OLIh] m U)43 J^^'??^N ■,A (^ JOHNM.' o OLlTr -^ LIBRARY CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 067 113 906 All books are subject to recall after two weeks Olin/Kroch Library DATE DUE W^ Mwn bnqr Lo kl i GAYLORD PRtNTED JN U.S.A. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924067113906 Production Note Cornell University Library produced this volume to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. It was scanned using Xerox software and equipment at 600 dots per inch resolution and compressed prior to storage using CCITT Group 4 compression. The digital data were used to create Cornell's replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39. 48-1984. The production of this volume was supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Digital file copyright by Cornell University Library 1994. y. o [Copyrighted by ''Grip," 1899.] "GRIP'S" VALLEY GAZETTE. Vol. VII. No. 10 Albany, N. Y , October, 1899. Price PER Copy, f ^'^ 5°''" • ^3 "=" ( Leatherette. 30 c. Historical Souvenir Series No. 6. GROTON, N. Y.^ND-ViciNiTY ILLOSTRKTED, GROTON, N. Y., a very pretty village nestling in the Owasco valley, fourteen miles south of Owasco lake, has the general reputation of being a progressive, wide-awake, growing place. The topography of the surrounding country is rugged, though the soil is fertile and productive, many excellent farms, both low and upland pouring their products into the lap of this interesing vil- lage. On the east and on the west it is protected liy a range of hills, checkered with farms iu a high state of cultivation. The dip into the valley from the east is gradual while the elevations on the opposite side are considerably higher and steeper. Most excellent roads radiate_ north, south east and west from the village, some of them climbing the slopes of the valley in a long, winding course, so that teaming is comparatively light. While dairying largely occupies the attention of the ruralists, crops of all kinds of grain are raised and marketed. Hay is also a considerable product of the agriculturist in this section. This village now affords an excellent creamery, and it is probable that the time will come when some large firm which handles milk to a considerable extent both for the New York market and for condens- ing purposes will locate a receiving station here. Owasco Inlet, a small stream, flows north through the village, emptying into Owasco lake. The fall is not sufficient for very much of a water power. The adjacent country is fed by springs, so that the very best water for all purposes is provided \rith a liberal hand. There is a fmly equipped system for distribut- ing water, built and conducted by the corporation in 1888 at a cost of 123,000. Since then the en- largement of the . "system has raised those figures to $32,000. Eight or ten springs, two or three hundred feet higher than the village, furnish an abundant supply, which in hot weather is suffi- ciently cool to be palatable without ice. With such a head the water can be thrown entirely by pressure over the church steeples in the village This water plant is a valuable and paying invest- ment. A well organized and disciplined fire depart- ment with the apparatus belonging to a hook and ladder truck and two fully supplied hose com- panies form a capable defense against any ordi- nary fire. The village is also well lighted by electricity, arc lights being used in the streets and both arc and incandescent in the buildings. This improve- ment cost about $12,000 and is also owned by the village. Groton is a station on the Lehigh Valley rail- road, twenty-eight miles south of Auburn and but six miles froin the junction of diverging divisions of that road. It is in the northeastern corner of Tompkins county. Ten miles west is Cayaga lake, and Ithaca, the county seat, is about sixteen miles by rail. About the same distance by rail east is Cortland where the New York and Syracuse trains on the D., L. & W. railroad are accessible. At the railroad junction above referred to trains may be taken for the east and west, enabling passengers bound for any of the large cities of the state to reach their destinations in comparatively easy riding periods. The manufacturing interests of the village give employment to several hundreds of people and distribute among the townspeople many thous- ands of dollars The best bridges now in use are manufactured by the Groton Bridge and Manu- facturing Co. who also manufacture traction en- gines, road building and other machinery. The Groton bridge is known all over the world. Nor is Groton second in the production of vehicles of all descriptions of the better grades, manufac- tured by the Groton Carriage Co. Then there are other flourishing manufactories in Groton. which turn out furniture, flour, type-« writers, copy holders, dress skirts etc. HISTORICAL REVIEW OP GROTON. Groton was erected from the town of Locke and called Division, April 7, 1817. The name was changed to Groton on March 13, 1818. It origin- ally was a part of the town of Milton, which was organized Jan. 27, 1789, being then included in the limits of Montgomery county. The town was afterwards a part of Herkimer county, which was set off from Montgomery in 1791. Next it was a part of the territory set apart and named Onon- daga county, 1794, and in 1799 became a part of Cayuga county. On Feb. 20, 1802, when the town of Milton was divided, what is now Groton was included in the town then known as Locke. The most concise and the best written description of the early settlement of Groton is found in a pub- lished document, which was composed and de- livered as a lecture before the Groton Literary association on April 10, 1868, by Prof M. M. Bald- win, M. A., who was at that time the principal of the Groton academy. We take the liberty of quoting that part of the document which treats of the first appearance of settlers in the then for- est clad, frontier town of Central New York. Prof. Baldwins says : — "At the close of the last century, settlements were made nearly simultaneously in various por- tions of the town. But the honor of settling this beautiful valley in the centre of town is not un- disputed. Many tongued tradition brings to us, at least two, somewhat different stories. One is that Ephraim Spaulding and Michael Grummon from Battleborough. Vt., came to this place in June, 1795, cleared six acres of ground where the academy i ow stands and sowed it to winter wheat, and built two log houses, one for Spaulding near where William Hicks now lives and one for Grummon north of the sulphur spring. That HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. they were here before 1804 is undisputed. The other story is that Maj. Benjamin Hicks who had served with distinction in the revolution, under Col. Willett at Fort Stanwix, now Rome, against the British and Indians, in the many bloody battles fought in that vicinity, and to whom lot No. 75, in the town of Locke, now Oroton, had fallen, then living near Canajoharie, N. Y., had in his employ during the summer of 1797 John Perrin, formerly of Berkshire Co., Mass. During said time Hicks made an arrangement with Perrin to move upon said lot, commence clearing it off, cause it to be surveyed and to offer such portions of it to actual settlers as he should be able. In October of that year two teams with lumber wagons loaded with provisions, household fur- niture and other necessaries were fitted out ; Per- rin and his wife, with Kbenezer Williams from whom he found in the vicinity of James Mack- lachan's. "When some ten rods south of Benj. Hatch's they found a tree turned up from the roots. Here they halted ; and beside this tree they built a sort of shelter from the elements which they occupied for nearly a month, while they constructed a per- manent dwelling. On the first or second day in the dusk of the evening they were surprised to hear this question pronounced in a clear and manly voice, 'What are you doing here?' Look- ing around they beheld a hunter in full dress ; and they soon learned that he was John Bowker (father of Clinton Bowker,) one of the first settlers of Lansing, then on his way to visit friends in Dryden. Of course he camped with them. "Their house was of log and was located in the hollow south of Roland White's, and some four photo by Cooper. ELM STREET— LOOKING WEST FROM li.\RROWS STREET. Charlemont, Mass., going with the first load and Ezra Carpenter from Savoy, Mass., going with the second. "On and on they traveled day after day over roads well nigh impassable. During the latter part of their journey, when they had left all beaten paths behind them, Williams acted as guide for the teams, going forward on foot and selecting the track. For the last few miles he was directed by the 'blazed trees' along the lines which had been left by the original surveyor. "It seems that on the last day of their lonely journey, he had gone far ahead of the teams and had actually arrived at the bounds of 'the prom- ised land.' Here lay lot 75 in all its primeval loveliness but silent and solitary. At one time he saw in the distance beautiful wild deer as they swiftly fled away ; and at another, a huge, black bear, which slowly and reluctantly retreated be- fore him. Having hastily observed the 'lay of the land,' he returned to meet his companions, rods west of the road. It is said that the ground was then so marshy that it took them all day to cross with their teams for the first time the valley from their brush shanty to their log 'palace'. This is claimed to be the first house in this part of the town. "Then Williams, who was a surveyor, went on foot to Cortland and borrowed a compass and chain of Samuel Crittenden, grandfather of one G. D. Crittenden, and with these they surveyed the lot, and sub-divided it into portions suitable for farms, preparatory to offering them for sale in accordance with Maj. Hicks' plan. Before winter set in Williams and Carpenter returned to Canajoharie and thence to Massachusetts. Now whether Spaulding and Grummon, or John Perrin and wife were the first settlers in this vi- cinity, let others decide. The latter it seems to me, is much the most probable. "In 1804, Deacon Benjamin Williams, now 84 years of age, (1868) a brother of Ebenezer Williams, HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. Photo by Cooper. NELSON R STREETER. and also of Mrs. John Perrin. came to Groton to reside. Prom him I learn that Perrin and wife passed the winter of i797-'8 alone in the wilder- ness. The next spring, his father, Lemuel Perrin, and family came and settled on the thirty- nine acres, where B. Hatch's dwelling now is. It cost him three dollars per acre, and he afterwards sold it to Amzi Clark for |i8 per acre. "Also S. Jenks Carpenter, father of our Ruel B. Carpenter, came from Savoy. He worked for J. Perrin that summer and claimed to help clear off the first piece of land in the vicinity. In 1803 he bought fifty acres where Mr. A. Page resides and paid for it one hundred and fourteen dollars ■■iu gold'. "Ephraim Spaulding built a house a little east of William Hicks' which he sold to Ezra Loomis who occupied it in 1804. "Samuel Ingalls and Silas Stuart came about this time ; also Michael Grum- mon who built a house near F. A. Sherman's. "On May 7, 1802. Jonas Williams pur- chased one hundred and six acres for $320 - 25 and built upon it the first grist mill in Groton. This was one story and a half high, and it had one small run of -slone which was used in grinding both wheat and corn. To show the scarcity of musical instruments and the estimation of music among the people of that day, it is related that one of the custo- mers of the mill would sometimes bring along his violin as well as his grist, and that in return for the entertainment afforded the miller and his customers, his grist went toll-free. Then, he built the first saw-mill known to us as 'the old saw mill,' and which has lately been torn down to ■clear the track' for the Southern Central (Lehigh Valley) railroad. He also erected the first framed dwelling in the place where the Union block now stands. "Before 1804 Ezra Carpenter had married John Perrin's sister and moved upon the farm where Alfred Underwood now lives Admatha Blodgett from Homer bought the same farm three or four years after. "Dr. Nathan Branch occupied a house near John Vantine's. Jonathan Bennett lived in a house near Roland White's. Peleg Hathaway lived on the farm now owned by Henry Allen. Abiatha Hathaway dwelt nearly opposite to Virgil Hatch's, and John Perrin had moved and built a house near Aaron Woodbury's residence." From the same excellent authority we extract the following historical notes : — Jonathan Bennett was appointed the first Jus- tice of the Peace, 1805 or '06. Benjamin and William Williams erected the second frame dwelling in the village — in 1807. The first store was stocked in this building by these same men, the goods being transported from Waterford, ten miles north of Albany, by two horse teams. The journey occupied twelve days The usual currency which was legal tender at this store was ashes, which these enterprising merchants manufactured into potash which they carried to Waterford and exchanged for stock in trade. Hon. Samuel Crittenden was elected the first supervisor and Admatha Blodgett the first town clerk from the town of Groton. This county, named after Gov Tompkins, was formed by an act of the legislature dated April 17, 1817, in which it was created a separate couuty from the towns of Hector and Ulyssis, taken from Seneca county and the town of Dryden together with parts of the towns of Locke and Milton taken from Cayuga county. In 1818 the town of Division, Tompkins county, was named Groton on petition of its inhabitants, some of whom had moved from Groton, Mass., Photo by Cooper. NELSON R. STREETER'S RESIDENCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. and some from Groton, Ct. A few desi-ed that it should be named York. Nelson R. Streeter, well-known to the hard- ware jobbing trade all over this country and equally as well known as a very large patentee of useful household articles, obtained his start in life in the village of Groton. It was here he first made practical application of his ingenious ideas; it was here he persevered in his early struggles until rewarded by success. At the age of 31 years he arrived in this village, a custom foreman in the shoe business and at once started in for himself in partnership with F. H. Robinson. This was in August, 1869, and the business was opened up in the building now occupied by the skirt factory. Mr. Streeter was at that time in the same business in Borodino, Onondaga county, where Mr. Robinson had written him formed the firm of N. R. Streeter & Co. for the purpose of pushing his patented articles. The firm, which was composed of N. R. Streeter, D. H. Marsh, Dana Rhodes and H. K. Clark, opened an office over the First National Bank. The capitalization was practically nothing. The head- quarters of the firm were always retained in Groton during the life-time of Mr. Marsh because of his connection with the local bank, where it was desired that the banking business of the firm should be done. After a few years Mr. Clark died and his interest went to C. T. Converse. Just after the death of Mr. Clark the office was moved into quarters over Rhodes' drug store. After that Dana Rhodes retired from the firm. From time to time Mr. Streeter invented several new and useful articles which are in daily use all over the world. Among the most prominent and popular are the cold handle flatiron, chain pot Photo by Cooper. CORTI,AND STREET- LOOKING WEST FROM THE HILL. that he desired such a connection, as he wanted a practical man to take charge of the manufacturing department of the business. Robinson & Streeter sold to Morris & Young in 1870 and. in 1872, the latter sold to W. M. Peck, who moved the store into the building on Main street now a part of the Atwood Block. The following year or two Mr. Streeter withdrew from all connection with this shoe business for the purpose of pushing his inventions ; although during the years of i875-'6 he re-engaged in the shoe business in co-partner- ship with L. E. Draper. The firm was known as Draper & Streeter, who bought out S. M. Hall and continued the business during thoise two years in his old stand in the Bank building on Cortland street, where Cooper's photograph gallery now is. Upon his final retirement from the shoe busi- ness Mr. Streeter sold out to Mr. Draper and started in the manufacture of his inventions un- der contract with Rochester parties, having cleaners, mouse traps, etc. The folding mirror used in clothing stores to enable one to look at himself over his own shoulder is Mr. Streeter's invention. It was when the firm of N. R. Streeter & Co. combined with others in their line that they lo- cated in Rochester. The genius and industry of Mr. Streeter have been untiring and to-day the company controls over seventy-five patents, large- ly household articles which were devised and pa- tented during a period of twenty-five years, a majority of them being his own. Mr. Streeter travels almost constantly introducing his own goods. He has been in every state in the union and has made an annual trip to California for the past ten years, he having entire charge of mer- chandising the goods. The record of his journey- ings with the "drummer's grip" will probably ■ aggregate at the least 25,000 miles a year, and his acquaintanceship with the jobbing trade extends HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OI' GROTON. rhoto by Cooper. G. M. STODDARD. into every large city on this continent. A few years ago the firm established a branch office in New York. This Yankee inventor is an example of what pluck and ingenuity will do, if directed in the right channel. The toils and troubles, triumphs and defeats, tribulations, joys and sorrows of the average inventor make interesting reading. When engaged in the shoe business Mr. Streeter in- vented an attachment to a last, being assisted by Luther S. Wright, which swallowed up every dollar of a very fair accumulation from his salary, and resulted only in defeat. Thirty years earlier such an invention would have made a fortune. What gave him the start was the cold handle flat iron. Other inventions followed, but there came a period of low tide in the affairs of this inventor when the true friendship and confidence of his dear friend, D. H. Marsh, enabled him to get above water and ob- tain a firm footing. Then the merits of his inventions began to assert themselves. The public had to have them and deal- ers must meet the public demand ; all of which led to the enor- mous business his house is now doing. There is special inter- est in the fact that the tools which Mr. Streeter used when a shoemaker are kept as mementos. They are gilded with gold 22 karets fine and hang in a frame in his par- lor. A poem which he composed immor- talizes these tools. It is entitled "The old Tools in a Frame." Mr. Streeter was born in the town of Pitcher, Chenango Co., N. Y., October photo by Cooper. 7, 1838. He was one of the organizers and is a. charter member of Bryant Lodge, No. 198, Knights of Pythias, and is a thirty-second degree mason. By his marriage with Adelia Randolph of Oxford, which occurred in Borodino, Onon- daga county, June 20, i860, there are four children. They are Mrs. Charles P. Mosher of Philadelphia, L. N. Streeter of Kattanning, Pa., Mrs. Frank B. Mathews of Groton and Miss. Eraua, a recent graduate of the Groton academy, who is about to enter the Ithaca conserva torj'. Mr. Streeter is an active Republican in politics and has taken a conspicuous place in the affairs of the village, having served a» a trustee and on the board of education. The family live in a delightful home in the village, which is situ- ated on Cortland street, and has a very pretty outlook. Giles M. Stoddard, a prominent lawyer of Tompkins county and well-known among the lead- ing members of his party asan active, representative Democrat, is the present postmaster of the village, being near the end of his second term. Both ap- pointments came from President Cleveland, a compliment rarely bestowed by him, who usually considered that the good of the public service and the claims of his party followers were best con- served by passing around the appointments. Mr. Stoddard's first appointment was in February. 1888, about a year before President Cleveland con- cluded his first term Upon his second election he permitted the Republican postmaster to servi- his full time and then at the earnest solicitation of well known Tompkins county Democrats, appoint ed Mr. Stoddard, May 29, 1896, for a second term. Mr. Stoddard has been corporation attorney for several years and has done considerable of the im- portant law business in Groton and vicinity, hav- ing attended upon a general practice including many prominent civil cases. For many years he did all of the law busine.ss for the well known firm of Charles Perrigo & Co. He has taken an active part in many county and state conventions of 'his party. He was candidate for district attorney in 1884; has twice been the President of the village and a member of the Board of Education for nine years. Mr. Stoddard was born in Groton, Sept. 22, 1854. His grandfather, David Stoddard moved mumr-,' G. M. STODUARDS RESIDENCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. to Groton from Otselic, Chenango county, where he settled in 1803. His father Iren Stoddard, was born in Groton and both he and his wife are now living on a farm near the village. Mr. Stoddard was educated at the Groton Academy and in 1876 he entered the law office of W. W. Hare where he read law until 1879 when he was admitted to the bar at Ithaca. On Jan. i, i88i, he went to Colorado on important business for Charles Perrigo & Co., and upon his return to Groton the following Sep- tember he opened an office, continuing since then in what has proved a lucrative practice. He is a charter member of the Knights of P5'thias. On Sept. 6, J882, he married Miss Maud Loomis and they have one daughter, Miss Leola. Groton Iiodge, No. 404, Good Templars was instituted by Mrs. Stone Jan. 19, 1899, with fifteen members, and on Aug. 7, 1899. had forty- five active members. The following are the char- ter members : Henry Colby, H. McCloud, Eugene Woodruff, Mrs Eugene Woodruff Mrs. McCloud, F. B. Carrington Mrs. F. B. Carrington, Mr. Burr, Chas. H. Tarbell, Mrs. Chas. H. Tarbell, Earl Moe, Miss Ethel Baldwin, Miss Louie Lamont, J. H Zartman. Miss Jennie Preston, Miss Ina Pres- ton, Fay Howser, Harry Morey, Harry Green, ■Glen Johnson. Sherman Beach, Horace Main, Eugene H Baldwin, A. J. Baldwin, Asel Buck, Nellie Keefe. John Keefe, E. Burtenshaw, T. B. Hopkins, John Betts, Miss Nellie Tarbell, Ed. Hopkins, Mrs. Emma Cox, Geo. Underwood, Henry Westfall, Bruce Hyde, Elton Lane, Nellie Coggswell, Alma Sobers. The present list of officers are : John Keefe, C. T; Ethel Baldwin. V. T.; Louisa Shaw, S. J. T.; F. R. Carrington, Sec; Mrs. C. H. Tarbell, Asst Sec; E. H. Baldwin, Fin. Sec; Rena Morrisy, Treasurer; Earl Moe, Marshal ; Nellie Tarbell, D. Marshal ; J. H. Zartman, Chaplain ; Louie Latuont, Guard ; Harry Green, Sentinel ; C. H. Tarbell, Lodge Deputy ; C. H. Tarbell, P. C. T. The Political Equality Club of Groton— In a village so prosperous and up to date as Groton there can not be wanting intelligent and pro- gressive women in touch with the advanced movements of the times. So when Miss Harriet May Mills of Syracuse, state organizer of Woman Suffrage clubs, came to Groton in the spring of [Miolo In- Cooper. V K\V OP THK POST OFFICE. Photo Ijy Cooper. POST OFFICE ST.\FF. MISS I,OTTIE MONK. MRS. LE BARR. 189S, she found women already interested in her cause and ready to enlist in the work for political equality. On April 19, 1898, a club was formally instituted with the following charter membership: Mrs. Lina Field Avery Miss Ethel Baldwin, Miss Helen Baldwin, Mrs. Kate M. S. Baldwin, Mrs. William W Hare, Miss Georgia Hare, Mrs. Mary Mason. Mrs. Welthia M. Marsh, Miss Zell Niver, Mrs Mary E. Pinckney, Mrs Mary Smiley Rhodes, Mrs. Anna Rodriguez Mrs. Nancy H. Smiley Mrs. Lillian Marsh Tanner. Mrs. Eliza- beth C. Townley. The officers chosen to preside over the destinies of the new club were : Mrs. Kate M. S. Baldwin, Pres.; Mrs. Rodriguez and Mrs. Pinckney, V.-Pres ; Miss Ethel Baldwin, Rec. Sec; Miss Zell Niver, Cor. Sec; Miss Helen Baldwin, Treas. It was decided to make the first Tues- day of each month from October to June the time for meeting. A course of study along the line of civil government and con- stitutional history was pursued as a wise prep- aration for the use of the ballot. Later in the year the members became interested in local history and ex- cellent papers were given on the early set- tlement of the county and town and its insti- tutions. Through public lec- tures and parlor talks the justice of equal rights has been urged and the growth of the club rapidly pro- moted, until at the first anniversary the membership had more than doubled. 8 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. The Political Equality club of Groton was one of the two clubs instrumental in forming the Tompkins county organization in January, 1899, and its members hold many of • the offices. The coming year will be devoted to the study of house- hold economics and sanitary science as especially valuable to the housekeeper, while a careful re- view of questions of national and local impor- tance at every meeting will keep the members in- terested and informed in regard to the world out- side the home. At the school elections, where alone they possess equal rights with men, the members have taken an active interest, and firm- ly believing that the best interests of the school demand that women be represented on the Board of Education are persistently working toward ac- complishing that end.[ — Mrs. C. O. Rhodes The Groton Carriage Co. was organized as a stock company in 1876, with a capital of |20,ooo and the carriage manufacturing plant of Ashley Williams was purchased for the purpose of con- superintendent in February, 1886, and the follow- ing January was elected Secretary and General Manager. At the time of the death of Mr. Marsh, Mr Pike was elected president. From the time he took charge of the institution its business has been largely increased, until now the products of the enterprise are shipped all over this country and are exported to a very large extent. There are employed from 125 to 175 hands who are paid weekly. During one year there have been con- structed as many as 5.500 jobs. Buildings have been repaired and enlarged, some have been moved out on to adjacent ground so as to give ample room for increasing the capacity of the works, so that now between four and five acres of ground are required to accommodate the plant All modern appliances have been introduced, in- cluding steam heat, electric time indicators and electric light. The power is obtained by the use of steam. The company makes only a high grade of work, including buggies, spring wagons, traps, surreys and cutters. Every portion of the ve- Photo by Cooper. THE GROTON, N. Y,, CARRIAGE WORKS. tinuing the business, the site upon which it was then and is now located having been occupied by wagon manufacturing concerns since 1 836. The first record of the men who conducted the busi- ness which is available is in 1855 when William Allen and George Carpenter were engaged in it. The first officers of the new stock company which laid the foundation of the present business were : E. P. Atwood, president ; H. K. Clark, secretary ; D. H. Marsh, treasurer ; and A. J. Williams, gen- eral manager. Those who have served as presi- dents of the company down to the present time are : H. K. Clark. Corydon W. Conger, D. H. Marsh and William L. Pike. Under the conser- vative direction of affairs by the present officers the company has increased in capacity and built up a reputation which has become widely known throui'hout the country. Thej' are as follows : Presvient, W L. Pike; Vice-President, Dana Rhodes; Treasurer, W. M. Marsh; and Secretary, Eugene Marsh. In 1891 the capital was increased to $100,000. Mr. Pike came into the business as hide is constructed in these works and so thorough and well put together and so well finished are the vehicles that the company enjoys a high reputa- tion. Mr. Pike has invented a great many useful attachments which from time to time have been added for the purpose of improving the work. From 1876 to 1885 the work was carried along on the same old lines and the enterprise was gradual- ly losing ground. By modernizing the facilities of the works and improving the products the com- pany is now able to compete with any other similar enterprise in this country. William L. Pike, the President, is a practical carriage and sleigh builder. Since 1885, when he became a resident of Groton. he has been identifi- ed with many of the public improvements in the village. He was the first president of the village after its incorporation and held the office for two years. For several years he was a member of the board of trustees. Since his connection with the carriage company its annual business has increas- ed from $25,000 to |i75,ooo. Mr. Pike is a Demo- HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. crat. He has been a candidate for member of assembly when he nvercame a large adverse nor- mal vote. He has nlso been a candidate for su- pervisor, but has had very little time to devote to politics. Four years ago last fall he was elected a member of the Water and Light commission and last fall was appointed for a second term, the board having been made appointive. While a member of the board the electric plant for light- ing the village was installed. He is now the President of the board. Two terms lie served on the board of education. Mr. Pike is the son of a Baptist clergyman, who for sixty vears occupied the pulpit in various parishes in this state and New Jersey, who died at the age of 84 years. Aug. 9, 1898, and whose wife died Feb. i, 1899 when she was 83 years old. Both are buried at Liberty, Sullivan county. Mr. Pike was born in Rich- mond county, Jan. 9, 1853. At 18 years of age he became a resident of Truxton, Cortland Co., and began work in the manufacture of wagons. Two or three years later he started the business for himself at Tully, Onondaga county. The firm of Pike, Smith & Walsh was formed the fol- lowing year and carried on a considerable busi- ness at Tully for several years. The firm of Pike & Walsh succeeded to the business and in 1882 they entered into a stock company for the manu- facture of wagons at Waterloo, N. Y. Three years later Mr. Pike came to Groton as superintendent of the Groton Carriage Co. Educational and Social -The cleanliness of the streets, the number of fine residences, the large lots, making beautiful lawns possible, the bustling activity of the place, and the manifest spirit of improvement, cannot but favorably im- press a stranger as he steps into the village of Groton. Its care of its church properties shows a commendable spirit and activity on the side of the religious life of the communitj'. The social life of the village is not the least of its many at- tractions. The value of good institutions of learn- ing is also very evident in Groton. The old Academy was a powerful factor in the educational life of the community. That which has developed into the present valuable High School is an inesti- mable source of blessing to the youth, the influ- ences of which linger with one as the years go by. Photo by Cooper. W. h. PIKE These things, and many other matters which might be mentioned, produce a favorable impres- sion upon one who spends sometime in Groton. — Rev. J. H. Zartman. The Village Incorporated— On June n, i860, the village was incorporated under a general law with a population of 596. The state census of 1897 gives it a population of 1342, The first election was held August 4, i860, when Robert C. Reynolds, F. H. Robertson, William Williams, William Woodbury, and Daniel S. Delano were chosen trustees In 1890 this village was rein- corporated under a general act passed in 1870, making the office of President elective. The elec- tion, held in March of that year, resulted in elect- ing William L. Pike, president. Photo by Cooper. W. I,. PIKE'S RESIDENCE. lO HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized Nov. 6, 1887, by Mrs Phila Thomas of Syracuse, N. Y., with a membership of sixty-four regular and thirty-six honorary mem- bers. The oflScers were Mrs. Miles Morton, Presi- dent ; Mrs. J. G. Wilmot, Vice Pres. ; Mrs. D. B. Backus, Cor. Sec; Mrs. N. R.Streeter, Treasurer. Mrs. Streeter resigned later and was succeeded by Mrs. W. A. Marsh. It was soon decided that headquarters were necessary and the building known as the ''Old Journal Building'" was secured. In this a free reading room was furnished and opened to the public, Jan, 13, 1888. As oppor- lunties for work increased, more room was needed and the brick building at the corner of Mill and Cortland streets was rented. Here, in addition to the reading room, gospel temperance meetings one of the features of their work and a weekly prayer and praise service was planned and suc- cessfully carried out. The honorary members did a grand work visiting the shops and railroad sta- tion, hunting up the ''strangers within the gates," helping them to find pleasant homes, inviting them to the reading room and the temperance meetings, Sunday schools and Christian Endeavor Societies, and in every possible way hedging them about with pure and helpful influences. Their efforts were known and appreciated beyond their village home as was shown by letters received by the President of the older Union, from mothers and friends of absent boys, saying, "My boy is coming to vour town to stay for a time. Will you try to find him and get him into the society of your young people ? I shall feel safe about him there." photos by Cooper. CHURCH— LOOKING NORTH. GROUP OK STREETS. PARK— LOOKING EAST. WILLIAMS— LOOKING SOUTH. were held every Sunday afternoon. A "Loyal Temperance Legion of forty members was organ- ized with Miss Hattie Corning as Superintendent, and later a Young Woman's Branch of the Society with twenty regular and about the same number of honorary members. The office of president was filled by Miss Rose Hopkins, and afterwards by Miss Julia Backus and Miss Sara Hetherton. Mr. Eugene Starkey and Miss Donna Robbins took entire charge of the music for the Sunday meet- ings and by their conscientious faithfulness won the regard of all the workers. The young people as a whole brought to the work a vast amount of zeal, courage and enthus- iasm, and were able to do much that the older Union could not do. Social gatherings were made The brick building was sold in the fall. So on April I, 1889, the Union again changed its home, this lime to the building on Cortland St., formerly used by S. Hall as a shoe store. The same line of work was kept up until 1891, when illness of some of the workers made it seem best to close the read- ing room and for a time give up some of the work. At a meeting held in Sept., '91, Mrs. Byron John- son was elected President ; Mrs. L. A. Hinman, Vice Pres.; Mrs. E A. Baldwin, Sec; Mrs. D. C. Adamy. Treas. Not having headquarters meet- ings were held at the homes of the members alter- nately and Gospel Temperance meetings in the churches. As the object of the Union is to do the greatest good to the greatest number, and to enter every door possible, mothers' meetings, parlor HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. meetings, press work, flower mission work, and franchise were added to the year's program. On Sept. I '97. Mrs Rose Van Buskirk was elected Presidrni ; Mrs. E. Smiley. Vice Pres ; Mrs. Nora Hopkins, Sec; Mrs. M. P. Gale, Treas. The same line of work was carried out as in the previous years and in '98 Mrs. N. A. Harrington was elected President ; Mrs. E Smiley, Vice Pres.; Mrs. D. O. Clough, Sec; Mrs. M. P. Gale, Treasurer. At the present time the Union has thirty-two regular and eighteen honorary mem- bers with headquarters at Baldwin '.s Hall, where they hold their regular meetings and teach the children of the Loyal Temperance Legion, Much charitable work has been done during these years and many sad hearts com- forted and pointed to the better life. The Master's blessing has been upon the work, particularly the Gospel Temperance meetings, where life-long slaves of the liquor habit have been enabled to break the chains that bound them and through the power of Christ and His love, live pure, clean lives. The Groton Union, with all White Rib- boners the world over, are moving forward with consecrated effort, earnestly praying and expect- ing that the world will be taken for purity and temperance some glad day. The Excelsior Skirt and Manufacturing Company, which is managed by T. H. Lytle, was started by H. P. Colby in April, 1897, al- though the practical part of the work was in the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Lytle, who on Jan. 1, 1899, bought out Mr. Colby, thereafter conducting en- tirely the business themselves. The production of this enterprise consists of underskirts of high grade in English satteen, Italian and Taffeta silks, etc. Novelties in ladies' wear are also produced and designed by this firm who ship the products to all sections of the country The business, which was a small beginning, secured a substan- tial business footing only after Mr. and Mrs. Lytle had succeeded the original proprietor. Both of the present proprietors had had consider- able experience in the manufacture of ladies' Photo by Cooper T. H LYTLE Photo by Cooper. T. H. LYTLK'S SKIRT FACTORY. wear and knew just how to cater to the demands of the public. After taking possession, the new proprietors started the trade directly with con- sumers, selling their goods from house to house. As their work became known to the public it created a demand and then very quickly built up a large business with jobbers. Mr. Lytle, who has spent eight years in manufacturing ladies' wear, was for six years with the McGraw Corset company. He was born in Pott's Grove, Union couuty, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1866, and about eight years ago came to Homer, N. Y., and two years later removed to McGrawville, from which place he and his wife came to Groton to open up the business, the promoter having no practical experience. Mr. Lytle is a member of the Na- tional Protective Legion, On April 29, 1896, he was married to Minnie See of West Salamanca, Cattaraugus Co, Ancient Order of Hiber- nians, Division No. 2, was in- stituted in Groton vdth thirty members in September, 1896, Dr. Edward Meeney of Ithaca, the county president, and the county board being present. Rooms were rented in the Union block, but afterwards the quarters were changed to the present location in Main street, where the rooms are nicely furnished. The follow- ing year the Division gave a very successful concert and ball. The officers are : Presi- dent, M. P. Sullivan; Vice President, Morris Harrington ; Recording Secretary, Jerry Shea ; Financial Secretary, Michael McGovern ; Treasurer, John D. Carey; Representa- tives on County Board, M. P. Sullivan, J D. Carey, Michael Harrington. 12 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. The Congregational Church of New Eng- land was a result of that sturdy independence of thought and feeling which led the Puritans not onlj' to leave their home in the Mother country, but, also, and most wonderful, to put one side as effete and worthless the rubbish of ecclesiasticism which had grown up about the church of Eng- land. Their revolt carried them a long way, even back to the days of Christ and his disciples and the church which grew up in the wilderness of the new country was modeled and governed as closely as possible upon the one outlined in the New Testament records of the early Christian church. The movement westward began early with seats around the four sides, so that at least half of the congregation were sitting with their backs to the minister. The people used to go to church on horseback, the woman riding on the pillion behind her husband, and in ox-carts. Mrs. Sarah Burtch used to tell a story of a loose coup- ling pin which fell out and let the cart fall over backward, precipitating her and her escort, the grandfather of Mr. B. F. Hatch, into the mud and slush of a country road in spring time. An important factor in the service was the leader of the singing who stood up in front of the high pul- pit and ''lined ofP' the hymns. This prominent personage was also accustomed to enforce order and assist in the disciplining of unruly mem- Photos by Cooper, BAPTIST. CONGREGATIONAI,. THE CHURCHES. and the old state road from Albany to Buffalo — the Salt road — as it was called — -saw many a trav- eler from Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecti- cut looking for a home in ths western country. Some of them settled, satisfied to go no farther, on the farm lands along the way, and it was not long before the country was quite well occupied by its pioneers. The little church came to Gro- ton in eighteen hundred and five, almost as soon as the first settler, and was built of logs. It was located on the corner south of the present resi- dence of Mr. Fred Stickles, and was the first Con- gregational church in this part of the country. The rude little structure would be a treasure to the relic hunter of to-day. The pews were square. ST. ANTHONY'S, CATH. METHODIST, bers. We do not know the nature of the doc- trines taught and believed in the little old log church, but if the memories of those still living are to be trusted, undoubtedly they were a true expression of the stern hard lives of the members who reflected in their religion, the vincompro- mising struggle for an existence which they were experiencing in every day life. By and by, in 1818, the little church was torn down and a new frame structure appeared in its place with many modern improvements, one of which was a melo- deon, an innovation admitted very doubtfully and with many compunctions as to its propriety and good effect upon the people. The East Congre- gational church, as it was called, was a strong or- HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 13 ^anizatioii and prospered for many years, but Grotoii village, located in the 'Hollow" two miles west of the church, began to grow and gave indi- cations of its future prosperity and bustling ac- tivity. The village people began to dread the long ride up the hill to church and to desire a place of worship more centrally located, and which should be more convenient to many of them. There was s'.out resistance on the part of the East Hill peo- ple. They felt that the formation of a new church of a similar denomination would sound the death knell of their own but the necessity seemed urgent, a ad they simply had to give way to the larger numbers calling in another direction. The old church suffered greatly by the loss of so many of its members. It, ai length, ceased to be used in is original capacity, and was finally purchased by Dr. John Goodyear in 1864, moved to the village on Main street and is at present owned by Mr E. R. Nye and used as an Assembly Room for the so- ciety of Odd Fellows. So it happened that in February, 1849, members of different churches con- vened at the house of the Rev. H. A. Sackett to take into consideration the propriety of organizing a church in Groton village. After discussion it was resolved that a church should be organized on Friday, March 2d, 1849 ; that it should be Congre- gational in its government with a committee or rotary eldership for the transaction of business, whose proceedings should be subject to the review of the church. The council called for the purpose of considering and advising in regard to the mat- ter, being favorable, the church was organized with the following members : R. H. Osborn, Charlotte Osborn, Sylvanus De Lano, Jane DeLano, Betsy M. Pratt, Sarah B. Jeffers, Stephen H. Shaw, Eleanor Shaw, Mary Thomas, Louisa Reynolds, Sarah T. Allen, Dianth E. Sackett, Amelia Os- born, Esther P. Goodyear and Mary Wilson. It was decided to ask the Rev. H. A. Sackett to act as pastor for the first year and the trustees of the s >ciety promised to make every effort to raise the sum of four hundred dollars for his support during that time. The first deacons were Stephen T. Barrows and R. H. Osborn, and Sylvanus DeLano was made clerk. The early meetings were held in the Groton Academy, but steps were at once taken to build a church. A site was selected and William Allen, J. S. Reynolds, R. C. Reynolds and Ly- man Allen were appointed a building committee. Karly in 1850 it was decided to make application to be received under the care of the Ithaca Pres- bytery. The meeting house was completed at a cost of $3,000.00 and was dedicated January the twenty-ninth. 1851. Later there was a sale of the slips or pews which resulted in raising the sum of fi. 954-5°. ^°<3 eventually the entire debt vpas raised in a similar fashion After the Rev. H. A. Sackett left, the pulpit was supplied for some time by different ministers, until early in 1853 an earn- est call was given to the Rev. Augustus Pomeroy, a most fortunate choice for the weak struggling church. Mr. Pomeroy was an organizer. A man of great power, spiritually strong, and though severe- ly orthodox, yet of such sympathetic nature that all were attracted to him, even those who differed from him most widely in religious views. Mr. Pomeroy was gifted oratorically and it is said of him that whereas he prepared a sermon and used notes, yet often some trifling incident would turn him away from the labor of hours ; he would choose an entirely different text and speak as the spirit moved him. His memory must ever live in the church for which he did -so much and a'.s^ in the community, for his friends were not confined to the members of his own church and society. At this time beside the weekly prayer meeting, a monthly meeting was held and largely attended by the church members. There was, too, a standing committee whose duty it was to visit each year every family and member of the church, to inquire as to their spiritual welfare, and to see that delinquents were properly disciplined, a. duty which seems to have been attended to with great zeal, at least, if not with all the discretion which might be desired. The church at this time gave largely to Missions, both Home and Foreign, the collections of the first Sabbath of each month being devoted to this purpose. March 26th, 1864, Mr. Pomeroy re- signed, and in September of the same year Rev. S. J. Lune commenced his labors. July 5th, 1867, with the consent and desire of all the members except those of two families, it was decided that whereas: the Congregational form of church government is more iu accordance with the senti- ment of a large majority of the church and society, resolved that we hereby terminate our connec- tion with the Ithaca Presbytery. The church called the Reverend T. C. Taj'lor in 1867 and he was formally installed September 15th, 1869. He was succeeded by the Reverend Samuel Johnson, who preached until 1873, when Geo. A. Pelton was called to the pastorate. Mr. Pelton remain- ed for five years and during his stay a parsonage wasbuilt at a cost of J3,obo. The old Calvinistic creed was revised and modified and a new man- ual embodying a gentler and more humane con- ception of the christian life was prepared for the use of the church. Mr. Pelton was succeeded by the Reverend William A. Smith, who commenc- ed his long pastorate of twenty-two years May 19th, 1877. During this time the church has been very prosperous. The old meeting house has been replaced by a new brick edifice at a cost of f 12,000, which was dedicated by the Rev- erend Lyman Abbott in 1883. Death has been busy during these later years and the church has lost many loyal and untiring workers, but so long as the pain and travail of the world remains there will be a mission for the church of Christ, and all who believe in this will strive faithfully to do His work in any and all places. Mr. Smith resigned May ist, 1899, and in June the Reverend David H. Craver of Albany accepted a very earnest call from the church to act as its pastor. The present trustees are Mr. C. W. Con- ger, President, Mr. L. J. Townley, clerk, Mr. B. R. Williams, Mr. Seth C. Gooding, Mr. Daniel Bradley. Mr. F. J. Tanner and Mr. Marcus Sears. Those acting as deacons are Mr. L. J. Townley, Mr. Albert Chapman, Mr. M. Sears and Mr. F. J. Tanner. The standing committee consists of six members : Mr. Seth C. Gooding, Mr. D. L. Bradley, Mr. Andrew Campbell, Mr. M. Sears, Mr. Edwin E. Barney and Mr. Hart Blanchard. The church clerk is Mrs. D. L. Bradley and the membership as given in the Record Book of Jany. 9th, 1896, is one hundred and forty-six. [Mrs. L. M. Tanner. Bev. David H. Carver was born in Albany, and educated in the High school of Hartford, Conn., Union College of Schenectady and Auburn Theological Seminary of Auburn. From the first of these he graduated in 1890, after which he spent two years in business in Albany, entering college in the fall of 1892 and graduating iu 1896. He went direct to seminary, graduating in May, 1899, when he came to Groton to become pastor of the Congregational church. Y. P. S. C. E.— About February 8, 1887, after a series of special meetings, during which a large number of the young people of the church were converted, in order that they might at once be brought into active service, a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was formed, with a large membership. The records of the society for the first three years are not available, there- fore the exact membership or the officers during those years cannot be given. So far as can be 14 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. Photo by Cooper. H. G. MOE. ascertained, the presidents of the society have been Irving C. Fuller, Clarence H. Thompson, Miss Emily Hopkins, Mrs. D. A. Backus, L. J. Townley, Mrs. J. A. Blair, Miss Le Moine Candee and Miss Rose Hubbard ; they have been assisted by the following as Vice-Presidents : Miss Lottie Gooding, Mrs. H. G. Dimon, H G. Dimon, E. E. Barney, Miss Inez Mason, Wm. C. Moe, Miss Mabel Marsh, Arthur H. Stone, Mrs. Carrie Main, Mrs. A. D. Campbell and Miss Elizabeth Shank. Up to 1897, the combined office of Secre- tary and Treasurer was held by Miss Minnie Jencks, Miss Julia Backus, Miss Marion Smith, Miss Bertha Twiss, Miss Martha Buck and Miss Mabel McNiel. After that year the Secretaries were MiSs Mabel McNiel, Miss Pearl Conger and Miss Amanda Tyler, while the Treasurers have been Lewis D. Townley, Mabel McNiel, Earl Kostenbader and Miss Pearl Conger. The office of Correspond- ing Secretary has been held by Miss Martha Buck and Miss Mc- Niel. Misses Marion and Sylvia Smith have faithfully served as pi- anists. Since the or- ganization of the Jun- ior society in 1892, the following have been chosen from the mem- bership to serve as Su- perintendents and as- sistants ; Miss Julia Backus, Mrs. W. B. Gale, Miss Alice Lay, Miss Daisy Beach, Miss Mabel Marsh, Arthur Stone, Miss Rose Hubbard, Miss Le Moine Candee, Miss Gertrude Hay- dn, Miss Emma Hop- kins and Miss Mabel McNeil. The number of young people who have been members of the society is very large, the membership at one time being about seventy-five. Only five of the original members of the society retain their membership, and three of the num- ber have been called up higher. Owing to the removals from town and other causes, the mem- bership now numbers only about thirty and has the following officers : President, Miss Rose Hubbard ; Vice President, Miss Emily Hopkins ; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Mabel McNiel ; Recording Secretary, Miss Amanda Tyler ; Treasurer, Flovd Wilmot. — [Miss JuLiA Backus. The* Junior Society of Christian Endeavor was organized Sept. 17, 1892. The new society was gladly welcomed by the boys and girls, and they proceeded at once to do good work. The records of the society having been lost, the offi- cers for the past years cannot be given. About seventy-five boys and girls have appeared on the roll of the society during the seven years of its existence ; from among these, eight are known to have become members of some church, while others are doing active work in the Young People's Societies to which they belong, and one, Miss Maud McLachlan, is superintendent of a Junior society in her home church at Dryden, N. Y., while others who have gone from the knowledge of the society, could doubtless add to this record. Two of the early members, Miss Mamie Hall and Wm. Twiss, now answer to roll- call in Heaven. The present membership num- bers 26. and the society is officered as follows : — President, Raymond Morey ; Vice-President, May Mackey ; Secretary, Pearl Hilts ; Treasurer, Enoch Morgan ; Pianist, Hazel Allen ; while the several committees are in charge of the following chairmen : Walter Hibbard, Bertha Morgan, May Mackey and Pearl Hilts. The society is plan- ning for a reception in honor of its seventh anni- versary, at which it is hoped to have a roll call of all who have been members of the society. — [Miss Julia Backus. The First National Bank of Groton, N Y., was organized (mainly through the efforts of Dex- ter H. Marsh) March 3rd 1865, with the following board of directors : — Charles Perrigo, Dexter H. Marsh, Chapin P. Atwood, Arad S. Beach, Arte- mus Backus, John G. Stevens, Henrv Allen. John Photo by Cooper. H. G. MOE'S RESIDENCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF ©ROTON. 15 W. HaUaday, John Green, Clinton Bowker, Ly- man Perrigo, Sidney Hopkins and Samuel C. Rey- nolds. Charles Perrigo was elected President ; 'Sidney Hopkins, Vice President ; D. H Marsh, Cashier. It was the intention at first to organize ;the bank with $50,000 capital, but the Comptroller refused to grant a charter unless |ioo,ooo was sub- scribed, therefore that amount was raised at once. The bank has been successful from the start, the stockholders having received in dividends over j$30o,ooo. The last report to the government shows that the surplus and undivided profits of the bank were nearly |6s,ooo, deposits $310,000 and loans 1330,000. In 1890 Charles Perrigo was succeeded as president by D. H Marsh. After his death in 1895, his wife, Mrs. W. M. Marsh, was elected president and still holds that position. The present vice-president, Chapin P. Atwood, was elected in 1872. H. G. Moe was elected cashier in 1890, having served first as bookkeeper and then as assistant cashier since 1867. These officers, with the following named gentlemen, comprise the present board of directors: — Jay Conger, Frank J. Tanner, Dr. Miles D. Goodyear, and Arad S. Beach. The large amount of busi- ness transacted and the steady increase of deposits bespeak the confidence of the community. U. W. Cooper, to whom great credit is due for the many pretty pictures which he has taken for This Souvenir, has had considerable experi- ence. His gallery is fitted up very fine indeed, better in fact than is usually the case in a town of this size. He was born at Fond du Lac, Wis., Jan. 19, 1857, and was educated at the Union Seminary, Red Creek, N. Y.. and at the public schools, Auburn, N. Y. In 1877 he began practi- cal work as a photographer with Tuttle in Mo- ravia, and in 1878 entered into partnership with Photo bv Cooper. THE FIRST N.\TION.\I. B.\XK. M. W. COOPER, .SOUVENIR ARTIST. G. W. Moore at Ira Station, Cayuga county, the firm conducting a portable gallery for over a yeari when Cooper bought Moore's interest and man- aged the business alone for the ensuing year; In i88o-'i he was with the Union View Co., of Rochester, leaving that firm in the fall of the latter year to run a view wagon. In 1882 he and Brigdon started a gallery in Moravia, an^ during the fall of the same year Cooper sold out to Brig- don and went into the portrait house of S C. Tall- man & Co. at Auburn. He was with thePeabody Portrait house. Auburn, N. Y , and Sprague & Hathaway of Boston two years. In 1888 he bought out Green at Groton and has been here ever since. On Nov. 24, 1884, he married Miss Minnie B. Doris of Auburn, and they have four children, Fred, Carl, Willie and Clifford. Mr. Cooper, the official photographer of the George Junior Republic since its beginning, has furnished hundreds of photo- graphs of its citizens for publishers of illustrated magazines all over the United States and London. Owasco Valley Club— This club which has its homeiin Union block on Cortland St. was or- ganized April 10, 1897, with upwards of seventy charter members. The following were elected as a Board of Managers : Benn Conger, H. G Moe, W. E. Gobel, E. A. Landon, Dana Rhodes. E. E. Dye, J. B. Losey, E. P. Watrous and B. R. Wil- liams. The officers are, Benn Conger, President ; W. B. Gale, Vice-Pres. ; B. R. Williams, Secret tary ; and H. G. Moe, Treasurer. The club has seven rooms in its suite and is provided with billard tables, card tables and all modern games and conveniences No liquor is allowed in the rooms under any circumstances, and no bet or wager of any kind is allowed on any game played in the rooms. Since its organi- zation the club has developed some very fine whist players who are yet too modest to have their names published in connection therewith. The club is very hospitable to strangers and is very much pleased to extend the courtesies of the rooms to all gentlemen visiting the town. A large and well selected assortment of magazines and daily papers are always to be found upon the tables. i6 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. photos by Cooper. JOHN M. BLANCHARD. H. J. BLANCHARD. John M. Blancbard was one of the early resi- dents of Groton who took an active part in its agricultural history, and who, after achieving a well earned success in his chosen field, passed away leaving substantial fruits of an active, up- right and industrious life. Mr. Blancbard was a native of this county, born in Dryden, Feb. 14, 1832. His father was William Blancbard and mother Marillia Taylor Blancbard. His grand- father was Nathaniel Blancbard, a Massachus- etts soldier who fought under Washington at the siege of Boston. His great grandfather was Na- thaniel P. Blancbard who came to this country from England and settled near Boston, Mass. While Mr. Blanchard was an infant his parents removed from Dryden to Owego, N. Y. When he was about six years of age they emigrated to Michigan leaving John M. and his younger brother, Hartson T.,with the grandparentsin Dry- den and taking Justus S., the oldest son, with them. After a short residence in Michigan the mother died of typhoid fever and the father soon followed. The subject of this sketch then went to live with an uncle at Meadeville, Pa., remain- ing with him about four years. About this time the uncle sold his propertj- at Meadeville and came to visit friends in Lansing and the western part of this town, bringing John M. with him. He then determined to emigrate to Illinois and drove away deserting the boy, leaving him crying bitterly in the middle of the road. Mr. Blanchard made his way to a nearby farm house where the kind hearted owner. Captain John Guthrie kept him over night and next day he hired out to a farmer to work for board and clothes and to be allowed to attend district school in winter. For about seven vears Mr. Blanchard worked as a farm hand. He then apprenticed himself for three years to Adin Morton of this place to learn carriage iron- ing. After working at this trade about six years and finding it was injuring his health, he deter- mined to go to California and seek health and fortune in the gold fields. He went by water via Panama.and had several stirringadventures while crossing the isthmus. While on the Pacific the steamer took fire several times and twice they thought she would burn to the water's edge. But he landed safely at San Francisco and at once made his way to the mines where he was ill for several weeks but gradually gained strength and taking up a claim went to work. Here he was successful and had banked a goodly sum when the bank failed and all he had was swept away. Again taking courage he started anew and by dint of hard work and rigid economy gained another financial start and came home. He next visited Illinois thinking to settle there, but contracting malarial fever came home where he was subjected to a long and severe illness and his savings again were gone. In May, 1856, Mr. Blanchard was married to Elois A. Owen, daughter of Daniel Owen, who recently died at the advanced age of ninety-six. Mr. Blanchard and wife took up the occupation of farming which they followed very successfully many years. He bought and sold farm property quite extensively having owned eleven different farms. In 1883 Mr. Blanchard sold his farm near McLean and retired from this pursuit. In 1884 he purchased twenty acres of land on Cortland street in this village and erected the present commodious and substantial residence which was his home until his death which oc- curred March 22, 1898. He is surviveii by his wife, and two sons Hartsonjohn and Frank. His remains were interred in the family lot in Groton Rural Cemetery. He was considerable of a trav- eler having been in nearly every part of North America. His success in life was that of a self made man. Fairview Poultry Farm is the name by which the Blanchard place is known, as the oldest ■I** t/ftir- ... 't> . Photo by Cooper. H J. BLANCHARD'S RESIDENCK. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 17 son, Hartsou J., has conducted a large and verj' successful poultry business there for some time. Single Comb White Leghorns are the only kind kept and they have been very carefully selected and bred for superior laying qualities, large size and vigor, as well as standard points. Large num- bers of eggs for hatching and stock for breedinf; purposes are shipped to all parts of the country. But the principal business is the production of fancy market eggs which are sold in New York city, shipped twice and three times each week ami guaranteed new-laid. Hundreds of chickens are hatched and raised each year by the use of incu- bators and brooders. Hartson J. Blanchard was married April 25, 1894, to Ella N., only daughter of David H. Coggshall of West Groton. They have one child, John David. Benjamin P. Carpenter, the dentist on Main street occupies very pleasant parlors, neatly and tastefully arranged and provided with the best ap- pliances in general use by modern dentists. Al- though a comparatively new comer, having lo- cated in Groton in May 1898, he has already built up a large practice which is growing consider- ably every year. Dr. Carpenter was born in Westport, N. Y., Dec. 30, 1876, educated in the Westport Union school, where he was graduated in 1S94 with honors being selected as the valedic- torian of his class, and where he spent a year in taking a post graduate course. Having decided upon entering the profession of dentistry he en- tered the University of Maryland where he was graduated 1898, coming directly to Groton and beginning practice in this village. On April 12 1899, he was married to Mendana F. Hold, of Keene, N. Y. He is a member of the Knights of Photo by tht owner FLOCK .SIXOI.E COMB WHITE LEGHORN CHICKS, FAIRVIEW K.'VR.M, H. J. BL.^XCH.'VRD, PROP'R. Photo by Cooper. B. F. CARPENTER. Pythias, the Owasco Valley Club and the Histori- cal Society of Groton. The Municipal Building, to be located on Cortland st , will be 50x95 feet in area and 58 feet in height. The roofing and siding are to be steel. The village has appropriated thirteen thousand dollars for the purchase of a lot and erecting a building On the first floor, left of the entrance are to be the rooms for the Pioneer and Conger Hose companies with dry- ing room in the rear. The Citizens H. & L. Co.'s rooms will be at the right of the entrance, with com- pany parlors in the rear. Back of the fire depart- ment are the village coun- cil rooms connecting with a large assembly room by double doors and in the rear are rooms for the janitor, kitchen and store rooms. The Hose companies parlors are to be in the front, second floor, and in the rgar is to be a large hall with gal- lery and -stage, and a seating capacity of 850. The building will have electric light, steam heat, closets and other modern conveniences. The con- tractors are : Masonry, Robert Logan, Waterloo ; carpentry, D. L. Bradley, Groton ; metal work, Thomas D. Callahan. Syracuse ; plumbing and steam healing, Groton Bridge and Manufactur- ing Co., Groton. iS HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. I'hotos by Cooper. VIIXAGE COUNCII,. L. J. TOWNLKY. Clerk. F. A. BEGENT, President A. J. BOWER, Trustee.^ W. E. GOBEL Electric Lighting SyBtem.— Groton is cred- ited with being one of the best lighted small vil- lages in the country. The lighting system, like the water system, is the property of the village. The plant is centraKy located upon grounds which are the property of the village. In its building, steam power and electrical machinery, it combines the best. It cost the village about twelve thous- and dollars. Thirty-six arc lamps light the streets. Like the water works, the citizens feel a large de- gree of pride in the excellence and good work of the svstem Photo by Cooper. THE ELECTRIC LIGHT POWER BUILDING Impressions — Groton is a prosperous ener- getic village in which lazine.ss is coiisi>icuous by its absence and thrift by its presence — omni- presence one might almost say ; for there are few who shirk in Groton. Some well founded manufacturing concerns furnish employment to many men and are the bickbone of the vil- lage's business prosperity. People in all parts of the country know what it is to ride over Groton bridges and many have driven over them in Groton carriages. The Groton Bridge and Manufacturing Company, in addition to building bridges, manufactures stone crushers and traction engines, and is the chief manu- facturing enterprise of the village. The Groton Carriage Company is a long established firm and puts a thoroughly made product on the foreign and home markets. The Crandall Typewriter is made in Groton and is a favorite typewriter among profes.sional men. The vil- lage is well supplied with retail stores and these seem well supplied with goods and cus- tomers. A carefully constructed cold storage plant receives produce from the farms about Groton, while itsice freezing apparatusfurnishes artificial ice to those who desire. A milk station receives and ships milk to Philadelphia. Land in the Owasco Valley is fertile and the town of Groton possesses many well worked farms outside the village. While one is im- pressed with the businessthrift of this place the people are by no means neglectful of other things. There are several literary, social and fraternal societies in town, and the gentler arts of literature and music receive proportionate attention. Well kept lawns, many bounded by newly laid cement walks, and homes of tasteful architecture attest appreciation of the beautiful. The social lift of Groton is abundant and its cordial hospitality makes this especially pleasant to a newcomer. The educational facilities are a feature of the town. A commodious brick building, pleasantly located, is occupied by a Grammar School and a High School. The former does away with the many poorly equipped district schools sometimes found in villages, and furnishes instead, a .school well equipped with apparatus and officered by a competent corps of instructors. The High School has a carefully chosen faculty, and its grade meets the requirements of the New York State Regents' system. It prepares directly for college, to which it an- nually sends a goodly proportion of the graduating class. The town is proud of a partic- ularly beautiful cemetery located on a hill overlooking the village and with lawns and roadways kept in order by careful attention. A gravity water system brings into the houses clear, cold spring water of no ordinary purity. The reser- voir is high above the village and furnishes a heavy pressure for pro- tection against fire. Two ellicient hose companies and one hook and ladder company have an honored record of services rendered in the past. An electric lighting plant, owned and operated by the village, lights its streets and houses. There are four churches. Roman Catho- lic, Baptist, Methodist Episcopal and Congregational. A blessing in the town's religious life is the fact that llie place is not over- cliurched. There is plenty of HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 19 work for all the churches to do, and the utmost of good fellowship is inanifeKl be- tween them.- [Rev. David H. Cr.wer. The Water works. — Kleven years ago, the present season, the water works system was put in. It is supplied by gravity from springs situated three and a half miles north- east of the village. The village owns forty acres within which the springs are situated. Besides these springs now in use, the right to others is held, affording an ample supply for the future. A half mile below the springs is a settling basin and from this the water goes to the main reservoir on the hill over- looking the village. A very strong pres- sure is obtained and its availabilitj' for me- chanical and fire purposes is most excellent. The cost of the entire system, including several extensions, is thirty-two thousand dollars. The Columbian Club — This organiza- tion was formed February 27, 1892, in re- sponse to the spirit of intellectual awaken- ing which was noticeable all through the laud by the founding of Women's Clubs, having various objects in view. It was fed- Photos by Cooper, erated with the State Clubs in November, ^- ^- "Ridley. 1894. The limit of membership being at first twelve, was soon extended to fifteen and later to twenty members. Early in its history a Consti- tution and By-Laws was adopted, a recent revision of which provides for an associate membership and a "waiting list." The Club's aims are liter- ary and social. The first two years were devoted largely to current matters. In 1894 the study of historj' was chosen as the chief literary work, the year opening with the "Dawn of History" and continuing in a review of Egypt, Chaldea, As- syria and Babylonia. During this year the Club became associated with the "Society to Encourage Studies at Home," a correspondence society hav- ing headquarters in Boston, continuing its connec- tion through '95-'96, which year was devoted to a still further survey of The Ancient World. WATKK. .•VND LIGHT BO.\KlJ. W. L PIKE, I'res., DANA RHODES. Copied by Cooper. MUNICIPAL BUILDING. Krout Elevation. Greece, Rome, Spain and Italy have since been studied, and the outline for the year 1899-1900 em- bodies the history of France from its Monarchical founding to the present day. Satisfactory studies in history have been made possible by the use of the "Traveling Libraries" which the stale pro- vides. The social features of the Club are its annual receptions, Feb. 27, and its open meetings to which invitations are extended to the gentlemen. These events are usually suggestive of the year's work. It is worthy of mention that each and everv member realizes her obligation to the organiza- tion and conscientiously and faithfully performs the duties assigned her. The various officers of the Club are duly installed at the annual meeting in June. The presidents of the Club, from its founding to the present time were : Mrs. A. M. Baldwin, Mrs. C. O. Rhodes, Mrs. J. B. Losey, Mrs. F. J. Tanner, Mrs. E. A. Landon, Mrs. E. M. Avery, Mrs. C. F. Cox, Mrs. W. M. Marsh. Mrs. K. M. S. Baldwin. The Plowing Wells. — There are a number of fine flowing wells in the village. Some have a depth of over a hundred feet and from them gush clear, cold, sparkling water, impregnated with medicinal qualities which add to their value and health giving properties. Though the water system furnishes water of excellent quality, yet many secure that from the wells for table use. Town Sunday School Association.— An or- ganization of much interest in the town is that of the Town Sunday School Association. The meetings are held semi-annually. In the sum- mer they are held with the country schools and in theljwinter, with those in the village. The meetings are largely attended and are a source of much interest. They infuse new life and spirit into the work of the schools. The officers are : Pres., L. J. Townley; Vice Pres., Nelson Stevens; Sec'y, Emma Bliss; Treas. D. W. Pierce. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTOX. , I'hoto by Cooper. MRS. \V. M. 3IARSH. OFFICIAL AND BUSINESS RECORD, '99 OFFICIAL. County— Bradford Aliuy, County Judge and Surrogate ; Eugene Terry, Surrogate's Clerk ; J. L. Baker, Special Count}' Judge; Leroy H. Van Kirk, County Clerk ; Anna Ball, Deputy Clerk ; diaries H. Blood, District Attorney ; Samuel J. McKiuney. Sheriff; Grant Curry, Under Sheriff. Ithaca; Charles Ingersoll, County Treas- urer ; Ransom Johnson, Coroner; J. W. Brown, Coroner; John Flickinger, Coroner; Newton D. Chapman, Coroner ; James S Lyke, Supt. of Poor ; Georfje W. Babcock Loan Commissioner; James Dick, Loan Commissioner; Minor McDaniels, School Commissioner ; Grant H. Halsey, School Conimi.ssioner ; Theron Johnson. Member of As- sembly, Dryden, X. V.; f reorge W. Ray, Repres- entative in Congress, (26th District) Norwich, N. Y.; Charl s T. Willis, State Senator 140th Dis- trict) Tyrone, N. Y. Town — Supervisor, A. M. Francis; Clerk. Mar- shal A. Downing; Justices of the Peace. Herman .''^. Hopkins, Xewton Bald- win, James Montfort, Nelson Stevens ; Asses- sors, Marcus Sears. W.H. Bulkley, Milo E. Gillen ; Collector, Edwin Fish ; Highwav Commissioner, Ward D. White; Over- seer of the Poor, Wm H. Burnham ; Constables, Timothy Heffron, Chas. Hyde. Marshal Wood- bury, Myron Robbins, Marion McElheny. V i 1 1 age — Pre.sident, Frank A. Begent ; Trus- tees, W. E. Gobel, Albert Bower ; Treasurer, Chas. O. Rhodes ; Collector, Jay G. Beach ; Clerk, L. J. Townley. Photo by Cooper. Water and Light Commissioners — W. L- Pike, President, Dana Rhodes, D. L. Bradley ; Power House Engineer, Morris Yates; Street Commissioner. Thomas Moran ; Collector of Light and Water Rates, C O. Rhodes. Board of Education — President. Benn Conger; Vice President, G. M. Stoddard ; Secretary, H. G. Dimon ; Treasurer, H. S. Hopkins ; Trustees, H. G. Moe, E. M. Avery, L.J. Townley. PROFESSIONAL AND MERCANTILE. Attorneys and Counsellors— W. W. Hare, Main St.; G. M. Stoddard, Main ,St ; Dana Rhodes, Church St. Barbers — Frank Lane, Main St.; Goodrich, (S. W.) & Son (George) Main St. Barber and Billiards — William Graveley, Cavuga St . Frank Gould, assistant. Billiards— E. R. Nye, Main St.; The Atwood, F. L. & L. W. Kendell, Props. Bank — FiKST NaTionai:, — President, W. M. Marsh ; Vice President, Chapin P. Atwood ; Cashier, H. G. Moe ; Bookkeeper, W. B. Gale. Clothing— F. R. Atwood, Main St. Confectioner and Baker — S. J. Pugh, Main St. Confectionary and News— Wm. M. Avery, Main St. Dentist— B. F. Carpenter, Main St.; A. W. Smith, Cortland st. Dry Goods and Groceries. — A. J. Baldwin, Cortland St., Anna Ashley, clerk. Druggist and Stationer — Newton A. Collings, Main St., Clarence Tucker, clerk ; Charles O. Rhodes. Main st. H. J. Bradt. clerk. Express Co. — United States— C. Hurlburt, agent Flour, Feed, Coal, Hay.— Gooding (S. C.) & Halladay (Grant) Spring st. Fire Insurance. — William Williams & Co., Main St. Furniture and Undertaking.— J. I. Booth & Son (Alvin), Main st. General Merchandise. — D. M. Atwood & Co., Cortland St., Harry Leach, clerk. Grocers. — F. C. Atwood, Main st., David Woods, clerk. General Store.— C W. Conger & Co.— C. W. Conger, Frank Conger, M. J. Conger, Jay Conger , ^ti-if,**-; MRS \V. M. MARSH'S RESIDENCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. and Benii Conger, prop's; Mary J. McGrail. book- keeper and cashier, H. A. Brooks, men's furnish- ings and shoe dept., M. C. Swartwout, dry goods •dept., J. A, Karlin, merchant tailor, Peter McGrail, Wm. WoodruflF, Sarah McGrail, V. E. Lincoln. Edwin Hicks, George Judson, Lee Lincoln, Albert Hall, James Curtis, J. A. Albert, •employes. Groceries and Harness.— Pickens (George) ■& Bower (Albert), Main St., Victor Grant, clerk. Hardware, Plumbing, Steam and Electric Pitting. Buck, (B. L.) & Gobel, (W. E.), Cort- land St , J. F. McClintock, F. W. Hopkins, J. J. Keef, employes; N. Harris & Son (Frank), Main ■St., Wm Hauser, George B. Close, employes. Hotels,— The Atwood F. W, & L F. Kendell, proprietors, Main st , Miss Ada Birchard, Harry B. Hyde, assistants; Groton House, Mrs. B Knif- &n. Prop , Main St., clerk W. H. Hannett, Ida Che.seman, Jay R. Chese- ■nian, assistants, James Kenion, 'bus driver; Cen- tral Hiitel, Mrs. Wm. Wilcox, prop. Jewelers. — A. E. Trea, Main st ; E. R. Haydn. Ii a u n d r y. — Thomas Wurrav, Cayuga St.; Robt. Boile, Mrs. Helen Hall, Irean Hall, employes. Livery and Truck- ing —Hill (R. H.) & Hol- den (N ), Cavuga st. Livery- E N. Halla- draft a constitution and by-laws for the govern ment of the proposed organization. The labors of this committee resulted in a series of articles ami bv-laws which were reported to a meeting called for the purpose, discussed section by section, amended in some particulars and adapted. An election for officers was held in April, 1891, and a President, Vice-Pre-sident, Secretary and Treas- urer chosen with eight minagers or directors who with the officers composed a Board for the man- agement of the affair.s of the association. Three members of the Board were named an application committee whose duties were to decide upon re- ceipt or rejection of candidates for membership Three also were chosen from it as a visiting and auditing committee to decide upon the justness of claims and draw orders upon the Treasurer for payment of them. To become a member a formal application, blanks for which are furnished, certi- fying age and physical soundness must be signed by the applicant and accompanied by a fee of one dollar, handed to the chairman of the application committee. If favorable report is made it is re- tained, if adverse it is returned to applicant. None are received over 5o years of age. It would con- duce more to the interest of the association if the age limit was 40 years. The person so accepted is given a copy of the constitution and by-laws certificate of membership signed by the secretary and a card with the months of t^^e year on end margins and opposite the letters R and S — R for regular assessments and S for special ones — ^with name of member certifying over signature of the Treasurer that he has paid all assessments which are cancelled by his punch like perforation at the top of the card. This is the holder's receipt for dues, as the letter is punched against the month for which dues are paid. The visiting committee visit the reported sick, disabled or dead, receive from claimant of benefit a doctor's certificate of time of medical attendance during disability, ad- just the claim and draw an order on the Treasur er for the amount. Each succeeding month after the initiatory one the membership is retained by the payment of fifty cents to the Treasurer upon the first Saturday of each month — an allowance of three days of grace being given the following HERM-\X. S. HOPKINS' REAIDKNCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 25 week in which to complete payment. This pro- vision covers the weekly pay day in each manu- facturing establishment of the village. Failure to pay promptly within the days specified is visited by a fine of twenty-five cents and suspension from membership and benefits till fine and dues are paid. A restoration to standing can be ob- tained within a month if delinquent is free from injury and in usual health. The amount a mem- ber cau draw in any one year for sickness or dis- ability arising from accident is sixty dollars, or one dollar per day for not less than six successive working days nor for more than 60, unless in case of death, when $60 are allowed the widow or estate of deceased as a funeral benefit. The opening of books for enrollment resulted in ob- taining fifty-seven the first month and forty-one more before the close of the year. No officer re- ceives any remuneration for services rendered ex- cept the Secretary and Treasurer — both offices 87 members and receipts of $400, with expendi- tures $217.40, the members have increased at close of 1898 to 141 ; receipts, I884.10; expendi- tures I893.75 ; and a surplus of J588.61 in certifi- cates of deposit drawing 4 per cent. During the existence of the association it has paid its mem- bers for sick, accident and death benefits over fc.ooo. Though its officers have changed from year to year, that the burdens might be more evenly distributed, it has retained its Secretary and Treasurer since the removal from town of its first one, W. H. Conklin. The officers for the present year, 1899, are: President, A.J. Bower; Vice-President. Arthur Walpole ; Secretary and Treasurer, Ashbel Landon ; with Board of mana- gers or directors : W. G. Evans, H. B Curtice. N. A. CoUings, Chas. Hyde, Fred Corning, J. B. Losey, M. A. Downing, and Jas. Mathers. Of these, M. A. Downing, Chas. Hyde and Jas. Mathers are on the visiting or auditing com- Photo by Cooper. C. O. RHODES' DRUG STORE. being combined in one individual — who keeps an individual monthly account with each member, a book of receipts and expenditures of the associa- tion, collects all dues and pays out all moneys on official orders, and receives a per cent, on amount collected. The first year it was fixed at one per cent., afterwards four per cent., and now ten percent., each rate after the first having been fixed by amendments to the constitution at an- nual meetings in December. The constitution when adopted limited membership to employes of Bridge Co., and the surplus fund to $250 after which dues should be remitted until drafts brought amount below that sum. But at an an- nual meeting it amended that provision and extended privileges of membership to all eligi- ble persons in town and village. But once in the history of the association has a special assess- ment been ordered to replenish the treasury and that more than any one cause evidenced the wis- dom of removing the I250 surplus limit. From a membership in good standing at close of 1891 of mittee and H. B. Curtice, W. G. Evans and Fred Corning on the application committee. The suc- cess thus far of the association has been due not wholly to the wisdom and sagacity of its offi- cers, though the selection of these has been em- inently fortunate, but to the personal interest, integrity and honor of its members. Being a home institution of the shops and village the large majority of its members have taken pride to have it recorded how little, not how much they could deplete the treasury. It is and has been the boast of the Board of officers that every legitimate claim has been promptly adjudicated and paid. Thus far its management and results have deserved and received the support and countenance of the best citizens of the shops and village. Charles O. Rhodes succeeded his father, Dana Rhodes, in the drug business on May i, 1888, at which time the latter retired from the business which he founded in 1869. At that time he 26 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. Photo by Cooper. A. W. SMITH. Started it where Fred Atwood's store is. In 1870 he constructed the building where the business has since been successfully conducted. It cotn- prises drugs, stationery, the latest books and literary productions and full lines of the several class of goods sold by booksellers, stationers and druggists. Mr. Rhodes was born in North Lan- sing Sept. 7, i860, and attended district school until liis father came to Groton. He graduated from the Groton academy in 1879, assisting in the store for a time and taking a pharmaceutical course in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. On Jan I, 1887. he went into partnership with his father and on May i, i888, he bought him out. In 1887 he married Miss Mary Smiley. Since 1887 he has served as village treasurer. He is a charter member of the Hook & Ladder company and a member of the K. of P. Dr. A. W. Smith, the dentist in the Union block, came to Groton in 1885, having built up a large dental practice in the adjacent towns, and acquired an extended ac- quaintanceship by pur- suing a traveling practice for over a year. His parlors are convenient and fitted with all appara tus for modern dental surgery. Dr. Smith was born in Groton. Jan. 27, 1845. Freeman R. Smith, his father, was a native of the town of Lansing, where he pursued the avocation of farmer. At the age of 21 years Dr. Smith entered the office of F. S. Howe, formerly of Ithaca now at Dryden, to stu ly the profession which he followed for two years, and then went to Ludlowville where he photo by Cooper. practiced seventeen years. He is up-to-date in dentistry work, especially crown bridge work in which he took a post graduate course with F. M. Willis. In 1880 he married Ella Stewart of Led- yard, Cayuga Co., N. Y. He is a member of the K of P. Knights of Pythias— Bryant Lodge, No. 198, K. of P. was instituted July 28th, 1883, and has had a very prosperous existence. The present officers are : E. E. Barney, C. C; F. H. Hurlbut, V. C; Dana Rhodes, Prelate; E. F. Lefler, M. at A.; E. A. Landon, M. of F.; W. F. Underwood. M. of E ; E. Starkey, K. of R. S ; A. D. Camp- bell, M. of W.; B. S. Whitman, I. G.; B. M. Strong, O. G.; Trustees: C. A. Harris, G. M. Stoddard, F. J. Tanner; Finance Committee : J. B. Losey, E. A. Landon, J. G. Beach ; Represen- tative to Grand Lodge, J. B. Losey ; Alternate, J. G. Beach. Regular conventions are held the first and third Wednesday of each month. Past Chan- cellors : Dana Rhodes, N. R. Streeter, E. Field, A. D. Campbell, H. G Dimon, H. G. Moe, J. G. Beach, Wm. H. Burnham, E A. Landon. C. O. Rhodes, J. B. Losey. B. F. Baker M. A. Downing. Members : F. C. Atwood, Adelbert Andrus, J. G. Beach, R. K Bourne, W. H. Burnham, J I. Booth, B. F. Baker, E. E. Barney. R. C. B ebe J. A. Blaire E. D Buck, H. A. Brooks, A. D. Camp- bell, H. G. Dimon, M. A. Downing, C. A. Dar ling, L. J. Townley, H. B. Townsend, W. H. WoodrufiF, B. F. Carpenter, Frank Harris. E Field. Fred Ferguson, Ed. F.ireman. F. H. Hurl- but, A. B. Hopkins, E. F. Hopkins, G. S Hilts, J. W. Jones. J. Keefe, E A. Landon, V C. Lowe J. B. Losey, E. F. Lefler. E. M Loomis. H. G. Moe, F. B. Mathews, Charles Miles. W. F. Under- wood, N. G Wilcox, D. E. Croft, F. Mackay, E. R. Nye, C. A. Newton, Burdelt Newton, F. Per- kins, Dana Rhodes, C. O. Rhodes N. R. Streeter, G. M. Stoddard, H. B. Stevens, L. S. Streeter, M. F. Stevens, M. Stevens, E Starkey. F. B. Sawyer. A. W. Smith. F J. Tanner, R. Van Kirk, B. M. Strong, C. A. Harris.— [J. B. Losey, D. G. C, 37th District. MRS. NANCY SMI LEV'S RESIDENCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 27 Photo by Cooper. K. N. HALIear when he was succeeded by Rev. P. M. McManus. who occupied the position as pastor of the combined missions of Groton and McLean until the time of his death which occurred Jan. 13, 1891, a space of about 14 years. During his pas- torate a parsonage and barn were built and a cemetery for the Groton parish was purchased, PICKENS & BOWERS, STORE. 48 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. Photo by Cooper. B. R. WILLIAMS. four and three-fourths acres, at an expense of I562. In addition to these improvements, much of the church debt was paid, although as at present, he did not receive his full salary from both missions. After the death of Father Mc- Manus the missions of Groton and McLean were temporarily attached to Moravia Mission and attended by Rev. T. F. Hickey until March 31, '95. At this time he was succeeded by Rev. J. J. McGrath who had charge of these missions with the Moravia Mission until June 20, of the same year, 1895, when the present pastor. Rev. John McMahon, was appointed to the missions of Gro- ton and McLean by Rt. Rev. B. T. McQuaid, Bishop of Rochester, and continues the charge of these Missions at the present. He was born in the town of Marathon, Cortland Co., 40 years ago. His early life was spent upon his father's farm near the town of Homer. His education was re- ceived one year in Cort- land Normal school and nearly two years in Cin- cinnatus High school, in 1880 and 1881, finishing in '82 in Homer academy. He entered the college of St. Bonaventures, Alle- gany, in Sept. 1883, stud- ied classics, navigation and surveying during two and one-half years. Then changed to St. Andrews' seminary, Rochester, for one and one-half years, graduating from there in June, 1886. Entered St. Joseph's Theological seminary Sept. of the same year, continued there until Dec. 17, 1892, on which day he was or- dained to the holy priest- hood by Rt. Rev. Bishop McNearney, late of Al- bany. After ordination he remained at the Cathe- dral un-JJ March 7, '93, Photo by Cooper when he was sent to Auburn as assistant at the Holy Family church, also clerk of St. Joseph's cemetery and tending the Catholics of the Auburn State prison until June 20, 1895, at which time he was assigned to the present mission of Groton and McLean. B. R Williams, secretary for the Groton Bridge and Manufacturing Company, has for many years- been identified with the Ithaca and Groton fire de- partments and is well known among the volunteer firemen throughout the state. In 1876 and '77 he was the president of the New York State Volunteer Firemen's Association and during his term presided at the convention at Lockport His personal at tendance at these several conventions, which con- tinued down to 1887, the year one was held in Cortland, distinguished him among the man\' members of that association, especially because of his activity in the proceedings and incidentally because of his large stature. In the latter respect he found his match in Chief Winne of Fort Plain. Prof. S. G. Williams of Ithaca, who at the age of seventy years retired from a professorship in Cor- nell because he believed he had been in the har- ness long enough, is a brother of B. R. Williams, and was the principal of the Groton Academy when the latter came here from Plainfield, N. Y , — his birth place — in his eighteenth year to take a. course in the academy. He was born March 14, 1836. He attended and taught school until 1856, when he entered the machine shop of the Groton Separator Company, then conducted by Spencer & Perrigo, where he remained until he went to- Ithaca in 1862. Purchasing an interest in the Tompkins County Democrat he followed the pro- fession of editor for twelve years. As a practical book-keeper he is not surpassed and he obtained his education by pursuing his own methods of learning For two years he was book-keeper for the Reynolds & Lang Iron works and in 1882 be- came deputy county clerk, holding that position until he resigned in order to remove to Groton and enter the position of book-keeper in the bridge works. In 1875, '6 and '7 he was chief of police at Ithaca, during which time nothing of importance happened, and in 1868 and '9 and '71 and '2 he was chief of the fire department of that city ; he also served one term as United States loan commis- sioner. In 1864 he enlisted for service in defence B. R. \VILLI.\MS' RESIDENCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 49 of the union — he was a war democrat — in the old fiftieth regiment raised in Tompkins county and was a member of the companies which were merged with the 58th of Livingston county and which saw service only on guard duty at the prison at Elmira. Mr. Williams is still greatly interested in the volunteer firemen, being a mem- ber of the local department of which he was chief one year. He was a member of the Groton school board for three vears, a charter member of the Owasco Valley Club of which he is the secretary and for six years a trustee of the Congregational church, still occupying that position. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum and has been since its organization in 1878. On December 27, 1859, he married Rosa K. Noble and they have no chil- dren except two adopted daughters, the Misses Susie and Anna. Speaking of politics, Mr. Wil- liams was a democrat up to the time of the McKin- ley campaign when he took a square position on the sound money platform and supported the re- publican ticket. Woodbury Post, G. A. R., the first G. A. R. Post of Groton was organized in May 1869, and B. R. Carpenter elected as its first commander. He was followed by Amos Avery, D. O. Clough and C. H. Spaulding under whose administration the Post expired. It was named Woodbury Post and stood in the numerical order of the Department posts of the State as No. 41. Ii. Swight Allen, Post, No. 260, G. A. R., was organized at Groton Hotel, March 29, 1882. George C. Stoyal Post, No. 155, G. a: R., of Moravia met in special encampment for the pur- pose of mustering recruits to form the nucleus of a new Post. Those presenting themselves on this occasion for muster were : W. E. Mount, D. Bow- man, D. O. Clough, Carlos Baldwin, N. B. Stevens, Geo. Hamilton, Amos Avery, C. E. Dewey, M. McElhenny, C. H. Tarbell, W. O. TifiFeny, C. Z. Griffin, Benjamin Teator, B. F. Hatch. L. Stoddard, N. G. Tracey, W. J. Hicks, A. S. Tanner, J. B. I 1839, and enlisted at Elmira, N. Y., March 3, 1862, in Company H. 27th N. Y. Vols., and was forwarded to his regiment in Virginia, April 21, when he was mustered into United States service for two years "unless sooner discharged." He was in the battles of West Point, Mechanicsville, Gains Mills, (in which he was slightly wounded in the leg by a piece of shell), Gouldsboro Farm, Charles City, Cross Roads, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Crampton Pass, Antietam, Fredericksburg (where he was again wounded in the arm), and Fredericksburg Heights. When the 27th was discharged he came back with it to Elmira. As his two years term had not expired he was transferred to the I2ist regiment to serve with it the remainder of his time. With it he was in the battle of Rappahan- noc Station and was discharged at Welfords Ford, Va., April 21, 1864. ASHBEL Landon, commander for 1894 and 1895, was born in Salisbury, Litchfield county, Conn., Sept. 2, 1827. On August 7, 1861, he en- listed as private in Co. G., 7 Ct. V. for three years. His regiment rendezvoused at New Haven, Ct.; and was ordered to the front Sept. 20, camping on Meridian Hill, whence it was ordered to a camp near Annapolis, Md., preparatory to taking part with ihe expeditionary corps sent to make a lodgment on the coast of South Carolina Nine- teen days of shipboard life brought it in front of Port Royal entrance fortified on either side by forts commanding the channel. The vessels con- veying the transports loaded with troops soon silenced the forts and the regiment with others landed just at dusk on Hilton Head Island Nov. 7, i85i, wading to their necks to reach the beach. Its first night's rest on southern soil was in wet clothes on the damp sand of the evacuated fort amid the debris and shattered dend, the effect of the bombardment. The common duties of garri- son life with picket, guard mounting and drill (we were mostly raw to military life) occupied us through the winter. In February '62 Tybee Islands, was occupied and approaches against Fort Pulaski, on an island adjoining Tybee at the mouth of Savannah river, were commenced. The subject of this sketch entered with zest and energy into all the preliminaries of road making, planting batteries and mounting cannon preparatory to bombardment of the fort. When all was ready, details for working the guns were made and as- signments designated. He served on most ad- vanced 13-inch mortar battery opposite the fort during the bombardment. Fatigue induced by volunteer service in details, the excitement of his first battle, with the malarial influence of the marshes, all combined took the ambitious soldier into the capitulated fort on a stretcher delerious with fever. A long stay in hospital, both at Pulaski and Beaufort, followed and when the fever was subdued, diarrhoea succeeded and be- came chronic depriving him of further active duty. The convalescing period was filled by vari- ous details as clerk to superintendent of contra- bands, teacher and commissary sergeant to issue rations to the contrabands, and lastly, till the end of the term of service, as clerk to commissary of Photos by Cooper. MR. AND MRS. A. BOOTH. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 51 muster in the field. He was mustered out before Petersburg, Va., with his regiment Sept. 12, 1864. Thomas B. Hopkins, commander for 1898 and '99, was born in Lapeer, Cortland Co., N. Y., in 1848. Between 16 and 17 years of age he enlisted and was mustered into the U. S service Sept. 6, 1864, as a private of Company M., 15th N. Y. Vol. engineers. The regiment was ordered from Syra- cuse where it was mustered to Elmira, thence to Baltimore, Md., then to Citv Point, Petersburg (arriving in time to see the last of the numerous charges upon that noted stronghold) Burkesville. Roanoke River and back over the same ground undertakers and licensed embalmers. It is the only house engaged in these lines in the village. The business was established somewhere along in the fifties by Horace Williams. It was conducted on Williams street at the time Mr. J. I. Booth entered into a co-partnership with Mr. Williams. This was in 1865. All manufacturing of this sort was then done entirely by hand. Mr. Williams retired in 1868, being succeeded by Mr. Smith Booth and the firm of Booth Bros, did business under that name until 1880. The following year Mr. Alvin Booth became a partner with his father under the present firm name. Upon Mr. Williams' Photos by Cooper. J. I. BOOTH & SONS' FURNITURE AND UNDERTAKING ROOMS. ALVIN BOOTH'S RESIDENCE. J. I. BOOTH'S RESIDENCE. nearly to Syracuse where it was discharged Jan. 16, 1865. — [ASHBEL Landon. J. I. Booth & Son conduct one of the oldest established business houses in the village. It is doubtful if there is any man engaged in business in Groton who has been in trade here as long as the senior member of this firm. They have a large furniture and house-fitting manufactory, equipped with modern machinery which is operated by steam power, including saws, planers and wood working machines, and they deal very extensively in furniture of all patterns ; also caskets, being retirement Mr. J. I. Booth built the structure on Main street in which the firm has since done busi- ness. It is a three-story building having an area of four floors, including the basement, each with a space of 24x48 feet. Three floors are devoted to the display of wares. In the basement is located considerable of the machinery. There isan annex to the building which has a ware room space equiv- alent to two floors with a shop for repairing and wood-working. It also includes the casket depart- ment. The firm employs all the latest paraphar- nalia of undertakers, including a handsome hearse 52 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. Photo by Cooper. FRANK ATWOOD. and black team. Mr. J. I. Booth is very active in public affairs and has materially aided in promot- ing the growth of the village, having built three very pretty residences and a store He was born in Schuyler county, near Odessa, Nov. 9, 1838, and at sixteen years of age started out to learn the carpenter's trade which he followed in Buideltfor three years, coming to Groton in i860. For five years he had charge of the wood-working depart- ment in the Separator works and one year he started out on what was a bit of interesting exper- ience In company with the late D. H. Marsh he engaged in the manufacture of bricks and now when he recalls that futile attempt at brick mak- ing it causes him to smile. Both he and Mr Marsh served together as trustees of the Congregational church and together they planned many improve- ments which ended in engineering the erection of a $14,000 edifice. For twenty-six years he has served as trustee and clerk of that society, taking very much interest in its welfare and ready at all times to put his shoulder to the wheel. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Templars. On October 16, i860, he married Sarah Hard of Virgil, who has proven a most helpful companion in the journey of life and who supports her husband with loyalty in all his undertakings. Their children are Hen- rietU (Mrs. D. L. Morey) of Syracuse, Alvin of the firm of Booth & Son, Em- met, who is a partner in the Owego Bridge works, and Bertha Belle, whose husband, G. B Williams, is the vice-president of the Syracuse Dry Goods Company, formerly D. McCarthy & Company. Alvin Booth, whose per- sonal attention to the Photo by Cooper. mechanical details of the business warrants first- class work, was born in Groton, March 24, 1863. He was educated in the Groton academy and in September, 1886, married Fanny May, the daugh- ter of Charles Perrigo. Mr. Booth is an inventor and mechanical genius whose originality of con- ception and skilled hand in fashioning mechanical productions are admitted to be capable of design- ing and constructing the most difficult problems. His roller paper cutter is a notably clever device which he conceived and manufactured. He is a member of the Congregational church and the Masonic fraternity. Fancy poultry has taken up some of his time and he has met with success in raising White Wyandottes and Houdans. The Atwoods are a family dating back in Groton to the beginning of the century when Ab- ner Atwood settled down upon a small place in the village (see ' Builders of Groton"). Chapin C. Atwood. his son, now a hale and hearty man in his 8 1 St year, possessing exceptional physical and mental powers for one of his age, is the vice-pres- ident of the First National Bank, which position he has held for years and of which institution he was one of the incorporators. So active is he that he gathers the fruit on his place, even climbing into the trees to get it. He was born in Groton, September 7, 1818, and his vrife, who is equally posse.^sd of vigor and who has passed her 8ist birth- day, was born in Freetown, Cortland County, April 26, 1818 They were married in that village Aug. 18, 1842. There were five children born to them, Mary Adelaide, born April 18, 1844, Adelle and Estelle, both born June lo 1854, and Fred C. and Frank. Adelle died in February, 1856, and Estelle in March of the same year. Frank Atwood and his brother Fred went into business for themselves about the same time, 1878, the former opening a clothing business in the single store which was then all that there was of what now constitutes three stores in the Atwood block, and the latter going into the clothing busi- ness in Cortland in a building standing on the site of the present opera house in that village. In both places the business was conducted by the two brothers for about two years when each assumed sole proprietorship of the business in the respective villages. Mr.Frank Atwood was very much engaged in procuring for the village an electric light plant. F. C. ATWOOD'S RESIDENCK. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 53 and being one of the commissioners he spent much of his time in pushing that project. Realizing the ex- treme need of a first-class hotel in Groton he made several efforts to bring about a deal for transferring the old Groton House to the ownership of parties who would renovate and improve it. Not succeed- ing in that purpose he decided to construct an hotel, and in 1892 he built 'The Atwood" on property adjoining the store, he and his family vacating the story-and-a-half dwelling which stood on that site and which they had occupied since his marriage. They got out in August and the hotel, being leased five years, was opened in Oc- tober of that year, very quick work. At the expir- ation of the lease Mr. Atwood refurnished the hotel with the best and most desirable furnishings, also putting in large and most complete china closets and linen lockers. Indeed, the furnishings of the hotel were considered by many to be extravagant. Certainly they are unusually extensive and fine for an hotel to be conducted in a place smaller himself. Two years later it was closed to enable Fred to devote all of his time manufacturing shirts which enterprise continued in Cortland about a year, when he returned to Groton and opened a grocery in the store built by his brother adjacent to the latter's clothing store — the same in which the business is still conducted. The two brothers continued their respective businesses entirely in- dependent of each other until illness compelled Fred Atwood to assume control of Frank's busi- ness. Since then he has had his hands full in managing the separate interests. He was born in Groton June 29, 1858, and with the exception of the five years he was in Cortland, has made the village of his nativity his home. Considerably interested in matters concerning the advancement and growth of Groton he has endeavored to shape affairs in which he had a hand, always to that end. A member of the hook and ladder company he is a friend of modern methods for protection against fire ; he is also a member of the K. of P. Plioto by Cooper. THE ATWOOD HOTEL AND STORES. than a good sized city. He entered upon the man- agement of the house in October, 1897, and, by reason of the breaking down of his health so that he was compelled to absolutely retire from busi- ness, he gave it up in June 1898 In the mean- time he had extended the Atwood block proper by building two additional stores and fitting up the two upper stories into convenient and very pleas- ant flats. Two of these stores are now occupied for a grocery and clothing trade conducted by Mr. Fred Atwood and the other is attached to the Atwood hotel. Mr. Frank Atwood was born September 18, 1844, and was married to Miss Minnie A. Van Marter at Aurora, N. Y., September 25, 1878. They have two children, Jessie B.. born Oct. 26, 1879, and Millard V., born Aug. 6, 1886. Fred C. Atwood, as in the case of his brother, was educated in Groton. For a time, after leaving school, he was employed as a clerk and also had some experience in the bank. His first business «xperience for himself was in Cortland, where, as has been stated he assumed personal charge of the clothing business started by his brother and On September 18, 1883, Fred Atwood and Miss Nellie L. Merrick were married at Blodgett's Mills, N. Y. By that union there are two chil- dren, I. Mabel, born September 8, 1884, and Earl M., born September 22, 1886. THE PIBE DEPARTMENT. The first record of any organized fire company for the village of Groton, was in December, 1864, organized by the authority of the Board of Trus- tees of which Harlow Scofield was clerk, when the following persons were accepted as firemen and installed as Engine Co. No. 1 : D W. Hall, D. H. Marsh, H. K. Clark, A. D. Adams, L. h! Thomas, Albert Morton, Ezra Halsey. Jerome Hathaway, Myron Allen, Orlin Wright, Newel Hatch, H. B. Clark, A, Piersons, Sidney Hopkins, Volney Hopkins, M. A. Avery, Delos Tanner, Norton Brokaw, B. F. Field, G. D. Crittenden, Henry Thomas, D. V. Linderman, H. Scofield, J. Miller, L. McGee, E. Kimball, Allen Hakes, D. L. Grover, W. H. Shaw, Samuel Spencer, James Shaw, C. H. Dutcher, A. H. Couklin, D. 54 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. photos by Cooper. L- J. TOWNLEY. G. M. TOWNLEY. C. Chadwick, Robert Green, George Allen, S. C. Reynolds, M. H. Foley, H. D. Spencer, C. W. Conger, S. G. Conger, Henry Craine, R. W. Jacobs, H. Bowker.E. Patterson. A short time before the above date a special election was held and an appropriation of f 1,500 was voted with which a Hand Engine was purchased and Messrs. Bowker & Crittenden, carriage makers, were given an order to make a hose cart, not to cost above Ji.so, On March 20, 1865, the following persons were accepted as firemen and were known as the Pioneer Hose Co., No. i : Sheridan Hall, Miles Palmer, Charles Allen, Adelbert Glover, Leroy Rogers, Ira Hyde, George Patterson, Byron Sykes, Sea- man Covert, Allen Hicks, M. D. Goodyear, A. J. Sykes, Clarence Bowker, Benjamin Jacobs, H. S. Hopkins, E. M. Avery, D. E. Dye, Leonard Ash- ley, Sylvanus Ashley, R. B. Shaw, Harry Palmer. On the arrival of the en- gine and hose cart they were stored for several years in D. W. Hall's barn on Williams street. The organization of the de- partment continued, as above described, for sev- eral years, the firstnamed company being known as Seneca Chief Engine Co., No. 2. Their uni- forms consisted of fire- men's helmet hat, black belt and red shirts. On the completion of the water works in No- vember 1888, the engine company was disbanded, the engine sold to parties in Brookton, N, Y., and a hose company organ- ized which was known as the C. W. Conger Hose Co., No. 2. In 1890 the Citizen Hook & Ladder Co., was organized. These three companies now comprise the Groton photo by Cooper. fire department. Each company, when the ranks- are full, will have thirty members. They are well equipped with first-class modern fire apparatus, well uniformed, and have on m.any occasions, demonstrated their ability to fight fires success- fully. Each of the companies have held fairs from time to time, which have been very gener- ously patronized, realizing large benefits and re- ceipts with which uniforms and apparatus have been purchased. The Conger Hose Co., are the proud owners of a very fine parade carriage which cost them the sum of fcoo. All records of the names of the chief engineers of the department of former years seem to have been lost. But the following is a partial list of the members of the department who have held the office of chief engineer: First, A. S. Tanner ; second, B. R. Williams; third, Benn Conger; fourth, James McGrail ; fifth, E. Field ; sixth, U. G. Rockwell ; seventh. Will Kimball. The Groton and Iiansing Journal, whose value as a family weekly newspaper is recognized throughout the county, occupies a high position among the most ably edited and conservatively conducted newspapers published in the interior of the state. Mr. L. J. Townley, who took the property in 1883, has always aimed to delineate the best features of business and social life and to beat ahead in the track of progress for the vil- lages and towns which the paper so faithfully represents. In the reflection of the news of the day, this journal has taken an admirable and con- scientious stand ; ever loyal to the community it represents and strictly representative in its several departments of the best and highest plane of civ- ilization. Its local columns sound the key note for local improvements first, last and all of the time. In its editorial discussions of passing events and momentous topics the Journal is fear- less and reliable ; always true to its convictions and never faltering in the line of duty laid down by its publishers. There is nothing stinted in the scope of journalistic undertakings which are em- braced within its field of operations. It is a clean, newsy and well informed journal of civili- zation in the truest and best sense. When L. J. Townley became the proprietor of this publication L. J. TOWXLllY'S RESIDENCE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 55 there was ample room for improvement. Four 3'ears earlier he had assumed charge of the Lans- ing department and built that up. So that now having taken entire charge of the paper, he start- ed out on a broader basis, in the direction he had taken from the beginning. It was acknowledged by the community in which the paper now so largely circulates that in order to raise it up to the standard demanded by its constitutents he had ata.sk of no small and insignificant character. Without pausing to count the cost Mr. Townley forged ahead and in time his efforts were reward- ed by seeing the circulation mount higher and higher. Many mechanical improvements were introduced, as well, and very soon it became evi dent that the towns of Groton and Lansing were to enjoy the advantage of regular publications which should be a credit to the most progressive community. Typographically the neatness and artistic character of its make-up commends the paper to the best instructed and most exacting men familiar with the work of a printer and re- flects credit not alone on the publishers, but on the skilled and accurate foreman and type setters. The publishers of the Journal are L J. Townley, and his son, G. M. Town- ley, the former having charge of the editorial col umns 9 nd the latter, the mechanical departments. The son was taken into the business as partner Jan. I, 1896. Mr. Lewis J. Townley the senior member of the firm ha.s shown that spirit of public advancement "which has drawn him in- to an active, personal par- ticipation of the affairs of the town at large. He has served as a vil- lage trustee and for six years fc e has been a mem- ter of the Board of Edu- cation the position he still occupies in which he has ever shown a constantcv to the best interests of public education. In pol- itics he is truly loyal to the Republican party devoting much of his time to the advancement of party interests and the success of the party tickets. He was active in getting the people arous- ed to the advantage of a general improvement of the streets, a measure which he persistently advocated in the columns of his paper with such untiring zeal that the results became all that could be desired. In pushing forward the needs of an ample, modern water supply lie was equally as zealous and in getting for the village an electric light plant he wcrked persistently and courageously. At the present time he is the clerk of the village and has been for two terms. He was born in the town of Lans- ing, Aug. II, 1845, the son of John A. and Mary A Townley. Until March 1884 when he moved into the village of Groton, he resided first at Lud- lowville and afterwards at North Lansing. Born and raised on a farm his early schooling was had in districts schools, but at a later period he at- tended the Ithaca academy. On Sept. 18, 1867 he married Mary R. Dodd of Ithaca and they have three children. Mr. Townley is foremost and energetic in advancing the interests of the Con- gregatiCTial church of which he is an active and zealous member. In the recent efforts made to secure a public building which will be an orna- ment and a matter of pride to the citizens of Groton. Mr. Townley was prominent and effective. Mr. G M. Townley. the junior publisher of the Journal, who was educated in the public school of North Lansing and at the Groton High school, takes an interest in public affairs. He was born at North Lansing July 28, i86g,and came to Groton with his parents in 1884. On entering the office of the Journal to learn the trade of the printer he very soon became of such assistance that he was taken into co-partnership with his father. His zeal and diligence in the trade resulted in a proficiency and skill which have given him the reputation of being a first-class printer and press- man, so that the work turned out of the job de- partment under his personal supervision is far superior to the average job work produced by printing offices in villages the size of Groton. Andrews & Hamilton are engaged in the shoe business, on the premises which for years were occupied by R. C. and S. C. Reynolds, two men whose business careers were closely allied to Photo by Cooper. MRS. S. C. REYNOLDS' AND E. R. ANDREWS' RESIDENCE the early enterprises in the village and both of whom were prominent in public affairs. In 1861 at the outbreak of the war, the Messrs. Reynolds, uncle and nephew, put up the building for a large double store to accomodate the general mercan- tile business which they, as partners, were con- ducting. The enlistments then going on were responded to so generally here that the work of construction was interrupted three or four times, the builders being left without help. For six years R. C. and S. C. Reynolds were together in business, the former retiring in 1867 and the latter in 1881. During the period following R. C. Rey- nolds' retirement, his nephew had three different partners, Hiland Clark, who was a prominent re- publican and who at one time was member of as- sembly, John Thomas and A. Adams. S. C. Rey- nolds, who was interested in the organization of the bank and who was quite an active, energetic man and leading democrat, died in February 1897, leaving a wife and two daughters. One of the latter, Louise, married E. R. Andrews, the senior member of the firm of Andrews & Hamilton, Oc- 56 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. MR. AND MRS. DAVID H. COGGSHALL. tober 26, 1887, and Agnes, the younger, married H. M. Hamilton, his partner, November 11, 1896. B. R. Andrews represents Merrill & Soule, a large food specialty house of Syracuse and has been with them seven years. He was born in Cortland, July 13, 1863, for two years was a clerk for Bartholomew & Fulkerson at Dryden, and in 1882 came to Groton to form a connection with C. W. Conger & Co. In July, 1887, he went on the road. H. M. Hamilton was born in Spring- field, Mass., June 5, 1870, and for seventeen years was a resident of Ilion, N. Y. He was afterward, for eight years, employed in the Crandall type- writer works and for two years, in the Dougherty type-writer factory. The firm was formed in April, 1898, for an exclusive boot and shoe business. One of the old Reynolds' stores was fitted up and stocked with modern lines of goods, including the Douglass and Sorosis lines, and it is now being conducted as the only exclusive boot and shoe business in town. David H. Coggshall was born Dec. i, 1847, in this township. His father, David H. Coggs- hall, was born in Charl- ton, Saratoga Co., N. Y. His grandfather, David Hoyt Coggshall was born in Connecticut and settled in the western part of this town in 1820 on the farm now occupied by John Smith. This farm has ever since been own- ed and occupied by some member of this family. His mother was Lois Greene, daughter of Wm. Green of Genoa, N. Y. Mr. Coggshall was one of a family of four children, Calphurnia, VanBuren, David H. and W. Lamar. Mr. Coggshall's early years were spent in the routine of farm life, where he early formed the habits of industry and self- reliance. On February 24, 1869 Mr Coggshall was married to Clarinda F., daughter of John Smith, Sr., of this town. Mr. Smith was born in Lansing, Tompkins Co., N. Y,, Jan. 11, 1805. He early learned the trade of blacksmith but later became a farmer. In June 1830 he was married to Dorothy Shoemaker, of Lansing, N. Y. They had a family of eleven children, Henry, Free- man, Eli2abeth, John, Jane, Joseph, Catharine, Clarinda, Irena, LeRoy and Ada. all of whom are living except Freeman, Joseph and Elizabeth. This was a typical pioneer family. Three child- ren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Coggshall, Lonie LeRoy, Mrs. H. J. Blanchard and Claude, the latter dying at four months of age. In i86i Mr. Coggshall became interested in the industry of bee keeping. His grandfather, Wm. Greene gave him a swarm of bees and he began a series of experiments in their management. Knowl- edge of the habits of bees was at that time verv limited, but by close study and application he has mastered the art, and is now one of the most suc- cessful and extensive aparians in the state He was the first producer and shipper of extracted honey in this section of country. Mr. Coggshall now manages six hundred colonies of bees and his shipments are many tons of honey annually. In 1893 he built the large and handsome resi- dence in which he now lives, and his other build- ings are commodious and substantial. Groton Grange— About the year 1895, the question arose before the people of Groton shall we have a grange, or not. Quite a number were in favor while a good many were opposed. On March 23, 1896, a meeting was held at the ofiSce of W. W. Hare, for the purpose of organizing a grange in this village. It was organized by County Deputy Pierson with fourteen charter members The following oflScers were duly elected : V. B. Coggshall, master ; J. W. Jones overseer ; W. W. Hare, lecturer ; G. M. Stoddard, treasurer ; Mrs. Edward Merchant, secretary ; John McKellar, chaplain ; Frank Hyde, steward ; Edward Merch- ant, assistant-steward ; Charles Sobers, gate-keep- er ; Mrs. Frank Hyde, lady assistant-steward ; Photo by Blanchard. DAVID H, COGG.SHALL'S HOUSE. HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. 57 Mrs. J. McKellar, Pomona ; Mrs. Arthur Townley, flora ; Mrs. Charles Sobers, ceres. It has increased in numbers, so it is now one of the foremost granges in this section of the country. Officers for 1899 : J C. Bothwell, master ; N. Dick, over- seer ; Pay Stoddard, lecturer ; W. D. White, treas- urer ; Ida Allen, secretary ; John McKellar, chap- lin ; James Gaston, steward ; N. Van Maries, assist- ant-steward ; George Barrow gate-keeper ; Sadie White, lady assistant-steward; Cora Hart, pomona ; Grace McKellar, flora ; Alice Stevens, ceres— [Ida M. Allen. REMINISCENCES OF GROTON. [By Capt. W. E. Mount.] The 3'ear 1853 was marked by what then seemed to be a great event in the history of the little vil- lage of Groton, namely the building of a new ho- tel. Early in the year Harrison Bowker bought of Daniel Nye the old hotel and decided to con- struct a new building, that should be the most considerable structure in the village and in fact -in the township. After much consultation the plau.s were made and the contract let to Oliver Avery, senior, and Frederick A. Aver}'. Work was begun on the tenth of April, and with the ex- ception of one week was continued until nearlv the first of January, 1854, before it was completed. In those days all thework was hand work. Such a thing as a boring machine was unknown There -were then no planing mills in Groton and nine- tenths of all the lumber used in the building was hand-dressed, and the hand-saw did all the slitting. The heav3' timbers were hewed and corded be- tween the east end of the hotel, as it now stands, and the corner of Church street. Nothing but the toughest beach and maple were deemed good enough for the frame The raising day was a great event in Groton. A small army of men gathered about the heavy bents, disdaining the .aid of derricks or shear poles, and set them on end by main strength. Elder W. G. Dye, was conspic- uous among that sturdy band for the resolution and courage with which he followed each bent -with his pike pole. He was then pastor of the Baptist church Frederick A. Avery displayed great skill in managing so many men, and had the satisfaction of seeing the frame up without accident. He was an expert at climbing and in this he was assisted by Horace Morton Miles Morton, and a number of others including Benja- min Wanzer, an old sailor. The late Judge Westel "Willoughby worked, during his college vacation, •on this hotel. He dressed and put on all the sid- ing on the east end. The lettering, "Groton Hotel," still to be seen on the frieze on the north and west, was done by a man by the name of Spicer, then at work for G. W. Carpenter in his -carriage shop. While there had been some building done in the village prior to 1853, that year seemed to be the beginning of a new era. In 1852 the house of H. G. Moe was built by Mr. RoUin Day and was ■deemed then the finest home in the place. A year or two before three ofwhatwere then known as village gothics were built, namely, the house ■occupied by Mrs. Dr. Mason, the home of ■ the late Charles Perrigo and the one on the corner of Main and Mechanic streets. Then the mercantile business of the village was conducted by Marsh and DeLano on the site of the First National bank, by Stiles Berry in a building standing on the ground occupied by the west half of the Union block and by. Reynolds and Clark in the old Reynolds store, on ground now occupied by the east half of the block. There was then no drug store proper in Groton. Dr. Obed Andrews had a small variety store near lyhere Avery' s news room now is and and kept a ■few drugs. He also had a small hand press and did some printing in the way of auction bills, etc. Subsequently H. K. Clark built the store now occupied by Buck & Goble, in 1856. W. N Hall did something in repairing watches in a shop on the site of L,. J. Townley's residence. Day and Dykeman had a tin shop in a building that stood oil the ground occupied by Graveley's barber shop. There was a saw mill where Begent and Wilcox's storehouse stands and a shop with a turning lathe just beside, to the east. It was in this shop that the work on the hotel was begun. In the building now occupied by Carey's saloon, Sylvanus DeLano did a grocery trade including some books and stationary. This seemed to be the place where certain men gathered to discuss the various questions of the day. Such men as Justice P. Pennoyer, the Rev'd David Holmes and others. It was here that the writer heard Ex-Governor Pennoyer of Oregon announce his intention of going to that far away country to grow up with it. It was in 1853 that Professor S G. Williams came to Groton to take charge of the Groton Academy. He was then a young man, just from college, and his first year's work gave promise of his future success. He re- mained here seven years, going thence to Ithaca. The schools of Groton then consisted of the Academy and the district school. No. 8, located nearly where the office of the Crandall type- writer now stands. In 1853 the old building had become quite dilapidated, and a special meeting of the district was called through the influence of Charles and Lyman Perrigo and other citizens, to consider the question of building a new school house, but nothing came of it, and it was not un- til 1858 that a vote was secured for that purpose. In that year the contract for a new building was let to the-Hon. William Woodbury, the work be- ing done under the supervision of Abram Tator of Peruville. That building is now the office of the Crandall Type-writer Company. The old two- story building that was the former shool house, after several removals, at last found a resting place on South Main street, and was years after thoroughly repaired by W. W. Hare, Esq., and is now the pleasant home of of Mr. Francis Bowen . Close beside the old school house clustered the graves of the village cemetery. This came prob- ably because the first Baptist church stood at one time on the vacant lot" just south of the Crandall type-writer shop. After the new church was built in 1843, on Cortland street, the old church build- ing was removed and the site taken for an addition to the cemetery, and the old ground just back of the school house became the potters' field. In the summer of 1853 the Rev. Augustine Pomeroy was installed pastor of the Congregational church of Groton. The pastor of the Baptist church was the Rev W. G. Dye, and of the Methodist church, during the first of the year, the Rev. L. G. Weaver, and during the latter part, the Rev. W. N. Pearn. Groton had its years of excitement and interest. The people discussed with an honestly divided sentiment the merits of the fugitive slave law, and the question of slavery generally. In 1856 the new store house, then belonging to C. and L. Perrigo. and now to the Groton Bridge Co., was known as Fremont Hall, and was the headquarters for polit- ical discussion and it rang with the cheers of many an enthusiastic meeting. The years went swiftly by and the spring of 1861 came. The people waited in silence for the news from the national capitol. There was then no telegraph office nearer than Cortland, and the slow stage coach from that place, brought the news but once a day. First came the news of the fall of Sumter, then came the call for troops, and about the last of April there was a call for a meet- ing of citizens of the town to be held in the even- 58 HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. ing at the academy hall. Quite a concourse of people gathered in front of the DeLano grocery and headed by fife and drum marched to the place of meeting. F. W. DeLano acted as fifer, Frederick A Avery beat the tenor drum and Amos Avery the bass drum. The meeting was called to order by T. C. Jay and Daniel W. Woodbury, Esq., vyas named as chairman. The meeting was ad- dressed by the Hon. Milo Goodrich and Dr. James Montgomery of Dryden. There was con- siderable enthusiasm and the addresses were both able and impressive. After the addresses a sub- scription was circulated pledging the signers to a pro-rata assessment on the amount of their sub- scription, for the benefit of the families of vol- unteers, the whole amount of such assessments not to exceed the amount of the subscriptions. The subscription was headed by Charles Perrigo with f 3,000, followed by Lyman Perrigo for a like amount. Numerous other subscriptions were taken for lesser amounts during the evening. The subscription was circulated through the town generally by W. D. Mount, then supervisor of the town, and a large amount was subscribed. The meeting adjourned amid the roar of cannon and cheers for the flag. Thus ended the first war meeting in Groton. During the next four years others were held but while patriotic, they were marked by more of the spirit of self-sacrifice born of the experience of those days that tried men's souls. From that day forward there were tears and sorrow in many households. A CORRECTION. Rev. D. H. Craver, the pastor of the Congrega- tional church will please accept our apology for misspelling his name <>n page 13. In a work con- taining so many names it is almost impossible to avoid errors. INDEX TO "GRIPS" HISTORICAL SOUVENIR OF GROTON. [Explanation — v, view: p, portrait; sk, sketch: r, residence; st, store; b, building; ni, nieutioii.] Adams, A., m, 55 Allen, L. Dwight, sk, 49 Andrews, E. R., sk & r, 55 Andrews, Mrs. E. R., m, S5 Andrews & Hamilton, sk, 55 Atwood, Abner, sk, 34 ; p, 35 Conger, Jay, sk, 39; p, 36 Moe, Charles Hiram, p, 30 Congregational church, v, &sk, i2Monk, Miss Lottie, p, 7 Contributors to Souvenir, list, 28 Morton, Alice, p, 31 Cooper, M. W., sk, & p, 15 Cortland St., v, 5 Crandall W'ks, sk & b, 42 Atwood, D. M. & Co.,sk, 47 ; st,46Craver, D. H., p, 21, sk, 13 Atwood, Mrs. D. M., sk & p, 47 Davey, G. W., sk, 33; r, 32 Dinion, H G , p, 30 Distances Around the Globe, 23 Distances from Groton, 27 Atwood, Frank, sk & p, 52 Atwood, F C, sk, 53; r, 52 Atwood, Milo. sk & p, 47 Atwood, The Family, sk, 52 Atwood Hotel and Stores, v, 53 Avery, Amos, 49 Avery, E. M., p, 30 Avery, F. A., sk & p, 35 Baldwin, A. J., sk, p & b, 45 Baldwin, Mrs. A. J., p, 45 Baldwin, Ethel, faculty, p, 31 Baldwin, M. M., sk & p, 35 Baldwin, Ethel, p, 45 Bank, First National, v, 15; sk 14 Fitch, W. H., sk & p, 35 Baptist Church, v, 12; sk, 43 Flowing Wells, sk, 19 Beach, Jay G., sk, p, b, 43 G. A. R., Woodbury Post, 49 Mosher, Hiram Streeter, p, 30 Mount, W. E.. sk, 49 Municipal Building, sk, 17 ; v, 19 Park St., V, 10 Perrigo, Charles, sk & p, 35 Perrigo, Lyman, sk, 35 Perrigo, Wm., sk & p, 35 Pickens & Bower, b, 47; sk, 46 Distinguished Men of Groton, 27 Pickens, George, sk, 46 Early business of Groton, 43 ' Pike, W. L., sk, 8; p 9 & 19; r, 9, Eastman, Cathie A., p, 31 Political Equality Club, sk, 7 Educational, Rev. J. H. Zartman, gPost Oflice, v, 7 Electric Light System, sk, 18 Electric Power House, v, 18 Elm St , v, 3 Epworth League, 20 F. & A. M., sk, 39 ' Fire Dept,. key & p, 41; sk, 53 Pritchard, Ada. p, 31 Punnett, M. Estelle, p, 31 Record '99, Ofiicial & Business, 20 Reminiscences, W. E. Mount, 57 Reynolds, Mrs. S. C, r, 55 Reynolds, R. C, sk, 34; p, 35 Reynolds, S. C, sk, 55 Rhodes, C. O., sk & st, 25 Rhodes, Dana, sk & r, 44; p, 19 & 44 Begent & Wilcox, sk & b, 22 G. A. R., L. Dwight Allen Post, 49Rural Cemetery, sk, 33 Begent, F. A., p, i8; sk & p,22; r,23Gobel, W. E., p, 18 Benton, Emily E., p, 31 Good Templars. 7 Bigelow, Frances, p, 30 Grange, Groton, sk, 56 Blanchard, H. J., sk, p & r, i6;Groton, Birdseye view, i Blanchard, John M., sk & p, i5 Groton Bridge Co., b & sk, 40 Blanchard, Mrs. H. J., m, 17 & 56Groton, Descriptive, 2 Booth, Alvin, p, 50; r, 51; sk, 52Groton, Historical, 2 Booth & Son, J. I., sk & b, 51 Halladay, E. N., sk, p & b, 27 Booth, Mrs. A., p, 50 ; m, 52 Booth, J. I., p, 50; r, 51 ; sk, 52 Booth, Mrs. J. I., p, 50 ; m, 52 Bower, A. J., p, 18 ; sk, 47 Bradley, D. L., p, 19 Builders of Groton, p, 35 Burr, C. E., sk, 44 ; p, 21 Candee, LeMoine H., p, 31 Carpenter, B. F., sk & p, 17 Carriage Works, v & sk, 8 Catholic Ch, v, I2;sk, 47 Christian Endeavor, Y. P., 13 Christian Endeavor, Jr. Society, i4Lan3on, Ashbel, sk, 50 •Church St., v, to LeBarr, Mrs., p, 7 Hamilton, H. M., sk, 56 Hibernians, Ancient Order, 1 1 Historical Club, sk, 33 Hopkins, H. S., sk, p & r, 24 Hopkins, Thomas B., sk, 51 sk, 34Hopkins, Sidney, sk, 34; p, 35 Hubbard, Rose A., p, 31 I. O. O. F.,lodge&encampment, 33 School, V, 31; sk, 30 School Board, p, 30 School Faculty, p, 31 Smiley, Mrs. Nancy, r, 26 Smith, A. W., sk & p. 26 Souvenir, Editorial, 28 Stoddard, G. M., sk &r, 6; p, 6&3a Streeter, N. R., sk, 5; p & r, 4 Tanner, Albert S., sk, 50 Tanner, F J., r, 29 Tanner, Mary Crusa, p, 30 Thimble Club, 42 Thomas, John, m, 55 Townley, G. M., sk, 55; p, 54 Townley, L. J , sk, 55; r, 54; p, 30&54 S. Impressions" by D. H. Craver,i8Town S. S. Ass'n, sk, 19 "Improvement" by C. E. Burr, 27Trea, A. E., sk & st, 23 Journal, Groton & Lansing, 54 Trumble, Nelson, sk, 34; p, 35 Knights of Pythias, 26 Universal Typewriter, v, 42 Views, Editorial, 28 Village Council, p, 18 Close. G. E., sk. 49 Love, John S., sk, 49 Village, Incorporated, sk, 9 Clough, D. O., sk, 49 Lytle, T. H., sk, p& b, II Water Board, p, 19 Coggshall, D. H., sk, p & r. 56 Maccabees, sk, 45 Water Works, sk, 19 Coggshall, Mrs. D. H., sk & p, 56Marsh, D. H., sk & p, 35 Watrous, E. P., p, 30 Cold Storage, sk, 39 Marsh, Mrs. W, M., p & r, 20 W. C. T. U., sk, 10 Collings, N. A,, sk, p, r, b, 34 McMahon, Rev. John, sk, 48; p,2iWilcox, N. G., p, 22; sk & r, 25 Columbian Club, sk, 19 M. E, Church, sk, 28; v, 12 Conger, Benn, sk,39; p,30&36; r,38M. E. S. S., sk, 29 Conger, C. W., sk, 37; p, 36; r, 38 Mechanics' Indem' Ass'n, 24 Conger, C. W. & Co., sk, 35; b, 37Milestones, sk, 29 Conger. Frank, sk, 38; p, 36 Moe, H. G., p & r, 14; p, 30 Williams, B. R., sk, p & r, 48 Williams, C. S., p, 31 Williams street, v, ro Wood, W. H., sk, so Zartman. J. H. sk. 28* n ^r \S >.i;s#;.i; i1 J ,wL ill'" «Cri tW Ml*" 3i "^ A'l '«& % 111 Sssx^^L.*.-!-!