Class 4_ 1^1 Book_„__^Vl/li-Vl-'^ Copyright N° . WOLCOTT, N. Y. ■•GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. N. Y. E. L. WELCH. 10° CORNING AVENUE SYRACUSE. N. Y. 'CAPTAINS" OF WOLCOTT IN ITS EARLY DAYS. JEDEDIAH WILDER. Property Owner and Invest ISAAC LEAVENWORTH, Large Capitalist and Manufacturer. Copyrighted, June, 1905. 'Grip," 109 Corning Ave., Syracuse, N. Y. (ILLUSTRATED. "GRIP'S" Historical Souvenir of Wolcott, N.Y. ieH»RY JUMUrtLSS AUG 12 1905 Cop>ni!ni Liiuy OAaS O- AXc. Nui ^7-J 3 7 t^C Historical Souvenir Series No. 20 'W'oLcoTT, N.Y^M Vicinity Copyrighted. June, 1905. "Grip," 109 Corning Ave.. Syracuse, N. Y. ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTION OF WOLCOTT. WOLCOTT, a village of 1,500 population oc- cupies an eligible location in the centre of a large agricultural section, and is the principal village in the northern part of Wayne county. It has a favorable site on the Lake Ontario branch of the R., W. & 0. railroad which is op- erated by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Compay; and is the prospective point for the intersection of trolley lines pro- jected north from Syracuse on the east and Ro- chester on the west. Wolcott is the business and shipping centre for fifteen to twenty miles radius of the best fruit and farming section of the state. The industry is largely the handling of fruit - apples and berries; canning, evaporating or re- ceiving for shipment crops, with an annual val- uation of $500,000. Another considerable industry is that of pickles ■ KROM THE FOUK CORNERS. and kraut, the production of which aggregates in value from $12,000 to $15,000. Two hundred and fifty acres are devoted to raising vegetables for this factory, and the yield usually pays the farmers about $50 an acre. One of the largest creameries in Wayne county is located at Wolcott in which considerable local capital is invested. It pays to the dairymen every month $5,000 which is largely distributed in the village in trade. At Sodus is located a branch of this creamery. About 1,500 pounds of butter is made daily at the Wolcott creamery. Grains, potatoes and onions are also raised in abundance in this section and find a market and shipping point at Wolcott. These productions and others common to a profitable farming sec- tion aggregate in valuation annually about $200,000. There are two foundries, a flouring mill, a cider mill and wood working shops in the village; four department stores, four drug stores, four gro- ceries, two hardware and plumbing firms, a fur. "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. niture store, two undertakers, three clothiers, three milUners, three dressmaking and ladies' tailors, a wagon, carriage and musical instru- ment business, two harness shops, two meat mar- kets, four blacksmith shops, two photograph galleries, two barber shops, two lumber yards, two coal yards, four hotels. There are five physicians, six attornies, two dentists, three opticians and two veterinaries The Twitchell-Champlin Company operate a cannery of fruits and vegetables, employing from thirty to sixty hands. The J. Weller Company employ from ten to a dozen in the manufacture of pickles and kraut. G. H. Northup handles dried fruits. Olivet Bros. & Cunningham, largely green fruits, also manufacture barrels. Wm. Davis, green and dried fruits. The Mercur Packing Company, dritd fruits. J. S. Terrill, green and dried fruits. dist. Baptist, Episcopal and Protestant Metho- dist. Four of the structures are of stone or brick. The church attendance averages 800. The valuation of the church property in the vil- lage, including endowments, will aggregate $150,000. Each society owns its parsonage. The Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian socie- ties own considerable real estate in the village outside of the churches and parsonages. A great deal of building is going on this year, principally residences for which a new and at- tractive street has been opened, called Leaven- worth avenue. Society in Wolcott comprehends literary soci- eties, clubs, insurance and social fraternities. The population of Wolcott is largely of that de- sirable class of people who are in good circum- stances and in business of some sort. There is a pride of home and village among the people which insures the prosperity and growth of the Fhoto. IAIN ST.. NORTH SIDE. LOOKING EAST FROM FOUI Wolcott, an up-to-date business place, is built up largely of brick business blocks and a fine class of residences. The streets are largely macadamized and heavily shaded by elms and maples. The sidewalks are chiefly stone and cement. Most of the residences are surrounded by well kept lawns and considerable taste is dis- played in the adornment of grounds with shrubs and flowers. The streets are lighted with arc lights and incandescent lights are largely used in homes and business places. There are two well conducted weekly news- papers and two substantial banks. The school is a comparatively new building— a large and handsome structure, built at a cost of .$25,000 or $30,000. The fire department consists of three volunteer companies, having an engine, hooks and ladders and ample supply of hose. There are five churches, Presbyterian, Metho- community. Many former Wolcott people who have become prominent in much larger commu- nities still entertain a fondness for their native place and in the summer a considerable tide of "old home comers" and their friends enliven the society of this beautiful and progressive village. Wolcott by its location invites home seekers and those looking for favorable business sites. That it keeps up with modern progress is shown by its excellent lighting system, telephone ser- vice and the unusually large number of automo- biles owned in the place. Many of its citizens have summer cottages at Port Bay and Lake Bluff on Great Sodus Bay, arms of Lake Ontario, only a few miles north of the village, where they live during the hot months going and coming daily with their auto- mobiles, or driving back and forth fine teams, Wolcott people generally taking pride in nice horses. 'GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Wolcott; Earliest Business Men and Earliest Industries; Large Enterprises Gave Birth to the Village:— The first settler and land owner in the village of Wolcott was Jonathan Melvin, Sr. , who bought 500 acres largely included in the present corpor- ate limits of the village. Melvin, who was a revolutionary soldier, came here from Melvin Hill in the town of Phelps, Ontario county, in 1806 and the following year he put up a small building for shelter. Melvin. for those days was a plunger, and to carry out his projects he bor- rowed money from the banks in Utica and Geneva. In 1809 he built a grist mill and saw mill on the Rumsay site both of which he sold to Oba- diah Adams in 1812. Melvin donated a site for a schoolhouse and for a village park. He sold a frame building on the site of the Wolcott House where he opened a tavern. In 1812 he bought the old schoolhouse which stood across the street and moving it over on to his lot connected it with his tavern. In this addition he opened a store, being the first merchant as well as landlord in the village. Trade for a few years prior to that time went to Sodus Point where it was expected that owing to the excellent harbor the chief town in this section would spring up. WOLCOTT WAS PUNCHEONVILLE. The daring and energy of Melvin, Adams and the Church's, who were then settled at Wolcott, opened up a trading point at this place which soon out-rivalled Sodus Point. Saw mills, grist ir\ills, carding mills and asheries erected here very quickly made this the centre of trade. Mr. Adams erected a kiln for drying corn and grind- ing meal which he shipped in large quantities to Canada. His large hogsheads filled with meal MAIN ST.. SOUTH SIDE. LOOKING EAST FROM FOUR CORNERS. Smith. Photo. plot of land to Samuel Mellin who put up a full- ing, cloth dressing and carding mill and he also sold three acres known as the swamp lot to Dr. David Arne, which includes what was the site of the old Presbyterian church. Melvin built an ashery on the north side of Main street and a distllery on the west side of the road leading to the Beach grist mill. Melvin painted the old farm house black, which afterwards gave it the name of the "Black House farm." Melvin died at Phelps in 1845. ADAMS' FIRST TAVERN AND STORE. Obadiah Adams, brother-in law to Osgood Church, who first surveyed pretty much all of the lands in this section, was one of the largest operators in lands and promoters of enterprises in this locality. He was the colonel in the state militia from 1812 to 1824. Coming to Wolcott in 1810 he first bought 40 acres of land from Jona- than Melvin, which lay on the east side of New Hartford street. He built a story-and-a-half for shipment gave the place the sobriquet, "Puncheonville. " He also erected a blast fur- nace east of the Beach Mill, but never put it into operation as he failed at about that time, 1824, and moved to Rochester, where he opened an hotel and a couple of years later died. SLOOP LANDING ON THE LAKE. When the stage road between Rochester and Oswego was opened his hotel at Wolcott became a much famed house for the accommodation of travelers passing through by stage. To accom- modate his shipments of pearl ashes and corn meal, principally, as well as other produce which he bought in large quantities, he bought land on the east shore of Sodus Bay and erected a wharf where he shipped produce and received merchan- dise. It lay between Glasgow and Bonnicastle and was known as "Sloop Landing." There he laid out a village, put up a warehouse and other good buildings and launched a sailing vessel. As a speculation the enterprise on the lake proved "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. unsuccessful, but for a few years more produce was shipped from "Sloop Landing" on the lake than at any other point on the south shore be- tween Oswego and Niagara. LEAVENWORTH INSTITUTE. Isaac Leavenworth was another of Wolcott's prominent citizens but at a considerable later period. He founded the Leavenworth Institute which along in the early sixties ranked high as an educational institution, and did a great deal in other ways to promote the interests of the village. In 1849 he was elected to the Legisla- ture. Samuel Mellen about 1812 erected fulling, cloth dressing and carding mills on land which he bought from Jonathan Melvin, sr. These he sold to Jedediah Wilder, a veteran of the war of 1812, in 1816, who sold out to Roswell Benedict in 1826. bench, a court of pleas judge. He was the first postmaster in the village. Elias Y. Munson, who came to Wolcott with Obadiah Adams and for a few years was a clerk for Reuben Swift & Co., became a commanding figure in business at Wolcott a few years later. In 1829 he purchased the old Adams tavern which in the winter of 1836- '7 burned. Munson rebuilt it of brick, the first brick structure in the vil- lage, and conducted it as the Northern Exchange Hotel. He was a mason by trade and helped lay the walls of Auburn State Prison. He died June 23, 1861. Rev. Amos P. Draper, a carpenter by trade, came to Wolcott as an ordained preacher in the Baptist church. DISTILLERY AND TANNERIES. Jacob Butterfield, a tanner and shoemaker, about 1811, purchased of Osgood Church three Loaned by C. W. Smith. Showing South Side Ma WOLCOTT IN 1855. PLANK S MILLS SWEPT AWAY. Elisha Plank in 1813 bought 467 acres north of the village and erected a saw and grist mill on Mill creek, which was carried away by a freshet Nov. 1, 1814. He and his son were both carried down in the current in trying to save some of the property. The father was rescued but the son was drowned. The next spring when Plank erected a second grist mill his house was burned. He died Sept. 25, 18^2. BLACK HOUSE FARM. Dr. David Arne was one of the most prominent men of Wolcott in its earliest period. He pur- chased of the Geneva bank the "Black House Place," the old Jonathan Melvin home which the bank had to take when Melvin failed. For some years he was justice of the peace in the village. He also went to the assembly and was on the acres on which he built a tannery and carried on business for many years. Wm. M. Nurss and Merritt Candy came in 1823 and erected a distillery and ashery on the east side of the creek. They purchased Elisha Plank's grist mill and also established a store. Mr. Candy died in 1828 and Mr. Nurss closed out their business, being succeeded by Alanson Mel- vin, whom his father, Jonathan sr., had left here to wind up his affairs. Stephen P. and Chester A. Keyes bought of E. Y. Munson all of the tract across Main street from the Wilder lot to the gulf and moved the old barn and sheds over to the tavern stand. The Messrs. Keyes occupied the old Munson store. Nathan Pierce, son-in-law of Levy Smith, built an hotel, which was later known as the White hotel, and kept it several years. Dr. Tripp purchased from the Geneva bank the Melvin mill property and repaired and con- ducted it for some time. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. The present Wolcott house, standing on the site of Adams' tavern, which, as has been stated, was burned and was rebuilt by E. Y. Munson as the Northern Exchange, was enlai-ged by Julius Whiting in 1880. He was succeeded, Feb. 1, 1887, by S. A. Williams. James V. D. Westfall was the first to open a banking business in a small way. Roe, Ellis and Pomeroy in 1875 started a pri- vate bank. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Pomeroy sold his interest to Messrs. Roe and Ellis. Towns of Wayne County; when erected: — Arcadia, taken from Lyons, Feb. 15, 1825. Butler, from Wolcott, Feb. 26, 1826. Galen, originally township 27, MiHtary tract, receiving its name from having been appropri- ated by the Medical department of the army, from Junius, Feb. 14, 1812. Huron, from Wolcott as Port Bay, Feb. 25, 1826; its present name was fixed March 17, 1834. Lyons, from Sodus, March 1, 1811; named from from Charles Williamson, the American agent for the Pultney estates. Wolcott, from Junius, March 24, 1807; named from Gov. Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut. Military Tract.— The legislature by the act of July 25, 1782, created the Old Military Tract as it was called. It contained 1,800,000 acres and included the present counties of Onondaga, Cortland, Cayuga, Tompkins and Seneca (except a strip across the southern end of Cortland coun- ty, west from the Tioughnioga river, about a mile and a half wide), and all of Wayne county east of Great Sodus Bay and Oswego county west of the Oswego river. In this tract there were 28 townships, called "Military towns" to distinguish them from the towns afterwards created in erecting the coun- ties enclosing them. In 1786 the legislature created a military tract, 768,000 acres in the counties of Clinton, Franklin Showing Wolcott Houai : had Constructed Balconies : A Second I had then been supposed topographical resemblance to Lyons, France. Macedon, from Palmyra, Jan. 29, 1823. Marion, from Williamson as Winchester, April 18, 1825. Its name was changed April 15, 1826. Ontario, from Williamson as Freetown, March 27, 1807. Its name was changed Feb. 12, 1808. Palmyra, the original town, was formed in Jan., 1789. Rose, from Wolcott, Feb. 5, 1826; named from Robert S. Rose of Geneva. Savannah, from Galen, Nov. 24, 1824; named from the savannahs in the south part of the town. Sodus, the original town, was formed Jan., 1789; called by the Indians Assorodus, "silvery water." Walworth, from Ontario, April 20, 1829; named from Chancellor Walworth. Williamson, from Sodus, Feb. 20, 1802; named and Essex which was laid out in twelve towns, bringing the total number up to 60. Each was laid out as nearly square as practical, averaging about 9-;j miles .squai-e and containing each 100 lots of 600 acres to the lot or a total of 60,000 acres. The towns in the first mihtary tract, compris- ing Galen were numbered and given classical names all of which have been retained (as far as the supply would go) in the re-constituted towns. Except where they coincided with county lines, none of the original boundaries were preserved, each "military" town supplying territory for two or three re-organized towns. The only ■milita- ry" town overlapping a county line is that (if Sterling which contributed territory for Imtli Wayne and Cayuga counties. The numbering of the towns began with Lysander (in Onondaga county) near the northeast corner of that tract (the second "mihtary" town south of Lake On- ■GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OP WOLCOTT. tario) and was carried south going from east to west. The towns, placed in the order in which they were numbered, together with the counties which have since absorbed them, are as follows: No. 1, Lysander, Onondaga; 2. Hannibal, Oswe- go; 3, Cato, Cayuga; 4, Brutus. Cayuga; 5, Camillus, Onondaga; 6, Cicero, Onondaga; 7, Manlius, Onondaga; 8, Aurelius, Cayuga; 9, Marcellus, Onondaga; 10, Pompey, Onondaga; 11, Romulus. Seneca; 12. Scipio, Cayuga; 13. Sempronious, Cayuga; 14, Tull , Onondaga: 1.5, Fabius, Onondaga: 16, Ovid, Seneca: 17, Milton, Cayuga; 18, Locke, Cayuga; 19, Homer, Cort- land: 20, Solon, Cortland; 21, Hector, Schuyler; 22, Ulysses, Tompkins; 23, Dryden, Tompkins: 24, Virgil, Cortland; £5, Cincinnatus, Cortland; 26, Junius. Seneca; 27, Galen, Wayne; 28, Ster- ling. Wayne and Cayuga. The Federal government having offered lands in the west to the soldiers of the revolution, the state hiid cut tl;e military tracts to keep as many The person appointed by the commissioners first drew the ballot containing the number of the lot; in which manner each claimant's allotment was determined. The earliest settlement of the Military Tract was on the east shore of Cayuga lake, and so far as records go the settlers were the family of Roswell Franklin near Aurora, Cayuga county, who came up from Wysax, Penn., by boat, fol- lowing the Susquehanna and Tioga rivers to Newtown (Elmira) thence crossing to the head of Seneca lake; thence by boat through that lake and Seneca river to Cayuga lake. Landmarks; Wolcott from 1850 to the Fire of 1884: [See engravings pages 5-8] : — Wolcott prior in 18.55 is shown on page 5. The Wolcott Hotel was then occupied by E. Y. Mun- son, who constructed balconies on the old build- ing. .Julius Whiting afterwards built the new hotel. MHi^ m ^^^^^^^'■^™ '^^-^^^^ "^^.^'^ v^--' -.■■^' ""•"." ■ --Z'"™ ' '"' uiUiWHwrnlflltf 4\^ y^-^::-^,^:^k.,^ JLCUTT; FIRE OF here as possible, offering a bonus of 100 acres to privates who would relinquish their western claims and accept this offer of 600 acres of land in this state before July 1, 1790. The state re- served in each town two lots for schools, two for churches and two to be distributed among com- missioned officers. The allotment of lands was to be made by drawing. In default of a settlement on each 600 acres within seven years the land was to revert to the state. Fifty acres of each lot called the "survey fifty" was subject to the charge of forty-eight shillings ($6.00) to pay for surveying, and if that were not paid in two years the "survey fifty" was to be sold. Compliance with these two main conditions gave the patentee full title to the whole 600 acres. The distribution of lots occurred July 3, 1790, under the direction of the governor, lieutenant- governor and four state officers. The names of the claimants of the land were placed on ballots in one box and numbers corresponding to the al- lotments were placed on ballots in another box. The first white building, the Gilbert block, was occupied by D. C. Whitford in 1872. B. A. Mer- rill, boots and shoes, was then in the second story and Billy Culliford lodged in the basement, where for some years prior he ran a saloon. The building was erected by two brothers — hatters. George H. Ames had a justice's office on the second floor for 45 years. In the building beyond were located Hovey & Burnet, hats, (the site of Olmsted's drug store) ; Smedley & Roberts, groceries (the site of the Bank); Wellington Olmsted, restaurant. The Arcade was built by Isaac Leavenworth. Curry, harnessmaker, occupied the west end up stairs. The oval patch over the walk is his sign. Hyde & Davis, grocers, were under his shop. Their sign over the end windows can be read through a strong glass. William Wadsworth previously had a store there. In the east end of the Arcade Mrs. Bissell had a millinery store, over which was A. A. Stinard's shoe shop. In the middle store of the Arcade was Thomas' printing office. When the building was first 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. erected it was wholly occupied on the ground floor by Schaeffers' general store. Henry Sheldon and Dexter Taylor were also in business in those old buildings. In the engraving on page 8 are shown the new brick structures which stood in 1877. . That with the bay window was put up by D. G. Whitford in 1876. Seamans, some years after, performing on the slack wire lost his life by the falling of one end of the wire, the rebound throwing him off. The first building is now the site of Mur- phey's store. Beach's business was next beyond. Then came Whitford & Campbell. Paige built the next building; U. G. Brewster erected and occupied the next, Jefferson Abbott the next to that; and Albert Wells the building next to the Arcade. The middle building beyond the ruins (seepage 8) was Stephen Bullock's wagon shop and in the next to the left Sam and WiUiam Rogers had a blacksmith shop. The old Methodist church is the Delano hotel. From an account of the fire in the "Lake Shore News" the following facts. are taken: — A telegram to Oswego brought steamer No 2 with fifteen firemen who arrived at 7 A. M. H. A. Delano and family, H. C. Creque and family, Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Wheelock and Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Hamilton got out safely, only the latter saving a few valuables. Eight blocks, all brick, were burned, including the Wells and the Sax blocks on the south side of Main street. Twenty-three business firms were burned out and fourteen families rendered homeless. The following were losers by the fire: — Henry Michael, building; Jerry Seibring, building, etc.; H. A. Delano, Empire House; R. A. Wheelock, building; R. Beach, flour and feed; Warren & Tuttle, hardware; Martin Spahr, stock and house- hold; Casper Spahr, building; C. H. Finch, clothier and household; C. Post, stock and house- hold; L. I. Kenyon, building; C. H. Allen, build- Loaned by C. W. Smith. Showing James Seaman Performii WOLCOTT IN 1877. Brick Structu Pla plainly seen beyond (now the site of D. C. Whit- ford's residence). Back of the church was a cemetery. No trace of it remains. Across Mill street on the corner was W. W. Paddock, hardware. East of him was S. H. Foster's drug store and Amos Nash's egg vats. Phillips' cabinet shop was on the west side of Mill street, and the old foundry stood across the street. In the brown house, corner of Main and Jeffer- son streets (now Conway's residence) George H. Reed made furniture. Empire Block. — [See engraving, page 9].— This building was burned early Sunday morning, Feb. 10, 1884. The alarm was given by ringing the church bells. The Empire Block stood on the north side of Main street, extending west from Mill street. It was built by Wells & Wheelock. In the corner was the entrance to ing, goods and household. W. W. Paddock, stoves; H. C. Creque, household; Mrs. Ira Scott, house- hold; G. A. R., A. 0. U. W. and F. & A. M., furniture; J. N. Robertson, M. D., office efl'ects; G. H. Northup, building; J. G Sax, building; H. C. Moses, stock; E. J. Peck, drugs; L. Burg- dorf, harness; D. Winchell, butcher; J. Cline, stock; A. Wells, market and household; C. B. Moon, boots and shoes; James A. Merrill, office and household; C. F. Valkenburg, stock; F. Abbott, building, stock and household; D. Con- ger, stock; Charles Purdy; Peter Cole, house- hold and stock; C. Weldon, household; Wm. H. Thomas, "Lake Shore News;" E.W.Newberry, stock and furniture; Mr. Bassett, carriage paint- ing; Whitford & Campbell, stock; U. G. Brew- ster, stock; Thacker Bros., stock; H. A. Gi-ans, stock. The total of losses was about $145,000. The heaviest losses were those of R. A. Whee- lock $35,000, H. A. Delano $14,000, G. H. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Northup $7,500, L. I. Kenyon $9,000, Casper Spahr $6,500, Jerry Seibring $6,000, C. H. Finch $5,000 and W. H. Thomas $4,500. Wolcott; Town History. -The old town of Wolcott, comprising the present towns of But- ler, Wolcott, Huron and Rose, was set off from the north end of Junius, Seneca county, March 24, 1807, but a legal organization was not effected until April, 1810. On June 11, 1814, a special town meeting was convened to consider the ques- tion of uniting with the towns of Galen, which then included Savannah, Sterling, Cato. Hannibal and Lysander, in a new county but it was de- feated. The division of the town was next agitated, about 1823. It was proposed to make four towns out of the original town of Wolcott. A conven- tion was called by the moving spirits and the freely. The affirmative This was four years after the location in the town of the first white settler. MELVINS— church's — WHEELERS. The settlement of the town of Wolcott was begun by Jonathan Melvin, Sr., who located on lot No. .50 in 1806. Jonathan Melvin, Jr., his son, was the first settler in the town of Clyde. Then came Adonijah Church from Massachusetts in 1806; Osgood Chui-ch and family and Hiram Chui-ch and Dr. Zenas Hyde and Zenas Wheeler in 1807; Lambert Woodrufl" who bought land in the vicinity of Red Creek in 1807 and moved on to it in 1810; Eliab Abbott in 1808; Obadiah Adams in 1810; Noadiah Child and Giles and Thaddeus Fitch in 1811; Jacob Snyder with a family of ten children in 1813. Giles Fitch came here in his business as a mail contractor, the first who carried mail between Auburn and Wolcott, riding the distance on horseback. Loaned by C. W. Smith. EMPIRE BLOCK-BURNED FEB. 10. 1884. was settled without much trouble, but there was some trouble in the adjustment of the boundary lines. Huron and Butler both wanted to include Wolcott village, and Red Creek which then had some aspirations desired to arrange matters so that it would be the chief village in the town of Wolcott. Nearly three years were occupied in reaching an understanding and in 1826 the division of the old town of Wolcott was effected. Up to the time Wayne county was erected Wolcott was in the county of Seneca, as was also Galen lying south of it. It comprised a township of about twelve miles square bounded on the north by Lake Ontario, on the east by Cayuga county, on the south by the town of Galen and on the west by Ontario county, which at that time comprised all of the western part of the present county of Wayne. In 1810 the population of Wolcott was 480 in- cluding only fifty-nine males who had the prop- erty qualifications for voting for State Senators. Osgood Church, a surveyor, came here as a sub-agent for the lands of Charles Williamson. On October 27, 1809, he obtained the deed for 855 acres at $2.40 an acre. His brother Adoni- jah served as commissioner of schools and su- pervisor. WOODRUFFS— SNYDER— RUNYON. Lambert Woodruff bought 500 acres adjoining the Balack farm where he lived for a time. Thomas Snyder, the son of Jacob Snyder, erected the first saw and grist mill at Red Creek. Jonathan Runyon, a revolutionary soldier, took up 600 acres of land in the town of Wolcott. Robert McArthur, John Ford and Daniel Pat- terson were soldiers of the war of 1812 who settled in the town of Wolcott. Wm. Olney Wood, one of the early settlers, was a tanner at Red Creek. He built Wood's hotel there and afterwards opened a private bank. He also served as supervisor of the town. Capt. Horace L. Dudley, who came here in 1824, was captain in the state militia in 1829. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Smith, Photo. DRAPER ST.. WEST SIDE. LOOKING NORTH Obadiah Adams, a brother-in-law of Osgood Church, was a colonel of the state militia and a prominent business man in the village of Wol- cott. The personal history and characteristics of many of these mentioned in this sketch are de- tailed elsewhere in this work and will be found interesting reading. Very complete reference is made to several under the caption "Wolcott; Earliest Business Men and Earliest Industries." Zenas Wheeler, an elder in the Presbyterian church, was a member of the General Assembly in 1837. Abijah Moore came to the village in 1809. Stephen and Sylvanus Joiner on March 1, 1811, bought 1,050 acres for $4 an acre ef Fel- lows and McNab on lot 344. Hiram Church, a son of Osgood Church, was two years old when his father came here, in 1808, and lived to see a beautiful village spring up into full and thrifty growth before he died, in 1889. Considerable material has been taken for this work from historical articles which he wrote and which were pub- lished in the "Lake Shore News." John C. Wadsworth, who came from Vermont, and settled in Butler with his father in 1819, located in Wolcott in 1832. He was sheriff of the county four years. Jesse Mathews was an- other who lived in the town before 1820. He was supervisor in 1817. Lott Stewart, who kept tavern at Stewart's Cor- ners, was widely known throughout the county. SEVERAL PROMINENT FAMILIES. Prominent among the early settlers of the town were the following: — James Alexander, Eph- raim P. Bigelow, Benja- min Brown, Luke Brinker- hoff, George W. Brinker- hoff , Deacon Cyrus Brock- way and Peres Bardwell. Seth Craw, Alpheus Col- lins and Thaddeus Collins. Daniel Dutcher, Rev. Amos P. Draper, Anson Drury, George Doolittle and John Dow. Joseph Foster, Stephen D. Fowler, M. P. Foster, M. P. Foote, Alanson Frost, Roswell Fox, Jacob Fraber and Milton Fuller. John Grandy, Moses Gil- lett and Ashley Goodrich. Linus Hubbard, James M. Hall, Rev. Ira H. Ho- gan, Thomas Hall, Hamil- ton Hibbard, Aaron Hop- kin, Alpheus Harmon, John Hyde, Stephen Her- rick, Thomas Hancock, Elijah Hancock, Consider Herrick and William Hallett. Capt. Thomas W. Johnson. Ezra Knapp. Jarvis Mudge, Gardner Mudge, John Mack, Elias Y. Munson, Silas Munsell, Abijah Moore, Caleb Mills and Pender Marsh. Wm. P. Newell. Samuel J. Otis, Isaac Otis and Roger Olmsted. Wm. W. Phillips and Prentice Palmer. Isaac Rice. Levi Smith, Wm. Sax, Charles Sweet, Noah Starr, Jacob Shook. Roger Sheldon, Wareham Sheldon and Jabez Stewart. John Turner and Eliakim Tupper. George I. Van Fleet, Garret Van Fleet, Robert Van Tassell, Ransom Ward, Jedediah Wilson, Jesse W. Williams, Joseph Ward, Franklin Ward, John Woodruff, Charles Woodruff, Lyman Whitney, Jacob Ward, Nathaniel Williams, Glazier Wheeler, Eli Wheeler and R. W. Young- love. The First Tavern in the village of Wolcott was opened and kept by Obadiah Adams. WEST MAIN ST.. NORTH SIDE. LOOKING EA.ST. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. n Wayne County; The Earliest Movement for Its Erection: — What was known as the "Lyons Petition" was the earliest movement for the erection of Wayne county. It was dated Nov. 15, 1822, and was addressed to the Legislature, asking that the towns of Lyons, Sodus, William- son, and parts of the towns of Phelps in Onta- rio county and Wolcott and Galen, then in Sene- ca county, should constitute the proposed new county of Wayne. The petition was presented to the Legislature Jan, 8, 1823, and reported by committee favorably February 3. The bill for the erection of the county was passed April 11, and included the towns named in the "Lyons Petition." The bill named as commissioners for determining the site of the county buildings Wm. D. Ford of Jefferson county, Samuel Strong of Tioga county and Oliver P. Ashley of Green county. Court was to be held until the county seat was fixed in the "Presbyterian meeting house in Lyons." That portion of Phelps in- cluded in the new county was finally annexed to the town of Lyons. Nathaniel Kellogg of Sodus, Wm. Patrick of Lyons and Simeon Griswold of Great Britain. After the revolution this claim was adjusted between the states of Massachu- setts and New York, and Phelps & Gorham re- ceived a good title. Through an agent in Lon- don Mr. Morris sold a large part of this tract to Sir Wm. Pultenay, John Hornby and Patrick Colquhoun to whom he transferred the title to about 1,200,000 acres for thirty-five thousand pounds sterling, about $175,000. Subsequently, the three partners, London men, divided the tract. Sir Wm. Pultenay 's share besides the lands comprised in the tract embracing portions of several counties, contained parts of the towns of Lyons, Galen and Wolcott in Wayne county amounting to about 80,000 acres. The title to the Pultenay estate was held in the name of Charles Williamson, who came from England as the accredited agent and in order to hold the title secured naturalization papers, the law of this country forbidding aliens to hold large tracts of land not actually settled by them. The Pultenay title was contested for some years but was confirmed both by decrees of the courts and by legislative enactment. The head- LAKE AVE.. LOOKING NORTH FROM MAIN ST. Galen were named commissioners to build the court house and jail. The supervisors of the new county were directed to meet at the house of Henry L. Woollsey, Lyons, then a tavern in that village, on the first Tuesday in October to levy an assessment for collecting $2,500 towards building a court house and jail, the same amount to be levied at their next annual meeting. The commissioners in June, 1823, decided upon the public square in Lyons as the site of the county buildings. The Pultenay Estate was the largest landed possession in Wayne county where many of the farm titles come from its owner, who with two other capitalists purchased the lands from Robert Morris of Philadelphia. Mr. Morris bought from Phelps & Gorham 2,200,000 acres in western New York for which he paid thirty thousand pounds. New York currency, equal to about $75,000. The Phelps and Gorham grant was originally made by the state of Massachusetts, which claimed title to pretty much all of west- ern New York under grant from the crown of quarters, or land office, was for years at Gene- va, and there the purchasers of farms (the ten- ants as they really were) had to go to make their periodical payments. What is now Wayne county was then divided between Seneca and Ontario counties. Mr. Williamson brought with him as agents or factors Charles Cameron, John Johnstone, James and Henry Tower, Andrew Smith and Hugh Mc- Cartney, men who undoubtedly have descendants still living in some parts of Wayne county, and whose names are conspicuous in the early history of the county. Cameron was in fact placed in charge of the lands during the earliest period of the settle- ment, in the vicinity of Lyons and Clyde, where he acted as local agent. Some claim that he gave the name Clyde to the river after which that village is named. In 1803 or '4 Mr. Williamson returned to Scotland leaving Col. Benjamin Walker in charge of the estate. He was suc- ceeded by John H. Woods of Geneva. Col. Robert Troup became their successor, as did also James Rees. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. First Presbyterian Ciiurch— This society was organized July 13, 1813, by Rev. Charles Mosier, pastor of the congregation of Romulus and Rev. Henry Axtell, pastor of the congrega- tion of Geneva. The complete list of members giving the places whence they came, all of whom brought letters from churches in those places, is as follows: Erastus Wilder, Phelps, N. Y. ; Robert M. Palmer. Brutus, N. Y. ; Luther Whee- ler, Akin, N. Y.; Jonathan Melvin, Phelps, N. Y. ; Mar- tha Fox, Nevington, Ct. ; Lucy Wheeler, Akm, N. Y.; Da- maris Wilson, East Windsor, Ct. ; Ezra Knapp, New Marl- borough, Mass. ; Elihu Jones and Noah Seymour, New Hartford, Ct.; John Wade, Pans, N Y. ; Roswell Fox and Elisha and Ruth Plank, Sangerfield, N. Y.; Adelia Knapp, New Marl- borough, Mass. ; Miriam Seymour, New Hartford, Ct. ; Joanna Bruce, San- gerfield, N. Y. ; Eliz- abeth Olmsted, Margaret Upson and Elizabeth Shel- don, New Hartford, Ct. The three unit- ing on confession of faith which make the total number of members at the organization of the church, were Josiah Upson, Amy Hancock and Eunice Wade. Two were united in Sept, 1813, Mrs. Lucy Church and Mrs. Hannah Doo- little. At a meeting at the schoolhouse [on the site of the present Baptist church], near Obadiah Adams', Sept. 7, 1813, Lambert Woodruff, Jo- siah Upson, Jarvis Mudge, Noah Seymour, Jon- athan Melvin and John Wade were elected trus- tees. Adonijah Church was elected clerk. Rev. Daniel S. Butterick, the first pastor, was engaged Jan. 18, 1814, for four years at a salary of $200. The agreement entered into by fifty- one persons to raise that amount annually pro- vided that each should be taxed "according to the valuation of real and personal property" he possessed, "as taken and valued by the asses- sors of the town of Wolcott," after deducting what the clergyman had received in donations and subscriptions. This organization continued until 1827, wor- shipping during that time alternately in the Adams' and the Cobble Hill schoolhouses, when the membership divided, the greater part of the number organizing a church in Huron and the others re-organizing the Wolcott church. Out of 44 actual members at this time from a record of 102 received from the beginning, the separa- tion left the Wolcott church with 12 members, viz: — Elisha and Ruth Plank, Lambert and Mai-y Woodruff, Simon Toll and Zeruah Viele, Jerusha Salmon, Lucy Church, Elizabeth Olmsted, Vicey Henderson, Lavina Drury and Hannah Doolittle. Elisha Plank and Simon Toll Viele were chosen the first elders. The former died in October, 1852, and the latter about a year after the new church organization. THE I'RESUYTERIAN CHURCH. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. From 1821 to 1824 the church was without a .stated supply and it was not until November 29, 1826, when Rev. Alanson B. Chittenden was en- gaged, that it again procured a pastor. In the summer of 1826 the first church edifice of the society was raised and enclosed — on West Main street, the present site of Dr. Watkins' residence. It was in 1832 that it was finished inside. The trustees authorized to act as the building committee when the work of construc- tion was begun, were Alanson Melvin, John Woodruff, Abijah Moore, Andrew Chapin, Elisha Plank and Merritt Candee. The subscription committee, named January 26, 1826, were David Arne, Jr. William Wells, Merritt Candee, John Woodrufi:', Abijah Moore, Alanson Melvin and John R. Taintor. Thirty-three contributors sub- scribed a total of $1,405 which was accepted in four payments made in lumber, grain and meat. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Joseph Merrill of Junius. During the service the congregation was seized with a panic by the falling of a seat in the gallery and the house was this church building was erected; and he preached the last sermon in it, February 11, 1883. The present edifice on West Main street, a very pretty structure, was dedicated, with the society free from debt, February 15, 1883, and cost complete $16,814. The corner stone was laid by the Rev. William A. Rice, who was then pastor, July 6, 1882. Rev. Charles T. Shaw, the present pastor, a native of England, received a unanimous call to the Williamson church while at the Auburn The- ological Seminary. He resigned that pastorate to accept his present charge and since he has come here many have been added to the church and all departments have been strengthened and enlarged. The Pastors :- Rev. Daniel S. Butterick, January 1814 to January 1815; Rev. William Clark, 1815 (settled in Wolcott January 1816) to September 3, 1823; from that time reading of sermons and occasion- al supplies; Rev. Alanson B. Chittenden Novem- MRS. G. H. NORTHUP'S S. S. CI, AS Lower Row. (left to right): Liela Jourden. Mane S Alice Perry. Upper Row— Bessie Parks. Reta Olmstead. Dowd. Glenny Countryman. Netta OlmsteaU. Theda stampeded until empty. All returned to their seats as soon as the cause of their fright was made clear. This church was continued in use until the erection of the second edifice on the south side of East Main street, in 1852, where the structure still stands, now in use by New- berry, & Barton, merchants. The lecture or session room, a separate building east of it, is now occupied by the Wolcott Courier. It has been used for various purposes, including a blacksmith shop. The lot was donated to the society by Isaac Leavenworth who also erected for the society the session room and the church sheds. Isaac Leavenworth and Ann L., his wife, united with the church, by letter from the Bing- hamton Presbyterian church, January 1, 1842. Mr. Leavenworth gave the society the Arcade property and a site for a parsonage consisting of four acres of land. Mrs. Leavenworth at her death left the society $1,400 for the erection of the parsonage. During the pastorate of Rev. Thomas Wright ber 29, 1826; Rev. Nathan Gillette, 1826; Revs. Jesse Townsend, Howell R. Powell, William Clark, Publius V. Bogue and Daniel Hopkins (supply) 1826-'35; Rev. Nathaniel Merrill, 1835-'9; Rev. Nathaniel Waldo (supply to fill vacancy caused by Mr. Merrill's death), 1839; Rev. Thomas Wright, 1839-'55; Rev. P. I. Burnham (stated supply), 1856- '9; Rev. Darwin Chiches- ter, 1859-'62: Rev. A. Blakely (stated supply), six months in 1863; Rev. W. L. Page began as stated supply January 1, 1864, and continued (finally as pastor) his labors here eleven years and six months — to June 1876, Rev. William A. Rice, 1876-'84; Rev. L. M. Clarke, January 1, 1884, four years following; Rev. H. B. Steven- son, 1888-1900; Rev. Charles T. Shaw, installed fall of 1901— present pastor. The First Death among the settlers in the town of Wolcott before it was erected was that of Sarah Mills, on Dec. 25, 1809. She was buried on the Viele farm. GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. REV. JOSEPH LINCOLN GILLARD. Methodist Episcopal Church. — The earliest appearance of Methodism in Wolcott was on October 9, 1813, when a quarterly meeting was held in Daniel Roe's barn— the first in the Sodus Circuit, Genesee Conference. Gideon Draper was Presiding Elder and Zenos Jones circuit preacher. The collection amounted to $10. Wolcott was next, in 1817, embraced in the Cato circuit. It was changed, in 1821, to Victory Cir- cuit which in 1832 was divided, creating Rose circuit which included Wolcott. That year, the first regular preacher, Elijah Barnes, came to Wolcott, although the year pre- vious Samuel Bibbins established an appointment in Wolcott. "Father" Bibbins, as he was called, was an old man, and his circuit required six weeks to "make the rounds." Elijah Barnes formed a class in Wolcott in 1832 which com- prised Lanson Millington, leader, Lovina Millington, Jerusha Pierce, Mathew Pierce and Phoebe South wick. On February 23, 1836, pursuant to notice, at a meeting in the district school house in the village, largely attended, the Methodist church society was organized and named Second Zion Society of the M. E. Church of the Town of Wolcott. Roswell Benedict, James Park and Levi Smith were elected trustees and directed to solicit subscriptions to purchase a site and erect a house for worshiii. The subscription paper was not circulated until the summer of 1838. The following year the building was erected on the north side of Main street (the present site of D. C. Whitford's resi- dence), and on Oct. 17, 183<), it was dedicated, Seth Mattison preaching the sermon for the occasion. In 1872 the present large building on Lake avenue was erected, the corner stone being laid June 29 of that year. The church was dedicated the following year. It cost about $22,000 including the site. W. W. Paddock, G. H. Russell and Lacey Rumsay were the committee who had charge of the construction of the new building. In 1893 a lot on Draper street was pur- chased at a cost of $550 and a very handsome parsonage erected which cost $2,473. During the summer of 1904 about $1,500 was expended in repairs on the church prop- erty. The society is practically free from debt and has property altogether valued at about $18,000. The present officers are:— Pastor, J. L. Gil- lard; S. S. Superintendent, William H. Pad- dock; Epworth League President, Dr. Harry W. Day; Junior League Superintendent, Mrs. Clara M. Gillard; W. H. M. S. President, Mrs. H. L. Rumsay; W. F. M. S. President, Mrs. Mary Brown. Trustees-J. G. Strait, Wm. H. Paddock, Irving Mclntyre, Willis Roe, Elihu Rogers, G. G. Salsbury, Granville Armstrong, Fred Bevier, M. H. Fenn. Stewards— H. L. Rumsay, I. L. Sherwood, J. H. L. Roe, J. Byron Smith, G. W. Cooper, C. G. Rice, Tibbits Walker, C. H. Allen, C. E. Johnson, W. J. Clapper, W. S. Church, Wm. Winchell, W W. Jenkins. The following have preached to the Metho- rilE METHODI.ST EI'ISCOI'AL CHURCH. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 15 dists of Wolcott: — Circuit— Samuel Bibbins, 1831; Elijah Barnes, 1832-'4; John Thomas and Moses Lyon, supplies, 1834 (two months) ; Wil- liam McKorn and Lewis Bell, 1834-'5; Burrough Holmes and Joseph Cross, 1835-'7 Anson Taller and Joseph Kilpatrick, 1837. Preachers in charge of Huron and Wolcott stations- Robert Everdale, Allen H. Tillton. 1840-'2. Pastors at Wolc"tt-R. Everdale, 1838-'40 A.TH. Tillton, 1840-'2: J. H. Lamb, 1842-'4; E E. Bragdon, 1844-'6; M. Lyon, 1846-'8; A. Chapin, 1848-'50: C. H. Austin, T. W. Thurston, 1850-'2 L. D. White, 1852-'3; H. Woodruff, 1853-'4; L Whitcomb, 1854-'6; I. Turney, 1856-'8; L. L, Adkins, 1858-'60; G. H. Salsbury, 1860-'2; Rich- ard Redhead, 1862-'4; Hiram M. Church, 1864-'7 W. S. Titus, 1867-'9; Oscar A. Houghton 1869-'71; Loren Eastwood, 1871-'4: Burdette W. Hamilton, 1874-'7; Richard H. Clark, 1877-'8 Edmund M. Mills, 1878-'81; L. F. Congdon, 1881-'4. C. T. Moss, 1884-'7; Charles Eddy Abram Bunce made the first contract for the purchase of 144 acres from this tract (now known as the Van Vleet farm) in the town of Butler. Jonathan Melvin bought his 500 acres from this estate, including pretty much all of the present site of the village of Wolcott. When Charles Williamson left this country never to return, although his intentions were to come back, he left Wm. Howe Cuyler as agent for his tract. Earliest Schools -The first Schoolhouse in the town of Wolcott was a log structure built in 1810, in Wolcott village, on the site of Dr. Wat- kins' residence. In 1812 District No. 1 was erected and a log schoolhouse was constructed by Jonathan Melvin, sr., near the Knapp foun- dry. The first trustees in this district were Osgood Church, Lambert Woodruff and Eliakum Tucker. Jonathan Melvin donated an acre of ground, 1887-'90; Calvin L. Conwell, 1890- '3: J. C. B. Moyer, 1893-'7; Samuel F. Sanford, 1897-'8; George E. Hutchings, 1898-1902; William H. Latimer, 1902-'4; Joseph L. Gillard, 1904, (pres- ent pastor). The Williamson Tract included all of the towns of Huron and Rose, except two tiers of lots in the south end of the town of Rose, and the western parts of the towns of Wolcott and But- ler which were included in the Military tract that is described on another page of this work. The east line of the Williamson tract passed about a mile and a quarter east of the centre of the village of Wolcott. Charles Williamson, the American agent of the Pultenay estate (see Pultenay estate on another page) bought the tract from Sir Wm. Pultenay and from him or his agents were obtained the titles to much of the land included in Wolcott village. About 10, 000 acres were sold from this estate at prices ranging from $2.40 to $5 an acre. Osgood Church and Fred Wolcott were the sub-agents for the sale of these lands. now the site of the Baptist church, and a frame school building was erected on it. This building was afterwards moved across the street and made an addition to Obadiah Adams' hotel. A new structure was erected on the lot near the corner of Washington and New Hartford streets, which stood until 1843, known as the old red schoolhouse. A two-story building was then erected in its place which was burned in 186.5. Among the earlier teachers in these last two buildings were Mary Lambert, daughter of Lam- bert Woodruff; John, son of Jonathan Melvin; Daniel Butrick; Huldah, daughter of Deacon Noah Seymour (Mrs. John Roe) ; Prudence Wells (Mrs. Jedediah Wilder) ; WilHam, son of Elisha Plank; Loren Doolittle Austin Roe; Harlow Hyde; Levi Hendrick; Barabus Knapp; Willis Roe ; Samuel Colbath. The First Mills for sawing and grinding in the town of Wolcott were built by Jonathan Melvin in 1810. 16 •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. -[By Mrs. J. E. Lawrence.]— In the spring of 1844 the Rt. Rev. W. H. Delancy, the first Bishop of the Di- ocese of Western New York, visited Wolcott and the first Episcopal service in the village was held in the Methodist church, whose people cor- dially welcomed the Bishop and congregation to their building. After this occasional services were rendered by the several rectors of the Clyde parish, as follows:-Rev. C. G. Ackley, 1849; Charles Gardner, 1851; William Paret, 1855; A VanOstrand, 1855-60; A. E. Bishop, 1861; F. N. Luson, 1862; R. C. Wall, 1864; R. Dobyns, 1865; L. B. VanDyck, 1867-8. In September, 1867, St Stephen's Episcopal church was incorporated with nine male mem- bers. The following officers were elected: — Oliver T. Ladue, Senior Warden; Norton E Mer- rell. Junior Warden; Thomas B. Baird, Robert B. Underbill, William H. Walker. Jonathan Allen, about the same time and the church people were without a house. In 1874-'othe Rev. William H. Lordof Clyde officiated occasionally, and reported the property as consisting of an organ and bell, value .$250. In 1875 Charles D. Barber was stationed in Wolcott. Under Mr. Barber a site was pro- cured and a subscription list of $600 obtained. Again, circumstance over which there seemed no control swept away the prospects of a church. After a lapse of about twenty years Archdeacon Louis C. Washburn reported having officiated five times and sent a lay-reader. Mr. Henry S. Sill of Sodus, and he also reported 2.3 communicants. From this time infrequent services were held in one hall and another with growing attendance. On Monday July, 14, 1904, services were held by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Walker, Bishop of the Dio- cese, with Archdeacon Washburn, joined by Rev. F. N. Bouck and the surpliced choir of St. John's James Armstrong, Allen Armstrong, Fred C. Lander and William Coventry, vestrymen. On the 17th of December of the same year the Rt. Rev. A. C. Coxe, Bishop of the Diocese, in company with the Rev. L. B. VanDyck of Clyde visited the new parish. Rev. VanDyck baptized several persons and these with others were pre- sented to the Bishop for confirmation. At this time services were held in a hall owned by Oliver T. Ladue. To Mr. Ladue and Charles P. Lander was the church in Wolcott chiefly indebted— un- der God— for its organization, and prospects. In 1868 the Rev. Lichery Wilber became rector, and reported 18 families, 19 communicants, 64 individual members, with 16 baptisms, the first three months. Through various causes the par- ish failed to support the minister and again be- came dependent upon the rector of Clyde and lay readers. In 1870 occurred the death of Oliver T. Ladue and the financial part of the church suf- fered. Mr. Ladue gave without stint. The building which contained the chapel was burned church of Clyde. Two adults were baptized and four confirmed. The use of the Baptist church was kindly given for the services. In November 1902 the Rev. William Benjamin Reynolds began ministration assisted by lay- reader from Rochester. On May 12, 190;?, the lot at the head of East Main street was pur- chased and ground immediately broken for the new church.. The corner stone of the beautiful stone edifice was laid by Bishop Walker Nov. 6, 1903. On February 6, 1905, the opening services were held, Archdeacon William L. Davis having taken up the work with zeal. In June, 1904, Rev. Charles R. Allison was placed in charge of the parish and has since served faithfully, the con- gregation growing in number and interest. J. E. Lawrence is Senior Warden and Clerk, and E. D. Scott, Treasurer. The First Clergyman who settled and fol- lowed his profession in the town of Wolcott was the Rev. Daniel S. Buttick. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 17 Baptist Church — IByRev.J.S.Nasmith]. — The Baptist church with its 102 members and property worth $18,000, ranks third among the churches of Wolcott and third or fourth among the Bap- tist churches in Wayne county. The first period in the history of the church from its organ- ization in 1832 covers nearly fifty years, reaching a membership of about a hundred fol- lowed by a decline in 1874 to only fourteen. Mr. and Mrs. Grove Henderson, Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Miner, Mr. and Mrs. D. N. Wood, Mrs. Ellen Jones and Mrs. Drury were the chief survivors of the little band. Of pastors, the writer of this sketch has learned of but three who served in that time: Rev. Isaac Bucklin, said to have been the first pas- toi. Rev. 0. P. Meeks, the last one of that period (his bride will be remembered by old res- idents, for the work she did in the great temperance revival of 1877-8; though com- pelled to use a crutch she was very active in that campaign), and Rev. Amos P. Draper, who was twice pastor, and whose Godly character, energy and tact was marked by all. Dexter N. Miner is the only one left to the church now, of all who were connected with it in those early days. The second period in the history of the church dates from 1879 and covers about eight years. Good old brother Wood had prayed and plead at associational meetings for many years that help might come to Wolcott. Rev. A. H. Stearns could not get rid of the thought that God wanted him to help answer that man's prayers. While pastor at South Butler he had had wonderful success in meetings at a schoolhouse near Wol- cott in 1875. This interest had grown stronger as he had nourished it year by year. The people were nearer Wolcott than South Butler, they had more interests drawing them that way. It seemed to Father Stearns that God had raised up these converts that they might go to the help of this feeble band. The converts saw it as he did and on a never-to-be-forgotten day a meet- ing was held in Wolcott to effect a union of this strong colony in the country with the weak church in town. Only three of the Wolcott church were there to receive these new members:— Mrs. Wood (Fath- er Wood had died a little while before), Mrs. Ellen -Jones and Mrs. "Drury. There were thirty Borrowed Cut THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 18 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. of these converts, four others from the same neighborhood and four more who joined by ex- perience. With Father Stearns as pastor all went well until poor health forced him to give up the work. Rev. A. R. Babcock took charge of the church in 1883 and was very successful in getting large congregations and in building up the Sunday school. He stayed only two years, however, and when he left the condition of things was such, the church did not settle another pas- tor for a while. There are now on the roll nine- teen names of persons who united with the church during the second period. The next step forward in the history of the church was due m no small degree to the coming to Wolcott of two men and their families: Messrs. H. A. Clark and T. F. Metcalf, who entered into business here. They were Baptists, and were willing to help push forward the interests of the church. Tired of the inaction of the past two years the church began holding services and Father Stearns cheerfully did what he could again in this new start. The State Convention sent Evangelists Brand and Caldwell to hold meetings. The converts from these meetings and the others who joined made quite an addition to their numbers. In February, 1888, Rev. J. J. Hammer began work here. The present church edifice was begun in the second year of his stay. Then came Rev. G. W. Ball, in June, 18S»0. and in the two years of his pastorate, the church building was completed. But once more the dark days came. A debt of $3,400 burdened the church. How to get rid of that was the serious problem of the next five years. Rev. W. L. Ferguson was with the church a few months. Rev. C. E. Christian came next and stayed nine months. After an interval of six months Rev. Abner Morrill began, July 1, 1894, a pastorate that continued up to October 1, 1900. He was old, not very sti-ong, but ably piloted the church through their finan- cial difficulties. Quite a number of members also united with the church during those six years. In fact the membership reached its high- est mark at that time. Much good was done by him in his work in the country round about Wol- cott. He had a very helpful family who will also long be remembered. There are fifty-eight names on the church roll of persons who united during the period of 14 years, from 1887 to 1901. We have now come to the fourth and last peri- od in the history of the church— to the time when the Baptists, freed from all indebtedness and en- riched by an endowment, could begin a career independent of any outside aid for defraying the expenses of maintaining public worship. Dexter Miner has the honor of making the first gift of property to the church— a dwelling and lots on New Hartford street. Only a few years later by the bequest of Dr. E. H. Draper, a son of a former pastor, another house was given to the church, with a fund of several thousand dollars. All this came during the latter part of Father Morrill's stay here. It is less than four years ago the new order of things began. The church has not yet got into the full benefit of tbe income it will have. Nor has it seen any more than the merest beginning of what its resources ought to make possible. This accounts in part for the fact that Rev. G. W. Ball's second pastorate from 1901 to 1903 was not more fruitful in results. The present pastor. Rev. J. S. Nasmith, who began work October 11, 1903, has seen 22 unite with the church; more paid for current expenses and more for benevolence than in any other year in the history of the church; yet he realizes, too, that he is simply doing preparatory work, getting things ready as far as he can, for the grand move forward he feels sure is bound to come dur- ing the days of one of his successors. One of the choicest blessings that has come during the present pastorate is that of a second gift from Dexter Miner— a new, modern-in-style parsonage costing $2,500. The present officers of the church are named in the following list: Pastor, Rev. J. S. Nasmith. Deacons: Elias Taylor, Charles Kellecutt. T. F. Metcalf, J. J. Palmer. Trustees: Charles Kellecutt, John J. Palmer, T. F. Metcalf, Elias Taylor, D. C. Whitford, Joel Fanning Clerk, Mrs. Galusha Oathout. Treasurer:— J. J. Palmer. Superintendent of the Sunday School, Miss Agnes Ford; President of the Y. P. S. C. E,, George Van Vleck; President of Women's Mis- sionary Society, Mrs. C. Kellecutt; President of Ladies' Aid Society, Mrs. Allen Westfall. The Erie Canal was begun— actual work — July 4, 1817. by breaking ground at Rome, N. Y., and was finished October 26, 1825. The festal celebration over the completion of this enter- prise was held in New York city Friday, Nov. 4, 1825, upon the arrival of the first boat to pass through the entire length of the canal. On Wed- nesday, the day the canal was completed and the waters of Lake Erie were admitted at Buffalo, at ten o'clock in the morning, the "Seneca Chief" began her voyage eastward. Her start was an- nounced by the boom of a cannon at Buffalo. Another piece of ordinance stationed eight miles east responded. Another piece eight miles far- ther east took up the refrain, which was, in that manner, passed along from cannon to cannon, placed eight miles apart along the canal, from Buffalo to New York. The time required for the salute to pass the entire distance, .544 miles, was one hour and twenty minutes. The report from the last piece at Sandy Hook was responded to by guns placed at the battery and was re-echoed along the line back to Buffalo. The legislative enactment authorizing the can- al became a law April 15, 1817. The middle sec- tion was completed in 1819. On October 29, 1822, the western section was completed and the canal that day opened between Rochester and Little Falls. 'The eastern section was completed so that on October 8, 1823, boats entered the Hudson river. The last section to be finished was that between Rochester and Buffalo at the time above stated. The passage of the "Seneca Chief," drawn by four grey horses at the start with regular re- lays, was hailed with joy at every village along the canal. The party aboard consisted of Gov. DeWitt Clinton and staff with invited guests, who at Lyons disembarked and were entertained with dinner and toasts. The boat reached Al- bany on the morning of November 3, and New York before daylight, November 4. On board was a keg of water from Lake Erie which was emptied into the ocean. State Engineer from Wayne Co. :—VanRens- seJaer Richmond, Nov. 3, 1857 (elected) ; served until Jan. 1, 1870. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 19 CEORGE 8 HORTON. George S Horton, four years member of State Assembly representing the county of Wayne, and for more than twenty years practic- ing lawyer of prominence in that county, is a member of the law firm of Horton & Brown. Born in Wolcott March 23. 1857, the growth and prosperity of the village are closely interwoven with his own career and its promotion is to him a matter of deep interest. Rarely a local enter- prise is conceived without his advice and co-op- eration, and in many projects such as the Na- tional Bank at Wolcott, which he was chiefly instrumental in organizing, and of which he is the vice-president, and the creamery Mr. Horton not cnly invested of his means but was largely the promoter. The canning factory was estab- lished and placed in a prosperous condition through his efi'orts in interesting others. Mr. Horton was educated in the Leavenworth Institute, the Wolcott public schools, the Union seminary at Red Creek and at Ann Arbor, Mich. ; and was graduated in law at the Albany Law school in 1882. He married Delia, the daughter of Nelson Wells of Wolcott, in 1883, by whom there is one child — a daughter, Cecile who was born Dec. .30, 1886, who was graduated from the High school this year and now goes to Vassar. Soon after entering the practice of law Mr. Horton entered into partnership with the late Col. Anson S. Wood, a distinguished lawyer and man of prominence, and they were associated in practice for nine years. Mr. Horton at once en- tered actively into polities, being a strong Re- publican and finally becoming one of the recog- nized leaders of his party, taking the platform during the most important campaigns. Through his influence Wolcott obtained one of the finest postofRces in the county. In 1893 he accepted the nomination for Mem- ber of Assembly and won the fight by 2,107 ma- jority over a popular young Democrat. Mr. Horton served in the State Assembly four years, 1894-'7, and achieved some distinction for the active part he took both in committee and on the floor of the House. Several measures he intro- duced, some of which became laws and others did not, were regarded on the whole as consist- ent legislation— that is the greatest good for the greatest number. Among them were bills lower- ing the rate of interest from 6 to 5 per cent, and establishing an equitable basis for sheriffs' and witnesses' fees. Mr. Horton 's name has been connected with the so-called "Horton Boxing Law." The facts in this matter do full justice to that gentleman from any point of view. That year there was a general public move which threatened to carry the Legislature off its feet and by enactment establish the legality of prize fighting so that no community could interfere with it in any way. The "Horton law" was a leaven which "held up" pro-fisticuff legislation and prevented the enact- ment of a law which would have disgraced the commonwealth. Mr. Horton was active on many important committees during his four years a member of Whitford. Photo. GEORGE S. HORTON'S RESIDENCE. 20 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. the Legislature,— a period which he alone in the history of the county has served No other man has represented Wayne county at Albany four years. For two years succeeding his last term in the Assembly Mr. Horton was attached to the staff of the Attorney-General of the State at Albany, in the capacity of special counsel, being engaged in defending cases against the State in the Court of Claims. This gave him valuable experience and fitted him for special capacity in his own practice which has now become second to that of no other law firm in the northern part of the county. Assemblymen; Terms of Service: — Adams, Wm. H 1825; Armstrong, Thomas 1827-'9; '39; Alsop, Robert 1836; Arne Jr, David 1837; Archer, Orson 1867. Boynton, Jonathan 1827-'9; Bartle, Jas. P 1834; Benjamin, Elisha 1835; Blackman, Ebson 1838, '41; Boyce, Peter 1849; Bottum, Edward W 1851; Bennett, John P 1854- 5, '90; Barnes, Thomas 1856; Bixby, Abel J I860; Burnham, Edwin K 1885; Brinkerhotf, G W 1892. Chapin, Luther 1830; Corning, Joseph W 1861; Collins, Thaddeus W 1863-'5; Clark, Henry M 1874; Clark, Wm H 1875; Crafts, Albert P 1880; Dickson, James 1824; Dickson, John J 1845; Durfee, Elias 1846; Durfee, Ehhu 1850; Dutton, Wm 1852; Durfee, Lemuel 1863-'4; Durfee, Hen- ry R 1871; Davis, Barnet H 1886-'8. Eddy, Seth 1830-'l; Estes, Charles 1858. Filmore, Luther 1828; Foster, Reuben H 1836; Farnum, Ammon S 1884-'5. Graves, Henry K 18.59; Glenn, E. McKinney 1868-'9; Gurnee, Emory W 1874, '76; Gates, Ad- dison W 1881; Greenwood, Wm E 1882; Groat, R P 1889-'91; Greenwood, M I 1898-'9; Griffith, Fred W 1900-'2. Hall, Ambrose 1826; Humeston, James 1832-'3; Holley, John M 1838, '41; Hyde, Harlow 1856; Hall, Amasa 1870; Hotchkiss, Leman 1883; Hough, John E 1893; Horton, G. S. 1894-'7. Johnson, Thomas 18.57; Kip, John L 1826; Knapp, Alanson M 1845. Lapham, John 1848; Leavenworth, Isaac 1849; Laing, John A 1859; L'Amoreaux, Jabez S 1861. Morse, Enoch 1825; Morley, Horace 1840; Moore, Samuel 1847; Miller, James M. 1878; Munson, John A 1879. Norris, Elliott B 1891; Osband, Durfee 1840; Pettit, Elisha 1848; Peacock, Joseph 18.57; Pryne, Abram 1862; Parshall, De Witt 1868; Pierson, Silas S 1884. Roe, Austin 1844; R-gers, Wm H 1865-'7; Russell, Allen S 1875-'6; Robinson, Rowland 1881. Salisbury, Ambrose 1832-'3, '39; Strong, The- ron R 1842; Sheffield, Frederick U 1843; Sours, Philip 1843; Sanford, Isaac R 1844; Southard, Israel R 1847; Streeter, Benj H 1853; Sentell, Edward W 1858; Servis, James M 1860; Sher- man, Jefferson 1879-'80; Saxton, Charles T 1887- '9; Smith, Addison P 1903-'5. Tucker, Pomeroy 1837; Thomas, Eron N 1862; Thornton, Merritt 1869; Thistlethwaite, Jere- miah 1877. Vandenburg, John 1866; Valentine, Jackson 1877-'8. Whipple, Russell 1824, '34 Wells, Annanias 1831; Wylie, Wm D 1835; Wilson, James M 1842, '50; Wisner, James T 1846, '55; Whitcomb, Loammi 1853; Wade, Willis G 1854; Wood, An- son S 1870-'l; Wells, Edward B 1872-'3: Weed, Oscar 1882-'3; Wood, William 1886; Whitcomb, Flynn 1892. Yeomans, Theron G 1851-'2; Yeomans, Lucien T 1872-'3. Pastors, M. E. Church; Personal Notes of a Few of the Earlier Preachers in Wolcott: — Rev. Joseph H. Lamb, one of the earliest, became a supernumery in 1888 and superanuated in 1893. He was endearingly called Father Lamb. Rev. E. E Bragdon, who followed Lamb to Wolcott (1844), died March 20, 1862. For years he was eminent as a Theological instructor. Rev Almon Chapin, who came in 1848, died at Sandy Creek Dec. 1, 1878. Rev. Lafayette D. White spent forty-one years in the active ministry, and served as Presiding Elder of four different districts. He died at Syracuse June 23, 1894. Pastor Isaac Turney died March 5, 1880. Rev. Loren L. Adkins died Oct. 18, 1881. Rev. George H. Salsbury died Nov. 27, 1863. Rev. Richard Redhead spent his latter years in Syracuse. Rev. Hiram Merrick Church afterwards preached at Trenton, N. Y. Rev. Wicks S. Titus afterwards resided at Syracuse. Rev. B. W. Hamilton was the first pastor in in the new church and he led a large revival. During his term of three years he married forty- one couple. He afterwards preached at Elmira, N. Y. Rev. Richard H. Clark near the close of his first year was permanently disabled for preach- ing. He bought the old parsonage where he lived until his death, March 22, 1894. Rev. E. M. Mills, graduate of Wesleyan Uni- versity, Middletown, Ct., received many honors from the Conference, was active in the Epworth League and received the degree Ph. D. from Syracuse University and D. D. from Wesleyan University. Rev. LaFayette Congdon from Wolcott went to Bradford, Pa., to preach. In evangelical work he was highly successful. During the course of his ministry he was successively passed through five Conferences. Presidents of the village and years of ser- vice: — Wolcott was incorporated Feb. 24, 1852. The names of those who have served as presidents prior to March 18, 1873, are not obtainable. The list from that time is as follows: Asa D. Kellogg 1873; Anson S. Wood 1874; Wm. W. Paddock 1875; George B. Curtis 1876; Thomas W. Johnson 1877; Martin E. Cornwell 1878, '85-'7; David H. Mann 1879; Henry A. Graves 1880-'l, '84; Benham S. Wood 1882; Alanson Church 1888; F. S. Johnson 1889-'92; G. H. Northup 1893-'4, '97; T. F. Metcalf 1895; E. W. Newberry 1896; H. T. Kelly 1898; A. B. Thacker 1899; M. E. Cornwell 1900, 1905 (pres- ent incumbent) ; Dr. R. H. Watkins 1901-'4. First Village Officers — Wolcott village was incorporated Feb. 24, 1852 and re-incorporated in February, 1873. On March 18, 1873, the fol- lowing village officers were elected: — President, Asa D. Kellogg; Trustees, B. Franklin Knapp. Horace L. Dudley, Nelson Moore; Treasurer, Henry A. Graves; Collector, Hiram Silliman: Clerk, Wm. 0. Church. 'GRIP'S*' HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 21 EDWARD T. BROWN. Edward T. Brown of the firm of Horton & Brown, lawyers, is one of the best known of the younger members of the bar of Wayne county. Mr. Brown was born in Sterling, Cayuga county, Aug. 3, 1870, and was educated in the district school, the Red Creek Union school and the Uni- versity of Michigan. Studying law in the office of Wood & Horton he was admitted to the bar in 1899. In 1901 he associated himself in the practice of law in partnership with George S. Horton, under the firm name of Horton & Brown. The practice of this firm is quite ex- tensive throughout the county and a great deal of its business is in the settlement of estates, in which the firm has been usually prompt and ex- act. Mr. Brown is very active in local enter- prise and is always prepared to assist in pro- moting the general interests of the village. He is an active member of the Wolcott Board of Trade of which he is secretary. Horton & Brown, Republicans, both prominent in county politics, do a considerable legal business and in the many important cases they have handled they have been successful. Their knowledge of business and family connections in the northern part of the county have placed them in a favor- able position to look after the interests of those living at a distance who have business in this section which requii-es the assistance of attor- nies. Mr. Brown in November, 1901, married Marv, the daughter of W. W. Paddock of Wol- cott. Buttonwood Hotel — Settlers lodged in the Trunk of a Tree. -The early settlers in Wolcott came from New Malborough, Mass., and New Hartford, Ct , and a number of them drove their teams that distance, bringing along farm im- plements and household goods as well as seed for first planting. They had a fair road— those who came in the early part of the century— to Cayuga lake, where they crossed on a bridge then turned north via Lyons. From that place the first day's journey was to the Buttonwood Hotel, now Wayne Centre. This was simply a hollow tree, it is asserted as a fact, which had fallen and was capable of holding three families [Hiram Church in "Lake ShoreNews"]and was occupied by home seekers coming through in the spring of 1808. The three families who found protection in this strange shelter were those of Levi Wheeler, Osgood Church and Obadiah Adams, numbering 14. Mr. Pierce, an old settler, informed Mr. Church that he had seen the log and thinks it was on the farm of Mr. Jeffers. Judges of Wayne county; in alphabetical or- der: date of taking office and terms served. [They were common pleas judges until 1846] : — Adams, Wm. H., May 12, 1846; Cowles, G. W., 1864-'9, '74-'9, '86; Collins, T. W., 1880-'.'S; Hal- lett. J. W., April 19, 1825; Jerome, Hiram K., Jan. 29, 1840; Ketchum, Leander, 1852-9; Mid- dleton, G. H., June 1847; McLouth, C, 1869; Norton, L. M., 1870-'3; Palmer, O. H , April 12, 1843; Sisson, Wm., Jan. 30, 1830; Sherwood, Lvman, 1860-'3; Sawver, S. N., 1898-1909; Tif- fanv. A. R., March 2^, 1S27. Whitford. Photo. EDWARD T. BROWN'S RESIDENCE. ;rip'S" historical souvenir of wolcott. i> J. R. Waldorf of the firm of Fish & Waldorf began business in Wolcott twelve years ago, forming a co-partnership with E. B. Dowd in the grocery trade, the firm of Waldorf & Dowd then carrying on ti-ade in the place now occupied by Hammer. Six years later Mr. Waldorf bought in the grocery and drug lines with Dr. T. S. Fish under the present firm name, which since the death of Dr. Fish has continued unchanged, his estate holding an active partnership in the busi- ness, represented by Fanny, the daughter of Dr. Fish. Mr. Waldorf, born in Galen in 1849, all of his life a resident of Wayne county and for many years a buyer of produce and dealer in farm im- plements, enjoys a large acquaintanceship. Ja- cob Waldorf, his father, moved into the town of Huron in 1852 and no farmer in the town was better known or had a higher standing in jj^g community. Mr. J. R. Waldorf for some years handled apples for large New York and local buyers in Wolcott and Clyde and was regarded as a reliable inspector, protecting the interest of the seller as as well as the buyer. Since his residence in the village of Wolcott Mr. Waldorf has been identi- fied with public enterprise in many ways, lend- ing his influence and co-operation to the promo- tion of new industries where it might be possible to bring them here: and taking stock in such concerns as opened their books to local subscrip- tions. He is a director in the Wolcott creamery. He is also a member of the Presbyterian church in which society he is active. During three years he was superintendent of the Sunday school in the Huron Presbyterian church. Mr. Waldorf is prominent in the Maccabees of which he was commander for six years. He is treas- uter of the Engine Company and has been for three years past. Deeply interested in agricul- ture Mr. Waldorf owns a farm in Huron and possesses a half interest in the Jacob Waldorf homestead. In 1874 he married Nettie E., the daughter of John Stanley of Wayne Centre. Sheriffs ; Terms of Office [Alphabetical Or- der] :—Borrodaile, John, 1844-'6; Barnard, Geo. W.. 1847-'9; Bennett, John P., 1862-'4, '68-'70; Brownell. John N., 1871-'3; Clark, Thomas M.. 1877-'9; Foster, Reuben H., 1826-'8; Foster, Cullen, 1829-'31; Ford, Charles H., (appointed to succeed Walter Thornton, deceased), 1894. Groat, Richard P., 1874-'6; Glen, Wm. J.. 1880-'2; Hemenway, Truman, 1835-'7; Howell. Vernon R., 1883-'5; Knowles, George W.. (appointed to succeed C. E. Reed, deceased). 1890-'l. Mann, Hiram, 1838-'40; Miles, Geo. R., 1901-'3; Nottingham Wm. P., 1856-'58; Palmeter, Calvin D.,1832-'4; Paddock, Geo. W., 1853-'5; Parshall. Rossman J., 1886-'8. Rogers, BartlettR., 1865-'7; Reed, Charles E.. 1889-'90; Stout, Simon W., 1841-'3; Snedaker. Adrastus, 1859-'61; Sweezey, Geo. M., 1895-'7; Thornton, Walter, 1892-'3; Ward, Chester A., 1850-'2; Wheeler, De Witt C, 1898-1900; Yeo- mans. Albert, 1904-'(5. "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OP WOLCOTT. Earliest Land Contracts in the Old Town of Wolcott; giving location by lots: — 1808-June 16— Abram Bunce, lot 57; 100 acres. Robert Vantassel, lot 54; 1441^ acres. June 21— Alpheus Harmon, lots 169 and 170; 113 and 114 acres respectively. June 22— Silas Munsell, lot 65; 1803;4 acres. Sept. 30 — Aaron Hoppin, lot 55; 165'., acres. Eliab Abbott, lot 376; 591., acres. Nov. 26-Glazier Wheeler, lot 52; 152J.2 acres. Consideration in each of above cases was $3.50 an acre. 1809-July 1-Obadiah Adams, lot 19; 106 acres; price $3.50. Aug. 8— Thomas and Elijah Hancock, lot 104; 50 acres; $3.75. Aug. 9-Wm. P. Newell, lot 144; 85 acres; $4. Aug. 12-Lucius Hibbard, lot 104; 47 3-10 acres; $3.62. Aug. 13-Levi Wheeler, lot 45; llS'., acres. Sept. 15-Roger Sheldon, lot 22; 106 acres; $3.62. May $4.13. May June July acres ; July 96 3-10 Aug. $4.21. Aug. $4. Sept. Nov. Nov. 150 acr Nov. $4. Dec. $4.12, acres : 26-EHakim Tupper, lot 53; 20 acres; 28— Jacob Watson, lot 56; 94 acres; $4.13. 1-Zenas Wheeler, lot 44; 100 acres; $4. 20— Giles Fitch, lot 352, north side; 963-10 $4.24. 30-Thaddeus Fitch, lot .3.52, south side acres; $4.24. 9-Elihu SpBncer, lot 71 ; 156 4-10 acres 17— Nathaniel Graves, lot 88; 188 acres 4 -Ira Smith, lot 42; 59^4 acres; $4.50. 5— Zenas Hyde, lot 26; SK^ acres; $4.06. 11— Asa and Silas Town, lots 212 and 213 es; $4. 23— John R. Laraway, lot 343; 70 acres 2— Nathan Parker, lot 98; 114-'', acres Sheldon and 0. Seymour, lot 70; 100 .?4.25. Smith. Photo. FISH & WALDORF'S DRUG Sept. 26-Wareham Sheldon, lots 24 and 25 142 4-10 acres; $3.62. Oct. 14— James Alexander, lot 411; 70 acres; $3.50. Oct. 21-Prentice Palmer, lot 62; 156i., acres: $4. Oct. 23-Thaddeus Collins, lot 141; 99 acres; $3.50. 1810— Feb. 18— Jacob and Eli Ward, lot 122: 100 4-10 acres; $3.50. July 26-E!iab Abbott, lot 43; 87 acres; $3.50. Dec. 25-Milton Fuller, lot 182; 98i., acres; $4 1811-Jan. 11-Pender Marsh, lot 205; 50 acres; $4. Jan. 30-Ephapras Wolcott, lot 160; 100 8-10 acres; $4. March 1 — Stephen and Sylvanus Joiner, lot 344 ; 105 acres : $4. April 1-Seth Shepherd, lot 197; 40 acres; $4. Aprils-Daniel Lounsbury, lot 206; 106 6-10 acres; $4. Jonathan Wilson, lot 140, south half; •50 acres : $4. April 16— John Wade, lot 140 ; 100 1-7 acres ; $4. iND GROCERY STORE. 1812- April 8— John Burns, lot 1.53; 108 6-10 acres; $4.25. April 14 -Stephen Betts, lot 360; 100 acres: $4.25 April 22— Abram Palmer, lot 140: 102 acres; $4. May 4 -Thomas Avery, lot 154; 103 acres- $4.25. June 12— Lorin Doolittle, lot 40; 65 5-10 acres; $4.50. June 24-Thomas Hale, lots 312 and 304; 200 acres; $4. June 2.5— Demarkus Holmes, lot 187; 101 3-10 acres; $4.32. Oct. 2-Noadiah Gillett, lot 132; 101 acres: $4. Oct 12-James Phillips, lot 92; 99 acres; $4.50. Nov. 13— Eli Wheeler, lot 188; 99 7-10 acres; $4. Nov. 14— Jacob Ward, lot 140; 50 acres; $4.25. Nov. 14— John Southwick, lot 191; 96'., acres; $4. Nov. 18— Elijah Howe, lot 167; 50 acres; $4. Dec. 29— Jonathan Wilson, lot 161; 31 acres; $4.25. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Dec. 30— Jarvis Mudge, lot74; 55 acres; $3.50. 1813— March 10— Asahel Gillett, lot 155; 50 acres; $4.25. April 27— Ezra Knapp, lot 75; 59 7-10 acres $4.75. May 21— Elisha Plank, lots 385, 383 and 381 467I4 acres; $4.25. May 30— Wm. Tindall (colored man), lot 291 66 acres : 14. June 26— C. Avery and C. Andrews, lots 95 and 77; 207 2-10 acres ; $4.38. July 1-Joseph B. Grandy, lot 201 : 101 4-10 acres; $4. Simeon Van Auken, lot 126: 35 acres. July 6— Robert Mason, lots 136 and 106; 215 acres; $4. July 9— Christopher Martin, lot 114; 128 acres. Aug. 17— Asa Whitmore, lot 208; 100 6-10 Seamans' Tragic Death. — A view of James F. Seamans in mid-air balancing on a rope in front of the Wolcott House appears on page 8, and his figure can be seen plainly with the aid of a reading glass. "Prof. S. J. Dare" was his professional cognomen. Some years after. May 8, 1882, while performing at Flushing, L. I., the rope slipped and the sudden tightening of the slack threw him to the pavement. From the in- juries sustained he expired in thirty minutes. This was the second fall, the first being at Hollister, Cal., three months prior to his death. Mr. Seamans' home was at Wolcott where he was a member of the Masonic order, and a citi- zen in excellent standing. His widow was a Wolcott lady. Seamans became a prominent figure in his performances, at times travelling with Barnum and again giving exhibitions of his own. He was a temperate man, and had the esteem of all who knew him. .Smith. Photo. THE WOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY. PRESBYTERIAN CHI Group sitting at the right (left to riKht):-Mrs. Edward Wadsworth. Mr R. Stewart. Mrs. Thomas Henderson. Two standing: -Mrs. A. Wells, Mrs. Mrs. E. Lyttle. Mrs. L. Harder, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. W. Easton. At the left Mrs. Percy Harmon. The Central Group (from left to right) Clarence Brewster, Mrs. Edward Kellogg. Mrs lapp. Standing en Porch:— Mrs. John Murphy the Porch:-Mrs. W. Wager. Mrs. Dr. Horton -Lower Row— Mrs. E. Peck. 1 Shaw. Mrs. Charlus Thomas. Mrs. Omar Curtis. Mrs. Wilder. 2d Row-M Mi.ss Marv Takotl. Mrs. Leslie Brockway, Mrs. Newton. Michel, Mrs. Jan Ida Cosa.i. Mrs, Giorei- Reed. Miss Nellie Curtis. Mrs. A. Brink. 4th Row son. Miss Lillian Fo.le. Rear Row (standing on the porch) Thacker. Mrs Boyil, Mrs. Clayton Johnson.. 3 Hattie Watson. Mrs. H. Thacker, Mrs. Randall M. Clark. Mrs. Hattie Johnson. Mrs. C. T. Shaw. Brewster. 3d Row-Mrs. W. D. Campbell. Mrs. [rs. A. Harder, Mrs. O. C. Davis, Mrs. C. T. John- nham Wood, Mrs. James Cook. Mrs. Brandage, Mrs. Bert Aug. 26— Thomas Hall, lot 304; 25 acres; .$4.28. Sept. 11— Samuel Haskell, lot 163; 102 acres; $4.90. Oct 1.5— Charles Sweet, lot 344; .50 acres; $4. Famous Giants— Goliah, Palestine, 11 feet high; (ialbara, Rome, 9 feet, 9 inches; John Middleton, England, 9 feet, 3 inches; "Freder- ick's Swede," Sweden, 8 feet, 4 inches; Cujanus, Finland, 7 feet, 9 inches; Gilly, Tyrol, 8 feet, 1 inch; Patrick Cotter, Cork, 8 feet, 7 inches; Chang Gow, Pekin, 7 feet, 8 inches. The First Attorneys admitted to practice in the county of Wayne at the Court of Common Pleas (first session) held at the Presbyterian church, Lyons, Tuesday May 27, 1823, Judges Tallmadge, Sisson, Arne and Monax on the bench, were the following^ Wm. H. Adams, Frederick Smith, Orville L. Holly, Wm. J. Hough, Graham H Chapin, Hugh Jameson, John Fleming, Jr., Wm. Wells, Alex- ander R. Tiffany, Thomas P. Baldwin, Charles F. Smith, Edward N. Coe, David Hudson. Jesse Clark, Nathan Parke, Lansing B. Mizner, Jared Willson, Lemuel W. Ruggles, Mark H. Sibley, John Burton. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. FLETCHER S. JOHNSON. Fletcher S. Johnson for about thirty years was one of the best known and most highly re- garded of the Wolcott business men, contempo- raneous with such men of character and influence —all of whom passed away within the same brief period— as Hermen C. Creque, Jeremiah Sebring, William H. Thacker, A. R. Tucker, Harlow C. Merrill, Chauncey P. Smith, Abijah W. Moore, William H. Thomas, G. Melvin Knapp and Dr. Edwin H. Draper. Mr. Johnson ranked high as a citizen whose unimpeachable character, honor, sincerity, earn- estness and Christian life, was ever an example inviting others to follow the way he had consist- ently followed. Venturing largely in trade and enterprise Mr. Johnson was conspicuously suc- cessful; and although his mind was fully occu- pied with business cares he found time to devote much of his energy in doing good to the commu- nity, giving freely of his means to calls for char- ity and devoting both personal attention and funds to religious purposes. He was a deacon and trustee in the Presbyterian church and for eighteen years labored arduously as superin- tendent of that Sunday school, which position he occupied at the time of his death. Mrs. John- son taught the infant class for about thirty years and she was a constant inspiration to her husband in that field as in all others. Mr. Johnson was born in Wolcott on May 11, 1840. His first business venture was that of partner in the drug business with Samuel H. Foster. They were together two or three years in a store on the present site of the electric light plant. On December 24, 1861, he married Miss Hattie, the daughter of Spencer Chapin, a prominent farmer of Huron, and during two years he en- gaged in farming. Then he entered into busi- ness with Martin E. Cornwell. It was while they were in company that the big fire swept the north side of Main street cleaning them and many others out. Together they erected the block in which each afterwards engaged sepa- rately in business. The Cornwell store is that now occupied by Fish & Waldorf, and Mr. John- son's place of business for many years later is now that of Johnson & King. The members of the latter firm were clerks with him whom he finally took into partnership. They are Clarence E. Johnson and Fred W. King. In 1886 he formed a co-partnership with Gard- ner H. Northup in the evaporated apple business, which became one of the largest in the handling of fruit in the state. It is said that during the busiest period of their activity more fruit was shipped from Wolcott in a single year than from any other place. Messrs. Northup and Johnson's association in this enterprise continued down to the time of the latter's death, although for a year prior thereto Mr. Johnson's health did not permit him to actively engage in the business. Speaking of his business relations with Mr. Johnson for about eighteen years, Mr. Northup at a memorial service held after the death of his partner, said that no articles of agreement were ever drawn up between them and that nothing save a verbal bargain held them together. As a business man, Mr. Northup said, there were not many men with whom he would venture into partnership on such terms. Smith, Photo. MRS. FLETCHER S. JOHNSON'S RESIDENCE. 26 •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. In the early part of January, 1901, Mr. John- son, by the advice of his physicians went to Clifton Springs Sanitarium accompanied by Mrs. Johnson. But a short time after, Jan. 19, 1901, Mr. Johnson died from an attack of apoplexy. The next day, accompanied by the widow and her daughter and family — Dr. and Mrs. C. H. Towlerton of Lyons — the remains were brought to Wolcott. On the following Wednesday the funeral was held at the family home in this village and the remains were buried in Leavenworth Cemetery. That the death of Mr. Johnson was felt to be a great loss to the community was shown by the general attendance at the services of business men and others and the general closing of places of business in the village during the hour of the funeral. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had one son who died when eight years old. Mrs, Dr. Towlerton, Nellie Johnson, was regarded by all as an own daughter. There is only one grandchild living, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Towlerton, who is Genealogy of Wayne County — All of this territory was first included in Tryon county which was erected in New York province before the revolution, central and western New York not then being opened to white settlements. Giving the dates of the erection of the several counties and towns out of which the territory was finally whittled down to Wayne county, may be figuratively stated as the genealogy of Wayne county: — Wayne county; erected April 12, 1823; from Ontario and Seneca counties. Ontario; erected Jan. 27, 1789; from Mont- gomery county; included western New York west of the foot of Seneca lake. Seneca; erected March 24, 1804; from Cayuga. Cayuga; erected March 8, 1799; from Onon- daga. Onondaga; erected March 5, 1794; from Her- kimer. Herkimer; erected Feb. 16, 1791; from Mont- gomery. Montgomery substituted for Tryon April 2, 1784. .^iinlli. I'lint.,, MAIN ST.. NORTH SIDE, LCMH named after his grandfather, Fetcher Johnson Towlerton, and is now ten years old. Lakes of New York State— Height above tide. —Avalanche, Essex Co., 2,900 ft. ; Golden, Essex Co., 2,851: Henderson, Essex Co., 1,9.36; San- ford, Essex Co., 1,826: Eckford, Hamilton Co., 1,791: Fulton Chain (Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Lakes), Hamilton Co., 1776; Racket, Hamilton Co., 1,745; Fork-ed, Hamilton Co., 1,704; New- comb, Essex Co., 1,698: Cattaraugus, Cattarugus Co., 1,665; Fulton Chain (Third, Fourth and Fifth Lakes), Herkimer Co., 1,645; Long, Her- kimer Co., 1,575; Cranberry, St. Lawrence Co., 1,570; Upper Saranac, Franklin Co., 1,567; Tup- pers, Franklin Co., 1,545; Rich, Essex Co., 1,545, Lower Saranac, Frankhn Co., 1,527; Pleasant, Hamilton Co., 1,500: Chautauqua, Chautauqua Co., 1,291; Tully, Onondaga Co., 1,200: Schuy- ler, Otsego Co., 1,200; Otsego, Otsego Co., 1,193: Cazenovia, Madison Co., 900; Skaneateles, Onon- daga Co., 860; Crook-ed, Yates Co., 718; Owasco, Cayuga Co., 670; Canandaigua, Ontario Co., 668; Seneca, 447: Cayuga, 387; Oneida, 369; Onon- daga, 361: Ontario, 232; Champlain, 93. INC WEST FltllM IlKAl'ER ST. Tryon; erected March 12, 1722; from Albany. Albany; erected Nov. 1, 1683; one of the ten counties first erected in New York province. The other were New York, Dutchess, Kings, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk. Ulster and Westchester. Fire of 1876. — On the evening of August 26, 1876, a fire broke out in the upper story of Pad- dock & Tuller's hardware store and swept a part of the east Side of Mill street, north from Main street. Six business firms were burned out. Paddock & Tuller's building stood near the cor- ner of Main street. Next— on the corner — was the small shoe shop of Calvin Moore. Going north from Paddock & Tuller's were the build- ings occupied, respectively, by Fish & Peck, druggists, U. G. Brewster, flour and feed, F. J. Phillips, tin shop, and Curtiss & Knapp, foundry. On the second floor of Paddock & Tuller were Beach & Newberry, undertakers. Mr. and Mrs. Stiles lived in the rear. All of the above named were burned out. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 27 CLASS. BAPTIST CHURCH. MISS BESSIE FISH'i Lower Row (left to right) :— Grace ley. Ethel Miller. Upper Row:-01ivi Metcalf. Laura Hall. Supervisors of the Town of Wolcott: — Os- good Church 1810-' 13; Adonijah Church 1814- 17; G. L. Nicholas 1818: Thomas Armstrong 1818 (served a part of his predecessor's term) ; Jesse Mathews 1819; George B. Brinlverhoff 1820; Norman Sheldon 1821 -'2, '24 '5; Arad Talcott 1822: David Arne Jr. 1826-'8, '36; Daniel Roe Jr. 1829-'.34; Abel Lyon 1835, 37-'9: James M. Wilson 1840-'l, '46, '50, '52-'3, '58-'9; Wm. O. Wood 1842-'4, '47-'9, '62-'5; Aaron H. Boylan 1845; E. L. Leavenworth 1851, '54; W. J. Pres- ton 1855; John Boylan 1856; Andrew Preston 1857: Thaddeus W. Collins 1860; Amos Nash 1861: Edwin H. Draper 1866-'70, '72-'7; James W. Snyder 1871: Marion Conklin 1878-'81 : Myron Wood 1882-4, '87-'9; George W. Snyder 1885-'6: George R. Miles 1890, '94-'7; Alanson Church 1891- '3: Theodore P. Metcalf 1898: Geo. W. BrinkerhofT 1899-1902; Charles Madan 1903- '.5. The Civic Club was organized June 27, 1904, at the home of Mrs. G. H. Northup by Miss Harriet May Mills of Syracuse. The officers elected were Mrs. J. E. Lawrence, president; Mrs. 0. M. Curtis, 1st vice- president; Mrs. E.H. Kel- logg, 2d vice-president, Ma- ry Talcott, secretary. Mis G. H. Northup, treasuiei, Mrs. W. H. Thacker, auditoi The study of Civics has been in charge of Principals L. H. Cai-ris and G. B. Gurley of the High school. The meet- ings are held fortnightly at the homes of the members. Addresses have been made before the club by Mrs. Ella Hawley Crossett, State Pres- ident of Woman's Suffrage Association; Principal Gur- ley; Rev. J. L. Gillard; Rev. Charles R. Allison; Rev. Jennie Pitts; Rev. J. S. Nas- '.^'''^^i Mr. Edward T Brown; Lower Row (left to right):~Mrs. George Reed, Miss Lydia Kellogg. Miss Mary Mr. A. C. Brink; and others. Tallctu MrrHenry Paddofk, Mrs. Amos Nish. Upper Row-Mrs. Enos Reed, Mrs The society motto is "The Clark Lefevre. Mrs. Hursey. Rev. Mrs. Pitts. Mrs. James Cook. Noblest Motive is the Public Good." County Clerics; Terms of those Who have Held that Po.'ii- tion, [Alphabetical Order]: Barber Jr., John, 1826-'31; Bix- by,AbelJ,,1879-'81; C u y 1 e r , John L. , 1832-'4; Chapman, Daniel. 1842-'6; Col- lins, Thaddeus W., 1867- '9; Cuyler, Led- yardS., 1894- (pres- ent incumbent). Foster, Cullen, 1835-'9; Gavitt, Saxon B., 1852-'7; Gates, Alfred H., 1873-'5; Hawley, James, 1840-'l; Lyon, Lyman, 18.58-'63; Mason, Clark, 1864-'6; McGonigal, 1882-'4. Peacock, Fred, 1891-'3; Richardson, Israel J., 1824-'5; Redfiekl, Albert F., 1870-'2; Sweeting, Volney H.. 1876-'8; Thomas, Byron, 1885-'7; Williams, Alexander B., 1847-'.51; Wells, Edward B., 1888-'90. Earliest Land Owners in the Village of Wol- cott:— Jonathan Melvin in 1807 purchased of the Pultenay estate lot No. .50, 500 acres ; as did also Adonijah Church in 1807, lot 48, and Osgood Church in 1808, lot 49. Obadiah Adams in 1810 purchased of Mr, Melvin 40 acres of land on the east side of New Hartford ftreet and the north side of Main street from Lake avenue to the creek. This stream is now covered by Main street. These four men were the first to open Wolcott village for settlement. The First Death in the town of Wolcott after it was erected was that of a son of George Sal- mon. THE w. c. T. u. -OUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. POSTMASTER AND E. F. D. CARRIERS. A. C. Brink, Postmaster: Lee Dowd at the left and Eugene Seymour at the right Standing (left to right): Mr. Wicks. Thomas Curr. Wallace Phillips. Charles Plumley Oliver Bennett. "Doc." The First Town Meeting in Wolcott was held in Jonathan Melvin's grist mill in the vil- lage of Wolcott, April 3, 1810. The town offi- cers elected were as follows:— Supervisor, Osgood Church; Clerk, Adonijah Church; Assessors, Obadiah Adams, Osgood Church and John N. Murray; Overseers of the Poor, Ezra Knappand Jesse Matthews; Highway Commissioners, Isaac Shook, Peres Bardwell and Noah Starr; Town Viewers, Levi Wheeler and John Grandy; Overseer.s of Highways, Glazier Wheeler, Wm. P. Newell, James Alexander and Roger Sheldon. Principal Sum- mits in the State.— Mount Marcey, Essex Co., 5,467 feet high; Dix Peak, Essex Co., 5 200; Mount Mcln- t\re, Essex Co., 5,183; Mount McMartin, Es- ^ex Co., 5,000; Mount Sandanoni, Essex Co., 5,000; Mount Nipple- top, Essex Co., 4,900; Mount Whiteface, Es- sex Co., 4,900; Mount Pharaoh, Essex Co., 4 500; Mount Tailor, Hamilton Co., 4,500: Mount Seward, Frank- lin Lo., 4,100: Mount Emmons, Hamilton Co., 4,000: Mount (_iain, Warren Co., ^000; Round Top, Gieene Co., 3,804: High Peak, Greene Co., 3,718; Pine Orchard, Gieene Co., 3,000: Mount Pisgah, Dela- ware Co., 3,400: Rock- land Mount, Sullivan Co., 2,400; Ripley Hill, Onondaga Co., 1,983: Walnut Hill, Sullivan Co., 1,980; Mount Top- pin, Cortland Co.. 1,700; Pompey Hill, Onondaga Co., 1,743: Bea- con Hill, Dutchess Co., 1,685; Old Beacon, Put- nam Co., 1,471; Bull Hill, Putnam Co., 1,586: Anthony's Nose, Putnam Co., 1,228; Butter Hill, Orange Co., 1,529; Crow's Nest, Orange Co., 1,418; Bear Mount, Orange Co., 1,350. Famous Dwarfs— Count Borowlaski, War- saw, 39 inches high; Tom Thumb (Charles S. Stratton) New York, 31 inches; Mrs. Tom Thumb, New York, 32 inches; Che-Mah, China, 25 inches; Lucia Zarate, Mexico, 20 inches; Gen. eral Mite, New York, 21 inches. standing (left to right) :-Clarc Clark. W. H. Brown. N. C. Vought, Madan, Krinl Milliman. John Merril WOLCOTT H. & L. CO. NO. Fred Baker. D. E. Benn I. J. Foster. C. Palmer. A. . Lawrence Prevost. L. L. , George Silliman. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 29 New Leavenworth Debaters. —In Decem- ber, 1897, a few of the High school young men conceived the idea of forming a debating society for the purpose of training its members in thinl:- ing and speaking. Shortly thereafter they met, drew up their constitution, a few by-laws, etc., and bound themselves by a solemn oath to do all in their power to make the undertaking a success. It was decided that any boy taking at least one academic study might become a member by a two-thirds vote of the society. At once the society sprang into popularity as it has since remained. Nearly every boy con- nected himself therewith and very soon the lead- ing questions of the day were being ably and eloquently discussed. Thus the society developed and grew until 1903 when for good reasons it was discontinued for one year. In October, 1904, it was re-organized with forty-three names on its membership roll. This has been the banner year in its history. and Mrs. Edson Benedict deeded the society the present site of the church on Cemetery street, and also the site for parsonage. The trustees at that time were Jeremiah Sebring, Soloman Loveless, and Lansing Millington. The church edifice was erected between the years of 1860-'68. As soon as the building was roofed and enclosed it was seated temporarily and used for church purposes. Revivals were held before the com- pletion of the building, which added materially to the strength of the society. The society had seasons of great prosperity, also many severe reverses but struggled bravely through them. The present pastor, Rev. Jennie I. Pitts, is serv- ing the church for the fifth year, and has been successful in building up the society, and has raised funds for extensive repairs which are in progress. The building has been lowered several feet, rooms on first floor taken out, the old tower will be removed and a corner tower added. A furnace will be put in. The interior is being i-e- modeled. The windows will be replaced by E^m^mM ^' m^ Pho NEW LEAVENWl. DEBATING SOCIETY. J. Kn Top Row (left to right):— Willie Lynch. B. ner. Ed. Pitts. Leaton Seele.v. Ralph Weeks, Geoi-ge Catchpole. Thomas, Halsev Lovejoy, Ross Tibbitts, Willie Jones, Earl Horton, Roy Calhoun. Marion Beach. Hibbard, Middle Row (left to right): -George Van Vleck, Roy Schenck, Shattuck, Harry WoodrufT. Charles Lvttle, Ned Kellogg, Flovd Conklin, Merwin Boynton, Lower Row (left to right):-Willis Rathbun, Claude Mitchell, Leon Bidwell, Earl) Brown, Porter Brockway, Clayton Seaber, Arthur Fish. From its organization it has had the hearty support of the school principals, especially of the latter two, Mr, Carris and Mr, Gurley. The Methodist Protestant Chuich was or- ganized March 18, 1857, at the residence of Lansing Millington. The first trustees were E. H. Nichols, H. S. Cornwell and Lansing Milling- ton. A class formed consisted of Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Cornwell, Mr. and Mrs. Lansing Milling- ton, Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim Nichols, Mr. and Mrs. John Cook and Walter Paddock. Rev. I. H. Hogan was first pastor. An unused Univer- salist church building on New Hartford street, known as "the old stone church," was rented and occupied by the society for a few years. During the winter following organization, a re- vival was held, which resulted in an addition of •over seventy members. On March 1, 1864, Mr. stained glass; a bell hung and the entire build- ing will be redecorated and painted ; also new furniture added. The work is expected to be completed during the present year (1905). The Ladies' Aid Society is doing efficient work in the cause. The present trustees are E. N. Brink, T. J. Reed and A. Miller; class leader, A. Mil- ler; S. S. Supt., Edwin B. Pitts. Following is a Hst of pastors from organization:— J. H. Hogan, N. R. Swift, M. Prindle, Chas. Smith, E, Withey, C. W. Beardsley, J. H. Richards, H. F. Snow, A. R. Seaman, T. Dodd, L. Smith. M. L. Baker, L. J. Cooper, H. L. Bowen, A. F. Beebe, W. H. Tryon, H- Vre, H. Troop, W. McChesney, W. H. Church, T. Kiesinger, Libbie Van Horn, L. J. Reed, Jennie I. Pitts. The First Postmaster in the town of Wol- cott was Dr. David Arne. GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. PITTS. Reminiscences Describing the Old Mills and Olmstead's Distillery: also the Gulfs that Cut Across Two Main Streets; The Bursting of Cannon in a Crowd; White's Hotel; the Swim- ming Hole. John W. Olmstead, an old resident, was born in Wolcott July 25, 1824. "Jesse Olmstead, my father," he said, "had a saw mill and distillery, the first distillery in the town, and it stood on the creek southeast of the village, one-half mile from New Hartford street on a road leading hence to the mill. I have seen the old mud sills of the dam there in the stream in recent years Farmers brought in their grain, a bushel or half a bushel at a time and took home a jug of whiskey. There was a big copper kettle for mash and a stone arch to set it in. During cold weather my father would run through the distil- lery twelve bushels of grain a day. His father, Roger Olmstead, came from New Hartford, Ct, in 1810, in company with several others, including the Mat- thews, Merrills, Saxtons and Moores. Jesse was then 14 years old. Both grist and saw mills down the stream in the village were running when the distillery was built and furnished the lumber for building it. Logs were laid across the stream above the falls and teams crossed over what is now the mill pond, then a shallow, fordable stream. A hollow log conducted the water to the wheel in the mill. I remember well seeing the old log house on the left side of Mill street which was put up to house the men en- gaged by Melvin in building his mills. TRUCKING WITH OXEN. "Supplies were then brought into this section by ox teams in the winter, as the streams in the summer were not easily ford- able. "My father sold his distillery to his brother in the spring of 1835 and moved down to the old furnace village where my uncle Uriah Sey- mour was then a partner in the blast furnace. A few years later he returned to the village of Wolcott and lived here. His brother moved the distillery apparatus over to Red Creek. "I recollect the old mill standing on the site of the Rumsay mill and I remember when a boy seeing what was left of the old blast furnace in the gulf. It had been abandoned and the busi- ness taken down to Furnace village. The ore there proved worthless. It was too full of salt and they didn't know how to flux it. So they were compelled to look farther until they found a bed of good ore over near Red Creek. Uriah Seymour and Levi Hendrick when they ran the blast furnace, each put up a nice brick dwelling at Furnace village for his family. Seymour sold out to Isaac Leavenworth and went to Canada to run a blast furnace. ERECTION OF EARLY STORES. "The first store that appears in my memory was Underhil's, on the northeast corner of Main and Mill streets. He afterwwrds moved further up Main street. I can see the old log pump in the porch of the old Wolcott house and the horse shed that stood across the street, on the present site of Lyttle & Turpenning's store. Near the hotel were a shoemaker's shop and a cooper shop, each a story and a half hiifh. "Where the Northup & Johnson block stands the gulf entered Main street from the north cut- ting across the street where the stream flowing through it was spanned by an old wooden bridge. South of Main street this gulf formed a junction with a gulf which crossed New Hartford street about where Sax's livery stable now stands, and in New Hartford street a bridge also spanned the stream in the bottom of the gulf. PLUNGED INTO THE GULF. "Where the Arcade building was erected on •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Main street the sidewalk stood up in the air 12 or 15 feet and was protected by a railing. About opposite that point, two ladies in a buggy were dumped from the road down into the gulf and their escape from death was miraculous. One of them held her infant in her arms, and a little girl also was in the wagon. The horse backed them off the embankment. They were found in the bottom of the heap. The babe was protect- ed from injury in its mother's arms. The moth- er was bruised about the head. The wagon in some way fell so as to prevent the little girl from being injured. "When I was 9 or 10 years old Tompkins put up a story and a half building for his dry goods "Between Tompkins' and the hotel Baldwin & Gilbert next ei-ected a tw ■ story building and Deacon Lazalere had a harness shop up stairs^ Baldwin & Gilbert manufactured and sold wool and fur hats and caps. Then, next between Tompkins' store and the hat and cap store, one a stuck hog but it proved to be more of a fright than an injury. "My father and I ran the old White Hotel five years. We bought it from Mr. Merrill. We sold out to a woman named Beach. Millington, was one of the builders of the Hotel and he and his partner, whose name I have forgotten, ran it for a time. It was built about seventy years ago. I ran the stage line from here to Rochester about fifty years ago. I had it for two years prior to the opening of the railroad through Clyde. When that was built I sold out. The line was run three or four years after that but did not pay, as the railroad took the business. "Down the creek forty to sixty rods below the site of the old blast furnace was a fuUing mill where they made rolls of cloth for the country around here. I went there when a boy to get rolls made from the wool my folks left there. The creek was dammed at that point which, sheltered by the trees, made a famous swimming hole, where us boys spent many pleasant hours. m ^Z"- SkX ^•^-:l 4. OLD LEAVENWORTH INSTITUTE. named Low built a long frame building for a shoe shop which stood a number of years. FOURTH OF JULY EXPLOSION. "I remember the bursting of two cannon in this village on a fourth of July occasion. I was marshal of the parade on that day and was rid- ing by the Presbyterian church (the old frame structure near the arcade) when one of the can- non exploded, and a piece sailed over my head into the crowd in front of the church. It struck an old pump and drove it down into the well, first landing upon a scaffold— the building was then being erected— and falling on to the pump. No one in the crowd was hit. The cannon stood in the road pointing into the gulf. Later in the day they fired another cannon up on the green and that exploded. A piece went through the Baptist church over the pulpit. Another piece struck the legs of Leavenworth's horse glancing so as to injure them severely though not to cut them in two. Another splinter grazed a man's throat cutting a small gash and he ran into the street crying 'My throat is cut.' He bled like This fulling mill was moved up to the site of what was afterwards the lower grist mill that is now abandoned." First Grand Jurors Empaneled in Wayne County.— John Adams, Abner F. Lakey, Wm. D. Wiley, John Barber, Jr., Lemuel Spear, David Warner, Ephraim Green, Wm. Voorhees, James Mason, Abel Wyman, David Russell, Cephas Moody, Stephen Sherman, Wm. Wilson, Wm. Plank, Alexander Beard, Jacob Butterfield, Dan- iel Chapman, Jeremiah H. Pierce, Freeman Rogers, Newell Taft, Pliney Foster and Joseph Lane. Peru County — An agitation for the erection, of the county to be called Peru was started at a special meeting held June 11, 1814 and was then abandoned. The proposition was to include in the new county the towns of Wolcott, Galen, Savannah, Sterling, now in Cayuga county, Cato and Hannibal now in Oswego county and Lysan- der, now in Onondaga county. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. G. H. NORTHUP, Gardner H. Northup, president of the Board of Trade of Wolcott, a large buyer and shipper of fruit and an extensive lumber dealer, has been a resident and active business man in Wol- cott since 1872. And Wolcott, as well as Mr. Northup, has profited through his coming here, for while he like all other successful business men has been accumulating property, the village has been acquiring new industries that distrib- ute considerable sums of money to its merchants and for labor, because it was inspired to seek new enterprises through the efforts of Mr. Northup. To promote the public welfare in Wolcott, as in any other place, requires a leader —a man who can give the time to it and in whose judgment the community has confidence. It seems to be a pleasure to Mr. Northup to do this. No history of Wolcott could explain how the vil- lage came to have a canning factory, a creamery, a pickle factory and a National Bank without reference to the part Mr. Northup has taken in getting them here. Desiring to see the village grow in weakh and population and realizing that such could be accomplished only through the united action of the business men, Mr. Northup accepted the presidency of the Board of Trade and has given the duties of that position close attention. His aim and habits are constructive and his disposition is to help others. He has established new business for himself and has erected business blocks and residences besides otherwise investing prudently in safe enterprises that have greatly increased the volume of money circulated in Wolcott and the surrounding country. Mr. Northup was born in Phoenix, Oswego Co., N. Y., .52 or 53 years ago, the son of Gard- ner H. Northup whose family was one of those that settled in that section at an early day. Mr. Northup, ^enior, was one of the proprietors of the earliest large saw mill on the west side of the river, for some years, in company with John Wall. He was a prominent business man and member of the Congregational church of that village, and through his marriage and his busi- ness relations he was closely connected with the influential and wealthy Phoenix families of over a half century ago. About the time his son, Gardner H. Northup, the- subject of this sketch, attained his majority there was preaching in the Congregational church at Phoenix a clergyman of high standing, the Rev. Edgar Perkins. His two daughters to- day preside over two fine homes in Wolcott. They are Mrs. Gardner H. Northup and Mrs. Charles Thomas. Young Northup having come to Wolcott in the fall of 1872 and started in busi- ness here, returned to Phoenix the following year, and on October 1, 1873, married Marion P. Perkins. They have one daughter, Ruth. Their home on Main street is one of the prettiest* in Smith, Photo. H. NORTHUP'.'? RE.'^IDENCE. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. the village— the old Leavenworth homestead which Mr. Northup has improved at considerable expense. Mr. Northup on coming to Wolcott estab- lished a lumber business on the west side of Lake avenue, near the subway, and erected the house which is now E. H. Reed's residence. Subsequently he bought the lumber yard of Cornwell & Strait where since then he has car- ried on the business. On January 1, 1899, he toolc into partnership Clayton Johnson, the firm now being known as the G. H. Northup Lum- ber Co. At one time Mr. Northup was en- gaged in the wholesale of lumber and shingles with F. A. Prevost. Nearly a quarter of a cen- tury ago he established a lumber business at So- dus where for six years he was a partner with the Rev. Edgar Perkins. At Cato he also start- ed the same business and was there a partner of C. S. Morrill to whom he sold out the yard at that place. About 1886 Fletcher S. Johnson became Mr. Northup's partner in handling fruit and togeth- er they made a marked success, becoming, dur- ing the time they were together, the most wide- Reminiscences of Stage Coach Days in the '40's; Perils of the Drivers: Incidents of the Old White Hotel:— Amos Nash, an old driver on the Butterfield stage line, is now seventy-eight years old. When a lad, in 1846, he came to Wolcott from Williamson. He married Mary E., the eldest daughter of Nelson W. Moore, who lived to be ninety-four years old and who from 1860 to '67 ran the grist mill here. Moore's business con- temporaries were Jedediah Wilder, Roswell Ben- edict and Messrs. Galloway and Churchill who at different times owned carding machines in Wol- cott. For fifty-three years Amos Nash and his wife have lived in their present home. "After coming to Wolcott," said Mr. Nash, "I was employed on the J. P. Butterfield stage line running through Wolcott between Oswego and Rochester. Butterfield was a Wolcott man who carried on the old Chester Button farm and ran the White Hotel east of the creek, which was the stopping place for the stages and where they changed horses. His livery barns were on the'present site of the Metcalf stables. G. H. NORTHUr S 1 ly known firm in that line in the state. [See F. S. Johnson's sketch.] They operated a number of evaporators and were in fact the pioneers en- gaged in handling evaporated fruit, especially apples, to any considerable extent At one time they handled green as well as evaporated apples and their business was second to none other of the kind in New York. In 1890 they erected the large warehouse where Mr. Northup still con- tinues the fruit business. The big steel front business block occupied by Thacker Bros. & Co., and Mrs. Knapp, the miUiner, was erected by them about ten years ago. Mr. Northup individually constructed other business blocks, notably the Arcade Block. He is a director in the First National Bank of Wol- cott. Among those who rendered the most val- uable assistance in securing the new postoflSce was Mr Northup. A trustee and elder in the Presbyterian church society he is one of its most active supporters, and had much to do with securing the erection of the new building for that society. He is well informed, and has traveled considerably. ROUTE OF COACHES. "During seasons of bad roads the coaches were drawn by four horses, coming up from Oswego and back the next day. Stopping at the White Hotel to change horses they passed on down Mill street into Main and then on out of the village along the west road over to Port Glasgow, now Resort, which we then call the Bay Bridge. There were two hotels there, one conducted by a man named Ward, which was burned From there the line ran along west to Irondequoit and into Rochester. The first relay after leaving Oswego was Fair Haven; then Wolcott, Sodus and Webster, Sometimes, on good roads, we drove on to Williamson or Alton for change of teams. The coaches were the heavy Concord thoroughbrace style swinging on straps and carrying from twelve to sixteen passengers. The nearest railroad to Wolcott was the Auburn road. The last owners of the coach line were J. W. Olmstead and James Hyde. LIFTING COACHES OUT OF MUD. "To get through with the coaches at times 34 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. was a real hardship and some peril. I was lo- cated in Wolcott but often went out as a driver. In the winter the coaches were frequently stalled in snow. In the spring and fall after the hard rains the heavy coach would get mired in mud. Then the passengers were called upon to turn out, get a fence rail and help pry the coach out. After the close of navigation on the lakes a great many sailors took passage on the coaches at Oswego for their homes in the country. It pleased the drivers to call upon them to lend a hand in Hfting the coach out of the mud, for it took the conceit out of them. ON A FLOAT BRIDGE AT NIGHT. "A coach from Oswego delayed all day on the road has called me out to hitch up and drive it through when I would be all night on the road. The great peril of that trip was in crossing the float bridge at Port Glasgow on planks supported by stringers floating on the water, the wind blowing a gale, the coach lights all out and not to be lighted in the wind and the horses and in the town, the first at Wolcott, the second at Red Creek and the wind-up at Thompson's Cor- ners. On one election day that I recollect a white man this side of the creek got his friends together, inviting them to go over to White Hotel and see him 'pick a nigger,' an old colored man who hung around there a great deal. The party managed to start the quarrel after calling all up for drinks, and the white man was soon busy with the nigger. In a brief round the nig- ger laid the white man on the floor in a heap and then took to the roads leading south, never again being seen in this section. He no doubt thought he had killed his opponent. UNCLE GILBERT WALKED 'TIL MORNING "At a gathering in the hotel of the old cronies one night Uncle John Gilbert made the remark that he guessed he would 'wallow home in the mud' across the creek. One of the party said that he would not take the walk in the darkness and mud for a dollar. "•I'll tell you what I'll do.' replied Uncle G. H. NORTHUP vehicle with difficulty guided across the danger- ous bridge where every foot of progress was sloshy-ty-slosh, sloshy-ty-slosh in Egyptian dark- ness with no rail on the side of the bridge to keep us from getting off'. "PICKING A NIGGER." "The old White Hotel with its fireplace, when the nights out-of-doors were dreary, was a favor- ite gathering place for tavern loungers, passen- gers waiting for coaches and others who had stepped in to get the news of the day. My recollection of its early landlords embraces Hiram Beach who followed Butterfield, (some years later) and next, Lucius Forbes, then A. A. Stinard and Aaron Norris. Long before them was an Englishman, Uncle Tommy Forbes. Butterfield, I believe, sold the house to Chauncey AUport, but for some time after retained the stage line. There were several changes in the hotel. Among others who ran it were Riley Merrill, Willis King, Reuben Brink and Lewis Hendrick. "In those times we had three days' elections LUMBER CO. John. 'For a sixpence a trip I'll walk over home and back as often as I can go between now and morning. ' " 'The party thinking they would have some fun in bluflSng him agreed to make up the purse on that basis for all the trips he would make. The saw mill down on the stream was running nights and some of them gathered there to see that he passed the mill going both ways while others remained at the hotel to see that he reached that point. He trudged back and forth through mud and darkness until daylight. When he passed the mill he called out to let them know of it. When the party scattered for their homes in the morning they raised among them a purse of a dollar or ten shillings. Uncle John South- wick was another who crossed the creek to spend his evenings at White Hotel. Trying to put to- gether a stovepipe one night up stairs at home he fell over a barrel (worth a shilling) and busted in the head. 'What's to pay up there?' cried his wife from the foot of the stairs, alarmed by the racket overhead. 'A shilling,' was the re- joinder. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Smith, Photo. ONTARIO SHORE. NO. 4%. I. O. O. F. Lower Row (left to right):- Charles Walker. Floyd Meeker. Lyle. C. W. Smith, Guy Kellogg. Ed. Klinck.. Middle Row : Dr. D. B. Horton. Albert Rabin, James Phillips. Conner, Ira J. Foster, J. A. Murphy, E. J. Peck. Upper Row:-CharIes Plumley. Peter Monihan, R. H. Kelley. Manly Cole, B. T. Moore, S. Bowers, L. W. Knapp. Robe "The toll gate at Bay Bridge was kept by Miss Bouncer, who priding herself on her shrewdness tempted the boys occasionally to attempt to get the best of the toll. Isaac Johnson with a large box in his wagon passed by declaring that he was at the head of a show and had a wild animal in the box. He had a boon companion out of sight who while he was parleying with Miss Bouncer kept up such a clawing and growling that she became alarmed and passed them through. "Ten years after coming to Wolcott I left stage coaching and from 1856 to 1875 dealt in eggs, shipping from 7,000 to 10,000 barrels in a year. I had egg vats for hming eggs on Mill street, each of which held from 80,000 to 100,000 dozen, that were destroyed in the fire of 1876. ' ' Ontario Shore Lodge No. 495, I. 0. 0. F., was instituted Feb. 9, 1882. The old lodge insti- tuted many years ago was burned out in the fire of 1871, and lost all of its documents and books. The lodge since then has grown steadily. The officers are: N. G., R. H. Bailey; V. G., Wm. Brown; R. S., C. W. Smith; P. S., E. J. Peck; S. P. G. S., S. M. Bowers; R. S. N. G., Dr. D. B. Horton; L. S. N. G., A. L. Loveless; R. S. V. G.. rhnrl.-.v- WoWi: T.. S'. V. C Irvine Mfln- tyre; R. S. S., Peter Monihan; L. S. S., J. F. Hutchins; Warden, Charles Plumley; Conductor, Jesse Olmstead: Chaplain, I. L. Sherwood; I. G. Wm. Loveless; O. G., M. W. Cole. Evergreen Rebekah Lodge No. 145, I. 0. 0. F., was organized in March, 1893, and was the first Rebekah lodge in the county. The first officers were: Noble Grand, Mrs. J. E. Law- rence; Vice Grand, Mrs. James G. Brewster; Secretary, Miss Martha Cornwell ; Financial Sec- retary, Mrs. E. J. Peck; Treasurer, Mrs. William Brown. Woman's Guild, St. Stephen Episcopal Church was organized Oct. 15, 1902, and the fol- lowing oflScers were elected: President, Mrs. A. B. Sabin; Secretary, Mrs. R. L. Hamilton; Treasurer, Mrs. Fred Knapp. The Guild is a body of eleven zealous workers in the church, who during its three years of industry have raised $500 towards the building fund and for other purposes in the interest of the church. Early Blacksmith. — Hiram Bement, from Vermont, purchased sixty acres on the east side of Mill Creek, north of the Oswego road. He \v,i« ono "*' *^'' fir"t Wac-ksmiths at Wolcott. Winsor. Photo. EVERGREEN REBEKAH.S, NO. 145. I. O. O. F. Top Row (left to right) :-C. Walker. W. Brown, E. Robbins. S. Bowers. C. Plumley. C. E. Webb. Miss Schaeffer. Mrs. Robbins, Mrs. Schattner. Laura Vanderpool, Mabel Medan. Lower Uow-Edith Bort, Mrs. W. Brown, Pearl Olmstead, Mrs. C. Webb, Jennie Biown, Mrs, Plumley. ;r[P's-' historical souvenir of wolcott. ji mif -»^»w> 'E o. o g Next Largest in the World WOLCOTT GRANGE, NO. 348, P. OF H., HAS ABOUT 800 MEMBERS. Wolcott Grange, No 348, P. of H., was organ- ized Sept. 8, 1875. with thirty-one charter mem- bers and Capt. Jas. H. Hyde as Master. Poli- tics has been carefully kept out of the society, and the one aim has always been the study for the advancement and mutual help in the best methods of farming and fruit growing. The Chapter has steadily grown until now it has the distinction of being next to the largest in the world, having a membership of over 800 and representing about 500 families. The pres- ent Master is Mr. Forest R. Pierson. The Chapter has never taken up the co-opera- . tive trade scheme, but has always loyally sup- ^ ported the mercantile interests of the town, and ^ has by its system of education in farming con- ^ tributed much to the welfare of the village. ^ OFFICERS, 1905. o Forest R. Pierson, Master. •^ Henry R. Paddock, Overseer. S ,J. Byron Smith, Lecturer. ^ Mrs. Wm. Zopher McQueen, Steward. g Frank L. Watson, Ass't Steward. H Mrs. M. G. Wood, Lady Ass't Steward. Mrs. Irving Scott, Chaplain. J A. J. Fox, Treasurer. S Mrs. J. H. L. Roe, Secretary. J. H. L. Roe, Ass't and Financial Secretary. Ernest Mathews, Gate Keeper. Mrs. Warren Seager, Ceres. Mrs. Anna Kelley, Pomona. Mrs. Sarah A. Jones, Flora. Mrs. Ella Hibbard. Chorister. Mrs. I. Y. Upham, Pianist. Trustees—John 0. Wadsworth, term expires 1905; Mason G. Wood, term expires 1906; Mrs. Jas. H. Brewster, term expires 1907. Executive Committee-A. B. Thacker, term expires 1905; I. Y. Upham, term expires 1906; Robert J. Kelley, term expj^res^ 1907 Finance Committee — H. 3 Smith, Frank L. Watson. i Director Fire Insurance — C. ~ cott, N. Y. ■S Our Motto is; "Malice towards none and 1 charity for all." " THE CHARTER MEMBERS. R. Paddock, J. Byror E. Fitch, Wol- Jas. H. Hyde, Mrs. Jas. H. Hyde, J. H. L. Roe, Mrs. J. H. L. Roe, A. B. Thacker, Mrs. A. B. Thacker, T. J. Waldorf, Mrs. T. J. Waldorf, A. M. Wise, dec, Mrs. A. M Wise, dec, E. H. Reed, Mis. E. H. Rred, •kiah Kaston, Mrs. H.-/,ckiali Easton, John VVilsnii. dec, Lizzie B. Wilson, J. S. Tyrrell, Mrs. J. S. Tyrrell, J. L. Phillips, deceased, Mrs. J. L. Phillips, John Paylor, Mrs. John Paylor, Samuel S. Wells, Mrs. S. S. Wells, dec, Henry Dowd, dec, Mrs. Henry Dowd, dec, Allen H. Fitch sr., dec, H. W. Hendrick, W. J. Smith, E. N. Plank. Daniel Conger, dec. "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 37 PAST MASTERS. Jas. H. Hyde, 1875. J. H. L. Roe, 1876-78. J. H. Hyde, 1879. J. S. Tyrrell, 1880. J. H. L. Roe, 1881-89. J. S. Tyrrell, 1890-1891. J. O. Wadsworth, 1892-1893. C. H. VanHeusen, deceased, 1894, (1 month). Geo, A. Slaght, 1894-1896. J. Byron Smith, 1897-1898. Mrs. A. B. Thacker, 1899-1900. H. R. Paddock, 1901. Dan'l Robertson, 1902, SECRETARIES. J. H L. Roe, 1885. E. H. Reed, 1876-79. J. H. L. Roe, 1880. E. H. Reed, 1881. Mrs. .J. H. L. Roe, 1882-1904. WOLCOTT A SMART VILLAGE. The village of Wolcott is one of the smartest, cleanest and most enterprising towns in this part of the state. This is true both in its resident and business features. Such are the features that attract the notice of the stranger at the first glance. The thrift and enterprise of the village may be attributed largely to the following conditions: The business and property of the village is managed and owned to a large extent by home capital; The village is the trade center of a very wide and prosperous section of country; It is the shipping center of a large fruit busi- Its business men are up to date and pushing and its citizens as a whole are well-to-do and pi-osperous. Wolcott is favored with one of the most com- plete electric light plants of to-day. It is con- ducted in an enterprising business way and fur- nishes both arc and incandescent lights to a large patronage. An evidence of the prosperity and thrift of the farming community from which Wolcott largely draws its retail trade is the Wolcott Grange, P. of H., No. 348. This organization of farmers, next to the largest Grange in the United States, has long been considered an index of the charac- ter and enterprise of the farming sections around Wolcott, where the most prosperous and intelli- gent farming class produces from fertile and highly cultivated farms large and profitable crops. Woleott is justly proud of her chapter of the Grange. Many places near Wolcott are historic, for it was at Sodus Bay that the earliest landed pro- prietor. Col. Charles Williamson, conceived the enterprise of an important lake harbor and great shipping point, and even began the erection of a large town. Here in the war of 1812 the British planned an invasion of the American colonies and appeared with the enormous flotilla of 90 sail bristling with guns and crowded with vet- eran troops. The courage of a small militia and a few partisan bands swarming around the land- ing when the British attempted a foothold and annoying them as vigorously as a swarm of wasps drove them off'. "The Lake Shore News" was started in 1874 by the late Wm. H. Thomas. In 1901 the growth and increased business of the town induced Mr. Chas. M. Delling to open another printing office and since that time the "Wolcott Courier" has been issued from this office. It has a large circulation and keeps the village and surrounding country thoroughly in touch with each other. Reminiscences; The old Apple Orchard is now a Section of Pretty Village Homes; Old School Masters at the Red Schoolhouse: John Boylan, born in 1825, is another old resi- dent of Wolcott — coming here with his parents from AUoway, near Lyons, when he was eleven years old — in 1836. "We went to live across the creek in a home near the cobblestone house. We afterwards lived in the Wolcott house," said Mr. Boylan. "The earliest business man of Wolcott I recol- lect was Levi Smith, the grocer. "John Gilbert was the earliest landlord at the old White hotel that I recall. FLOGGED THEN CURED THE WOUNDS. "I went to school in the red schoolhouse on New Hartford street and I well remember one of our teachers, Pettit, an old sea captain, who knew how to use the rod cheerfully as well as eff'ectually , so that the youngster whom he flogged could remember the flogging. Marks always followed the blows, but Pettit kept a bottle of some sort of cordial in his desk, from which he poured on to the aff'ected parts to prevent them from becoming scarred. Other teachers in that school that come to my mind were Harlow Hyde —we called him 'Squire— who was rather easy with the boys, and Dr. McCarthy who on the contrary was stern and also used the rod. "Some of the merchants in the village I recall were N. W. Tompkins, Uncle Ben Underbill and M. P. Foote. I clerked for Foote two years. "My father, Aaron Boylan, kept the Wolcott House twenty-five years. He bought it of E. Y. Munson. After father's death my brother and I ran it about two years and in 1860 or '61 sold out to Hiram Beach. "I remember the old apple orchard about where we now stand when it belonged to David Arne. It covered all of these grounds, my place here on Main street, and ran back to Orchard street. The property was also owned by M. P. Foote, who sold to James Wright and he cut it up into village lots. The tract extended west from Roe's present residence to the railroad tracks. Wright street was named after James Wright of whom I have spoken. The street run- ning down to the depot, opened up through the orchard is called Orchard street." American Wars.— King Phillip's, 1675; King William's, 1689: Dutch, 1693: Queen Anne's, 1744, French and Indian, 1755; Revolution, April 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. DR. 1. ... 1 I. .11. 1775 (Lexington fight) to Jan. 20, 1883 (treaty at Paris) 368,410 men in service; Northwest In- dian wars, Sept. 19, 1790, extending five years, 8,983 men; French war, July 9, 1798, lasting two years, 4,593 men; Tripoli, June 10, 1801, 4 years, 3,320 men; Creek Indian, July 27, 1813, 1 year, 13,781 men; Great Britain, June 18, 1812, 2 years, 8 months, 576,622 men; Seminole Indian, Nov. 20, 1817, 1 year, 7,911 men; Black Hawk Indian, April 20, 1831, 1 year, 6 mouths, 6,465 men; Cherokee Indian, 1836, 1 year, 9,494 men; Creek Indian, May 5. 1836, 1 year, 5 months, 13,418 men; FloriOa Indian, Dec. 23, 1835, 8 years, 41,122 men; Aroostook Indian, 1838, 1 year, 1,500 men; Mexican, April 14, 1846, 2 years, 3 months, 101,282 men; Apache, Navajo and Utah Indian, 1849, 6 years, 2,501 men; Seminole In- dian, 1856, 2 years, 2,687 men; Civil war, April 12, 1861, 4 years, 2,772,408 men-about 800,000 confederate troops. Dr. Timothy S. Fish was a distinguished and successful practicing physician during a period of twenty-five years and at the same time was engaged in the drug trade. Having partners to look after the store, he was able to give his whole time to his practice. It was a profession of love as well as pride with him, for he enjoyed doing good. He was a man of strong convictions possessing energy and enterprise; a Christian with a broad, liberal view of life, closely at- tached to his family and loyal to his friends. Public spirited he took a deep interest in the advancement of the community. In March, 1889. he was elected a trustee of the village and held the office until March, 1893. He was physi- cian for the Board of Health. Elected trustee of Leavenworth Institute August 3, 1898, he served faithfully and with ability the cause of public education in which he was interested until his death. He was a member of the Methodist church and president of the Board of Trustees at his death. He was a member of the Masonic order, the G. A. R., and was post surgeon, and served as examining surgeon for the Maccabees. Dr. Fish was born in the town of Williamson Sept. 10, 1849. Brought up on a farm in child- hood he was still a youth when he left home, en- listing in the armies that battled for the Union when fifteen years old, Aug. 31, 1864. That he was under age attracted the attention of the officers who gave him an honorable discharge from the service Nov. 19, 1864, with a surgeon's certificate of disability based on his age. On his return home he re-entered school and was grad- uated at the Marion Collegiate Institute June 29, 1870. Then he began the study of medicine for which he proved so well fitted and on May 5, 1873, was graduated at the Detroit College of Medicine. That same year he came to Wolcott and engaged in the drug business on Mill street in the firm of Fish & Munn. The latter sold out to E. J. Peck and when in 1876 the store was burned the firm was Fish & Peck. Then it was that Dr. Fish directed his entire attention to the practice of his profession al- though he had a partnership interest in the drug business to the time of his death, August 9, 1901. In 1887 he organized the firm of Colvin, Fish & Moore, which located where Lyttle & U'KNUt;. LOOKl^ "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT, Smith. Phi. LEAVENWORTH BASE BALL TEAM right)— R. B. Gurley Standing manager. Top Row (left to right)— Edwii Brockway, 3 b.: Roy Gaboon, sub. Lower s.: Wm. Lynch. 1. f . ; Edgar H. Thomas, p. Newberry, c. f. Mascott— Asel Foster. Turpenning are now. In 1896 the firm of Fish & Dusenberry was formed in the store now occu- pied by Fish & Waldorf. Dr. Fish and J. R. Waldorf became partners in May, 1900, and con- tinued together until the doctor died, after which the estate has continued its interest in the busi- ness represented in the store by Dr. Fish's eldest daughter. Miss Fannie L. Fish, who is an educated pharmacist. After the fire on Mill street, at the time the doctor began active practice, he resumed his medical studies and took a post-graduate course at Bellevue college, New York city, where he matriculated Oct. 2, 1878. A few years later, in nager; (at left) -Arthur L. F 1 Pitts, r. f.: Willis Rathbun. 2 b.; G. Porter Row— Marion Beach. 1 b. ; Leon Hibbard. s. and captain; Earll W. Brown, c: Bordner 1884, he took a three months' course in a London hospital. Dr. Fish on September 25, 1873, married Sarah Rogers of Marion. Their daughters are Fannie L., Annie R., (Mrs Charles Hawley) of Red Creek and Bessie A. Fish. The son is Arthur L. Fish. Reminiscences of Lawson Matthews who De- scribes the Visit to Wolcott of a Party of Canadian Raiders; Bear and Deer Shooting; Obadiah Adams, and School Children: — "My father, Jesse Matthews, came from New Hartford, Ct., in 1809 and built a log house south Smith. Photo. WOLCOTT HOSE CO. Lower Row;— Willie Olmstead, John Waldorf. E, Bevier. George Roe. Prof. R. B. Gurley. R. H. Kelley. Mabie. C. Trickier. H. Douglass. John Fitzsimmons. J W. Day. A. Jourdan. Fred King. Charles Graves. B. Dowd. George Reed, Fred Upper Row:-Charles Pitts. W. Dhn Creiue. Charles Wright. H. 40 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. of my present home. The frame house where the log house was built was erected in 1832. Lucius Hubbard, my wife's father. Abijah Moore and others came with him. The next year they brought their families," said Lawson Matthews, who was born in that log house in 1822 and is now 83 years old and in very poor health. "I can remember," continued he, "the log road — logs laid side by side to keep teams from miring in the swamp — that led through New Hartford street into the village. I can recollect attending school in the red school house (now the site of the engine house) when about 6 years old, and up to the time I was 13. I remember Obadiah Adams who was keeping the hotel across the street. One day when the scholars were coming out at noon he stood in the street across the road with a basket. 'Pig! Pig! Pig!' he called out, and then showed the children his basket full of the big, juicy, English cherries. Knowing what it meant they ran across the road like a flock of frightened sheep and the half bushel of cherries, after a lot of scrambling and game. Nelson Moore and his brother shot 50 black squirrel in two hours in the swamp below our meadow. Foxes, too, were in great plenty. Borden Booth could tell many fox stories for he caught quite a number. PLOWING SNOW WITH OXEN. "Early roads were hard to get over in the winter with the snow that we have. I have in mind starting from Wolcott to break roads and before getting to Whiskey Hill, three miles, having eight or ten yoke of oxen attached to the plow. Our daddies in those days used oxen to break land and do all their farm work. Mine bought 150 acres of the Pultney estate paying $6 an acre. There was a good deal of swamp and woods, and black snakes were numerous. Many black snakes have been caught at the falls [in the village]. Father was supervisor in 1816 and was justice of the peace a long time. He died in 1822. Mother lived to be 93 years old. I still keep the old account book which my father then used. "I remember the iron ore bed over near Red Ci-eek where teams loaded up and brought the BROTHERHOOD OF .ST. PAUL: M, E CHURCH. Lower Row (left to right):— Elihu Rogers. Willis 1 Second Row:— Delmer Bennett. Charles Rice, Clarenc Church. Upper Row:-W. U. Jenkins. H. W. Day, W. wood. Wm. Clapper. clawing by the children, was quickly distributed among them. MENAGERIES IN HOTEL BARN. "In the barn back of the hotel I have seen monkeys and bears placed on exhibition, the pub- lic being charged admission. John Grandy once secured two live fawns up near the lake which were kept in an enclosure back of the hotel — I don't know how long. Their capture was easy on account of the deep snow. It was common in those days to see deer run through the fields or across the road hereabouts. I have seen eight or ten in a string. Horton Moore shot the last deer I recall having seen about here. His dogs chased it through the village, and the deer took to the mill pond. BEAR AND FOX SHOOTING. "One named Hancock shot a bear near Fur- nace village [a mile north of Wolcott village]. I have known bears to come out of the woods in this part of the town and lug off a hog weighing over a hundred pounds. Bears were by no means scarce. And there was plenty of other thbun, Earll Brown. Leon Hibbard, Frank Loveless. Johnson. Rev. J. L. Gillard. C. J. Armstrong. Wm. Paddock, H, L. Rumsay, Charles Walker, I. L. Sher- iron over to the blast furnace. Twenty feet of dirt was taken off to uncover the bed which proved to be 2'^ feet thick. "George Arne built the Ladue house and his brother built the plank road. Hamilton put up the toll gate, CANADIAN RAIDERS AT WOLCOTT. "The island in the creek above the falls is in my mind connected with the scene of the en- campment of a party of men on their way to raid Canada. I think I was fourteen years old, which would make the year when the raiders came to Wolcott, 1836. My memory is impressed with the incident. I can see them marching into the village welcomed here by the firing of a can- non in the street. My brother, Augustus, and Daniel Reed loaded the gun and Crippen touched it off". The gun busted. A splinter hurt Crip- pen's legs. The windows in Tompkins' store (now the Wells market I were broken. I stood near a woodpile next the Baptist church, in which a piece of the cannon struck. The raiders marched over to the island and encamped there. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 41 I don't remember how long they staid. I think it was more than a day. They were on their way from Niagara Falls and were going to cap- ture Canada. Two years after that two other cannon that were being fired on the island busted." Reminiscences; The Box Pews in the Old Presbyterian Chuixh; Early Land Owners: — Among the well known of the early Presbyte- rian families was that of William Button. Mrs. Button, eighty-four years old last January, lives in the house built by Osgood Church with the family of her daughter, Mrs. Hovey. They bought the place of Benjamin Underbill and moved there in the spring of 1851. "At that time between here and the village," said Mrs. Button, "there was only one house before reach- ing Br. Watkins' present residence, the old But- terfield home. From Mrs. F. S. Johnson's house to the railroad, north of Main street, was an or- chard belonging to M. P. Foote. "We raised principally barley and took it to Clyde and we traded in Wolcott at Underbill's, afterwards Smith's, where W. B. Campbell's store is now. "I remember the old box pews in the old Pres- byterian church with doors to them. Mrs. Elisha Leavenworth was a singer in the church. I re- call Jedediah Wilder with his family gathered around their square lunch basket at church. We then carried lunches and attended two services. "When we took this place Jedediah Wilder's farm joined us on the west and included the pres- ent Alfred Markle farm. Mr. Paddock had the farm across the road from us, now belonging to the Russell estate, and lived in the old house standing down in the oi'chard. On the east of us was Mr. Guile's farm and to the north-west Beacon Wells'." Reminiscences; The Village in 1840; Two Stores, a Shop or Two and a Swamp in Main Street Bescribed ; Incidents on the Removal of Old Burial Grounds; — ' 'There were only two stores on the north side of Main street when I first came to Wolcott. Mr. Foote had one near the corner at this end of the street [Mill street corner] and Underbill had the other up next to where Roe's bank is now. There was a little bit of a building next to Foote 's store used for a tin shop. I don't re- member who had it. Above that was another small building, Ruth Smith's millinery store. The rest was open space and a board walk ran along there. Across the street from Underbill's was the hotel and below that were one or two buildings in which there was a hat and cap and another shop or two. All but the Gilbert build- ing and that next to it in this picture [looking over the view on page 5] were built after I came here." The speaker was Mrs. Loduskey Simpson who will be seventy-nine years old in August, 190.5, and who came to Wolcott when 14 years old— in 1841. She is smart and speaks as though her recollection is clear. THE SWAMP IN MAIN STREET. "My father, Lamson Burch," she continued, "was a carpenter and Br. Ame got him to come here to do some work for him. Pa built a barn on the street below here [Jefferson] which was said to be the best barn in town. We first lived on the Port Bay road, and afterwards moved into the village. I went to school across from the hotel. Just beyond the school house the street was crossed by a drain. Where the churches are now. and where Bert Thacker and Mr. Northup live, was a swamp and it was drained across the street back of the hotel [New Hartford street] into the stream below in the gulf. This swamp was sometimes so wet that when we went up Main street we got over by walking on a rail fence. Along where those nice houses and lawns are, on Main street, was a rail fence on each side of the road. The swamp ran through to the spring on Lake avenue. All of the fine lawns at Mr. Thacker's and Mr. Northup's and on Lake avenue was then a swamp grown with willows and other kinds of swamp timber and berry bu.shes. THE OLD APPLE ORCHARDS. "Back of this swamp extending from back of the spring over toward the railroad was a large orchard. Right here, across the street what is now Mr. Graves' house, was a dwelling that stood in the midst of another orchard and this orchard ran along the south side of Main street down to the gulf. They cut down some of this orchard when they built the second Presbyterian church [second sti'ucture, near the arcade]. We used to have Sunday school picnics in that orchard back of the church. DR. ARNE'S BARNS. "I remember the old house on the hill which they called the Black House where Br. Arne lived. His barns were across the street next to the Presbyterian church, where Br. Watkins lives. Br. Arne was always having work done on his barns. Br. Braper bought that place and tore down the church and built his house. "On Lake avenue when we came here Br. Johnson hved where Mrs. Creque does now. Just beyond was an old house and there was no other house on Lake avenue until you reached the spring. I don't remember who lived there but B. A. Merrill Hved across the street. JOHN GRANDY'S discovery. "The first person buried in the old cemetery was Mr. Ladue's mother. My father was the second. I have heard tell of the removal of the bodies from the cemetery up here back of the old Methodist church [on East Main street]. John Grandy took them up and they were buried back of the hotel, where they started a ceme- tery, where Winchell's house and barn are now. I have heard John Grandy tell that he took up an infant's coffin which was so light he went home and got the screw driver and opened it; and he found it empty. The parents of the in- fant supposed to have been in the coflin moved to Rochester Grandy said he never had the heart to tell them. MILKED SITTING ON GRAVESTONE. "Mr. Burgdorff lived where James Shaw now lives. His cow shed covered one comer of the old cemetery and inside of the shed were two small graves. I have sat on the foot stones in the shed. Mr. Burgdorff said he sat on one of the stones when he did his milking. Two of the graves had caved in and Mr. Bill filled them up with stone. RIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. "There used to be a log house up on Main street and a child died there. Its father took its body on horseback to the Butler cemetery through the woods. The woods were so thick then around here that parties went ahead and blazed his way on the trees. That was years before we came here. DEACON OLMSTEAD SURPRISED. "I remember the explosion of cannon on one Fourth of July. The Baptists were having some kind of a meeting in the church. A piece of cannon came down through the roof and struck on the floor at the feet of Deacon Olmstead. He was so mad he got up and went out pretty quick, I tell you! I guess he was surprised. ■'TIk' r'resliyterian meeting house was then iK'ing built and was enclosed. The lailies had it decorated with ever- greens and were serving a supper to laise money when the cannon ex- I'liided down there and a piece of it (Irnve the pump down in the well." Thacker Bro's S( Co., as a firm under that name, was organized with W. H. Thacker, A. B. Thacker and E. A. Wadsworth as its members in 1888. W. H. Thacker died in 1898 but there has since been no change in the firm or its business, the W. H. Thacker estate continuing to hold his interests there. The business was begun by A. B. Thacker and J. S. Terrill in 1873 and when Mr. Terrill retired Mr. A. B. Thacker maintained the business as it was started until he had interested others in it; and he is really the founder of it. Since then, through a few changes only, the business has steadily grown, ^' '^' ' extending its benign influence over that wide extent of country out of which the merchants of Wolcott naturally draw trade. When in 1888 Mr. Wadsworth, who had been a clerk for Thacker Bros, nine years and had grown up with the business, became partner and took up the more active part of the management of the business, new ideas for attracting trade were promulgated, a wider range of dealings adopted and the stimulation of trade became ap- parent, both in the growth of patronage and the expansion of business. When the firm ten years ago settled into its present quarters, "The Steel Front Store," an entire building erected expressly for them, the people of Wolcott found they had got among them a department store conducted on the scale of a real department business in a large way. In point of floor space or quantity and charac- rHACKEK BKIJS. &0l'. DEt'AKTMt 'GRIP'S" HISTORICA VENIR OF WOLCOTT. 43 Smith, Photo. THACKER BROS. & CO. -DRY GOODS DEPT. ter of goods, or from any other point of view, there is no firm in Wayne county outside of Lyons and Newarli comparable with this one. Its business is carried on as that of a city store, and in a general sense it offers equal advantages with the best store in Lyons and Newark. It comprises the four main departments of a large general retail mercantile establishment: the dry goods; that of carpets, rugs and cur- tains; boots and shoes; and the staple grocery and crockery lines. The concern occupies two floors and basements of double stores, tak- ing the main floors for dry goods and boots and shoes, the upper floors for the curtains, carpets, matting, dra- peries, cloaks and suits; and the base- ments for groceries, wall paper, crockery, lamps and china, guns, ammunition and sportsmen's goods. The history of the business is the history of A. B. Thacker. The firm of Terrill & Tnacker were togeth- er about two years, located in the Palmer block, then Mr. Ter- rill withdrew. While for a short time Mr. Thacker was looking about for a partner, fire swept out the south side of the street — in 187-5— burning out the firm of Thacker & Johnson, who were then conducting a gro- cery opposite Terrill & Thacker. W. H. Thacker and T. W. Johnson, brother and brother-in-law of A. B. Thacker, came into the business with him shortly after their fire, and for four or five \eais the firm was Thacker, Johnson & I ] On account of 1 uhng health Mr. I ihnson then with- iheu going into the' w f st m search of rest md cui-e. This was t illowed by Thacker Bio's moving into the Whitfoid block. In 1888 E. A. Wads- worth, Mr. A. B. Thacker's son-in-law, became a partner and the name of the firm smce then has been Thacker Bro's & Co. It had now become apparent that a large store was needed and so a lease was entered into with G. H. Northup and F. S. Johnson for a new building which they were to build and to plan to suit the firm. It is a large double store, long and broad, with a front of steel and is specially designed for the department business of this firm. Thacker Bros. & Co. opened in the new block in 189.5 and since that time the im- pulse of its trade has carried the firm along with vigorous strides. The death of W. H. Thacker, in 1898, left E. A. Wadsworth with practically the management of the business in his own m f; ■'*' *^^ TH.ACKEK BROS. -BCIOT AND SHOE DEPT. "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Smith. Photo. MRS W H THACkER S RESIDENCE hands. Mr. Wadbwoith was boin April 13, 1863, in the town of Savannah and was educated at Leavenworth Institute. At the age of seven- teen years he went to work for Thacker Bros. & Co. Mr. Wadsworth is one of the organizers of the Wadsworth Band. He married Mary C, the daughter of A. B. Thacker. April 14, 188", and they have two daughters. Marguerite and Mildred. Mr. Wadsworth is active in public matters and a lover of out-of-door sports, partic- ularly with the gun, being the promoter of the Catehpole Gun Club of Woleott and the man upon whom personally largely depends the suc- cess of the annual shoots by state marksmen held at Woleott. He is a member of the Masonic order. A. B. Thacker, the founder of the business has lived in the town of Woleott sixty-five years and nearlv half of that time in this village. His has been a sturdy, active and productive career, overflowing with hours of labor, and to his excellent memory is due much of the val- uable information published in this work. He was born Nov. 20, 1835, in Fayette, Sen- eca county, N. Y., w.here his parents coming from Cayuga county a year or two previous, resided until 1840, when they came to Woleott and settled on the old Hunter farm north of the village. William Schuyler Thacker, his father, was both a horticul- turist and agricultur- ist. He died on what is now the A. J. De- witt farm which he had bought a few years previous. Mrs. T. W. Johnson and Mis John L. Phillips, his daughters, reside at Woleott. A. B. Thacker on May 9, 1860, mar- ried Margaret, the daughter of H. F. Mclntyre who in the early 30's was a carpenter and builder in Woleott. Mrs. Thacker is prominent in social and Grange circles. Their children are W. H. Thacker, on the farm; Luella A. (Mrs. Dr. E. P. Thatcher) of Newark; Mary C. (Mrs. E. A. Wadsworth) and Emma A., deceased, (Mrs. Hulbert) of Syracuse. A. B. Thacker, who for twelve years following his marriage was wholly devoted to farming, spends much of his time now in farming and fruit raising, dividing his hours of work, when not in the store, between his large grounds in the village and his farm. William Henry Thacker was born in Owasco, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June 26, 1833, the son of Wm. Schuyler Thacker. On September 2, 1855, he married Augusta M. " the only daughter of KER'S RESIDENCE. "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 45 Smith. Fh.jto. E. A. WADSWORTH'S RESIDENCE. Isaac Rice of Wolcott who lived on what is now ers the Wise homestead. W. H. Thacker bought the place soon after he married and carried on farming there until after the war. Then he and his brother-in-law, T. W. Johnson, bought the Creque farm, in 1866. And afterwards went into cepts and high pur- poses. He had no children of his own, but an adopted daugh- ter. Mrs. Thacker is a busy woman, giving much of her time to ladies' work in the vil- lage. Height of Water Sheds of New York above tide. — Hudson river and Ramapo at Moncey, Westchester Co., 557 ft; Hudson and Delaware rivers at Otisville, Orange Co., 900 ft; Hudson and Neversink rivers at Wawarsing, Ulster Co., 850 ft; Hudson river and Lake Onta- rio at Rome, Oneida Co., 427 ft; Hudson river and Lake Erie at Tonawanda, Erie Co., 557 ft; Delaware and Susquehanna riv- 3roome Co., 1,373 ft: short time after they were burned out; and after that forming the co-partnership already spoken of. The beautiful home of hi-* widow, W. H. Thacker built the year he came to the village. He was a prominent supporter of the Presbyterian church society of Wolcott, an elder and trustee, and zealous worker in the church. He was the superintendent of the Sunday school at the time of his death, Aug. 26. 1898. For twenty-five years he was on the village Board of Education. He was a man of lofty character. Christian pre- ers at Deposit Summit, Susquehanna and Mohawk rivers at Bouckville, Madison Co., 1,127 ft: Susquehanna river and Oneida lake at Tully, Onondaga Co., 1,247 ft; Susquehanna river and Cayuga lake at Ithaca Summit, Tompkins Co., 960 ft; Susquehanna riv- er and Seneca lake at Horseheads, Chemung Co., 884 ft; Susquehanna and Genesee rivers at Alfred Summit, Alleghany Co., 1,780 ft; Gene- see and Alleghany rivers at Cuba, Alleghany Co., 1,699 ft; Alleghany river and Lake Erie at Little Valley Summit, Cattaraugus Co., 1,614 ft ; Mohawk river and Lake Ontario at Kasoag, Oneida Co. , 536 ft ; Mohawk and Black rivers at Boonville, Oneida Co., 1,120 ft; Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence river at Chateaugay Summit, Franklin Co., 1,050 ft. :atchpole GUI VNNUAL SHOOT AT WOLCOTT. MAY GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. W W PADDOCK Mrs. F- L. Knapp, located in Wolcott Jan- uary 1, 1905, coming from Buffalo, with new and fashionable styles in millinery, and she has pro- vided the village with a stock of the latest style of goods. Mrs. Knapp is h progressive, business woman and the people of Wolcott are giving her the patronage such a place deserves. William Warren Paddock — During a period of forty-six years William Warren Paddock was one of the leading citizens and active business men of Wolcott It was during the period that Wolcott grew up from a scattering village of a few small houses and wooden stores to a well built and prosperous town. To that growth Mr. Paddock contributed his full share in every way, so that any account of Wolcott would be incom- plete which did not take him into consideration. Mr. Paddock was born at Vienna in ""neida County, N. Y., on the 6th day of June, 1832, and was the second of nine children born to Jacob and Polly Paddock. When he was four years old his parents moved to the town of Huron and five years later i-emoved to the town of Wolcott to the farm on Port Bay street known as the Ben- jamin Brown farm. Upon this farm Mr. Pad- dock spent his early life doing farm work and attending the district school for a few weeks at a time as he could be spared from the work. When he was eighteen years of age he deter- mined to learn some trade. For a short time he tried harness making in Clyde but not finding that to his liking he entered the employ of the hardware firm of Bradish and Bourne at Lyons, N. Y. The spirit with which he entered upon his business career may be gathered from this incident: Upon applying to this firm for em- ployment, they asked what terms and wages he expected, his reply was, "any terms, provided I thoroughly learn the trade." After a two years' apprenticeship with this firm, he worked as tinner for a few years at Clyde and Lyons. In 1857 Mr. Paddock came to Wolcott and opened a hardware store in partnership with Mr. Samuel Foster. This store was a wooden build- ing at the corner of Mill and Main streets on the site now occupied by the Lawrence Marble and Granite works. After a few years Mr. Foster took over the hardware business and for about two years Mr. Paddock ran a canning factory in connection with Mr. Ephraim Nichols. This was during the Civil War and the firm canned meats, vegetables and fruits on a large scale for that time, for the use of the soldiers in the Union army. At the close of the War this business was wound up and he bought back the entire hardware business of Mr. Foster. After the fire of 1872 he built the brick store at No. 14 Main street where he carried on his hardware business until his death. Mr. Paddock always took an active and prom- inent part in all matters of public interest. Al- though his own educational opportunities had been limited to a few weeks per year in a district school, he was one of the founders and for years the treasurer of Leavenworth Institute. He S MILLINEKV 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 47 with Col. Dutton planted the trees which now ornament the campus of that Institution. He also at his death provided for a scholarship at Syracuse University to be used for the benefit of needy Wolcott students. In politics Mr. Pad- dock was a Republican and although he never desired or held office outside of village affairs he never failed to e.xercise his right of franchise and take an active interest in the questions of the day. In village administration he was for one or more terms President of the village and many times trustee. Mr. Paddock was converted and became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church when a young man about eighteen years of age and was a lifelong and active member of that church. The building of the present Methodist Episcopal chuixh of Wolcott was financed and managed by him. He gave personally in money towards its construction the sum of $2,000, which was one-fourth of his entire property at that time. Dui-ing most of the years of his life at Wolcott he was a member of its official Board and a writer has said of him that "he brought to the use of the Church the same hard headed business sense that made him a success in his own private affairs, and from a struggling group of worshipers that society has grown to be one of the strongest in this community." At his death Mr. Paddock left this Church an endow- ment of $2,000, as a permanent fund for building repairs. At twenty-three years of age Mr. Paddock married Mary A. Lester of Lyons, N. Y., who still survives him. Five children were born to them, four of whom are living, H. Lester of Fulton, N. Y., William H. and Bessie Tiftt Pad- dock and Mrs. Edw. T. Brown of Wolcott, N. Y.. Until his death, which occurred Nov. 24. 1903, he was active in business and intei-ested in vil- lage affairs, constant in his devotion to his fam- ily, and was held in the highest respect by all who knew him. Reminiscences of Old Timers East of the Creek — Wagons were Made from the Rough in Sebring's Shop — Beech Leaves Kept Family in Food: — A. W. Chase, living east of the creek in the house where he and his wife began housekeeping fifty-five years ago, is eighty years old. His father, Oliver Chase, located over near Port Bay in 1826 in a log house. "That summer, my father having no supphes or means of getting them," said Mr. Chase, "the family were com- pelled to live on beech leaves for six weeks, which they cooked as you would greens. "Our family the first night they were in this section stayed at Levi Smith's house. He built the old cobble stone house. He thought he would keep a cold water tavern and ran one for about a year. Then he changed it into a store which he had until about 1841 or '42 when it be- came a dwelUng. "Along in 1842 or '43 I worked at wagon making for Roswell Cleveland whose shop stood where the Methodist church now stands. "Between the present grist mill and the site of the old saw mill in the gulf I helped build a saw mill for Middaw in which was placed a 40- horse power engine and which burned down. I have seen that whole yard about the mills piled up twenty logs deep. WATER WHEEL WOULD NOT RUN. "Jerry Sebring bought Foster's farm and built a saw mill where Wadsworth's place is now, on the North Wolcott road, in a hollow. The water wheel could not raise the saw, which was an old muley saw, but Sebring had to start it going by putting a lever under the teeth of the saw. Then Sebring and I constructed a wheel with 20- inch buckets and you can bet that went. As the land was ditched and drained the stream gave out and Sebring got a steam engine. Alden Hale finally rented the mill. Then it was sold to Hall & Co. who put in machinery for cutting out barrel staves and heads, but they never did any business. The mill burned up. "One of the old gunsmiths in later days was David Pease. I worked for him. He had a shop on Mill street at the foot of Auburn street in a building put up for a tavern. EARLY FARMERS. "Roswell Benedict was one of the earliest farm owners this side of the creek, north of Red Creek road. Pat Casey had the farm adjoining it on the east and Caleb Millicins owned the James Hyde farm. Next north was the Plank farm. "My grandfather, Nathaniel Chase, came here a year before my father. He tended Plank's mill after it was rebuilt. "Millington & Cornwell built the old White hotel just within my recollection. Jerry Sebring had a wagon shop where you turn off on to the Port Bay road. One season I made nine lumber wagons in that shop. I sawed out the fellies from the rough timber. MYSTERY OF SPOOKY HOLLOW. "I remember the incident of picking a nigger in the White Hotel. Jake Sherman, who lived over near Spooky Hollow, invited myself and several others to go over and see him pick the nigger. The nigger broke his jaw and I helped carry him home. Spooky Hollow was where they said the moans of a man who had been mur- dered could be heard, and many people avoided the place until it was found that the noise pro- ceeded from one tree grinding against another. THE TWO MILLERS. "When N. W. Tompkins owned the grist mill I worked there. Warren Youngs was the miller. Then Tompkins traded the mill for a farm with a man named Olmstead and he brought along Miles Crane for the miller. I didn't like him and quit a month after. "Moore's old distillery in the hollow near the Clyde road I remember well. Bert Saxon used to draw four-foot wood to the distillery and I can now see him driving four oxen hitched to a load. He got seventy-five cents a cord. In those days whiskey brought eighteen pence a gallon but we never had use for it. ' ' Reminiscences of the Old "Black House Farm" Buildings: Describing the Condition of Main Street Fifty Years Ago:— The old "Black House" farm buildings, the sites of which are now built up with beautiful village homes surrounded by lawns and gardens, are described by D. A. Foote. There ai-e others living who remember them. 48 •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. ' 'After Dr. David Arne who was for years the owner and occupant of them had moved to Au- burn, there to educate his children, M. P. Foote, his son-in-law. came to Wolcott to engage in business," said David A. Foote, "and the old Melvin buildings became his charge. The house he re-clapboarded thus disposing of the wretched appearance given it by bein? painted black. He spent $2,000 in repairing the house. It was a long, two-story building, now standing on Smith street, with its gable toward the street. "Across Main street stood the carriage house, now where Captain Curtis lives. A large sheep bam stood south of it in the field. The Lang- well residence on Draper street stands a little east of the site of that barn. "Along Main street, east of the farm house, now the site of a row of hands me dwellings, was the barnyard running from the street back ten rods. The barn shed, a long open structure for sheltering stock, formed the west boundary to the yard with one end resting on the street. The grounds of Will Paddock's residence occupy that site. Along about in the rear part of Will Paddock's lot was the big barn, enclrsing the barnyard on the north. You can now see the old church and crashed through the floor very close to where Jennie Boylan was standing. "I recall the time when the upper balcony of the hotel went down with several people, at some doings in town, and injured a number. Mrs. Bissell was hurt the worst. "My personal recollections of old timers in- clude Abijah Moore, Dr. Wilson, James Wright and Hiram Church. "I was born in Wolcott in the forties and learned the art of photography from Charles Ravel, beginning work for him in 1861 in the gallery over what is now Campbell's store. He made ambrotypes which soon after disappeared, being replaced with the wet pl'te process. De- guerrotypes had gone out of use before my time. "Chauncey P. Smith had a general store in the present Campbell store at that time." Draper Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, named for the late Dr. Edwin H. Draper, a Mas- ter Mason of long standing, was installed at Wol- cott on February 25, 1898. by Past Grand Ma- tron Elizabeth Raymond, assisted by Raymond Chapter, No. 100, of Savannah, N. Y. Smith. Photo. DRAF CHAPTER. ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR. Top Row (left to right) :-Mrs. Clifford Brewster. Mrs. C. D. Walk bury. Mrs. Wm. Olmstead, Miss Sue G. Craft, Mrs. Dr. Day. Miss Fa H. BIi.ss. Mrs. Dr. L. C. Jones. Middle Row:-Miss Carolyn D. den, Mrs. E. H. Kellogg. Dr. L. C. Jones, Mrs. Dr. S. "' •' Charles Graves, Mrs. J. A. Murphy. Mrs. U. G. Brewster, well where the stock was watered with its cov- ering of boards in the midst of Campbell's lawn. That stood outside of the east fence to the barn- yard and the water was run through a pipe into a trough in the yard. A pair of bars opened the way from the street into the barnyard. Where Campbell's residence stands was a tenant house belonging to the farm. "Down here on Main street, along in front of Will Church's and G. H. Northup's residences, extending to Campbell's store, was a pond over which I have poled myself on a raft when a boy. "I recall an old office structure — a small frame building— on the site of Campbell's store, which rested on blocks sawed out of logs to keep it out of the marshy ground and you got into the door by walking a plank. The pond is now replaced with a macademized street and fine lawns, and a modem business block stands in the place of the little shop on blocks. "When the cannon exploded on the Fourth of July which you have spoken of, a piece of the metal fell through the roof of the Presbyterian rs. C. H. Han Houston. Lower Row;— M H. Wethy. . Miss Carrie er. Mrs. Arthur Jur- Rollo Steward, Mrs. The Chapter started on its career with sixty charter members, and a charter was granted it by the Grand Lodge on Sept. 9, 1898. The first Worthy Matron and first Patron of the local chapter were Mrs. Bertha Kelly and Geo. W. Roe, respectively, who were both re- elected and held office for two years. They were succeeded by the following Worthy Matrons:— Nellie C. Graves: Jennie R. Foster; Ada A. P. Stewart; Minnie T. Hammond and Mrs. Lillian D. Kellogg, the present incumbent. The following are Past Worthy Patrons: — Sam- uel Cosad; L. H. Carris; and Lloyd C. Jones, who holds the oflice at this writing. Since the institution of the chapter it has in- itiated sixty-three members, and has at present a membership of 101. In its more than seven years of existence it has lost but four members by death. It is one of the most flourishing and useful orders in the village, and does much to promote right living and good cheer. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. A. B. Sabin, proprietor of the Sabin Hotel, was born in the town of Wolcott on his father's farm at Port Bay, the old homestead of which he is to-day the owner and in which he takes much pride. Mr. Sabin was a small buy when his father died. Leaving h( me at an lai Iv :.-'■ c h'l with a small cap.ttl from the sale . 'i :t i;. is,- he owned, he got into business in the \vt st w hei e he lived thirty-two years, and returned east in 1892 after making a success in acquiring pr> p- erty. Leaving Oswego on a steamboat, a mere stripling, he went to Michigan. Missouii i.nd other states. In several places he became man- ager or owner of fine hotel property, especially , Mich., and in Hannibal, Mo, built up the busini in Kala and of hotels that had not been flourishing. In 1871 he married Estelle Bowen, a native of New York State, at Plainwell, Mich. They have one son, A. B. Sabin, Jr., who was educated at Notre Dame College, South Bend, Ind., and who is the manager of Mr. Sabin's farm. MJD3L FRUir FARM. OW.VED BY A. B. SABIN. At Manistee, Mich., on the lake opposite Chi- cago, Mr. Sabin lost every dollar he possessed in a fire which cleaned out the town and which very strangely sprung up the same L^i.LvL was previous to his marriage— his intended was teaching the district school at Wolcott at t! at time. She was the daughter of Henry Wei ^ of the town of Sodus. They wei-e married ;;( on after the close of the summer school. Mr. Wilder, who was successful, sold his fullirg mill and house to Roswell Benedict about the year 1826 and the same year purch; sed and movtd on the farm of Deacon Zenas Wheeler. Zenas Wheeler came to Wolcott in the spring of 1808, a young and single man, and was a team- ster for the Churches when they came from Massachusetts to Wolcott. He was ninety-five years old when he died. Lambert Woodruff came as early as 1808 End purchased about 500 acres, 400 of which joined the Black House farm on the north and extended to Furnace village. James Alexander came about 1809. He was a prominent man, serving as highway commissioner and in several other offices. GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTr. C. D. WALKER. J. WELLER CO.'s WOLCOTT PICKLE FACTORY. J. E. Lawrence came to Wolcott in 1872 and started in the marble business with A. B. South- well of Oswego in the old flatiron block Five years later Mr. Lawrence bought Mr. Southwell's interest and erected the building shown in the accompanying engraving. Mr. Lawrence has done a prosperous business in the same place ever since. His work is sold all over this section of the state and he has put up many large jobs in other states. The J. Weller Co.'s Pickle factory, located at Wolcott, N. Y., in 1902, is a striking illustra- tion of the results, important to a community, that may be accomplished by a large industrial institution locating there. The J. Weller Co. is a World-Size House in its own line— pickles, kraut, ketch-up, jellies, pre- serves, mince meats, and other condiments, giv- ing itself the reputation, par excellence, and establishing its success in one alone of its many products— the celebrated Acme Pickles. In the states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and New York this house has twenty-six factories — a business built up during a period of about thirty years. It owns a line of tank cars for shipping pickles in brine. The grit and energy of the business men who estabhshed and control it have done this. These facts are essential to mention here to give the reader a clear idea of the im- portance of this single business enterprise in Wolcott alone. The future of the Wolcott branch is very bright, because it has obtained the confidence of growers hereabouts; and more than that, because it is designed for a considerable local expansion and is also intended as the eastern headquarters of the manufactured product, or rather the sup- ply house for the east. Then, too, the agricul- turalists hereabouts have begun to comprehend the value of raising produce to be converted into pickles for money getting. Every season since the Wolcott plant was established has been cold and wet — unfavorable for raising pickle crops, yet beginning in 1902 with 150 acres the plant has gradually increased its source of supply until now it is receiving from 200 acres and paying iTowed Photo. J. E. LAWRENCE'S MARBLE AND GRANITE WORKS. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. out during the season as high as $17,000, which going to the farmers is by them distributed among the tradesmen of the village. For the farmer this is of great value. He realizes largely per acre, some here having ob- tained as high as $138 an acre. One farmer got $560 from five acres one year. This means the distribution of money for the raw products in the town of Wolcott and vicinity, when the sea- sons again become normal, amounting to as much as $21,000 for one year's produce taken in at the Wolcott factory. The system of cash payment at the factory on the delivery of the crop— the payment being made at a time of the year before the agriculturalist gets his money out of the average harvest, are strong inducements for putting a considerable acreage into produce from which the J. Weller Co. manufacture so many lines of table necessities. cans a day. Here the principal canning pro- ducts are vegetables, but a considerable quan- tity of fruit is also canned, and no doubt in time fniit will be handled in this factory as exten- sively as vegetables. Last year 12,000 bushels of apples were canned by this one plant; and both strawberries and raspberries were put up here. This season the acreage being cultivated for this factory consists of 225 acres in peas, 100 acres in corn, 30 in string beans and 20 in strawberries. The extent to which the village and adjacent farming section are benefited is shown in the fact that last year The Twitchell-Champlin Co. paid out at their Wolcott factory $20,000. This Company are large wholesale grocers in Portland, Me., who are operating outside of Wolcott five other canning factories, including large canneries of fish in Maine. Their canning Photo. THE TWITCHELL-CHAMPLIN WOLCOTT CANNING FACTORY. The firm upon opening the Wolcott plant placed in charge of it a gentleman with a large expe- rience in the management of pickle factories, Mr. C. D. Walker. It is the policy of the firm to employ only that class of men. Mr. Walker has been fortunate in his dealings in this com- munity, and perhaps the house has been bene- fited by having a local manager who pleases the public. The Twitchell-Champlin Co.'s Canning factory was opened for operation in 1903 and its production the two seasons it has been running, as well as the promise of the current year, shows that this enterprise is taking the lead in this part of the state over similar institutions. Its output is about a million cans a year. The fac- tory buildings and the machinery are compara- tively new, and its productive capacity is 30,000 business alone amounts to an enormous figure annually and Wolcott has been fortunate in get- ting one of the branches of a company operating on so large a scale and having the strong finan- cial standing that this has. Local capital first built the factory and partly equipped it about a year before The Twitchell-Champlin Co. bought and opened it. W. A. Buckminster, the manager of the Wol- cott factory has had an experience of fifteen years in canning and it is fortunate for the Wol- cott people that a man of his experience is in charge of this plant. He came the first year and it is to his credit that the factory has ob- tained the good will and support of the commu- nity. Mr. Buckminster was born in Stonington, Me., Nov. 16, 1863. He was married to Carrie F. Crockett of the same place in 1887, and they have four children. He is a member of the Masonic order and the A. 0. U. W. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. C. W. SMITH, the Souvenir Photographer. C. W. Smith, the artist on "Grip's" Histo- rical Souvenir of Wolcott began tlie photograph- ic business in Wolcott in 1897 in company with Stanton with whom he continued one year; after- wards with D. A. Foote three years. Mr. Smith now conducts the large Wolcott gallery alone. His work includes viewing as well as portraits, and he is an adept at bromide enlargements. During the Spanish-American war Mr. Smith was engaged in illustrating songs, that is making pictures from life to represent the essential fea- tures of a song and then transfering the views to lantern slides to be thrown upon a curtain as the singer proceeds with the song. His work in that line went out with the best known traveling companies all over the United States, and in- cluded the most popular song writers' works. Mr. Smith was born in Summitville, Coffee Co., Tenn.. in 1873. He married Anna M. Michel of Huron and they have three children, Durward, Corrine and Gladys. He is active in the Odd Fel- lows' lodge and holds high positions in the N. P. L. Dr. J. N. Robertson, the well known prac- ticing physician of Wolcott, has followed his profession successfully in this village for more than a quarter of a century. Active in public matters the doctor has taken no small interest in promoting the welfare of the community. As a member of the Board of Education at the time the handsome pubHc school building was con- structed he assisted materially in not only se- curing the best construction of the new building but personally planned the sanitary conveniences that have made the school a modern structure. He was a member of the Board twelve years and served some time as president of the Board. He also served as Health officer of the town and village several years. Dr. Robertson was born in the town of Wol- cott June 10, 1853. Daniel Robertson, his grand- father, a native of Scotland and a branch of one of the old Scottish families, was an early settler in Wolcott and it was he who cleared the land now known as the homestead, five miles east of Wolcott village which is still in the family. Dan- iel also developed the iron ore bed known as the Devoe, which supplied ore for the old furnace. John, his son, who married Harriet Cooper, took the old farm and fully developed and improved it. Dr. Robertson received his early schooling in Union Seminary at Red Creek. Teaching school and employing private tutors he prepared for higher studies afterwards taking two years of college work. He began reading medicine with Dr. F. M. Pasco of Red Creek and two years later went into the office of Dr. R. N Cooley of Hannibal Centre, N. Y. Graduated at the Uni- versity of Vermont in 1877 he first practiced medicine at Sterhng Valley, beginning in 1878 and continuing until 1879 when he located in Wolcott. Dr. Robertson since completing his medical studies has taken a post-graduate course in New York, where he had the advantages of hospital practice and the most difficult cases came under his personal observation; this he has followed by occasional trips to New York for the purpose of keeping in touch with advanced ideas in med- ical knowledge. N. HDI'A-jn KUBEKTSONS RESIDENCE. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. On December 1, 1880, he married Anna May Howard of Sterling Valley and they have one daughter, Eva Lucille, born July 23, 1885, and who is now in Wellesley College. Dr. Robert- son is now elder of the Presbyterian church, elected in 188.5. He is also a member of the Masonic order. Reminiscences of Wolcott, 1817-'26; Chester Dutton's Writings Describing the Early Fam- ilies; Took Fourteen Days to Come from Auburn ; Owners of Wolcott Falls : Wool Carders.— Extracts from a letter of Chester Dutton to Mrs. A. J. Hovey:— "My wife's farm was the homestead of her grandfather, Lambert Woodruff. He built the house in the summer of 1817. The 'Black- House farm' was a tract of 800 acres (lying east of the Russell and south half of Col. Wm. Dut- but Wolcott with its water power was the logi- cal metropolis of a promising farming district. ' 'A straight road was laid out to Sloop Land- ing, on Sodus Bay, whence sloops sailed to Kingston, Canada. "The Church brothers, Adonijah and Osgood, took the lots on the north and south side of the road west of Black House farm. They were neighbors of Grandfather (Lambert) Woodruff at New Marlboro', Mass. Adonijah, who built the house where you live (the two-story part), had no son, I think, but his daughter was the wife of Obadiah Adams, the Pierpont Morgan of the occasion, and Wolcott developed rapidly. But the Erie canal, which was completed m 1825, knocked the town out, incidentally bankrupting Adams, and his father-in-law, Mr. Church, and also Mr. Melvin who were his backers. "Lambert Woodruff, born in Watertown, Conn., in 1763, was a son of Capt. John Wood- ruff and Hannah Lambert of Watertown. Mr. Isaac Leavenworth of Wolcott, who attended the funeral of Capt. John Woodruff in 1799, said Smitla. Photo. WOLCOTT TENT K. O. T. M. Lower Row (seated: left to right) ;-E. J. Lasher, Hiram McQueen. George Bush. Ira Campbell. Lewis Wright. Lester Medan. Second Row: Charles Hurler. Alfred Michael. A. M. Jurden. Wm. Palmer. L. W. Knapp, J. R. Waldorf. Dr. S. W. Houston. Daniel Bennett. Third Row: Rufus Wadsworth. Wm. Silliman. Wm Brown, Roe Madan. Devereaux Cleveland, Andrew Thomas. Walter Messenger. Henry Wellet, Charles Miller, M. Cllne. Dr. D. B. Horton, Charles Pitts. Fred Bevier, R. H. Kelley, Frank Edwards, Ernest Wadsworth. Upper Row: Oliver Bennett, Harper, Lloyd Lewis. Earll Henry. Emmeiis Abbott. Wm. Bennett. Albert Richardson George Fox. Lucien Oathout. ton farm), on which the village of Wolcott is located. The land not sold for village residences continued to be used for farming, and the tenant occupied the 'Black House', which was built by the first owner, Mr. Melvin. I think the 800- acre tract was known as lot No. 50 and was the first lot sold in Cayuga county. There was no Wayne county then. The lot was so laid out as to include the Wolcott Falls and the spring near Mr. Merrill's place. "Grandfather (Lambert) Woodruff had heard of these features from hunters and hoped to secure them, but found the land already sold. He then bought about 600 acres adjoining lot 50 on the north, securing the spring brook for stock water and the lower rapids of Wolcott creek, which his son John afterwards sold with ten acres of land to the Furnace Company for .$1,000. Mr. Jonathan Melvin, the purchaser of lot No. 50, had a good farm in the township of Phelps, it was observed with military honors. Lambert Woodruff married Mary ( Polly) Nettleton. They bought a farm near the home of their parents, but after a few years sold out and moved to New Marlboro', Mass. "About 1807 they traded their New Marlboro' holdings (two farms and a grist mill), for 1,428 acres in Williamson's Patent (some allotments were in Butler), and a little later started with their five boys and two girls and five yoke of oxen for their new home. Previous settlers had come by way of Geneva, but he proposed to come by way of Auburn. He hired men acquainted with the woods to help him through. They were fourteen days getting from Auburn to the east bank of Wolcott Falls. "Grandmother Woodruff used to detail their hardships and privations during the first years, almost weeping, while he would laugh at the re- cital, but at length would straighten his face 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. and say, 'I had my teams paid for and $500 in my pocket; and when that was gone we suf- fered. ' FIRST AND LAST OF WOOL CARDING. "Grandfather Woodruff's son-in-law, Mr. Mel- lon, and Mr. Mellen's son-in-law, Cyrus Churchill, in 1843 or '44 built a little wool carding and cloth dressing factory on the creek just below Leaven- worth Cemetery. The 'water privilege' had been first used for the same purpose by Caleb and Samuel Mellen who sold the business to Esq. Wilder, and he sold it to Mr. Galloway after whose occupancy it went into disuse. Mr. Churchill lived for a time in the garret of the factory and afterwards built a house near the cemetery and bought a road of Mr. Benedict. The house was later occupied by Mr. Dempsey, lodge to move to and work in Wolcott village for one year which was renewed from year to year. On February 10, 1884, the lodge was again burned out, where it was finely located in the west end of the third story of the Empire block. This time the lodge was insured. Nevertheless ts loss of valuable antiquities was irreparable, ncluding a charter for a Masonic lodge to work n the village of Wolcott which was signed by DeWitt Clinton, who was Grand Master of the Masons in the state of Mew York from 1806 to 1819 inclusive. This lodge was disbanded during the Morgan excitement. The lodge soon secured rooms where it is now very pleasantly located. In June, 1889, by consent of the Grand Lodge this lodge was permanently located in the village of Wolcott. On the 7th of June, 1894, the name was Ph ITT Lower Row (left to light) -Di Houbton Plot Guiley. E T Philli] bert Wolvin C D Walker Next Row Noi ton Mei rill U G Biewste Jurden J E Muiphev Gerry Salisbui v Wm L>ttle Thud Row Geoi burgh. E. H. Kellogg. Roy Hendnck. Merritt Fenn. Dr. Day, Wm. Olm stead, Lemuel Sopher, Charles Graves, Ira Foster. Upper Row: Aide Moore, Charles Woodruff, Robert De Witt, Jr., Fred King, Philip Hamm IS Eugene Seymour Newton Dusenbury, Her- Dr D B Horton Dr L. C. Jones. Arthur M. ge Hoffman James Men ill, James Van Valken- ;tead, Charlie Nichols, B. S. Worden. W. 01m- ri Hale. E. A. Wadsworth, E. J. Cornwell. B. T. ?r, Charles Hammer, Wm. Palmer. and the factory was used for a tannery when we came west." Wolcott Lodge, No. 560, F. & A. M. — [By J. Byron Smith]. A charter was granted to Red Creek Lodge, No. 560 F. & A. M. on June 19, 1865. The lodge prospered until the spring of 1874 when a serious fire destroyed a large part of the business places of Red Creek. The lodge lost everything including books and charter, with no insurance. A new charter was granted June 5, 1874. After this the lodge existed but was never able to regain its former prestige ; although the widow and orphan are living who speak in its praise. In 1880 a dispensation was granted for the changed to Wolcott lodge. No. 560, F. & A. M. The lodge has enjoyed a wonderful period of prosperity since coming to Wolcott. The mem- bership now numbers 144. The following is the list of those who have been Worshipful Master of the lodge, the names appearing in the order in which they were elect- ed:— Rev. S. P. Croshier; James H. Cooper; I. F. Mosher; F. M. Pasco; D. D. Becker; G. M. Coplin, Jr.; W. W. Lvttle; Charles Cromwell; J. Byron Smith; G. G." Salsbury; J. W. Hoag; J. Alden Hale; F. A. Prevost; John D. Otis; George W. Roe; R. H. Kelley; A. M. Jurden. The first four of this list are dead. The Present Oflicers:—W. Master, A. M. Jur- den; Senior Warden, J. A. Murphey; Junior 'GRIP'; HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Warden, F. L. Watson; Secretary, G. G. Sals- bury; Treasurer, N. W. Merrill; Chaplain, Dr. D. B. Horton; Senior Deacon, Dr. H. W. Day; Junior Deacon, M. H. Fenn; Senior and Junior Masters of Ceremony, Dr. S. W. Houston and C. D. Walker: Senior and Junior Stewards, M. VanPatten and H. R. Lyle; Marshal, W. W. Lyttle; Organist, B. T. Moore. Jonathan Melvin as Described in Historical Sketches Written by Hiram Church; An Ec- centric yet Loveable Character: — Jonathan Melvin, the first settler in Wolcott, is spoken of in one of the late Hiram Church's newspaper historical sketches, as first having located his family in an old log house. His first cleai-ing was about ten acres and he set out the first apple orchard in the town; it was very choice fruit and he procured it from Phelps, N. Y., his former home. "Other early settlers planted the apple seeds they procured" from the old Castle farm near Geneva. Mr. Melvin had a fine young orchard His hat, the old Yankee style, and to complete his suit always wore buckskin aprons — one for work and also one for Sunday-go-to-meeting; was very regular in attending religious meetings on the Sabbath. "He was a kind and good man, always ready to help those that were worthy, and was a man much loved by those of his acquaintances. "He was possessed at that time of a large property, had a splendid farm in Phelps of 500 or 600 acres on what was called Melvin Hill and considerable personal property. The first set- tlers in Wolcott felt under great obligations to Mr. Melvin for the help they at that time re- ceived from him. He moved" back to Phelps on his farm about 1822; his son Alanson managed the farm at Wolcott. ' ' Croquet Played by a Wolcott Club.— Some years ago several business men of Wolcott main- tained a croquet club which frequently amused the public with games, good, bad and indifferent, on grounds in the rear of Turpenning's store. The rear windows in the business row along there afforded "reserved seats" for the ladies, M^?',^' THE PASTMASTERS. WOLCOTT LODGE NO. Hale. W. W. Lyttle, J. D. Otis. in Phelps and he frequently furnished those who wanted apples. OLD MILL SITE. "A year or two after Mr. Melvin came in he sold to Obadiah Adams his grist and saw mills, which now include the privilege and land owned by Mr. Rumsey and Mr. Middaugh: considera- tion $10,000." [See "Wolcott; Earliest Indus- tries," etc., page 4 for other sales of Melvin's]. MELVIN'S PECULIARITIES. "About the year 1813 Mr. Melvin built a large two-story frame house, and moved in the same ysar, on the rise of ground now owned by Willis Roe. It was a very substantial structure and his peculiar fancy was in painting. He painted the house black— as black as lampblack and oil could make it. It was the great wonder of all who saw it why he should fancy such a color. He was very peculiar about many things. He was asked how he could fancy such a color. His reply was, 'Like to see things correspond; if my character is black I paint the house so. ' melvin's SUNDAY APRONS. "The dress he wore was about as singular. many of whom were occasional witnesses of the game. That is to say, finding time heavy on their hands and desiring a bit of the spectacular the ladies would now and then throng windows overlooking the grounds where they could get points on the comparative virtues and weak- nesses of the sterner sex which were sure to be disclosed in a game of croquet. Willis Roe, George Roe, William Roe, A. B. Thacker, Stearnes Williams, Clinton Terpenning, George H. Russell, George S. Horton, George Graves, J. S. Terrill, F. S. Johnson and M. E. Cornwall were members of the club. The grounds were level and well cared for. They used small rubber balls and the mallets were tipped with rubber. As the passage through the wickets was narrow considerable skill was required to "carry" a ball any great distance. The records of those games were not preserved. A phonogra])hic re- production of what could have been heard on the grounds during one of the games would draw a large crowd of listeners in Wolcott to-day. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Smith, Photo. C. M. DELLING. Editor and Proprietor Wolcott Courier. C. H. Alien began the manufacture of fruit extracts three years ago and the purity of his extracts has given them a wide sale, making a reputation for the village in superior goods. Mr. Allen was for nineteen years a merchant in Wol- cott and he is widely known through the county. Charles M. Delling, editor and proprietor of the Wolcott Courier which he founded, issued the first number of that paper March 6, 1901, coming from Syracuse for that purpose and giving the people of Wolcott and vicinity what they de- manded but could not previously get, a good family, weekly newspaper for one dollar a year and the opportunity for good job printing at rea- sonable prices. The policy of the Courier is to boom Wolcott village as a matter of duty which it owes to itself and its constituency. This is the policy pursued by modern journalism today, whether in city or country, and the Courier is not behind the press in other fields in that re- spect. Mr. Delling was born in Minnesota, July 11, 1857, and came to Wolcott in 1883. Three years later he went to Syracuse and was in busi- ness there five years. He has been connected with newspaper and job work twenty-five years. He is a writer of fiction and verse and has pub- lished books of his writings. Post Rider in Pioneer Days; The Route of the Mail: Dr. Arne kept the Mail in His Kitchen: "Giles Fitch was the first mail carrier," wrote Hiram Church in his historic sketches. "He carried the mail on horseback from the postoffice kept by David Arne at Wolcott to Auburn once a week and back. The mail route was south on New Hartford street to Spencers Corners via Eli Wheeler's, now [1884] H. H. Wheeler's, to Harrington's, now South Butler, via Morris Crow's, the Pine woods and Mosquito Point. There was then no postoflice between Wolcott and Seneca river. Later Mr. Fitch carried the mail with wagon and horses. The mail road was the principal traveled road from Wolcott to Au- burn for several years. POSTOFFICE IN CUPBOARD. "Dr. Arne was a practicing physician for sev- eral years. He was the first postmaster in the town. The Doctor being absent from his home most of his time and Mrs. Arne being always at home she was in fact the postmistress. The du- ties of the office at that date were not very labo- rious, nor much strife in procuring it. One can- didate in the field would be all that was known, and he not very desirous at that. A small cup- board in the kitchen department of the house was where the postoffice was kept. He had it for several years." rrowed Photo. C. H. ALLEN '.S RESIDENCE. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. ;kaves. Henry A. Graves is one of the ulde&t ot the men engaged in business in Wolcott at this time. Some forty odd years ago Mr. Graves bought out the firm of Allen & Beard who were then carrying on a general merchan- dise business in a frame building on the present site of the Graves Opera House Block. Their business was founded some years prior to the time of Allen & Beard who succeeded A. Cook. He afterwards went to Seneca Falls in business. During the long period that Mr. Graves has done business in Wolcott his trade has been with a wide circle in the farm- ing community, and has in- cluded people residing in the small hamlets about Wolcott; so that few business men in the northern part of the coun- ty are better known than Mr. Graves. To him the growth and bet- terment of this village are of vital interest, and his time and means ai-e always to be relied upon to assist in carrying out a public project that admit- tedly tends to those ends. It is not overstating the case to say that H. A. Graves' opinion in matters of that sort carries much weight with the commu- nity and he is one among the first to be consulted. It was when he was presi- dent of the village— and to him belongs the credit of the initiation of the project — that the present effective fire de- partment was created. He was made the first fire chief to fully develop the plan of the department, and with the aid Smith. Photo of energetic men he succeeded in effecting his purpose. The details are fully discussed in the History of the Fire Department. He was retained as Fire Chief eleven years and the efficiency of the department is the fruit of his long and active service. He was president of the village four terms and has served as school trustee six years. Wol- cott village owes much to his public spirit and personal activ- ity, as it does to others with whom he has labored for years in making it the most progres- sive of Wayne county villages. H. A. Graves was born in Tullv, Onondaga county, Nov. 10, 1836. George S. Graves, his father, was a manufacturer of cloth at that place. In 1844 the family moved to South Butler, which was the home of H. A. Graves until he was nineteen years old. He attended school there and afterwards was a stu- dent in the academies at Onon- daga Valley and McGrawville. Both mbtitutions in those days ranked high as schools for advanced scholars. Mr. Graves' first lessons in practical business came to him through his clerkship in the Com- munity store at Red Creek, when he was seven- teen years old. At Hall & Quivey's in the same village he also clerked awhile. Then he;went to Ottawa, III., and for three years engaged in bus- iness as one of the the firm of Graves & Chapel. The succeeding three years he was connected GRAVES' OPERA HOUSE BLOCK AND STORE. •GRIP S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. with a Philadelphia mapping house, after which with his brother, C. H. Graves, he engaged in trade at South Butler. From there he came to Wolcott, as above stated. Up to a year ago Mr. Graves handled evaporated fruit, beginning with "taking in" dried apples at his store and at last increasing his operations to a large scale. Mr. Graves did a large jobbing in evaporated fruit when he owned the warehouse now belong- ing to E. H. Reed & Co. In the fire of 1871 his place of business was burned out while he was in New York buying goods. The loss was con- siderable, but without delay he re-stocked an- other store and finally bought the building which he now owns and in which he and others are doing business. The upper part is an opera house, in which entertainments have been given for years, and which is an important institution for the village. Mr. Graves married Sarah Viele of the town of Butler, to whom was born one son, Charles Graves. Bonnicastle is located on the east shore of Great Sodus Bay six miles west of Wolcott and three miles south-east of Sodus Point. This resort is a pop- ular mecca for summer pilgrims, seeking rest and recreation where they can spend their time on the shore of a fine body of water, away from the dis- agreeable features incident to many resorts. Bonnicastle for fifteen years has been a famous picnic ground where the churches, Sunday schools, fraternities, and family gatherings have come year after year. Here they find clean greenswards and groves on high ground overlooking the lake with the usual out-of-doors amusements, croquet, swings, boating, baseball and driving. Bonnicastle has become widely known as the annual camping ground of the Soldiers' and Sail- ors' Association of Wayne county. This Asso- ciation, including the G. A. R. of the county, is chartered and generally turns out at these re- unions thousands of the Old Vets and their friends. Here they obtain spacious, clean and well shaded camp sites, with plenty of pure and wholesome water. There being no liquors sold at Bonnicastle the disorderly element never come here. One of these re-unions numbered as high as five thousand in attendance and 180 tents were put up. The camp is always continued an entire week. The association which has been coming to Bonnicastle for eleven years, experi- mented by going elsewhere and sufl^ered finan- cially for making the change. On such occasions people seek congeniality and rest which the changes did not offer. Mr. Cole keeps a gasoline launch solely for the use of his family and guests. It was built to his order and accommodates twenty-five passen- gers. Mr. Cole has owned the property and been located here seventeen years. It com- prises fifty-seven acres of lawns, groves, orchard and a vegetable farm, furnishing cream and vegetables for guests. There are also pretty cottages and sites for others. Mr. Cole was born in Seneca county and has been a resident of Wayne county thirty years. Sodus Bay; Magnificent Scenery; Splendid Summer Resort: The Indians who Frequented the Bay gave to it the name Assorodus, "sil- very water;" — There is no finer body of water opening inta the south side of Lake f^ntario. The bay enters a cove of the lake protected on either hand by headlands. Across its neck is about a mile. In- land it widens to the distance of four miles. Its length from north to south is nearly seven miles. The shore in many places rises to imposing heights, here and there forming bold headlands which make splendid sites for summer homes and which in some cases have been occupied for that purpose. The waters of the bay, well pro- BONNICASTLE. li. H. COLE. PROPRIETOR. •'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. 67 tected from the seas that at times roll up across the lake afford admirable sailing room. The islands offer camping and fishing grounds. Along the lake both east and west are fine drives over- looking on one hand the lake and on the other beautiful land scenery. HISTORIC SODUS. The historic associations give added interest to the bay for those who love to spend idle time dreaming of the past. There are few points along the beautiful Ontario that are better adapt- ed to summer visitors, and in the past few years Sodus Bay has grown in popularity. MAGNIFICENT LANDSCAPE. Mr. Charles Williamson, American agent for the Pultney estate who opened the country here- abouts to settlements in the latter years of the eighteenth century, in 1793 wrote of the scenery as follows— at a time before the country became settled; — "The first view of the place (Sodus Bay), after passing through a timbered country from Geneva twenty-eight miles, strikes the eye of the beholder as one of the most magnificent landscapes human fancy can picture; and the beauty of the scene is not infrequently height- ened by the appearance of large vessels navi- gating the lake." SUMMER COTTAGES. The erection of hotels and summer cottages, and the construction of trolley lines have in late years attracted many visitors to the Bay. The roads leading to many pretty villages in the vicinity have been greatly improved and those who are fortunate enough to recuperate at Sodus spend their time to advantage fishing, driving or sailing. Charles Point, Sand Point. Lake Bluff, Eagle and Newark Islands, Bonnicastle and Resort are famous summer home ports on the Bay which attract thousands of people annually. SODUS POINT EARLY HISTORY. Lake Port and City Once Surveyed and Plotted; Men who First Settled Here; Earliest Industries; Old Light Houses. Charles Williamson, the American Agent for the Pultenay estate, and at one time proprietor of all the section washed by Sodus Bay, in 1794 selected the point on the west side of the entrance to the bay— now occupied by Sodus Point vil- lage — for a large town. No other place on the south shore of the lake offered as large and at- tractive harbor, and it was his design to provide conveniences for shipping the products of the new country he was then opening up to settle- ment to the seaboard by water. He cut roads through the woods from Palmyra and Phelps to Sodus Point, that the produce of the country several miles to the south of those places might be carted to his proposed lake port. BIG town surveyed. The survey of the proposed town was at once begun by Joseph Colt, who laid out a broad street, with a large public square, between the falls on Salmon Creek and the anchorage on the bay. The lots inside of the proposed corporation contained a quarter of an acre to a lot and those outside ten acres. The in-lots, as the first were called, were to be sold at $100 each and the out- lots at four dollars an acre. The farming lands in the vicinity were to be offered at $1.50 an acre. Thomas Little and one named Moflit were appointed the agents for the sale of the lots. built wharfs and boat. The same year (1794) Williamson erected a tavern and a wharf and launched a large boat. During the following year other improvements were made by him, including the erection of mills on the stream above the bay, so that in the course of two years he spent about $20,000 at Sodus Point. A big town with streets running at right angles and squares was laid out on paper, but very little was materially done to carry out his project. TAVERN AND MILLS. The tavern, which was a cheap affair costing about $500, was opened and for a while conducted by Moses and Jabez Sill. The grist and saw mills stood on Salmon creek two miles west of the bay. Both stood until about 1807 when they went down in a large freshet. A saw mill was erected about 1795 by Timothy Axtell for Judge Nichols. INDIANS called IT ASSORODUS. Among the early industries at the Point were those of John Wafer, blacksmith, David McNutt, shoemaker, and Capt. Wm. Wickham, James Kane, John McAllister, John Gibson, Thomas Wickham and a Mr. Sage, merchants. The first postoffice in the town of Sodus was established at the Point under the name of Sodus, an abreviation of the Indian name Assorodus — 'Sodus. A few years later the Point was gener- ally called Troupville after Robert Troup of New York, but that name was never oflScially attached to the place. THE LIGHTHOUSES. The first lighthouse was built about 1820 and between 1828 and 1834 piers were erected by Wm. Barckley and E. W. Sentell, government contractors. Subsequently the lighthouse was rebuilt and a second one was erected. Since then breakwaters have been constructed and several appropriations have been expended in deepening and clearing the channel leading into the Bay. New Marlboro' Settlei's. — Those who came to Wolcott from New Marlboro', Mass., were Lam- bert Woodruff, Osgood Church, Adonijah Church, Zenas Wheeler, Jarvis Mudge, John Hyde, James Alexander, Dr. Zenas Hyde, Levi Wheeler, Roger Sheldon, Obadiah Adams, Deacon Ezra Knapp, Charles Woodruff and John Woodruff. Jarvis Mudge bought land and speculated in horses and cattle. He also largely engaged in lumbering. Dr. Zenas Hyde was a physician of note among the early settlers. Lambert Wood- ruff bought a tract of land north of the village, adjoining the Black House farm. Brick Yard back of the Churches. On the vil- lage green — in the rear of the site of the two churches— Nelson W. Moore burned brick for the erection of many buildings that were put up fol- lowing the fire of 1871. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. WILLIAM BUTTON, William Dutton was born in Watertown, Ct., Jan. 14, 1824, the descendant of an English fam- ily that came to this country early in its colonial period, and of whom there was a long line of educators and Congregational clergymen, includ- ing a Governor of Connecticut who was William Button's uncle. When the subject of this sketch was fourteen years old he went to Mecklenburgh, then in Tompkins, now in Schuyler county. where he engaged in farm work summers and studied and taught winters. At the age of eighteen years he received an ap- pointment to West Point Military school through United States Senator Morgan of Cayuga county, going on foot to Aurora to solicit the honor from the Senator, without influence to support his claim. In 184i5 he was graduated at that insti- tution. While drilling a company on Staten Island he received a sunstroke which prevented him accepting a post in the United States army, located in California. That year he came to Wolcott to visit his brother, Chester Dutton. Having married about the time he left West Point he decided to make his home near Wolcott, and in March, 1847, he located on a farm near West Butler which he had purchased. Mr. But- ton's biide was Lucy J. Matthews, whose home was in Mecklenburgh. Their wedding occurred on June 24, 1846. At the time Colonel— then Captain — Dutton came to Butler he and Mrs. Dutton united with the Presbyterian church at Wolcott. Up to the time he left home for the army he was an active church and Sunday school worker, being the superintendent of the Sunday school and elder in the church many years and also conducting a Sunday school in "the schoolhouse at Whisky Hill. While' residing in Butler he taught school at times in the village of Wolcott and filled the offices of school commissioner for the county and justice of the peace. In 1851 he moved on to what has since been known as the Col. Dutton farm at Wolcott which he purchased of the Underbill estate the same year. He was elected member of assembly that year and served a full term. At the outbreak of the war, 1861-'5, he ten- dered his services to the Government and was Smith. Photo. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. accepted and appointed Colonel of the 98th regi- ment, New York volunteers, which he assisted in recruiting and drilling at Lyons. It was in April, 1862, that he was commissioned and went into active service. On July 4, 18i 1 WjmM ShI^ H^J^I ^HH 4^fl^ i H^yn ^f^l sy WELLS & CO. S MEAT MARKET. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. The Palace Hotel was opened April 1, 1905, by Mr. Ira J. Foster, the present proprietor. Mr. Foster bought the building, the whole upper part of which is occupied by the hotel. The office occupits part of the ground floor and tin- other part is rented for a sturc. Mr. Foster has secured a central location and eaters to commerci: trade. He has conducted an hoti in Wolcott four or five years ami understands how to cater to tli- wants of the traveling public. J. A. Murphey's variety stcn. is an illustration of the success a hustling, energetic man may achieve. Erom a small beginning Mr. Murphey has built up abusintss which is one of the best paying and second to no other of its kind in Wolcott. In this store, packed to the walls with goods, is to be found most any article which a merchant is able to handle. Mrs. Murphey who understands trade as well as anyone assists her husband, and to her much credit is due for the success of the business. Mr. Murphey's first place of business was in the Northup Block, opened in 1884, where he handled sewing machines and musical instru- ments. Then he moved into the next store ( now Knapp's) where two years later he started a va- HOTEL M.^ SA .J. FOSTER, PROPRIETOR. Gradually he added new lines of riety store. goods until his regular stock comprised every- thing convenient to handle even to the outfitting MH. AND MRf. .1. A. MURPHEY. lURPHEYS VARIETY STORE. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. of a house. His next move was into the Kenyon Block (now J. S. Sherwood's store). On April 1, 1895, he bought and moved into the building where he is now located, which he purchased of the T. W. Johnson estate. Here he has expended considerable money for improvements, including putting in steam heat and an acetelyne gas plant for lighting, and has room for a big stock of goods. His lines include variety goods and no- tions, glassware, house furnishings, crockery, dry goods, groceries, stationery, school supplies and ladies furnishings. Mr. Murphey was born in Victory, Cayuga Co. , N. Y., October 23, 1854, and was educated in Red Creek seminary. With that experience in trade which was possible as a traveling sales- man, he began business at Sterling, N. Y., after three years on the road and came from there to Wolcott in 1884. On December 26. 1878, he married Marion Timer.';on at Martville, Cayuga Co., N. Y. Mr. Murphey is active in several fraternal societies in Wolcott. He has served as senior and junior warden and junior deacon in resort for several years, and as a landing for smugglers before the period of railroads it pos- sesses historic interest. Before the present proprietor, it was the home and property of Col. Anson Wood. Mr. Eugene Russell bought it and has conducted it as a resort four summers. Its comforts indoors are those of home for Mrs. Russell presides in person over that part of Russell Island. The table she sets does justice to the highest skill in cooking, and her welcome of guests is cheerful and inviting. Rowing, croquet, swinging, swimming and driving are pastimes here in midsummer. Open seasons for pickerel and black bass bring liberal rewards for fishermen : and good perch fishing is to be had at any time of open water. A bold shore line affords easy and safe sailing in the lake— eastward to Fair Haven or west- ward to Great Sodus Bay, each seven miles from Russell's Island. The shooting season is of prime interest to numerous hunters who come to this place for sport of that sort. Mallalrds and Black ducks iuu; I'HE BAY LANDING. the Masonic order and has passed all of the chairs in the Odd Fellows. Russell's Island lays in the north-west angle of Port Bay outlet into Lake Ontario, on high, rolling ground. The buildings, twenty rods from the shore of both lake and bay, are sheltered from the winds that come in from the lake by rising ground from which the eye can sweep miles of watjr and farm lands. The place, though an island in fact, is accessible over car- riage roads, and contains 260 acres, furnishing to guests of the house fresh farm, garden and dairy productions. The driving distance to Wol- cott — the postoffice and railroad station — is three mdes. The Bay off Russell's landing place is two miles wide— protected from the winds and currents of the lake by a bar nearly enclosing it— and penetrates inland nearly three miles like a long, broad river, sweeping in open curves through famous duck shooting marshes and between headlands, grassy slopes, timbered bluffs and reaches of cultivated lands opening to view a mile or more from shore. Russell's Island has been a favorite summer are shot on the marshes at the head of the bay, while Butterballs, Canvass Back and Redheads swarm the open waters at the outlet. Spring water on the island is sweet, cool and abundant. Mr. Russell takes personal interest in looking after his guests, and they appreciate his attentions. Those who notify him of their coming before hand he will meet at the trains at Wolcott with conveyance. Correspondence [ad- dressed Eugene Russell, Port Bay, via Wolcott, N. Y.] will be promptly attended to. Smugglers at Port Bay; Shooting of a Cana- dian and Like Casualty to Wayne County Man; Casks of Spirits Carried Back Country and Bartered to Buyers in Hay Barns; — The coves and bluffs outside and inside of the bar closing Port Bay are "historic spots." The shooting of Old Delbrook, a Canadian adven- turer, early in the last century, occurred inside of the bay where the west shore line curves 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. toward the outlet, a few rods north from Rus- sell's boat landing. The revenue officers coming up from the lake on the opposite side of the summit fired into the darkness below. Delbrook's party got into the willows opposite Beaver Head to which they crossed the follow- ing night with the wounded man and before morningj'had him safe in an outhouse in the east- ern outskirts of Wolcott village. But the man died. BODY FOUND IN BUSHES. A well known farmer of Wolcott lost his life in about the same manner, except that he was left injthe bushes before the boats had crossed to Beaver Head, where his body was afterwards found and buried. smugglers' roads for escape. Along the east side of Russell Island was a heavy fringe of willows, a covered way for es- caping boats. The bar covered with brush afforded another between the two shores of the bay where and sires of Wayne and Cayuga counties of a century ago, got wind of the hour set for landing a cargo— always at night; and towards morning they would appear— after the schooner had tripped anchor. The casks in the meantime had been quickly stowed in the dark recesses of the shore. And by approaching twilight they might be seen borne away in several directions on the shoulders of lusty fellows who, one by one, were stealing home with their booty. Many an inno- cent looking hay barn was the "trade room" for bartering concealed spirits several miles away from the lake. Every expedient that could be devised to in- sure secrecy was adopted. Many expedients were necessary to get "the goods" ashore. Im- mense profits were awaiting those who got the casks and contents safely into a hiding place at home, and so they took bold and desperate chances. Port Bay and East Bay were made for ren- dezvous as circumstances dictated. But many of the best families were engaged in carrying off smuggled goods, and so for thirty and forty years beginning the last century smuggling at these Smith, Photo. Russell Island. Outlet. Bar. Deseborough Park. PORT BAY. LOOKING OVER BAY AND LAKE, NORTH FROM EAST ROAD ON THE HILL. good sprinters in the darkness of night could escape pursuit. Revenue officers never ran very hard or very far on such occasions, for escaping smugglers [very common-place and innocent looking farm- ers in the daytime] were dangerous when cor- nered on such missions. The officers had their salary to earn; the farm- er ran for his life — liberty and property. Under such circumstances no one can doubt which party was the winner in those midnight skirmishes and pursuits. LANDING PLACES FOR WHISKEY. Paths from all directions crossing the country miles back of the bay converged at Beaver Head and on the shores opposite on each side of the bay. C. W. Smith's summer cottage occupies the place on the east shore of the bay where con- traband whiskey was landed and transferred to some one's shoulders. Traces of the landing over on the west side are now faintly seen in a <;lump of bushes and trees. Willows cover the Beaver Head landing. casks CARRIED ON MEN'S SHOULDERS. Through some sort of free-masonry the sons LfffC. points was a part of the honest yeoman's duties; and all classes either had a hand or winked at it. Destructive Fires. -In 1871, the night of April 13th, a fire broke out in the building on the present site of Paddock's hardware store and swept pretty much the entire north side of Main street. Some of the business men were buying goods in New York and were wired to come home. In 1874 a large amount of property was de- stroyed by fire. On July 20, 1875, eight business blocks, from the Wolcott house to the Arcade block, were burned. The loss was about $12,000. On August 28, 1876, six business places on the east side of Mill street were burned. On November 11, 1879, that old landmark, "the Arcade," was burned. It was owned by the Presbyterian church and was leased for stores. On February 10, 1884, eight business blocks, including the Empire Block, were burned dis- possessing twenty-three business concerns and fourteen families.' The loss was about $150,000. On February 19, 1887, the Campbell block was burned. •GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. nth Pi tARLT.)N Hl)U>E L H TAGUE. PKOPRI The Carlton House situated near the rail- road station was purchased by L. H. Tague, the present proprietor. March 1, 1905. Mr. Tague tooli the house, determined to mal^e it first class in every respect. He has spent considerable money in improvements inside and out and this house is becoming a favorite stopping place for commercial men. Johnson 8( King as a business firm was or- ganized February 1, 1903, succeeding the firm of F. S. Johnson & Co., which consisted of F. S. Johnson, C. E. Johnson and F. W. King, the two latter having previously clerked for Mr. John- son. The business consists of dry goods, gro- ceries, boots and shoes, carpets and wall paper. Wolcott Christening— The earliest name given to this village was Melvin's Mills. This was in 1809 when Jonathan Melvin erected the saw and grist mills. He was led hither by the splendid water power afforded by the falls near the village and there the settlement was begun. Some years later when Obadiah Adams had opened hotel and store and was making large shipments of meal, he erected large casks or puncheons for storage. It is saill that at one time he had a thousand of the casks along Main street. This gave to the place the name Punch- eonville. The village was later named after Governor Wdlcott of Connecticut. 'GRIP'S" HISTORI'AI. rVENIR OF WOI.'-OTT. Benjamin Sc Clapper, manufacturers of ce- ment block, start? 1 the business in the spring of 1905. They have placed several large orders of block and are making them in considerable num- bers. These cement blocks are taking the place of brick, stone and wood in all sorts of building. 'The older the blocks get the stronger they are. Jn moulding the blocks the best machine is used — the Hercules; and the face of the block is made to represent grey or brown stone or a smooth front. This firm is the only manufac- turer of these blocks in this section of the state. This firm also deals in cement at wholesale and retail. Bevier Se Armstrong. — This business was •established on October 29, 1892, by Fred Bevier in the Tyrell Block, but soon outgrew its quar- ters and when the Johnson & Northup block was built .Mr. Bevier had one of the stores fitted especially for his undertaking and furniture bus- iness which he conducted successfully until March 12, 1901, when Clarence J. Armstrong bought a half interest in the business of which the firm name is now Bevier & Armstrong and ranks among Wolcott's best firms, doing a general furniture business, upholstering and picture fram- ing. Thev are general agents for school seats and church furniture. "Their undertaking busi- ness always has their special attention, with lady assistant, and first class rolling stock makes them among the county's best." Cleared Land in the Village— John Grandy, who came in 1808, was employed by Obadiah Adams and he cleared thirty acres now in the south part of the village and occupied by village streets and homes. BEVIER & ARMSTRONG. UNDERT.^KERS ASD FURNITURE DEALERS. "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. KEESLER POST, NO. 55. G. (GROUP NO. 21 Merrill Johnso Lower Row (left to right):-J. G. Strait. B.J. Worden, James Boyd. Capt. James H. Hyde. G. B. Curtis. E. W. Judson H. Dowd. Samuel Bancroft. Wm. Snyder. Isaac Vanderpool. Upper Row: Irving Mclntyre. Wm. C. Green. A .H. Seavey. Fowler. Nathaniel Fields. Cyrus Fitch, Irving Scott. Jas. A. Merrill, Geo, Ibert Wamsley. Benjamin T. Moore began business in Wolcott in 1896, succeeding to the pharmacy and grocery which his father, A. W. Moore, had conducted as sole proprietor since 1882, and in connection with a partner since 1872. Mr. B. T. Moore was a clerk for his father some years before buying the business. His lines of trade are groceries and drugs complete. The Fire Department — In April, 1884, the village voted to raise by tax $2, .500 for the pur- chase of a fire engine and a suitable equipment, and in the fall of 1885 the present frame engine house and village hall building was erected. Henry A. Graves was president of the village at the time the organization of the department was effected and he was made the first chief of the department, hold- ing that position sev- eral years. Prior to that the village had a hand fire engine with a brigade organized to serve it. Then a Hook and Lad- der company was or- ganized which was finally spHt up into two companies. The hand engines— at one time there were two of them in use in the village— were kept under the shed of the Presbyterian church on lower Main street. Great difficulty was occasioned in getting water until the new department was created when the vil- lage constructed res- ervoirs. When a fire broke out men and women assisted in carrying water in buckets with which to keep the tanks in the hand engines filled. There are now three splendidly organized and drilled companies, the Hook & Ladder Company [see group portrait on page 28], the Hose Com- pany [see page .39] and the Steamer Company. Melvin Estate; What became of It— Joel Fanning making a search of the old cemetery title found as follows: — Sir John Lawton John- son of Webster Hall, County of Durfrus, England, transferred lot 50, Williamson's patent, 848'.2 acres to Jonathan Melvin, September 3, 1811". Then when Melvin became involved Thomas Armstrong, sheriff, transferred 600 acres to the Utica Bank, December 21, 1830. The Utica Bank transferred the property to David Arne December 24, 1833. •Y AND GROCERY. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. TThe School— Continued from Page 74.] THE FACULTY. Academic Department: R. B. Gurley, Princi- pal: mathematics, civics, American history. Agnes Ford, Preceptress: English, Latin and German. Sue G. Crafts, teacher Training Class, Greek, General History. Carrie H. Bliss, Drawing and Science. Preparatory Academic: Nellie W. Moses, Pre- liminary Subjects, Physiology and Physical Ge- ography. Grammar Department: Carolyn D. Exner, Miss Belle Palmer. Intermediate Department: Nellie Fosmire, Mrs. Mabel Phillips. Primary Department: Mabel Lytle, Grace B. Timerson. Music: L. Pearl Havner. Early Highways; Opening of the Roads Be- tween Wolcott, the Lake and the East: — The first highway laid out in the town of Wol- cott was what was called the old Galen road, which was cut through from the old salt works in Savannah to Sodus Bay. The bay terminus was at Capt. Helm's place then called the "float- ing bridge, ' ' now Glasgow. The road was opened by the Galen Salt Company to get its produc- tions to the bay where they could be loaded on schooners. In 1804 Grover Smith, John Swift and John Ellis were named commissioners to lay out a mil- itary road four rods wide from SaHna to the north-west corner of the old military town of Galen, thence on through Palmyra and North- field to the mouth of the Genesee river. The New Hartford road leading south from Wolcott was opened by Noah Starr, Jacob Shook Smith Photo WOLCOTT HIVE, NO Lower Row (left to right):-Matie Kitchen. Mrs. Mai Estelle Sabin. Upper Row: Mrs. Lodema Abbott. Rirs Mrs. Flora Tague. Mrs. Jennie Olmstead Leavenworth Institute; First Anniversary, ISee View Old Building Page 31]:-Those who participated in the exercises. July 6, 1860, were D. Chichester, the orator of the occasion; E. Reynolds, salutatorian; M. Darhng, Miss C. Chatterson, G. C. Cosad, Miss G. Chipman, Miss S. Reynolds, S. Colvin, F. Webb. Miss M. Leav- enworth, H. Arne. Miss C. Briggs, Miss W. Talcott, B. Van Auken. J. Burr. Miss H. Stark, W. Westfall. Miss A. Stark, Miss C. Norton, E. Dickson, J. Merrill, Miss A. Van Auken, B. Arms, F. S. Johnson, J. Roe, Miss J. Pepper; W. H. Valentine, valedictorian. Wolcott Lady Honored-The Ladies of the G. A. R., Wolcott Circle, were highly honored at the Department Convention, State of New York, held at Syracuse June 22, when Mrs. J. E. Lawrence was elected president of the Depart- ment, which she will represent at the National Convention which is to be held at Denver, Sept. 1st, this year. and Peres Bardwell, the first highway commis- sioners. The survey was completed Nov. 2, 1810, and was made by Osgood Church. The road from Rose Valley to Clyde was sur- veyed March 10, 1811. This was maintained several years for a plank road which was discon- tinued in 1877. Two roads between Wolcott and Clyde were surveyed May 10, 1810. They were that on the east sids of Mill creek south from Rumsay mill and theA-oad via of Stuard's Corners. These were to clear the way to the county (Seneca) seat at Waterloo. The road from Sloop Landing to Melvin's Mills ( Wolcott I was surveyed June 8, 1810. A road was surveyed through to Port Bay June 29, 1810. The Galen road to Cato was surveyed May 23, 1810, and to Sodus Bay June 28, 1810. These were the direct roads from the Bay to Auburn. ■GRIP S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Olivit Kros. & Cunningham— The firm of Olivit Brothers consists of three members, George W. Olivit, who was born in Dutchess County, New York in 1841; Ambrose Olivit also born in Dutchess County in 1849; and James P. Cowper born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. This firm has been in business in N. Y. City for forty years, so is one of the oldest original Houses now doing business in that city, and is well known all over the United States, Canada, Bermuda Islands, also the West Indies, and has the esteem and confidence of every one with whom it does business. Olivit Brothers have been buying fruit in Wolcott, N. Y. for 25 years, and their business in that vicinity has been managed for the past eleven years by W. C. Cunningham ; and is at present under the name of Olivit Bros. & Cun- ningham. The store house shown in the view was erected in 1901, ard is supplied and equipped with every Jcdediah Wilder. —A successful and prominent man in Wolcott; Died Aug. 8, 1867, aged 7S years. He was father of Mrs. Elisha Leaven- worth and Mrs. C. P. Smith, and other children not so well identified with the history of Wolcott. Dr. James Wilson. -Born May 16, 1807: Died Aug. 17, 1881. He was for a long period the leading physician in Eastern Wayne and very prominent in poUtics. He served as member of the Legislature. Dr. E. H. Draper.— Born Jan. 7, 1830: Died July 15, 1900. He studied medicine with Dr. Wilson and was for years associated with him; became a leader in his profession, and the ac- knowledged leader of the Democratic party in his town. He served for many years as Super- visor of the town of Wolcott, was very active in business, and at his death, having no children, he left a large bequest to both the Baptist and Presbyterian churches. OLIVIT BROS, improvement. Near the building is a cooper shop where the firm have barrels made for their business. Olivit Brothers have paid out in the Wolcott business as high as .$75,000.00 in one season. They handle apples (green fruit) and onions. "Captains" of Wolcott in Early Days [See Frontispiece.] Isaac Leavenworth. — Born June 17, 1781; Died Feb. 29, 1860. He was for many years the most prominent and influential business man in Wol- cott. He was associated with Mr. Hendrick, and his son Elisha Leavenworth, in the Blast Furnace. Mr. Leavenworth was very liberal in his gifts to and in support of the Presbyterian church and the Leavenworth Institute. The grounds of the present school buildings were given by him. His grandchildren, Mrs. Benja- min Wilson, Mrs. James Westfall and F. A. Leavenworth now reside in Rochester, N. Y. CUNNINGHAM'S STORE HOUSE. Chauncy P. Smith. -Born 1826; Died 1900. H& was for many years up to 1883, the leading and most enterprising merchant in Wolcott. He built two brick stores — the first erected of brick in the village. For something over twenty years he was superintendent of the Sunday school and an elder of the Presbyterian church. His moving to the west in 1883 was a great loss to Wolcott. He died in Duluth, Minn. Jonathan Melvin.— Very little is known of him outside of his operations in Wolcott. An ac- count is given on page 4 and a pen-sketch on page 63. Dr. David Arne. — A sketch of him will be found on page 5 under caption "Black House Farm," and on page 64 under caption, "Post Rider." Rev. Thomas Wright.— A distinguished clergy- man in the Presbyterian church for 16 years; now living at Detroit, 86 years old. He preached the last sermon in the old Presbyterian church on lower Main street. He was a native of Ver- mont. 'GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. W. C. T. U.— In the summer of 1877 "Dr." Bacon, the blue-ribbon temperance reformer, hired Graves' Hall and began a temperance cru- sade. The pastors of the village were in the audience and listened to a strong tirade against ministers of the gospel and their sympathy with the liquor evil. After the meeting closed Rev. W. L. Page of the Presbyterian church went on to the platform, shook hands with the "Dr." and said: "I am not afraid of you or any man living." Thereafter Dr. Bacon called Mr. Page "Peter Cartwright." In the weeks that fol- lowed all the pastors worked in harmony with Dr. Bacon who, with all his eccentricities and roughness, did a mighty work for righteousness the results of which are felt to this day in a healthy temperance sentiment in Wolcott vil- lage. Out of this movement there was organized by Rev. W. L. Page and Rev. B. W. Hamilton a Woman's Christian Temperance Union, with Mrs. O P. Meeks, wife of the Baptist pastor, as president. She left town within a year and Mrs. F. S. Johnson filled out the term of office and was re-elected twice. Mrs. W. H. Thomas served as president eight years. Miss Lida V. Kellogg four years, Mrs. E. H. Reed six years, and Miss Mary A. Talcott has now served seven years. There are at present about thirty-iive mem- bers, with eleven departments of work : Evan gelistic. Mother's Meetings, Parlor Meetings, Press Work, Literature, Non-alcoholic Medica- tion, Anti-Narcotics, Flower Mission, Sunday School, Sabbath Observance, Parliamentary Usage. They contribute annually $2 to the Frances Willard Memorial Fund, spend many dollars in literature at home, and in various meetings seek to educate public sentiment toward the utter extermination of the legalized liquor traffic, for temperance in all things helpful and abstinence from all things harmful. Cayuga Indians at Wolcott.— Prior to 1789 the lands about Wolcott were the property of the Cayuga Indians and these were no doubt the Indians of our local traditions. No permanent camps seem to have been located hereabouts but there were frequent hunting expeditions down Wolcott Creek to Port Bay, and there is a tradition that each year in the autumn a tribe visited Port Bay hunting and herb gathering. Evidences of their camps have been found on the farms of Edward Waldruff. Samuel Jones and Hezekiah Easton on the east side of the Bay and from these farms numerous arrow heads, fleshers, spear heads and relics have been gath- ered. By the treaty of Albany February 25, 1789, the Cayugas ceded their rights in the lands of this section to the State of New York and e.xcept for an occasional visit the aboriginal his- toi-y of Wolcott came to an end. Settlers from New Hartford. — Jesse Mathews came to Wolcott in 1810, was elected supervisor in 1817 and held the office of justice of the peace several years. Others who came with him from New Hartford, Ct., were Abijah Moore, William P. Newell, Roswell Fox and Roger Olmstead. They settled on farms in the south environs of Wolcott village Roger Olmstead conducted a distillery east of the New Hartford road as it was called. Earliest Presbyterian Preachers.— Rev. Dan- iel S. Butterick was preaching at Geneseo among the Indians in 1813 when he was sent to the Sodus Circuit. He was afterwards missionary among the Cherokees. Rev. William Clark came as a missionary to the churches at Huron and Wolcott. He died at Ira, N. Y. Rev. Nathaniel Merrill came from New Hamp- shire (Lyndeborough). He died at Georgetown, Mass., in 1839. Rev. Darwin Chichester died at Hammonds- port in 1875. Clyde and Sodus Bay Railroad.— The or- ganization of this railroad company was effected at a meeting of the citizens of Galen, Rose and Huron, held at the Clyde Hotel January 22, 1853, at which the following officers were elected: President, Leander S. Ketcham; Vice- President, John F. Curtis of Huron ; Treasurer, Eron N. Thomas of Rose; Secretary, Joseph A. Pain of Clyde; Directors, Wm. H. Lyon and Wm. M. Lummis of New York, John F. Curtis, James T. Wisner and James Wride of Huron, Henry Graham, Chauncey B. Collins and Eron N. Thomas of Rose, Isaac Miller, Aaron Gris- wold, Leander S. Ketcham, Charles D. Lawton and Joseph Watson of Clyde. The length of tie route surveyed, from Clyde to Sodus Bay, was ten miles, and the estimated cost of construction was less than $150,000. It was intended to form one of three links in a i-ailroad system to be constructed between Ithaca and Toronto. In July it was announced that $110,000 in stock was guaranteed, but the road was never built. State Road, the Earliest Route of Travel into Western New York.— On March 24, 1794, three commissioners were appointed to lay (-ut a road from Utica to Cayuga Ferry on Cayuga Lake, thence on to Canandaigua. The road was 100 feet wide. The Legislature appropriated $3,000 for the i-oad through the military tract and $7,500 to defray the expense of the con- struction of the rest of it. CAYUGA BRIDGE. Stages began running as far west as Cayuga Ferry September 3, 1797. Work on the con- struction of a bridge at that point began in May, 1799, and was completed so that it was first used in the fall of 1800. The length of the bridge was a mile and an eighth and the width was sufficient for three wagons abreast. The cost of the structure was $150,000. Stages were then run throiagh to Canandaigua. Sodus Bay Canal. — In 1827 a charter was obtained for the construction of a canal connect- ing the Erie canal near Montezuma with Great Sodus Bay. Surveys were made but no work was done. In 1836 a new charter was obtained by John Greig of Canandaigua and in 1841 an- other was secured by Gen. W. H. Adams. The route named in the last charter was from Sodus Bay to the Clyde river a little west of Clyde, to be continued from that point to Cayuga lake. Gen. Adams with remarkable perseverence fol- lowed up this enterprise until the time of his death, getting the charter renewed after it had once expired. Many people believe that had he lived he would have succeeded in his purpose. 84 "GRIP'S" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Representatives in Congress from Wayne County — Blackmar, Ebson, (vice Holly, de- ceased), 1849 {beginning in March): Butterfield, Martin, 1859-'61: Cowles, George W., 1869-'71; Camp, John H., 1877-'83: Green, Byram, 1843-'4; Holly, John M., 1847-'8, (died at Jacksonville, Fla., March 8, 1848); Strong, Theron R., 1839-'40. Great Waterfalls — Krimbs Falls, upper Prinzgan river, 1,148 feet high; Verme Foss, Scandanavia 984 feet; Vettis Foss, Scandanavia, 853 feet; Rjuken Foss. Scandanavia, 814 feet; Velmo Falls, 591 feet; Tessa Falls, 541 feet; Gastein Falls, 469 feet; Skjaggeda Falls, 424 feet; Victoria Falls, Zambezi river, 391 feet; Niagara Falls, 177 feet. INDEX TO "GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF WOLCOTT. Allen, CH 64 Attorneys, 1st 24 Arne, David— frontispiece Adams, Obadiah 4 Baptist Church 17 Brown, ET 21 Brotherhood St Paul 40 Base Ball, School Team 39 Bonnicastle 66 Buttonwood Hotel 21 Brick Yard 67 Blacksmith, Earliest 35 Benjamin & Clapper 79 Bevier & Armstrong 79 Black House Farm 5 Butterfield 69— Jacob 5 Blast Furnace 69 Cayuga Bridge 83 Catchpole Gun Club 45 Cole, RH 66 Curtis, OM 56 County, proposed new 31 — Clei-ks, list 27-Judges 21-Sheriffs 22 Civic Club 27 Clergyman, 1st 16 Croquet 63 Creamery 69 Campbell, WD 71 Carlton House 78 Church, Osgood 70 Cayuga Indians 83 Clyde and Sodus Bay RR 83 Delling, CL 64 Dutton, Wm 68-Chester 72 Death, 1st 13&27 Dwarfs, famous 28 Drum Corps 55 Draper, EH-frontispiece Empire Block 9 Episcopal Church 16 Eastern Star 48 Electric Light Plant 57 Erie Canal 18 Fish, TS 38 Fish & Waldorf 23 First Nat Bank .54 Fire 187(5, 26-1884, 8— Destruc- tive, list 77-1871 7 Fire Dept 80 Families, Old (See Town History 'I and Eai-liest Industries 4) — First 51 Grange 36 Gillard, RevJL 14 GAR, Group 1, 52-Group 2, 80 Graves, HA & Charles 65 Grand Jurors, 1st 31 Giants, Famous 24 Gas & Oil Wells 53 Guild, Epis ch 35 Horton, GS 19 Hos^ Co .39 Highways, Early 81 Julinson", FS 25 Johnson & iCing 78 Justices Cases 69 Knapp, LW 50 Knapp, MrsFL 66 Kellogg, GF 50 Kellogg, EH 55 Keyes, SP&CA 5 Landmarks 7 Leavenworth, Isaac — Frontis- piece—Debaters, 29— Institute Old Bg, 31 -Sketch 81 Logan Circle 53 Lawrence, JE 58 Lakes N Y State, Altitude 26 Land Contracts, List 23 Lady Maccabees 81 Military Tract 6 M E Ch 14-Early Pastors 20 Meth Prot Church 30 Missionary, Soc Pres Ch 24 Maccabees 61 Masons 62-Pastmasters 63 Melvin, Jonathan — frontispiece -Judgments 50 - Sketch 63- Estate 80 Mills, 1st 15 Murphey, Mr&MrsJA 75 Moore, BT 80 Munson, EY 5 Northup, GH 32-Warehouse 33 -Lumber Co 34 N P L 53 Nash, Amos 54 Newberry, EW 74 Nurss & Candy 5 Odd Fellows 35 Old Timers, "Captains, etc" 82 Olivit Bros. & Cunningham 82 Pultenay Estate 11 Presbyterian Church 12 — Earliest Preachers 83 Paddock, WW 46-Store,WH 70 Postmaster, 1st 29 Post Rider 64 Port Bay, View 77— Smugglers 76- Russell Island 76 Palace Hotel 75 Puncheonville 4 Plank, Elisha 5 Rebekahs 35 BKITIU.ICA.N PRINT. I.VONS. N. Y. Roe & Ellis Bank 68 Robertson, DrJN 60 Reminiscences — Olmstead 30 — Nash 33-Matlhews .39-Boylan 37-Dutton, Mrs 41-Chase 47 — Simpson 41 — Foote 47— Dut- ton, Chester 61 Railroads 55 Russell, Eugene 76 Street Views 2-4, 10, 11, 38 Shaw, RevCT 12 S S Class, Mrs Northup 13 Sabin, AB 49 Smith, CW 60 Sodus Bay Resorts 66— Histori- cal 67-Canal 83 School, Public 72, 73-Earliest 15 -Acre 51-Teachers 71— Fac- ulty 81 — Graduating Class, 1905 73 Summits N Y State, height 28 Seaman's Death 24 Settlers from New Marlboro' 67 -from New Hartford 83 Slave Labor 54 Sopher & Wolven 71 Strait, JG 70 Smith, CP— frontispiece Sloop Landing 4 State Road 83 Towns, Erection 6 — Meeting 1st 28 Thacker Bros & Co 42 Twitchell-Champlin Co 59 Tavern, 1st 10 Wolcott, Description 2— Town History 9- Smart Village 37 -Falls 15-Courier64-Super- visors, list 27-in 1877. 8 -in 1865, 6-in 1855, 5-Lady Hon- ored 81 — Earliest Land Own- ers 27 - Presidents, list 20 1st Village Officers 20- Village Trustees 55— Christening 78— Cleared Land 79 Wayne Co-Erection 11-Geneal- ogy 26- State Engineer 18 Williamson Estate 15 Waldorf JR 22 J Weller Co 58 Water Sheds NY State, h't 45 Wars, American 37 Wells & Co., A 74 Wilder, Jedediah— frontispiece Wilson, J M— frontispiece Wright, Rev Thos— frontispiece W C T U 83 S '07