TOMPKINS COUNTY Navwatixi; A Si:a ()i: Ri-:sourcls PUBLIC LIBRARY

Title: It happened in Lansing Author: Parish, Isabelle H.

Call number: LH 974.771 Parish Publisher: Ithaca, NY : DeWitt Historical Society of of Tompkins County, 1964.,

Owner: Ithaca - Tompkins County Public Library

Assigned Branch: Ithaca - Tompkins County Public Library (TCPL) Collection: Local History (LH)

Material type: Book

Number of pages: 71 pages

Note: The History Center in Tompkins County, who owns the copyright, gave TCPL permission to digitize this book, October 2009.

Digitization of this material was made possible with a

2009 grant from the Park Foundation Til c.3 97U.771 IsabeUe parish, Lansing. u happenedIsa^iTnm It

LH 97U.771 c.3 Parish, Isabelle It happened in Lansing,

DATE ISSUED TO

TAKE DO NOT POCKET CARDS FROM

PUBLIC COUNTY TOMPK.NS

LIBRARY

Ithaca, N. Y, "W 14-

liL OPENED

LANSING

By ISABELLE H. PARISH

Town of Lansing Historian

' 1964

Published by the Author in Cooperation \w> DeWITT HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF TOMPKINS COUNTY, Inc.

'AS: f, ' ITHACA, NEW YORK

TOMPKINS COUNTY PUBUC OBRAR^ 312 NORTH CAYUGA STREET JTHACA, NEW YORK 14850

Contents

The Lansing Family in the Town of Lansing 1

Faulty Land Titles Caused Heartbreaks .. 3 A 1797 Journey to Philadelphia 4 The Pioneer Years in Ludlowville 7 Judges Fail Women in Debate 12

Rogue's Harbor Inn Had Governor's Suite . . . 13 Dancing Bear Frightened Children lo From Log Schoolhouse to Centralized District 10

"Steady" Job Lasted Carrier -12 Years

German School District Had Lutheran Church , 'J.')

Fusilier Parade Furnished July -1 Fun 21

Bishop Asbury Prcai lied in New Red fleeting House .. ... t 2 Settle)- Early Famed for Pithy Sayings . , . :> Evelyn Field Devoted Life to Rural Schoolroom 2'i

Mental of Picture Mother Spinning , 27 "S[>iked" Drink Warmed Weaiher 23

Ludlowville Center of Early Commercial Activity ...... 29 Salmon Creek Falls Asset to Early Village :V2 Grandma Townley's Christmas Party ?\ Ludlowville Once Bustling Village "i] A New York Village: Its Early-Century Annals ^1 Cake" When Everyone 1 Ate "Training . . . . ;:

Log Cabin Good Enough for Him .. i Postmaster Served 71 Years r>.~> Had Lansing Several Brass Bands ."{> Dr. White Led to Group Oregon , . 57 Milk, Flour, Meal Used Early by Pioneer Cooks fiS Post Offices, Postmasters in Lansing 59 '""'"- Railroad ICSftPKINS CO'.^TY M3RARTC Along Lake Launched 61

"' Norj" 312 :-T yc:;:< wsso ITHACA. ...

62 Salt Plant Operated 68 Years 63 Two Lonely Graves Attract Attention 64 Oliver Phelps Famed for Large Enterprises 66 Sweetheart's Myrtle Marks Old Grave PrefCICo 67 Cornell Prize Memorial to Merchant 68 Clock Counted Hours for 100 Years All through the score of years that Mrs. W. u. Out!" 69 ko-1 "She's Coming! Look served as Lansing town historian, Mrs. Isabella Parish wo. "Lost" 69 Church Deed Was 75 Years closely with her in collecting and recording local history. Armies 70 Town Sent 141 Soldiers into Civil War Their research in the twenty-nine cemeteries in tho tovai is 71 Brigham Young, Boy in Lansing outstanding. 72 Spiral Staircase Long in Building Since failing health has compelled Mrs. Haring to fviscon- Town 73 Whartons Produced Movies in tinue the activity, it was a natural choice when Mrs. Parish 74 Ludlowville Once Hustling Center was named to carry one the work which she is thoroughly 75 Myers Yard Built Canalboats familiar. A native of the town, her interest in its beginnings 75 Local Diogenes Carried Lantern and development has been lifelong. Town 76 Revolutionary War Graves in Material for the pamphlet came fiom her collection, .so ii Village 78 Alien Characters Took Root in may bo said that the booklet was a long time in preparation. However, the actual work began last fall with the thought of.

adding another modest volume to the DeWitt -Historical Soci ety's current series.

Lansing" As one reads "It Happened in lie will be struck by the number of narratives that are originals dating back a hundred years ard more when some of the first pioneers were still living; others are the work of their descendants. We have been happy to work with Mrs. Parish, in ~r:akmg selections from her collection available to the public. We av/ait her manuscripts for subsequent pamphlets.

The Town of Lansing is more fortunate than most of Che towns of the county: from the first, it has had several persons sufficiently interested to preserve its history. Among those whose grandfathers were pioneers are Stephen Baker, Maiy L. Townley, Adrian Wood, Evelyn Field and Alice Bristol; a later generation includes Estella T. Youngs, Nellie Mmt.uro, Susan H. Haring, and Mrs. Parish herself.

WILLIAM HEIDT, JR., Curator DeWitt Historical Museum Ithaca, N. Y., Feb. 15, 1864.

THE LANSING FAMILY

IN TOWN OF LANSING

On Tuesday evening, February 1G, 1953, Dr. Erl Bates, Cor addressed the nell University authority on Indian affairs, Peruville, East Lansing and South Lansing Granges in the South Lansing Grange Hall. He gav\ a history of the Town

of Lansing, saying it was named after John Lansing, secre tary to General Schuyler and state controller in charge of granting tracts of land to Revolutionary War soldiers as a reward for their services. To get a grant of land all former service men had to go to him in Troy where a house still stands that was his home. John Lansing once came to this area and v.;s impiessed by the water power of Salmon Creek Falls. Later, he told his son-in-law Silas Ludlow of it. The latter with his brother Henry and his sou Thomas came here and established a mill at Ludlowville.

Silas Ludlow had a grandson whose name was Lord and a daughter Hannah who married a Montague, and iii 1825 they lived in East Lansing. She in time went back to live in the Lansing ancestral home in that part of Troy called Lansing- burgh. Being of a practical bent, she abhorred washing a white shii-t when only the collar was soiled. So she ripped the collar off. This led to the industry in that area of making separate collars. In a shirt factory in Troy today is a plaque honoring Hannah as the inventor of the detachable collar.

low Creek, Crowbar Point and Taughannock across the lake. To bring the story down to date, the Lansing: family moved At one time known as Koplin's Jehiel and Jona to Watertown. In the early 1900's Robert Lansing, a descend Landing, than Norton operated a warehouse at this a half mile ant, was prominent in organizing the League of Nations. place, south of Myers. It was a port for grain and after Later his grand-nephew, John Foster Dulles, carried on his shipping ward a station on the railroad. It is occupied the Cayuga ancestor's efforts toward world peace as United States secre by Rock Salt Company now. tary of state.

First Koplin's then called Shergurs .afterJoseph This town lies on the east side of Gayuga Lake in the north Point, Shergur who had orchards and a then Collins after part of Tompkins County. The first town meeting of the Town boatyard, Sherman is where the Portland cement plant was of Milton was held at the home of Jonathan Woodward at Collins, built in 1931. It ceased operation in Now Beam's grain Teetertown (now Lansingville) April 1, 1794. 1947. storage occupies this building. One of the military townships of Cayuga County was named Milton and was erected January 27, 1789'. On February 20, 1802, Locke was set off from Milton. On April 16, 1808, its Faulty Land Titles Cause Heartbreaks name was changed to Genoa, from the south part of which the Something of the heartbreaks faulty titles cauced early set Town of Lansing was set off April 7, 1817, under the law that tlers on bounty lands is suggested by this Lansing incident created Tompkins County. In 1794, Robert Alexander brought his family a>'d ^cao-n It is believed this name honored John Lansing, a distin on Lot 68 where he built a cabin and in cleared lard. Some ynais guished lawyer, Supreme Court Judge and State Chancellor later his was title determined by court action to be faulty and 1817. It is said that, the first settlement in the town was made he was ejected. He (hen moved to Newfield. by Moses and Nicholas DePew, who located at the mouth of Tracing the record of Lot 68, it was established that it had Salmon Creek in 1790-1791. been drawn a soldier who was Ludiows by later killed. A daughter was Ludlowville was named after the Silas, Henry born to his widow after his and Salmon shortly death, the mother and his son Thomas, who in 1791 located on Creek, died soon after. The daughter grew the up and marrioci a Chap one mile from the lake, for the purpose of harnessing man in New York. A search of Troy, through her father's papers power of the fails. bought military Lot 76 water They led them to investigate the claim. After Alexander's ejeetb\ 600 acres for $60. the Chapmans exchanged the land which became ki.ox.w ti:, At this falls in 17S5, the Ludiows built the first gristmill the Allen farm, now Charles Howell's. in the town. The settlement became known as Ludlow's Mills, Ludlowville. then Ludlow town or Ludlow village, and finally settled in 1792 at Andrew Myers, his wife and two children Canal in 1825 it Myers Point. After the opening of the Erie regular port of call the was a busy shipping point and during mouth of the creek was steamboat era. The north side of the as several water-powered mills early known as Mill Point, Nicholas Slocum was granted a were built there. In 1822, service for boat passengers to Wil license to open a feny boat

set about the work of subduing the dense forest with which all of our beautiful fields were then covered. The stories of the toil and hardship they endured would make a good-sized volume. I But often heard grandmother say that even in her times of greatest discouragement, if she could sit only looking out upon the lake for a quiet half hour at she A 1797 JOURNEY sunset, always received new strength and courage. She had a keen sense for nature's beauties and was an earnest Christian as and to her TO PHILADELPHIA well, this lovely sheet of water always seemed an expression of the good Father's tenderness. had been settled in By MARY L. TOWNLEY They their new home about six years when John, second eldest and son, about thirteen, was one day since your education so Well, my dears, has been woefully working with his father in a new clearing. In some way a neglected, quite likely you are entirely ignorant of the fact large rolled upon log him, crushing his body fearfully. He was your great-grandmother was that born and brought up in the laid for a and up long time, there was an ugly wound in his of she city Philadelphia. There, too, passed the first ten years right leg which, in spite of all they could do, utterly refused of her married life, during a great part of which time grand to heal. The doctor finally declared that the leg must be father was serving with the Army of the Revolution. She amputated, but to that John would not consent, s-ivinr he used often to see General and once when she was would rather Washington, die than go cnAoo- limping through life on alone on horseback a road she chanced Then, said riding along country grandmother, came her first fit of homosickre^ She to meet him also on horseback. She loved to tell how he lifted was certain that could she only get her bov to their n\.\ his hat and made her a polite bow as though she had been the family physician in Philadelphia his life might be saved. But how .grandestland.. to lady in the accomplish it was the question. The At the close of the war grandfather, like almost everybody father could not for on go, his strong arms alone re volved else, found himself poor enough, and as there was little busi the task of the wolf keeping from the door, and fov ^\ ness of any kind in the country, the only thing he could do mother to leave for weeks her family of seven children

But the miles through the woods must be made In 1788-1789 forty between Samuel Baker and his brother-in-law Solomon sunrise and sunset. Although she was a brave woman, it was Hyatt, both of Westchester County, New York, passed with inward quaking that she entered the for through this wilderness lonely forest, region, then in the Town of Miltoi. the horse she was was a valuable and robberies Cayuga County. Like so leading one, many hundreds after the Revolution were not infrequent in that region. they were on their to way Canada in search of new lands upon After riding for several hours she was suddenly startled by which they might settle. the sound of hoofs, and looking around she saw, as she sup But something attracted Baker and he decided to settle h-e a rapid own later posed, horseman in pursuit. Whipping up her buying of John Adams for a shilling (12/> cents) an horse, there was for a few minutes quite an but acre Lot No 54 of the exciting race, DeWitt Military Survey. Adams had the man soon overtook her. Then she was greatly relieved to purchased this lot of 600 acres from William Wheeler a Revo find him an acquaintance who lived only a few miles from her lutionary War soldier who had received it as bounty 'land for own home, and who was her companion for the remainder of him military service in the Continental Army. His discharge the journey. dated 1783 and signed George by Washington, established John soon recovered under the skillful treatment he re title to the land. but remained in Philadelphia three or four years. Dur In the of ceived, spring 1792, Baker .hireda man from the casters part ing this time he enjoyed benefits of good schools and many of tne State to assist him in clearing some land Winn other advantages which he could not have had in his back the two began felling trees, Benajah Strong, a settler on <^i mon woods home. So, as is often the case, what at first seemed a Creek, heard sounds of chopping and came to invest great misfortune proved in end to be a real blessing. He thousnt: it the must be the work of a newcomer and down near ^ "d the spring two men were clearing an a>4 for - log house where the Murray dwelling later stood on\he hilF An lot aajommg appealed to Baker and th-f f-m vfl chafed his for it. Baker went oast forSs fat !vt , he armed "v^ at Uanmimg on the Hudson he Wi Uat Ws

Lun- title to the new lot was worthless. He then located at at the age of 96 years, and was buried in the family cemetery nenburg, opened a blacksmith shop, worked a year and saved on the homestead of his youngest son Simeon, where Simeon's sufficient money so that he could purchase 100 acres off his daughter Mrs. J. W. Pratt lived in later years. first lot. Jealous Yates of Albany had purchased it in the Tilman Bower and his son Houteeter came in 1795 from meantime. Baker returned promptly and began work on a new Pennsylvania and settled where Charles Drake lived for many house. years. another John, son, came in 1797 and settled near the His party came up the Mohawk Oneida Lake, Seneca Bower River, Settlement north of Lansingville. A German Lutheran Lake and Cayuga Lake, and landed at Himrod's Point. Ebe Church was established there in 1802 on the site of tho ' where nezer Haskins had made a settlement Lake Ridge is schoolhouse known as long the German District, and the now, and Baker hired him with his oxen to move the Baker services were conducted in the German language for a number family and goods to its new house in the wilderness. But be of years in the early days of the town. John Bower sold the could was for Baker to fore this trip be made, it necessary lot to the church to be used for church, school and cemetery chop a way through the forest to the location of his log cabin. purposes. The church record dating back to 1803 is written Afterwards, he built a blacksmith shop near the site of the partly in it is German; in the possession of Orrin Drake. present one. Daniel and Albert White settled about a half mile wo

west of Lansingville. were members of A second They the first Method . Presbyterian Society called the Second Church in ist Society. A log church was built about 1797 on a lot adjoin Milton was organized in 1805. Its formation was owing part the Hamilton farm. Burned in 1801 or a frame to a ing 1802, ly disagreement in the First Church of the town respect church took its place the first frame church in the confer a site for a house of ing worship, and the preference on the ence. This church was used until when a brick edifice part of a number 1833, for the Presbyterian mode of government. was built at Lansingville and dedicated Josiah This church Church/' by Keyes, pre was locally known as the "Teetertown elder. and it siding stood on ground now owned by the Lansingville Ceme This brick church burned February 26, 1863, and the fol tery Association. lowing year a frame church was dedicated just one year Jabez who Chadwick, organized this church, was succeeded from the time the brick church burned. the the Rev. John During interval, by Bascomb in 1818. He remained until his the Rev. Mr. held meetings. in the schoolhouse. death in when Thackaberry 1828, he was buried at the rear of the church. In for the new numerous The Rev. Mr. raising money building, subscrip Chadwick returned and remained until 1831 tions were obtained. Joel Baker gave .$700; S. D. when his changed views Baker, $500, caused a division in the church body. and his wife, $50. From others came large amounts. The first Then the Rev. Alexander Cowan served as a supply for a time, minister of the new church was the Rev. Hiram but soon Gee, who most of the members joined the Congregational thought the minister could be paid from rental of the pews. Church at Five Corners, organized by tne Rev. Mr. Chadwick This plan was tried but at the end of the year, John Bower, The "Teetertown Church" was a frame structure 10 by 70 paid in $G.16 which he had obtained pews. It feet. It had spires and Jr., by renting galleries, and was one of the largest and was all the money the minister received that year. best fmished churches in the county, but it was fiimllv ie With an Milo led the choir for a number t unoccupied and accordion, Murray useless. In 1853, through the instrumen of years. It consisted of John Jr., Hannah and Ann tality of David Bower, Crocker, then a member of the State Assem William Hiram and Jane Warner and Wealthy bly, a egislat.ve act was Bower, Tucker, passed to give the title to the Lan singville Bower. Still later, John Smith, Charles Minturn and . Mary Cemetery Association. The building was sold fj S. S !' joined the group. Brong nolwithstdmg the original cost had 9Cnnn ^ been those who attended church here during this time $2,000. An effort was made Among by Dr White to turn the Fletch structure were the families of John Storms, Alec Wyant, Allen into an, institution of learning before it was ra7 d but the er:;, John Bower, Jr., Amos Bower, Benjamin Wager, J. W. attempt failed. Edwin jy-dt, Jessie Bower, Charles Drake, Matilda Bloom, 187' ?lRVd Teeter buiU the first tavem ! h-e. When in Emith, Lewis Murray, Kirk White, Horace Secord, John Davis, 1830, a postoffice was established, the name of the commu Reuben Swart nity was Jerry Barnes, the Slocum family, Smith, Leroy changed from Teetertown to Lansingville Abel James John John In a wood, Fletcher, Hammond, Sellen, 1850, Masonic Lodge held its meetings in the PratttU Dates, Aaron Palmer, Chittenden Lamber, George Warner, house. Starr William Daniel Merwin In the 'CO's and Smith, Hyatt, Baker, Bower, 70's, Lansingville -as ihv]-/lu ,.,..,,' Daniel Dickerson, Dana Fox. William and Wesley Hamilton, commumty with several small industries, among which Isaac Anson Dr. and Albert Smith, Bradley, Barber, tannery on the Fletcher place. In the Baker. Thi^ church burned in 1933. Orlando WW. ^ garage there was a hat shop,\ tho u, c 10 n

floor of which John McCarty had a tailoring establishment. Almon Tucker and David Reynolds operated a shoe shop in the northern part of the village. Other enterprises included a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop, two stores, a hotel, a school, and a physician was located here. Judges Fail Woman in Debate ROGUE'S HARBOR INN years' The N.N.P. Lyceum, a society of two standing and one that has given more literary entertainment to the good HAD SUITF people of Lansing than all others combined, still flourishes. GOVERNOR'S i\\ery Monday evening finds us at work upon some ques By ESTELLE T. YOUNGS (1952) tion that is both instructive and entertaining, said a news

.r.roort of 1869. Among the many stagecoach taverns erected in the early The Lyceum presented a debate on January 6, 1869, the days, Rogue's Harbor Hotel at South Lansing stands as a right' resolution, "That the of suffrage should be extended to landmark of two centuries. It has a history dating back to women." 1830, the year it was started. After an interesting debate listened to by an appreciative Abram Minier came from Northumberland County, Penna., decided that "woman now occupied her audience, the judges into the Lake Country in 1787. A deed shows he bought 600

sphere."

. proper acres from Captain Van Rcnssalaer of Albany in 1702 and This decision brought a fiery criticism from Mary A. Wager took possession the next year. of New York who described herself as a City, "being Tomp Among his children was Gen. Daniel Minier who between.

child." kins She was bom on Algerine Road in the 1830 and 1812 built County the Central Exchange Hotel, as he named Town of and had become a newspaper writer. at a cost of Lansing, it, $10,000. He engaged the services of Lemuel Said she: "It is a pity that that humble village could not be of Dryden as master Kelsey builder, and as his helper an ap scooped out of the hollow in which it grovels and be set prentice up carpenter named Nelson Morgan of Lansing. Tlie upon a hill where the sunlight of progress and common sense hotel was built of brick hauled by oxen from King Forrv; V.\e could vitalize it. first brick building in the Town of Lansing, its walls are fif "I haven't talked with an intelligent, large-brained man in teen inches thick.

six months, so old-fogyish. so narrow-minded, so dead to every The is in colonial building style, having had wooden pillars sense of progress or simple Christianity, as to and metal balconies right, justice, along the front. It had three stories be think that women should not have suffrage or that the ballot sides the attic and the square cupola from which a wonderfu' sphere' her." was to 'take her out of her or to man-ize view of going lake and hills could be encompassed. Concluded she: you must pardon so much 'woman "Now, Inside was the famous spiral staircase of lav- dec!-' wood talk,' cherry in this letter. It is all owing to that Ludlowville in panels. The first floor contained a grill and quartet of' living sion, which arouses me to a sense of the pre-Adamite state with a great hall extending through the ...n v/rod- town." building, opinion in rhy native work laid in design. On the second floor were sleeping*, ooms.

12 13 and the third contained the famous ballroom whose floor has and his Sally." wife, "Aunt Under their management it be springs between it and the of the second story. ceiling Above came a very prominent place of entertainment for Cornell this was the attic lighted two oval windows of leaded by glass, students and prominent couples from Ithaca. On one occasion and here were large tanks of planks and two built lined with President Jacob Gould Schurman of Cornell sent word he was zinc. One was for water pumped from a well a drinking by 500 guests for bringing dinner, but when the party arrived the other for rainwater collected from the roof. windmill, all was in readiness: the group was seated on the lawn under When the had the name Central Exchange finished, building the elm trees. The Colonel died in 1924, having removed in Hotel in large letters across the front. Seven years after its 1917 to Freeville. completion, its owner died in 18-19. He was a general in the From 1917 until 1931, the hotel was unoccupied, then it was War of 1812. Possessed of a fine General Minier was voice, sold to L. L. Blancher and wife. They operated it as a hotel a leader of the Church choir. Asbury and Mrs. Blancher conducted a business in antiques. After a The next to the hotel was that of Samuel Mal family occupy quarter century of the ownership, Blanchers sold the property lory. He conducted the hostelry for some score of years, and to Maurice Worsell, who did an extensive repair job. Now it was followed Ketchum. his by During proprietorship is in a condition that promises many more years of existence. a man who imbibed too freely threw a bottle against the wall it?" and shouted, "What shall we name An onlooker be'ow an Harbor," Bear swered, "Rogue's so it has been popularly called ever Dancing Frightened Childreen since. There once was considerable horse racing and gambling By ALICE A. BRISTOL about the place, and counterfeit money with dies for producing whatever had so Nothing frightened us as did ti>n eo-nir.~ it were found hidden in the walls. one just before evening nightfall of a short, uelv.W:- From when William II. Seward became governor of dark, 1838, ing man and a spiritless, untidy woman. The man was'd :.-*<* room reserved for him at the New York State, there was a a large black bear on a chain and carrying a sharp, ^o'--^ hotel as he traveled back and forth to his home in Auburn by fork. They came into the yard and with a few loud s'a-cai- stagecoach from or Washington. He was U.S. senator Albany exclamations brought the whole family to the norch. in 18-19 and of State in Lincoln's administrations. Secretary The woman dropped exhausted to the grouiuh The mar hP War the militia drilled on the grass in the During the Civil gan sing-song- a jargon and the bear, responding to a prod of rear of the hotel. This was the ownership of Harry during the stood fork, up on his hind feet and lollno- M- purchased the in 1860. His wife, "Aunt danced, h's Miller, who property red tongue and. rolling his head from vom-< Jane," side to side. The was a famous cook of that day. with effort arose and passed the man's hat. father m^- the pillars and the balconies were not safe, they My Finding piece of and told money the man to go awav, that the"chV and a wide porch built across the front. Miller were removed dren were frightened. fields had a number of elm trees brought from neighboring went and They the next a man th t,-,,,- on lawn in day told us that and planted in front to screen the and the driveway camped in a strip of woods a mile beyond tha* Elm Grove Hotel and he us, and &i*Z the rear. He then named the place the night the bear broke loose and years. devoured the vom~n and his son William managed the place for many P was believed that the man Mclntyre was responsible for thi- hi* Then in 1902 the property was sold to Col. John "' never could be proved.

14 JLO

rooms. was built, and the smaller building was moved down out of the way and set up on blocks. Miss Flora Sincerbeaux was hired for the primary children, a curtain was stretched across the room to divide it and provide another classroom on the other side. In February 1895, the students were moved into the larger FROM LOG SCHOOLHOUSE building and Miss Frances Lyon was hired to teach vocal music. The school was now known as the Ludlow TO CENTRALIZED ville Union Free School, No. 9. DISTRICT Clifford Edwards came in 1896 as principal. He was much loved all by the pupils, and remained for six In 1813, Richard school divided the years. Townley, commissioner, In 1903, Mrs. Anna Ford Bower was hired for the first town into twenty-two districts (one more, Sage, was added three grades and Miss Isabelle II. Wood for the later), sold the public school and gave deeds for them. fourth, fifth and lots, sixth grades. There were two teachers for the The first schoolhouse, a log building, was put up across the seventh and eighth grades and high school. road from Jonah Tooker's house in Fiddler's Green, with In 1909, it was voted to add twe large Zenas Tichenor becoming the first teacher. A log schoolhouse classrooms on the north and Miss Wood and her students held their was built in Ludlowville also, where the first teachers men classes in hall over the store. tioned are Tooker in 1820 and John G. of Manley Henry In 1910, Mrs. Delilah Buckman came to Havana in 1827. He was one of the twelve members of Ben teach the seventh and e,ghth grades. In 1919. J. Pau, Joy's Temperance which was formed Decem Muson c;lmc a3 princi , Lansing Society, ien for anung Ihree years. Thus the expansions ber 31, 1827, at a meeting in the schoolhouse. were made f ,Ull,i'S ^cossUatc<1 one-room frame schoolhouse was ^Semcnls of room When the early erected, and the log cabin was used as a barn by Benjamin Joy, who lived After a prolonged and heated controversv. in near by. A startling incident some years later substantiates 19^8 it was decided to erect a large school on the claim that this was a station of the Under building ihe main road It log building was on January 3, 1931, that teachers and ground Railroad. The incident has been related in this students moved long into the new quarters, with Lawrence as night when returned late from a his Clark principal manner: one Joy lecture, An ever-increasing student and a driver put the team without a and plunged a fork body broadening of th* up light, curriculum generated pressures upon the into the haymow. Instantly there was a frightful yell, and a district that were not long to be contained. To meet this change colored man jumped out. In the morning he was gone as on Julv 1 iq iG the patrons of the school voted to change the silently and mysteriously as he had arrived, leaving small setup 'the Lansing Central School so as to enable doubt about why he had come. nearly allthedi ric SarkVr' T*' BetW*n 1018 Ludlowville school four years in the Md 1957' ^ nci- Grant Halsey taught Pal al a seParate shop dual role of instructor and disciplinarian with a registration 7?.. building was erected and an addition was built along the that often- totaled sixty and counted all ages in the group. Ludlowville Road 1958' years a larger of four eIementa^ s<*ool was built near During his here, 1S92-1895, building and the by first six grades moved in, with Mrs. Martha Nelson 16 17

as principal. Also, an auditorium and three high-school rooms Torchlight were added to the high school. Parades Silly \o Some bit So, by bit, to meet educational demands, the school has By ALICE A. BRISTOL grown from a primitive log cabin to two large, modern build ?"* ings. in the of 1964 there are nothin2 t0 ^e childish mind Now, spring 75 teachers, whole ,. quite equalled the torch- . ught or as instructors of a student Ray- procession at election time a part-time, body of 1,156. century ago. First came the drummer mond C. has presided over staff as boys Buckley the district prin wearing fancy homemade paper caps and vi- cipal since September 1961. thdr in drUmS' time r out did^ tter. ZfNext struttedI T^ two men a carrying billowing banner on which 'Steady' wexe the enlarged pictures of the Job Lasted Carrier 42 Years presidential candidate and his nmning mate of the party represented by the perform- Through thick and thin, winter cold and summer heat, Everett V. Nobles for 42 years carried rural mail out of the Then followed a line of old men and young bearing aloft Ludlowville office until December when 1, 1955, he retired. transparencies of various sizes that bore legends concerning He had seen his route grow from 20 miles in 1913 to 68 miles f^ ^ artici** * the parade alter! at retirement. naleK-'sho! f T UHk-.1 * Hy untrue hero- ,:lM!!.^ In when additions were made . I 1953, to his route, he covered q "^1 was one about someone "going up Salt ?>: more miles than other carrier in the State. He has esti another ivor"; any concerned "Tippecanoe Too"- and on Eigthy- Tvler, e where mated that he traveled a total of some 650,000 miles. someone "rides a horse" white" and"""' '1UI,1<-"U"C' " someone eise mnin t> * i else "riles a some families were served on his original route; when he re tired he was mail in 350 roadside boxes and his truck racing leaving rulers, cannot now Ue recalled.

was often jammed with parcel post. Volume of mail is con Sli","-01' f !t "" MS not !'1 ' - stantly increasing to the Miliken power plant, the centralizod '*hts,

school, and the new home buildings in all parts of the town. piesence o, (hose dignified and awesome <.' Carrier Nobles was just 20 years old when he started his members n postal services. Charles -D. Howell, postmaster at the time, and shou tag- these silly fragments of asked him how he would on the job. Nobles "I petty origin stirt-l long stay says, s long e,d in checK y a sense of told him I wanted a steady job, and that is what it has pr^ d^nt been." He has worked under three postmasters and five

postmistresses. 7^^^'!-=i:-^,:d

He started his rounds with a horse; in fact, he kept two, driving them on alternate days. In 1914, he bought his first car but in winter had to fall back on the horses. When he terminated his service, he was still delivering mail to three couples whom he served on his first route. They are Mr. and Mrs. George Stout, Mr. and Mrs. Ray E. Smith, and Mr. and Mrs. Orrin Drake, all of the Lansingville area.

18 is

Bower. Services in this log church were conducted in German for years as many several other German families had settled near. John Houtz, the first pastor, taught school in this build back of which was ing, the cemetery. The synod embraced churches in Seneca Falls, Waterloo and Geneva. The church later leased part of the land to the school dis trict and it GERMAN SCHOOL DISTRICT became public school district No. 3. The last Luth eran service was held in 1842 with John Izenlord as paster. The log was moved in HAD LUTHERAN CHURCH building 1842 and a schoolhouse bail* which also was used for church services. The district is now a pari of the Central By NELLIE TUCKER MINTURN Lansing school and the building has been remodelled into a dwelling. The bell which had hung in the belfry of the German Dis The church records, all in German, have been lost but many trict schoolhouse in Lansing for more than 70 years, was taken items are found interesting recorded in the minutes of the down in 1950, after having been sold at auction; the district clerk's started building book, in 1832. Regular meetings wove also was sold. Tiiis action reawakened interest in the school held once a year in October, but often special meetings were called district one mile north of and many asked why it each month, sometimes as Lansingville, often as each week to vote on some was called the German district. The answer lies a long way new or forgotten items or perhaps to repeal a former back insofar as local history extends. vote. Deilman Bauer, Jr., was born 1744 near Hesse, Germany, and came to America about 1760, locating in Northampton County, Fusilier Parades Furnished Pennsylvania. He came in 1794 to a part of Milton, Cayuga July 4 Fun that became in Tompkins when the During simpler Ludlowville Coimty, Lansing County eras, had fusilier parades cn t^e latter was organized in 1817. With him came his wife Eve and Fourth of July. There was an early photograph of some of tho caughters Elizabeth and Susanna. All of their chil participants on all Catharine, horseback, attired in fancy costumes. W. H dren were born in Pennsylvania. Lockerly was dressed as a woman with a bundle in her arms .0 Tilman Bower, as he came to be called, settled one-quarter represent a baby. some Among of the old soldiers vbo took part mile south of where the schoolhouse now stands. Two of his were Daniel Thayer and John Emery with fife and and sons, John and Honteter, settled near; later, eight or more drum, others that made plenty of fun farms were occupied by them and their descendants. The set tlement naturally was known as the Bower Settlement and is shown thus on early county maps. Two other sons, Samuel and George, located near North Lansing, the latter being buried at East Lansing. In 1803, a German Lutheran church was established, the site for it and the adjacent cemetery was purchased from John

20

been laid out, farms had good buildings and the dead had been buried about the old red church in the English fashion, but when the new church was decided on, a new site was bought

a few rods west. A grove of hickory trees was growing on this site; the stumps of those cut down to make way for the church can BISHOP ASBURY PREACHED still be seen beneath the building. The outside of the church is much the same as it was when built, except the windows IN NEW RED MEETING HOUSE which had many panes of glass and green shutters. There were two front doors, one on the men's side and one on the By EVELYN FIELD women's. The church was built by members and friends, among others Ogden Drake and Elisha Field. Indeed, every do not believe in into the yet it is interest I delving past, body had a hand in it for people went to church in those days, ing occasionly to look back and see the changes that have saints and sinners alike. Gere Minier as chorister trained a come about with the years. the year 1797 a passing During large choir to furnish music at the dedication. My mother, class war at The members were Methodist formed Asbury. then a girl of sixteen, was a member of this choir. and Egbert and Walter Reuben Brown wife, James wife, The pulpit was originally between the front doors, and the and William Gibbs and Egbert and wife, Abram Minier wife, j whole interior was one large room with two small rooms at mile east wife. Reuben Brown was chosen leader. He lived one the sides of the porch for wood storage. The pulpit is still the walked six miles meet his cf , ;st Dryden and often the to same and paneled like the pews. It rested on two columns end of cLsi Ia. the log chapel that had been built at the east ! which we use now as stands. It had a red velvet cushion on school pur what is now the Asbury Cemetery and used for whir-h rested the Bible and hymn book. It stood on a raised poses on weekdays. ) dais reached by two steps on each side. The altar had about in The first preacher was Annsing Owen, who is buried it the same railing as there now. In the altar was a drop- been erected over Pleasant Grove Cemetery; a monument has leaf cherry table flanked by two flag-bottomed chairs painted his grave by the Wyoming Conference. He was a circuit rider black with gilt figures. on who served a number of churches by making his way The broad aisles led from the front doors to the back part

singers' horseback through the pathless forests. of the church where the seats were on a raised plat- on the In 1811, the famous red meeting house was built from which was divided into three sections and reached the passed same site. Shortly after its completion Bishop Asbury width of the church. The walls and ceiling were white or a named An through this region and preached in it so it was bright gray. to * was a child I used bury Church in his honor. When I The building was heated by two box stoves whose pipes say. I was told were wooden benches in the yard which I reached the entire length of the building and across the north when the church burned in 1844. end where they entered a large drum directly over the center. the four...sr.e During the 33 years which had elapsed since About 1866 or 67, we hsd a minister named Warner. He was placenu.l * of this church, many changes had taken a revivalist and a widespread revival was the result. Many

22 23

church and question At pastors of church ceme new members joined the the of chan-:r j; least two the lie buried in the the interior came up. He showed how rediculous it was tu \, it tery. The Rev, Sylvester Minier and the Rev. John tCimberlin. the minister between two hot stoves while his congrejrnti..n At his own request, the latter was buried where stood the

shivered under the long pipes. The older people did not n|>- pulpit he had preached from so often.

prove of a change but the younger ones won out, the pulpit The building was the largest in that section and was used

singers' was located in the north end and the seats in the during the Civil War for war meetings. Francis M. Finch, the

south. The pews were close to the wall and on the men's side poet, once addressed an enthusiastic meeting there. The women made a on the east the white wall was ornamented by many grease large flag which was raised on the green in years of spots because of the hair oil they used. Some thirty front the church. later two rooms were taken off each side of the door. Many interesting stories have come down to us from that

Some of the older members were George and Gabriel Drake period. During one occasion when the pastor, the Rev. Reuben

Gibbs" John T. Collins and pra3'ed for the oppressed an and their wives, Wesley and wife, Fox, poor, slaves, the chorister,

Phoebe Susanna . ardent got and left the room. A large delega- wife, Timothy Collins and wife, Tichenor, Democrat, up Tleh'-mor, Susan Egbert, Katherine Boyce. Alanson Field and tion from the Varna church, not liking their pastor's sympa- Later father and mother, Sydney thy with the joined the congregation where a . :*.?, Susan Ann Ives. my ; South, Asbury George Morgan more militant pastor was in charge. returned IVcLiison and wife, Jonathan Norton and wife, They to their own church after the war ended. and wife, Newton Brown and wife. who always One character I remember was Lambert Bishop and a black satin wore a tall beaver hat, a swallow-tail coat Early Settler Famed for Pithy Sayings white collar. He stock wound tightly around a high, bitterly would never come to Daniel an settler in the Town of was opposed the first change and said he i Marsh, early Lansing, one then itaioWn for his pithy remarks. his famous sayings are: church if it were made. He stayed home Sunday, Among "Times , are so bad a man can't get an hands all around and said, "Brethren, I honest living by steal came back and shook ing." church if the devil stood in the made up my mind to come to they." a door." During drouth he "If there was His favorite hymn was "0 happy are remarked, any prospect devout of an other flood I would get was Louisa Collins. She was very into my well, for it is always Another character dry." meetings I used to wonder and prayed so fervently in class On wore a bonnet of being barefoot in he explained, "It is a poor hus the roof stayed on. She dressed, very plainly, March,

year." the sky band who has not worn out his shoes this time of coal-scuttle type which he brother Smith dubbed by of on the wrist scraper. When teased about the embroidery ^** with a pin. A her gloves she laboriously picked it out ended his testimony brother had a singsong voice and always

glory." with "I hcpe to see the inside of bright

TOMPKINS COUNTY PUStIC LIBRARY 312 24 NORTH CAYUGA STREET 25 ITHACA, NEW YORK W850

Mental Picture oi Mother Spinning By ALICE A. BRISTOL

There is a wonderful picture in the mind of the writer of

a pleasant room, a few flowering plants in the window, a big, bright fireplace. At one side, close against the wall and well in a little elbow on EVELYN FIELD DEVOTED LIFE out of the way, a little girl is sitting chair, knee and chin in hand, watching with fascinated eyes her home mother at the spinning wheel. The mother is dressed in

SCHOOLROOM spotless. dark hair is parted TO RURAL spun linen, fresh and Her soft, in the middle above large, gray eyes and combed smoothly member of the South community was neat at the A beloved Lansing I down over the ears; it is fastened in a small, knot (1853-1945). curl and dance. Evelyn Field i nape of the neck where tiny strands escape to Catherine pushed back against The daughter of Samuel Field and Tichenor, j On the floor and the table, the latter house at 215 Peruville Road, wall give space for the have been scoured she lived all her long life in the I the to spinning, now resides. with rushes and sand. The wheel is east of South Lansing, where John Armstrong beautifully white big school No. 14 just east of and arm for good light on the For many years, she taught Lansing placed for freedom step unable find out how her chair stands near the head of the wheel, containing of her house. We have been to long spindle; a other school. wool about as large around as a wom tenure was or whether she taught any long, soft blue rolls of says an's little finger. The smaller the roll, the finer was the thread Mrs. Bertram Buck, who lived as a next-door neighbor, her spun from it. Miss Field taught her mother, Mrs. Perry VanOstrand, of rolls and son. span of instruction the mother takes one these surprisingly self and Mrs. Buck's eldest This Now, attaches material to the bit of thread always are quick to affirm their mem the filamentary covers many years. Her pupils them with reading, left on the spindle for a beginning. Holding the roll lightly be ories of the precepts she taugh along tween the thumb and forefinger of her left hand, she places writing and arithmetic. the forefinger of her right against a spoke of the brother George lived hand wheel; After Miss Field's parents died, her Church. then, with a graceful bend of her and a sweep of her member of the body with her. She was a devoted Asbury remembered right she starts the wheel revolving. In order to her events she arm, keep and wrote many articles recounting ior she steps forward as the circle of the still earl steadying finger in place, from Civil War times. Other articles recorded wheel widens and back as it is completed. and relatives. happenings as told her by her parents Never once does her careful eye leave the spindle point a &* the Civil War stories is the one concerning Among where the thread must show fine and and this depends dny .lur even, hand-made women of the church. Every that was by upon on in the dexterity of her left hand in supporting and direct from a plagpole the this emblem was flown ing war, ' the and steadiness of the wheel. "Recollections of ing long, filmy roll, revolving Another article titled church lawn. t| Now she right to press on -or - begins: hand wheel, bend, finger Church" impressions recounted her childhood bury spoke to start it three steps forward while she .<.i revolving; making the older persons ing church services, and cf 27 26

right and the a half-circle with the arm, left hand st >.<. t;ly tlm<> carries the twisting thread as it is spun. Now .<(?.;> backward While completing the circle with the right arm, ;-..-,

. . . and with a slight bend of the shoulders. Repeat repeat .. . and repeat, a continuous round of curving, out-thrown in LUDLOWVILLE EARLY CENTER drawn arm, of bending body, of tapping feet, of buzzing spin dle and wheel. To witness it was to be enchanted. humming OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY To such musical notes and household tasks my mother un

consciously took her gymnastics and practiced her dancing From DeWITT HISTORICAL BULLETIN grace" steps. Thus she acquired and poise, stimulated circula well-done task all in tion and experienced the satisfaction of a Very early in the settlement of Tompkins County, Ludlow continued the one process. What a combination! My mother ville became an important center. This development was large a to card and spin her wool, to make hard and soft soap reg ly owing to the enteiprise of Maj. Thomas Ludlow, a Revolu housecleaningand to immacu ular spring affair like keep tionary War veteran. A native of Long Island, he located on lately white her kitchen floor and table. bounty lands at what is now Ludlowville. Born in 1762, he was 26 years old when he became a Tomp 'Spiked' Drink Warmed Weather kins County pioneer. His wife was Julia Cooper, a sister of Judge William Cooper of Cooperstown who was the father of Chittenden at one time lived in part of Dan A family named James Fenimore Cooper. The Coopers and the Ludiows ex spoke fac house at Ludlowville. Chittenden had a iel Clark's changed visits by riding horseback between the two places. made in Cortland. Sev tory which supplied spokes for wagons Major Ludlow brought his family into the Lake Country by of which of spokes would travel together, one eral sleighloads way of Athens, Pennsylvania, from which point the party left stopped at Elm Tree Inn at was driven by his son. They on February 20, 1792. The immigrants readied the settle have a drink. The Chittenden's were McLean to get warm and ment at the head of Cayuga Lake (Ithaca.) on February 23 soft and their son would order a strong temperance people, and departed on March 16. It would appear that Major Lud and made it to a trick on him drink. The other men up play low spent the interval between his arrival at and departure had stronger added to his refreshment. They have something from the settlement in looking over the surrounding country and when he stopped his horses not gone far on the highway side, for the party went directly to the Ludlowville location. weather was remarkable how the took off his coat, saying it In his diary the Major says, "we proceeded up the lake on had moderated. the ice. After about eight miles we came to Salmon Creek, which flows into the lake. Here we decided to land and, upon reaching the shore, passed up the ravine a short way until we came to some falls which would give water power for the

mill." Waterpower was important to the pioneers so that they

29

produce lumber for might establish sawmills to erection

in- and buckwheat these and other grains such as rye, barley ber from the Town of Lansing as indicated by such place their and into foodstuffs for both the farmers and livestock, names in that state as Lansing and Ludlow. grinding. gristmills were built to do the Major Ludlow was active in affairs of Ludlowville and Lan " lean-tos con The first dwellings of the pioneers were hastily sing. He was president of the first temperance society in and were little more than of structed of trees and pine boughs 1828, one of the first trustees the Presbyterian Church or were soon erected. The area from ganized at Ludlowville in and a elder at his windbreaks, but log cabins 1817, presiding over erect the cabins was burned death. which the trees were cut to | wheat and garden crops from Another in the development of Ludlowville and planted to corn, potatoes, leading family from its former home. It will be was that of Calvin Burr who opened a store there in and seeds brought with the party 1812, before arrived at Salmon Creek just his brother James came the next year. Oliver Phelps came in noticed that the Ludiows ground for time to erect a cabin and clear and in 1820 superintended the at Ithaca of the spring so to have 1811; building first steamboat on Cayuga the Enterprise. Afterward sr,riag-planting time. Lake, * the Salmon Creek site, i on both the Erie and Welland canals and be- ':Vhen the Major's family came to he built locks Himrod's Indian a second at came a grain grower and dealer in Canada. +'-v found a Clark family on Hill, J wealthy Creek. The area was then in the A connecting link between Ludlowville of and the Vo'-rt and a third on Salmon | today the Town great- and did not become ; Revolutionary War is afforded by Mrs. J. II. Parish. Her Town of Genoa, Cayuga County, was until the latter county great-grandfather, Col. John Harper, who commanded the of Lansing, Tompkins County, American at 1817. forces Cherry Valley and Schoharie, was a mem organized in . on the a log, gristmill ber of a group which purchased 22,000 acres of Kind between In 1795 Major Ludlow built first, four. To this mill pioneers the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers in 1768. He built the Salmon Creek but later there were earned and Homer first house in Delaware County in 1771, on site of Ilarpers- from as far distant as Dryden, Danby he buu ground. The same year ville; it was a log cabin that was burned by the Indians in -rain on horseback to be number of 1777. His married Daniel and accommodate the increasing daughter, Abigail, Clark they a tavern to ^^ the land throughout the came to Ludlowville in 1803 and built what is now called the were in to inspect who coming ^- ithat b> ^ Barr cottage across from the store. One of their Isa- .locatedin the county children, area. In so many fact, hap where there born in was Mrs. Parish's population of 21,000 belle, 1816, grandmother. . there was a nearly * *> Ludlowville felt the impact Posessing waterpower and lake Ludlowville less than 100 in 1720. frontage, early establi^Hi postoffice was became a manufacturing and commercial center that served flux to such a degree that a an extensive agricultural area.

30 31

along this channel to protect it against washouts and keep the water in its proper course. A few of these old trees are still there. Three miles upstream was a gristmill and basket factory which James Ford bought from the Haskins family. It had SALMON been built in 1819 by Ambrose Ball. CREEK FALLS There was another milldam and mill at the forks of the creek; at Little Hollow on the west branch was another. At ASSET TO EARLY VILLAGE Genoa on the east branch of the main stream was still another mill, which ground grain for a longer time than any other Waterpower was most mill in this vicinity. each little settlement on up important to settlers coming into a Likewise, new Salmon Creek had its dam and but all these dams were section, for they came long before there was steam and mill, washed out in floods and never rebuilt as more efficient mills electrical power. It was because of the falls in Salmon Creek that came into to serve the more populous area. the Ludiows settled here and in 1793 built the first grist being larger, mill of logs below There are several large tributaries running into the main the falls. The building was 20 feet square, cjid creek. At or Indian Creek enters frcm to turn the wheel a wooden flume carried the water over Ludlowville, Townley the east. It has three falls and in one place it narrows to the

leap." "deer Nearby is Hedden or Buttermilk Creek which has How essential to development of such a settlement as Lud one large falls. Near the present residence of Fred Brill is the lowville is indicated the earlier grain by necessity to carry to Chimney," creek along whose branch is the "Indian a forma the lakeshore where men rowed boats across the lake to Tre tion of rock standing vei'tically and resembling a chimney. man's mill. Lumber for buildings was an early necessity, so a A mile north of Ludlowville the largest tributary enters sawmill was and shortly erected; the dam to power it was "gulf,' the main channel at what is known as the because built just above the falls from which a raceway was dug to ; above the falls the banks narrow into a deep ravine. At this carry the water to the mill. Soon afterward a spoke factory falls Jacob Osmun built a mill and a nearby residence in 1370. and an oilmill were in operation, and business boomed in the A busy place for years, the mill has been transformed little village. lately into a beautiful home where Sherman Peer resides. It is said In Andrew 1835, Myers built a gristmill and sawmill on his were- there eight sawmills from this point up to the main high land near the mouth of Salmon Creek. these mill-'' "Gulf" Eventually, way, Route 34. The stream rises almost on the Groton- were and houses soon site burned, family began to occupy the Locke town line. near the salt plant. On some old maps Salmon Creek is called Salmon River, When Daniel Clark came in he established a tannery, 1801, which it really is. With the main stream rising north in the fulling mill and dyehouse, and a sorghum mill above the fall*. Town of Venice in Cayuga and with all these tributa Bridge" County A dam just above the "Red impounded the creek nr.i! ries draining most of the Towns of Lansing and Genoa, it is a channel the east side of to carry along the highway was dug a riverand a really mighty one at the height of the spring plants! water to power these little factories. Willow trees were runoffs.

32 33

This cabin was their home for two or three years, until they were able to build a larger and better one. It stood in the south orchard where the old Romanite tree now stands. At last they were settled for the winter. Uncle Charles v/ent back to Susquehanna, leaving them.alone in the wilderness for the wintei*. But settlers were beginning to come in fast aud, as GRANDMA TOWNLEY'S Grandpa was a surveyor, he was away from home.a great deai to locate claims. Sometimes he would be gone two or three days CHRISTMAS PARTY at a time, leaving Grandma alone with the children. The day before Christmas he went away with a man who By MARY L. TOWNLEY had bought a piece of land about ten miles off, expecting to be home again before evening of the next day; but night came. It was late in the fall of 1792 when Grandpa and Grandma and he had not returned. You may be sure it was not a very Townley, with their three little children, started from the merry Christmas for Grandma as she sat before the fire in valley of the Susquehanna, where they had been living, to the lonely cabin, anxiously listening to every sound, and hoping Country," come to their new home in the "Lake as this part each moment to hear her husband's footsteps. No visions of of Nov/ York State was than called. The journey would seem sugar plums danced through the children's heads as they a very short one these days, but then it was long and tedious played about the floor, for Santa Claus did not find his way for there were no railroads or even roads of any kind. into the backwoods in those days. In many places through the woods they were obliged to cut All at once there was a strange pawing noise at the door, a way for the wagon. It took nine days to come about one and Grandma's heart began to beat fast, for bears were very hundred miles, the mother and children generally riding in the plentiful in the country and she though she was going to be wagon, which was drawn by oxen, while Grandpa and his liwored with a visit from one. But in a moment the latch was brother Charles drove the few cattle they brought with them. raised and the door slowly opened; the first thing she saw was I've heard Grandma say that every morning before starting. a gun poking into the room. It was followed by an Indian, then they would milk the cows and put the milk into the churn. another and another, each armed with gun and toma

gathered hawk. then at night they would find the butter all nicely These uninvited Christmas guests all squatted on the floor before by the jolting of the wagon over the rough trail. the fire, and began to entertain their hostess by found horrible Well, when they came to the head of the lake they telling stories of the massacre of Wyoming in which had only a few houses where Ithaca now stands. Here Grandma they taken part. with the and the small children embarked in a little boat They flourished their tomahawks and described the way. an In the household goods, while the men drove the cattle along unlucky settlers were butchered and scalped, while poor some of the tall Grandma sat dian trail. The first work was to cut down listening in terror, although she tried to appear miles on brave and trees, which covered the country thickly for every unconcerned, for she had always heard that the them from rain and savages were more side, and build a little cabin to shelter likely to spare those who showed no signs of fear. snow. The youngest child, who was just beginning to toddle

34 9^

around, was greatly attracted the by tomahawks, and in spite of all she could would break do, away from his and to the going up Indians, would reach out his hand for the ter rible weapons, which she every moment expected to see buried in his brains. After a while her unwelcome callers inquired about the name of the owner of the cabin. When it was told, one said: A NEW YORK VILLAGE: "Townley, Townley, yes we know one Townley, but he dead and rotten long ago, Charles Townley, he killed in Wyoming." EARLY-CENTURY ANNALS Now Grandma was a woman who could always speak her ITS mind and, frightened as she was, couldn't help saying: MARY L. TOWNLEY he was not By "No, killed either, for he was here only last week." Harriet Written by Miss Mary L. Townley, this paper was read by Mrs. This seemed April meeting of the DeWitt Historical to make them very angry and they began Dewey Ireland at the 2G, 1904, East Buffalo at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Francis M. Bush, 123 again to flourish their tomahawks and tell their dreadful Society Ithaca. stories. Street, At last they called for food which was given them. youngest son of Miss Townley was a daughter of John Nelson Townley, When had eaten what came in 17v,2 from the they they wanted, they asked for a loaf the pioneer Richard Townley, Sr., who to Lansing pioneer in the house on to carry away, and then took their departure. I don't believe Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania. This lived on Lot 77 of the what is known as the James Buck farm Bounty that anybody was ever so glad before to have their party who served six and a half years "out" Lands awarded Archibald Cunningham, as was Grandma that Christmas night. Townley in the 2nd Regiment of the Continental Army. His discharge, carrying Washington," or is in Three four years afterward, an Indian came along with the Badge of Merit Citation, and the signature of "G. There is no record of Cunningham's ever moccasins to sell. Grandpa bought a pair and, when he paid the DeWitt Historical Museum. occupied the lot. for the Indian insisted on part of the having them, returning money, paper was pre in the form of a newspaper clipping, Miss Townlcy's : saying sented the DeWitt Historical Society August 10, 1014, by Mrs. William D. big" "We owe your squaw big loaf of bread, so (motioning Haring, Lansing Town Historian. The present form carries some slight alterations to names persons alluded in the add new with his hands to show the size of the loaf.) give of to original, material, and lo improve its readability by breaking extremely long para Then Grandma knew that he was one of the Christmas graphs into shorter ones. guests. * *

It lies snugly nestled among the hills of the beautiful lake region of the Empire State, this little hamlet, typical of so many others scattered throughout the older settled portions of our country. Never exceeding in population four hundred souls, yet a microcosm in itself wherein have been enacted the tragedies and the comedies of life. As we stand upon some hilltop of this rich farming region and the lovely panorama spreads out beneath, there come vis-

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time of the award. ms of the past. We see a picture of area was a part at the the young pioneer and which the Lansing the hardships is little perhaps worn out by family making their toilsome way through pathless Sometimes the soldier, other reasons, dlds to a in for freedom or for homesite the unbroken wilderness, poor enough endured while fighting new home m the struggle of out a 1 worldy goods but rich in the dauntless courage which shrank from the hewing now right for what would leans success. wilderness and disposed of his "discharge" would be such a case the We are apt to glorify the achievements of the present seem a paltry sum. In day deea to the purchaser as -a part of the title -and they are indeed marvelous but the foundations of transferred to the ational greatness were laid by those hardy, indomitable * and following the Dunn* years immediately preceding rontiersmen who, step by step, conquered the wilderness, the the Indians were so ugly and lazed the way and made the path plain and easier for the Wyoming massacre July 3, 1773, penetrate settlers had courage to mltitudes that were to follow. troublesome that few if any ox General Sullivan, in his expedition This region was part of the tract granted to New this region. But after military the subduing the red men, ork State soldiers who served in the Continental dur- 1779 succeeded in effectually Army seek became the land of promise for many lg the Revolution. Occasionally in some old farmhouse may Lake Country soon the veterans. e found a carefully cherished document George Wash- ing new homes, especially bearing the low rugged hills of New England, lgton's signature and that the bearer hav- They came from the certifying thereof, Pennsylvania the German settlements of !g faithfully served the United States a certain is lands of New Jersey, time, New York Esopus of Southeastern erehy discharged from the American Army. One of these and the Dutch from Valley in wagons and and toilsome journey ocunients, in the possession of a direct descendant of the sol- They made their slow on horseback or on foot frequently ior to whom it was given, is regarded by its owner as a sort sleds drawn by oxen, advanced. Often weeks the path as they f patent of nobility. And many a member of the D.A.R. clearing with an ax now be accom travel a distance that roudly exhibits this certificate of her right to belong to the were required to hours. ristocracy of the land. plished in a few she came one brave woman tell how In 1780, when the New York State Legislature looked ahead The descendants of an infant a day's on horseback, carrying o the end of the Revolution, the whole expanse of Central many weary journey the mother across the horse's back behind nd Western New York appeared a vast domain that invited in her arms. And end to bedtick filled with straw at each ettlement as soon as the Indian title could be extinguished. was placed a partly for two older children extinguish- and comfortable place lecordingly, legislation was enacted to provide for furnish a safe horse. The each other on either side of the aent of the Iroquoian claims to the land and the awarding of who balanced a an. ax over his shoulder and leading cow, 00-acre bounty grants to soldiers of the Continental Army husband, with the un of trudged on foot her side. One may fancy is pay for their services and to hasten the development along by surveyed from mili delight of the youngsters as they he region. The area was surveyed and mapped into 28 bounded woodland pathway. admin- their perch the novel sights of the ary townships, each containing a hundred lots, and another household that also is also a matter of tradition in stered commissioners of the Land Office, an agency It by the pioneer ancestors were nine days in making journey reated this legislation. The Cunningham claim of bounty the by while of near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and drew Lot 77 in the Town of Milton, Cayuga County, from Wyoming Valley,

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obliged to cut their through the being way forests. This dis feet hanging down and reaching the ground. The teacher, a tance can now be made in less than (1904) six hours. Each Quaker dame, was very nice and taught the children all she night and the milk from two cows was morning put into a knew. The girls were taught to knit and sew, and it was ex churn in the wagon in due was converted and, time, into but pected that each girl would make a sampler before her educa of the vehicle over the rough ter by the jolting ground. tion was finished. In the days before the giants steam and had electricty risen "The spelling book in use was illustrated with coarse wood to claim their a good waterpower determined own, usually the cuts the rude boy in the apple tree, the country maid and of communities in the interior. Thus it was that a location fine her milk pail were among them. The English reader and the stream (Salmon which at point plunged over Creek) this a Columbian orator were the reading books, and were made up ledge of rocks to form a miniature became the Niagara, mostly of extracts from English classics and from speeches reason-to-be of our little village Ludlowville. of great men. The Bible was the textbook in the schools, and Two enterprising brothers, Silas and Henry Ludlow, and teachers and pupils read from it.

Henry's son Thomas, descendants of one of Cromwell's Iron "The schoolhouse was built in the woods: squirrels would came in of 1791 take possession of sides, March to Military come and play with the children, the birds fly in and out, and Lot 76, which comprised 600 acres and for which they had sometimes a snake would be seen on the logs, though such an paid $60 or 10 cents an acre. This acquisition illustrates the object lesson was not desired. I think the children were very purchase of one whom it had been origi bounty land from to well taught for, what they knew, they knew. They were ex nally awarded. pected to obey their parents and teachers and were taught to erected gristmill and a sawmill which were for manners' Here they a 'make their to any strangers they might meet on the several years the ones within miles. A blacksmith only many highway when going to and from school. To do this, the boys and a store a forerunner of today's great shop the latter stood on one side of the road and made their bows; the girls

curtsied." department stores soon enabled the farmer to make his trip on the other side to the mill the occasion for supplying many other needs. One of the amusements of those times was spinning bees: A wool-carding and cloth-dressing establishment soon did a the young men furnished the wool yarn or linen thread and a where all the worn the girls thriving business in community clothing spun them, after which they had their fun cracking must manufactured A utilized the native nuts be in the family. tannery or roasting apples and chestnuts. Paring bees thus the bark of the hemlocks which covered the hillsides, and when apples were peeled and sliced for drying, corn husking industries of little hamlet became the scene of small but busy bees, spelling schools and singing schools were other divertise- the day. ments that helped pass the time of these oldtime youths. grand Some interesting reminiscences from the pen of a When a girl married, she had her outfit of homespun. Julia More daughter of one of these first settlers, Mrs. Joy The grand days of the year were the militia training days She writes: house of Galenburg, Michigan, lies before me. when everybody was out to see the parade and eat ginger knew of was a log "The first place of learning my mother cake. It was not an uncommon sight to see men, women and finished. There schoolhouse that was occupied before being children each with a card of ginger cake in hand, eating it on sat. The end where the teacher the was no floor except across the street as they walked. The cake was a special one, called was to their i cake." children sat on the timbers where the floor be, training

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The young people used to sing at their evening parties. and a black beaver hat with long plumes. My grandfather Pianos and organs were not known then so they used a tuning looked like pictures I have seen of Cooper. fork to give the pitch for secular as well as church music. When the Erie Canal was first talked of, my grandfather done," Who can say those young people were not as happy as if they said, "What folly! It can never be or "I shall never it!" had played progressive pedro or euchre all night? see But he did see it and took more than one trip on it When of The bell was rung at 9 o'clock every night the curfew bell. to Buffalo. my father talked going to Buffalo to live, grandfather is go new I have heard by grandmother say: "The 9 o'clock bell has said, "It very wrong for Ira to to that Indians." yet." to be scalped the father had a con rung and the boys are not in But they soon were in and country by My the household fire was covered for the night. Matches were not tract for finishing the west end of the canal. cask in which was the water the known so, if the fire went out, one of the boys was sent to a The brought from Atlantic neighbor's to borrow some live coals. It was a common experi to mingle with the waters of Lake Erie on the occasion of the celebration held at the of the canal navigation in ence to hear the minister say, "meeting will begin at early opening for candlelight." was given father. It was a work of art and Tallow candles were the only means of illumina 1825, to my highly decorated with a of Indians in paint and feathers on one tion; their wicks were trimmed with snuffers. group side, and a section of the canal with boat and houses on the One of my recollections is that of seeing chimney sweeps. other. The large fireplaces would become fouled and, at least once a I am sure ignorance was bliss in those times. They did not year, had to be cleaned. Usually two or more boys went Sweep-ho!" know they were full of germs and microbes, and they had through the village crying, "Sweep-ho! The pot never heard of their vermiform appendix, of the multitud of hooks and the crane were removed from the fireplace and the health foods, or of Christian Science. They were Christians boys climbed up the inside, sweeping with brooms, brushes "Sweep-ho!" without the science! and scrapers, all the while singing I used to visit my uncle who lived on a farm of the Rev. The wages of a dressmaker or woman were 25 cents sewing v.- Theodore Cuyler's grandfather. Theodore and his i dowed a day; a girl was paid 75 cents a week for doing housework. mother lived there. I sometimes ran away, and one day I Not more than two or three persons in the village took a climbed the fence but fell off. I cried loudly and Theodore newspaper and that a weekly. It was a common for a thing picked me up and took me to the house where his mother com them the group of men to sit around one who could read to forted me with bread and butter spread generously with country. news; they thus learned all that was going on in the sugar. I mother wept when the have heard my tell how her father First in the of list books in my grandfather's library was news came of the death of Washington. the Bible. Scott's Commentary held the second place, and he Hannah was a sister of always read My great-grandmother, Cooper, all the notes and comments at family worship. It Coopers came on horse James Fenimore Cooper's father. The must have been very tedious to those who "Fenny." listened, especially back to visit the little boy to the my grandfather, bringing children, but those were not hurrying times; no steam He was in frocks and, of course, showed no signs of becoming or electric cars were to be taken. our country-James Rollins' :r.e of the most celebrated authors of Shakespeare, Pilgrim's Progress, Josephine, Ancient dark blue habit Fsjiimore Cooper. Mrs. Cooper wore a riding History, Milton's Paradise Lost, Young's Nights Thoughts,

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Poor Richard's and of the Presbyterian Almanac, some of Scott's novels completed tion to one almost directly in front the list of in the main street of the books the library of this pioneer family. It l'ur- Church, which stood a little back from nished wholesome these two rival branches of good, intellectual food for the household and town. And now, for many years, provok the neighborhood. Zion have dwelt in comparative peace and harmony,

' Perhaps it was the works. streuuous lives led by these early set ing each other to good tlers which Presbyterian which are inclined them to embrace the stern doctrines of The early records of the Church, John maintain a good and regu Calvin. A Presbyterian Church was organized in 1817 still extant, show that in order to with eighteen brethren one must walk warily and members. The little society flourished, many lar standing among the significant comment upon additions being made to its numbers each communion season. circumspectly. They also furnish a as to many Meetings were held in the schoolhouse until the erection of a the changes of sentiment within the last century Christian living. church edifice in 1825. The salary of the first pastor was of the essential requisites to true that of a brother $600 a year. The first case of discipline recorded was the charged with Meantime, a few followers of John Wesley had settled in who was cited to appear before Sessions, communion for eighteen the town and soon proved a disturbing element, for naturally neglecting public worship and twelve,- prayer for and a general there could be little harmony between them, the essential arti months, a neglect of family disgraceful to a cles of whose creed were the Doctrine of Election and the final levity and lightness of conduct professing Perscrverance of the Saints, and the believers in human free Christian. This delinquent brother, after having repeatedly ccn-u- excommunicated for dom and the consequent possibility of fall from Grace. How failed to heed the summons, was to manifest ever, the new sect shared with the Presbyterians the privi macy. A similar fate befell another who failed with for fool lege of holding meetings in the schoolhouse. due repentance after being labored having with half It is said that on one occasion good old Deacon J., who made ishly remarked that "the devil would fly away maybe himself with the closing prayer, lengthened his petition to two mortal of the Presbyterians in the place and them." hours, deeming that he was most effectually serving the Lord in in delaying as long as possible the teaching of the dangerous, Three brothers were cited before the Session to answer

breach' heretical doctrines held by t]\e Methodists. the charge of a of the Fourth Commandment while Naturally, opposition and abuse, instead of blighting, only performing a recent journey to the West by traveling on the stimulated growth of the devoted little band. When it had in Lord's Day. After being faithfully labored with, one brother creased in numbers so as to be able to build a church, it was became duly penitent and, having made public confession of found impossible to obtain a plot of ground in the little valley his sin, was restored to full communion. As the others could wherein the village was situated. The group was obliged to not be brought to see the enormity of their transgression, place its house of worship on a pinnacle of one of the sur they were suspended. rounding hills, to which the faithful made its toilsome way Another brother, while living within a few rods of his own each Sunday for a half century. church, went a distance of three or four miles to attend a became When, at last, a wealthy member of the church Methodist meeting in profanation of the Lord's Day, and in the the owner of a lot within the village, he presented it to violation of his covenant engagement to attend steadily and society, the meeting house was moved from its elevated posi devoutely upon the institutions and ordinances of Christ as

44. 45 administered in his own church. This brother, not proving church and community should be aroused to a sense of the penitent, was excommunicated. rapidly growing evil of intemperance. When whisky was a Some time during, 1828 the question came before the Ses common beverage in every house, it is not strange that drunk sion, "Is it expedient for a member of Christ's Church to re enness was deplorably frequent. There was no market nearer

grocery?" tail spirits by the small measure in a than Albany, about 150 miles distant, for the abundant crops Having duly considered the matter, the Session resolved of corn where after days spent in its toilsome transportation that it is inexpedient, and whereas brother P.W. is in the by wagon the farmer received only fifty cents a bushel for habit of selling spirits by the small quantity in his grocery the grain. This return would scarcely pay the cost of getting opinion of the Session store, and whereas the practice in the it to market, but 60 pounds of coin converted into whisky was is productive of much injury to many of his customers and of reduced to two-thirds in bulk and weight and doubled in its riotous conduct in and about his store, therefore resolved that value. Therefore, distilleries for manufacturing the raw mate a committee be appointed to visit him and present the views rial soon became common and did a thriving business. of the Session and to advise him to discontinue the practice. No social gathering was considered complete without a gen The committee reported that they made known the views erous supply of spirits in which all freely indulged. It was ex and wishes of the Session to brother P.W. but did not ascer pected that every farmer would furnish his harvest hands tain whether he would quit or not. Whereupon, the said com with a liberal allowance of whisky, and no house or barn rais mittee visited him again to ascertain distinctly whether he ing could be successfully accomplished without the aid of considers it right to sell spirits according to his practice, and spirits. The more intelligent and thoughtful members of the whether he means to persist in it or not. community began to realize the fact that it was after all poor The brother appointed to visit him reported he did not sig economy to thus transform their crops of com into crops of nify to him distinctly whether or not he would discontinue drunkards. the business of selling spirits in his grocery store, where On New Year's Eve, 1827, twelve good men the apostolic Session upon brother P.W. was invited to come before the number assembled for the purpose of forming a Temperance them. that a free conversation might be had between him and Society, pledging themselves to total abstinence from all intox with some time he gave the After conferring the brother for icating liquors. This society was one of the very first formed clear in his in Session to understand that he was not perfectly the State and soon began to exert- a beneficent influence owa correctness of business of retailing throughout all mind as to the his the surrounding region. The good accomplished but did not that he would relinquish it. He said was to spirits, say largely owing the strenuous efforts of a young busi he that he did not know how he could gain a subsistence if nessman of the village Joy Benjamin who entered heart should change his business. and soul into the work of temperance reform. proceedings in the As there is no record of further Throughout any long winter evenings for many years he made worthy man, died his case, and the brother who. was really a very way through blinding snowstorms and formidable drifts to regu at a member of the church in good and talk venerable age a temperance in every schoolhouse and church in neighbor discontinued the presumed he towns. lar standing, it is that finally ing There was, of course, fierce opposition to the doc practice of spirits. trine of tee-total-ism retailing which he preached, and many were the need that the There was, at this pressing threats against the indeed, indomitable reformer, but being a natural

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organization of first Temper gifted with a wit and Eve the anniversay of the the orator, keen, ready an inimitable story was ance on which occasion the Presbyterian Church teller, he always succeeded in keeping his audience in good Society, filled to overflowing. Uncle Ben's droll stories, even humor even while freely applying the lash. His meetings were invariably as sure to draw a crowded house seldomly disturbed by the disorderly elements in a commu though often repeated, being of Van Winkle. These nity. as Joe Jefferson's impersonation Rip still observed after a lapse of Upon a certain occasion, when one of his hearers asked, anniversaries are faithfully century. (The observance was kept going "What'll we do with all our coarse grain if we do not make it three-quarters of a Myers' whisky?" but after Minnie death in 1938, they into Joy instantly remarked, "Feed it to the drunk for 120 years,

ards'families." when a little dwindled away. She remembered Ben Joy and his side. As the years passed, his fame as a speaker spread through girl sang at anniversaries standing by Editor.) claims the distinction of pro out the surrounding country, and when it was known that The Town of Lansing having Ben" liquors within its borders for "Uncle was to address a meeting there was sure to be a hibited sale of intoxicating years. The Prohibition wave that swept over the crowded house. The rig that he usually drove was something nearly 50 Holmes' Shay," temperance governor in the guberna like Dr. "Wonderful One-Horse and he himself state in 1855, seating a made Uncle Ben a member of the legislative was by no means dandified in appearance. At one time he was torial chair, also returning from a trip between the lakes and- had driven onto body. communities of those times were especi the ferry boat on which he was to cross to the eastern shore The isolated early the development of marked of of Cayuga Lake. While waiting for the ferryman who had gone ally favorable for individuality character. There are still traditions of the peculi home to dinner, a spruce-looking man, driving a fine horse and lingering carriage, came down to the boat and called out, "Come on here arities of some of those pioneers. me," Dyar was a man and help which Uncle Ben proceeded to do. The worthy doctor of the village, Dr. Foot, opinions which was free to express upon The stranger then impatiently demanded, "Why don't you of very positive he ?" get your craft started possible occasion. The village store, which was the favorite

man," "I am only waiting for my was the meek reply. meeting place for the Solons of the town, was the scene of "Well," said the gentleman, "I am in a hurry. I have some many a wordy war whereby affairs of church and state were business to do and then am going to Lansingville tonight to a settled. The doctor, even at the early day, was a stanch Abo temperance meeting. I have heard a great deal about Ben Joy litionist and was bitter in his denunciations oC slavery; he and I thought I would stay over and hear him talk. Have you never failed to arouse the ire of his opponents in argument. him?" heard Dr. Foot was a prominent member of the church and always

him." "Yes," insisted upon strict replied Uncle Ben, "and I don't think much of disciplining of all who deviated ever so The stranger was much astonished when the speaker oi the slightly from the straight and narrow way. It was not strange, evening proved to be his companion on the ferryboat. therefore, that he bcame extremely unpopular and, when he throughout a left the village after Uncle Ben never grew weary of the work and a few years to try his fortune in the long life continued to wage valiant warfare against tho evils Far West, his departure was celebrated by the more disorderly of intemperance. element of the community by firing cannon, ringing bells and New It came to be a custom to celebrate on every Year's other demonstrations of rejoicing.

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It between Auburn and Ludlowville. A notable personage who might have been termed the groat the 30 miles intervening you know! man of the village, was Squire Abijah Miller, a lawyer of im was a day before telephones, accidenc which ride that occurred the sad posing presence and culture. He possessed what in those days It was during this the happiness of the a dark shadow over was considered a fine library. The old-fashioned mansion may well have cast within a mi e of the the carriage approached the Dickinson home which he built is still standing. It was at young couple. As the road little of children playing in the time surrounded by spacious grounds laid out with broad village, one of a group trampled beneath the horses reported to have been Ik'rer-bordered walks. In an arbor in the garden one lovely way was lost control of later account says the boy summer morning was found the lifeless body of the owner of hooves. However, a horses. He between the path of the two the beautiful home. A pistol shot through the heart, with the his sled and it ran when Seward was a political story claimed weapon lying close by, plainly showed it to be a case of suicide. was not killed, as a induced by long-continued ill health was supposed candidate for governor. Melancholy woula little village of the present day to have been the cause of the deed. This tragedy naturally A visitor to the sleepy center o, that it was once the business cast over the community a gloom which was not soon dispelled. find it hard to realize decade country. During the first A frequent guest at the Miller mansion was a favorite niece, a lar-e tract of surrounding mer Calvin an enterprising young a daughter of Judge Elijah Miller of Auburn, who became the of the 19th century, Burr, in which established here a store wife of William II. Seward, then a law student in her father's chant from New England, business. The stock com office. During her visits Mr. Seward also sometimes found his was long carried on a flourishing hardware and nearly every way to the little hamlet. An account of a sad event connected prised dry goods, groceries, drugs, that time the early settlers m ex with one of these visits was recently related to me by a daugh commodity required at by produce. At received all kinds of farm ter, of one who was for many years a valued domestic in change for which was wild and bees Squire Miller's family. firsAhese products were bear grease, honey charac wool, knit goods-all While it is not known that any serious Impediments inter wax, pelts, animal bones, tallow, rupted the tranquil course of true love in this case, yet it teristic of a primitive settlement. salesmen were known earlier, did would not be strange if Mr. Seward, then a young man and Drummers, as traveling decades later. Twice each unknown law student, should have felt some slight trepidation not visit Ludlowville until many re a. to New York City to in approaching so prominent a citizen as Judge Miller to pro year the merchant made journey brought on the Hudson pose an alliance with his family. However that may have plenish his stock of goods which was then wagons on the Catskill turn been, it was agreed between the lovers that during the visit River to Catskill and by there over rough roads to the store. of the young lady to her uncle, the future statesman should pike to Ithaca and from ton was a and the exercise his diplomatic gifts in endeavoring to secure the By either wagon or sleigh about a load, There was a paternal constent to his suit. If successful, he was to drive cost was about $2.50 a hundred pounds. story and then to Ludlowville and accompany his lady love on her return told of one man who loaded his wagon rather heavily weighed 200 home. carried a keg of nails on his own back. The keg Having pleaded his cause so skillfully as to receive a favor pounds ! canal the cost of able verdict from the Judge, it is to be presumed that the After the opening of the Erie in 1825, over was reduced 25 cents a liun- ycung man lost no time in conveying the joyful tidings bringing goods from New York

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have one but the Deacon seemed to dredweight, and soon the building of canal boats became a sual entertainment, for no poor seriously. is needless to that the flourishing industry along the lake. A man could frequently taken the matter It say build a boat during the summer and pay for it from the woman was found not guilty. these Annals attempt freights of one season. There was very little difference in the As will be readily seen, I have not in connected history. There are doubiess many time required between the wagon and the canal boat as the ed anything like a with the days of the speed of the latter averaged two miles and hour. The packets incidents of interest connected early who with the away of those or passenger boats attained the amazing speed of four miles town that have been lost passing an hour! were a part of its life. nook the hills have From time to time other stores were opened in the village, Nevertheless, from this secluded among influence for good. The Rev. Theodore but they were usually of short duration while the pioneer gone out far-reaching Life," a says : establishment continued on the even tenor of its way for more L. Cuyler in his "Recollections of Busy return from Europe to my home than sixty years. Its founder, after a time, retired from the "During the winter of my invited me to go down and business with what was, before these days of multi-million on Cayuga Lake, one of my uncles service in the neighboring village aires, considered an ample fortune. There are still living two attend an afternoon prayer in the church who were partners in the firm during the last years. The ven of Ludlowville. There was a spiritual awakening parlor of a private house. I erable James A. Burr of Greenwich, Conn., and the Hon. II. B. and the meeting was held in the When the was over Lord, who came to the village in !$?>(>, a lad of 1-1, and contin arose and spoke for ten minutes. meeting good.' 'Your talk did me ued as a resident of the place until 1S66, no citizen ever more more than one came to me and said, in the the thought honored and beloved. On my way home, as I drove along sleigh, minutes'talk helped a There is situated well on the outskirts of the village a farm flashed into my mind: Tf a ten today time?' That one thought house built in 1S06 which enjoys the unique distinction of few souls, why not preach all the future." He had been on having been the scene of a trial for witchcraft. Good old Dea decided the vexed question as to my con respected member of the as a profession. B , highly community, the verge of adopting law suc must have inherited from his New England ancestors a belief As is well known, Dr. Cuyler has been an eminently his church in in witches for, upon the protracted illness of his daughter, he cessful minister. It is said that at one time conceived the idea that a certain Dutch woman of the neigh Brooklyn numbered the largest membership of any Presbyte borhood, a Mrs. Prost, had bewitched her. Whereupon he de rian church in the United States, and few writers have con manded that Judge Richard Townley should issue a warrant tributed so profusely to the religious press as he. for the arrest of the imagined culprit. The Judge endeavored The Rev. John Bascom passed the years of his boyhood in to dissuade the Deacon until the latter, becoming angry, our little village. Formerly president of Madison University, exclaimed: Madison, Wisconsin, he was for many years a professor in fool." "Judge, I must need tell you that you talk like a Williams College and, as author and educator, has left an im So the warrant was issued and the time appointed for the pression upon the life of the nation. His father was pastor of trial which was to be held in the house of Judge Townley the Presbyterian Church in Lansingville. He died in early whose daughter, then a child, has told me that she well re life, leaving a family of four children. The widow soon moved unu- membered the jolly crowd that assembled to enjoy the to Ludlowville. She was descended from four generations of clergymen.

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Years Cake' Postmaster Served 74 When Everyone Ate Training 93 he 1902 at the age of Roswell Beardsley died in By ALICE A. BRISTOL When North Lansing for 74 Jbel postmaster at J*^^ When Lincoln's call came to the counties for volunteers to signed mission was by ^^^.^^.^X. dated 1828 and recruit the Civil War responded United States. It was armies, Lansing generously dent of the John McLean. with more than the town quota. Then followed days Postmaster General thrilling sicmed by Cayuga County, July of when recruits assembled in the village. was born in Scipio Center, training Beardsley then his parents to North Lansing Companies of 61 men each were formed and trained by their 5 1809 Ind moved with officers in the square in front of the stores. Housewives for- BtaTdsley's Corners, January 2, L^as ^^^h*^^* postmaster under saw aroused these occasions the absorbing interest to be by he was named deputy post oLuce n North Lansing, the second which evacuated every member of the household, and made first nostmaster at under t.venty served continuously preparations against hunger providing each with a liberal Cot Lansing. He by te *** thirty-four postmaster generals, supply of a special gingerbread, called Training Cake. The presidents and postmaster m the United was the oldest public ate this out of hand while sitting on the store steps or of his death he thne report and signed every quarterly while standing with stretched necks to peer over someone's SUtef He Sd.made out reports in all. rfnrino- years296 shoulder. Others ran to be the first to arrive at a place of van all those connection with *e retail store in still others elbowing and crowding an onlooker out of a conducted a tage, Bea^ey oi ce days mail was brought contention good-natured which in the early coveted position. All was vigorous but post office, to this > on horseback. Usually rivalry. a week a man by mail b, various routes and*f^^the was newspapers over Small wonder that a lad like Bloom LeBarre excited, the weekly though ' ran from home and enlisted with the recruits, post offices. away tween ^ilrmd* after the lamoads paid $57 a year, but h-:. -/:ng to misrepresent his age as 16. In 1870, the office allowed $60. camp through he was and was invited to visit Congress, On sevend occasions he Cabin Good Enough for Him a man Locj McKinley's inauguration. But bemg he was invited to attend. of Ludlowville had three daughters who he declined to Martin Murphy of extreme retiring disposition, How their Congressional m earned sufficient build a frame house near hangs in the Library money to ever, his picture today in family's cabin. The father said he had lived for years D. C. .. log , Washington, ;, , , naa live good enough for hum There he lived for and mey the cabin and it was Beardsley married Isabella Conrad, rest of the moved into Howard Beardsley, pre the remainder of his life but the family daughters and one son. A grandson, now in pos new which is the the house. served his grandfather's commission, of South Lansing. session of his widow, Mrs. Edna Beardsley, now there post offices in Lansing; In 1894, there were ten and Myers. Much of are three: Ludlowville, South Lansing, throughout the town rural carriers. the mail is delivered by inaugurated here in 1903. This ma'l service was 55 54

Omar Holden, Clayton Harm* tified are: William Burger, Had Morey, Lew Luce, Bert Lansing Several Brass Bands Merritt Winns, William DeCamp, Jay Searles Lafayette Giltner, Will Miller, Wi 11 From ADRIAN WOOD'S RECOLLECTIONS "warren Woods. Leonard Adrian Jacobs Newton Holden, Austin, the triangle now Some years ago Mrs. C. T. Redline and her its bandstand in brother Lloyd iStov^le was noted for names of soldiers lost Bower of Libby, donated to the DeWitt Historical flagpole and boulder with Montana, mariced by a a music pouch used their father Bower while a Society by Jay in World War II. a member of the South Lansing band. It contains some sheets of band music, a roster of the members and other bits of Oregon Dr. White Led Group to history. The uniforms were dark trousers, cream-colored LYMAN II. GALLAGHER shirts, dark caps, and white Morocco pouches. A four-horse By outfit an up-to-date Pente team transported the ir, bandwagon. Or stands in front of the blue-and-gold State marker A cne- ganized in this band had members and was called where 1884, twenty Lansingville mark the spot costal Church in to. the Elm Grove Band. White ;. as a White stood long ago. Dr. home of Dr. Elijah J. of North organized a band in but the soon Oregon. He was a Lansing 1891, group medical missionary in pioneer his joined with the South group. John Starks was drum- both befoia and after Lansing Montour Falls but lived in Lansing associate major, and William Miller walked once a week to practice with there he was a friend and years in that state. While Parker o. the Peruville Band. Whitman and the Rev. Samuel of both Dr. Marcus

strong,"

In the Ludlowville Cornet Band was C* 1895, "going T T n *1 *1 families across and through William Patrick who led the Ith men and their Miller, Conway, In 1842, he led a group of 120 su aca was persuaded to come here and drill this band. It in which many of the early Band, the Indian country to Oregon, tor practiced in the hall over the Benjamin store in a County. Dr. White was honored building tlers came from Tompkins i0r the erected 1811 Oliver Phelps. Some of the instruments made United States agent during by his patriotic labors by being were and did the inferior, especially big bass drum annoy Indians in the western country. Oregon," Conway. He told the men to the poor drum in its published in Ith bring bag He was author of "Ten Years in to the bandroom where the Ithaca band practiced. He then found. This is the in up aca in 1847. A few copies may still be took them into another room where were stored new in site of his home in many scription on the marker in front of the struments that were furnished some companies. He by big Lansingville : picked out a good bass which he put into the in Oregon settler, Indian drum, bag "Home of Dr. Elijah White, pioneer place of the inferior one. wrote 'Ten Years in missionary, agent for Indians in Oregon, 1842." Conway was paid five dollars a trip here but he was well Oregon/ paid by the Tremans for his work with the Ithaca Band. The uniforms for the Ludlowville band were bought through No. 7 fire company of Ithaca and were the same as the Ithaca Band's. In a parade they always marched with the fire com iden- pany. In a picture taken at Cayuga Lake Park, members

56 57

eaten dish of this was no time at all. A small globules in just

cream and sugar. with Twiiin mpalmea except Indmn was made the same way Hasty pudding nun cookeda full fifteen of and it was was used instead flour, poured into a large, deep mush was then ntes This pudding or was furt spoon or ladle with a generous w ch togetoer bi, ckine- A mush from st^ prevent the rinsed in cold water to the iam ly MILK, MEAL USED at each place, and FLOUR, spoon were Cl of milk and a spoonfuls the transferring large tJMtTelf toThe joy of by individual ones and EARLY BY central bow, to the PIONEER COOKS g^engrfinl the

* By ALICE A. BRISTOL thz:xh::szst::s^ *> .. this mature was the advent of ovens, water or mil. Before Beside the venison and fish so abundantly supplied for before glow- by was sot on the hearth upl a board that esi and pioneer soon Itad but stream, the housewife had three other as cake, came to be known Johnny i coals to bake. This staple articles of the diet milk, meal and flour. Indian com -me remember explanations of why the herHre severa. ground into meal and wheat into flour were combined with Sne sam happened to be so nam d. mother how it milk in a variety of ways. There were buttermilk whey, but asking my the Civil \\ ar southern slaves, and during it wis introduced by termilk pop, minute pudding, pudding, and cake. Confederate armies hasty Johnny article for the became a basic food Buttermilk whey, little more than a not very satisfying "Johnnies" the Federalists who called wh"liers were by potable, was made buttermilk in a kettle until the ! '/ by heating Cake. dubbed the cake "Johnny whey curd was separated from the water. Buttermilk pop was made by heating the buttermilk and Postmasters in Lansing constantly stirring to keep the whey from separating. When Post Offices, at the point a mixture of flour or meal and water was and faster post boiling of the automobile Rural mail routes, advent added with the continued until the mixture offices m Lansing, gradually stirring number of post al service have reduced the was like a thin, creamy soup; postmistress; were ten: Asbury, Mary Head, "lumps," In 189^, there The men folks or children sometimes called for John W. Brown; Lake East Lansing, C. D. Haring; Heddens, moistened it with Ludlow- whereupon the cook took some flour, lightly Charles Drake; Rido-e W. A. Hedden; Lansingville, worked with her fingers into small fresh buttermilk, then it William A. J. Ozmun; Myers, ville, Charles Wood; Midway, or noodls. These were turned into the floury lumps gradually Roswell Breadsley; South Lan P. D. Drake; North Lansing, hot mess and cooked until thoroughly done. The piping hot sing, Charles M. Egbert. mixture was poured into sweetened to taste and deep bowls, postmasters are: Ludlowvihc, Don In 1963, post offices and eaten spoonfuls. When thickened and cooked to perfection Paul by Frank South Lansing, W. ald H. Bush; Myers, Hranek; it was a very good dish. was made salted water to the Minute pudding by heating now embraced The first post office established in territory boiling point and stirring in loose flour which cooked into 59 58

Launched in the Towns of Genoa and Lansing seems to have been located Railroad Along Lake on west hill (Fiddler's though it bore the name of 1871 for Green) was organized in Cayuga Railroad Company Genoa until the division of the towns at the time Tompkins The County was formed in 1817. It then became Ludlowville. How ever, the first entry of this office under the name Genoa was on January 11, 1806, on which date Abijah Miller, Jr., was appointed postmaster. He was succeeded March 10, 1815, by John Ludlow, and March 1, 1817, John Bowman became post ^^-"-a^'l-, which road master. theLehgh Va ley m 877 passedtocontrolof Research indicates that postmasters at Ludlowville have ^ William built been Philip French, 1816-4Q; Amasa Wood, 1849-52; JC^Xthts ^ F^ Gather. He Mead, 1865-71; William Godley, 1871-82; William Mead, 1882- 85; Charles Benjamin, 1885-93; Nelson E. Lyon, 1894-04; Charles E. Wood, 1904-09; Charles D. Howell, 1909-13; Fran ces W. Wright, 1913-17; Senora Stedman, 1918-24; Joseph W. 1935-43; Marian Nichols, 1943; Jean Wood, 1944-51; McGill, 1892. iuis. aiuiui R S Lamberson in Donald II. Bush, 1951 . Since 1920, the post office has been moved five time, all within the village of Ludlowville. Rural of mail was established here in 1903 - free delivery tram from - now is a freight The only trains ; ; with two Nos. 9 and 10. Mrs. Adelea Stearns was the ,1,1.1*.. P- routes, cram lo the ^ Myers and a coal nates its run at first carrier down the lake road. Mrs. Cora Redline remembers

Ridge. . aunts plant at Lake 4,.i,,,V7, - - as a little she watched the first with her to ,v. that, girl, day "mourners" passenger t, am rode the oomt. j.jj mail box. Some fiftyi-.y ,, move for Mrs. Stearns, who put some in their e.ie,1(rirv^rm who Carr hau occn the ii the last day. Sidney George Ryan was the carrier on Route which went up - 10, been m >iu years, and had Min old No. 18 for eight the Creek Road and through Lansingville. Mrs. Nellie ence<^;~>a*; years. Mrs FI o <; an engineer 21 could 38. He had been turn says she recalls how regular he was and adds, "You on t Ludlowville station to Ithaca coming." over rode from set your clock his Other carriers were Earnest Croft, 70, by this line when she was a iuuc She said she rode on Buchanan, William Minturn 'and Everett Nobcls. final trip. hundreds of times since. Wallace Hammond has been the carrier out of 8girl and Since 1955, ranW mes tlirough 1870's much planning of mail 397 li the early Ludlowville. He travels 74 miles and delivers to others the Cayuga Railroad two was done. Besides for 442 but he is never more than eight miles Lansing boxes families, the .uiulana the the Murdock and eventually crossed town, from the post office. can bo away but traces of their routes of which lasted long, service was and it delivers neither In 1919, parcel post inaugurated, qmckesu and Midland afforded "the shortest southern end of the seen today. The much merchandise to rural residents. The one and New York City, *f route between Ithaca town is served Ithaca R.D. 1 ; the eastern part by a Groton. by to take the tram. It was said elected to go to North Lansing route, and the northern area by the Lccke route. 61 60

spent ai employes had off. Some of these of this line that it would stop a train and pick a person up were pensioned in the company's even if it was at his own door. Their working lives f^*^**George,47 ,!*& years as were John more than 40 The Ithaca-Auburn Short Line opened December 12, 1908. ords of Leo 4u, -nd Abraham Caliel, 44; Leroy Inman, it was operated partly by steam and partly by electricity. Uher, 46; at State and Tioga Streets in it ran the hill Starting Ithaca, up had furnished 1962, the buildings which :o Estys, South Lansing and northward to Auburn, with a ^s^August have re- than 200 men for 68 years, employment for more short branch west from the main line to Rogue's Harbor. wil blow to the town that The closing is a Much used by residents along the it failed financially r^Tmpty. line, takes over the vacant until some industry and was abandoned in 1924. havet be borne idle. structures that stand bleakly

Salt Plant Operated 68 Years Attention Two Lonely Graves Attract The salt at the mouth of Salmon Creek at Myers Brooks company near the foot of miles north of Ludlowville, started work in 180 1. This was when R. V. Lamberson came Three a gravestone within a half mile, is with no houses from Warsaw in Western New York, seeking a location where Hill and salt and water were abundance. Revolu- both found in a and Captain John Rouse, "block" Wi^^o^con Since that time this salt has been a sustaining and a devoted Christian who lived and died source of employment for men of Lansing. Gradually, the tionarv officer, Jan. 1834, aged 92 years, who departed this life 19, plant was enlarged, a disastrous fire at one time and the col patriot, i / lapse of the main building at another did not halt progress. 1 Mor son of William and Mary Salt of James Mc, When the company later merged with the International Tmemory month," Mar. 1814, aged 1 more modern was installed. rison, died 19, Company, machinery Anthony and Rouse's children were John, Sarah, There is no lack of what with brine brought Deacon salt, being up wife of wife of William Morrison; Peggy, from wells with an earlier depth of 1,500 feet but now from Amor; also Mary, Jonathan Edoy. William L. Clark, and Rebecca, wife of 2,100 feet. But in recent years, according to the trend of the for seven weeks as The deacon enlisted at Graham, N. Y., it has been determined economical to consolidate opera times, to Aug. 17k*, was captain from April 1. 1777, 25, tions with the plant at Watkins. lieutenant, applied for his pension. The to the record when he In for this the company sold the houses according preparing move, the little Morrisons lived in the neighborhood of burying near by to employes who had occupied them and wished to last years with them. and he came to spend his remain here. Twenty-five acres of land north of Ludlowville around, is high on One that of Reuben Bennett, 1760-1824, were given to the Rod & Gun Club, and a like acreage south grave, now owned Sher the north of the mill in the Gulf, by of the mouth of the creek v/as presented to the Town of Lan bank, is as a summer home, Bennett man Peer and used by him sing park for picnic sites and a bathing beach. member of the Masonic thought to have been a miller and a All the machinery has been trucked to Watkins, and a num erected an iron fence around Lodge. Masons of North Lansing ber of men moved to that location so as to remain with the his grave some 25 years ago. company. Some sought other employment, and the veterans

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and his store enter Aside from the stage and mail route Phelps' of the State great contribution to this section prise, A" steamboat on Cayuga Lake. was construction of the first is in the DeWitt Histori model of this boat, the Enterprise,

cal Museum at Ithaca.

organization of the Cayuga Lake Trans He participated in December 1816. Its officers were OLIVER PHELPS FAMED portation Company on 15, agent for the of David Woodcock, president; Phelps building Lewis Took the boat; James Pumpelly, Joseph Benjamin, and steam FOR LARGE ENTERPRISES of the was to build a er, directors. The object company the other. The keel of boat to run from one end of the lake to Oliver Phelps located in Ludlowville in 1811 as proprietor of Port Renwick in the Enterprise was laid March 11, 1820, at a and soon had branches in Fab at Ithaca. Next 4 the store, Ithaca, Trumansburg, the southeast corner of the lake May ius and at other centers. He operated stage lines, carried mail, Hudson to and overland to City and brought up the Albany superintended the of the first twro steamboats on make the trip. building Ithaca by teams that required six weeks to Cayuga built sections of the Erie canal at Lockport and steamed the Hud Lake, Only thirteen years after Fulton had up of the Welland canal in eastern Canada. in St. Cath the Enterprise Locating son River in the Clermont, on June 1. 1820, arines, in he became a grower of and dealer in manufactured in Canada, 1825, hull was launched, with machinery Jersey wheat on a large scale. 150 passengers. made her trial run down the lake, carrying Third child of Noah and Sarah Adams Phelps, he was born She left Port Renwick for Cayuga where she arrived eight had a beam of in Granby, Connecticut, December 12, 1779. He moved to hours later. The craft was eighty feet long,

tons.' Green New and married Abigail St. John 120 Five years later the River, York, in 1792, thirty feet and a capacity of Phelps' 1800. 1800 and 1827 there were born to Telemachus under super January 16, Between company built the improved them seventeen of whom nine reached adult children, only vision .

moved to Fabius in to contract build the five locks hood. They to Cazenovia in .1801, 1801, Later, Phelps negotiated a to he died Ludlowville in 1811, and then to St. Catharines, where in the canal at Lockport, a work he performed so successfully at the residence of his son, O. S. Phelps, in 1851, aged nearly that he was awarded contracts to excavate the deep cut and Buffalo in 72. His wife survived him twenty years, dying at build feeders on the Welland canal in eastern Canada. Having

1871. accumulated a reputed million dollars from his canal building,

store grower and dealer On coming to Ludlowville, Phelps built the first in the he became a grain, especially wheat, in St. settlement, an enterprise Arad Joy came on horseback from Catharines. But before his death he saw much of his fortune Fabius to manage. Phelps erected his dwelling near the edge dwindle away through a break in the Liverpool wheat market. of the high rocks south of the schoolhouse, and planted mul One time he had sixteen ships laden with wheat freeze up

' were feed silk were freed the berry trees as many others did. These trees to in Lake Ontario, and before they by thaws, worms but they proved to be the wrong species of mulberry grain sprouted, and he lost S150,000. and the experiment ended in failure. Phelps is credited with having built from his private funds

64 65

Memorial to Merchant the First Presbyterian Church in Ludlowville. To maintain Cornell Prize an annual the church he contributed to what little Morrison Poetry Prize, freely its members Cornell University the At native could afford at a time when the country roundabout was at is a memorial to a Lansing awtrd'r^y endowed, the just James Townley Mor time, 1818, beginning to develop. and Ithaca merchant, and Ludlowville This Oliver Phelps has been confused, locally at least, with he was born Oliver Thelps who was a partner in the Phelps and Gorham Morrison, of James and Mary Townley ^Tson 1912 to wbich he Land Company. The land speculator was born in 1749 at died in Ithaca in intudTo^vilie in 1829 and the "touoU Windsor, Connecticut, and died at Canandaigua After clerking in February 21, first removed in 1848. 1809. While Alice Adele Bristol in her memoirs has a detailed he engaged m ^jf store for three years, Phelps' l^^^.letumed o itft account of financial reverse and his recoupment after in Lansing. He for six years, then in farming the coming to Ludlowville in it will be noticed that Oliver an interest in Avery 1811, . and bought Wooaiuff. Phelps of the land had died two years before the became Morrison & ^^ company which two years later store ^cns Ludlowville Oliver appeared Block on there. he purchased the Downing ^ as ^69, known ^heieafta of State and Tioga Streets, long corner Nauonal of today's nrst Morrison Block. It is the site Sweetheart's Myrtle Marks Old Grave Z estab ,,oki ms Company. In 1890, Morrison Bank and Trust More than one hundred years ago a man named Homer and retired. . lishment to Theodore Dobrin, was ill of. and was put the woodhouse newspapai adve. Use. smallpox, in Durino- Blessing his business career, he was a consisted o. attached to my home. Vaccination was not known then and that the advertisements but an unusual one in everyone was afraid of the even the village doctor disease; wrote. Some short poems that he Mother" .^^Jour passed his medicine in through tho window on a shovel. Bless appearedwe^^fm The Ithaca were adaptations. "My died September and was buried two Irishmen ing 6, 1852, by editorial comment: nal with this n,r,nvin. at the foot of east hill on the other side of the bridge where J. T. the well-known "The following lines by Mr. Morrison, oi now there is a great patch of Myrtle. The two men on their best he has written: best m point merchant, are among the

one melody." way back bathed in the creek to wash away the germs but poem: sentiment and The man died of the disease. Their clothing was burned and buried. MY MOTHER Among my grandfather's papers (he was the undertaker), I found a bill for $3 for Blessing's coffin. The story is likeness on the wall, making I look upon my mother's Myrtle was planted over the grave his sweetheart. the tears will fall, that the by And though I press them back, scalding willful act to mind again, As memory brings some forgiveness pleadbut all in vain. For which I would

remembrance brings a sigh, I listento my ear lips sorrow to the eye, Wrung from those or look of thoughtless words that gave her pain, Born of regret for recallbut all in vain. Which gladly I would now

67 66

Out!' Coming! Look The future holds no mystery beyond the skies 'She's No hope BRISTOL beyond death's door that I so fondly prize, By ALICE A. As that those eyes in love look in mine train along may again, the first railroad f.n in the early '70's **>" . *,, r,r,r\ TCfivnov wore a Rhodes, who became a pioneer in the town when in 1779 he moved here from Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Among the historical incidents he recorded was that of a clock which served the family for a century. During- journeys back to the land of their birth, members of the family rode horseback. On one of these trips, George Rhodes purchased a grandfather's clock in Easton, Pennsyl vania, and carried it in front of him as he sat in the saddle. Barney regain Apparently, this was the works for such a clock for it is re demeanor. eight- normal his rUnnin^ into ported that he afterwards made with his own hands an backs lunnm off endless, shmmg Those seemingly mea foot case in which the mechanism was installed. monstei, se more than the snorting the unseen even The clock ticked away a hundred continuous outside and un faithfully Ludlowville with the great d finUelv to link the breaks about once in five years when ^J^*^ years, only coming had before The known world as nothing it was taken apart to be cleaned and oiled. It bade fair to serve home tnat after its breast all the way high and puffed out another century until February 4, 1904, when its career was noon. ended in a fire that destroyed the house and nearly every thing in it. 'Lost' Years Church Deed Was 75 to "lost" property a deed conveying After being 76 years, was foundI among-M Church at Ludlowville, thf erian Presby IU,rfl""W 1826, clerk's office in Pa^tthe county Med. claimed after being tte document had not been 69 68

tary service during the Rebellion. Of these, 40 were killed in action or succumbed to wounds or army-connected disease. Veterans of this war occupy 131 graves in ten of the town's cemeteries; of the Revolution, 27, for all wars, 204.

TOWN SENT 144 SOLDIERS Brigham Young, Boy in Lansing INTO CIVIL Brigham Young (1801-1877) as a boy lived with his parents WAR ARMIES on the shore of Cayuga Lake, near Lansing Station. Clarence Jefferson told me about his grandmother lived near During the current it, saying observance of the Civil War centennial and knew them. She used to tell him about them. ZTmTe 4 ''eC0Unt ^ Tm f fusing, TonZ Brigham went to school at the Drake schoolhouse. When he ton of men to nationa. defense the was or mother died and is said to have been buried during struggie. It was a 12 13, his greater part than might be as in the White Settlement ground west of Lansingville. thought, Ui went into m ! burying Asbtiry Cemetery63 Orrin Drake, who died Febraury 14, 19G3, at the age of 86 12. fcansfnuvHie Cemetery16 after always in said remc mbered see Revolutionary War 1 living that vicinity, he 7 W-ir of 1812 Revolutionary War 13 Civil the stone that marked the grave in the southeastern, cor 41 Civil War War ing 1 World War I 1 Spanish-American War ner of the cemetry. Now fallen, it quite likely lies beneath a 1 World War 1 World 'War I II covering of leaves and soil. 1 World War ir Lake RMhje Cemetery i After her the father and son moved to the 2 death, vicinity North Lansing Cemetery52 Revolutionary War 2 Civil of Auburn where the youth became at an early age an expert 1 Revolutionary War War 37 Civil War painter and glazier. The record shows that he Miller Cemetery carpenter, con-. I Mexican War 3 3 Civil War structed the fireplace mantel in Judge Elijah Miller's home - -Ian nos 7 World (now the Seward in 181(5 when the house was built. War I Strong Cemetery2 House) S World War II 1 Revolutionary War The fireplace in the Abijah Miller home (now C. L. Dickin 1 War German Cemetery4 of 1812 son's in Ludlowville) is the same pattern and workmanship, - Civil War Liifllowville (new)18 so we think he constructed it at about the same time. 1 Also, -Revolutionary War 3 Civil War the mantel in the Charlotte and Estelle Stone residence in. 2 Pise Grove Cemetery Spanish-American 35 10 World War Trumansburg may well be another example of his handicraft. 1 I Revolutionary War 3 World War II 1 War of 1812 An early settler in Sugar Hill, Town of Orange, in Schuyler 1 East Cemetery Spanish-American War Lansing 7 County, Young was baptized into the Mormon Church and 1 Militia 4 War Revolutionary began to preach. He went to then to Nau- 1 Mexican Wa" 3 Civil War Kirkland, Ohio, 26 Civil War Illinois. After the Mormons were driven out of Total voo, these War .... 3 World War I Revolutionary 27 Total Civil War places, he led them to Utah, of which he was appointed ter 1 World War n m Grand Total 204 ritorial governor by President Millard Fillmore. Young encour- 70 71

aged agriculture, and manufacturing bridge buildin* -nd The house is beautiful with its polished butternut, walnut took a contract to construct 100 miles of the Union and oak cut on the farm and laid in designs. Cha.-les died in railroad At his PacSc death in he was 1877, reputed toTe and his wife in 1942. The place is now owned Mr. and million w!rtfa 1925, by dollars, had 19 wives and 57 children. Mrs. J. M. Maloney. Spiral Staircase Long in Building Whartons Produced Movies in Town Abram Osmun, born in 1809 in Michigan, came to and Lansing When the Wharton was pictures married Anna Shoemaker in Company making moving 1828. He was a P"o it is hardy at Renwick the early days of the indus neer; reputed that he could Park, Ithaca, during cradle grain all in day bare the actors spent much time and around feet He prospered and try, in Ludlowville, bought three farms near each other on old- at is utilizing the picturesque scenery of the falls, ravines and now Route 34 near North Lansing. ^ They had three time buildings that characterized the area. ^ 1831' marrl6d Jhn Conklinfjal bo^ Pearl White was a common sight in the and of such SISoSfiand IT7!Charles born village, # 1816. He built a fine large house on that she is yet remembered while other each farm for his striking personality children; the one on the east side of the members of the company are forgotten. In the "Perils of roaa erected in he kept 1851, for himself and Charles Pauline," a serial movie, she participated in a variety of ad hCart'S d0Sh'e vVaS a spiral sl^'case to reach y?l from ventures, including jumping off the brink of the falls, being the first floor to the cupolas in the roof, and it was planned rescued from the deep pool below, riding a runaway horse, when tne house was built. He had Honduras for its mahogany and like hair-raising stunts. When she wasn't busy, she would construction but no carpenter skilled enough could be found to do tne be out on the hill, riding on the long bobs with the town boys. work, so the lumber was stored in a shed for hog more Once while driving toward Buffalo she was arrested at Tru than half a century. mansburg for speeding and fined five dollars. When the judge He never saw the staircase, as he died June 1884 20, His started to return her change from a ten-dollar bill she had sons Jacob and Charles went to Groton and bought a cedar handed she him, said, it. I'm going out of this town ,?ts a^ot and a pine "Keep box for $100. showed in!" They Daniel Tichenor fast as I came where to the dig grave which was lined with 450 bricks laid At one time in the winter, the Whartons sent word for all up with water and and lime, a great flagstone was placed the big boys to appear with their on on top. All this is dogs, any size, any kind, ; told in the diary which Jacob kept for a when climbed the of years. Saturday, they steep side Indian Creek ravine for a picture. The boys never knew what As for the it all was staircase, in 1900 a man started to build it but about but were died they pleased with the ten dollars each was before much progress was made. At last, iu 1923, Wil paid. liam an Houser, itinerant carpenter, came from Detroit and Way," This scene was part of "The Great White and when asked to build it. It took him two years of daily labor but the it was shown at The Strand in Ithaca everybody here went to result is a magnificent display of craftsmanship. Each step see the boys on the screen, but the picture had been taken at had to be cut separately as they are smaller as ascend. they such long range that the youths and the dogs could not be distinguished. 72 73

issued 15th every month, Newspapers, Newsrooms-Index,

Ludlowville Once Center proprietor. Hustling J. J. Mitchell, PublicNelson E. Lyon. Ludlowville was a bustling village in 1865. It contained 2 Notary PhotographersJ. Fisher. churches, 6 2 blacksmith shops, a an Odd stores, drugstore, Farlin. PhvsiciansD. T. Barr, C. P. Fellows and a public a planing mill, a gristmill and a Marshall E. hall, Makers-Nelson Perrigo; and Handle sawmill. Spoke & Michael Dunn. From an Ithaca and Tompkins County directory of 1872, Sperry TailorsGeorge W. Newton. is learned of the number and type of business en something manager. Telegraph Office-J. J. Mitchell, terprises functioning in Ludlowville at the time. This infor mation indicates it was the hub of a large farming area before "panic" Lantern economic effects of the following Black Friday of Local Diogenes Carried that year had penetrated the region. ca Ludlowville: a local Diogenes repeated itself in This applies to business places. Names sepa History wno directory only Justice an elderly man was Charles rle^ a lanW Ue rated by commas, indicate individuals; a semicolon separates Newton D New York City by Dr was brought from firms. backromm of tneChoc upstairs quartered in an man He was Halls Lyceum. stairway. Burr's, an outside which was reached by Barbers Lyman Myers. Jo* dwelling, bridge just beyond the lower moved to the house Blacksmiths George W. Brown & Charles Gillett; Lester Later, he to the Road. leading Dug ,*., t-1(> Swartz & Willard C. Bowers. return on tne on the noon train and used to go to Ithaca Boots and Shoes Seymour B. Philemon L. Smith. He Hayes, in a newspaper even carried a lantern done up Wagon Makers William Robbins. six o'clock. He Barney Miller, aroused the curiosity before an act which DentistsAsa W. Smith. if he returned dark, set his lantern down the store. One time he Druggists. Mitchell. of the boys about Nelson E. Lyon, John J. engaged and while he was thus he went for his mail, Hats and Caps Seymour B. Hayes. when aside to find a bottle boys pushed the wrappings Furniture Mortimer M. Bristol. some of the concealed. Flour and Feed Mills-James A. Burr & Luther Myers; of whisky nicely Mills," Henry Myers, "Cayuga Lake Myers Landing. Merchandise Nelson E. General Charles G. Benjamin; Myers Yard Built Canalboats Lyon, successor to James A. Burr; William Mead, "Country the lake changed to." Before the coming of the railroads along orders promptly attended spot. In 1873, several canal Grocers Abram B. Vanauken. Myers Point, it was a hustling boatyard was constructed that- summer, the Hardware, StovesOrlando M. Avery & Edmund S. Miller. boats had been with one yet in the stocks. During Harness Makers John Banta. ready to launch another, proprietor.' feet of the milldam went out in a flood, Hotels the spring about 60 Seely's, Warren Seely, grinding1 it so sawing and Iron Founders Daniel H. Thayer. and menwere at work restoring could be resumed. Milliners Mary Bradley. operations at the mills 75 74

Revolutionary War Graves 'Different' in Town Barney Moore Was By ALICE A. BRISTOL ^ tatt, aSe and S' date <* burialplaces Mow Barney Moore was the village simple of Ludlowville in. an Died Age earlier day. His parentage wasn't generally known, but after 1. Capt. John Rouse 1834 92 Cemetery 2. Benajah 3 miles up his burial in Pine Grove Cemetery some one unknown caused Strong 1S36 Creek Road 3. 96 Thomas Hamilton Brotherton, 424 Lansingville Dd a low, inexpensive headstone to be placed above him and be 1829 77 White mi. Settlement, fc west of side one for his mother. 4. Micajah Starr Lansingville 1820 73 5. John Gram's Where he slept while was a but there was Conklin T26 1420, Rt. 34B living mystery, 73 Lake Ridge 6, Conrad Teeter mysterious where he took his meals. Certain house U13 86 Lake nothing 7. Caleb Jr. Ridge Lyon, 1832 88 in were sure to be awakened a bucksaw Tihuan Lansingville holds, turn, by sing Bower 1810 G6 9. ^'<-j. German its way through sticks of firewood not too many and Thomas Ludlow 1838 72 ing Iu. Ludlowville (Old) Lanterman 1813 72 there would Barney be found, earning his breakfast. His din L'.C Slarncr's, iHch 1819 VanOstrand Rd. 89 East ner and supper were provided in the same way. were 12. Jc!i!( Royal Lansing There 1U34 79 East 13. Richard Lansing regular homes for each each of the and if Townley 1810 76 meal, day week, 14. Charles East Lansing Townley 1817 55 East occasionally a meal failed to please him, that house was 15. Abner Ward Lansing 1838 81 North 16. Zcn.'is Lansing banned for some time while he sampled other cooking outside Tichenor 1833 76 17. ' Asbury Henry Lobar 1847 97 his list. 18. Peter Teeter Asbury 1832 83 attended the Presbyterian Church and sat 13. Jacob Asbury Barney regularly Smith lfi59 90 20. Asbury if not to throughout the hit; Henry Teeter 1810 97 quietly, say reverently, service, 21. Ichabod Asbury Field 1838 75 hands encased in black kid gloves. This habit was one of his 22. Maj. Asbury Peter Conrad 1827 58 Asbury two peculiarities. The other was his enjoyment 23. Ebenezer Brown outstanding 1817 96 Asbury Abram Bloom 1839 77 of funerals: he attended everyone he heard of no matter how Ephraim Asbury Bloom 1828 away. 100 . far 16. John Ozmun Asbury 18-15 72 Asbury 27. Abraham Ozmun At one time he was gone four days from the village, an 1848 84 Asbury occurrence so unusual it aroused *** finally apprehensions and a atJStlCS tt WiH be secn that th* youno-est search was planned when our bucksaw off thesert being suddenly begrr 27 veterans died at 55 and the rf- years, oldest at llo its familiar tune. My father went out to find Barney there The average age at death is just under 80 years his habitual task. His reply to my father's question was, "1 went to Trumansburg to a funeral I like to go to a funeral folks." even if it ain't my own A forty-mile walk there and back he had taken.

76 77

Alien Characters Took Root in Village

A responsibility that Ludlowville seemed obliged to assume was that of a whole group of folks eight of them eventually alien characters who took root in the village. All that any one ever knew definitely about them was that there they were, and there they stayed John and Maria Benson and their brood: Erastus, Rhoda, John, Mary, Lottie and Henry. If, as Holmes says, "We are omnibuses in which all our an

ride," cestors the Bensons carried curious loads with Indians on. the front seats. The features of that race were not marked excepting in the case of one boy who had the unmistakable small, beady eyes and immobile face of the Red Man. But it was their silence and patient endurance that distinguished them. Before it was known they were here, a dugout had been Road" made in a bank "up the Creek where they established

soil," themselves and became truly "indigenous to the derelict halfbrecds no doubt. One morning and nearly every morning thereafter the Ben- sons took the trail to Ludlowville, walking single file and headed by the father, to some open space in the village whei^e they stood, mute and motionless until about to become rooted to the spot, Then they moved silently to another place. It was Maria who started the fashion of calling her hus "Benson," Benson." band sometimes "Old Maria made it known that she was open to engagements for washing and cleaning, Benson for blacking stoves, cleaning cellars, chimneys and stovepipes for twenty-five cents the job. While one worked, the rest just stood, patiently waiting until all could go home together. All are now sleeping in the little plot in Pine Grove Cemetery set aside for them.

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