr. Calder drew a comparison between the farmer and the lumberman, showing the

superior independence of the former. Mr.

Bushnell contrasted the condition of the Ameri- can farmer with the husbandman of Europe. An executive committee was appointed, with Judge Tracy as chairman. The committee met at the treasurer's office on the 24th of Septem- ber, and perfected arrangements for the third fair, fixing the time'at October 16, 1850. The court-house and adjoining yard was determined upon as the place for the exhibition, and it was decided that an admission fee of " one shilling" should be charged 'all except members and ladies. A large committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions in aid of the society, and an auctioneer selected to sell all articles exhibited which the owners were willing to dispose of. The fair was held at the appointed time, and was somewhat of an improvement on its prede- cessors. Among the premiums awarded was one for a set of artificial teeth to Dr. Otis Avery, " having a newly-invented hinge in the room of the awkward fixture heretofore in use, and an air chamber on a new and improved principle, warranted by the depositor." Dr. Avery also received favorable notice for a sample of gold foil manufactured by himself. Addresses were delivered by Mr. Hamlin, the president, and Pope Bushnell, Esq. The follow- ing officers were chosen for the ensuing year : President, Hon. N. B. Eldred ; Vice-Presidents, Virgil Grenell, Dr. E. T. Losey ; Correspond- ing Secretary, Pope Bushnell ; Recording Secre- tary, Oliver Stevenson ; Treasurer, S. D. Ward, with a full board of managers. Mr. Hamlin's address was so eloquent and instructive, it was requested for publication by a committee of the leading citizens of the county, and it appeared in the Wayne County Herald of October 31, 1850. 26

On the 21st of January, 1851, the Pennsyl- vania State Agricultural Society was organized at Harrisburg. A convention for the purpose was held in that city, and Hon. George W. Woodward, a native of this county, and one of the most prominent citizens of the State, was made its chairman. Delegates were present from nearly all of the counties of the common- wealth. A constitution was adopted, and a memorial to the Legislature prepared, asking for a charter. On the appointment of the per- manent officers of the society, Mr. Woodward was made honorary vice-president. The first member of the organization to represent our present senatorial district was the Hon. William Jessup, of Montrose, formerly our president judge. The next meeting of the Wayne County Society, held May 6, 1851, was an important one. Judge N. B. Eldred occupied the chair and delivered an appropriate address in exposition of the object of the meeting, stating that it was for the purpose of taking steps to secure to the society the benefits of the law passed at the last session of the Legislature relative to County Agricultural Associations. By this law, which is still in force, county societies are authorized to receive annually from the county commis- sioners a sum equal to the yearly contributions of their members, not to exceed one hundred dollars. Steps were also taken to make the society an auxiliary to the State organization. The president was authorized and directed to appoint a committee of one in each township in the county to induce farmers and others to be- come members of the local organization, which he proceeded to do forthwith. During the evening Hon. George W. Woodward addressed the meeting. He gave an interesting account of the state of agriculture in Pennsylvania, alluded to the efforts of great minds then being made to strip the science of its drudgery, and spoke of the great good to be derived from the formation of the State Agricultural Society, provided county associations, and farmers generally acted in con- cert with it. After the address Judges Tracy, McLaury and Mumford were appointed a com- mittee to make arrangements for constituting the Wayne County Agricultural and Mechanic Arts Society an auxiliary to the State Association.

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

As an experiment, and to satisfy the clamor of a number of farmers who had come to the conclusion that Honesdale was being un warranta- bly favored, the next exhibition of the Wayne County Society was held at Waymart, ten miles from the county-seat, October 15, 1851. The usual premiums were awarded. At the meet- ing of the executive committee the constitu- tion was so amended as to permit the annual fair to be held one week later for the future. The society was addressed by the president, Hon. N. B. Eldred, and Pope Bushnell, Esq. William R. Stone was chosen president for the ensuing year ; Gabriel Howell and Henry Welch, vice-presidents ; Samuel E. Dimmick, corresponding secretary ; and Jackson Wood- ward, recording secretary. S. D. Ward was re- tained as treasurer. But little change was made in the board of managers. The attendance at the fair was rather meagre, and the executive board determined upon Honesdale as the place for the next exhibition. At a subsequent meet- ing the fair was fixed for Wednesday, October 20, 1852. It was largely attended, and the display of stock and other articles was unusual- ly fine. Among the premiums awarded was one for a sewing-machine, invented and exhib- ited by Dr. Otis Avery, which was described in the report as " very ingenious." It is worthy of remark that the doctor subsequently sold his invention, and on the 12th of May, 1854, sailed for England with the purchaser and his finan- cial agent (a Mr. North), in order to introduce the machine in that country ; the impression prevailing then that the extended preparations in progress for a general European war would create a demand for soldiers' clothing and bring the invention into immediate requisition. Un- der the provisions of the new law, before re- ferred to, the society received this year one hun- dred and forty-one dollars from the county treasury. The May meetings of the association having been discontinued, the date for the next fair was fixed at this time. The first Wednes- day in October, 1853 (the 5th), was decided upon, and a committee was appointed to procure a tent for the use of the society, the accommoda- tions afforded by the court-house being re- garded as inadequate. Oliver Stevenson, then

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 46

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 1438

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438