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Historical Sketches 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Town of Moravia^ 
 
 FROM 1791 TO 1873. 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES A. WRKJHT. 
 
 BEN'I'ON & HEYNOLD8, Printers. 
 
 AIT.URN, N. Y., 1874.' 
 
\V5 6^(5A 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IncUans— The Al-le-ghans, Irroquois or Six Nations— The Religions 
 Belief of the Cayugas-First White Settlers-John Stoyell— First 
 House Built ^ 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Gershom Morse— Morse's Log House— Old Roads— Mrs. Morse and 
 her Indian visitor— Squire Morse and extracts from his Docket— 
 The Laws enforced in 1807— Justices and Constable fees-Pains 
 and Penalties- Public Stocks— Bad Spell 9 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Cotton Skinner— David Wright— Characteristics of Early Settlers. 17 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Miscellany— Old Records— Accidents by Field and Flood— Bounty 
 for head of Wolves and Bears- Free Commoners— Manumittance 
 of Slaves— Ejectment— A Bad Specimen— First School House 
 and Store 23 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Game— Bears and Forbear— Panthers— The Morse Boys and the 
 " Catamount"— Wolves— Their Attack upon David Wright and 
 Family- Battle between Morse's Dog and a Wolf— Deer— Man- 
 ner of Capture— First Marriage, Birth, and Death 29 
 
4 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER YI. 
 
 Churches — First C'ongregationiil Churcli — lis Organization — BuiUl- 
 ing— Names of Pastors '■'>■> 
 
 CHAPTER vn. 
 
 Moravia lustitulc— First Trustees— Names of Teachers -"il 
 
 CHAPTER Vni. 
 The Village Named- Old bempronius— First Town Meeting— First 
 Town Officers— One Man with Six Offices— Ezekiel Sayles— In- 
 corporated- Presidents and Clerks— Division of the Town of 
 Sempronious — Supervisors and Tu'wn Clerks oo 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Rowland Day — Cady's Tavern— When Built— " Aunt Cady" — Mora- 
 via Cotton Mills — Taverns — Brick — Moutville — Anecdote— Ex- 
 ploit of John Locke, S. E. Day, Chauncey Wright, John 11. 
 Hiuman and Isaac M. Cook — "Sister Cook" — The last man to 
 let go of the Lines G;! 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Free Masonrj- — Its Antiquity — Origin and Purposes — Sylvan Lodg(; 
 — When form(!d — St. John the Baptist Chaiiler — Representatives 
 to Grand Chapter—' ' So ]\lote it be. " 69 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 Moravia Agricultural Societj- — Organization — Rules and Regulations 
 — Officers, &c 7!) 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 Isaac Cady 85 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Steamer Ensenore — Capt, Kellogg — Dive Overboard 01 
 
COXTEXTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 Teaiperance — First Total Abstinance Pledge - John :Stovell tlu» First 
 Sisjuer — "You sign and I will" — I. O. of Good Templars — Or- 
 iranization — Names of AVorthv Chiefs <j:; 
 
 CHAPTER XY. 
 
 Military — 109th Regiment — General Training — Xames of OfReers — 
 A Colonel's Hat in the Pork Barrel — Are wc all Corporals — Cajit. 
 Powers and Lieut. Locke — I am Bohemoth — Bull sound B — 
 Present Militia — Names of men — Old lOtii— Co. F — Names of 
 Yolunleers — Shoddy Clothing — Two Years — Consolidation — ;^d 
 N. Y. Artillery — Goldsboro, Newburn, &c. — Samuel Andrews 
 killed — Mustered out— Toth Regiment — Co. A — Names of Ofli- 
 cers and Men— Fort Pickens — Death of Lyman H. Goodrich — 
 Expeditions in Louisiana — Dangerous exploit of Lieut. Worden 
 — Charles H. Lakey and James K. Gould — Worden and Gould 
 wounded— Port Hudson— Shenandoah Valley — llltli Regiment 
 — Co. I — Harper's Ferry captured— Gettysburg — John Thomas 
 wounded— Levi White's narrow escape from death — Wm. H. 
 Birdsall uounded — Levi "White wounded — Ebenezer Piatt killed 
 — A bloodless Duel— Levi White again wounded — Reams Station 
 — Captured— Libby Prison — Prison Fare — Starvation — Exchang- 
 ed — Capturing a flag— Humphrey Davenport wounded — The last 
 Battle of the 111th — loSth Regiment — Names of Men from this 
 Town— 100th Regiment— Co. F — Names from this Town— Bayou 
 Teche— Gunboat "Diana" — Under Fire — Capt. Josiah P. Jewett 
 wounded — John* I). Clark wounded — The Diana surrenders — 
 Form of P'arole — Josiah E. White wounded— Cedar Creek— Jo- 
 siah E. White again wounded K-O 
 
 CH AFTER XVL 
 Tribute to the Dead— John Stoyell, Josiah P. Jeweit, Dorvvin F. 
 Wright, George C. Stoyell, Lyman 11. Goodrich, Frederick 
 Allen, Proctor Mellen, Jonathan Jenkins, Saiiford Burlingliam, 
 Thomas Horrop, William Shimer, William S. IMoss, Edgar E. 
 Moss, David Gould, Ebenezer Piatt, Thomas Davenport, Jolni 
 Slarrow, Simeon Stoddard, John S. Cady, Jerome Palmer. . . . l;!.") 
 
6 CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 First National Bank— History of its organization— Officers— Capital 
 Stock— Rules and By-Laws 155 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII, 
 
 AVilliam Wade — Cornet Band — Newspapers first published in Cayuga 
 County — The Lavanna Gazette in 1798 — Cayuga Tocsin — North- 
 ern Christian Advocate— Auburn Journal — Cayuga Chief First 
 Printing Press in this town — The Cayuga County Courier — Mo- 
 ravia Valley Register, its "Staff" — Moravia Weekly News, its 
 ' ' Reserve " Corps 173 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Union Free School — Its History — School Buildings — Names of Teach- 
 ers 181 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Cemeteries— Old Burial Grounds— The Flood of 1863 — Partial De- 
 struction of the Old Cemetery — Indian Mound — Cold Spring and 
 Public Park — Names of Residents of this Town over 75 years of 
 age — Also of Persons who have died Residents over 75 years of 
 age 191 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Members of Assembly — Sketches of Artemas Cady, John L. Parkei-, 
 and Hector C. Tuthill— Government Officials— State, County, 
 and other Appointments from this Town 315 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Montville — Inhabitants— Manufacturers — Daniel Goodrich — Walter 
 Wood — Millard Fillmore— His first Public Speech— Smart Men 
 — Capt. Whipple and Capt. Crosby— " Tune " Barhite's Smart 
 Man — Rogers «& Lathrop's Foundry — School House — "Ginx" 
 Baby not Drowned— The Old Red School House— Its Pedagogues 
 and Pupils 223 
 
CONTEXTS. 7 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 '' First Cast Iron Plow— Patents— Bull Plow of 1820— Jetbro Wood- 
 Pot Metal Plow— A Plow sent to Alexander I. Emperor of Rus- 
 sia-Wood's trials and death— His Son Benjamin— His legal 
 triumph and pecuniary failure— His death— Jelhro Wood the 
 Benefactor of his Age— Rogers & Skinner's manufactory 233 
 
 CHAPTER XXI Y. 
 The Bench and Bar 251 
 
 - CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Business Directory— Southern Central Rail Road — Town Valuation 
 and Population 200 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 Legend of Indian Hill . 279 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In 1863, some hastily written sivetclies of this town were published 
 in the Aubui'n Journal, and afterwards in the Cayuga County Courier. 
 Those articles are herein revised and enlarged and many others add- 
 ed thereto, containing historical facts, and anecdotes, characteristics 
 of early settlers, statistics, and a resume of the present condition of 
 Moravia Village, and other matters, interesting as local history. 
 
 The volume is written in a plain, matter of fact way, with the en- 
 deavor to arrange systematically, and correctly, and in a substantial 
 form, the history of this Town, so as to be interesting and valuable to 
 those who take our places, as we have taken the places left vacant by 
 the early settlers. 
 
 In describing the characteristics of the former generation, we have 
 to deal with, in many respects, a peculiar people ; men born in New 
 England who inherited all the peculiarities of the Puritan character ; 
 industrious and frugal, conscientious, and imbued with a deep reli- 
 gious feeling, often opinionated and prejudiced, but thorougly honest 
 and sincere. They represent a class, and a society, which, on ac- 
 count of the isolation in which it lived and grew, preserved the cus- 
 toms and traditions of New England people, long after such customs 
 had faded from the land where they originated ; a people that had 
 never lost faith in God, Justice and the Bible, and who cherished doc- 
 trine^ which had been cither much modified, or entirely rejected by the 
 descendants of the Puritans in tlic Eastern State;. Men trained to 
 
iv rKKFACE. 
 
 certain notions, beliefs, and habits, have a distinct individuality, and 
 this aceonnts for the many peculiar traits of character which we have 
 alluded to in the following pages, and it also accounts for that firm- 
 ness, consistency, honesty and piety, for which some of them were 
 noted. 
 
 The historical facts are substantially correct and reliable. The 
 main facts were obtained from i)ersons living in the vicinity at the 
 time of their occurrence, or from their immediate descendants. 
 David Wright, one of the early settlers, Isaac Cady, John Stoyell, 
 and William Wade, men well acquainted with the local and general 
 history of the Town, each gave valuable information upon Avhich 
 some of the sketches are founded. Since their first publication the 
 above named persons have all died, and it is a matter of regret that 
 much that would have been of interest historically was not obtained 
 before their departure. 
 
 The military portions are not given as a military history, except 
 so far as to follow the experiences of the soldiers from this Town, aud 
 especiall}^ those who were wounded, or experienced "hairbreadth 
 escapes." Probably full justice has not been done some whose names 
 do not appear in this work, but if so, it is because the facts concern- 
 ing them could net be obtained. The writer has endeavored to give 
 an impartial version of the matters which relate to the Volunteers 
 from this town. 
 
 Our thanks are due to Leanc[er Fitts, Cashier of The First National 
 Bank ; ]\l. E. Kenyon, Secretary Agricultural. Society ; S. Edwin 
 Day, Secretary Indian Mound Cemetery Association ; R. D. Wade, 
 Clerk of I^Ioravia Village; Henry Cutler, Town Clerk; AVill R. Covey, 
 Secretary of Rising Star Lodge ; and George N. Shaw, Town Clerk 
 of Scmpronius, in allowing the use of the books and records of their 
 several Corporations and Societies, and for informalion very kindlv 
 given concerning tic same. 
 
IN MEMORIAM. 
 
 '' Sketches of the Town of Moravia," as originally 
 published, were written at the earnest request of Mr. 
 Chauncey Wright, the father of the writer. At his 
 suggestion also, the present volume was commenced, 
 and during the last year of his life, he helped to fur- 
 nish many of the more imj^ortant facts and incidents 
 of which the present generation had no substantial 
 record. Whatever of personal interest the writer 
 may have had in this work, originated entirely in 
 the desire to gratify the request of the departed,. to 
 wdiose memory this record of past events, is most 
 affectionately inscribed. 
 
 t 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Al-le-ghaxs, Ieeoquois or Six JN^ations — The 
 Religious Belief of the Cayugas— First White 
 Settlers — Joiix Stoyell — First House Built. 
 
 It is now pretty well settled by the authorities in 
 Indian History, that the western portion of the State 
 of ISTew York, was occupied by a race of Indians 
 known as the '" Al-le-ghans," who unmolested, roam- 
 ed up and down on the earth from the Mississippi 
 eastward to, and beyond the Alleglianies, during the 
 eleventh and twelfth centuries. They are described 
 as an active, populous tribe, possessing some knowl- 
 edge of agriculture and the arts. They were however, 
 about the year 1340, after a severe and protrac- 
 ted warfare, superceded by the Irroquois, who were 
 composed of six confederated nations, to wit, the 
 Cayugas, Senecas, Mohawks, Onondaga s, Oneidas 
 and Tuscaroras, and compelled to remove westward. 
 
 The " Six ]N"ations" as they were called, held pos- 
 session of the cejitral portions of the State during 
 four hundred years, or until about the year 1790, 
 when tliev, in turn. si!ccuml)ed to the advance of 
 
2 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 civilization, i-eflected in tlio conntenances of tlie 
 '■'l)a]e face," and withdrew tliemselves to tlie wilder 
 regions of tli(^ Keystone State. 
 
 The Cayugas 2:)rior to their removal, ''owned and 
 occupied," together with the Senecas, as tenants in 
 common, the present County of Cayuga, and conse- 
 quently the towns of Moravia, Locke, &c. 
 
 The first white settlers of whom we have any ac- 
 count, found the foi-est cut away, and a portion of 
 the land giving evident signs of civilization. Perhaps 
 this was done by the Indians, as a few of them yet 
 remained upon the arrival of the white man, to wit, 
 about 1789. No doubt this valley was a favorite re- 
 sort, as the surrounding hills abounded in game, and 
 the streams and lake in fish. 
 
 The Summit north of the village, known as "Indian 
 Hill," according to tradition, w^as their burial ground. 
 
 The "Cayugas " it is alleged, were a religious lace. 
 Upon this point we copy from a treatise upon the 
 "League of the Irroquois," which, wdiile some por- 
 tions thereof are doubtless overdrawn and imaginary, 
 may yet contain many interesting and truthful illus- 
 trations of the Indians' religious belief : 
 
 " The personal existence of an invisible, but ever 
 present Deity, was an intuitive belief with the Irro- 
 quois, which neither the lapse of centuries could 
 efface, nor human inventions corrux»t. If by the dif- 
 fusion of this great truth, they did not escape the 
 spell of superstition which resulted from their im- 
 perfect knowledge of the Supreme Being, and their 
 ignorance of natural phenomena, they were saved 
 
HISTORrCA]. SKETCHES OF MOEAVIA. 3 
 
 from the deepest of all barbarians — an idolatrons 
 worship. They believed in the constant snperintend- 
 ing care of the Great Spirit, and that He rnled and 
 administered the affairs of the world, and those of 
 the red race. 
 
 As Moses tanght- that Jehovali was the God of 
 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of His chosen peo- 
 ple, so the Irroquois regarded the Great Spirit as the 
 God of the Indian alone. The}' looked np to Him 
 as the author of their being, the same of their tem- 
 poral blessings, and the future disposer of the feli- 
 cities of their heavenly home. To Him they render- 
 ed constant thanks and homage for the changes in the 
 seasons, the fruits of the earth, the preservation of 
 their lives, and for their social pri^dleges, and politi- 
 cal prosperity, and to Him they addressed their 
 prayers for the continuance of His protecting care." 
 
 "Their knowledge of the attributes of the Great 
 Spirit was necessarily limited and imperfect, of His 
 goodness and beneficence they had a full impression, 
 and some notions also of his Justice and perfection. 
 But they could not fully conceive of the omnipo- 
 tence of the Great Spirit, except through the instru- 
 mentality of a class of inferior spiiitual existences, 
 b}" Vvdiom He was surrounded. 
 
 His power was evidenced by tiic civation of man. 
 He was also believed to hv self-existent, and immoi- 
 tal. The enobling and exalted views which are now 
 held ])y Christian nations, would not be expected 
 among a people excluded from the light of revela- 
 tion. In the simple truths' of natnial religion the}' 
 
4 IIISTOIUOAL .SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 were thioiighly iiuloi'tiiiuitcd, and mnuy ol" tliese 
 truths were lield in great purity and simplicity.— 
 Sucli is tile power of trutli over the human mind, 
 and th(^ liarmony of all truth, that the Indian, with- 
 out the power of logic, reached some of the most 
 im2)()rtant conclusions of j^^iiiosophy, and drew 
 dowji from heaven, some of the highest truths of rev- 
 elation. While the religious system of the Irroquois 
 taught the existence of the Great Spirit, it also recog- 
 nised tlie existence of an Evil One. According to the 
 legend of their finite origin, they were brothers, born 
 at the same l)irth, and destined to an endless exist- 
 ence. 
 
 To the Evil Spirit in a limited degree was ascribed 
 creative power. As the Great Spirit created man, 
 and all useful animals, and products of the earth, so 
 the Evil Spirit created all monsters, poisonous rep- 
 tiles, and noxious plants. In a wo]-d while the form- 
 er made everything that was good and subservient, 
 the latter formed everything that was bad and perni- 
 cious to man. 
 
 The immortality of the soul, was another of the 
 fixed beliefs of the Irroquois. This notion had pre- 
 vailed generally among the red races under different 
 forms and with different degrees of distinctness. 
 
 The happy home beyond tlie setting sun Imd cinder- 
 ed the heart, and lighted the expiring eye of the In- 
 dian, before the ships of Columbus had borne the 
 Cross to this western world. The religious system 
 of the Iri-oquois that it was a journey from earth to 
 heaven of many days duration. Originally it was 
 
» HISTORICAL SKETCHES OP MORAVIA. 5 
 
 supposed to be a year, and tlie period of mourning 
 for the departed was fixed at that term. At its ex- 
 piration it was customary for tlie relatives of the de- 
 ceased to hold a feast, the soul of the departed having 
 reached heaven, and a state of felicity, there was no 
 longer cause for mourning. The spirit of grief was 
 exchanged for that of rejoicing. In modern times 
 the mourning period has been reduced to ten days, 
 and the journey of the spirit is now believed to be 
 perfoimed in three. 
 
 The spirit of the deceased was supposed to hover 
 around the body for a season before it took its Unai 
 departure, and not until after the expiration of a 
 year, according to the ancient belief, and ten days 
 according to the present, did it become permanently 
 at rest in heaven. A beautiful custom prevailed in 
 ancient times, of capturing a bird and freeing it over 
 the grave on the evening of the burial, to bear away 
 the spirit to its heavenly rest. Heaven was believed 
 to be the abode of the Great Spirit — the final home 
 of the faithful. They believed that there was a road 
 down from heaven to ever}^ man's door. In this in- 
 visil)le way, the soul ascended in its heavenly flight, 
 until it reached its celestial habitation. As before 
 observed, the spirit was supposed to linger for a time 
 about the bod}', and perhaps to revisit it. In conse- 
 (pience of tliis bd'lief, a superstitious custom prevailed 
 of leaving a sliglit opening in the grave, tlirough 
 which it might re-enter its former teiiement. After 
 taking its final departure tlie soul was supposed t'o 
 ascend higher and liio-her on its heaven] v way, grad- 
 
G iriSTOJlIG'AL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. . 
 
 uall}- moving to tlie westward, until it camo out upon 
 the plains of heaven."* 
 
 It is stated that in the summer of 1789, some men 
 from the Town of Genoa, came to the "Flats" for the 
 })ui'j)ose of j)i'ocuring a supply of hay. Thes(? men 
 were Gideon Pitts, Jonathan Brownell, John Guthrie 
 and Jonathan Richmond. The first permanent resi- 
 dent however, was John Stoyell, who came from 
 Connecticut to Aurora in 1789, and while there he- 
 cauK^ accpiainted with an agent of Mr. TenEyck, a 
 wealthy land owner, with whom he bargained foi' 
 one hundred acres of land, at one shilling per acre, 
 the same to be located on lot number eighty-three in 
 this town, but which was at that time part of tlu' 
 Town of Scipio, Mr. Stoyell was required to ad- 
 vance twenty shillings "to bind the bargain," which 
 amount he promptly paid, and soon thereafter re- 
 moved to his newh' acquired possessions. IIer(f Mr. 
 Stoyell experienced all the hardships and inconve- 
 niences which embarrass, and often times dishearten 
 the early settler. Alone in a wilderness, witli n(^ one 
 to counsel with or render the least assistance, he laid 
 the foundatio]! foi' one of the most beautiful villages 
 in AVestern New York. After building a cabin and 
 planting some corn and potatoes, he returned to 
 Aurora, where he saw Mr. TenEyck, who had been 
 informed that a " Yanl<:ee^'' had purchased a portion 
 of his land. His hatred of the Yankees, and all that 
 j)ertained to them was as violent as it was foolish, 
 and he immediately gave Mr. Stoyell a verbal notice 
 
 ■ Morgan's Treatise on the League of tlie Irroquois. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF >[OP.AYTA. 7 
 
 to qii it. No Yankee sliould settle near Itis land. He 
 would refund tlie money paid, (the twent}^ shillings), 
 and the Yankee must surrender the premises forth- 
 with. He knew nothing of Mr. Stoyell, j^^'o or con, 
 save that he was a Yankee, and therefore objected to 
 him on r/enrral jyrlnclples. But in this instance he 
 had • ' reckoned without his host. ' ' Mr. Stoyell vv as a 
 3'oung man, energetic and ambitious, and knew that; 
 in course o/ time, his land would be valuable. He 
 had made a fair purchase, commenced making im- 
 provements and would not yield to his unreasonable 
 objection and demand. Mr. TenEyck, however, 
 after inquiring in the neigborhood, as to wliat man- 
 ner of man ''that Yankee Stoyell was," asc(^rtained 
 that he was just the man for the place, and by his 
 industry would not only pay for, and imiu'ove his 
 - own farm, but also enhance the value of liis, (Ten- 
 Eyck' s) adjoining lands. This so far overcame his 
 X)rejudices, that he afterward ga^ie Mr. Stoyell the 
 one hundred acres which he had bargained for, pro- 
 viding he would use his influence toward star tiuR- a 
 settlement there. After procuring tlie services of a 
 carpenter, Stoyell returned to his farm, and ])uilt a 
 frame house, just northwest of the j^resent site of 
 ' ' Jenning' s Block. ' ' There were but six men present 
 at the raising, three white, and the Imlahce Indians, 
 the only spectator being a i^quaic. 
 
 Tliis was the iirst frame house built in the town 
 of Moravia. Mr. •Stoyell was an entei'])rising, busi- 
 ness man, and subsequently became the owner of 
 lot number 88, half of h)t uumbei- 8'4, and a poi-tion 
 
8 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF :i[()I?AVrA. 
 
 of lot number 93, part of which cost him from $12 
 to $20,00 per acre. The next settk^rs in this town 
 were Amos Stoyell, Winslow Peny and Jabez Bot- 
 tom, who cnme in 1708, and GershoiTi Morse in 1794. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Gersiiom Mokse — Mouse's Loa Hot'Se — Old Eoads 
 — Mrs. Mokse ais^d her Ijstdiain^ Visitor — Squire 
 Morse, and Extracts from his Docket — The 
 Laavs Ets^forcement in 1807 — Justices and Con- 
 stable Fees — Pains and Penalties — Public 
 Stocks — ''Bad Spell." 
 
 Gersliom Morse had been to tlie " Flats" previous 
 to 1794, but only long enoiigli to satisfy himself that 
 it Avas a desirable Locality for a settlement. He 
 bargained with Jabez B()tt<)m, who came the year 
 previous, for the tract of land, which is now occu})i- 
 ed south of the village by the Morse family. He 
 built a log house in the garden of the Morse family, 
 near their 2)resent residence, the house had but one 
 door, wdiich was upon the south side. "Wlien M]-. 
 Morse was married he had no chnirs <^r tabh s, but 
 these were soon manufactured, the former in the 
 shape of what we call stools, aiid tlu^ talkie of two 
 boards joined together and fastened by hinges into 
 the side of tlie house, so that when not in us(\ if 
 would be out of the way, and hang down b}' the side 
 of the wall ; when wanted, one leg was nttncb.ed 
 which held up the side unsupported by th(> wall. A 
 laro:e oak tree was cut down near the hous(\ the 
 
10 HISTOFtrCAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 stuiii}) liollowctl out, and used with aji iron pestle for 
 mill purposes ; several neighbors came there to 
 pound out theii- corn, the nearest grist mill being 
 16 miles distant. The road at tliat time, ran past 
 the door of their house on the south, westerly across 
 the Inlet south of the farm now owned by Wilford H, 
 Yan Etten, and up West Hill, and from Morse's linc^ 
 easterly along the ridge or brow of the hill east of 
 the Fair Grounds and near the Brick Yard, to Mont- 
 ville, and thence to Skaneateles. Another road led 
 from near Morse's, across the "Flats" and Inlet, to 
 near the Dean farm, where it terminated. After- 
 w^ard the road over West Hill was abandoned, and 
 another course taken, which ran south, just east of 
 the old Cemetery and w^est of Dry Creek Falls, soirth 
 to Locke. One day after this change had been made, 
 Mrs. Morse being the only occupant of the log house 
 was iceaGlng, the door standing open, when a shadow 
 fell across the threshold, and upon looking for the 
 cause, she beheld an Indian in fidl Indian costume, 
 with tomahawk and scalping knife. She was terribly 
 frightened, but the door was the only way of escape, 
 and in this stood the Indian with either hand upon 
 the door posts. !She however retained presence of 
 mind enough to remain w^eaving, with apparent com- 
 posure ; keeping an eye out, however, without seem- 
 .yig to do so, upon her visitor, who remained motion- 
 less and speechless for sevi^ral minutes, and then 
 beckoned for her to come to tlu^ dooi-, which she did 
 with great sliow of courage. There was really no 
 cause for fear, for the Indian had lost his way, and 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 11 
 
 mei-ely stopped to iiiquin^ tlie diroctions, &v. He 
 pointed to the West Hill where the road formerly 
 led, and said, ""l^o see road," "No find."' Mrs. 
 Morse point(^din the direction of tlie new road and 
 to a mark on an adjoining tree, (the roads were mark- 
 ed out in that way) and endeavoi-ed l)y various signs, 
 to give him the proper directions, wdiicli he seemed 
 to comprehend, and left, much to the ivlief of '^tlu! 
 woman of the liouse." 
 
 Gershom Morse was Justice of tlie Peact^ iji 1805, 
 but whether he had held the office previous to that 
 time, we are unable to learn. His Dockets shov/ 
 that he was Justice for nuiny years, and had a thriv 
 ing l)usin(^ss, both criminal and civil. He was a man 
 of large physique and couragous. It is said that he 
 would enter a ring during a tight (and tights wei'(^ 
 frequent in these days, and savage too), collar tln^ 
 parties engaged, and pull them apart as though they 
 were two dogs, or knock them down if necessary, 
 and line them on the spot, and in case of non-pay- 
 ment, send them to jail forthwitli. 
 
 The annexed miscellanecms items ai-e cojiied f]-oni 
 his Docket, showing how legal business was trans- 
 acted in his time, the f^es of officers, and other cur- 
 i«)ry mattei'S. 
 
 "April 2, 1807." 
 
 Summons given to Asa Little, constable, in favor 
 of E. Patty, against James Powers, returnable tlie 
 10th instant, at 1 o'clock, afternoon, a subpoena given 
 for three evidences. The Court calh^d, the parties 
 present ; the plaintiff throws in liis charge, which 
 
12 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 was, James Powers to E. ratty, to damage done to 
 a two year old heifer ; done by his dog, for wdiich 
 the said Pattj^ charges ten dollars. The defendant 
 pleads for a non-snit on account of a Sheriif' s execu- 
 tion bluing levied on the lieifer, the plea not granted. 
 The above cause taken out of Court and left to three 
 men to settle : Cyrus Powers, Cotton Skinner and 
 -Joiiii Stoyell, to be tried tins day, and all their dif- 
 ferences between them to be settled. The parties 
 agreed to leave out Cotton Skinner and Cyrus Pow- 
 ers, and take John Bennett and Gershom Morse, w^ho 
 got together and tried the cause, and brought in an 
 award in favor of E. Patty, against James Powers 
 for five dollars. 
 
 Names of evidences : Preserved Gibbs, George 
 Thompson, James Dresser, John Bennett, Zadoc 
 Rhodes, John Hemmenway, Daniel Powers, John 
 Powers, Lizzy Patty, Samuel Wright, OrriuAVright." 
 Tiie following is a bill of costs in Justice's Court, 
 in which Samuel Atkin was plaintiff, and Ephraim 
 Hults defendant, on Dec. 23, 1808 : 
 
 Summons, - _ _ . - j)9_ 
 
 Constable fee, - - - - - .78. 
 
 Adjournment, - - . . .09, 
 
 Veiiire, - - - - _ . .12 1-9. 
 
 Constabh^ serving venii'e, - - . .37 1-2. 
 
 ■ Swearing jury, - - - - _ .12 1-2. 
 
 Sub})a'na, - - . - . .og. 
 
 Judgment, - - - - - - .12 1-2. 
 
 $1.77. 
 Verdict of jury, . - - . 7.35. 
 
 $0.12. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 13 
 
 " To 1)6 paid out of til e ahom judginent 
 to Cadi/s Tar^ern, for one pint of 
 wJilskey,'''' - - - - - 0.19. 
 
 $9.31. 
 
 '.'County of Cayuga — ss. 
 
 Be it remembered that on tlie 19th day of Janiiaiy, 
 
 1807, Jeremiah Sabins, of Sempronins, was coHvicted 
 
 before me, Gershom Morse, one of tlie Justices of 
 
 the Peace of said county, of swearing one profane 
 
 oatli, for which he was fined thirty-seven and on(^- 
 
 jialf cents. Given under my hand, at Sempronins, 
 
 January 19, 1807. 
 
 GERSHOM MORSE, 
 
 Justice.'''' 
 
 '"The above nn^ntioned fine of Jerry Sabins, sent 
 b}^ Cyrus Powers, Esq., to the poor master." 
 
 "March 6, 1807. 
 In o2Jen Court : — 
 
 Elisha Smith was fined before me, Gershom 
 Morse, Esq., for swearing four profane oaths, one 
 dolhir and fifty cents, and refused to pay tlie sum 
 before mentioned, therefore by warrant, was put 
 publicly in the stocks for two hours, and the warrant 
 returned on March 7, executed by 
 
 M. MEACH, Const able:' 
 
 "Sempronius, January, 1807. 
 Personally ajipeared ])efore me, Gershom Moj-se. 
 Esq., Asa Shadwick, of Locke, and makes oath that, 
 
14 IirSTOIlICAL SKETCIIKrt OF MORAVIA. 
 
 and saith that Abol M(>acli, i)ei)uty Hiiei-itt* for the 
 County of Cayuga, on the 13th day of Januaiy, ar- 
 ]'(^st(^l Barnabas Castoline, and set him the said Asa 
 Cliadwiek over hhn, and that the said Barnabas Cas- 
 toline made his' escape contrary to his wishes, or 
 knowledge, and that by searcli he found his track in 
 the snow, but being unabk^ to run could not obtain 
 him. Given under my hand, this 19th day of Jan- 
 uary, 1807. 
 
 ({ERSIIOM MORSE.'' 
 
 IL^re is a sx)ecimen of bodil}' ailment and spiritual 
 cure : 
 
 ^'Sempkonius, Jau. the 26, 1807. 
 
 Warrant issued and served by Towner Whiting, 
 constable of Locke, against James Rice of Locke, on 
 the part of the people, on the complaint of Eli Clark 
 for assault and beating. Tlie said James Rice pleads 
 not guilty.'" 
 
 "January 26. John Bennett on oath says: That 
 on the 26tli about daylip;lit the complainant and de- 
 fendant came to a settlenu^it by leaving out to him 
 and J. B. Van Atta. After d(M'iding the matter both 
 appeared well pleased, and agreed to drop the mat- 
 ter. Jacob B. Van Atta on oath saj's : That on 
 the 26th, after they got the warrant they were going 
 to swear the constable. When they got to J. Kiese' s, 
 the parties agreed to settle by leaving it out to two 
 men, and left it out to John Bennett and himself. 
 They agreed each to pay half the costs, tJiei/ then 
 drinrft togetlier, and hotJi appeared to he well 
 pleased.'''' 
 
 I 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 15 
 
 Doiiiestic iiiulicit}' and gciicial 'un2jJ<(iso'ntn('-'<fi 
 resnltiiig tlieii'fioni : 
 
 ^•Januaiy the 28, 1807. 
 
 On tlie complaint of Caleb King, of Locke, on be- 
 half of tlie people for abuse, against Jacob B. YanAtta 
 wlio complains and says : That on the 14th of Jann- 
 aiy, tliis present month, did aluise his ^Yife Kancy, 
 and for parting them, or trj-ing to part them, did 
 violently assault liim, the said Caleb King, and 
 kicked liiui so that he lias not enjoyed his liealth 
 since, at the house of IVm. Wattles Inkeeper of 
 Locl-ie. 
 
 Janiiaiy 27. '\^^inia]it returned with the prisoner. 
 After taking the examination of Caleb King, Eli 
 Clark, James King and John Tan Buren, collectively 
 together, concluded to discharge the prisoner, Jacob 
 B.'^Tan Atta." 
 
 The following scrap was found on a loose paper in 
 one of those old Dockets, the originator of which is 
 unknown, and which is copied verbatim : 
 
 '^Sempko^-ius Mch 14, 1807 
 
 Jon Aspel a|)]yde fer liseiic too retale speiitus 
 lickers.'' 
 
 Here is another : 
 
 " Aug the 2, 1810 Esq Maus |)leas to send me that 
 munny that is cummin to me Joseph Culver from 
 Peter Bathwick to Joseph Culver by the barerer 
 Joseph Culver ' ' 
 
 The Morse family have resided upon tln^ same old 
 farm for nearly eighty years ; the tirh^ to that farm 
 
16 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 is undoii})todly good in the family, tliey liaving 
 been in undisturbed possession so long "that the 
 memoiy of man runneth not to the contrary/' — 
 The names of the children of Squire Morse being 
 rather peculiar, are appended for the benefit of fam- 
 lies in search of cognomens somewhat uncommon : 
 Solomon, Abishai, Rachael Achsah, Orpha, Luc}', 
 Iza Oma, Ency, Gershom, Laura. 
 
 The Morse family belong to a hard}', long-lived 
 race, several members are now over seventy years 
 of age ; it has been said that the Morses never die 
 — old Squire Morse is not around now, visibly, but 
 there seems to be no actual knowledge of his death, 
 lie merely passed cvway. The family is noted for 
 strict honesty. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Cotton Skixner — David Wi:igiit — Ciiakacteris- 
 Tics OF THE Early Settlers. 
 
 In tlie spring of 1795, a valuable acquisition was 
 inacL^ to tliis little company, by the arrival of Cotton 
 Skinner, wiio built a log house, near the present 
 residence of Peter Robinson ; he was by trade a shoe- 
 maker, and taken awl in all, was a very remarkable 
 man. Of very f(M>lile iK^alth and limited capital, he 
 had by frugal habits and perseverance for years, at 
 the time of his decease, acquired a large property ; 
 lie was very close in deal, but sti'ictly honest, and 
 the wholesome rule ''owe no man anything" was 
 as strictly applied to himself, as to his debtors. 
 
 Mr. skinner was a benevolent man, doing good as 
 In^ found opj^ortunity, and by inlluence and example 
 did much to sustain the Congregational Church and 
 Society of which he was a member. By his last will 
 and Testament he bequeathed a large portion of his 
 property to the Theological Seminary, at Aul)urn, 
 N. Y. A few years after Mr. Skinner's arrival in 
 Moravia, he l)ecame a merchant, and puichased his 
 
18 UISTOKICAL SKETCHES OK MORAVIA. 
 
 goods and lucicJiandif^e at Utica, N. Y. Vpoii one 
 occasion lie decided to take with liim to that place, 
 his eldest son. Going to Utica was a great undertak- 
 ing in those days, and produced considerable excite- 
 ment in the mind of the boy, who "concluded, among 
 other things, that better clothes were needed for the 
 occasion, than those worn at home, which, though 
 whole and clean, r(^presentcd several qualities of ma- 
 terials and various colois ; therefore the son imme- 
 diately suggested to his father the propriety of hav- 
 ing a new suit ; but receiving ]io satisfactory answer, 
 he was obliged to wait for a more couTenient season. 
 When he again brought his fatlieis attention to the 
 subject, he received for an answer, ''Guess clothes 
 good enough at home, are good enough at Utica." 
 But holding a different opinion from his father upon 
 tliis subject (and what boy does not,) as the time of 
 departure drew near, he again urged the necessity of 
 his case, when he was vi^iy abruptly inteiTupted by 
 his father's exclaiming, in his ovv'u peculiar manner: 
 "Hum, Watfs ! Good clotlies do n't 'inalce a manP- 
 In 1796, Samuel Wright arrived with his family 
 and built a log house somewhat north of the farm 
 now owned by L. O. Aiken, Esq. Among others who 
 came in 1797 were David Wright and family. He 
 removed from Otsego County, N. Y., to the "Flats," 
 a distance of about one hundred miles. At the pre- 
 sent time this Avould be a Journey scarce worth men- 
 tioning, but in those days, with ox teams and heavj^ 
 roads, it was very unpleasant and tedious, and consi- 
 dered a great undertaking. Mr. Wright was thii'teeii 
 
HlSTiMlICAL SKfJTGirES OF MOKAVIA. 19 
 
 (lays oil the road, l)ei]\Li; unable to tjuvel more than 
 four miles per day, for a portion of the time. He 
 stated that, if Ids memory was correct, there were 
 l}ut two houses and a saw mill in Skanea teles at 
 that time, the former luiilt in ''salt box" style. 
 He was obliged to ford the lake at the above men- 
 tioned place, carrying across in his arms, one at a 
 time, his mother, wife and child, through water two 
 feet in deptli. Tlie chihl was Cliauncey Wright, 
 then seven moiitlis old. Mr. David Wriglit was at 
 that time tvv-^enty-three years of age ; lie settled upon 
 a tract of land, upon the Flats, now owned by Joseph 
 Alle}^, which he cultivated for several j'enrs, and 
 upon which he built a house ; his title, however, 
 proved deiectiv(\ and he lost the farm aiid money 
 paid therefor, and all im})]'ovements. In common 
 with his neighbors, he suffered many hardshi})S, but 
 had good health, and was generally happy and con- 
 tented ; he was well educati^d, and in liis (^arl}' days 
 occupied some time in teaching school. JL^ kept up 
 with the political history of this count]'}' even dur- 
 ing the last years of his life, and during the Rebel - 
 ion was very confident that the Union forces would 
 ultimately succeed, and the Union triumph ; he died 
 on August 17th, I860 at the advanced age of ninety- 
 five years and six montlis. 
 
 The early settlers of this town w«^re mostly of Pu- 
 ritanic descent, and l^rought with them the peculiar 
 religious views which characterized the noble and 
 self-sacrifieing men and women of Plymouth Rock. 
 
 Their Sabl)aths were o])served witli tlie utmost 
 
20 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 strictness and rigid solemnity. Commencing at tlie 
 going down of tlie sun on Saturday niglits and end- 
 ing with sunset upon the following day. The inter- 
 mediate time was occupied during the day largely 
 with attendance upon church service. Three lengthy 
 sermons being the usual allowance, and the halnnce 
 of the time in instructing the children in the Catechism 
 or r(>peating the li^'mns of th(> celebrated Dr. Watts. 
 Satnrday nights were set apart as preparatory to the 
 coming day. No secular tales, no bear, Indian, or 
 even ghost stories stirred the imagination or aroused 
 the fears of the little ones ; but Moses in the Rushes, 
 Daniel in the Lion's Den, Jonah and his miraculous 
 Sea Voyage, interspersed with short biographical 
 sk(4('hes of the meekest, oldest, strongest and the 
 wisest man, answered ecpially as good a purpose, and 
 ended with a moral, calculatc^d to interest and tix 
 the attention of the youthful niijids upon tlie his- 
 toric teachings of the Bible. 
 
 The early settlers were exact in all religious require- 
 ments. They practiced that which they preached, 
 and taught to their children and their children's 
 children, what they l)elieved to be the teachings of 
 Holy Writ. The Sabbath was a day when everything, 
 except so called serious matters, was laid aside. 
 Their walk and talk, and faces bespoke the day as 
 certainly as did the family almanac. Children must 
 walk slowly, and older people witli solemn stately 
 tread, to tlie sanctuary ; no smiles, no joyous excla- 
 mation broke the silence of tlu^ house, because '' 'twas 
 Siuidav." 
 
ITISTOKICAL SKP:TGHES OF MORAVIA. 21 
 
 Their religion was a serious thing. It cannot be 
 deni-ed howevei-, tliat this was a good ckiss of peoph:^ ; 
 honest, reliable, industi-ious and religions. But it 
 may be doubted whether their manner of oliserving 
 the Sabbath, and their general deportment u})()n that 
 day, was calculated to im})ressupon the outer world 
 a correct idea of the 8a])bath or of the religion taught 
 by Jesus Christ, tlu^ Lord of the Sabbath and the 
 Head of the Church. The Sabbath "was made for 
 man," not to be desecrated by manual labor, or vain 
 amusements, or worldly calculations and business, 
 but to be enjoyed rationally, in church service, in 
 tlianksgiving, in "going alxnit doing good," and in 
 social conversation, endeavoring to turn the minds 
 of men, upon this day of rest, to better thouglits and 
 purposes. 
 
 It is not a solemn day to the religious man. He 
 has a right to rejoice and to hv happy. He ought to 
 be glad, for upon that day "Christ arose fi-om the 
 dead." He may rejoice always. Let him be of seri- 
 ous countenance and of downcast eye who denies His 
 Master, and tram])les upon His laws. L;'t li'm fear 
 and ti'end^le Avho loves not His Heaveidy Father, 
 whose blessings unnund)ered he has rec(Mved with 
 tlioughtless indifftn-enc;' oi- unthaidvful heait. Let 
 him go moui-ning and with a saddened mien. 
 
 "But children of a Heavenly King 
 Should speak their joys abroad." 
 
 The early settlers clung with great tenacity to their 
 extreme Puritanic views and practices, even longer 
 than thosc^ who remained to<xether in the communi- 
 
23 HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 ties from whence they emigrated. They were indus- 
 trious citizens, generally physically strong and long 
 lived, and taken all in all, averaged more than ordi- 
 nary commiinities in intellect. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Miscellany — Old Records — Accidents by Field 
 AND Flood — Bounty for Head of Wolves and 
 Bears — Free C(»mmoners — Manumittance of 
 Slaves — Ejectment — A Bad Specimen — Fiest 
 School Hol^se and Store, 
 
 The following memoranda is copied from an old 
 record, tlie lirst page of wliicli bears tlie following 
 inscription : 
 
 ''Zadok Cady's Book, 1799/' 
 
 " Febrnary 22, 1807. John Locke died bj a wonnd 
 
 in his thigh, cnt by a knife while killing a hog." 
 'Mune 16, 1815. James Dresser's head broke by 
 
 the limb of a tree."" 
 
 " September 28, 1812. David Locke accidentally 
 
 shot. Died the 29, in the morning.''' 
 
 ^' May 9, 1817, David Johns died by drinking." 
 ''Feb. 20, 1817. Jalxv. Bradley hnng himself.'' 
 "April 25, 1818, James Powers' two children 
 
 drowned, Saturday night." 
 
 •'July 2, 1818. Jarcd Weeks died at Auburn, 
 
 taking laudanum." 
 
 •'July 13, 1822. Mrs. Stephens hung herself," 
 '^Sept. 25, 1824, Oliver Piatt fell from a ladder 
 
 and broke his neck," 
 
24 HISTORICAL SKETCIIE.S OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 '• Jaimaiy 12, 1828. E. llevd killed by a fall from 
 liis wagon.'" 
 
 •' Jniit' 28, 1830. William Miicent luiiig himself." 
 
 ''January 11, 1831. Hiram Bishop died. Death 
 caused by liquor." 
 
 " Oct. 18, 1836. Abram Selover killed b}' liis wag- 
 on turning over." 
 
 "Aug. 30, 1837. Petit Smith killed by falling 
 from his wagon." 
 
 "June 12, 1842. Mr. Chamberlain killed by his 
 house falling in a hurricane." 
 
 "Aug. 24, 1843. Laban Wood killed while run- 
 ning hordes." 
 
 Obituary and business are sometimes intermingled, 
 as witness the following : 
 
 "May 29, 1805. James Croy, Dr. 
 
 To 1 small coffin, six shillings — poisoned witJi 
 laudanum.^'' 
 
 "January 3d, 1805, reckoned with Moses Little, 
 and found due to him two shillings two pence. Dr. 
 to 1 pint wiiiskey, six pence." 
 
 "May 21, 1806 Gideon Wheelock, Dr. 
 To 1 small coffin, 4 shillings. 
 1 pint whiskey, 6 pence." 
 The following is aj^parently a running account. 
 
 "May 2, 1805, Moses Little Dr. 
 To boy to ride horse 1 day 18 pence. 
 3 pints wiskey, 3 shillings. 
 Boy to ride horse 1 day 18 pence. 
 1-2 day horse ride, 9 pence. 
 
 s 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 25 
 
 1 pint wliiskey, one sliilling. 
 
 3 " '' 3 shillings, 
 
 1-2 day boy riding horse nine pence. 
 
 1 jnnt whiskey, 1 shilling, 
 
 4 quarts and 1 X)int, 1 dollar 12 pence. 
 
 2 qnarts whiskey, 4 shillings. 
 1 finger in a cradle, 18 pence. 
 
 1 cheese press, 7 shillings 6 pence, 
 1-2 day boy riding horse, 9 pence. 
 1 pint whiskey, 1 sliilling." 
 
 It is said that Lnther Wright, once a celebrated 
 brick mason in this town, was accustomed to address 
 his assistant in the following plain language. ' 'Brick, 
 Mortar, Whiskey ! What I call for last, I leant 
 firstr 
 
 But it is doubtful whether he could intersperse 
 business and pleasure, with the pliilosophical pre- 
 cision manifested in the foregoing bill. 
 
 Memoranda. — "To lind Mr, Howe, turn at Wyn- 
 coop's farm, enquire of Esquire Purdy, ten miles 
 from Geneva." Dated 1818. 
 
 This old book also bears witness to the state of the 
 weather : 
 
 "April 12, 1821, began to snow, on the 16th fell 
 six inches, on the 18 eight inches."' 
 
 "June 8 and 9, 1823, frost each night. 
 May 9, 1831, snow fell 10 inches deep. 
 October 5, 1836, snow fell 6 inches deep." 
 The following charges will show the price of vari- 
 ous articles, labor &c. 
 
26 . HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 '•February 3, 1801, making one cherry table and 
 bedstead $4,00. 
 
 April 1, 1801, three lbs. butter, 8 shillings. 
 
 "■ " " • making pair shoes, nine shillings six 
 pence. 
 
 Nov. 12, 180], 1 days work, eight shillings. 
 
 Oct. 1, 1809, 1 bushel ('orn, 4 shilling. 
 '' " '' tapiDing boots, 2 shilling. 
 " " -' 2 1-2 bushels wheat, 1 dollar. 
 
 Oct. ;U, 1800, use lio]-se 1 day, 2 shillings. 
 
 Aug. 1, 1800, to 1-2 ton hay 12 shillings. 
 
 Aug. 1, 1807, 1,000 shingles two dollars." 
 
 The following items are copied from the old Re- 
 cords of the Town of Sempronius : 
 
 Town Meeting 1799, ' ' Voted that the town do pay 
 the sum of Five Dollars for each head of every grown 
 Wolf killed and taken off in town this year." 
 
 Voted "That this Town shall pay One Dollar and 
 Fifty Cents, for each and every head of a full grown 
 bear, killed and taken off in said town the present 
 
 year." 
 
 (The foregoing is rather bear-faced.) 
 In 1808, extra inducements were offered : 
 "■Resolved that this Town pay Ten Dollars for the 
 head of every full grown wolf that is killed and tak- 
 en off in this town this year, and Five Dollars for 
 every Whelp Wolf." 
 
 (It is said that the latter animal, becoming exas- 
 perated at this "unequal valuation," moved over 
 into the town adjoining on the north, and that some 
 'whelps' are to be found there to this day. This 
 
HISTORICAL SKP:TCIIES OF MORAVIA. 27 
 
 however, smacks of tlie stories of Mark Twain, and 
 should be taken witli a grain of precaution, unless 
 the reader has some personal spite against that town, 
 in which case this item can be enlarged to suit the 
 occasion.) 
 
 1806. Resolved. "That all Swine weighing seventy 
 weight and upwards, shall he free commoners witli a 
 good ring in the nose.'''' 
 
 In 1814 the Swine Law- was rej)ealed, to wit : ' ' That 
 Swine are not free commoners." (This last vote has 
 a different ring to it.) 
 
 Advertisement. — "Come into the enclosure of 
 Thomas Summerton, the first day of November 1805, 
 a white sheej) ram. SupjDOsed to be a lamb without 
 any mark." 
 
 Aggriculture — "1809, Resolved that every man 
 that suffers Canada Thistles to grow on liis farm in 
 this town, shall pay Five Dollars for said offence." 
 
 Also in 1818. "Resolved that if any j)erson shall 
 suffer and allow Canada Thistles to grow and to go 
 to seed on Ins farm, and not cut them down in the 
 old of the moon in August, so as to destroy the seed 
 thereof, that every person so neglecting and offend- 
 ing, shall forfeit and pay the sum of $2.50 for every 
 such offence." 
 
 "Be it remembered that Henry I. Brinkerhoff, of 
 the town of Semprouius, on the 20th day of Septem- 
 ber, 1811, came forward a]id had a certain negro fe- 
 male child put on record ; the motlier of said child 
 is his property' ; the female child is named 'Jute,' 
 and w^as born March 19 day in the year 1811. The 
 bill he signed, Henry I. Brinkerhoff." 
 
28 HISTORICAL SKETCni':S OF MORAA^A. 
 
 Kiuaiiciputioii Prockiination : 
 
 "Be it remembered that on tlie lo day of July, 
 1820, Aaron Connover did ixWo the folh)wiiig manu- 
 niittance to Tliomas, otherwise called Thomas Smith 
 Jolnison, a negro man slave: 'To all whom these 
 presents shall come. Know ye, that I, Aaron Con- 
 nov(^r, of the town of Sempronins, in the County of 
 Cayuga, have and do hereby manumit Thomas, oth- 
 erwise called Thomas Smith Johnson, a negro man 
 slave aged abont thirty yeais, and he is hereby dis- 
 charged from all fnrther liability to me by means of 
 being my bonden slave. Given under my hand, at 
 Sempronins the 15 day of Jnly, 1820, in presence of 
 Wm. Price. Aaron Connover, 
 
 Ejectment, noleii volens. 
 
 "Be it rembered, that the Overseer of the Poor 
 for this town, has warned Ebenezer Pelton to remove 
 out of this town, together with his family, immedi- 
 ately. Done this 15 day of March, 1802." 
 
 At Town Meeting, 1828. "Resolved that John 
 VanDyne shall not be paid anything in consequence 
 of, he says, being taxed too high, as setting a bad 
 specimen." 
 
 In the autum of 1798, a school house, sufficiently 
 large to accomodate the children of the neighbor- 
 hood, was built near the present residence of 
 Dr. Alley, and a school taught therein the follow^- 
 ing year by Levi Groodrich, and the second year by 
 David AVright. 
 
 The first store was opened by David AVright, in 
 the year 1800, in a log house near the "Quaker Meet- 
 ing House," on what is now known as the Cortwright 
 farm. The next merchant w^as Cotton Skinner, who 
 had a store in one part of the house in w hich he lived. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Game — Beaks a]s^d Fouheak — PA]N"riiEKS — The 
 Morse Boys aistd a "CxVTAMOUiST" — Wolves — 
 Ttieik Attack upon David Wright a:ni) Family 
 — Battle Betweex Morse's Doo and a Wolf — 
 DeePw — Manner of Capture — First MAPJiiA(iE, 
 Birth, axd Death. 
 
 (Tame of various kind was alniiidant. Bears were 
 less feared tlian wolves ; the former would seldom 
 molest a man unless first attacked and wounded by 
 him — they by general consent gave each other a wide 
 berth. 
 
 Upon one occasion, one of the settlers coming 
 through the woods near Montville, found his path 
 obstructed by a large tree, which had but recently 
 fallen across it ; climbing upon it, he was greatl}' 
 astonished to find himself in close proximity to a 
 bear, which had also at that moment raised himself 
 upon the other side of the log, preparatory to getting 
 over. For an instant the man at least, was stupefied : 
 " Stet erunt que comae et vox faucibus haesit." The 
 log had put them at loggerheads. The man could 
 not bear it, nor could the bear ; forbearance was 
 apparentl}^ a virtue, and the next moment "neither 
 stood u]>on the Older of his going, but went at once,'" 
 
30 HiSTOiacAi, sKETt'rip:s of mokavia. 
 
 upon tlic back track, each sweariiii'- :ind roaiing in a 
 mannrr satisfactory no doubt to himself, as distance 
 lent enchantment to the view. 
 
 Hogs were sometimes killed by tlie bears, it was 
 cust<muiry to build log i)ens, in which they were 
 enclosed. A X)en liow(n^er, which was built by Mr. 
 Prouty, near the old red house near the head of the 
 gulf, Avas entered several times and pigs carried off. 
 Abisha Morse says that when a boy, he saw a bear 
 on the flat now used as a Fair Ground ; but he soon 
 disa^^peared. Panthers were seen occasionally ; two 
 were killed, one near the ' ' Pinnacle " or ' ' Dry Cre€'k 
 Gulf," and the other upon West Hill. When any of 
 the early settlers were out after dark, it was custom- 
 ary to carry a lighted torch, generally a pine knot, 
 of which all wild animals stand in awe. Upon one 
 occasion Abisha and G(n-shom Morse wen^ returning 
 home, across the Flat, from East Hill, Gershom in the 
 rear, and being so near home, had allow<^d his light to 
 go out, when suddenly he heard a rustling and scrab- 
 bling behind him, and saw, a few feet back, two glist- 
 tening eyeballs, advancing, he sprang forward to his 
 brother, who was a little in advance, crying : "Swing 
 your torch ! Swing your tourcli ! " which he did and 
 forthwith the eyes, with a long body and tail, went 
 up a tree at a bound. The bo3^s always supposed 
 that animal to be a "Catamount,''' as one was killed 
 shortly after on Dry Creek ; but they didn't imiit to 
 ascertain definitely at the time. 
 
 Wolves Avere more numerous, and far more l)old 
 and daring. Mr. David Wright informixl us. tliat 
 
IlISTORirAL SKETCHES OF MOIiAVIA. 31 
 
 while lie lived on the faiin now owned by Jof>eph 
 Alley, he went one night on foot, with hits wife and 
 child, to xMt their nearest neighbor, who resided 
 near the present residence of Roswell Brown ; al)()nt 
 midnight they started on their way home, and had 
 traveled abont one-half the distance, when the howl 
 of a M^olf was heard upon the West Hill, which was 
 immediately answered by one from Oak Hill. Mi-. 
 Wright, knowing that danger threatened them, and 
 being entirely unarmed, canght his child in his arms, 
 and hastened homeward, with all possible spec>d. 
 The howling increased, and from every direction, 
 sounding nearer and nearer, until when they reached 
 the house exhausted, they had but time to close the 
 door before the wolves rushed against it from the out- 
 side. 
 
 Unfortunately the guns had been loaned the previ- 
 ous day, and no weapons were in the house, so that 
 the inmates were obliged to hear the terrible howling 
 of the hungry animals, around the building, until 
 nearly daylight, when they decamped, with apeptites 
 unabated by their nights adventure. Mr. Wright 
 the next .day brought home the guns, and also a 
 large bull dog (which had also been absent on a 
 neighborly visit, for a ft;w days). That night the 
 howling of the previous evening was repeated, but 
 with different results. Two wolves got before^ Mr. 
 W right' s old ' ' flint lock ' ' and laid down, in their last 
 sleep. Their skin made an excellent bed for the old 
 watch dog. The following night, dog and gun Avere 
 ready for business, but watched in vain for their ene- 
 my ; the balance of the pack had left on suspicion. 
 
32 HISTOllICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 The same party, one evening just after dark, was 
 coming home fiom a neighbor's, a few miles out of 
 town, and living north of the "flats,'.' was crossing 
 the woods north of Montville Falls, when he heard 
 w^olves not far in his rear, barking in a manner 
 which satisfied him that they were on his track. 
 He therefore made for a crossing with whicli he was 
 familiar, hoping to get over the creek and up on to 
 the hill, before they evertook him ; but as he reached 
 the creek, he distinctly heard the animals running 
 and panting but a short distance back. As his only 
 safety was to climb a tree, he Avas anxious to reach 
 the top of the hill, thinking that his cries for help 
 would be heard from his house ; at some considera- 
 ble risk of being overtaken, he scrambled up the 
 steep bank and never stopped to look around until 
 he was safely seated in a tree top ; here he waited 
 patiently, but no wolves came, and after hallooing 
 in vain for help for a long time, be slowly descended 
 the tree and made for home. The next morning he 
 returned to the creek, and found that the wolves had 
 not crossed the log, but tracks were plenty at the 
 crossing and up and down the creek for several rods. 
 
 The Morses give an account of one that came 
 through their yard in the evening, and which was 
 attacked by a large dog belonging to their father ; 
 after a severe struggle the wolf escaped, and the 
 dog came into the house badly used up, a piece of 
 skin being torn off his side as large as a man's hand. 
 Mother Morse thought best to make some salve for 
 the wound, but the "Squire" said no, the dog will 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 33 
 
 doctor that. Next morning the dog dug a liole in 
 the ground, in which he lay with the wonnd next the 
 soil, and the wound soon healed. 
 
 Hunting deer was the favorite sport of the early 
 settlers. One mode of capturing them was as fol- 
 lows : After pntting the dogs npon the track, tho 
 hunters would hasten to the lake, (Owasco), carefully 
 secrete themselves and await tlie arrival of the deei-, 
 who were sure, after being hotly pursued, to run as 
 a last resort, into the lake, swim around, entirely un- 
 der water, excepting a small portion of the head, and 
 land at a different point, in order to throw the dogs 
 off the track. Immediately upon the deer entering 
 the lake however, the hunters emerged from their 
 place of concealment, and in rough boats hewn from 
 the body of white-wood trees, start in pursuit, over- 
 take the animal, and after a blow upon the heap 
 with a mallet, cut its throat, and tow the carcass to 
 the land. The meat wati dried or salted : the tallow 
 manufactured into candles, and the hide into shoes. 
 
 The first child born in the settlement was a son of 
 Winslow and Rachael Pei'iy, in the summer of 1794. 
 
 The first marriage was of Sally, a daughter of the 
 same, to Jonathan Eldridge, in 1795. And the first 
 burial that of Cynthia A., daughter of Gideon and 
 Hannah AVright, April f), 1796. She was l)uri<(l near 
 the "Dresent residence of John G. Caldwell. 
 
1 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Ciiuiiciip:s— First Coxcijeuational Cituroii — It.s 
 Orgaxizatiox — BuiLDixG — Names of Pastors. 
 
 The Congregatioiialists are descendants of a peoi:)lG 
 formally belonging to the counties of Nottingham, 
 Lancashire and Yorkshire in England. Desirous of 
 enjoying a purer religion, they separated from the 
 English Establishment in 1602, but persecutions aris- 
 ing against them, they were obliged to liee to Hol- 
 hmd, where thoy ri^mained for a season unmoh^sted, 
 l)ut linally embarked for America and landed at Ply- 
 mouth Rock, Dec. 22d, 1820. There they were free 
 to worship God according to the dictates of their 
 own consciences, and though in an unknown land, 
 in the midst of dangers seen and unseen, the wild 
 woods rang with praise to God, the anthems of the 
 free. This was the foundation of the Congregational 
 Church in America, 
 
 A large portion of the first settlers of Moravia were 
 Congregational ist>;, and on the 12th day of March, 
 1806, a meeting was held for the purj^ose of organi- 
 zing a Church and Society. At that meeting a Con- 
 fession of Faith and a Fonn of Covenant w(^re adopt«'d, 
 and after presenting pi-oper testimonials of meml)e]'s 
 
36 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 and relating tlieir religious experiences, tlie follow- 
 ing named persons were received to communion and 
 fellowship, as tlie "First Congregaticmal (Jliurch of 
 Senipronius," viz: 
 John Stoyell, Justus Gibbs, 
 
 Cotton Skinner, Levi H. Goodrich, 
 
 John Phelps, Esther Locke, 
 
 Sarah Warren, Mary Curtis, 
 
 Elizabeth E. Monow, Abigail Spafford, 
 
 John Locke, . Joseph Butler, 
 
 Jacol) Spafford, Lois Stoyell, 
 
 Sarah Stoyell. 
 
 Levi H. Goodrich w^as chosen Deacon and Clerk. 
 John Stoyell, Cotton Skinner and Levi H. Goodrich, 
 Trustees. 
 
 Rev. Koyal Phelps was the first Pastor of the 
 church. 
 
 At a meeting of the church, held April 2d, 1808, 
 Mr. John Stoyell w^as unanimously chosen Deacon in 
 place of Levi TI. Goodrich, resigned. Mr. Sto^'ell 
 held the office until the time of his death, wdiicli oc- 
 curred in 1842. having been a consistent and active 
 member of the church for thirty-four years. 
 
 In the summer of 1814, a brick School House was 
 built, and tliougli used for secular purposes, afforded 
 a more suitable and convenient place of w^orship, 
 than the society previousl}' had. 
 
 It appears from the church records, that but few 
 additions were made to the church for several years. 
 Perhaps for this reason, a church building w^as not 
 errected. The first meetinu' for consultation in re- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVTA. 37 
 
 gard to building, was held JN'ovcmber 5, 1816, wlieii 
 it was resolved "that we build a meeting house fifty 
 by forty feet with a steeple." A committee to soli- 
 cit subscriptions was also apj^ointed. In December 
 followiiig. liowever, tlie idea was abandoned on ac- 
 count of financial cni])ai-rassnients. No pnrticulav 
 chang(» was apparent in tlic cJinrch until the 3'ear 
 1822, when there was a general awakening among its 
 members, and those connected with the Society, 
 which resulted in n large number of (!Oversions. 
 Thirty-nine united with the church, increasing the 
 whole number to ninety-three members. 
 
 The following year, 182;>. the building now occu- 
 ])ied by the society was elected, under the supervi- 
 sion of Daniel Goodrich, Senioi', and Henry King, 
 architects. The very nnnie of the chief build(n' was 
 a sufficient guarantee at that time, of substantial 
 labor and unsurpassed material, and half a centurie's 
 exposure to the elements attests the wisdom of his 
 judgment, and the stability of his workmanship.— 
 The cost of the })uil.ding was estimated at seven 
 thousand dollars. The land upon whicli it was 
 built, with additional for a spacious yard, was do- 
 nated to the Society, by Deacon John Stoyell. Sen. 
 
 The society has been foi-tunate in procuring minis- 
 ters, so that since its organization, it has not been for 
 any great length of time without the preached word. 
 
 In 1831 forty p(MSi)ns united with the church, and 
 in 1843, after un extensive revival, sixty-five more 
 were added. 
 
 Of this last i-(>vival. which was not confined to 
 
38 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 this diurcli, l)iit in which all tho Churches were en- 
 gaged, Mr. Isaac Cady, then Church Clerk, says :— 
 "The season of revival just passed has been one of 
 deeper interest than has ever been known before in 
 this town. It commenced about the middle of March 
 and continued about live weeks in this community 
 and the neighljorhood around us. Probabh' not less 
 than one hundred and fifty persons in town became 
 the subjects of this glorious work." 
 
 The tdtal number of names aj^tpearing upon the 
 Church Record is 591. None of its lirst members are 
 now living. This church has been for many years a 
 leading church of this denomination in this vicinity. * 
 At an early day the Temperance Question was agi- 
 tated, and strong grounds taken in favor of total 
 abstinance from intoxicating liquors. 
 
 In 1846, when many churches were neutral, or un- 
 decided, this church took a decided stand against 
 Slavery, and Resolutions were drafted, and passed 
 by a unanimous vote, and spread upon the Records 
 of the church, upon this important subject. One of 
 these resolutions, all of which are brief but pointed, 
 is as follows : 
 
 "While church censures for unchristian conduct 
 must be in the light of the circumstances connected 
 with each particular case, yet neither the persevering 
 and determined practice of the principle of Slavery, 
 nor the commission of any enormities connected 
 therewith, ought to be tolerated in any church com- 
 munion." 
 
 These Re>^oluti(t]is are leferii'd tct, not onlv as an 
 
niSTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOEAYIA. 39 
 
 expression of Mie views of the eliui'cli at tliat time, 
 but sli owing tlwvic/al of wliieli it was composed. 
 
 Sixty-S(n-en years have passer! since tlie first names 
 were inscribed upon its Records. To the people at 
 hirge, scarce else but the names of those persons 
 rc^main, and even these may be forgotten. Tlieir 
 lives were simple, '•" Xo boast of heraldiy, or pomp 
 of j)ower," 
 
 "Far from the maddening croAvds ignoble strife, 
 Their sober wishes, never learned to stray, 
 Along the cool sequestered vale of life. 
 They kept the noiseles.s tenor of their way." 
 
 But as the originators of tliis church, to its mem- 
 bers their names are precious, and will doubtless 
 remain in high repute long after the present genera- 
 tion shall have passed away. 
 
 The following is a list of the names of the pastors 
 of tins church, so far as the same can be ascertained 
 to the present time, 1872 : 
 
 Rev. Greorge Taylor, who remained frf)m 1825 until 
 the time of his death, which occurred June 10, 1842. 
 
 Rev. S. P. M. Hastings, 1842, 1843, 1844, 184,"). 
 
 Rev. A. N. Leighton. 1846. 
 
 Rev. Luther Conkl in, 1846. 1847, 1848, 1840. 18r)(). 
 1851. 
 
 Rev. A. Austin, 1852. 
 
 Rev. R. S. Egleston, 1852, 1853, 1854. 
 
 Rev. U. Powkl, 1855, 1856, 1857. 
 
 Rev. P. P. Bates, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1801. 1862. 
 
 Rev. C. A. Conant, 1863, 1864. 
 
 Rev. J. B. Morse, 1865, 1866. 
 
40 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 Rvv. E. Benedict, 1867, 18G8, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872. 
 
 Kev. Charles Ray, 1872. 
 
 Til is Society lias purcliasetl an Organ, at a cost of 
 si, 200, and contemplate thoronglily ivpairing tlie 
 clivricli l)uilding during the coming year. A heavy, 
 line toned bell was i)]'esent»'d to the Society, Jiinnar\ 
 1st, 1868, by Mrs. Sophia Jewett. 
 
 UjVIYEESALIST CTiinu'ir. 
 
 The iirst advocate of the doctrine of Universalisni, 
 was l)v. Ohauncey, of Boston, in 1784. Writers np- 
 on this subject have })een nnmerous, and great dif- 
 ferences of opinion have existed among them ; one 
 portion holding that maidvind receive their pnnish- 
 ment in this world, and that they are at death imme- 
 diatel}^ admitted to the joys of heaven. The other, 
 that but part punishment is received in this life, but 
 that the correction and discipline of the soul extends 
 into the other world, where it will ultimately be prc^- 
 ])ared for glory. 
 
 In 1815 the Universalists built a house in Moravia, 
 where for a time, they met for religious exercises ; 
 but the building was afterward used as a dwelling- 
 house, and no other has been erected. It is believed 
 that this Society adhered to the former doctrine and 
 belief above mentioned. They have occasionally 
 held meetings in the village, but iio clnnch has be(^n 
 established. 
 
 .METHODIST CHUlitTI. 
 
 The Methodists owe their origin to Jolin AVesle}', 
 a man "zealous of good works," who labored inde- 
 fatigably in the cause which he had espt)used. In 
 
HISTORICAL «KETriIES OF MORAVIA. 41 
 
 this work lie was ably assisted by the eelebiated 
 George Whitetield. who met with uiu'xaiiii)l<'d sue- 
 cess in his ministrations. j\Iethodism was introduced 
 into America in 170(>, since wliicli time it has gradn- 
 ally increased iji power and followeis, until the 
 Methodists are now the largest body of pi-ofessing 
 Christians in tlie United States. 
 
 Al)out the year 1818 or 1819, a Methodist preacher, 
 liev. John Ercanbrack, visited the ''Flats'"' and 
 ])reaclLed in the Brick School Honse. Snbseqnently 
 arrangements were made whereby services were held 
 regularly once in two wc^eks. We cannot ascertain 
 that any church was organized at tliat time. (»r when 
 a class was formed. 
 
 In 1847, a church having been esta])lislied, a neat 
 Chapel vv'as built, sufficieiitl}' large at that time, but 
 which as the Society increased in numbers proved tof) 
 small, and a new l)rick building of modern archi- 
 tecture, an oi-nament to the village and a lasting 
 monunn^nt of the ]i])erality of the people, ada])ted 
 to the wants and comfort of the congregation, has 
 been ei'ected, to wit : in 1872, at a cost of twenty 
 thousand dollars. The Society is now in a prospei- 
 (ms condition spiritually and temporally. There is 
 a degree of open-hearted sociability among tlie mem- 
 bers of this denomination which is attractive to many 
 who sekhmi attend other cliurches. The outer portals 
 of the church are always open to those who desire to 
 know if the Lord is good ; while the doctrines of the 
 inner courts cordially welcome to full and equal fel- 
 lowship all who having prov(xl faithful for a season, 
 
42 HlfSTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 desire to devote tlieir lives and energies to the service 
 of their ]\Iaster, according to its pecnliar teachings 
 and beliefs. Its membership is large. 
 
 The names of the clergymen who liave had charge 
 of the Society, so far as the Same can be ascertained, 
 are as follows : 
 
 David Cobb, 1840. 
 
 Sylvester Brown, 1851 . • 
 
 E. C. Curtis, 1853. 
 
 A. B. Gregg, 1863. 
 
 J. B. Hyde. 
 
 A. M. Lake, 1863 to 1865. 
 
 Hiram Gee, 1865 to 1867. 
 
 William Jerome, 1867 to 1870. 
 
 Daniel W. Beadle, 1870 to 1872. 
 
 Andrew J. Kenyon, 1873. 
 
 EPISCOPAL OIIURCn. 
 
 The first Episcopal Church organized in this coun- 
 try was at Jamestown, Va., in 1608. We find in the 
 history of this Church in Moravia, that its origin 
 and progress are to be attributed largely to the un- 
 tiring exertions of Mr. Dudley Loomis, who came 
 with his family to this village in 1816. 
 
 It is said that a pebbh^ dropped into mid-ocean 
 starts a wave, which though almost imperceptible at 
 first, is felt upon the coast of either continent ; and 
 that our feeble breath sets in motion a current of air 
 whose influence extends to the farthest bounds of 
 atmosphere. So incidents in the lives of humble 
 individuals are often productive of momentous re- 
 sults, which will be felt throughout ages yet to come. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 43 
 
 We copy from a llistoiy of tliis Cliurcli, by Rev. 
 Henry Gregory, a very able and devoted eliurclnnan, 
 who formerly liad charge of this parish : 
 
 "It was a favorable circumstance that the individ- 
 ual who was instrumental to the introduction of 
 Episcopal services into this village, was of good re- 
 port, of blameless integrity, of sound judgment, of 
 steady but unobtrusive piety, and universally es- 
 teemed for liis plain and honest v/ortli, as a citizen, 
 a neighbor, and a friend, lie lived therefore above 
 the suspicion of improper motives, and his example 
 carried with it an intluence more steady, and in the 
 end more prevailing than any principle of mere in- 
 terest or of party strife. He was sincerely attached 
 to tlie Protestant Episcopal Church, and he believed 
 that the services of that communion would prove tf) 
 be a general and public benefit to his neighborhood. 
 With this ])ersuasi()n, and after having several times 
 attended public woi'ship v.dth the congregation at 
 Auburn, he obtained from the clergyman of that 
 place, a promise to visit the 'Flats.' Tlie Rev. Lu- 
 cius Smith, Rector of ISt. Peter s church, Unburn, 
 and o]ie of the Diocesan Missionaries, made his first 
 visit to Moravia on Monda^^, June 23, 1822. On tln^ 
 evening of that day he officiated and preached in the 
 Brick School House, and a second service was held 
 on the next day — the festival of St. John the Baptist 
 — at th(^ Methodist Chapel in l^ocke. There Mr. 
 Smith preached and administ(^ivd tlie Sacrament of 
 the Lord's Su})per to six members of tlie Episc(^pal 
 communion beside several of other (hMiominations." 
 
4-i HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVI.\. 
 
 The next day, June 25, another meeting was held 
 at tlie ]h>uso of Lawrence Wormer, in Locke, when 
 it was resolved to be (^xpinlient to organiz*' a Society 
 to belong to the Protestant Episcopal C'hurch. A 
 Vestry was also chosen for the Society, which as- 
 sumed the titl(^ of ''St. Mathew's Church/' Moravia. 
 Before the meeting was adjourned, a committee was 
 appointed to circulate a subscription, for the pur- 
 pose of building a church ; and at the end of two 
 days money and matei'ial for building, amounting in 
 value to Eight Hundred Dollars, liad been subscribed. 
 The frame of the building was raised in Jane, 1823, 
 and the work progressed so rapidly that in .Vugust 
 following, religious services w^ere lield there, con- 
 ducted by Rev. Lucius Smith. The building, liow- 
 ever, was not entirely iinished until 1826, and was 
 burned in 1842. In the following year a new one 
 was erected upon the same site. 
 
 It w^ould seem that the organization in Locke, w^as 
 for some reason defective, or informal, for in 1828 a 
 meeting was held at which a Society was organized 
 under the name of "St. Mathew's Church," at which 
 meeting Dudley LooHiis and Warren Rowley were 
 (diosen AVardens. 
 
 The lirst visit of the Bishop of the Diocese to the 
 church, was on the 10th day of September, 1826, 
 when the church was dedicated to the service of God, 
 and seventeen persons were conlirmed in the obliga- 
 tion of their baptismal covenant. 
 
 This church, which has never been large, has shown 
 commendable zeal in sustaining public worship, and 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF .MOlt.VVIA. 45 
 
 observing tlie general ordinances and tenets ii])oh 
 which it is founded. 
 
 The following is a list of the names of tln^ Rectors 
 of the church : 
 
 Seth Beardsley, Beardsley Northrop, Henry Greg- 
 
 or}', Miner, Phelps, E. W. Eager, 
 
 ^Vin. Paret, John Leach, Martin Moody, Beardsley 
 Northroji, Charles Beardsley, Alex. H. Rogers, Pey- 
 ton Gallegher, Benj. F. Taylor, Alex. H. Rogers. 
 
 BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 No Baptist church was organized at this place un- 
 til I'eceiitly ; the memliers of that denomination at- 
 tending service at Milan. 
 
 On the 22d day of June, 1870, a church was formed, 
 and regular exercises have since been observed at the 
 Public Hall, and latterly at the Congregational 
 House ; the Rev. M. H. Perry officiating as Pastor. 
 The Society have purchased a lot on the corner of 
 Aurora and Factory Streets, and propose erecting a, 
 liaiidsome and commodious church edifice tliereon. 
 
 CATHOLIC CIITJRCII. 
 
 An organization of St. Patrick's Church was eff«H*t- 
 (^d in Moravia in 1872, and the building formerh^ oc- 
 cupied b}^ the M. E. Church purchased and removed 
 to a lot on Grove Street, and services are now con- 
 ducted therein semi-monthly. Rev. Father A. Pa- 
 ganinni officiating. 
 
 It is to be hoped that the influence of this Church 
 may be instrumental in doing much good among the 
 class of people reached by its ministrations. 
 6 
 
4G msTor.icAL sketches of morayia. 
 
 QUAKEll MEETING HOUSE. 
 
 'I'lic Quaker Meeting House was built in 1822 by 
 Qualvers or "Friends," and was occupied by tlieni 
 for holding meetings until tlie year 1840, when the 
 house and premises were sold to the Methodists, who 
 held occasional services until 1859. Tlu^ property 
 was then tmnst'ered to a Society organized under the 
 statutes of this State pertaining to Cemetery Asso- 
 ciations. 
 
 At a meeting held Febrnar}' 23, 1859, for the pur- 
 pose of forming such Association, Thomas Ferguson 
 was chosen Chairman, and ^V. W. Austin, Clerk. 
 The following named persons were present : — Hiram 
 Hunt, William Parker, Isaac Sanford, Ward AV. 
 Austin, Selden Curtis, Andrew Edmunds, William 
 Pressey, John P. Wood, Samuel Burlingham, Wat- 
 son AVood, Thomas Ferguson, Cliristian Fritts, Will- 
 iam Harris, and Isaac Wood. The corj^orate name 
 there determined upon was "The Moravia Union 
 Cemetery Association. ' ' Nine Trustees were elected, 
 a Certificate of Incorporation was drawn and prop- 
 erly executed, and recorded in the County Clerk's 
 OtRce of Cayuga County, on March 31, 1859. 
 
 At another meeting of the Association, held Octo- 
 ber 29th, 1859, the sum of $437,50 was subscribed for 
 the purj^ose of repairing and comfortably furnishing 
 the house. 
 
 Among the By-Laws of the Association is the fol- 
 lowing : — 
 
 "The Chapel pertaining to the grounds owned by 
 this Association, shall be free. First — For funei-als. 
 
irrsTORicAL ske;tc!1i:s of moiiavia. 47 
 
 Second — For pul:)lic services of all religious denomi- 
 nations ; and the term religious denominations, sliall 
 be lield to include all acknowledging the supremacv 
 of God/' 
 
 Services ar(^ now gemnully held semi-monthly, 
 conducted alternately by clergymen from the village, 
 or 1)}' special appointment from adjoining towns. 
 
 The Chapel is very neatly built, accessible from all 
 points at all seasons of the year, is located in a beau- 
 tiful section of country, and the meetings held are 
 generally well attended. The original owners, the 
 Quakers, mostly resided west of this town and near 
 (Jayuga Lake, while occasionally a family was to be 
 found in this vicinity. But few of that denomination 
 attended the meetings except upon special important 
 occasions, Init the world's people were gv'nerally well 
 repres(4ited. 
 
 From this brief synopsis of Religious Societies, it 
 will be seen that from the early settlement of this 
 town, its inhabitants have not been unmindful of the 
 moral and religious influence wielded by the churches. 
 
 The organization of one of their number (the Con- 
 gregational, ) was effected as soon as a few faniili(^s 
 settled within a convenient distance to attend service. 
 Others were established when a sufficient number of 
 the same denomination coidd be gathered together, 
 and it is certainly a matter of congratulation and of 
 public interest, that these different denominations, 
 now existing here, labored with marked earnestness 
 and success, and are prosjierous and increasing in 
 strength and religious vitality. 
 
48 TiisTOHicAL ,sket(;hek of MORAA'IA. 
 
 iS'oiH^ of tlu'iTi claim peiiVction ; neither is tlie me- 
 dium of t^tilvation to the exclusion of the others. — 
 'rh(> o-reat object of the Christian Clinrches is to aid 
 in l)iinging men to "Love the Lord tlieir God witli 
 all their hearts, and their neighbors as themselves." 
 All believe in "God the Father, Maker of Heaven 
 and Eai'th, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our 
 Lord." They differ in the outward forms of worship 
 and church government ; but these are of minor im- 
 2)ortance. Religion does not consist merel}" in litui-- 
 gies or ceremonials, and is not dependent upon par- 
 ticular church polity. In the essentials of religious 
 worship, the Orthodox Cliristian Churches are a 
 unit. In spirit and in truth they are one. To be 
 sure unthinking and faultfinding men have endeav- 
 ored to use as an argument against religion the diver- 
 sity of the churches, tlieir different forms of worship, 
 their disagreement upon certain minor points of 
 church government, and claim that if there is any 
 such religion as the churches profess, all would be 
 united in one bod}', one form, one creed, a unit in 
 everything. ' But such an argument is devoid of logic . 
 It is to be doubted whether immediate consolidation 
 of the churches would be advisable, could it be 
 accomplished. There is doubtless at this time, much 
 more strength in the churches as they are, than if 
 but one existed. The time has not yet come when 
 even those "who call themselves Christians" can 
 unite in everything pertaining to the manner of wor- 
 ship, and of doing labor in the vineyard of the Lord. 
 Tlio Methodist brother can, or thinks he can, "enjoy 
 
IIISTOUrCAL SKETCHES OV MORAVIA. 49 
 
 religion" best a.s a Methodist. By nature he is a. 
 Methodist, and a great joy and eonil'ort would be 
 taken I'rora him could he not sliout his ''Amens'' and 
 "Praise the Lord," when he Avislied and witli the 
 utmost freedom. The Episcopalian dislikes this 
 freedom ; he observes decorum ; he reads his prayers 
 witli unvarying exactness, montli after mont]i, and 
 yv'cW after year; his Amens are as fixed as were the 
 laws of the Medes and Persians. Tlie Congregation- 
 alist loves formality and lufonnalWy ; freedom tc(ju- 
 Jated not by Bishox>, Priest, or Synod, but b_y the 
 '•Avill of the i)eoi)le ;■' he governs himself and his 
 churcli at the same time ; he is liberal and demo- 
 cratic ; he is a Congregationalist in all his symj)a- 
 thies and afi'ections. Tlie Baptist may be cleansed 
 ''along side of" the Congregationalist ; it has been 
 said (and the expression is borrowed.) that a Baptist 
 is only a wet Congregationalist ; he believes in self 
 government ; he wants but little ceremony ; his forms 
 are few, but those he will most strenuously insist 
 upon Jiaving observed to the letter. 
 
 Now put these several denominations together, and 
 govern them by one set of rules, adapted to all ; re- 
 construct upon one conmion ceremonial basis these 
 different and iinassimilated elements. It certainly 
 cannot now be done. The writer is not unmindful 
 of the diversitj* of opinion upon this subject, and is 
 awai'e that there are intelligent and exemplary mem- 
 bers of the several churches who are willing to cast 
 aside all minor considerations, and unite in one body, 
 with one common (^reed and Cliurch Polity : but the 
 
'yQ UIHTORICAL SKL'TCIfES OF JIOKAVIA. 
 
 average ('luii-cliiiiaii is unpn'pan'd, and dissents iVons 
 this. AVlieu men all grow to the same lieight spirit- 
 ually, wlicii ill their likes and dislikes they all arcord, 
 wiicn tlicy are educated alike, and think, pray and 
 s-ing in imitation each of tlic othci', tlien if any i,< 
 needed, one church might be established. I'ntil that 
 time, sing on. Oh ]Mt>tli(^dist, and Shout for Joy ! 
 ''Upon this Rock," Oh Episco])alia]i, Repeat your 
 Litau}', and Hymn your TeDeum rejoicing. Rejoice, 
 Oh Baptist as ye '"go down into" and "come out 
 of ' ' the elemental characteristics of 3' our Faith. Re- 
 joicing all in the freedom wherewith Christ hath made 
 you free. Diverse in ceremonial r^, in faith, oiie peo- 
 ple, whose God is the Lord. 
 
 Let him who desires to bccouie a church member, 
 choose the cliurch in which he caii be the most us(^- 
 ful, and v^diich seems best adapted to his taste and 
 social relations, and i]i which he can best serve the 
 great Head of the Church. And whereA'er he casts 
 his lot, let him remember that Christians of all de- 
 nominations are of on(^ brotherhood, all laboring in 
 the same cause, and for the attainment of the same 
 object, ''laborers togetlier with Clod." 
 
 VALUATION OF (III KCII mOPElJTY. 
 
 Tln^ total valuation of church property in this 
 town is (estimated at Ji5o(),000. The amounts paid 
 annnally for sustaining the several Churches and 
 Societies, from Sr^n,000 to $5,.^50 ; and for benevolent 
 pui-poses annually $600. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 MoKAYiA Institute — Fiest TiinsTEEs — Names of 
 •Teaciieus. 
 
 The Morn via Institute Building was erected in 1838. 
 Tlie iirst Board of Trustees consisted of tlie following 
 named gentlemen : 
 
 Hon. Rowland Day, President ; Calvin Whitwood. 
 Dr. Hilem Bennett, Deacon John Stoyell, Leonard 
 O. Aiken, Hon. Ebenezer Smith, Artemas Cady. 
 Chauncey Wright, Orsamus Dibble, Robei't Mitchell, 
 Daniel Goodrich, Loj^al Stoyell, Trustees. 
 
 The first teacher was Elbridge Hosmer, wIk) was 
 Principal of the school for five years. The School 
 Recoid was burned a few j^ears since, so that it is 
 impossible to obtain a reliable history of its progress. 
 
 The Institute has sent out from its halls a large 
 number of professional and business men, wIkj have 
 done credit to tliemselves and to their Alma JMatei-. 
 
 The names of some of the Principals of this school 
 are appended : 
 
 Elbridge Hosmer, Samuel D. Carr, Livings- 
 tone, — Kinnev. William Parett. John Leech. 
 
52 HLSTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAAI.V. 
 
 Robert Mitchell, Martin Moody, Wesb^y W. Wlll- 
 onghby, J. S. Holbrook, JoliiiG. Williams, Miss Amy 
 Frost, Phylander P. Bates, Watson C. Squires, 
 
 Goodell, Dysart, Eugene Proctor. Miles 
 
 G. Hyde, Alex. H. "Rogers. 
 
 i 
 
CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 The Village Named — Old Se^ipkojstius — First 
 - Towjsr Meeting — First Toavn Officers — One 
 Man with Six Offices — Ezekiel Sayles— In- 
 corporated— Presidents AND Clerks — Division 
 OF the Town of Sempronius — Supervisors and 
 Town Clerks. 
 
 In tlie year 1813 a meeting was called for tlie pnr- 
 pose' of adopting a suitable name for the village, 
 theretofore known only as the "Flats." It was 
 there voted "That this Village be called Hamburg." 
 But it was afterwards ascertained that another town 
 in this State claimed prior title to that appellation, 
 and a subsequent meeting was held, at which Mr. 
 Cotton Skinner proposed the name of ''Moravia," 
 which was unanimously adopted. 
 
 The first Town Meeting for the Town of Sempro- 
 nius, which was then a part of the County of Onon- 
 daga, was held at the house of Ezekiel Sayles, on 
 Tuesday, the 3d day of April, 1798. Present and 
 presiding, John Stoyell, Esq., Justice of the Peace. 
 The following town officers were elected : 
 
 Town Clerk, Ezekiel Sayles ; Supervisor, John 
 Stoyell ; Assessors, Moses Little, James Brinkerhoff ; 
 Poad Commissionei-s, Jacob L. HeWitt, Ezekiel 
 7 
 
54 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 Sayles, Moses Cole; Constables and Collectors, Amos? 
 Stoyell, Isaac Shaver; Poor Master, JolmSummerton; 
 School Commissioners, John Stoyell, Seth Burgess, 
 Jacob L. DeWitt ; Pound Master, Ezekiel Sables ; 
 Fence Viewers, Abraham Johnson, Henry Cuyken- 
 dall, John Summerton, WinsloAV Perry, Peleg Allen ; 
 Commissioners of Highways, Moses Tuttle, AVinslow 
 Perry, Jonathan Eldridge, Zadoc Titus, George Park- 
 er, Henry Osterhout, James Brinkerhoff, Peleg Allen ; 
 Commissioners of Public Lots, Gershom Morse, Cor- 
 nelius Buiiew, John Abbott. 
 
 At the next Town Meeting the ticket was made up 
 mostly of Mr. Sayles, to wit : 
 
 Town Clerk, Ezekiel Sayles ; Assessor, Ezekiel 
 Sayles ; Commissioner of Roads, Ezekiel Sayles ; 
 Pound Master, Ezekiel Sayles ; Commissioner of 
 Public Lots, Ezekiel Sayles. He was at the same 
 time Justice of the Peace — making in all six offices. 
 
 At the present time fears of a centralization of 
 power would be entertained, under similar circum- 
 stances, and from the Records it would appear that 
 Mr. Sayles did not increase in popularity, but that 
 for several years thereafter, he did not at any one 
 time, hold more than four or five town offices. He 
 held the office of Town Clerk for only twenty-two 
 years ; Commissioner of Highways, eighteen years ; 
 Pound Master, sixteen years. 
 
 Town Meetings were held at the houses of Mr. 
 Sayles, Seth Burgess, and William Satterlee, succes- 
 sively, until 1813, when they were held at the Bap- 
 tist Meeting House until 1820, and thereafter at the 
 houses of Zadoc Titus and Frederick Pendelton. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 55 
 
 The last Town Meeting before the division of the 
 town, was held at the house of Joseph Lee, 
 
 We give below the names of all the Supervisors 
 imd Town Clerks of tlie old town of Sempronius, from 
 its organization to the year 1832, when such division 
 was made. 
 
 
 SUPEIIVISORS. 
 
 1798- 
 
 -John Stoyell. 
 
 1799- 
 
 -Jacob DeWitt 
 
 1800- 
 
 _ " " 
 
 1801- 
 
 _ u u 
 
 1802- 
 
 _ " ^' 
 
 1803- 
 
 _ ii a 
 
 1804— Charles Kellog 
 
 1805- 
 
 — " " 
 
 1806- 
 
 _ " '' 
 
 1807- 
 
 -William Sattei 
 
 1808- 
 
 _ u u 
 
 1809- 
 
 _ »' " 
 
 1810- 
 
 _ I i ( ( 
 
 1811- 
 
 _ " ^' 
 
 1812- 
 
 _ tt 4( 
 
 1813- 
 
 _ " " 
 
 1814- 
 
 '' u 
 
 1815- 
 
 _ " " 
 
 1816- 
 
 _ " " 
 
 1817- 
 
 _ U (( 
 
 1818- 
 
 _ a i( 
 
 1819- 
 
 -Rowland Day. 
 
 1820- 
 
 _ u u 
 
 TOWN CLERKS. 
 
 Ezekiel Sayles. 
 
 Cyrus Powers. 
 Ezekiel Sayles. 
 
56 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OFMOEAVIA, 
 
 1821— Rowland Day. Bliss Forbnsli. 
 
 1822— 
 
 1823— William Satterlee. Franklin Day. 
 
 1824— " '■' '' 
 
 1825— u c. 
 
 1826— George H. i^rinkerhoff. " " 
 
 1827— Eowland Day. William Wade. 
 
 1828— George H. Brinkerlioff. " " 
 
 1829 " " " " 
 
 1830— " " '^ Elijah Anstin. 
 
 1881— Rowland Day. William Wade. 
 1832— " " ^ 
 
 William Satterlee held the office of Supervisor foi- 
 fourteen years, and Ezekiel Sayles the office of Clerk 
 for twenty -two years. He was the grandfather of L. 
 D. Sayles, Esq., of this village. 
 
 At a Town Meeting, held April, 1821, the following 
 Resolutions were passed by a unanimous vote : 
 
 '■^ Hesohed, That the thanks of this Town be pre- 
 sented to Ezekiel Sayles for his able and faithful ser- 
 vices as Clerk of said Town, during a period of twen- 
 ty-two years. 
 
 jResolved, imanwiously, That the Town Clerk he 
 I'equested to record the foregoing vote in the com- 
 mon Book of proceedings of this Town." 
 
 The Town of Sempronius, by an act of the Legis- 
 lature passed March 20, 1833, was divided into three 
 towns, consisting of Sempronius on the east, Niles 
 on the north, and Moravia on the west. By the first 
 section of the act, the Town of Moravia is bounded 
 and described as follows : 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 57 
 
 " From and after the passing of this Act, all that 
 part of the Town of Sempronius, in the County of 
 Caynga, being the southwest part, bounded on the 
 west and on the south by the present lines of. said 
 town; on the east 1)}' the west line of lots number 
 ninety-six, eighty-six, seventy-six, sixty-six, fifty- 
 six, and forty-seven ; and on the north by the south 
 line of lots number thirty-seven, thirty-six, thirty- 
 five, thirty-four, thirty-three ; and extending west 
 through lot number twenty-six to Owasco Lake, shall 
 be and remain a separate Town by the name of Mo- 
 ravia. And the first Town Meeting shall be held at 
 the house of Asa Little, in said town, on the second 
 Tuesday of April next/' 
 
 We give below as a matter of statistical interest, 
 the names of all the Supervisors and Town Clerks of 
 this Town from that year to 1873. 
 
 SUPERVISORS. TOWN CLERKS. 
 
 1833 — Artemas Cady. Wm. A. Richmond. 
 
 1834— '' '' AVm. H. Day. 
 
 1835— '' " '^ '^ ^' 
 1836— Daniel Goodrich, Jr. 
 
 1837— Rowland Day.^- A. II. Dunbar. 
 
 1838— '' '' Orasmus Dibble. 
 1839— Daniel Cloodrich, Jr. 
 
 1840— '' " t O. M. Welch. 
 
 1841— " '' '' '^ 
 1842— John Locke. George Hart. 
 1843— Daniel Goodi'ich, Ji'. 
 
 *Rowland Day had been Supervisor for the old Town of Sempro- 
 nius for several j^ears. 
 
58 
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 1844— Artemiis Cady. 
 
 1845— 
 
 1846— Leonard O. Aiken. 
 
 1847— 
 
 1848— '^ " 
 
 1849 — Warren Powers. 
 
 1850— " " 
 
 1851— " 
 1852— L. O. Aiken. 
 1853— Reuben Stoyell. 
 1854— Daniel L. Wood. 
 1855— Wm. H. Price. 
 1856— Wm. R. Hewitt. 
 1857 — Daniel Sutplien. 
 1858— John P. Wood. 
 1859— Austin B. Hale. 
 I860— " " " 
 1861— John L. Parker. 
 1862— Benj. F. Everson. 
 1863— "' " " 
 1864— Dwight Lee. 
 1865— Hector H. Tuthill. 
 
 1866— " " " 
 
 1867— " '' " 
 1868— E. E. Brown. 
 1869— S. Edwin Day. 
 1870— Terry Everson. 
 1871— " 
 
 1872— S. Edwin Day. 
 1873—" " " 
 
 CT(^orge Hart- 
 
 Josiah H. Stanley. 
 George Hart. 
 
 u u 
 
 Henry Cutler. 
 
 Frederick Small. 
 Henry Cutler. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 59 
 
 Moravia Village was first iiicorpoiated by the fol- 
 lowing act of the Legislatu]"(\ passed May 1, 1837: 
 
 ''The district of coiiiitry in the Town of Moravia, 
 in the C'Oiinty of Caynga, contained in the following 
 bounds, to wit : Beginning at the forks of the road 
 running through the village of Moravia on the north, 
 and running from tlience east one hundred and forty 
 rods, thence south two hundred and sixty rods, 
 thence west two hundred and forty rods, thence 
 north two hundred and sixty rods, thence east to the 
 place of beginning one hundred rods, shall hereafter 
 be known and distinguished l)y the nanu' of the Vil- 
 lage of Moravia ; and tlie freeholders and inliabitants 
 residing in said village, are constituted a bod}' cor- 
 porate by the name of 'The Trustees of the Village 
 of Moravia.' " 
 
 The village was reincorporated by an act of the 
 Legislature passed March 15, 1859, with extended 
 boundaries, as follows : 
 
 " All that part of the Town of Moravia, County of 
 Cayuga, and State of New York, which is contained 
 within the following l>ounds and limits, to wit : — 
 Beginning at the east or right bank of the Owasco 
 Inlet where said bank is intersected by the north line 
 of lot number eighty-two in said town, thence south- 
 erly along the said bank of said stream at its usual 
 or mean height, until it intersects the south line of 
 tlie farm now owned by William B. AVormer, or lot 
 number ninety-two in said town, to the east line of 
 said lot number ninety-two ; thence south on said 
 lot line to the southwest corner of lands belonging 
 
60 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 to the estate of Ti-ij)liena Cole ; thence east on the 
 south line of Triphena Cole's land, to the east line of 
 number ninety-three ; thence north on said lot line, 
 to the lands of Samuel Spaft'ord ; thence west to the 
 southwest corner of INIaiy Daj^'s lands ; tlience north 
 to the north line of said lot ]iuml)er ninety-three ; 
 thence west on said lot line to the center of the 
 spring brook leading from a spring in Dwight Day' s 
 land ; thence northerly in a direct lin(^ to and in 
 such direction that it shall strike the small pond or 
 raceway of the stone grist mill at the south margin 
 thereof, and at a point directly south of the center 
 of the gap cut in tlie rocks and forming a waste weir 
 to said grist mill raceway ; thence from that point 
 on the south margin of said raceway, up and along 
 said south margin and ahmg the south bank of 4he 
 mill pond n.nd creek as the same winds and turns till 
 it intersects Montville Creek at its junction with 
 Butch Creek ; thence across Montville Creek and 
 Dutch Creek to the southeast corner of John Stoyell's 
 land, formerly known as the Cady lot, and along said 
 Cady lot to tlie north line of lot number eighty-three, 
 upon or near the summit of the right bank of Dutch 
 Creek ; thence west along the iiorth lines of lots 
 number eighty-three and eighty-two, to the place of 
 beginning, shall hereafter be known and distinguish- 
 ed by the name of 'the Village of Moravia.' " 
 
 The following are the names of the Presidents and 
 Clerks of the village since the latter date : 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 61 
 
 PRESIDENTS. 
 
 1859— N. T. Stephens. 
 I860— B. F. Everson. 
 1861 — Benjamin Allee. 
 1862— Alonzo Cutter. 
 1863 — Terry Everson. 
 1864— J. M. Sawyer. 
 1865— C. E. Parker. 
 1866— Wm. Titus. 
 1867— " 
 
 1868—^ Edwin Day. 
 1869— Wm. Titus. 
 1870— J. L. Parker. 
 1871— M. C. Selover. 
 1872— J. H. Holden. 
 
 CLERKS. 
 
 A. H, Dunbar. 
 
 Seth P. Hart. 
 
 Wm. Tallman. 
 
 it II 
 
 A. H. Dunbar. 
 
 Norman Parker. 
 
 George Hart. 
 
 E. D. Wade. 
 
 W. H. Day. 
 
 U it, 
 
 R. D. Wade. 
 
 u u 
 
 W. H. Day. 
 
I 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 llowi.AXD Day — Cady's Tavern — When Built — 
 '•■Attnt Cady'' — Moravia Cotton Mills — Tav- 
 erns— Brkk — MoNTViLLE — Anecdote — Exploit 
 OF John LockI': — S. E. Day — Ciiattncey Wright 
 — John II. Hin.-man and Isaac M. Cook— "Sister 
 Cook" — The last Man to let (^o of tiik Lines. 
 
 Of the first s(^ttlcrs of tliis Town, pci'luips there 
 were none more worthy of mention than Hon. Row- 
 land Day, who came to the "'Fhits''' in 1810, and 
 erected a frame building, in which h*^ ''kept store," 
 in after years known as the ''Old Yellow Store." 
 He was an excellent business man, and did much to 
 enhance the prosperity and growth of the village. 
 He was Post Master for thirty years, Supervisor for 
 fifteen or thereabouts, and was elected Member of 
 xVssembly in 1816. In 1821 he represented this Dis- 
 trict in State Convention in which important changes 
 were made in tlie Constitution. He was also a Mem- 
 l)er of Congress for two terms. Mr. Day did not ex- 
 cel as a debater, but was highly respected as a wise 
 and shrewd counselor. His shrewd management was 
 so well understood in Congress, that he acquired the 
 sobriquet of the "Cayuga Fox." 
 
 An honest, upi-ight man, he held the above named 
 
64 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 ofRc(^s of trust efficiently, with credit to liiinself and 
 lionor to liis constituents. He was faitliful to his 
 pj^^i-ty— a strong Jackson man— and bitterly opx)Osed 
 to the dangerous doctrines of secession advanced by 
 John C. Calhoun. 
 
 Mr. Day died Dec. 23, I808, at the age of 74 years. 
 
 In ISIO Zadoc Cady joined the little settlement 
 on the ''Flats," built a log house, and used the front 
 part as a Tavern. He afterwards erected uiDon the 
 same site, the frame building known as "Cady's 
 Tavern." This Tavern was a general rendezvous, not 
 only for the town s people, but for those of the sur- 
 rounding country. It was the head-quarters of a 
 militia regiment, which held a "general training" 
 on the "Flats," which lasted two or three days and 
 as many nights. 
 
 "Aunt Cady," as she was familiarly called, (tln^ 
 wife of Zadoc,) had wide-spread notoriety as a cook, 
 and the traveler at any hour of the day or night was 
 sure of a substantial and digestible meal. 
 
 Said Mr. Samuel Weller, "Weal pie is a werry 
 good thing, if you knows the woman wot made it." 
 The hungry man, be he ever so fastidious, had but 
 to be told that "Aunt Cady" was at the helm, to be 
 warranted in the enjoyment of a meal fit to set before 
 a king. Upon the sigii used to inform the public of 
 the name of the Tavern, was painted the figures 1801, 
 the first three of which were nearly obliterated, so 
 that it was often jocosely remarked that "Aunt Ca- 
 dy" had kept tavern there c^ver since the year oii(\ 
 
 The Moravia Cotton Mill was built in 1881 bv a 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 65 
 
 company composed chiefly of citizens of this town, 
 and contributed greatly toward increasing tlie busi- 
 ness and prosperity of the place ; employing wdien 
 in full operation, about one hundred workmen. The 
 goods manufactured were said to be fully equal to 
 imported stock, and found ready sales at satisfactory 
 prices. The mill was destroyed by tire in ISoG, and 
 the following year a Grist Mill was built upon the 
 same foundations, having a, reservoir and water pow- 
 er sufficient to run the mill at all seasons of tlie year. 
 This property is now owned by M. C. and Wm. M. 
 Selover. 
 
 Montville Tavern w^as built in 1813 and 1814, by 
 Walter Wood, at that time flrst Judge in Cayuga 
 County, The Brick Tavern (now^ ' ' Moravia House, ' ' ) 
 was built by Dr. David Amiable, about 1820, and 
 Goodridge' s Hotel by Lemuel Porter in 1852. 
 
 Speaking of Taverns, is a reminder of an incident 
 related as having occurred at a time when the Mont- 
 ville, Milan, and Brick Hotels were in full blast. 
 Upon this occasion a small social party, consisting 
 of Samuel E. Day, Jolm Locke, Chauncey Wright, 
 John H. Hinman, and Isaac M. Cook, familiarly 
 known as "Sister Cook,'' had been celebrating some 
 special political event by taking a, sleigh ride about 
 towni, as a matter of course stopping each time 
 around at the several hotels mentioned. Tlie only 
 sleigh procurable, contained but 'one seat holding 
 but two persons, so that two more were obliged to 
 sit ill their laps, while the driver sat upon an empty 
 tobacco keo; in fi-oiit. Cook was the driver — a i'e«:u- 
 
C)6 HISTORICAL SKiyrCHKS OF MORAVIA. 
 
 lar Jeliii. Late in the evening it was p]-opose(l that 
 the party should drive to ^.lilan, tak«> a iiiial drink, 
 return to the Brick Tavern, take anoflier linal drink, 
 and go home — sober as deacons. Accordingiv the 
 trip was made to Milan and return, hut instead of 
 stopping at Moravia as agreed upon, Cooiv p*ut on 
 the whip, turned tlie coriKM- and went to MontviUe, 
 wliere, after some dekiy, the Landlord was aroused 
 from his slumbers, and informed that the lav/ allow- 
 ed him to keep open house for the reception of trav- 
 elers at all hours, and the law must be enforced then 
 and there ; thereupon the landlord was hustled, 
 without mucli ceremony, behind the counter, and the 
 bottles and glasses set out. The driver however, 
 was so overcome at the kindness, (as he often repc^at- 
 ed,) of their host, "in (Mitertaining travelers and 
 angels unawares," that tlie tears flowed copiously 
 down his cheeks, while he endeavored to embrace 
 his benefactor, who stepped dextej'ously behind a 
 post, around which Cook thivw liis arms with broth- 
 erly affection. 
 
 Upon starting out again, the ability of Cook to get 
 them safely to Moravia was seriously doubted by his 
 companions, but he insisted that he was the only 
 sober man in the party, and should run no risks by 
 allowing any of them to handle the reins. However 
 all went quietly enough until they arrived near the 
 top of "J^kiimei' Hill," when Cook suddenly stood 
 up in the sleigh and laid on the whip with all the 
 force he could muster ; the team immediately became 
 iinma]ia*i'al)l(\ and ran with great violence down the 
 
IlISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MUKAVIA. bt 
 
 hill, all but tlie (b'ivcr comprelieiidiiig tlie state of 
 alTaiis, jiiiuped out into the snow, in all directions, 
 he and the team disappearing down tlie hill, followed 
 as quickly as possible, nndei' the circumstances, by 
 the balance of the part}', wlio fully expected to find 
 Cook dashed to pieces along the road. The team 
 was found in a huge snow bank near the foot of the 
 hil\, and aftin* considerable miscellaneous digging 
 around, Cook was drawn out of the snow wherein he 
 had been completely buried, and so wound about 
 with the reins as to be unable to moye ; whereupon 
 he was accosted by Mr. Day with "Hallo! Sister 
 Cook I Are 3'ou dead or aint yeV' to which Cook 
 with some difficulty and apparent resentment, ans- 
 wered, "Dead'^ no; but I want you all to under- 
 stand that Pm flie last nuni f<> let qo of Hip lines ^ 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 Free ^Iasoxry— Its Axtiquity— OKi(ii>' axi^ Pur- 
 I'OSES— Syltax-^ Lodge— Wiie^ Formed — St. John 
 THE Baptist Chapter — Representatives to 
 Grand Chapter — '-So Mote it be." 
 
 Says on.' writ'in-, " Every sin^o symmetry bcii-aii and 
 iKuiiiony displayed its charms, our ordin- lias liad a 
 beiiiL!:." I)oubtl(>ss Free Masomy is of aiicicMit date 
 and oiiLvin, but its loiin-evity ("ni Jiardly be tiaced to 
 the time of the creation of th(^ world. The original 
 fonnation of the order was in all respects very crude 
 and uninteresting ; aiming to regulate the afl'airs in- 
 cident to business relations, and to the duties of i^rac- 
 tical life ; l)ut it possessed none of the imposing cere- 
 monials, or exterior disx)lay and grandeur for which 
 it is now cel(4)rated. A bnv mechanics or masons by 
 trade, formed a league or union, for the advancement 
 of their occupation, the better protection of their 
 rights, and to secure the increased strengtli and in- 
 fluence which a. societ^^ oi- organization generally 
 possess. They were governed by certain simple rules 
 applicable to their business and the times in wliicli 
 they lived. Among their ancient chargcis Avas the 
 followinir, which recommends itself to ev(M-v on<% 
 
 9 
 
70 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 wlietlicr of tlie order or not, and is wortliy of consid- 
 eration hy all : 
 
 "Ye shall be true to tlie king, and the master you 
 serve, and to the fellowship whereof 3'ou are admit- 
 ted. 
 
 Ye shall be true to, and love each other. 
 ' Ye shall call each other brother, not slave, or any 
 unkind name. 
 
 Ye shall ordain tlie wisest to be masters of the 
 Avork ; and neither for love nor lineage, riches or 
 favor, set one over the other who hath but little 
 knowledge. * '■ "" * * '•' * 
 
 All the brothers shall treat the peculiarities of each 
 other with the gentleness, decency, and forbearance 
 he thinks due to liis own. 
 
 Ye shall have reasonable pay, and live honestly." 
 
 Once a year they were to assemble for consultation 
 in the interests of the order. 
 
 From the pen of a very able liistorian, we find, 
 "That the Italians with some Greek refugees, also 
 some French, Germans, and Flemish, joined into a 
 fraternity of Architects ; the}^ styled themselves 
 'Free Masons,' and traveled from one nation to an- 
 other, as they found edifices to be built. They had 
 regular rules and regulations among themselves, fix- 
 ing their residence in a camp near the place where 
 they were employed. A Surveyor governed in chief. 
 Every tenth man was called a Warden, whose dut}^ 
 was to o"Vierlook the other nine." 
 
 As to the pecuniary advantages of the ancient 
 order, witness the followina" : 
 
nrSTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 71 
 
 *'St. Albans loved masons well, and cheiislied 
 them much, and made tlieir iniy riglit good, for lie 
 gave them 2 sliillings per week, and 3d to tlieir cheer ; 
 wlier(^as, be'fore that time, in all the land, a mason 
 had l)nt a penny a day and his meat, until St. Albans 
 mended itt. And he gott them a charter from the 
 king, and his consent for to hold a g(^neral counsell, 
 and gave it the name of Assemblie ; thereat he was 
 himself, and did helpe to make masons, and gave 
 them good charges." 
 
 Th(3 lahor(^r is worthy of his hire. For the l)enelit 
 of those who are interested iii ancient writings, and 
 who pcnhaps liave not heretofore had opportunity 
 for tlK'ir pe]-usal, concerning this sul)joct. we ap})end 
 the following questions and answers, which perhaps, 
 will throw some light upon the character of the order 
 of "yo olden times," and also a not«^ lauding its 
 merits, written by the celebrated philosoplnM' John 
 Locke. 
 
 The orthography of the oi-iginal b(ung sominvhat 
 unintelligil^le, is corrected in some instances to con- 
 form more nearly to that of the present day. 
 
 " Certain questions, with answers to the same, con- 
 cerning the mystery of masonry, Avritten hy the hand 
 of King Henry the Sixth of the name, and faithfully 
 copied by me, John Leylande, antiquarus, by the 
 command of his highness. 
 
 Question. What might it be ? 
 
 Answer. It be the skill of nature, the understand- 
 ing of the mighty, that is herein : and its sundry 
 operations, ])articularly th*^ skill of niimV>ers, 
 
72 niSTOHlCAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 weiglits, and tlie trin? manner of forming all things 
 for man's nso, diielly dwellings and buildings of all 
 kinds, and all other things that make good to man. 
 
 Question. Where did it begin ( 
 
 Answer. It did begin with the first men in the east, 
 which were before the first men of the west ; and 
 coming westerly, it hath brought herewith all com- 
 forts to the lone and comfortless. 
 
 Question. Who did bring it westerly i 
 
 Answer. The Phpnecians, who being great mer- 
 chants, came first from the east in Phonecia, for the 
 convenience of merchandise, both east and west, by 
 the Red and Midean seas. 
 
 Question. How came it in England ? 
 
 Answers. Pythagoras, a Grecian, journeyed for 
 knowledge in Egypt and in Syria, and in ever^^ land 
 wherein the Phonecians had planted masonry ; gain- 
 ing entrance in all lodges of masons, he learned much, 
 and returned and worked in Grecia [Magna, growing 
 and becoming a mighty wiseacre, and greatly renown- 
 ed, and here he framed a great lodge at Groton, and 
 made many masons, some whereof did journey in 
 France and made many masons, wherefrom in pro- 
 cess of time, the art passed into England. 
 
 Question. What arts hath the masons taught man- 
 kind ? 
 
 Answer. Agriculture, architecture, astronomy, ge- 
 ometry, numbers, chemistry, music, government and 
 religion. 
 
 Question, How came masons more teachers than 
 other men 1 
 
IIISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. To 
 
 Answer. Tliey tlieni selves liave only the art of 
 finding new arts, wliieli arts the first masons received 
 from God, by the which they find what arts Ilim 
 pleaseth, and the true way of teaching the snme. — 
 What other men do find out is only by chance, and 
 therefore but little, I trow. 
 
 Question. T)o all masons know more than other 
 men ;' 
 
 Answer. Not so. They only hath right and occa- 
 sion more than othei- men to know, and many do 
 fail in capacity, and mau}^ more do want industry, 
 that is absolutely necessary for the gaining of all 
 knowledge. 
 
 Question. Are masons better men than others i 
 
 Answer. Some masons are not so virtuous as some 
 other men, but in most part, they be more good than 
 they would be if they Avere not masons. 
 
 Question. Do masons love each other mightily, as 
 liatli been said ? 
 
 Answer. Yea, veril}", and it may not otherwise be ; 
 for good men and true, knowing each other to be 
 such, do always love the more, as they be more good." 
 
 The following is the closing portion of the note 
 referred to al)ove, written by John Locke to the Right 
 Honorable Thomas Earle, of Pembroke, to whom he 
 sent the manuscript. 
 
 "I know not what the effect the sight of this old 
 paper may have upon j'our lordship, but for my own 
 part, I cannot deny that it has so much raised my 
 curiosity as to induce me to enter myself into the 
 fraternity ; which I am determined to do (if I may be 
 
74 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 adiiiitte'd,) the next time I go to London, (and tliat 
 will be shortly). 
 
 I am, my Lord, yonr Lordships most obedient 
 . and most hnmble servant. 
 
 JOHN LOCKE. '^ 
 
 It will be seen from the foregoing extracts, that 
 Free Masonry originated in the interests of a class of 
 tradesmen, or architects, for their better protection, 
 profit, and better knowledge of their trade, which 
 the order secured to them. From this germ has 
 grow^n a tree, whose l)ranches extend thronghont 
 Christendom, and the fruit of which has been glad- 
 ness and consolation to many in time of weariness 
 and distress. 
 
 Latterly, however, the distinctive characteristics of 
 the original order, to wit : the advancement of cer- 
 tain mechanical pursuits and the interests of a class 
 of tradesmen, have become unimportant and obso- 
 lete, especially in our ow^n country, where labor in 
 all its branches, is honorable, and the rights of all 
 men are guaranteed by constitutional enactments 
 and enforced b}^ Judicial dictums. 
 
 The seeming necessity of the oi-ganization for the 
 mechanic of the earlier ages, no longer exists or is 
 no longer applicable to those of the present day. — 
 But the order thus established has never ceased to 
 exist, and for the most part flourish. There must be 
 something attractive in this bond of union ; some- 
 thing real in this system of brotherhood which has 
 withstood the chans^es which time has w-rought, the 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF .MORAVIA. 7") 
 
 turmoil and confusion of revolutions, and the rise 
 and fall of empires. And there c(^rtainly is. Ma- 
 sonry with such small and almost insignificant begin- 
 ning, has ontgiown its swaddling clothes, aiid become 
 a power in the world. Uniting with morality and 
 benevolence, pecuniary means one of the most essen- 
 tial elements of successful operation in anj' cause. 
 Masonry is established on a firm foundation, to wit : 
 brotherly love and charity. To be a true mason, one 
 must be, to say the least, a moral man, "he is firmly 
 to believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, who 
 will be the Judge of our actions, and i-eward us ac- 
 cording to merit, to pay Him that worship and vene- 
 ration which is due to Him as the great architect of 
 the universe." He is to be loyal to the government, 
 ^peaceable and obedient to the civil j)owers which 
 yield him protection. He is to avoid all manner of 
 intemperance or excess w^hicli might obstruct his jier- 
 formance of the laudable duties of the order, or lead 
 him into crimes which would reflect dishonor upon 
 the fraternity. "He is to abstain from all nmlice, 
 slander, and evil speaking ; from all unmannerly, 
 scornful, provoking, reproachful, or ungodly lan- 
 guage, keeping always a tongue of good report." 
 
 Another important element is the requirement of giv- 
 ing pecuniary relief to those who are needy, esj^ecially 
 if they belong to, or are connected in any way with 
 the order, though they are not circumscribed in libe- 
 rality toward destitution wherever it exists. 
 
 It is however but just that the funds received into 
 the treasuiy of the order should be expended when 
 
76 niSTORLCAL SKETCHES OF MOR.VVIA. 
 
 necessary, upon those wlio have assisted in accumu- 
 lating such fund. Tlie widows and the orphans of 
 deceased members of the fraternity, liave received 
 aid and comfort from this source when but for this 
 sympathetic and timely action, want and distress 
 would have been their portion. 
 
 The assistino- and comfortino; arm of tlic l)rother- 
 hood encircles each of its members, and the interests 
 of his family. And here it may be w(.^ll to say that 
 the idea of which some are, through ignorance, pos- 
 sessed that free masons are bound by their obliga- 
 tions to assist a brother to escape from just punish- 
 ment, which h(' has incurred, by his own evil acts, 
 or to protect him in his wrong doing, is a mistaken 
 idea, and in direct opposition to the teachings aiid 
 the s])irit of true masonry. 
 
 Thus much of the origin and primary object of 
 free masonry, and its present aims and pretentions. 
 With the faults or inconsistencies of individual mem- 
 bers, we have nothing here to do ; these are but a 
 disgrace to themselves and not an argument which 
 can with candor be used against the order. Church- 
 es have their hypocritical m(Mid)e]'s, but religion re- 
 mains the same. The general principles of free ma- 
 sonry are correct, and highly moral, and if practi- 
 cally observed, tend to honor the Great Master and 
 to establish ])eace and good will to men upon tlie 
 earth. 
 
 A lodge of free masons was tlrst established in the 
 United States at Boston, Mass., April 30* 1734, and 
 in the state of New York on September oth, 1781. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 77 
 
 In 1810 a lodge was constituted in Moravia, (tlien 
 Seinpronius,) and named "Sylvan Lodge No. 4-1,"' 
 and has been in active operation without cessation, 
 since that date. The names of the members who 
 have held the office of Worshipful Master, which is 
 the highest official position in the lodge, will appear 
 hereafter as representatives of Sylvan Lodge to the 
 Grand Chapter. 
 
 A Grand Chapter was organized at Albany, IS. Y., 
 March 14, 1798, with BeWitt Clinton as Deputy 
 Grand High Priest. At a Grand Royal Arch Chap- 
 ter, held at Albany, IS^. y., February 5th, 1811, the 
 following dispensation was granted "To Companions 
 John ISTewcomb and others to hold a Chapter of Roy- 
 al Arch Masons at Owasco Plats, in the Town of 
 Sempronius, County of Cayuga, 'N. Y., November 
 23d, 1810," and thereafter on Pebruary 6th, the action 
 of the Grand High Priest in granting such dispen- 
 sation, was ratified, and a warrant issued as follows : 
 
 " To Companions John Newcomb, Cyrus Powers, 
 and David Annable, to hold a Chapter at Owasco 
 Flats, in Seinpronius, Cayuga County, N. Y., by the 
 name of ' St. John the Baptist Chapter, No, 30.'" 
 
 We give below the names of the representatives of 
 this Chapter to the Grand Chaptei', held at Albany, 
 N. Y., annually, to wit ; 
 
 1812— John Newcomb. 1844—0. M. Welch. 
 
 1813— Cyrus Powers. 1845— Samuel E. Day. 
 
 1814^1. Piatt. 1846—0. M. Welch. 
 
 1815— Cyrus Powers. 1847— Orsamus Dibble. 
 10 
 
78 
 
 mSTOllIOAr, SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 1853 
 
 1848— Orsamus I)ibblt\ 
 
 1849— 
 
 1850— Samuel E. Day. 
 
 1851— AVilliam Wade. 
 
 1852— Nelson T. Stephens. 
 
 George Hart. 
 
 William Wade. 
 1854— 
 
 1855 — James H. Wood. 
 185G— " 
 
 1857 — William Wade. 
 1858 — Sanmel E. Day. 
 1859- N. T. Stephens. 
 18G0— " 
 
 1861— William Wade. 
 1862— Benjamin L. Avery. 
 1863— James H. Holden. 
 1864— " 
 
 1865— William Wade. 
 1866— 
 
 1867— S. Edwin Day. 
 1868— 
 
 1869— " " 
 
 1870— Jolin C. Chase. 
 1871— Henry A. AYliitman. 
 1872— " " " 
 
 1873— Fred B. Heald. 
 
 1816— Ithial Piatt. 
 
 1817— Elias Hall. 
 
 1818 — Not represented. 
 
 1819— " 
 
 1820— J olm Newcomb. 
 
 1821— Ovriis Powers. 
 
 1822— ■' " 
 
 1823— Not represented. 
 
 1824— Joel Bartlett. 
 
 1825 — WaiTen Parsons. 
 
 1826— " 
 
 1827— " " 
 1828— Channcey Wright. 
 1829— Orsamus Dibble. 
 1830 — E])enezer Smith. 
 1831 — John Locke. 
 1832— Not represented. 
 1833— Orsamus Dibble. 
 1834— Not represented. 
 1835— Orsamus Dibble. 
 1836- Henry Carroll. 
 1837— Orsamus Dibble. 
 1838— " " 
 1839— Ebenezer Smith. 
 1840— Channcey AYright. 
 1841— AYillianrWade^ 
 1842— Orsamus Dibble. 
 1843— Samuel E. Day. 
 
 At a meeting of the Grand Chapter, held at Albany, 
 February 8tli, 1849, Orsamus Dibble, a very promi- 
 nent and zealous mason of this town, was elected 
 Grand King for the ensuing year. 
 
 The order of Free Masons has now in the United 
 States 4,000 Lodges, and over 500,000 members. In- 
 deed a powerful organization for good, if the virtues 
 of the order could keep pace with its steadily increas- 
 ing membership. -'So mote it be." 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Moravia Agricultural Society — Organization — 
 Rules and Regulations — Officers, &c. 
 
 A meeting of the citizens of this town was held at 
 the "Moravia House," September 18th, 1858, upon 
 tlie suggestion of H. Alley and Wm. Tallman, (who 
 drew the notices of the meeting which were posted 
 about the village by Mr. Alley,) to consult upon the 
 expediency of holding a Town Fair and Festival. 
 
 Gurdon L. Mead was chosen Cliairman, and M. K. 
 Alley, Secretary. The meeting then decid<'d to hold 
 a Fair and Festival during the month of October; 
 and a Society was regularly organized with the fol- 
 lowing officers : 
 
 President., Sidney Mead ; Vice-Presidents., James 
 Thomas, James Thornton, and David Webb ; Secre- 
 tary. M. K. Alley ; Treasurer^ E. P. K. Smith. 
 
 At a meeting held September 20th, 1858, the fol- 
 lowing Constitution and By-Laws were adopted : 
 
 Art. I. This Society shall be organized under the 
 name and title of the Moravia Farmers' and Mechan- 
 ics' Fair and Festival. 
 
 Art. II. It shall consist of the following officers : 
 One President, five Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and 
 
80 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOEAVIA. 
 
 Treasurer ; and after 1858 tliere sliall bo a Board of 
 Directors to consist of iive members, of which the 
 President shall be chairman. 
 
 Akt. III. It shall be the dnty of the President 
 to preside at all meetings of the Society and Board 
 of Directors, and sign all papers that may be neces- 
 sary to carry on the business of the Society. 
 
 Akt. IY. It shall be the duty of one of the Yice- 
 Presidents to preside in the absence of the President. 
 
 AiiT. Y. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to 
 officiate as such at all meetings of the Society, and 
 attest all notices and warrants drawn on the Treas- 
 urer. 
 
 AiiT. YI. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to 
 receive all monies belonging to the Society, and keep 
 a correct account of the same, and pay it out only 
 on the warrant of the President and attested by the 
 Secretary. He shall make an annual report to the 
 Society, of all monies by him received, and produce 
 his vouchers for the amcmnts by him paid out. 
 
 AiiT. YII. It shall be the duty of the Board of Di- 
 rectors to make out a Premium List for each year, 
 appoint the Judges, and make all necessary arrange- 
 ments for the grounds for the annual Fairs and Fes- 
 tivals. 
 
 Akt. A^III. The above mentioned officers shall be 
 elected at each annual meeting of the Society for the 
 election of officers, which shall be held on the Third 
 Tuesday of January of each year, at such place as 
 shall be designated l)y the President. 
 
 Airr. IX. Any person may become a member of 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 81 
 
 this Societ}', and a competitor for any premiums, by 
 paying to tlie Treasurer tlie sum of Fifty Cents ; and 
 any person not a member may be a competitor for 
 any of tlie premiums b}^ paying to the Treasurer the 
 sum of Fifty Cents, subject to tlie By-Laws and 
 Rules and Regulations of the Society. 
 
 Art. X. The annual Fair and Festival after the 
 year 1858, shall be held some day or days in the 
 month of September, to l)e designated by the Board 
 of Directors. 
 
 BY-LAWS. 
 
 Art. I. All stock and other articles for exhi]:)ition 
 shall be entered and arranged before ten o'clock A. 
 M. on the day of the fair, at which time the Judges 
 will commence their examinations. 
 
 Art. II. Ko premiums shall be awarded unless the 
 committee deem the animal, production, or imple- 
 ment offered for competition, worthy to receive the 
 same. 
 
 Art. III. All premiums shall be awarded on the 
 Fair Grounds by five o'clock P. M., on the day of 
 Fair, except grain and root crops. 
 
 Art. IY. All entries in grain and root crops shall 
 be accompanied by certificates of the manag<^ment 
 and product per acre thereof. 
 
 Art. y. ISTo stock or article offered for exhibhion 
 shall be removed from the Fair Grounds until five 
 o'clock P. M., except by permission of the Pres- 
 ident. 
 
 Art. yi. Any p(\rson neglecting to apply to the 
 Treasurer for tiie amount of any pi'emium awarded 
 
82 inSTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 to liim on the day of the Fair, shall be deemed to 
 have donated tlie same to the Society. 
 
 Art. VII. Visitors are to be on the Fair Grounds 
 upon sucli tei-ms as each annual meeting shall d(4er- 
 mine." 
 
 The Society is also protected and governed by gen- 
 eral and special Acts of the Legislature. Tlie follow- 
 ing is a list of the names of the chief officers of the 
 Society since the date of its organization : 
 
 Fresklod. Secretary. Treasurer. 
 
 1858— Sidney Mead. M. K. Alley. E. P. K. Smith. 
 
 18o9— C. C. Jewett. AVm. Tallman. B. F. Everson. 
 
 I860— G. L. Mead. J. L. Parker. H. H. Tuthill. 
 
 1861— No record. 
 
 1862— John Stoyell. M. L. Everson. T. Keeler. 
 
 1863— J. II. Jewett. " " 
 
 1864— C. S. Jennings. Henry Cutler, Jr. " 
 
 1865-^0 record. 
 
 1866— Elondo Greenfield. H. Cutler, Jr. H. H. Tuthill. 
 
 1867— " " A. H. Livingston. '^ 
 
 1868— " " " " M.L. Everson. 
 
 1869— " " M. K. Alley. C. S. Jennings. 
 
 1870— " " " " M. L. Everson. 
 
 1871— " " M. E. Kenyon. M. K. Alley. 
 
 -iO'y9 u ii. u u u u 
 
 The annual Fairs have been generally well attend- 
 ed. Considerable competition has been had between 
 the farmers and mechanics of the several adjoining 
 towns. 
 
IIISTOUrCAL SKETCIIKS OF MOIIAVIA. 83 
 
 The Flonil Hall lias been well supplied, and uxxjn 
 some occasions literally loaded with farm products 
 and fruits, exc(3lled in kind and quality by none in 
 the state. Latterly large and choice varieties of 
 grapes and small fruits have been displayed. 
 
 Tlie premiums offered have heen fair, and as lil)e- 
 ral, no doubt, as the financial conditioii of the Soci- 
 ety would permit. 
 
 While some fault has been found, no doubt upon 
 reasonable grounds, taken all in all the general man- 
 agement of the affairs of the Societ}^ has been suc- 
 cessful ; and this success rasij be attributed largely 
 to the management, good judgment, and untiring 
 zeal of Elondo Greenfield, for several years past its 
 chief officei*. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 If^XW CADY. 
 
 0]ie of the most prominent citizens of this town, 
 was Isaac Cady. Born in Vermont, he came to Mo- 
 ravia with his parents in 1801, and thereafter always 
 resided in this town and upon the premises where 
 his parents lirst hicated. His father and mother, 
 Zadoc and Luc}" Cadj^, of whom mention is elsewhere 
 made, were for many years tlie })roprietors of the 
 formerly well known " Cad\'s Tavern." During his 
 youth and early manliood, liquor was drank very 
 freely b}^ all classes of society, without remonstrance 
 from any source. Mr. Cady succeeded to the busi- 
 ness of his parents, which was considered very remu- 
 nerative at that time, and continued therein until 
 the beginning of tlie Temperance Reformation about 
 1830. He became a meml^er of a Temperance Society, 
 destroyed his liquors, and transformed his hotel into 
 a Temperance House. The strong conviction of duty 
 by which he was actuated, will be appreciated from 
 the fact tliat ]>y becoming a temperance man, he re- 
 linquished a business from which he had derived an 
 income which exceeded a thousand dollars per annum. 
 This was a sacrifice of no mean proportions. Worldly 
 
 n 
 
86 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 policy would liave dictated a coiitinuauce of this lu- 
 crative employment; public opinion would liave sus- 
 tained and sanctioned it. Personal friends threatened 
 to forsakf^ him. His mother ])redicted financial ruin to 
 himself and destitution to his family. But none of 
 these things moved him. One word answered all 
 remonstrances and ri^asoning, and qui(4ed the voice 
 of friendly advice or bitt(?r reproach. Duty was at 
 once the guiding star and sheet anchor of his soul ; 
 it was his watchword through life, and characterized 
 all his business, political, and social relations. Like 
 Deacoji Stoyell, lie was at an early day one of the 
 most prominent abolitionists in Cayuga County ; his 
 home was well known as a tempoi'ary refuge for the 
 slave. At home and abroad, in public and in pri- 
 vate, he most strenuously advocated the right 
 of all men to life, liberty, and tlie pursuit of hapj^i- 
 ness. Though naturally " a most mildly maimered 
 man," upon the great national question — American 
 Slavery — he was like a lion roused from his lair ; 
 with a righteous indignation he rebuked its advo- 
 cates, and came down upon their aiguments in favor 
 of its continuance, with an avalanche of historical 
 facts and precedents, scripture texts and command- 
 ments, constitutional and natural rights which its 
 ablest defenders were unable to withstand. Herein 
 consisted his great strength : His familiarity with 
 ancient and modern history ; he made no statement 
 at random ; he reasoned from correct premises, and 
 assumed no untenable position ; if his statements 
 were doubted or denied, his proofs were forthcoming ; 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 87 
 
 liis bookshelves were crowded witli statistical reports, 
 sermons, lectures, congressional reports, biblical com- 
 mentaries and digests, from whence he gathered a 
 vast store of knowledge, ready for use in defense of 
 his principles, and the arguments which he advanced. 
 In the Congregational Church, of which he was an 
 active member, he stood shoulder to shoulder with 
 Deacon John Stovell on all questions of reform and 
 church polity. For many years he was the leader of 
 the choir under the "fa, sol, la, and la, sol, fa/' regime, 
 and at all times was prepared to sing either from 
 book or memory ; at prayer meetings he was never 
 at a loss for an appropriate verse, or a familiar tune. 
 Of his favorite hymns were the following, of wliich 
 we append the first verse only : 
 
 "Jesus, I my. cross have taken, 
 All to leave and follow thee ; 
 Naked, poor, despised, forsaken, 
 Thou from hence, my all shalt be ; 
 Perish every fond ambition. 
 All I've sought, or hoped, or known ; 
 Yet how rich is my condition, 
 God and heaven are still my own." 
 
 Also a hymn entitled "Loving Kindness." 
 
 " Awake my soul, in joyful lays, 
 And sing thy great Redeemer's praise ; 
 He justly claims a song from me. 
 His loving kindness— Oh, how free." 
 
 Also, 
 
 " Alas, and did my Saviour bleed. 
 And did my sovereign die ; 
 AYould he devote that sacred head 
 For such a worm as I V" 
 
88 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOEAV^A. 
 
 Whatever ek^e of eaily reniembiances may by tlie 
 dust of toilsome years become oblivious, those good 
 old lieait songs as sinig b}' Isaac Cady to his favorite 
 metrics, will linger in the nn^mory of the writer, grow- 
 ing sweeter and more sacred day hy dny. He never 
 showed the jealousy and foolish sensitiveness of many 
 choir singers, so despicable, yet so difficult to prop- 
 erly deal with. Although he had been the chief 
 dependence of the church in singing for many ^ears, 
 there came a time when the choir which was then 
 composed mainly of young people, thinking him too 
 "old fashioned'' to assist in public singing, gave 
 him a gentle hint to such effect, upon which he gath- 
 ered up his books and went quietly below into his 
 pew without remonstrance, or show" of martyrdom 
 which usually accompanies such summary proceed- 
 ings. Within two months the choir failing, he as 
 c[uietly returned to his old position. The same thing- 
 occurred several times ; but wdiether in the congre- 
 gation or in the choir, Mr. Cady was never discon- 
 certed, but always, under all circumstances, ready 
 to "Praise God from whom all blessings How." 
 
 Though eccentric, his peculiarities but more j)lainly 
 showed his purity of heart and honesty of purpose. 
 
 The following incident will illustrate a 2)eculiar 
 characteristic. He sold a horse to a neighbor for 
 seventy-live dollars, which tln^ purchaser considered 
 a very reasonable and satisfactory price. But for 
 several days Mr. Cad}' was uneasy, and stated to his 
 family " that he feared he liad received too much. 
 To Ix" sure the horse was just as recommended, but 
 
IIISTOUICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 89 
 
 l)er]iaps lie had over estimated liis value." He ac- 
 eordingly went to tlie purchaser and insisted upon 
 returning him ten dollars, although he was entirely 
 satisfied with the original priee paid. 
 
 Ml-. Cady was not faultless— to err is liuman ; but 
 his errors were of the head lather than of the heart. 
 He died August 20th, 1864, ao-ed sixty-nine years. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Steameu Ensj:noiie~-Capt. Kell(k;<;— I)i\e Over- 
 bo aud. 
 
 Ill 1847 Aaron Kellogg c-cdiceived tlie idea of build- 
 ing a steamboat to be used in navigating tlie waters 
 <^f tlie Owasco Lake, and opening up lull and speedy 
 communication between tlie city of Auburn and 
 Moravia via Camp's Bridge. Aaron thereupon in- 
 vested his spare money and that of some of liis friends, 
 in boards, plank, and other materials, together with 
 a small steam engine, selected a suitable place for 
 building and launching his vessel, (which was imme- 
 diately in the rear of the tannery,) and went to work- 
 in course of time his vessel was completed, christen- 
 ed the ^^Ensenore," and launched with considerable 
 eclat, into Mill Creek. Horses wen^ then provided, 
 and the boat dragged and pushed to the Inlet, where. 
 by Capt. Kellogg' s order, the teams and ropes W(-re 
 faken oif, hre built, and the Ensenore started on its 
 tortuous way to the Owasco. Very soon, however, 
 it was apparent that some great mistake had been 
 made in the erecti<m of the vessel. It refused to 
 obey the Captaiirs orders, though given with givar 
 promptness and decision. Steam was shut oil', and 
 
92 IIISTOUICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVJA. 
 
 an examination iiuulc, during wliich tlie l)oat was as 
 qniet as a laiul), bnt at every attempt to '"move on," 
 showed a- very decided inclination to stand on end. 
 This faidt, which seemed as a monntain to those on 
 board, was but a mole hill to the undaunted Aaron, 
 who said it could be easily remedied, and accordingly 
 a few hundred pounds of stone w^ere loaded upon 
 the stern of the vessel, and another effort made to 
 proceed, which failed. Ilj^on fartlun' examinatio]! 
 it was ascertaiiKHl that the ])ooi' Ensenore, upon re- 
 ceiving its additional weight of stone, had settled 
 deep into the mud ! But Capt. Kellogg, still un- 
 daunted, went on l:)oard with the half dozen men who 
 were assisting him, and assured them that by throw- 
 ing off a portion of the freight, and putting on a little 
 more steam, he could yet make a start, which being 
 done, a plug ])lew out allowing steam to escape, 
 which so frightened the Captain that he S]3rang in 
 terror to tln^ side of the boat, exclaiming, '■^Dire 
 oDerhoard hoys, or site' II blow us all to li-l!'" and suit- 
 ing the action to the word, dove into the blaclv muck 
 and w^ater of the Inlet, deeper than the Ensenore 
 with its overweight of ballast. The boiler did not 
 burst, however, but Aaron's steamboat, like certain 
 works of his ancient namesake, ended in smoke. — 
 The Ensenore was a failure, and likewise its owner, 
 iinancially and as a boat builder; but he could put 
 together a good raft. 
 
 H 
 
CHAPTER .\IV. 
 
 TempePwVxce— FiiiST Total Ap.stinance Pledge- 
 John Stoyell the Fiust Signer — "You sign and 
 I will" — I. O, OF Good Templehs — Opganiza- 
 TioN — Names of Woiitiiy Chiefs. 
 
 The earl}^ settlers in Morinia. win-e all acciistoiiied 
 to the use of intoxicatiiiii,' liquors as a beverao>>. — 
 They kept and used them in their families ; children 
 were helped moderatel}' to wliiske}^ in their infancy, 
 and helped themselves abundantly in after years. — 
 At all times and in all places, it was considered an 
 indispensable household article. Houses were but 
 indifferently furnished which had not a jug of "black 
 strap" within its cupboard. 
 
 So on all occasions — l»otli of Church or Stale, 
 All took their regular driuks, and took them straight ; 
 At births, in order that the child be frisky, 
 Old folks and child must take a little whiskey ; 
 At weddings, bless you, at such joyous season, 
 One must get drunk and put away his reason ; 
 And funerals, all other time surpasses. 
 For after " dust to dust," mm and molasses. 
 
 Clergy and laity, publican and sinner, found no 
 cause of disagreement, no bone of contention in this, 
 but with one accord endorsed the sweet maxim, "A 
 12 
 
94 IIISTOIUCAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 little wine is good for the stomacli's sake,'' blessed 
 the memory of St. Paul, and quadrupled the i)rescrip- 
 tion. Custom, which regulates these things more 
 than statutes, allowed all classes to drink liquors, 
 while the deacons and elders of the church distilled 
 and sold them. It is not strange that under those 
 influences, a temperance refonnation seemed almost 
 impracticable, or that total abstinence principles 
 found few endorsers ; it is more surprising that any 
 were found bold enough to attempt to stem the cur- 
 rent of public opinion, by proclainriiig themselves 
 temperance men, and opposed to lic[uor drinking, or 
 its use in any manner. 
 
 The masses throughout the country were bitterly 
 opposed to such a project. But it is an historical 
 fact, that all reforms have been begun by a few in 
 the midst of the many, and under almost insurmount- 
 able difficulties and discouragements. It is almost 
 impossible to change or eradicate a man's flxed 
 principles and prejudices, especially if he belongs to 
 the majority, and is in the popular, current. 
 
 But notwithstanding the wdiolesale use of intoxi- 
 cating liquors, one man was found who believed that 
 the happiness of the iVidividual, family and countiy, 
 and especially of his own community, depended upon 
 discarding entirely their sale and use. In 1830 John 
 Stoyell, alw^ays the flrst in any good work, after 
 reading the temperance sermons of Dr. Lyman Beech- 
 er, drafted and signed, together wdth his family, a 
 total abstinence pledge. He then presented it to 
 Chauncey Wright, then and always thereafter an in- 
 
1II8T0KICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. !)5 
 
 timate frioiid, wlio tilso eoiiviiiced that the p]i]ici})le 
 was right, becaiiio the fourth signer. Mr. Wright 
 put the j)ledge into his pocket, went to Cjtus Looniis 
 and quietly bronclied tlie " Cold AVater Question," 
 (so called, ) to liini. After considerable general con- 
 versation, Mr. Wright asked him if he was not going 
 to sign Deacon t^toyelFs pledge, to which Mr. Loomis 
 replied, that he tJiought not ; but being rather closely 
 pressed, and confident of the safety of his proposi- 
 tion, said, "Chauncey, I'm as much a temperance 
 man as you are, and icJien yoii .s'h/ji tlie pledge^ I 
 loill P^ whereui)on the document was produced al- 
 ready executed. Fairly entrapped, but true to his 
 word, he placed his signature upon the paper, and 
 in company with Mi". Wright, labored all day in ob- 
 taining signatures to this, the first temperance pledge 
 circulated in th(^ town, which at night contained the 
 names of forty persons. 
 
 The "• Washingtonians," ''Sons of Temperance," 
 "Cadets," and various othc^r societies have been 
 organized in aid of the temperance cause, and have 
 done what they could for its promotion. 
 
 A Lodge of Good Templars was instituted in this vil- . 
 lage, in 1857, under the auspices of Isaac Cady, John 
 Stoyell, Austin B. Hale, and others, which continued 
 in operation for several years, gathering in a large 
 membership, many of whom but for the influence 
 and protection of tln^ society. VNOiild probably have 
 died drunkards. 
 
 On .lune 20tli, 180(5, the ''Rising Star Lodge" was 
 organized, with Mi-. Nichols as AVorth}- Chief, and 
 
96 HISTORICAL SKETCnES OF MORATJA, 
 
 has now upon its records tlu' names of a])oiit one 
 hundred menilx^rs, and is an efficient, working lodge, 
 laboring for the best interests of their fellow men, — 
 The following named members }vd\o held the office 
 of Worthy Chief : W. W. Nichols, Jesse M. Frost, 
 A. J. Hicks, Lauren M. Townsend, Horace H. Baker, 
 O. E. VanEtten, Asael Lee, O. F. Raynej-, Q. T). 
 (Ireeniield, Fred Downing, Mark Hariis, James M. 
 French, Rowland I). Wade, Miss Edna Dean, and 
 James M. Palmer- 
 All these temperance societies have dcme well, and 
 accomplished much good in tlu-ir day ; Init they have 
 not been able to acconq^lish all that tempeiance men 
 have wished, or to destroy the influence which u])- 
 holds and protects tlie liquor interests of the country. 
 How shall the liquor traffic be regulated ( is a ques- 
 tion of great magnitude among thinking men. Can 
 a prohibitory law, if constitutional, be enforced ? or is 
 an excise law well executed, the better plan ? or is it 
 better to allow liquors to be sold freely by every one 
 and any one, until from tlieir deleterious and deadly 
 effects, all men shall unite to banish thein from the 
 land ^ All of these methods are advocated, and are 
 being tried ; but meantime these temperance organi- 
 zations art^ endeavoring to gather in and shield those 
 who are unable to protect themselves. All men are 
 frail, but none so Aveak as he Mdio has fixed upon 
 him, an appetite for strong drink, and none so worthy 
 of assistance and encouragement as he who is strug- 
 gling almost against hope, for release from the body 
 of this inhimity, AYe sa^', God speed, to every man. 
 
IlISTOItlCAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 9T 
 
 woman, and cliikl, and every society <'ngagcd in tlie 
 temperance cause, in saving men from themselves. 
 But after all tlie earnest lal^or of j^ears, men still 
 become drunkards and vagabonds upon the earth. 
 Not only is the use of intoxicating liquors as a bev- 
 erage the great cause of di^stitution and misery in. 
 the land, and the source whenci^ cometli a terrible 
 catalogue of crimes, ])ul' is also iinanciall}' a lieavy 
 burden to the state and to ever}' tax payei' within its 
 borders. 
 
 All admit tliat the excessive use is a curse to the 
 user and to all associated with him ; but yet perhaps 
 a majoritj' of electors in the state of New Yoik are 
 opposed to prohibitory or excise laws (uidess the 
 latter are very liberally construed), and under such 
 circumstances, no such law, however good and just 
 in itself, can be sustained or enforced. The great 
 question therefore, "How shall the tide of intemper- 
 ance be stayed f remains unanswered. A nation of 
 captives to this evil^ no Moses has yet appeared to 
 liberate or lead to better hopes and liappiness. 
 
 The sale and use as a beverage, of intoxicating 
 drinks, is a curse to society and a crime against hu- 
 inanity, and in the humble opinion of the writer, 
 all intoxicating liquors should be banislied from the 
 land except for medicinal purposes, and in such ca- 
 ses should be dealt out with all the care and strict- 
 ness observed in the sale of poisoiious drugs and 
 medicines. 
 
 But public opinion will not now consent to this 
 summar}- method of dis])osingof this matter, and an- 
 
08 niSTORICAL SKRTi'ilKS OF ilORAVIA. 
 
 otlitT must be devised. And tlierc is but one otlier safe 
 eours*' to pursue. The future liopeof the nation is in 
 tlie cliildren ; upon their education depends its future 
 iionor or dishonoi'. If taui^lit tlie principles of sobri- 
 ety, to detest and slum the wine cup and the resort 
 of the wine bibber, aiul that there is safety and 
 health only in total abstinence from all that will in- 
 toxicate, there need be little soli(;itude as to tlie wel- 
 fare of the nation in this subject. If the children 
 are raised under correct moral and religious instruc- 
 tions, when tliey are old they will not depart from 
 them — a temperate young man will almost always be 
 temperate through life. 
 
 Sad as may seem the philosophy which consigns 
 men to the ruin wliich continuous intemperance inev- 
 itably brings, without endeav(^ring to save, experi- 
 ence teaches that such endeavoi's are geneiully fail- 
 ures. Health, propeity, love of home, love of friends, 
 
 are remorselessl}^ sncriticed to tliis insatiable demon. 
 Scarce love of life, nor fear of death, suffice to tui-n 
 the drunkard from his downward course. Tempc^r- 
 ance and Anti-Dram Shop l^nties, nor all the para- 
 phernalia and machi]ieiy of oi'gnni/ations which be- 
 nevolent and well meaning men have instituted and 
 set in motion, and efficiently and <nirnestly sustained 
 for half a century, have more than I'escued a small 
 })roportion, here and there from the great mass who 
 went down to the drunkards gra\'e. But w'ere the 
 labors of organizations and the magnificcmt efforts of 
 temperance men and wonu'U directed to a strict 
 tenq)erance education of the children, a quarter of a 
 century hence this great question will be solved, cus- 
 tom will no longer tolerat(^, or public opinion sustain, 
 the sale or use of that which makes a man an enemy 
 to himself and society, and a disgrac(^ to humanity. 
 
(CHAPTER X\ \ 
 
 Military — IOOtii Regiment — Genera lTraimxg — 
 Naimes of Officers — A Colonel's Hat ix the 
 Pork Barrel^Are we all Corporals — Cart. 
 Powers and Lieut. Locke — I a:m Boiie:m<)T1i— 
 Bull Sound B — Present Militia — Names of men 
 — Old 19tii — Co. F. — Naimes of Volunteers — 
 Shoddy Clothing — Two Years — Consolidation 
 — 3d N. Y. Ar.tillery' — Goldsboro, Newburn, 
 &€. — Samuel Andrews killed — Mustered oi"T 
 — 75th Regi3ient — Co. A. — Names of Officers 
 AND Men — Fort Pickens — Death of Lyman H. 
 Goodrich — Expeditions in Louisiana^Danger- 
 ous Exploit of Lieut. Worden — Charles H. 
 Lakey and Ja]\[es K.Gould— AVorden and Gould 
 WOUNDED — Port Hudson — Shenandoah Valley 
 —111th Regiment — Co. L— Harper's Ferry 
 Captured — Gettysburg— John Tho-Mas wounded 
 — Levi AVhite's Narrow Escape iium Death — 
 W^r. EI. BiRDSALL AvouNDED— Levi White wound- 
 ed — Ebenezer PLx\tt killed— xi Bloodless Duel 
 — Levi White again wounded — Rea]\is Station 
 — Captl'red — Libby Prison — PitisoN Fare — 
 Starvation — Exchanged— Capturinc; a Flag — 
 Humphrey Davenport wounded — The last Bat- 
 tle of the 111th — 138TII Regiment — Names of 
 MEN from this Town — IGOth RegimeN'J' — Co. F. 
 —Names from this Town — Bayou Teche — Gun- 
 boat "Diana" — Under Fire — Capt. Josiaii P. 
 Jewett wounded — John D. Clap.k wounded— 
 
100 HISTORICAL SKETCIIKS OF MORAVIA. 
 
 The Diana SrinncxDinis— Fokm of Paiiole-Jo- 
 siAir E. AViiiTE wouxDEi) — Cedau Ckeek— JosiAii 
 
 E. AVlUTE AGAIX WOUNDED. 
 
 About 1810 a Military Ilegimciit, known as the lOOtli, 
 was organized, consisting of seven companies from 
 the following i)laces : Moravia, Locke, Summerhill, 
 Dresserville, Dutch Hollow, Kelloggsville, and Pen- 
 nyville, with the following officers : 
 
 Col. Zndoc Rhodes, Moravia ; First Major Peleg 
 Slade, Kelloggsville ; Second Major Daniel Sage, 
 Locke. The following named were Captains : Wm. 
 Foote, Locke; Martin Barber, Summerhill; Eli Al- 
 
 water, Dresserville ; AVatson, Dutch Hollow ; 
 
 Luther Fuller, Kelloggsville ; Abijali Allen, Penny- 
 ville ; Asa Little, Moravia. Major Sage afterwards 
 became Brigadier General. 
 
 AA^e give the names of other persons who were 
 Captains of the Moravia Company in after years, in 
 the order in which they held the office : Asa Little, 
 Watts Skinner, James Powers, John Locke, Orsa- 
 mus Dibble, Henry AA^. Locke, John Stoyell, Lau- 
 rence A-^osburg. Artillery, Captain Isaac Cady. 
 
 Captain Henry AA^. Locke subsequently became 
 Lieut. Colonel, and Captain Abijali Allen, Colonel. 
 The regiment was afterward commanded b}^ Colonel 
 P. H. YanSchaick. Dr. William E. Cooper was Sur- 
 geon, and Amasa H. Dunbar Surgeons Mate. 
 
 The following is a copy of Mr. Dunbai-'s commis- 
 sion : 
 
niSTORlOAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 101 
 
 " The People of the 8laie of New' York : 
 
 To all to whom these Presents shall come, know ye. 
 That pui'siiant to the Constitution and Laws of our 
 said State, we have appointed and constituted, and 
 by these presents do appoint and constitjite Amasa 
 H. Dunbar, Surgeons Mate of the lOOtli Regiment of 
 Infantry, of our said State, (with rnnk from July 26, 
 1838,) to hold tlie said ofhce in the manner specified 
 in and by oui' said Constitution and Lav.s. 
 
 Ix Testimony WiiEitEoF, we have caused 
 our Seal for Military Coimnissions to be here- 
 unto affixed. 
 ( Witness. j AVILLIAM L. MAIK^Y, Esq.. 
 
 Governor of our said State, General and Command- 
 er-in-Chief of all the Militia, and Admiral of the 
 Navy of the same, at our Citj' of Albany, the l(3tli 
 day of August, 1838. 
 
 Passed the Adjutant GeneraTs office. 
 
 W. L. MAKCY. 
 Allkx Ma(T)oxali), Adjutant General. 
 
 "General Training,"' or regimental di-ill, occurred 
 annually, and lasted one day, Avhile officers drill 
 generally occupied three. Officers in their military 
 dress and large thiee-corjiered cocked hats, made 
 what was consider<'d in those days, a very grand dis- 
 play-. 
 
 Speaking of hats, it is said that Coloiie! Rhodes 
 
 resided in a small log house near the Brick Yard. 
 
 and like very many of his neighbois of thos.' days, 
 
 was sometimes rather shoi-t of rations. When the 
 13 
 
103 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKxVVIA. 
 
 new large military liat was first received by tlie Col- 
 onel, having but little room in the house, he was 
 somewhat puzzled in linding a proper jjlace to store 
 so valuable an article, when it was not in use, (it be- 
 ing a Colonel' s hat and rather too "hefty" to asso- 
 ciate with common furniture), and finally inquired 
 of his wife '' Where he had better put that hat," and 
 received the somewhat sarcastic yet trutliful answer, 
 "In the pork barrel is the most room." How small 
 a step from the sublime to the ridiculous. Of course 
 the Colonel appreciated the value of a full larder, 
 but it was not an auspicious moment for giving liim 
 a reminder in that direction. But the honor of hold- 
 ing office of whatever grade, was generally fully ap- 
 preciated and participated in by the wives of those 
 fortunate persons, and female society received some 
 sudden convulsions after an election or promotion. 
 Naturally tlu^ "gude wife" shared in the general 
 notoriety. 
 
 Upon one occasion it is said that Mr. Little came 
 home to a late supper, having just been promoted to 
 "Corporal." Considerably elated, and with all a 
 "little sprung," he and Mrs. Little were congratu- 
 lating tlunnselves over their good fortune, wiien a 
 small voice from the trundle bed innocently inquired, 
 ^^ 3 fain, are ice all Corporals?'' and was answered, 
 "07^ no, Bub ! no body hid yoirrfatlter and /." 
 
 In those days everybody drank liquor, and often 
 upon "training days," and especially at officers' 
 drill, these gentlemen showed great lack of military 
 discipline and knowledge, or inability to perform 
 according to ''Hoyle." 
 
HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MOEAVIA. 103 
 
 At one time after tlie first day's training'. Captain 
 Powers went liome at niglit tliinking tliat liis Lieu- 
 tenant, John Locke, had imbibed rather too mncli of 
 the ardent; accordingly at about four o'clock the 
 next morning Lieut. Locke was aroused from his 
 slumbers hy a ^'tapping at his chamber door,'' which 
 being opened, in walked Capt. Powers, when the fol- 
 lowing dialogue occurred : 
 
 Ccq^t. Powers. Good morning friend Locke. 
 
 Lieut. LocJce. Good morning Captain, out (\nrh-. 
 
 Ccqjt Friend Locke, to tell the truth, I came down 
 to have a little talk, between ourselves. You see, 
 friend Locke, yesterday 3^ou and I got a little over 
 the sea — drank a little too much ; we didn't appear 
 as well as we ought to, not as well as we coidd on 
 drill. 
 
 Lieut. That's a fact, that's a fact. 
 
 Capf. Now we musen't take anything to-daj'. we 
 must keep sober and make a good appearance, and 
 set a better example before the other officers and 
 men. 
 
 Lieut. You'r right. Captain, right, 3^011' ]• always 
 right ; example is ever^'thing. Stay to breakfast. 
 Captain Powers, and we'll talk things all over. — 
 Mother' s going to cook the suckers. 
 
 Thereupon the officers consulted over someijrelimi- 
 nary arrangements to be made upon the grounds, &:c., 
 after which said 
 
 IJeut. IjCjel'e. Ca})tain, got up pr(>tty early didn't 
 you '. 
 
 Capt. Yes. pretty early for me. 
 
104 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF ilORAYIA. 
 
 Lieut. Let's take some bitters to strengtlieii yonr 
 appetite — got some good tanzy. 
 
 Capt. No, no, friend Locke, we've inad(^ all the 
 arrangements — and onr example, you know. 
 
 Lieut. You'r right, Captain, but you aint used to 
 it ; you woli't get througli without anything all day : 
 you know it' s a sudden change, better start loell 2iWj 
 way ; try a little of that (pouring out a glass), it 
 gives a relish for the suckers. 
 
 Gapt. (sipping) You see our example, friend Locke, 
 will be worth everything to-day — off-set yesterday. 
 AVe had almost too much yesterday. 
 
 Lieut. You're right, Captain Powers, take another 
 glass of this tanzy to quit on, helps your appetite, 
 you got up so early. Nothing like sober officers. 
 Captain. Let's liave breakfast and take a little tanzy 
 to settle it, and go down sober, and set an example. 
 
 To which the Captain, having risen so early, con- 
 sented. An hour afterward these officers were march- 
 ing in Indian file, with drawn swords, to the Brick 
 Tavern, before which tliey drew up and formed a 
 "hollow square," Captain Powers exclaiming with 
 authoritative voice, and Hashing sword, "lam Bo- 
 hemoth, I trusteth that I can drink up a river ! "' It 
 is needless to add that those officeis had a general 
 training of their own tliat day, in which Captain 
 Powers told the Lieutenant for the fortieth time, how 
 much he loved his Company and especially his Lieu- 
 tenant. To which the Lieutenant invaiiably replied, 
 with index finger pointed at an angle of 45 degrees, 
 ''Hark ye! hark ye I Captain, there's a God in Is- 
 
'inSTOlUOAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 105 
 
 rael." Before night these officers had risen from 
 Captain and Lieutenant to Major, Colonel and Gene- 
 ral, successively, having been fairly, and as Lieuten- 
 ant Locke emphatically announced, unana???o?('.9h^ 
 elected, the Captain puttiiig the vote and the Lieu- 
 tenant voting, and vice versa. 
 
 In those days John Locke was a musician, and 
 his favorite instrument l>eing a bassoon. Upon one 
 occasion returning liome from practice, feeling pretty 
 highly elated and full of fun, inst<'ad of kee})i]ig the 
 highway, he went across the fields, of which a bull 
 was the sole occupant. Whereupon hearing the 
 animars voice, he took the opportunity to instruct 
 liim somewhat in the rudiments of music, as follows : 
 •".Hello, bull you got a musical voice; sound high 
 note or low note first rat(\ I'ju a musician. Take the 
 key," and sending forth a moderate blast from his 
 bassoon, said, '■'There, bull, sound B," to which the 
 bull, approaching near(n-, gave lather an unsatisfac- 
 tory sound. "•Oil. modulate your voic(^ — modulate 
 your voice," ^ays Lockcv "Your lirst too low and 
 then too liigh. Ib^re," <'oming nearer and placing 
 his bassoon close to Mi-. B's ear, "Bull, sound B," 
 gave a tremendous blast, and jumped for the fence, 
 which was close at hand, but partially missing his 
 hold, the Itull. witli a key note which shook the 
 ground, made dou])le short metre time and land(Hl 
 his musical teacher in a gully near by, wliih^ his bas- 
 soon became the booty of the bull as contvn-bnn(7 
 of war. and was speedily demolisli(>(l in his vin-y 
 face and eyes, whih^ Locke, jiicking himsi^lf u]) abiio-f 
 
106 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOEATIA, 
 
 ripeecliless, nibbing his sides, looking up to tlie top 
 of tlie bank, where the bull stood, tossing his head., 
 and pawing up the earth, slowly exclaimed, "Oh 
 you needn't bow and scra])e and pretend it was an. 
 
 accident, you did it on purpose, you d n Butch 
 
 bull, your no gentleman, or, or, iiiuslcian eifher.'''' 
 
 As before stated, almost everybody drank liquoi- 
 in those days. Captain Powers was a member of the 
 church. In later days Captain Powers and John 
 Locke both became temperance men. 
 
 Captain Locke was the best historian in the County., 
 and a shrewd politician, but had no ambition fo]* 
 office, and though one of the best tacticians in his 
 regiment he refused to acct'pt any office liigh(,'r tban 
 Captain, and finally declined that. 
 
 PEEvSE]>fT MILITIA, 
 
 " He that kills me some six or seyeu dozen of Scotts at a breakfast, 
 washes his hands and says, ' Fie upon this quiet life, I want work.'' 
 ' Oh my sweet Harry, ^ says she, ^how mariy hast thou killed to-day ?' 
 ' Give toy roan horse a drench,' says he, and answers, 'Some four- 
 teen.'' An hour after, ' A trifle, a trifle.' " — Shak. 
 
 In 1870, Company H., of the 49th Eegiment X. Y. 
 S. M., was organized, with the following named offi- 
 cers and privates : 
 
 Capt. Rowland D. Wade ; First Lieut. George 
 McGeer ; Second Lieut. FredB. Ileald ; Orderly Ser- 
 geant Yv^^dierii^k. Small ; P. K. Becker, Wm. H. Hike. 
 \Ym. H. Secour, Abram ^N^ostrandt, A. W . Marshall, 
 Walter Whalen, Silas W. Austin, Clias. E. Wright. 
 Albert Campbell, Patrick McNamarra, Jabez Lilly, 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 107 
 
 Wm. A. Davenport, Ohas. A. Arnold, August Le- 
 Imiaiit, John H. Harris, Edwin I). Arnold, Frank 
 Fittsmartin, Charles Ogesby, Byron J. Lomhard, 
 €. Bently, Q. B. Greentield, James Dolan, Cory den 
 Arnold, Fred Bingham, Dan Royce, Wm. McGeer, 
 Orlando Claiiin. 
 
 It is to be ho]_)ed that the services of these gallant 
 ••[Sons of Mars" may never be needed at home or 
 libroad, but that tlieir swords may be speedily beaten 
 into plowsliai'cs and thi^r spears into pruning liooks. 
 
 VOLT'NTEEKS.* 
 
 Civil war was inaugurated directly, b}^ th<' attack 
 upon and l)om])ardmeiit of Fort Sumpter by the 
 Rebels, on April 12, 1801. Three daj's tliereaften'. 
 Pj-esident Lincoln issued a Proclamation calling for 
 75,000 men, to sup})ress the rebellion and maintain 
 the integrity of the government and tln^ laws. To 
 this call, Cayuga, Count}^ was among th(> first to re- 
 spond. Measures w(Me immediately taken to orga- 
 nize a regiment; and by the active co-opeiation of 
 the principal l)usiness men of the county, in an al- 
 most incredible sliort time tlie I'Jth was on its way to 
 the front. 
 
 In the formation of this ]-(^gimeiit. Moravia was not 
 a whit behind the othei- towns of tlie (•(mnt}'. — 
 Enthusiastic ••Wai- Me(>tiiigs'"' wei-e held, andaCom- 
 pau}'' formed, which was afterward known as Com- 
 pany F, with N. T. Stei)liens, Esq., a i^i'ominem: 
 lawyer, as Captain, and Watson (*. Scpiire, at that 
 time Principal of t\\o Moravia .Vca<lemy. as First 
 
108 HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 Lieutenant, and Edward D. Parker as Second Lien- 
 tenant, and tlie following named as subordinate offi- 
 cers and men from this town : 
 
 Sergeants. — Edgar B. Warren, Daniel Bothwell,, 
 Barney C. Goodrich, and Robert Haynes. 
 
 Corporal. — James Mosher. 
 
 Druiiimer. — James Ca una v a 1 1 . 
 
 Fifer. — Wm. E Sanford. 
 
 Pricates. — Samuel Andrews, George IL Barlow, 
 Charles L. Beitz, Charles W. Brokaw, Isaac Bradley, 
 John Cannavan, Curtis Fritts, Wm. Fiiej-, Daniel 
 Frieze, T, Gordan, • Peter D. Greenman, D. AVebb 
 Goodridge, Ezra Harter, Joseph Kenned} , John L. 
 LaBarrow, Abner II, Livingston, Dwight Powers, 
 Frank Rowny, Benj, Roclvwood, John Tyler, Seth 
 VanBen Scoten, William YauTassel, Upson Watts. 
 R. D. Wade went out as Corpoial in Company E. 
 
 The regiment was ordered to Elmira, N. Y., and 
 shortly thereafter an election* of Regimental Officers 
 was held, and John S. Clark, of Auburn, was elected 
 Colonel, and Clarence A. Seward, of New York, as 
 Lieut. Colonel of the regiment. The balance of the 
 officers w^ere mostly from the city of Auburn. 
 
 The regiment having been uniformed, although in 
 a manner very unsatisfactory to tliemselves and their 
 friends, and in suits the farthest removed from uni- 
 formit}' of color or material, on June 6, 18G2, were 
 ordered to the seat of war. Arriving at AYashington,- 
 tlie}^ encamped upon ''Kalorama Heights," near the 
 city of Washington, where they remained for about 
 thirty days, and were ordered to join Gen. Paterson, 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 109 
 
 and remained under his coniniand during tlie battle 
 of Bull Eun, while Gen. Johnson was peraiitted to 
 reinforce Gen. Beauregard, and thus decide that 
 memorable battle in favor of the rebel army ; Gen. 
 Paterson with a force of 20,000 men, remaining unem- 
 ployed, when if he had obeyed orders, and forced 
 an engagement with Johnson, the Union forces would 
 doubtless have been victorious, and the government 
 saved the disgrace which followed the retreat to 
 Washington. 
 
 The 19th was organized as a ninety days regiment, 
 the men were sworn in as such, and expected at the 
 end of that time to return to their homes ; but at the 
 expiration of that term, they were without notice, 
 turned over to the United States to serve out the 
 additional term of one year and eight months. This 
 arrangement, coming so suddenly and unexpectedly, 
 a large pro2:)ortion of the regiment rebelled, and re- 
 fused to serve longer. But the ''powers that were" 
 prevailed, the contest between the men of the 19th 
 and the authority of the government was too unequal? 
 and the 19th, with a few exceptions, were obliged to 
 submit and return to the ranks. 
 
 In September following, Company F. was consoli- 
 dated with Company A. Capt. Stephens and Lieuts. 
 E. D. Parker and Squires were mustered out, the two 
 former returning home and the latter taking the com- 
 mand of a western regiment. 
 
 About January 1, 1862, the 19th was reorganized 
 as an artillery regiment, and was thereafter known as 
 
 14 
 
110 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 the 3d jST. Y. V. Artillery, and ordered to Newbern. 
 N. C, to join the forces of Gen. Burnside. 
 
 From Newbern various expeditions were made 
 through the adjoining countiy. In one of these, on 
 September 5th, 1862, at Washington, N. C, Samuel 
 S. Andrews of this town was killed. 
 
 The 3d also took part in the battles of Kiiiston, 
 Whitehall, Goldsboro, &c. The men were mustered 
 out at the expiration of their term, on June 2d, 1873, 
 and returned home, having been in the service two 
 years. 
 
 The ranks of the 3d artillery were soon filled by re- 
 enlistments from Cayuga and adjoining counties, 
 none however, from this town. 
 
 The volunteers from this tov^n in the "Old 19th" 
 escaped the very severe fighting which fell to the lot of 
 those of the other regiments from this vicinit}^, partly 
 for the reason that they were located most of the 
 time in a section which was comparatively quiet, and 
 for the further reason that in be<)oining an artillery 
 tegiment, they were not as a rule, exposed to a close 
 fire from the enemy, which the infantry regiments 
 experienced. But the men were courageous and 
 worthy to be remembered as those who, in the first 
 hours of danger, unhesitatingly left their homes to 
 defend the government, and even its chief citadel, 
 from invasion. 
 
 SEVENTY -FIFTH EEGIMEjS^T. 
 
 ■ The second regiment formed in this district, was 
 the 75th. It went out with John A. Dodge as Colo- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. Ill 
 
 nel, Robert B. Merritt, Lieutenant Colonel, and Wil- 
 lougliby Babcock, of Cortland County, Major. > 
 
 The volunteers from this town enlisted in Com- 
 pany A., under Captain C. D. MacDougall, ; their 
 names are as follows : 
 
 David L. Gould, Amos H. Ercanbrack, James O. 
 Davenport, Lewis A. Carr, John Cannavan, William 
 Dennis, David Feek, Lyman H. Goodrich, James 
 Jones, Wm. H. Jones, James E. Mosher. 
 
 Dr. Cyrus Powers was appointed Assistant Sur-i 
 geon of this regiment, and afterward received the 
 appointment of Surgeon of the 160th Regiment of 
 this State. 
 
 The regiment was ordered to Fort Pickens, Florida, 
 where it arrived about the middle of December, 
 1861, doing duty as necessity demanded, but expe- 
 riencing very little fighting until the following Au- 
 gust, when the 7oth was sent to New Orleans to join 
 the forces under command of Gen. Butler. While 
 at Fort Pickens, one of the boys from this town, 
 Lyman H. Goodrich, died. 
 
 While under Gen. Butler, the 75th made several 
 expeditions tlirough the country adjoining New Or- 
 leans, — none, however, of very great importance. 
 After Gen. Banks assumed command, considerable 
 skirmishing ensued in the southern part of Louisi- 
 ana, at Bayou Teche, and Brasheur City, &c., the 
 regiment losing at the former place several good men 
 — none, however, being from this town. In April, 
 1863, another campaign was agreed upon, which re- 
 sulted in several severe marches and battles, and 
 
113 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAYIA. 
 
 considerable loss of life, and in the capture of a 
 quantity of cotton ; but otherwise was of little im- 
 portance, and terminated without any apparent suc- 
 cessful operations. During this time occurred the 
 battle of Fort Bisland, which u}K)n the arrival of the 
 forces of Gen. Banks, was occupied by the rebels 
 commanded by Gen. Dick Taylor. Fort Bisland 
 was flanked upon one side by Grand Lake, while 
 upon the other were swamjis, underbrush, and low 
 shrubbery and weeds, which made an attack from 
 that side extremely difficult and hazardous, as the 
 enemy could not be seen except at yery close range. 
 The rebel works were well built and sti-ong, and 
 w^ere protected by seyeral cannon, and aliout 11,000 
 men— Gen. Banks haying but 14,000 elf ective men at 
 the time. A part of this force under Gen. Grover, 
 was ordered to proceed up Grand Lake, while the 
 balance, including the 75th, which acted as skir- 
 mishers, were to make an attack from the left 
 through th<' swamp above described. Into this ter- 
 rible Jungle the TStli advanced with great caution, 
 with orders to discover the positicm and force of the 
 enemy. 
 
 On the 12th day of May, 1863, while slowly ad- 
 yancing, the 75th was opened upon by a terrible 
 liring from the enemy's entrenchments. Iloweyer, 
 undaunted, the braye men continued to hold their 
 position, while the 160th brought up the right cen- 
 tre. At this point, Lieut. Col. Babcock ordered the 
 75th to lie down near the banks of a lai'ge ditch, 
 while Lieut. AVorden, and two oi' three men should 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 113 
 
 proceed to recoiinoitei-. It was iindei'stood that these 
 men shoiikl be followed by the regiment after they 
 had been gone fifteen minutes. The men selected 
 by Lieut. Worden, were Charles H. Lakey and David 
 S. (roiild, of this town. 
 
 Tlie undertaking was ono of extreme danger and 
 difficult}'. The thick foliage of tlie low undergrowtli 
 of brushwood, togetlier with more or less mud and 
 water underneath, rendered their progress very slow, 
 while the utmost caution was required, as the enemy 
 were know^n to be but a short distance from our 
 troops ; but just where their ))atteries were located, 
 or where their infantry might be concealed, was un- 
 known. 
 
 Tliese three men. knowing the danger to which 
 they w^ere exposed, undertook t(j ascertain the 
 enemy's position and report the same to Gen. Wiet- 
 zel. Unable by reason of the obstructions before 
 mentioned to see more than twelve or fffteen feet 
 before tliem, slowly ]iicking their way, and even 
 crawling upon their iiands and knees, the little party 
 left the regiment Ijehind, expecting it to follow in 
 sui)porting distance in case of attack. For sevend 
 rods the enemy were not heard or seen, when sud- 
 denly, upon coming into a small opening a few feet 
 square, a rebel picket w^as discovered and surprised, 
 lie being at the moment looking in an opposite di- 
 rection. Upon seeing the "situation," he thrcAv 
 dow^n his gun and surrendered. Lieutenant Wor- 
 den accompanied him back to tlie lines, while the 
 othfn's held their position until their companicm's re- 
 
114 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 tarn, when they again moved on as before for about 
 fifty rods to another partially cleared spot, into 
 which they came carefully upon their hands and 
 knees, suspicions of the proximity of the rebels, 
 although none had been seen except the captured 
 picket. 
 
 At the opening, they resolved to get a view of the 
 prospect ahead, and accordingly rose to their feet, 
 when a broadside was poured into their midst from 
 the enemy' s infantry which was stationed only four 
 or five rods ahead, apparently expecting them. At 
 the first fire, Lieut. Worden was wounded in the 
 hand and arm, and David S. Gould through the 
 lungs. All three fell to the ground, thereby escap- 
 ing the bullets which fiew thickly over them. Mr. 
 Lakey, with great presence of mind, succeeded in 
 dragging Mr. Gould back into the thicket, meantime 
 giving orders for a charge, in a loud voice, which 
 doubtless prevented their capture. Lieutenant 
 Worden helped himself to the rear for several rods, 
 to which place Mi". Lakey carried and dragged Mr, 
 Gould, where all three lay several minutes com- 
 pletely exhausted — Mr. Lakey from his exertions, 
 and the others from pain and loss of blood. Mr. 
 Lakey then hastened back to the regiment and pro^ 
 curing help, returned, and the wounded men were 
 carried back to the regiment, and thence to Brasheur 
 City Hospital, where Mr. Gould died from the effects 
 of his wound. For gallant services, Mr. Lakey re^ 
 ceived a furlough for six months. 
 
 Considerable skirmishing was had with the enemy 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHP:S OF MORAVIA. 115 
 
 during the day, and fearing an attack in the rear 
 from Gen. Grover at Grand Lalve, Gen. Taylor with- 
 drew his forces and abandoned the fort, together 
 with a hirge number of guns which fell into the 
 hands of the Union troops. 
 
 The 75th was engaged in the siege of Port Hudson, 
 and suffered severely ; also in the engagement at 
 Sabine Pass. None of the men from this town, 
 however, were injured. 
 
 The regiment took its full share of the labors and 
 sufferings of the war, not only in Louisiana, but in 
 the Shenandoah Valley. It was decidedly a fight- 
 ing regiment of first class men, and made a record 
 of which the State ina}^ w^ell be proud. 
 
 ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH. 
 
 At the call for "three hundred thousand more," 
 another regiment was formed, and part of a company 
 raised in this town by Sidney Mead, as captain. 
 The following persons enlisted : 
 
 Alonzo Arnold, William Bowen, Mai'tin Booth, 
 Richard Booth, Andrew Burgess, Nathan Booth, 
 Sanford Burlingham, William Birdsall, James Bris- 
 ter, John Baker, Wm. H. Booker, Daniel H, Craw- 
 ford, Leander Creathers, Orrin Davenport, Alfred 
 Hoagland, Gilbert Impson, Jonathan Jenkins, Dan- 
 iel J. Lombard, Alonzo Lilly, Jabez Lilly, Hosea 
 Munn, Charles Miller, Nathan Noith, Jr., Morell 
 Parker, Ebenezer Piatt, Tyler Eoyce, Nathan Stur- 
 gers, Alonzo Slarrow, John Slarrow, Zenas D. 
 Stearns, William Shinier, William Sherman, John 
 A. Thomas, Levi White, Charles White, Wayne 
 
116 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF AIORAVIA. 
 
 Lester, Amos H. Ercanbrack, Aaron Clias(^, Tliomas 
 Harrop, George Fox, Frederick Moss. 
 
 The regiment went ont commanded by Colonel 
 Jesse Segoine, with Clinton D. MacDongal as Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel, and were ordered to Harpers Feriy, 
 Va., where, with several other regiments under Col. 
 Miles, Commander of the Post, they were captured 
 by the enemy. The frjllowing is an extract from 
 "The American Conflict," giving a graphic descrip- 
 tion of the location of the Union troops, and the in- 
 competency, to use a wild term, of their commander. 
 
 "Harpers Ferry is little more than a deep ravine 
 or gorge, commanded on three sides by steep moun- 
 tains, and of course defensil)le only from one or 
 more of them. A commander who was neither a 
 fool nor a traitor, seeing enemies swarming against 
 him from every sidt^ would either have evacuated in 
 haste and tri<3d to mak(^ liis way out of the trap, or 
 concentrated his forces on one of the adjacent 
 heights, and there held out until time had been 
 afforded for his relief. Miles did neither. 
 
 -M: v< % * ^^ % 
 
 At nine o'clock, P. M., our cavalry, some 2,000 
 strong, under Col. Davis, 12t]i Illinois, made their 
 escape from the Ferry across the pontoon bridge to 
 the Maryland bank ; passing up the Potomac unas- 
 sailed through a region swarming with avenues, to 
 the mouth of the Antietam, tlience striking north- 
 ward across Maryland, reaching Greencastle, Pa., 
 next morning, having captured by the way the amu- 
 nition train of Gen. Longstreet, consisting of 50 or 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 117 
 
 60 wagons. Miles assented to this escape ; bnt re- 
 fused permission to infantry officers who asked leave 
 to cut their way out : saying, he was ordered to hold 
 the Ferry to the last extremity. Next moriiing at 
 daybreak, the Rebel batteries reopened from some 
 commanding points, directing their fiie ^principally 
 at our batteries or Bolivar Heights. At 7 A. M., 
 Miles stated to Gen. White, that a surrender was in- 
 evitable, his artillery ammunition being all but 
 exhausted ; when the brigade commanders were 
 called together and assented. 
 
 A white Hag was thereupon raised ; hnt tlie rebels 
 not perceiving it, continued their fire some 30 or 40 
 minutes, whereby Miles was mortally wounded.— 
 Jackson was just impelling a general infantry at- 
 tack, when informed that the white liag had been 
 raised on the defenses. 
 
 At 8 A, M., a capitulation was agi'eed to, under 
 which 11,583 men were passed over to the enemy, 
 about half of them New Yorkers, the residue mainly 
 from Ohio and Maryland. Nearly all were raw 
 levies ; some of them militia called out for three 
 months. Among the spoils were 73 guns, ranging 
 from excellent to worthless ; 1,300 small arms, 200 
 wagons, and a large quantity of tents and camp 
 equipage. Of horses, provisions, and munitions, the 
 captures were of small amount.''' 
 
 The 111th, although unmentioned, was of the num- 
 ber who surrendered, and after remaining prisoners 
 for two days they were paroled and sent to Camp 
 Douglas, at Chicago, 111., where they remained five 
 15 
 
US HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF 3I0RAYTA. ^ 
 
 weeks. Vv^ere excliangecl and ordered to Washington^ 
 and thereafter to CentreviHe, Ya., where considera- 
 ble skirmishing was had witli Gen. Mosby. 
 
 The next serious fighting was experienced at Get- 
 tysburg, on the 3d and 4th days of July, 1S63. The 
 111th were in Gen. Hancoclvs Corps, which on the 
 latter da}" were on the left of the centre of the Un- 
 ion army. In one of the last engagements, on July 
 ddy John A. Thomas was severely wounded in 'the 
 leg, just above the ankle by a minnie ball. He was 
 carried by AYilliam Shinier and others to the field 
 hospital, where his leg was amputated. He was 
 afterward sent to a hospital in Baltimore, Md., and 
 being rendered unfit for duty was honorably dis- 
 charged in April, 1864. 
 
 LIFE ATsD DEATH. 
 
 During the latter part of the 3d day of July, at 
 Gettysbuig, this regiment was placed in front of the 
 Federal batteries, and about five or six rods distant, 
 and ordered to lie down behind an old dilapidated 
 stone wall which afforded a very slight protection 
 from stray bullets, while the enemy's batteries were 
 located about one mile distant in advance, and some- 
 what to the right. Lying in this position, slioiilder 
 to shoulder, as close together as possible, our boys 
 remained during two hours, while two hundred 
 heav}' guns thundered continuously in their ears, 
 and cannon balls shrieked and tore up the ground 
 in all directions. While in this state of awful sus- 
 pense, expecting death every moment, and nothing 
 to do but waif, tln^ man u|i()n the right of Levi 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 110 
 
 Wliite moved one place to the riglit, a vacancy hav- 
 ing been made there. Mr. White, thinking to bet- 
 ter liis condition, took his place, while the soldier 
 on the left moved into the position which had been 
 occupied by Mr. White. He had scarcely exchanged 
 places when he was struck and torn to fragments by 
 a cannon ball from the enemy' s battery. 
 
 William Birdsall was wounded on July 2d, by a 
 p)iece of shell which struck him in the left arm 
 above the elbow, making a severe and very trouble- 
 some wound. He was sent to Newark Hospital, 
 N. J., where he stayed for ten months, and was then 
 transferred to the 21st Regiment Reserve Corps, sta- 
 tioned at Trenton, obtaining recruits. There he re- 
 mained until the close of the war, and was dis- 
 charged July 6, 1865. 
 
 From the time of the battle of Gettysburg until 
 October 14, 1863, the 111th had but little lighting to 
 do. Upon the latter day, however, while near Bris* 
 toe Station, while acting as a part of the rear guard 
 of the Second Corps, the 111th, 12otli, 126th and 
 39tli regiments consisting of about oOO men, were 
 attacked by the forces under Gen. A. P. Hill, the 
 enemy being posted in the woods on the left of the 
 Union lines, the Orange & Alexandria Railroad lying 
 between. Very soon after the attack was made, the 
 above named regiments made a charge for the rail- 
 road which was reached with some loss, and the men 
 ordered to lie down behind the road embankment. 
 The rebels, who were some forty rods distant, there- 
 upon made a charge in turn for the purpose of dis- 
 
130 HISTORICAL SKETCIfES OF 3I0RAVIA. 
 
 lodging tlie Union forces and liolding the railroad. 
 Our troops remained quiet until the enemy were but 
 five rods distant, when they ponred into them a ter- 
 rific and deadly lire, which caused a speedy retreat. 
 They were again formed in the woods, and another 
 charge made npcm the left, which was met as before^ 
 when their ranks were again broken, and the attack 
 repnlsed with considerable loss. Seeing the result,, 
 tlie Union troops charged after them loitJiout orders. 
 captured t) pieces of artillery, and more prisoners 
 than the successful party had numbers. Though 
 this victory w^as achieved without orders, none of 
 the officers in command were cashiered or the troops 
 reprimanded. '''• N'ot mucli,''' as one of them said. 
 During tlie first attack, Levi AYliite, who, instead 
 of firing and then falling down beliind the embank- 
 ment, was standing up loading and firing as rapidly 
 as |)Ossible, was wounded by a ball which passed 
 through his thigh, causing an ugly wound. He was 
 carried off the field in a rubber blanket, and re- 
 moved to Alexandria. The same ball which wound- 
 ed him, struck Ebenezer Piatt in the head, killing 
 him instantly. Mr. White w^as eight days in the 
 hospital unable to sit up, when an order came to 
 furlough eveiy man able to tiavel. He was immedi- 
 ately able, or thought he would take the chances of 
 getting home again, and succeeded in getting as far 
 as New York City, when he gave out and was car- 
 ried to the solders ' lodgings in that city, whence he 
 came to Moravia, was seized with inflammation of 
 the lunus and was sick for two months. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF 310RAVIA. 121 
 
 Upon recovering his liealtli lie retiirnecl to liis reg- 
 iment at North Anna River, on May 25th, 1864. The 
 111th was skirmishing nearly every clay with the en- 
 emy ; l>nt the array kept marching on towaid Rich- 
 mond by day and digging trenches by night. 
 
 During tlie campaign, Mr. White being on the 
 skirmish line, was shot at b}^ a rebel, who immedia- 
 tely sought shelter behind a large tree, nearly two 
 feet in diameter, which entirel}^ shielded his person. 
 White took his position behind a small pine sapling 
 only eight or ten inches through, which protected 
 only a portion of his body, leaving the residue a fair 
 target for his opixment, twelve rods, distant. Busi- 
 ness was hrisJi ; some t«m shots had been exchanged, 
 the rebel having greatlj' the advantage of position, 
 and White's gun being a miserable concern, when a 
 ball struck the edge of the tree behind which White 
 w^as partially concealed, and came nearly through, 
 just breaking the bark in range of his head. Fearing 
 that in course of time the enemy might miss the tree 
 but not the portion of the U. S. soldier exposed to 
 view, said solditn- deemed discretion the better part 
 of valor, and skij^ped along out of range. 
 
 Very soon after this occurrence he was again 
 w^ounded by a minnie ball, which entered his right 
 })reast and glanced out through his right arm. He 
 \^'as again sent liome on a furlough, and having re- 
 gained his health i-ejoined his regiment at Petersburg, 
 August 1st, 1864, in cam]), the Se(^ond Oor2:)S being 
 reserves; meantime tlie regiment liad experienced 
 severe lio-hting. 
 
132 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 Tlie next battle was fouglit at Reams' Station. — 
 The following is from "The Ameriean Conflict." — 
 "Hancock returned from the north of the James^ 
 had worked rapidly to the Welden Road, in the rear 
 of Warren. Striking it at Reams' Station, he had 
 been busily tearing it up for tAvo or three days, when 
 his cavalry gave warning that the enemy in force 
 were at hand. Their first blow fell on Miles division 
 on our right, and was promptly repulsed ; but Hill 
 ordered Heth, under a heavy fire of artillery, to try 
 again, and at all events carry the position, which he 
 ultimately did at the fourth charge, capturing three 
 batteries. Hancock ordered Gibbons' division to re- 
 take them, but they failed to do so. 
 
 Miles, rallying a part of his scattered division and 
 fighting it admirably, recovered part of his lost 
 ground and one of his captured batteries. 
 
 Gibbons' Division, assailed by a force of dismount- 
 ed cavalry, was easily driven from its breastworks ; 
 but the enemy attempting to follow up his success, 
 was checked and repelled by a heavy flank fire from 
 our dismounted cavalry posted on the left. 
 
 Though but four miles from Warren's position, 
 no reinforcements, owing to various blunders, reach- 
 ed Hancock until he had been forced to retreat, 
 abandoning Reams' Station after a total loss of 2400 
 (out of 8000) men and 5 guns. Hill' s loss was also 
 heavy but considerable smaller." 
 
 A large portion of the 111th were among the cap- 
 tured, together with their colors. 
 
 On August 23d, 1864, they were taken to Rich- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 123 
 
 mond and contined in the notorious Libby Prison ; 
 their room was in the upper story of the prison 
 building, and was 69 feet long by 25 feet wide, occu- 
 pied by 3U0 men, who slept on the bare floor with no 
 covering, their blankets, overcoats, and money hav- 
 ing been taken away by the officers of the prison. 
 Their fare was as follows : A piece of corn bread 
 two inches square, one and one-half inch thick, twice 
 daily, occasionally a small piece of poor beef, gene- 
 rally partially spoiled, a little bean soup (less the 
 beans) once per day, nothing else. They suffered 
 extremely not only from the cold, but from hunger, 
 and at the end of six weeks confinement, were mere 
 skeletons, so that when ordered from the prison to 
 Belle Island a mile distant, scarcely a man was able 
 to reach the place with out falling down several 
 times on the way, from weakness. On the Island 
 their rations were the same as in prison. At the end 
 of a week, being the seventh as prisoners, during 
 which time the other prisoners had been removed to 
 Andersonville, an order came for our boys to be 
 ready to start for that place at 10 o'clock that night. 
 Fortunately at 9 o'clock a boat load of rebels who 
 had been sent by our government to be exchanged, 
 arrived, and instead of going to Andersonville Prison, 
 they were exchanged and taken to Aiken's Landing 
 inside the union lines. 
 
 The boys of the 111th regarded this as an almost 
 miraculous escape from death by starvation, for of 
 the men sent from Richmond to Andersonville, scarce 
 ail}" ever returned alive. 
 
124 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 Most of the men of the 111th received furknighs 
 for twenty days, and came home to regain their 
 health and strength, after which tliey again joined 
 their brigade and went into wint(:'r qnarters. 
 
 For the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with 
 the general formula and official routine through 
 which furloughs were granted or ]-efused, a copy of 
 a furlough granted to Levi White is annexed. 
 
 To ALL WHOM IT MAY COjSTCERX : 
 
 The bearer hereof, Levi White, Sergeant of Capt. 
 Sidney Mead's company of the 111th Regiment of 
 New York State Volunteer Infantry, aged 26 years, 
 five feet eight inches high, dark hair, and by pro- 
 fession a Cooper, born in the County of Cayuga, 
 State of New York, he having received a furlough 
 from the 2d day of May to the 22d day of May, 1865, 
 at which period he will rejoin his Company or Regi- 
 ment at camp at Buckville, Va., or wherever it then 
 may be, or be considered a deserter. 
 
 Subsistance has been furnished to said Levi White 
 to the 2d day of May, and pay to the 29th day of 
 February, 1864, both inclusive. 
 
 Given under my hand at head-quarters 111th N. 
 Y. y„ this 20th day of May, 1865. 
 
 LEWIS W. HUSK, 
 Lt. Col. 111th N. Y. v., Com'd the Reg't. 
 Camp of 111th N. Y. V., 3d Brig., 1st Biv., 2d Army 
 
 Corps., April 27th, 1865. 
 
 Levi White, Sergeant Co. I, 111th Reg't N. Y. V., 
 makes application for a furlough for 15 days, to go 
 to Moravia, N. Y., for the purpose of attending to 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 125 
 
 important peciiuiaiy matters concerning liiniself and 
 famih'. 
 
 Respectfully forwarded a}>proved. 
 
 Sergeant White is perfectly reliable, good <diarac- 
 tvr and prompt in the perfcn-mance of his duties. 
 
 JOHN C. SMITH, 
 2d Lieut, 111th N. Y. V., Com'd'g Co. I.. 
 
 Head-Quarters 111th R(\g t N. Y. Y. 8d Brig. 
 
 1st Div., 2d Arm,y Corps, April 17th, I860. 
 
 Respectfully forwarded approved. 
 
 Company. Present for duty — 14. 
 
 '' Absent with leave — none. 
 
 " Absent without leave — none. 
 
 Regiment. Present for duty — 429. 
 " Absent witli leave— 1. 
 
 " Absent without leave— 7. 
 
 Applications pending — none. 
 
 The applicant has never been absent on furlough. 
 LEWIS W. HUSK, 
 Lt. Col. lllth N. Y. Y., Com^d'g Reg t. 
 
 Head-Quarters 3d Brig., 1st Div., 2d A. C, 
 
 April 27th. 1865. 
 
 Respectfully forwarded approved for twenty days. 
 Serg't White is a splendid soldier, has been wound- 
 ed three times, and a j^risoner twice. He supposed 
 he could only get 10 days. 
 
 C. D. MacHOLIGALL, 
 Col. lllth N. Y. Y.. and Brevet Brio-. Gen. ComM'g. 
 16 
 
126 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 Head-Quarters 1st Div., 2d Army Corps^ 
 
 April 28tli, 1865. 
 Respectfull}' forwarded approved. 
 
 NELSON A. MILES, 
 Brevet Brig. Gen. Com'd'g, 
 Head-Quarters 2d Army Corps, 
 
 April 29tli, 1865. 
 HespectfuUy forwarded approved for 20 days. 
 FRANCIS C. BARLOW. 
 
 Brevet Maj. Gen. Com'd'g,. 
 Head-Quarters of the Ami}'' of the Potomac, 
 
 April 29th, 1865. 
 Approved for twenty days. 
 
 By command of 
 
 MAJ. GEN. MEADE. 
 
 F. S. Barsteis-, a. a. G. 
 Official— T. S. DoDT, Capt. and A. A. G. 
 
 Head-Quarters 3d Brig., 1st Div., 2d A. C. 
 
 April 30th, 1865. 
 Head-Quarters 111th Reg't N. Y. V., 3d Brig., 1st 
 Div., 2d A. C, May 2d, 1865. 
 Official — Wager II. REMiNGT0]sr, 
 
 2d Lieut, and Acting Adj' t. 
 
 Head-Quarters 111th N. Y. Y. 
 
 May 28t]i, 1865. 
 I certify that Serg't Levi White, Co. I, 111th N. 
 Y. v., returned to duty at the expiration of his fur- 
 lough, and has not been reported a deserter. 
 
 LEW^IS W. HUSK, 
 Lieut. Col. 111th N. Y. Y. 
 0)1 Fel)iuai'\ 13tli. 1865. skirmishing commenced 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAY lA. 127 
 
 along tlie liiit'S, and oui' picket line advanced toward 
 Petersburg. 
 
 On Marcli 29th, the brigade broke camp, crossed 
 the rebel' s line, and followed in their rear to Boy- 
 ington Plank Road, where a charge w^as made upon 
 the pits, behind which the enemy w^ere stationed. 
 The iirst man in the pit was Levi White, who cap- 
 tured a rebel Hag, He was followed closely hy Thom- 
 as Sandwich, George Perkins and others. 
 
 Levi White, for gallantry displayed, was promoted 
 to First Lieutenant. 
 
 Humphrey Davenport, of this company, was 
 wounded in battle at Boynton Plank Road, near 
 Dinwiddle Court House, Va., on March 31st, 1865, 
 by a minnie ball, which entered his right side cutting 
 oif two ribs, and lodged in his left side, where it still 
 lemains. He was as soon as practicable conveyed 
 from the Held to the Division Hospital, and from 
 there to Lincoln Hospital, Washington, wdiere he 
 remained until honorably discharged, on May 25th, 
 I860, when he returned home. He was also in the 
 battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Har- 
 bor, and Shady Grove. 
 
 Another fight occurred at South Side Rail Road, 
 wheie the brigade made two charges upon the enemy 
 and were repulsed. The tliird charge was successful, 
 and the Rail Road and some prisoners captured. 
 This was on April 1st, 1865, aud tlic last engagement 
 in which the regiment took part. They remained 
 near there for nearly a month, and were orderi^l to 
 Washington, and thence to Syracuse, and discharged 
 June 6tli, 1865. 
 
12S HiSToracAL rsKi:TcnErs of sioiiatia. 
 
 138TII REGIMET«rT. 
 
 This was the next regiment organized, and tlie fol- 
 h)wi]]g named persons enlisted from this town in 
 Company E, with Salem Cornell as Captain, and Ar- 
 thnr W. Mai'shall and (Teorge C. Stoyell as Lieu- 
 tenants. 
 
 Henry Austin, Julius Busli, Dorr Cutler, Wm. 
 Evans, George Eritts, Charles Lee, F. L. Royee, 
 Patrick Lavin, Simeon Stoddard, Richard B. AVright, 
 Dorwin F. Wright, Frederick Allen, Lester Oakley, 
 Thomas Ferguson. 
 
 The regiment left xlubnrn in September, 1862, for 
 Washington, near wliich place it remained for seve- 
 ral months, protecting the city and engaged in l;)uild- 
 ing military roads and forts. 
 
 We have been unable to obtain information suffi- 
 cient to give a liistory of this regiment, but believe 
 that with one or two exceptions, the soldiers from 
 this town died or were discharged during the first 
 3^ear of service. 
 
 IGOtji hegjjiext. 
 
 This regiment was organized in September, 1862. 
 and a }>ortion of Company F enlisted from tliis town, 
 under Capt. Josiah P. Jewett and Lieut. Cideon F. 
 Morey, with tiie following named me]i : 
 
 Jolm 1). Clark, Jolm Stoyell, George Sliav(M-, John 
 Sliavei-, Dwight Bay, Alex. Peterson, William E. 
 White. The renmin.der of the com])any i'ulisted 
 from adjoining towns. 
 
 Soon after its forncatioit tlic regiment w:is ordered 
 to New Orleans. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 120 
 
 The coniuiniiding officer, Col. C. C. Dwiglit, [now 
 <i Justice of the Supreme Court, for the Seventh Dis- 
 trict), altliough theretofore a civilian, soon became 
 one of tlu^ V)est and most efficient officers in the Union 
 .Vrmy ; th(' officers and men under liis command, 
 without exception, respected him not only as their 
 supeiior officer, but as a man of kind heart, social, 
 careful and discreet, possessed of that high moral 
 principle and. courage, without which no man, though 
 physicallv courageous, can Ix^come a capal)le or safe 
 officer. 
 
 The lirst engagement in which com])a]iy F partici- 
 pated, was in March, 1863, at Bayou Teche, in Avhicli 
 the rebel gunboat Cotton was destroyed by the rebels 
 to prevent its being captui'ed b}' our trooj)s. 
 
 On iMarch 28th thereafter, about thirtj'-two men 
 belonging to Co. F. commanded byCapt. Jewett and 
 Lieut. Kirb}', embarked at Brasheur City upon the 
 Union gunboat Diana, whi(!h had also received a por- 
 tion of the 12tb Eegiment of Connecticut, which, 
 including officers and Co. F, amounted to a force of 
 about 120 men, armed with miiinie rifl(^s, while the 
 gunboat carried three lieav_y guns. 
 
 The object of the expedition was to discove]- if 
 possible tlie whereabouts of tlie Rebel gunboat Queen 
 of tile West, which had been lurking in tlie vicinity, 
 and supposed to be in Clrand Lake, which v\-as about 
 twenty miles in h'Ugth and distant ten miles from 
 Brasheur City. 
 
 After a very careful search however, in that very 
 ('looked lake, no u'unboat was found, and if the com- 
 
130 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 raanding officer could have l)een satisfied in fuliilliiig 
 his duty and obeying orders, and returned by tlie 
 same route which he came, several lives v/ould have 
 been saved, much suflfering avoided, and the govern- 
 ment saved from the disgrace of having incompetent 
 men as the guardians of the lives of valiant and 
 worthy soldiers. Returning however, by a different 
 and unknown route, the}^ unexpectedly encountered 
 a large force of the enemy securely entrenched upon 
 the banks of the river, and with several batteries of 
 artilleiy which fulh^ commanded everything upon 
 the river. Their force consisted of about seven thous- 
 and men. The Diana was very soon disabled and 
 completely riddled with cannon balls and shell. The 
 gunboat was under tire two hours, yet but very few 
 of those on board were killed — ten m all, and eigh- 
 teen in Co. F wounded. 
 
 In addition to the dangers to which the men were 
 exposed from land, the enemy had placed torpedoes 
 at short distances in the water, and expected every 
 moment that the Diana would be destroyed from 
 that source. 
 
 The men of Co. F were upon the upper deck and 
 consequently received the most injury, the remainder 
 of the force being below. Capt. Jewett was struck 
 upon the head with a piece of shell, a part of which 
 also wounded Corporal John D. Clark who was near 
 him. Capt. Jewett very soon became helpless. Mr. 
 Clark had previously been wounded by a minnie 
 ball which entered his mouth, extracted several teeth 
 and lodged in the right side of his face, from which 
 it was next day extracted. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 131 
 
 It becoming appai'eiit that sure destruction awaited 
 them, tlic gunboat being unmanagiable, an attempt 
 was made to surrender ; ])ut the Lieutenant giving 
 the signal was wounded while doing so, and the offi- 
 cer who took his place also severely injured, the 
 enemy' s firing continuing, notwithstanding the signal 
 of surrender could be plainly seen. A third time a 
 signal was laised, and the enemy ceased their bom- 
 bardment, and boarded the Federal gunboat, or what 
 remained of it, and carried their prisoners to the fort, 
 where in a few days the privates were x>aroled, and 
 returned to their camp, and the officers held as pris- 
 oners of war. 
 
 Shortly thereafter a force sent out by Gen. Banks 
 under Gen. Weitzel, came upon the enemy at Franli- 
 lin, and recaptured Capt. Jewett, Lieut. Kirby, and 
 the otlier officers, driving tlie enemy northward. 
 
 The folk) wing is a, copy of the parole of John D. 
 (jlark : 
 
 Head-Qt'aktehs Battery Fusalia, 
 30 March, 1863. 
 The bearer, John I). Clark, a Corporal of Co. F, 
 160th Regt., is paroled on condition that until duly 
 exchanged he will not bear arms against the Confed- 
 erate States of America, nor in any way give aid and 
 comfort to tlicMr enemies. 
 By order 
 ^COL. HY. GRAY, Com" d Post. 
 RoBEKT Bradley, Capt. 
 Mr. Chirk was honoiablv discharged July 7, 1<S63. 
 
132 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 Josiali E. AVliitc was also wouiTded in tlii,: misera- 
 ble exploit, while lying npon the se(^)nd deck, by a 
 shell which entered the pilot house and burst, scat- 
 tering splinters in every direction, some of which 
 entered his left hand and still renuun there, while 
 others entered his left shoulder and ear, causing 
 very troublesome flesh wounds ; he was knocked 
 over back of the stair railing, and finally escaped to 
 the hold below the water mark, where he remained 
 with several others, until tlu^ boat was l)oarded by 
 the enemy, who expressed great suip)rise at finding 
 so many alive after such a terrible and continuous 
 bombardment. One officer casually remarking that 
 they didn't inteiul to take any prisoners, and sui)- 
 posed there were none alive. 
 
 After being paroled, the prisoners were taken to 
 near New Orleans, and finally to Ship Island. Mean- 
 time the balance of the regiment had an engagement 
 at Camp Buland while on their march to Port Hud- 
 son. Afterward the part of Co. F paroled were also 
 ordered to Port Hudson, but upon arriving there, 
 were sent back to camp by Gen. Emory, as they had 
 not been exchanged. The balance of the regiment 
 took part in the battle of Port Hudson, but none of 
 Co. F from this town were injured. They were next 
 engaged at Sabine Cross Roads, where the Union 
 troops were beaten and forced to retreat, fighting 
 under great disadvantage, and largely superior num- 
 bers, combined with unaccountable mismanagement 
 on the part of officers in command. Our troops 
 finally retreated to Grand Ecore, where they encamp- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOR.VVIA, 133 
 
 <!_^d; the eiiymj b-hig unable to pursue, lie having 
 received durmg the 7th, 8th, and 9tli of April severe 
 punishment though obtaining a nominal victory.— 
 The regiment had also engagements at Pleasant Hill 
 on April 9th. 1864, and at Burnett's Bluff, April 23d, 
 after Avliich they rec.Mved orders to report at Wash- 
 ington, and were atta-hed to the 19th Corps, and 
 were shortly afterward, on July 19th, 18G4, engaged 
 in skirmishing with the enemy at Snickers' Ford, 
 after which tlie regiment had occasional skirmishing 
 l)ut no severe lighting until the battle of Fisher's 
 Hill, on September 24th, 186-i, where the Union forces 
 under Gen. Sheridan ol)tained a very decisive victory 
 over Gen. Early, capturing sevei-al guns and many 
 prisoners, and destr()yed a large quantity of army 
 stores, wagons, &c. 
 
 Soon after and on October 19th, 1804, was fouglit 
 the battle of Cedar Creek, the circumstances of whi<'li 
 have become familiar in almost every family circle, 
 and which virtually used up and destroyed the forces 
 of the enemy in the valley of the Shenandoali. 
 
 The 19th was a very prominent corps, and bore the 
 brunt of the battle, both in the disastrous retreat and 
 the glorious and decisive victory which followed. 
 
 Josiah E. White was again wounded at Cedar 
 Creek, October 19th, 1864, early in the engagement, 
 in his left ankle by a minnie ball ; he laid upon the 
 held during the day and until 10 o'clock P. M., his 
 clothing having been taken by the enemy who were 
 in possession of the field during that day, but driven 
 back that night and our wounded recovered and 
 17 
 
134 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA- 
 
 cared for. Mr. White was taken to Middletowis 
 where his leg was amputated by Dr. Armstrong, of 
 Auburn ; in two or three months he was sent tO' 
 Washington, tlience to Philadelphia, and thence 
 home on leave of absence ; while home he was trans- 
 ferred to Eochester, N. Y., and discharged. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Tribute to the Dead — Juim Stoyell, Josiaii P. 
 Jewett, Dokwix F. Weight, George C. Stoyell, 
 Lyman H. Goodrich, Frederick Allen^, Proc- 
 tor Mellejst, JoNATHAiSr Jeis^kins, Sanford Bur- 
 LiiYGHAM, Thomas Horror, William Shimer, 
 William S. Moss, Edgar E. Moss, David Gould, 
 Ebexezer Platt, Thomas Davenport, John 
 Slarrow, Simeon Stoddard, Joiix S. Cady, Je- 
 ROME Palmer. 
 
 tribute to the dead. 
 
 "Men die but once, and the opportunity of a noble deatli is not an 
 every day fortune. It is a gift which noble spirits pray for," 
 
 The followers of Maliomet were instigated to deeds 
 of valor in defense of their religion, and taught to 
 welcome death by the promise that by their swords 
 they should open the gates of heaven, and that an 
 immortality of sensuous pleasure awaited them, 
 adapted to their physical inclinations and desires.— 
 And at the later day of the Crusaders, eternal salva- 
 tion was promised to those who should help to fight 
 the battles of the Lord. 
 
 Wliile the .bible or the cliristian religion afford 
 no grounds for sucIj anticipations, but require tlie 
 
136 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAYIA, 
 
 giving of t]ie lieart to God as well as the body to liii< 
 service^ there is naturally a disposition to hold in 
 high esteem those who I'onght and died, nominally 
 in quelling the rebellion, Init virtnaily f<»r the estab- 
 lishment and preservation of civil and religious lib- 
 (nty throughout the Union. 
 
 A majority of the soldiers from this town who died 
 in the army, were brought home for burial. In som<^ 
 cases however, this was impossible, and the graves 
 of a few an:" imknown. 
 
 .The following brief biograi)hies are but a slight 
 token of respect for the memories of those brave men 
 who gave their lives to their country, and who will 
 never cease to be greatfully remembered, no matter 
 where they fell or where they were buried, so long- 
 as patriotism is honored by their countrymen. 
 
 .TOIIN STOYELL. 
 
 The subject of this article was born in this town. 
 Full of the eiiergy and ambition which his father 
 (the i)ioneer of civilization in this vicinity) pos- 
 sessed, he early became known as a thrifty, enter- 
 prising faimer and citizen. Though not an aspirant 
 for political preference, he held various offices of 
 trust with great efficienc}' and credit to the town. 
 
 In 1831, he became a temperance man, and drew 
 up and signed a pledge of total abstinence from in- 
 toxicating liquors, presented the same to his friends, 
 and organized a tempei ance society, which for numy 
 years labored faithfulh' and with considerable suc- 
 cess in the cause. From that time to tlie day of hiw 
 death. John Stoyell was the leaden- of the temper- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 13T 
 
 ance party in soutliern Cayuga. He was always 
 present at appointed temperance meetings, cheering 
 liis fellow laborers witla his presence and aiding with 
 his money, which was always free in everj' good 
 work. 
 
 He united with the First Congregational Church 
 of Moravia, and was elected a deacon of the same in 
 lcS84, whicli office he held during life. He was a 
 pillai- in tlie church. Firm as a rock in his religious 
 belief, strict in the ])erformance of duty, not fanati- 
 cal or unreasonable, but consistent, holding the popu- 
 lar theories and practices of the day, and in fact all 
 things else sid)servient to the one great first princi- 
 ple of his life, — the glory of God. 
 
 During his membership, the duties of the officers 
 of the church was very perplexing and the burdens 
 heav}' to be boi-ne, l)ut when others shrank from the 
 duties and responsiljilities which tlie emergency de- 
 manded. Deacon John Stoyell was always found 
 equal to the occasion. The Church knew his integ- 
 rity of character and honesty of purjjose, and had 
 perfect confidence in his good judgment. 
 
 Deacon Stoyell was a zealous Anti-Slavery man. 
 An Abolitionist when the very name wasa i-eproacli. 
 Anti-Slavery societies were ridiculed and derided, 
 and their lecturers insulted and mobbed in tlie 
 streets. John Stoyell, beliin^ing slavery to be a 
 wrong — a curse to the nation, and an abomination 
 in the sight of God, labored earnestly to bring his' 
 neighbors and friends to the same conclusion, and 
 so far as possible gave aid and comfort to tliose who 
 
138 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 came within liis roacli, in their endeavors to escape 
 from bondage to a conntry which offered them the 
 protection, security and liberty wliich the land of 
 their birth denied them. He set his face as a Hint 
 against nnjust legislative enactments and judicial 
 dictum s which set at defiance the Higher Law, out- 
 raged the conscience and consigned four millions of 
 unfortunate people to inconceivable misery, degra- 
 dation and despair. When the laws of God and the 
 laws of men conflicted, there was no hesitation as to 
 whom he w^ould serve. He obeyed God rather than 
 man. He fed, clothed and sheltered the fugitive, 
 and often with his own conveyance, forwarded him 
 on his way to the North at the risk of being himself 
 arrested, and of receiving the fines and imprison- 
 ments which the laws in the interests of slavery de- 
 manded. 
 
 He enlisted as a private in Company F, IGOth Regi- 
 ment, and accompanied it to the field in Louisiana, 
 and died at IS'ew Orleans, July 5, 1863, aged 61 
 years, giving his life to the cause which he had so 
 early espoused and so earnestly labored for, — the 
 Abolition of American Slavery. "Faithful unto 
 death." 
 
 In political and social business life, he was actua- 
 ted by religious principle, was kind and benevolent, 
 lionest and upright in all his dealings. 
 
 " His life was gentle ; and the elements 
 
 So mixed in him, that nature might stand up 
 
 And say to all the world, this was a man.'''' 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 139 
 
 CAPT. JOSTAII P. JF:WETT. 
 
 AVlien tlie 160tli Regiment was being organized, 
 Mr Jewett volunteered, assisted in enlisting a Com- 
 pany, and was iinally elected Captain of Co. F. He 
 had lived several years in tlie family of the late Dea- 
 con Josiah Jewett, his grandfather, and was well and 
 favorably known in the coninumity as an upright 
 and intelligent young man. Previous to his enlist- 
 ment he became a member of the well known hrm ol 
 -(I Jewett & Nephew,' ' in Moravia Village, and was 
 eno-ao-ed in an extensive and profitable mercantile 
 timle! which he left for the laborious and dangerous 
 life of a soldier. This regiment as soon as organized 
 was ordered to New Orleans. Co. F, on Marcli 28th, 
 1863, was stationed at Brasheur City, whence about 
 one-half of the company commanded by Capt. Jew- 
 ett were ordered to proceed (with other selected 
 soldiers) up the Bayou, upon the gunboat Diana, to 
 Grand L^ke, for the purpose of discovering the 
 whereabouts of the Rebel gunboat Cotton. Lpon 
 their return (disobeying orders) by another route, 
 the Diana was obliged to pass a position occupied by 
 the rebels, to the number of TOGO or thereabouts.- 
 For two hours the Diana was at the mercy of the 
 rebel batteries which were in easy range, and the 
 men on board exposed to a terrible and incessant 
 bombardment. Capt. Jewett being upon the upper 
 deck was wounded upon the top of the head by a 
 piece of shell, which exploded near him. He was 
 afterward taken prisoner by the enemy, but shortly 
 recaptured by the federal forces and sent home. 
 
1-iO Historical sketched ot' mohavia, 
 
 where strong liopes of liis recovery were enti^rtai'iiecl 
 only to be CTushed by the certainty of the rapid ap- 
 proach of death, whose footsteps cannot be stayed 
 by a nation' s necessities, or his purposes thwarted 
 by the tears of friends. He died in liis old lionie at 
 "Tlie Cottage," peacefully, another martyr in tlie- 
 cause of iiis countiy, and was l)uried in an lionoi-ed 
 grave, wliile his memory will be held in liigh respect 
 as the years glide by bringing to the nation the fruits 
 of the labors and the lives of those so nobly and so 
 willingly sacrificed, "Peace and Good Will to mpn.'' 
 
 DOEWIN F, WRIGHT. 
 
 Born and reared in this town, at the age of twenty- 
 five years he enlisted under Capt, Salem Cornell in 
 Co. E, 138th Regiment Infantiy. Naturally of a 
 kind disposition, genial and obliging, he had won 
 the esteem of all who knew him. WeW educated 
 and a close observer of the political horizon, he un- 
 derstood and appreciated the importance of the 
 struggle in which he was engaged, and the issues 
 involved therein. That rebellion meant the dismem- 
 berment of the Union and the destruction of the prin- 
 ciples of Government by the People, and that only 
 in the complete success of the armies of the govern- 
 ment could peace and prosperity be restpred. Soon 
 after its formation, the regiment was ordered to 
 Washington, D. C, and stationed at Camp Morris, 
 about five miles from the Capitol, where the men 
 were engaged for several months in building military 
 roads ; the great design of the Government at that 
 time being to protect Washington. Mr. Wright was a 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 141 
 
 ftiitlif 111 soldior. and altlioiiirli tlie i>;enei'nl <>xpcricMice 
 of army life m camp was, on account of its immoral 
 tendencies, distasteful to him, Ik^ never i-egretted the 
 step h(^ htid taken, l^eing huoyed up b_y the assurance 
 that through tiie strife and turmoil of war, a lasting 
 peace would be secured to tliose who should survive. 
 He was a member of the Congregational Church of 
 Moravia, and a teacher in the Sabbatli School when 
 he enlisted. He endeavored to avoid evil wherever 
 met, helped to oi*ganize a prayer meeting and bible 
 ■class in his company, in wdiich he took an active 
 part while he lived. He lioped to live to see peace 
 restored, and to return home J:o enjoy the fruits of 
 the laboi-s which i)ati-iotism and fidelity to home and 
 rountr}^ always merit, and to engage in more desira- 
 ble pursuits, but such hopes were never to be realized. 
 He died in camp of typhoid fever, on January 11th, 
 1863, highly respected by his associates. His fune- 
 ral services were held in the chui-ch of which he was 
 a member, and his remains deposited in the ''Old 
 ( Jemeterv," whither they were followed by a large 
 concourse of sympathizing friends. 
 
 GEOIIGE C. STOYP^LL. 
 
 Lieutenant Stoyell was the eldest son of Loyal 
 and Emily Stoyell, who are among the oldest and 
 most esteemed citizens of this town. They were ex-, 
 ceedingly iiidulg(Mit to their children, and spared no 
 pains to gratify their wishes when this could be done 
 consistently with their best interests and permanent 
 good. C-reorge was reared amid affluence and fine so- 
 <'inl position, and liad exct^llent opportunities for 
 18 
 
14^ niSTO^KICAL SKPrrCIIJJS OF MQKATIA^ 
 
 aeqiiii'iiig an educatioii. He wat* kind of Tieari'., 
 active,, generous to a fault, and generally l>eloved by 
 his associates. 
 
 On tlie 12tli day of August, 1862, lie enlisted iia 
 Company E<, 13Sth Regiment Infantry., and upon the 
 election of officers, received the office of Second Lieu- 
 tenant. The regiment was stationed near George- 
 town, D. C, where it remained for several nionths 
 at work upon forts and other defenses. He was a 
 capable officer, and liberal witli his men. He was 
 destined however, to share the fate of thousands of 
 his fellow soldiers, and died at Georgetown, ]). C. 
 January 21st, 1863, aged twenty-three years. It 
 will be remembered by those interested, tliat he was 
 sick at the time of the funeral of Dorwin F. Wright, 
 of the same company, where the welcome announce- 
 ment was made from the pulpit that "Lieut. Stoyell 
 was much better.'' But the a])parent ifn])rovem(Mit 
 was but temj)orary, and the next Sabbath but one. 
 at the same church, almost the same assemblage of 
 sympathizing friends w^ere gathered at his funeral 
 services. Upon that occasion, a sermon was preached 
 by Rev. Henry Fowlei-, of Auburn, 'N. Y., from the 
 text, — ''Blessed are they that mourn.'' It was full 
 of tenderness and sympathy, and love for the sol- 
 dier, and overflowing with patriotic devotion to the 
 principles for wliich tliey gave their lives. 
 
 Mr. Stoyell was a member of the Congregational 
 Church of Moravia, and its Sabbath School, and 
 died trusting in God, and relying upon his unfailing 
 promises. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OP MOKATIA, i4;l 
 
 LYMAN" GOODIIICIL 
 
 The subject of this sketch was Iwrn in Semin-o- 
 STtius, but t^nlisted from this town in the 75 th Reo:i- 
 ?nent. He was the only son of Lyman and Roama 
 Goodrich, had always lived upon the farm, and was 
 m every sense a home boy, and disinclined theretofore 
 to mingle in society beyond his own family and a 
 few personal friends. 
 
 The announcement of his int«nition t*> enlist was 
 therefore leecived Avith considerable surprise, and 
 some expv)stulation on the pai't of friends. But he 
 had quietly, yet determinedly come to this conclu- 
 sion, and enrolled Ins name in the regiment above 
 named, which, was stationed at Fort Pickens, where 
 he performed the duties assigned him promptly and 
 I'heerfully. 
 
 His diameter was above ivproach. The home of 
 his cliildhood from which he had theretofore scarcely 
 been absent for a day, was left most dest)late by his 
 departure ; but a desolation more de(>p ajid never to 
 be dispelled overshadowed tlic future. After faithful- 
 ly serving bis country, he died at Fort Pickens, on 
 Marcli 20th, 1868, and was buried by his comrades 
 in a soldiers grave, thousands of nuhvs fi-om tlie 
 scenes of his childhood and youth. 
 
 FHEDKKieK A LLEX. 
 
 The above named enlisted in the 188th Regiment, 
 <m the nth day of August, 1862. Doubtless some 
 nu^n enlisted during the latter -part of the war to ob- 
 tain the large bounties which were then offered to 
 volunteers, and who cared very little for the success 
 
144 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF Mi/l\'ATI.t, 
 
 of the Union armies. A few, in fact, ()i)cii]\ ra\ ored 
 tlie rebellion, and declared tliat their only object in 
 enlisting was the bounty. But at the date above 
 mentioned, cmly a small government bounty was 
 given, and volunteers were actuattnl hy jjatriotic mo- 
 tives, duty to their country, and love of its institu- 
 tions. Mr. Allen belonged to this class of soldiers. 
 He sacriliced the comforts of liome, family, and all 
 else dear to him for this one loyal princi}>le — the 
 support of the government. 
 
 He was a member of the Methodist Church, and 
 during his army life was a consistent christian sol- 
 dier. He died in Camp, on May 1st, 1863, and was 
 buried in the Old Cemetery south of Moravia vil- 
 lage. 
 
 ri;0CTEIi 31ELLEN. 
 
 Enlisted in August, 1804, in Company M, 9th Kegi- 
 ment U, S. Heavy Artillery. He was the son of Jer- 
 emiah and Fann}^ Mellen, who have resided for many 
 years in Montville, in this tow^n. 
 
 This regiment did noble service throughout the 
 time of their, organization, and participated in sev- 
 eral heav} battles and skirmishes, in all of wdiicli 
 the men proved thems(4ves to be soldiers, inferior to 
 none in the ai'my. 
 
 Mr. Mellen was in two severe battles — at Cedar 
 Creek and Petersl>urg ; in the foriner of which, he 
 received a wound in the hand. He was a valiant 
 soldier, a linn friend, and an agreeable comrade. — 
 He died at Hampton, Va., June 22, 1865, his remains 
 were brouglit hoijie and interred in Indian Mound 
 Cemetery. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF -MORAVIA, 145 
 
 -TOXATIIAX .JENKINS. 
 
 Mr. Jenkins enlisted in Company I, llJth Regi- 
 ment, and saw considerable service, that regiment 
 IxMng from tlie first engaged in active operation 
 against tlie enemy in Western Virginia. Though a 
 liard working man of vigoi'ous constitution, by the 
 <'hange of climate and army labor, lie became broken 
 in health, and linally died on the 18th day of Feb 
 ruary, 1868. 
 
 SANFORD BUKLINGIIAM. 
 
 ' He was also a member of Company I, 111th Eegi- 
 ment, and a son of Samuel Burlingham, and had 
 always resided on the farm near the "Free Church." 
 He was a young man respected by his neighbors, 
 honest in business transactions, and a good citizen. 
 The exact time or manner of his death could nevei- 
 be ascertained, although diligent search and inquiry- 
 were made by his comrades and friends. He was 
 witii his regiment during the battle of the Wilder- 
 ness and was severely wounded and left upon the 
 held, there being no time to attend to the wounded. 
 The battle field ux^on which there was considerable 
 timber, was very soon thereafter on fire and the 
 fiames sweeping with great fury over the ground 
 where lay the dead and waunded soldiers of the 
 Union army, among wliom wounded and perhaps 
 already dying, doubtless was the subject of this 
 sketch. 
 
 EBENEZEli PLATT. 
 
 He was an industrious, hardworking man, enlisted 
 in Co. K, 1 11th Regiment. He pi^'formed the duties 
 
146 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOEAVIA, 
 
 of a soldier well while lie lived, and was killed at 
 Bristow Station on Oct, 14th, 1868. 
 
 THOMAS HAKEOP. 
 
 The above named was the son of Thomas and 
 Elizabeth Harrop, and althongh scarcely fourteen 
 years of age, enlisted in Co, I, llltli Regiment, o]i 
 March 10th, 1864. He was too young to endure the 
 severe marches and labors, and the privations which 
 necessarily followed, and under w-hich even strong 
 men failed. But Ice did what he could. He was in 
 the battle of the Wilderness, and was wounded on 
 June 17th, 1864. He died of typhoid fever, at Lin- 
 coln Hospital, Washington, and was buried at Arl- 
 ington Heights. 
 
 WILLIAM SlIIMER. 
 
 Another of the members of this regiment was the 
 above named of Co. K, the eldest son of Daniel and 
 Rachael Shinier, He was in several skirmishes in 
 which the regiment was engaged, and was finally 
 killed in a battle at Bristow Station, Va., while act- 
 ing as sergeant, Oct. 14tli, 1863. He was nineteen 
 years of age, and had been in the army since July, 
 1862, and had the name of being a courageous and 
 reliable soldier. 
 
 EDWAKD STANHOPE MOSS. 
 
 He was by birth an Englishman, the son of Thomas 
 and Eliza Moss of this town, and enlisted Aug. 8th, 
 1862, in Co. C, 7th Regiment Heavy Artillery, was 
 elected Corporal on Sept. 1st, 1862, on Feb. 11th, 
 1864, he received his commission as 2d Lieutenant, 
 was taken prisoner before Petersburg, Ya., June 6th, 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 147 
 
 ivnd conveyed to Cliarleston, S. C, where lie died 
 Oct. 4th, 18(M, of yellow fever. 
 
 AVilliaii) S. Moss Avas a brother of the above named. 
 He enlisted in Co, M, and was transferred to Co. C, 
 7tli Regiment, was captured by the rebels befor(^ 
 Petersburg, June 6tli, 1864, taken to Andersonville 
 Prison, where he died of starvation in Sept. 1864. 
 They were both very social, companionalde men, and 
 highly este(nued in their regiment, and l)}^ all who 
 k]iew them as citizens. They were faithful and true 
 men to the land of their adoption. 
 
 JOHN SLAKIIOW. 
 
 Enlisted in Co. I, 111th Regiment. He was the 
 son of Lorenzo Slarrow, also a meml)(M' of the same 
 eonipany, and poss(^ssed of a good dt^gree of courage 
 iind the otlK^r elements which go to make a capable 
 soldier. He was in the battle of Boliver Heights, 
 Harpers Ferry, Ya., and was shot in the head and 
 instantly killed on Sept. 14th, 1862. 
 
 DAVID GOULD. 
 
 Mr. Gould had lived in this town until he had es- 
 tablished a good name. A farmer by occupation, he 
 was industrious and frugal, a friend at all times to 
 be dej^ended upon ; lie had no enemies. He enlisted 
 in Co. A, 111th Regiment, in 1861. He proved a 
 very gallant and reliable soldier, was in several bat- 
 tles, and was finally, as liereinbefore mentioned, 
 wounded in the attack upon Port Bisland, from the 
 effects of which he died at Brash en r City, about May 
 22d, 1863. 
 
14» HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 SIMEON STODDARD, 
 
 He was n member of Co. E, of the 188th Regiment- 
 He resided for several years upon a farm in the north 
 part of this town. We have been nnable to gatlier 
 much of his liistory, except that he died of disease 
 at City Point, Va., about July 1st, 1864. 
 
 JOHN S, CADY. 
 
 Capt. Cady was the son of Artemas and Lois Cady, 
 wlio resided for many years in this vilhige, where he 
 was born on May 29th, 1836. His mother, a most 
 estimable lady, died June 5th, 1850, when he was 
 fourteen years of age, and his father, to whom refer- 
 ence is hereinafter made, a few years later. He had 
 been carefully reared, and although at such an early 
 age sustaining this irreparable loss, his excellent 
 moral culture prepared him to meet the trials of life 
 with a large degree of composure and firmness, and 
 enabled him to establish a character for integrity and 
 feliability, which made him a most useful and influ- 
 ential citizen and fearless soldier. After the death 
 of his parents, he resided with his brother, A. S. 
 Cady, Esq., in New York City, and attended Colum- 
 bia College Gframmar School, preparatory to entering 
 college. By reason of poor health, with much reluc- 
 tance he gave up his studies, and entered the Comp- 
 troller's office of that city under appointment of Hon. 
 A. C. Flagg, where he remained until 1857, when his 
 health again failed, and he removed to Anoka, Minn., 
 where he engaged in business until 1862. '■^ 77te 
 Home Missionary^'' of February, 1864, contains the 
 following very interesting sketch of his western life, 
 
' HISTORICAL SKETCHES OP MORAVIA. 149 
 
 written by th(^ pastor of tlie cliurcli in Anoka, of 
 which he Avas a member, entitled "A Model Captain." 
 "The most important event in t\u' histoiy of this 
 ■church for the three months closing the first of Au- 
 gust, was the death of one of its most active and use- 
 ful members, John S. Cady came from New York 
 here in 1857, at the age of twenty-one years. Before 
 <'oming here he indulged the hope that he was a 
 <'hristian, and soon after made a public profession of 
 religion ; being tlie first person wIk^ joined this church 
 l\y professi(^n. and the only 3'oung person here at 
 that time a professor of religion. From the first till 
 his death his hand has been in every good work here. 
 By his honest}^ and faithfulness, his helpfulness and 
 pi-actical benevolenence, his manifest conscientious- 
 ness and exemplary piet}^, he won the respect and 
 regard of every one who knew him. He was Super- 
 intendent of our Sabbath School, and held other 
 important relations to our church and society. He 
 had sustained two mission schools besides. A year 
 ago he enlisted and was the principal agent in raising 
 a comi^any here ; he was chosen Captain by accla- 
 mation ; his company was detained in the state for 
 service against the Indians. The last winter was one 
 of Jeisure to his men, and he was most industrious 
 in labor for their good. On the Sabbath he had a 
 morning service for them in which he read a sermon ; 
 in the afternoon a bible class, and in the evening a 
 prayer meeting ; on Wednesday evenings he had a 
 prayer meeting, and during the week he had classes 
 in various studies. His good influence upon his men 
 19 
 
150 HISTORICAL SKETCKES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 was very obvious. He was often called 'The mode] 
 Captain.' His men loved liim of course ; one of them 
 said he believed 'more than half the men in Com- 
 pan}^ A would be willing to step in and takc^ a ball 
 designed for his captain.' He spent a couple of 
 Sabbaths with us in June, having business connected 
 with his command to occupy the week. OnMonda}' 
 morning he left with a squad of his men, to return 
 to his post on the frontier. On his way he learned 
 that some horses had been stolen by the Indians, 
 and started in pursuit. On Thursday morning he 
 overtook tliem, and in the encounter, in Avhich h(^ 
 seemed too little regardful of his own life, he was 
 shot through tlie heart. Two of his bravest and best 
 men rescued his body from savage mutilation. The 
 sad tidings of his death reached us the next after- 
 noon, and his body an hour or two later. The flag 
 at half mast and the tolling bell spread the mourn- 
 ful inteligence. I never saw such universal grief in 
 a community ; every one had lost a personal friend. 
 Our church assembled for its monthly meeting, and 
 was like a family that had received tidings of the 
 death of a son and a brother. The children at school 
 wept as for a father. At a crowded meeting of the 
 citizens the next week, the most touching tributes 
 of respect and affection were paid to his memory. 
 On the following Sabbath the funeral services took 
 place, and though there was no relative present but 
 his brother (the only person surviving him near of 
 kin), there was a great concourse of mourners. The 
 preacher sought to portray the amiable excellence 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 151 
 
 •and nobleness of Captain Gady's lif(N to win their 
 imitation and to awaken a wortliy ambition for a life 
 of nsefulness and true honor. There was no mili- 
 tary display in connection with the service, bnt the 
 two soldiers wlio rescued and brought home his body 
 bore a furled and craped banner in the procession 
 from the church to the place where for convenience 
 the body was placed, under the canopy of a large 
 Hag, where bi-ight stars were partially obscured by 
 the folds of black. Under this the procession passed 
 to bid farewell to the face where kind greeting in 
 life had been so welcome to all. I have seen some 
 splendid mourning pageants, but never more univer- 
 sal aud sincere grief, on such an occasion. The 
 mourning Avas not alone for the patriot soldier, the 
 excellent^ officer, not alone *for the young chieftain 
 fallen in the heroic discharge of duty, but for the 
 good man whose hand and purse, aud influence were 
 never invoked for a good object without success, and 
 whose manly heart, always indignant at wrong, had 
 a tender and helpful sympathy for suffering. The 
 church, the Sabbath School, the Library Association, 
 the community, had experienced what seemed an 
 irreparable loss. Hundreds mourned for him as if 
 he had been near kindred by blood. 
 
 When the sorrowful procession had passed around, 
 it was drawn close about the pastor, who oifered 
 prayer and pronounced a benediction, and the con- 
 o-regation left the mortal remains of one so loved and 
 honored to be in a few days taken east by his broth- 
 er On the evening of July 3d, at sunset, they were 
 
152 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MOKATIA. 
 
 laid to rest beside those of his mother and father, in 
 the burial place of his native town, Moravia, N. Y. 
 It is rare that a church can lose so much in one man 
 as ours lost in liim." 
 
 JEKOME PAL31EK. 
 
 Jerome Palmer was the son of Mrs. Mary A. Palm- 
 er of this town, where he was born. The following 
 is an extract from the Dundee Record published at 
 Dundee, N. Y.: 
 
 "When we first made his acquaintance, he was 
 attending school at Lima, N. Y., where he pursued 
 the classics with success. He had before been a stu- 
 dent at Starkey Seminary, where he was a general 
 favorite, from his frank, affable manners, and manly 
 independence. At Lima he was beloved by his asso- 
 ciates, and respected bj^all who knew^ him. In the 
 fall of 1863 he w^as drafted, but was too young to be 
 obliged to go ; but his love for his country would 
 not permit him to remain fi'om the army, and in the 
 winter he enlisted in the 8th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, 
 and we remember how hopefully he spoke of the 
 future as we accompanied him to Canandaigua, there 
 to Join liis I'egiment and go immediately south. We 
 never saw him again. He was assigned to the 2d 
 Corps, Hancock' s Division, and was killed on Moii- 
 day, June Gth, 1864. The story of his death is thus 
 related 'by a boy in blue.' It was a hot day in the 
 trenches, and the landscape glimmered with the 
 heat away toward Richmond while the thunder of 
 cannon lazily tolled off the hours. The crack of a 
 rifle w(^uld be heai'd at intervals, and }'et the rifle pits 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAYIA. 153 
 
 were nearly quiet, for no general move was ordered, 
 iind notliing was to be done by either line but to 
 grimly watch each other with keen sharpshooters' 
 e^^es. Dead bodies lay around, and the putrid smell 
 of these decaying in the sun, almost over powered 
 the senses of the little handful of brave boys that 
 held one of the pits of that long line, that seemed 
 the engirding of death slowly closing its folds about 
 the doomed city. Five dnys they had cowered in 
 the yellow sand and gazed at each other, and smelled 
 that fearful stench, and tried to catch words of cheer 
 in the distant roar of the cannon ; but eacli throb of 
 the heart only seemed to say 'wait.' At last one of 
 them, a mere youth of nineteen, blue-eyed, open- 
 faced and beardless, with light sunny hair hidden 
 under his blue cap, said, as his voice faltered, and a 
 vision of home and friends far away came up to his 
 heart amid the wreck of the intrenchments, ' Boys, 
 I can't stand this any longer, I must go from this 
 place or I shall die.' 'No, no, Rome don't go out 
 of this pit, the sharpshooters will kill you,' rex)lied 
 his friend, ' But I shall die here, and if I get awa,}" 
 where there is fresh air, I can do good service ; I 
 must go, I might as well be killed by a bullet as to 
 suifocate.' It may be that the heat and the oppress- 
 ive deathly atmosphere had half turned the brain of 
 the bright-eyed boy, for he staggered out of the jjit, 
 and started across an open space toward the woods. 
 Keen, merciless ej^es were on him, and hard steel 
 
154 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 gleamed from the rebel thickets, when crack rnng: 
 the riiles of the sharpshooters, and — he was dead. 
 
 ' Bury him where the sunlight shines, 
 In showers of gold the branches through, 
 And gilds the grave by the sighing pines, 
 Where sleeps the form of the boy in blue. 
 
 Far away in a northern land. 
 Hearts are sad that for him beat true, 
 Praying to Him whose guiding hand 
 Ever sheltered the boy in blue. 
 
 Mourn we not with a hopeless sigh, 
 Tears may darken our eyes 'tis true, 
 But the brave and loving can never die. 
 And such was the soul of the boy in blue.'" 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 First ]SI ation^al Bats^k — History of its Organiza- 
 tion — Officers — ^ Capital Stock — Rules and 
 By-Laws. 
 
 This bank Avas organized under the National Bank- 
 ing Law, Ma}^ 2oth, 1863, with a capital stock of 
 Fifty Thousand Dollars, which was increased to 
 Eighty Thousand Dollars. For the purpose of giv- 
 ing a full history of its organization and the reasons 
 therefor, and the efficient though invisible machinery 
 by which it is controlled, we copy from its records 
 in full upon these points, deeming it a matter of con- 
 siderable importance in the j)i'*?sent and future in- 
 terests of the town. 
 
 ' ' The establishment of a bank in Moravia Villiage 
 having been a subject of frequent consideration and 
 discussion by the citizens interested in the welfare 
 and growing interests of the town, and it having oc- 
 curred that the Congress of the United States had 
 i:)assed and the President on the 25th day of Febru- 
 ary, 1863, aj)proved an Act entitled 'An Act to pro- 
 vide a National Currency secured by pledges of 
 United States Stock, and to provide for the circula- 
 tion and redemption thereof.' That this law had 
 been made by the government in view of the vast 
 
156 HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MORAY [A. 
 
 amount of money made necessary for its iise in suc- 
 cessfully defending the government against the war 
 of rebellion waged it against by southern rebellious 
 states and men, and in establishing the federal au- 
 thority over all its territory, and also in furtherance 
 of the wise policy of the government of conducting 
 the war, and supporting the government upon its 
 own resources, giving to its own loyal people the 
 opportunity to furnish the requisite supplies, and to 
 receive the revenue arising therefrom in preference 
 to foreign loans and purchases, thus rendering the 
 government a self supporting institution ; and in all 
 loyal portions of the country an unprecedented thrift 
 in business and abundance of money as the wages of 
 their loyalty and patrotism. 
 
 A consultation was held by Wm. Keeler, Austin 
 B. Hale, and B. F. Everson, which embraced in its 
 discussions the facts that there was much money in 
 the country out of employment and seeliing invest- 
 ment ; that at the present time the government would 
 be benefitted by its use, that^ in the future, when war 
 should end and business increase, the capital would 
 be desirable for business purposes, and would es- 
 pecially be desirable to have availal^le should a 
 financial crisis occur, that in taking the provisions 
 offered and establishing a bank under the national 
 law, it might serve a mutual benefit, contributing 
 material aid to the government, national aid and 
 convenience to the community, and add an impetus 
 to the growth and business importance of the town, 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORATIA, 157 
 
 iind at the same time yield a fair compensation for 
 tlie money invested. 
 
 The consultation resulted in the issuing of the 
 following call : — 
 
 'We, the undersigned, feeling that the establish- 
 ment of a Bank at Moravia, K Y., with a capital 
 «;tock of not less than Fifty Tliousand Dollars, 
 would direct capital into channels profitable to 
 shareholders, serviceable to their friends and stimu- 
 lating to public industry, hereby express our willing- 
 ness to invest capital in such a bank, and request 
 those interested to meet at Pressey' s Hotel, on Sat- 
 urday, April 11th, at 3 P. M., for the purpose of 
 takino; the matter into consultation. 
 
 Dated, Moravia, April 6, 1863, and signed by 
 Hector C. Tuthill, James Thornton, Eufus W. 
 Close, P. D. Livingston, Ludus Fitts, Thompson 
 Keeler, S. D. Tabor, Wm. Keeler, Lyman Card, A. 
 
 B. Hale, Lauren Townsend, Charles Chandler, B. F. 
 Everson, E. E. Brown, W. W. Alley, Jr., W. C. 
 Cramer, B. C. Goodridge, Joseph Dresser, Nathan 
 Robinson, B. D. King, F. R. Robinson, S. B. Young, 
 M. L. Wood, David Wade, Jr., Whitman Brock- 
 way, H. H. Alley, E. Hopkins, J. S. Paul, H. H. 
 Tuthill, J. C. Odell, Reuben Rounds, and C. E. 
 Parker.' 
 
 Pursuant to the foregoing call, a meeting was 
 held and organized by the appointment of Hon. H. 
 
 C. Tuthill, Chairman, and A. B. Hale, Clerk; 
 whereupon, after discussion, it was thought advisa- 
 ble to' organize a bank under the National Banking 
 
 20 
 
158 ' HI&TORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAyr.4, 
 
 Law ; and a coiiiiriittee appointed to obtain subacrip- 
 tions to the capital stock. 
 
 At a meeting held April 25thj all of the capital 
 stock being subscribed, B. J. Everson, A. B. Hale, 
 and Franklin Goodrich, were appointed a committee 
 to prepare and report Articles of Association and 
 By-Laws. 
 
 On May 25thy 1863, a further meeting was held, 
 and the Articles of Association presented by the com- 
 mittee, revised and amended were adopted, being as 
 follows : — 
 
 'The subscribers hereby associate themselves to- 
 gether for the business of Banking in pursuance of 
 an act of Congress entitled, ' An Act to x^i'ovide a 
 National Currency secured by pledge of United 
 States stocks, and to provide for the circulation and 
 redemption thereof,' approved Febniary 25, 1863, 
 and the acts additional and amendatory thereof, and 
 for themselves, tlieir personal representatives and 
 assigns, they enter into and agree to abide b^^ the 
 following covenants and engagements.' 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 Sectioiv 1. The name assumed to distinguish 
 the Association, and to be used in its dealings, shall 
 be 'The First National Bank of Moravia, N. Y.' 
 and its place of business shall be the Village of Mo- 
 ravia, in the County of Cayuga, and State of New 
 York. 
 
 Sect. 2, The amount of its capital stock shall be 
 Fifty Thousand Dollars, divided into five hundred 
 shares each, which capital stock may be increased 
 
BlSTOlilCAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 159 
 
 with t^w writteji consent of sharvliolders liolding 
 two-tliirds of tlie capital stoclv, and called in as tliey 
 may determine, to tlie amount of One Hundred 
 Thousand Dollars; but it shall not exceed that 
 umount. 
 
 Sect. :?. Whenever any increase of the capital 
 stock of the Association, and of the numl)er of its 
 shares shall ])e determined upon as provided for in 
 the last pi-eceding section, such increase of shares 
 shall, as nearl}' as may be, be distributed to, and be 
 subject to be taken by the then shareholders pro- 
 rata in proportion to the number of shares then held 
 l)y each, so far as they may desire the same, and in 
 case all shall not desire to increase their number of 
 shares, their pro-rata among such as shall in propor- 
 tion to their number of shares by them held, so far 
 as they may desire the same, and those then holding 
 shares shall be entitled to take the whole of such in- 
 <'rease of shares in preferen.ce to persons not then 
 shareholdtns. 
 
 Sect. 4. Tlie Association shall be authorized to 
 commence banking business wlien its capital stock 
 shall be subscribed for, and at least thirty per 
 centum of each share of its capital stock has been 
 paid in, and such other requisitions of the act afore- 
 said authorizing such banking associations shall have 
 (•omplied with, as that it shall be so entitled to com- 
 mence its said business, and its said business shall 
 terminate on the 2oth day of February, 1883. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 Section 1. Tlie object of the Association is the 
 
160 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAYI.i, 
 
 business of bankings discounting bills^ notcSy and. 
 other evidences of debts, receiving deposits, buying: 
 and selling gold and silver, bullions, foreign coin, 
 foreign and domestic excliange, loaning money on 
 personal and otlier securities, issuing and circulating 
 bills or notes, and the exercising of any powers 
 necessary to conduct its business, not inconsistent 
 with the said act of Congress. 
 
 Sect. 2. The Association may purchase^ lioldand 
 convey only, 
 
 1st, Such real estate as shall be necessary for its 
 immediate transaction of the business, 
 
 2d, Such as shall be mortgaged to it in good faith 
 by way of securities for loans made b}' such Associa- 
 tion, and for monies due thei-eto. 
 
 3d, Such as shall be convej^ed to it in satisfaction 
 of debts previously contracted in the course of its 
 dealings. 
 
 4th, Such as it shall purchase at sales under Judg- 
 ments, decrees, or mortgages held by such Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 Sectiok 1. The government of this Association 
 and the management of its affairs are hereby vested 
 in a Board of Directors which shall consist of nine 
 persons, each of whom shall own at least five shares 
 of its capital stock. 
 
 Sect. 2. The Directors shall elect one of their 
 number to be President of the Association, and he 
 shall be vested with all the powers and authority 
 which these Articles and the Act of Congress afore- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 161 
 
 said, confer upon that officer until a successor sliall 
 be elected. 
 
 Sect. 3. The first election of Directors of the As- 
 sociation shall be held at the house of Wm. C. Pres- 
 se}^, in Moravia, on the first Monday of January, 
 1864, and the same day in January in each year there- 
 after, at such hour and place in the village of Mora- 
 via as the Board of Directors shall appoint ; notice 
 thereof sliall be pul^lisluxl in one or more public 
 newspapers printed in the County of Cayuga, for at 
 least thirty days immediately preceeding the time of 
 such election. The said election shall be nuide b}- 
 the shareholders either in person or by proxy, and 
 shall be conduc^ted by three Inspectors, to be elected 
 by them at such annual election ; but neither of such 
 Inspectors shall be a Director or officer of the Asso- 
 ciation. The nine persons wlio shall have the great- 
 est number of votes shall be Directors, and they shall 
 enter upon the duties of their office 0]i the day of 
 their election ; and if an equal number of votes shall 
 be cast for any two or more persons, the sharehold- 
 ers shall proceed to a new ballot to fill any deliciency 
 in filling the Board of Directors on account of tie 
 votes, and so on until filled. 
 
 Within a week of such election, they shall pro- 
 ceed to organize and elect by ballot one of their num- 
 ber President of the Association. 
 
 If any Director shall cease to hold five shares of 
 the capital stock, his office shall become vacant ; and 
 whenever any vacancy occurs it may be filled for the 
 
163 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 unexpired part of the term by sucli eligible person 
 as the Directors may by ballot c^ect. 
 
 The failure of the Association to elect Directors at 
 the times hereinbefore specified, shall not dissolve 
 the Association, but in such case it shall be the duty 
 of the Board to take immediate measures for an elec- 
 tion as required by Sec. 40 of the said Act of Con- 
 gress. 
 
 Sect. 4. Each shareholder shall be entitled to one 
 vote on each share of his or her stock, which he or 
 she shall have held in his or her own name for at 
 least thirty days prior to the time of voting ; but in 
 organizing they shall be entitled to such vote regard- 
 less of the thirty days time of holding such shares 
 before voting. 
 
 Sect. 5. The Board of Directors shall elect a Presi- 
 dent and Vice-President, and appoint a Cashier and 
 such other officers, agents, clerks and servants, as are 
 necessary to conduct the business of the Association. 
 They may fix their salaries and change the same as 
 they may deem advisable, but a majority of the 
 whole number of Directors shall be necessary for that 
 purpose. 
 
 Sect. 6. The Board of Directors shall make such 
 rules, regulations, and by-laws for the government 
 of the Association and its otRcers, and the manage- 
 ment of its afl'airs, as they may see fit. Five Direc- 
 tors shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for 
 the transaction of business. 
 
 Sect. 7. Austin B. Hale, Silas D. Taber, and Ce- 
 rebial S. Jennings, shall be Inspectors of the first 
 election of Directors of this Association. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 1C3 
 
 ^ECT, 8. The Board of Directors shall require all 
 payments to the capital stock of the Association to 
 be made in certificates, drafts, or monies current at 
 par value in the city of New York, or otherwise, in 
 funds which shall be made equal to current funds at 
 par value in said city by the shareholders paying- the 
 same ; but nothing shall be taken in j)ayment for 
 which a greater sum shall be allowed than the par 
 value thereof. United States bonds bearing six per 
 cent interest shall be taken at pai- value and accrued 
 interest. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 Section 1. The President of the Association 
 shall preside and may vote at the meetings of the 
 Board of Directors, at which he may be present. — ■ 
 He is hereby indicated as the officer to whom con- 
 veyances of real estate shall be made, to take, hold 
 and convey the same on behalf of tlie Association, 
 according to law. He is also authorized and em- 
 powered to collect, receive, and sue for any monies 
 due or belonging to the Association, to cancel and 
 satisfy any judgments, decrees or mortgages which 
 it may hold, and to release and discharge the whole 
 or any jjart of the property mortgaged or en cum - 
 l)ered ; to sell and transfer any public debt, stock oi- 
 other 2:>roperty belonging or pledged to the Associa- 
 tion, and to receive any dividend arising therefrom 
 under the direction of the Board of Directors, and 
 he may appoint for any of these purposes an attor- 
 ney in law or fact under him. 
 
 In case of his inability to act from any cause, the 
 
164: HiSToracAL sketches of mokavia. 
 
 Vice-President may exercise any or all of the poAvers 
 of the President for the time being. 
 
 Sect. 2. The President and Cashier shall sign all 
 the contracts made by the Association, and the notes, 
 bills, or other evidences of debt, and certihcates of 
 stock issued by it ; and no other officer, Director or 
 shareholder unless specially authorized in writing 
 by the Board of Directors, shall make any contract 
 in any way binding u]5on it. 
 
 Sect. 8. '.Minutes of the proceedings of the Board 
 of Directors shall be regularly kept and signed b}^ 
 the President and Cashier. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 Sect. 1. The Board of Directors shall cause suit- 
 able books to be kept for the registry and transfer of 
 the shares of the Association, and every transfer shall 
 be made on such books and signed by the sharehold- 
 er or his Attorney duly countersigned in writing. 
 
 Sect. 2. Every transfer shall be made and taken 
 subject to all the conditions and stipulations con- 
 tained in these Articles, and the Act aforesaid under 
 which this Association is organized. 
 
 Sect. 3. Tlie Board of Directors may close tiie 
 transfer books from time to time as the convenience 
 of the Association may require. 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 Section 1. The Board of Directors may invest 
 the funds of the Association as the;^ may deem ex- 
 pedient in such property as they may lawfully hold, 
 and may transfer to and deposit witli the Treasurer 
 of the United States, or other proper officer, any 
 
HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 165 
 
 portion of such i>roperty to secure the payment of 
 the notes or bills which the Association may issue 
 and circulate as money. 
 
 ARTICLE vir. 
 
 SECTioisr 1. Ont of the funds of the Association, 
 the Board of Directors shall defray the current ex- 
 penses, and twice in each year may declare and pay 
 to its shareholders or their attorneys, such dividends 
 from its net profits of the business as they may deem 
 expedient. The expenses of the Association shall 
 be borne by the shareholders in proportion to the 
 number of shares of each, until such time as the 
 whole capital stock shall be paid in, and until such 
 time all shareholders who shall witli the consent of 
 the Directors, pay in on their capital stock a greater 
 amount, and at sooner times tlian required by Sec- 
 tion 7 of the said Act of Congress may so pay in, in 
 advance of the requirements of saicl Section 7. 
 
 The Directors sliall cause the same to be taken in 
 as the corporation property of the Association, and 
 the same shall be by them immediately invested in 
 United States bonds bearing interest at the value of 
 six per centum, and they shall cause an accurate ac- 
 count to be kept of the interest received on such 
 bond, and the same shall be paid to the shareholders 
 making sucli advanced payment in proportion to the 
 amount and time of such advanced payment. All 
 dividends to shareholders shall be paid in the same 
 kind of money received on interest on the bonds de- 
 posited with the United States Treasurer to tlie ex- 
 21 
 
1G6 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 tent of such monies received, and any deficiency in 
 cnrrent banlv bilis, 
 
 AKTICLE VIII, 
 
 Section 1, Tlie Board of Directors may accept 
 and exercise any necessary additional powers and 
 privileges which may at an}^ time be authorized by 
 law. 
 
 Sect. 2. They may also by written consent of 
 shareholders liolding two-thirds of the capital stock, 
 apj)ly for and accept any act of corporation, and 
 upon snch conditions as shall be satisfactory to such 
 shareholders may come to be transferred to the body 
 corporate all the property of the Association. 
 
 Sect. 3. Two-thirds of the Board of Directors 
 may at any time propose amendments to the Articles 
 of Association, except for the purpose of increasing 
 the capital stock beyond the amount of $100,000, 
 the same shall be served upon such stockholders by 
 enclosing either a written or printed copy thereof, 
 and depositing the same in the Post Office at Mora- 
 via, and properly directed to such stockholders at 
 their last known place of residence. 
 
 If, after twenty days notice to each stockholder, 
 shareholders holding two-thirds. of the capital stock 
 shall consent in writing to such amendment or 
 amendments, such written consent to be by them or 
 their authorized agents duly acknowledged before 
 any officer authorized to take acknowledgements of 
 deeds, then such amendment or amendments on re- 
 cording such consent in the manner provided by 
 hiw for filino' the certificates and Articles of Associa- 
 
HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 107 
 
 tion, and upon the approval of the Compti'oller of 
 the currency, shall become a portion of tliese Arti- 
 cles of Association. 
 
 The first Board of Directors of this Association 
 shall consist of the foUowing persons wlio shall hold 
 their office nntil the first Monday of January, 1864, 
 and until others are elected in their jilaces, viz : — 
 Hector C. Tuthill, Daniel J. Shaw, Beriah D. King, 
 Alvah Fitch, Austin B. Hale, William Keeler, 
 Charles E. Parker, Thompson Keeler, and Benjamin 
 F. Everson. 
 
 We, the undersigned, hereby assent to the fore- 
 going Articles of Association, and severally agree to 
 take the number of shares set opposite our respect- 
 ive names of, tli,e capital stock of the Association, 
 and to pay the same as may l)e requii'ed by tlie Di- 
 rectors thereof, according to law. 
 
 Dated, Moravia, May 2, 1863. 
 
 Daniel Goodrich, Hector C. Tuthill, Daniel J. 
 Shaw, Beriah D. King, Cordial S. Jenniiigs, Jere- 
 miah Hunt, Benjamin Atwood, Thompson Keeler, 
 William Keeler, Franklin Goodrich, James M. 
 Thornton, Charles Chandlei-, Joseph Dresser, Silas 
 D, Taber, John L. Parker, Lauren Townsend, Hiram 
 Hunt, Wm. B,. Richmond, Charles E. Parker, Eliza- 
 beth Barney, John C. Odell, Austin B. Hale, Hiram 
 H. Alley, Morgan L. Wood, Peter R. Robinson, 
 Benjamin F. Everson, Hector H. Tuthill, M. M. 
 Greenfield, Wm. W^. Alley, Jr., Erastus E. Brow^n, 
 William Selover, Terry Everson, Alvah Fitch. Smith 
 Hewett, H. W. Lockwood. 
 
168 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. . 
 
 I liereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy 
 of the Articles of Association adopfed by tlie sliare- 
 holders wliose names are tiiereto subscribed, on the 
 second day of May, 1863, as amended May 25, 
 1863." 
 
 B. P. EVERSON, CasJiier. 
 
 Article 3, Section 3, was afterwards amended as 
 follows :— 
 
 The name "First National Banking Association," 
 was changed to "Tlie First l^fational Bank of Mora- 
 via." 
 
 Article 7, Section 1, was also amended by making 
 the last clause thereof read as follows : 
 
 "All dividends to shareholders may be paid in 
 current bank bills." 
 
 BY-LAWS ADOPTED MAY 25, 1863. 
 
 Article 1. The Board of Directors shall meet on 
 the first week day of each month, at two o'clock P. 
 M., and also at the call of the President, and shall 
 be conducted, so far as practicable, by parliamentary 
 rules. 
 
 Aet. 2. All questions in the Board shall be de- 
 termined by a majority of the Directors present, ex- 
 cept as provided in the Act of Association and Law, 
 and the ayes and nays shall be taken and recorded 
 upon the call of any member of the Board. 
 
 Aet. 3. All the Directors present when any ques- 
 tion is taken shall vote unless excused by a majori- 
 ty, and in all cases when the vote shall be equal, the 
 motion shall be lost. 
 
 Art. 4. The Cashier and all assistants shall give 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 109 
 
 each, bonds in the penalty of $10,000, for the faith- 
 ful discharge of their duties. The sureties to such 
 bonds to be approved by the Board of Directors. 
 
 Atit. G. a committee of three Directors shall be 
 appointed b}^ the Board quarterly to examine the 
 vault, safe, count the bills, specie and funds of the 
 bank, and re})ort to tlie Board at their next meet- 
 ing. 
 
 Art. 6. A committee of five directors shall be 
 chosen by a majorit}^ of the Board, any three of 
 whom shall constitute a quorum, to allow discounts 
 between the regular meetings of the Board. 
 
 AiiT. 7. No one person or firm shall at any time 
 be a debtor to fthe bank as principal in a sum ex- 
 ceeding live thousand dollars, or as principal and 
 surety in a sum exceeding ten thousand dollars. 
 
 Aet. 8. No paper shall be discounted when any 
 one of the committee absolutely dissents thereto, 
 nor shall any reason be assigned to the party offer- 
 ing the paper, when they decline to discount it, un- 
 less by consent of the Committee. 
 
 Art 9. The transfer books shall be closed thirty 
 days before any dividend is declared, also thirty 
 days before the annual meeting of the stockholders. 
 
 Aet. 10, All salaries shall be paid quarterly. 
 
 Aet. 11. All officers, agents, and attorneys of the 
 bank, shall be subject to the control and direction 
 of the Board of Directors. 
 
 Aet. 12. The Teller shall make up his account 
 daily after the close of the bank, and test by the 
 balance of cash on the ledger, and in case of deficien- 
 
170 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 cy or excess, report the same to the Cashier and he 
 to the Board at their next meeting, unh'ss in his 
 judgment, a sooner report is necessary. 
 
 Aet. 13. The Cashier shall exercise the power 
 and perform the duties usually pertaining to said 
 office, subject to Act 11 of these By-Laws. 
 
 Art. 14. Banking hours shall be from 10 (/clock 
 in the forenoon to 3 o'clock in the afternoon. 
 
 Art. 15. No paper or note shall be renewed more 
 than once without consent of the Board. 
 
 Art, 16. The Cashier shall give notice of all 
 special meetings of the Board of Directors by imme- 
 diately depositing such notice in the Post Office at 
 Moravia, properly directed to each Director. 
 
 Art. 17. No Director shall have any voice as a 
 committeeman in deciding upon any paper offered 
 for discount in which he is interested as principal or 
 surety. 
 
 Art. 18. These By-Laws may be altered or added 
 to, by a majority of the Board of Directors at a 
 regular meeting, upon notice being given at the last 
 X^revious meeting ; but all Directors shall have at 
 least ten days notice, personal or by mail, directed 
 to their post office address, specifying the altera- 
 tion or addition to be made. 
 
 I hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct and 
 true copy of the By-Laws adopted by the Board of 
 Directors, on the 2oth day of May, 1863. 
 
 BENJAMIN F. EVERSON, Caslilerr 
 
 To the men who originated and so firndy establish- 
 ed this public institution, their fellow citizens should 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 171 
 
 be truly grateful. While it was in accordance with, 
 and pursuant to the laws of Congress and consis- 
 tent with the great primary object of the organiza-^ 
 tion of jSTational Banks, to give aid and support to 
 the government in its extreme peril and financial 
 enibarrassment, it was also an organization of which 
 the public and private interests of the community 
 stood in need. The safe and speedy transfer of mon- 
 eys from the soldier upon the camping ground to the 
 friends and family at home ; the depositing in safe 
 custody under legal protection of the funds received, 
 from bounties and pensions ; the commercial inter- 
 ests of the town all eombined to render such an orga- 
 nization desirable and almost absolut(>ly necessary 
 for the transaction of business. 
 
 The men to wlioni we are indebted for this orga- 
 nization wer(^ fortunately of the first business talent 
 of the town, honest, reliable, and capable, they pos- 
 sessed the coniidd^nce of the people, who knew that 
 both their interests and those of the government 
 would be consulted and secured. A bank gives an 
 impetus to all kinds of business ; its accomodations 
 to business men can hardly be overestimated. 
 
 Since its establishment this bank has been conduct- 
 ed wisely and honorably. Its officers have been men 
 of ability with a goodly knowledge of financial 
 affairs. Upon its first organization, A. B. Hale was 
 chosen President, and B. F. Everson, Cashier. In 
 1864 Mr. Everson resigning, Leander Fitts was made 
 Cashier, and lias held the position to tlie present 
 time. Ml". Fitts is peculiarly adapted to the busi- 
 
172 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 ness of banking, is familiar witii the business men of 
 this vicinity and their financial standing, is kind and 
 ^ courteous, yet possessed of those essential elements 
 of character so desirable in such an office — firmness 
 and decision. 
 
 We give herewith some interesting statistics, to 
 wit : Average yearly deposits, government taxes, &c, 
 1864— $74,380 18 1868— $123,823 76 
 
 1865— 94,288 25 1869— 91,491 20 
 
 1866— 84,389 93 1870— 69,515 68 
 
 1867— 90,766 29 1871— 68,604 31 
 Average deposits during eight years, $87,157 45. 
 Taxes paid to the government, $14,554 65. 
 Amount of dividends paid to shareholders, $78,300. 
 Capital stock, - - - - $80,000 00 
 
 Present surplus, - - - 18,000 27 
 
 Total capital and surplus, $98,000 27 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 William Wade — Cornet Baintd — Newpapeks first 
 
 PUBLISHED IN CaYUGA CoUNTY — TlIE LaVANNA 
 
 Gazette in 1798— Cayuga Tocsin — Northern 
 Christian Advocate — Auburn Journal — Cayu- 
 ga Chief — First Printing Press in this town 
 — The Cay^uga County Courier — Moravia Val- 
 ley Register-its "Staff" — Moravia AVeekly^ 
 News-its "Reserve" Corps. 
 
 william wade. 
 
 Mr. AVilliam Wade was born in Dighton, Mass., 
 on the 28tli day of April, 1811, and was a resident 
 of this town for about fifty-live years. Greatly in- 
 terested in the subject of education, and possessed 
 of a good practicable knowledge of the English 
 branches and mathematics, he very often engaged 
 in teaching the District ScIkjoIs in this vicinity, and 
 invariably with success. 
 
 In 1840 he was Commissioner of Conmion Schools 
 for this town. He was a Keej^er in tlie Auburn 
 States Prison for several terms, and was appointed 
 Enumerator for the towns of Moravia, Niles and 
 Sempronius in 1840, and also in I860. 
 
 In 1867, he was elected Justice of the Peace for a 
 term of four years, although at tliat time the town 
 '21 
 
174 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAYIA. 
 
 was largely K,epiibllcan, and in 1870, was chosini a 
 Justice of Sessions for Cayuga County. 
 
 In 1835, he became a Free Mason, and in the Lodge 
 and Chapter, took a jjroniinent position. Unlike a 
 majority perhaps, of the masonic oide]*, he made 
 Masonry a study, and was familiar with its origin 
 and liistory, and all the business relations of the 
 Order, and was zealous and efficient in all its rites 
 and ordinances. 
 
 For many years previous to his death, he was a 
 Knight Templar. Politically a Democrat, strong in 
 his adherence to party measures, intimate with the 
 machinery of the political parties of the past, he 
 was no weak antagonist in private debate or on the 
 rostrum. Socialh^, he was friendly to all, without 
 regard to political, religious, or secular views or pref- 
 erences. He was a member of St. Matthews' Church, 
 of this village. He died on tlie first da}' of May, 
 1871, at the age of sixty years. 
 
 The following is an extract of the address of Rev. 
 G. Williams, Grand High Priest of the State of New 
 York : — 
 
 "Companion William Wade, for many years a 
 member of this Grand Chapter, died at Moravia, on 
 the 1st of May last. In all matters pertaining to 
 our Institution, he was devoted, full of zeal, and 
 every duty devolving upon him he discharged with 
 fidelity." 
 
 COENET BAND. 
 
 The Moravia Cornet Band was organized in 1859, 
 their instruments having been purchased by sub- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 175 
 
 Sjcriptions from the business men of the village, to 
 the amount of one hundred and twenty dollars, or 
 thereabouts. The Band consisted of tlie following 
 members : — 
 
 AVilliam Jones, 1st E Hat Cornet ; G. R. Huff, 2d 
 E flat Cornet ; A. K. Clark, B flat Cornet ; J. A. 
 Wright, 1st Alto ; W. G. Wolsey, 2d Alto ; George 
 Beebe, Baritone ; Benjamin T. Avery, Tuba ; Fred. 
 Tallman, Tenor Drum ; Smith Harter, Bass Drum. 
 
 They did good service through the political cam- 
 paign of 1860, making perhaps, more noise than 
 harmony ; l^iit that was expected of them, and is a 
 .1 component part of campaign gatherings. 
 
 Since that time the Band has passed through 
 many changes, until now it is composed of the fol- 
 lowing members, — some of tliem of many 3- ears 
 practici^ : — 
 
 G. R. Huflf, Leader, 1st E flat Cornet ; AV. D. 
 Bennet, 2d E flat Cornet ; A. Colony, 1st Alto ; Jas. 
 Wolsey, 2d Alto ; A. K. Clark, B flat Baritone ; 
 Smitli Sawyer, B flat Tenor ; Fred. B. Heald, Tuba ; 
 E. D. Greenfleld, Bass Drum ; J. Lewis, Tenoi" 
 Drum ; J. Parker, Cymbals. 
 
 They are well organized and thoroughly drilled, 
 and make much better music than the majority oi 
 bands in th(3 country. It cannot be expected that 
 men who have other daily business which demands 
 their attention, and who can only obtain practice 
 after such business has l)een attended to. can attain 
 to perfection in tliis or any other art. (Jonstaut and 
 severe practice is required, a natural oai* for harmo- 
 
176 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 11}^, a delicate perception of the sentiiiieiit of music, 
 combined with fervent love for it, can alone consti- 
 tute a musician worthy of being heard and patron- 
 ized. 
 
 Tliis Band under its present organization, gives 
 general satisfaction, and should be sustained and 
 encouraged. People nnacquainted with the facts, 
 are apt to think that a Band is a kind of public 
 property, and should be ready at all times to enter- 
 tain them gratuitously. 
 
 It should be remembered that its members devote 
 time and money in order to be prepared when called 
 upon. It should also be remembered that they are 
 business men to whom '' time is money," and when 
 their services are required they should be well remu- 
 nerated. 
 
 There may be occasions and doubtless are, when 
 they, like all other men or organizations, should 
 contribute to the public interest. There are public 
 ceremonies to be performed without money and 
 without price, and with willing hearts and hands. 
 But aside from these we believe the Band should be 
 employed and paid, not only for their services ren- 
 dered, but as tending to encourage and keep intact 
 an organization which is almost indispensible to the 
 town, and a source of much gratification to the citi- 
 zens. 
 
 iSTEWSrVPEKS. 
 
 The first newspaper published in Cayuga County 
 was The Lerianna Gazette^ at Levanna, on July 20th, 
 1798, by R. Delano, and which naturally had a lim- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOEAVIA. 177 
 
 ited circulation ; soiitliern Cayuga had at that time 
 comparatively few settlers. In 1799 Tlie Western 
 Luminator, a small weekly paper, was published at a 
 place called AVatkins Settlement, in Scipio. The 
 Aurora Gazette was published the same year at Au- 
 rora, by H. & J. Pace. The Cayuga Tocsin, was first 
 published at Union Springs in 1812, and was after- 
 ward removed to Auburn, and held an influential 
 position in the County. The publication of T7ie 
 Wortliern. CJiristkni Adwcate was commenced in 
 April 1841, by Rev. John E. Robie, as a religious 
 weekly, in the interests of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. Tlie Auhurn Daily Advertiser and WeeMy 
 Journal were first published in 184G, b}' Henry Oli- 
 phant ; in 1850 he sold to Messrs. Knapp & Peck, 
 who have continued their publication to the present 
 time, twenty-three years, during which time the pa- 
 pers have been greatly improved in size and general 
 appearance ; the Journal having a large circulation 
 throughout the county among families b}' whom it 
 is regarded as an old reliable friend. From 1849 to 
 1857, The Cayuga Chiefs devoted to the temperance 
 cause, was pul)lished by Thurlow W. Brown, at Au- 
 burn. Mr. Brown was an enthusiast in the matter 
 of temperance reformation, an able writer and lec- 
 turer, and had a large circle of friends in this town, 
 where his paper was extensively circulated. 
 
 Moravia of course had to rely u])on Auburn papers 
 for countj^ and local news ; but for several years be- 
 fore it became a "newspaper town,'' attempts were 
 made to start a papei-, wliich signally failed for want 
 
178 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAYIA. 
 
 of funds, subscribers, or other causes ; it is liowever,. 
 a very long road that lias no turn. On February 
 20th, 1860, H. H. Alley purchased a "Jones Press" 
 which printed a sheet 4 by 5 inches in size, and soon 
 afterward one which printed a sheet 12 by 18 inches ; 
 for several years he printed tickets for town meetings. 
 Finally in October, 1863, the Cayuga Co^oity Courier 
 was x>nblislied in the office in Smith's Block, by A. 
 O. Hicks, who continued its proprietor until the sum- 
 mer of 1864, when lie died ; the paper however, was 
 continued by his brother, A. J. Hicks, for another 
 year, when A, J. Hicks and Wm. M. Nichols formed 
 a co-partnership, the latter shortly afterward pur- 
 chasing tlie interest of Mr. Hicks, and continuing 
 the proprietor until March 10th, 1867, when Mr. A. 
 J, Hicks and Abner H. Livingston became the own- 
 ers and publishers until December following, when 
 Mr. Livingston purchased the interest of Mr. Hicks, 
 and became sole proprietor and continued as such 
 until January 1st, 1871, when he sold out to Mr. M. 
 E. Kenyon, who improved the general appearance of 
 the paper and changed its name to TJie Moradia 
 Valley Megister ; it is a seven column paper, 24 by 
 36 inches, and is issued every Friday morning, from 
 No. 4 Sliimer Block, on Mill Street. Mr. Kenyon is 
 a man in the prime of life, of business qualifications, 
 well informed, a ready writer, and has held several 
 offices of trust ; in 1870 he was appointed Enumera- 
 tor for the town of Moravia. 
 
 The Register^ according to the American Newspa- 
 per Directory, had in 1873, a circulation of 750 copies. 
 
HISTORICAL SKFrCHES OF MOKAYIA. 171) 
 
 In politics it is independent. The assistant '' staff" 
 of tlie Register consists of Miss Ida M. Green, James 
 Keeler, Dorr Tliomas, and Cliarles E. Tallman. 
 
 T])e VieeJdy JVeics was first publislied on January 
 2i")tli, 1872,' in the building situate on tlie corner of 
 Main and Cayuga Streets, hy Ilri Mulfoid. Tlie size 
 of tlie first volume was 19 by 24 inches, and in ])oli- 
 tics was neutral, until July 18, 1S72, when its infiu- 
 ence was given to the Republican party, to wliicli it 
 has since adhered. On Ajiri] 1, 1873, tlie office was 
 moved to tlie brick block owned by Messrs. Small & 
 Jennings, and on May 15th, tlie 2:»aper was enlarged by 
 tlie addition of one column to a j)age. On August 
 7, 1873,it was again enlarged to a seven column pa])er 
 — size 24 by 3G inches. The present volume com- 
 menced with Uri Mulford as editor, and L. & V. Mul- 
 ford, proprietors. Mr. Mulford claims to be the 
 youngest editor in the State of New York, and is un- 
 der twenty-one years of age. He learned to set type 
 in the office of the Valley Enterprise in Laurcnce- 
 ville. Pa., and also the general business of a country 
 printing office. The proprietor of the Enterprise 
 having failed, the encouraging advice of M. M. Pom- 
 ero}^, formerly a printer in an office in Corning, N. Y.. 
 was taken, and Mr. Mulford "sti'uck out for liim- 
 self.'' He is active and ambitious, and m(\Tns to be- 
 come "master of the situation.'' 
 
 The "reserve corps" of the News is (Composed of 
 Miss May Mulford, Ami F. Mulford, E. Nye Stui- 
 clevant, and Ed. Mulfoi-d. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 Union Fkee School — Its Histouy — School Build- 
 ings — Names of Teachers. 
 
 Oil or about December 1st, 1868, the following pe- 
 tition, signed by many of the prominent men of the 
 town, was presented to the Trustees of School Dis- 
 tricts Nos. 1 and 2 : — 
 
 "'We the undersigned, freeholders and persons 
 having a riglit to vote at any school meeting held in 
 School Districts 1 and 2, in tln^ Town of Moravia, 
 N. Y., do hw'el^y unitt^ in a call for a meeting of the 
 inhabitants, legal* voters of said Districts, to deter- 
 mine whether such Districts shall be consolidated by 
 the establishment of a 'Union Free School' therefor 
 and therein, in conformity with the provisions of 
 Title 9, Chapter 555, Laws of New York, and the 
 acts amendatory theiM-of/" 
 
 In ])ursuance of such petition, after due notice 
 giv(^n by the Ti'ustees of said Districts, a meeting of 
 tile inhabitants thereof was held at Smith's Hall, in 
 Moi-nia A illage, December 19, 1808, at which Leon- 
 aid O. Ailven was elect(xl Cliairman, and John L. 
 Parker, Secretary. 
 
 The names of th(^ legal voters in eacli of said School 
 I)istri<'ts having bi^'ii callcMl. the (liairman an- 
 
182 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAYIA. 
 
 nounced that a quorum of each District was i)rcsci)t, 
 more than one-third of said voters having answered 
 to tlieir names. 
 
 Mr. Leander Pitts then offered tlie following : 
 
 "■ Jiesolf^ed, That a Union Free School be estab- 
 lished within the limits of School Distiicts Nos. 1 
 and 2, in the Town of Moravia, pursuant to the pro- 
 visions of Chapter 555, of the Laws of 18(54, and the 
 amendments theieof," 
 
 Which resolution was duly voted upon and declar- 
 ed passed by the following vote : Ayes, 151. Nays, 8. 
 
 On motion of J. L. Parker, the meeting proceeded 
 to ballot for a Board of Education for said DistiP-t, 
 consisting of six Trustees, resulting in the election 
 of the following named as Ti'ustees, to wit. : 
 
 C. C. Jewett, Wm. Titus, S. Ed. Day, Leander 
 Pitts, Terry Everson, and John L. Parker. 
 
 At a subsequent meeting of tlie, Board of Educa- 
 tion, Terry Everson was chosen President, and Lean- 
 der Pitts, Clerk of the Board. 
 
 On the 13tli day of January, 1869, a special meet- 
 ing was held at Smith's Hall, when on motion of L. 
 O. Aiken, it was voted, " That the Moravia Institute 
 grounds, together with lands adjacent thereto, pro- 
 posed to be purchased of Enoch Lacey, be designa- 
 ted as a site upon which to build a school-house.—- 
 Ayes, 92. Nays, 29. 
 
 This meeting was adjourned until Pebruary 10, 
 1869, at which time J. L. Parker submitted the fol- 
 lowing resolution : 
 
 Besolved, That Pifteen Thousand Dollars be 
 
niSTOPtlCAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 1^3 
 
 raised by tax upon tlie taxable property of tlie dis- 
 trict, for the purpose of erecting a suitable building 
 for a scliool house, the same to be levied and collected 
 by installments, as follows :— $3,000 on September 
 1, 1870; $3,000 two years from said date; $3,000 
 three years from said September 1, 1870 ; $3,000 four 
 years from September 1, 1870 ; $3,000 four years from 
 September 1, 1871. 
 
 AVithout coming to any conclusion, however, the 
 meeting was adjourned to February 20th inst., at 
 which adjonrned day a vote was taken upon Mr. 
 Parker's resolution, with the following result:— 
 Ayes, 75. Nays. 88. 
 
 Mr. Parker then moved to make the amount to be 
 raised, $12,500, to be paid in live equal annual in- 
 stallments, commencing on the first day of Septem- 
 ber, 1870, which was carried. Ayes, 82. Nays, m. 
 A motion was also made and carried, that the 
 Legislature be petitioned to pass a law authorizing 
 the Board of Education to issue bonds of the dis- 
 trict to meet the payments with interest of the in- 
 stallments aforesaid. 
 
 In accordance with said resolution, a petition 
 was sent to the Legislature, and on April 16, 1869, 
 an act was passed thereby, entitled, "An Act to au- 
 thorize the Board of Education of Union Free 
 School, District Number One, of the Town of Mora, 
 via, in the County of Cayuga, to bond said district 
 for the purpose of building a school-house, and to 
 legalize certtiin acts of the inhabitants thei'ein, and of 
 the said Board of Education." 
 
184 .HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 " Section 1. The Board of Education of Union 
 Free School, District Number One, of the Town of 
 Moravia, in the County of Cajuga, is hereby au- 
 thorized and required to procure suitable blanks, and 
 to issue the bonds of said district signed by the 
 President and Clerk of said Board, with interest cou- 
 pons attached in the form to l)e adopted by said 
 Board, for the sum of $10,000, which has been voted 
 by the inhabitants of said district to be raised bear- 
 ing interest at the rate of seven per cent per annum 
 from the date thereof, payable semi-annually, on the 
 first day of October, and the first day of April in 
 each year, at the First National Bank of Moravia. 
 Such bonds shall be issued in sums of not less tlinu 
 one hundred dollars each, and be mad(^ pa3'abl(' 
 with the interest thereon as aforesaid, in four equnl 
 annual installments from the first day of Octol)e]', 
 1869. 
 
 Sect. 2. The Board of Education of said district 
 is hereby directed and required to levy upon the 
 taxable property in said district in the ninnner pro- 
 vided by law for the collection of school district 
 taxes, each year hereafter for four years from the 
 first day of October, 1809. the sum of 82,500. and the 
 interest as aforesaid on the whole amount of bonds 
 unpaid in each year. 
 
 Sect. 8. The taxes in tliis act directed to be lev 
 ied and collected, shall Ix^ paid to the Treasurer of 
 said district, and by him be applied to the payments 
 of the bonds of said district herein direc-ti^d to be 
 issued, and the interest thereon as aforesaid, as the 
 same shall be(;ome due and payable. 
 
lllSTOniGAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 18-3 
 
 Sect. 4. The Board of Education of said district 
 are hereby directed to add to their tax list for the 
 ytKW 1869^ an amount sufficient to pay the int(>rest 
 which will become due at the end of the iirst six 
 months on said boivds, and to le\\y and collect the 
 same in tlie same manner as otlier school district 
 taxes are levied and collected. 
 
 Sect. 5. The clerk of said Union Free Scliool Dis- 
 trict, oj- any other person authorized by the Board 
 of Education thereof, shall negotiate at not less than 
 their par value the bonds provided to be issued by 
 tliis act, and the avails thereof shall be applied by 
 the said Board of Education towards the erection of 
 school ])uildings for said district, and to supply the 
 same the necessaiy furniture. 
 
 Sect. 6. The said Board of Education are also 
 hereby required to issue the bonds of said district 
 for such further sum or sums of money payable at 
 such times as the inhabitants of said district may by 
 resolution at any general or special meeting direcf . 
 uot to exceed, however, the sum of §10,000 ; said 
 bonds to be so issued in accordance with the provis- 
 ions of this act. 
 
 Sect. 7. The acts and proceedings of the inhabi- 
 tants of said Districts Nos. 1 and 2, and the Board 
 of Education, in forming a Union Free School, in 
 procuring and locating a site, and raising money for 
 the erection- of Imildings thereon, are hereby con- 
 
 tirmed. 
 
 Sect. 8. This act shall take effect immediately. 
 Tn accordance with the foregoing act, bonds were 
 
1S6 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 issued by the Board of Education in tlie following 
 form : 
 
 State of New Yokk, Cayuga County. 
 
 MORAVIA SCHOOL BOARD. 
 Know all men by these presents: 
 
 That Union Free School, District Number One, of 
 the Town of Moravia, is jointly indebted and prom- 
 ises to pay to the holder hereof, on the presentation 
 
 of this bond, the sum of dollars, payable on 
 
 the first of October, 18 — , at the First National Bank 
 of Moravia, together with interest thereon, payable 
 semi-annually on presentation of the aimexed cou- 
 pons at said Bank. 
 
 This bond is issued in pursuance of a resolution 
 passed by the legal voters of said district, at a 
 meeting held February 20, 1869, and of an act of the 
 Legislature of the State of New York, entitled " An 
 Act to authorize the Board of Education of Union 
 Free School, District Number One, of the town of 
 Moravia, in the County of Cayuga, to bond said dis- 
 trict for the purpose of l)uilding a school-house, and 
 to legalize certain acts of the inhabitants therein, and 
 of the said Board of Education, |)assed April 17, 
 1869. 
 
 In witness whereof, the President and Clerk of the 
 Board of Education of Union Free School, District 
 Number One, of the Town of Moravia, here set their 
 hands and seals, this day of , 18 — . 
 
 , Cleric. , President. 
 
HISTOUICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 187 
 
 Union Free Scliool, District No. 1, of the town ol 
 
 Moravia, will pay to bearer, dollars, on 
 
 tlip lirst day of , 18 — , at the First National 
 
 Bank of Moravia, for six months interest on bond. 
 No. , for dollai-s. 
 
 , Clerk of the Board of Education. 
 
 A substantial and commodious brick building has 
 ])een erected, under the management of a very effi- 
 cient and faithful Board of Education, who have de- 
 voted much time and personal attendance to the 
 general work of securing suitable building materials, 
 furniture and fixtures for the school rooms. The 
 Kchool building is an ornament to the town, and 
 bespeaks a healthy, moral, and intellectual growth 
 of public sentiment. 
 
 The first term of school commenced on the 25th 
 day of April, 1870, with about 150 j)upils in attend- 
 ance, and the following term this number was in- 
 creased to 250, under charge of the following teach- 
 ers : — 
 
 Principal — Hosea Curtis. Assistants — Miss Grace 
 A. Wood, Miss Sarah M. Cole, Miss L. Annie 
 Brownell. 
 
 The Board of Education have been foi-tunate in 
 their selection of instructors, if we may Judge from 
 the present appearances of the school, and the rapid 
 advancement made by a large proportion of the pu- 
 pils. 
 
 It must be admitted that when this school was 
 opened, the status of a majority of the pupils was 
 very unsatisfactory. This was owing not to their 
 
188 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 inability to receive instiiiction, but largel}' to an 
 aversion to stndy, whicli iiacl been caused b}' the in- 
 (^ompetent and unsatisfactory niaiiner in which the 
 district schools had been conducted. Nor was this 
 the fault entirely of the teachers of these schools. 
 They taught for the paltry wages whicli they re- 
 ceived, and earned their money. The educational 
 atmosphere had become impure and obnoxious. 
 The patrons of the schools had been penurious. 
 The outlay small, and the returns proportionally 
 scant. "As ye sow, that shall ye also reap," as a 
 spiritual maxim, is as truly applicable to temporal 
 things. Men gather not grapes of thorns, or figs of 
 thistles ; neither can it be rationally expected that 
 children subjected to shabby school buildings, unfin- 
 ished and repellant, with instructors uninteresting 
 and inapt to teach, parents giving little if any en- 
 couragement to teacher or scholar, can be other than 
 backward, undisciplined and unpromising pupils. 
 As our cliurches, schools and homes are made at- 
 tractive and interesting, in such degree shall we find 
 the former well attended and prosperous, the latter 
 a protection against vice, and in all, the security of 
 personal and religious liberty and happiness. 
 
 It is therefore with justifiable pride that we behold 
 the work accomplished by this community, by their 
 deputed officers, the Board of Education, in the 
 erection of a beautiful school building, the furnish- 
 ing of the same attractively, and the ornamentation 
 and beautifying of the grounds. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 189 
 
 The cost of tlics<^ aniouiitirig to about ^1(5, 000, in- 
 cluding the enlaTging of the groujids, is being paid 
 in installments as the same become due, as set forth 
 in the act of the legislature herein l^efore referred to. 
 The estimated annual expenses including teachers' 
 wages, fuel, incidentals, &c., are $3,600. 
 
 With its present favorable prospects, the school 
 will be nearly self-sustaining after the liabilities for 
 bulldiiig, etc.. shall have been cancelled. 
 
 23 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 ("KMETEitiES — Old BiTKiAL Gkounds — Thk Flood 
 OF 1868 — Paktial 1)estku(!Tio]n^ of the Old Cem- 
 etery — IxDiAN Mound — Cold Sprixo and Pitb- 
 Lic Park — Na^ie?^ of Residents of tuts toavn 
 
 OVER 75 YEAIIS OF AGE — AlSO OF PERSONS WHO 
 
 HAVE died residents, over 75 teams of aoe. 
 
 BIRIAL GROUNDS. 
 
 " The dead are tliere ; 
 And niillions in their solitude, since first 
 The flight of years l)egan, have laid them down 
 In their last sleep ; the dead reign there alone." 
 While the (hv})('st phi]()so])hy cannot reacli beyond 
 the gtave, or remove the veil which shuts from our 
 limited vision the life which is to come, oi- ](»velation 
 hnid oni' hnitt^ minds into tlie wondrous mysteries of 
 tne Infinite, death is accepted by all as a certainty 
 lixed and inexorable. The end of tJiis lif«> we know, 
 and p]*«^pare ourselves as l)est w(Mnay f<^r the putting 
 off of this mortal coil. .AVhih^ in point of fact, 
 when that time comes, it may matt(M' little where 
 the body shall 1)i' laid, tliei-e is yet an instinctive 
 shrinking from a burial in a sti-ange land, or a|)art 
 from friends d(\ir to us in life. 
 
 Even in th(^ early ages, the family toml) and burial 
 place was selected and ke])t with care, and ]))-otected 
 fr<mi generation to generation. 
 
193 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 How expressively mournful, yet urgent tlie re- 
 quest of Abraham to the sons of Heth : 
 
 '• I am a stranger, and a sojourner with you ; give 
 me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I 
 may bury my dead out of my sight," 
 
 "And the field of Ephron which was in Mach- 
 pelali, which was before Mamre, the field and the 
 cave that was therein, and all the trees that were in 
 the held, that were in all the borders round about, 
 were made sure." 
 
 "And the held and the cave that is thereon weri^ 
 made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a bury- 
 ing place by the sons of Heth." 
 
 Nearly one hundred years after this, the last 
 words of the patriarch Jacob to his children, express 
 an affectionate longing for a grave in tlie burial 
 grounds of his ancestors : 
 
 "And he charged them, and said unto them, I am 
 to be gathered unto my people ; bury me with my 
 'fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron, the 
 Hittite. In the cave that is in the field of Machpe- 
 lah, which is before Manire in the land of Canaan, 
 which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron, the 
 Hittite, for a possession of a burying-place." 
 
 "There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. 
 There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and 
 there I buried Leah." 
 
 This feeling was also evinced by Joseph, who, 
 dying in Egj'pt, took an oath of the children of Is- 
 rael : "God will surel}' visit you, and ye shall ear- 
 ly up my bones from hence." More than two hun- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 193 
 
 dred years thereafter, tliis was literal!}' fulfilled, and 
 the bones of Joseph, which the Israelites hadca-rried 
 with them thronghout tlieir journe^'ings, were bnried 
 in Sliechem, in a piece of ground which Jacob 
 bouglit of the sons of Hamor, the father of Shec- 
 ham. 
 
 The old-time benizen, — "Maj' j^ou be buried 
 among your kindred," expresses the natural desire 
 of the heart. 
 
 Whiln the labors and the duties of life often of 
 necessity require tlie separation of the dearest fam- 
 ily relations, there is yet satisfaction in the thought, 
 that when tliese labors are ended, and we shall have 
 tilled up tlie measure of our days, we maj^ as fami- 
 lies and frumds, rest together in one sepulcher, 
 awaiting in hope the morning of the Eesurrection. 
 
 A few of the early settlers were buried on East 
 Hill, near tlie Brick Yard. At a later day, a piece 
 of land l^'ing one-half mile south of the village was 
 purchased by the "First Congregational Church So- 
 ciety.'" of Moses Little, for burial purposes. The 
 grounds WT're never properly prepared, and graves 
 have been mad(" without regard to regularity or 
 space. Glass and w^eeds have often covered the en- 
 tire enclosure. Laterl}', however, the grounds, to- 
 gether with an half acre purchased of Jesse Cole, 
 have been conveyed to "The Moravia Cemetery As- 
 sociation," which has made great improvement in 
 their general ai>pearance bj' ])uilding new and sub- 
 stantial fences, subduing obnoxious weeds, and ar- 
 ranging the newh" purchased portion into lots of 
 
194 HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 uniform size. Notwitlistandiiig the undesirable lo- 
 cation of tlie grounds and the wretched condition in 
 which they have been kept, there are many of the 
 older families now living, who have attachments for 
 the "Old Burial Grounds " which are too strong and 
 sacred for severance. Their friends rest beneath its 
 rough exterior. The spot whereon they sleej:) is 
 hallowed ground. There the tears of affection have 
 been shed, fond memories awakened, and resolutions 
 made for future usefulness. 
 
 There, too, are buried some who were the pioneers 
 of civilization in this region, of Puritanic blood and 
 principles, who possessed within themselves the 
 elements of moral strength and worth little realized 
 by those who to-day casually read their histories 
 only by the humble monuments which mark their 
 graves. For these reasons, the old burial ground 
 has its attractions, and its sacred memories. But it 
 has become unsafe and undesirable for burial pur- 
 poses. "Dry Creek," the name of which is cei'tain- 
 ly a misnomer, flows along its southern and western 
 boundaries, and may at time of high water, renew 
 the terrible scenes of the past, the reniemb]*ance of 
 which still thrills our hearts with horror. 
 
 On the morning of July 21, 1863, the people of 
 this village were greatly alarmed by the continuous 
 heavy rains of the day and night previous, and the 
 rapid rising of the waters in the creeks. 
 
 Their fears were more than realized, at ten o'clock, 
 A. M., when a vast volume of water came rushing 
 down from the north and east, cariying away every 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 195 
 
 mill dam and bridge in its course, ii})r()()ting trees, 
 and destroying several buildings. As a consequence, 
 a large part of the village adjoining the creek was 
 inundated to the depth of two or three feet, and all 
 communication between the two sections of the vil- 
 lage entirely suspended. 
 
 "Dry Creek," within a few hours, became a foam- 
 ing torrent, filled with trees and loii'S. About eleven 
 o'clock its banks were overflowed, and the main 
 current of the stream turned against the western 
 bank of the cemetery, the lower stratum of which, 
 on a level with the creek, being composed of gravel 
 and quicksand, was quickly undermined, and within 
 an hour the western portion of the grounds contain- 
 ing from thirty-five to forty graves, carried away. 
 
 The writer, in compan}' with CI. L. Wright and 
 John Storms, apprehending danger from this source, 
 reached the cemetery by a circuitous route, east of 
 Morses' Grove (the highway being impassable) in 
 time to find a small portion of the bank caved off, 
 and the coffin of Lieut. George C. Stoyell exj^osed 
 to view. A rope was immediately procured from the 
 house of Philip Ercanbrack, and an attempt made 
 to secure the remains, but before this could be done 
 the embankment again went down, and they were 
 precipitated a distance of twenty -five feet into the 
 flood below. 
 
 It is impossible to describe the feelings of the wit- 
 nesses of this terrible scene, who, powerless to save, 
 saw the remains of one wiio a few months previous, 
 was their associate and friend, so ruthlesslv unearth- 
 
196 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 (^d and swept wildly down the watery current. The 
 box in which the coffin was enclosed, was however, 
 lirmly built, and without receiving material injury, 
 was cast upon a bank of sand which had been thrown 
 up in the midst of the stream just above the plank 
 road. Here another attempt was made to rescue the 
 body, by the aid of a rojie, one end of wliicli was 
 lirmly held by two of the party and grasped by the 
 other who plunged into the waters, but was instantly 
 swept away from the rope and down the stream with 
 great force, and only escaped destruction by catching 
 and clinging to the willow branches overhanging the 
 creek, until rescued. 
 
 Meantime several coffins were carried down the 
 stream, while some were thrown upon the adjoining 
 fields and door-yards. Bodies long interred, were 
 torn from their tombs, and seemingly with out- 
 stretched, fleshless arms, plunged into the watery 
 abyss. 
 
 Although at this time assistance had arrived from 
 the village, it was found to be impossible to save 
 any from this terrible devastation, except by exhu- 
 ming and removing the bodies to a remote part of 
 the grounds, wdiich in many instances was done. 
 
 The remains of Mr. Stoyell were afterwards dis- 
 covered near the mouth of "Dry Creek," and re- 
 moved to the village through the water, which was 
 from three to four feet in depth over the flats. 
 
 The scenes of that terribly eventful day aroused 
 the feelings of the whole community, and proceed- 
 ings were immediately had to procure grounds in 
 a more suitable and safe location. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 197 
 
 The following is an extract from tlie Historical ac- 
 count of the origin of " Indian Mound Cemetery," 
 1)3' S. Edwin Day, Esq. 
 
 "The demand for a new Cemetery was felt to bo 
 imperative. Immediately, a committee of citizens, 
 consisting of Messrs. Guernsey Jewett, Rufus War- 
 ren, Norman Parker, Gideon F. Morey, C. A. Co- 
 nant, E. A. Mead, and others, having in view the 
 formation of a C(^metery Association under the gen- 
 eral law of the State, volunteered to visit most of the 
 lands in or near the limits of the incorj^oration of the 
 Village of Moravia, which were deemed fit and suita- 
 ble for cemeteiy purposes. Their duties were not a 
 little arduous and perplexing. The desideratum 
 was a place of security, easy of access, pleasant as 
 to situation and scenery, with aj^propi-iate surround- 
 ings, and a soil naturally adapted to the digging of 
 graves. The grounds most nearly embodying jDer- 
 fection in all these qualities, were found in a piece of 
 land then owned by Samuel E. Day, Esq., lying but 
 a few rods east of the limits of the corporation, and 
 between it and the village of Montville, — a place at 
 once inviting and singularl}^ suited to the purpose 
 intended. The preliminary steps having been taken, 
 the following named citizens of said town assembled 
 at the office of Mr. G. Jewett, on the ITtli day of 
 August, 1863, and proceeded to organize and estab- 
 lish a Cemetery Association, pursuant to law, viz, : 
 
 Hector H. Tuthill, Dr. Charles C. Jewett, Loyal 
 
 Stoyell, James H. Jewett, Rufus W. Close, Guern- 
 
 se}^ Jewett, Hector C. Tuthill, Thom])son Keeler, 
 24 
 
195 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF 3IOKAVIA. 
 
 t 
 
 Chauncey Wright, Lauren Townsend, Joseph Dres- 
 ser, Rufus AYarren, Cordial S. Jennings, 8. Edwin 
 Day, and Charles E. Parker. 
 
 Hector C. Tnthill was made Chairman, and Chas.. 
 E. Parker, Secretary of the meeting. The corpo- 
 rate name determined upon, was, " The Indian 
 Monnd Cemeterj^ Association." It was deemed the 
 fittest appellation for many reasons, not the least of 
 which was, that, by an old tradition, the lot, the 
 purchase of which was contemplated, had, man}^" 
 years before been the depository of the remains of 
 the deceased sachems, chieftains and warriors of the 
 brave Cayngas, whose sj)irits had hjng ago entered 
 n^Don the felicities of the happy hunting grounds. 
 Mounds indicative of graves beneath, were still there 
 to be seen. 
 
 The trustees were to be nine in number, and the 
 following named persons were duly elected : 
 
 Rufus W. Close, Gideon F. Morey, Guernsey Jew- 
 ett, Cordial S. Jennings, Austin B. Hale. Charles E. 
 Parker, Hector H. Tuthill, Charles. C. Jewett, and 
 William Keeler. 
 
 By law, these are required to be divided by lot 
 into three classes. Those in the iirst class to hold 
 their offices for one year. Those in the second class 
 to hold their offices for two years, and those in the 
 third class to hold their offices for three years. 
 
 This was done, and the classification resulted as 
 follows ; Mrst Class. —RectoY H. Tuthill, Cliarles 
 C. Jewett, and William Keeler. Second Class. — Cor- 
 dial S. Jennings. Austin B. Hale, and Charles E. 
 
niSTORrCAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 199 
 
 Parker. Third Class .-Wwiw^ W. Close, Gideon 
 F. Morey, and Guernsey Jewett. 
 
 It A\'as determined that the future annual election 
 of Trustees should be held on the first Tuesday of 
 October. On the 20th day of the same month, the 
 Trustees met a]id appointed from their number the 
 first officers of the Board, whicli ^Yere as follows : 
 
 Presldeid, — Gueriisej^ Jewett. Vice President. — 
 Rufas \\\ Close. *SV^fVY^/r/r?/.— Hector H. Tuthill. 
 Treasurer. — Gideon F. More;*'. 
 
 At a meeting of the Trustees held September 22, 
 1863, the President wns authorized and empowered 
 to enter into a contract with Samuel E. Da}^, Esq., 
 for the purchase of the premises herein-before men- 
 tioned, which he did verbally. Intermediate the 
 time of the inaking of tliispart of tlie agreement and 
 next meeting of the Trustees, to wit : On the 13th 
 day of October, 1863, Mr. Day died. 
 
 At the special instance of the Trustees, although 
 the grounds had not yet been surveyed or plotted, 
 his remains were on the 15th day of October, buried 
 in the new cemetery, it being deemed fit that the late 
 owner of the premises being dead, shoidd be the 
 first to be interred in 'Indian Mound.' 
 
 On the 24t]i day of October, aforesaid, a warranty 
 deed was duly executed l)y the Avidow and heir at 
 law of the said deceased, coiivt^ying tlie fee simple 
 of said lands unencumbered to the Trustees of the 
 Association and their successors in office forever. 
 
 About the same time formal possession of the 
 premises was taken ]iy the Trustet^s, who proceeded 
 
300 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF 3I0RAVIA. 
 
 at once to cause tlie siiiiic to be laid out into lots, 
 plats, &c., witli snitable walks, avenues and paths, 
 under the direction of Fred. E. Knight, C. E. The 
 task of the engineer was performed in the most 
 thorough and perfect manner." 
 
 The conveyance to the Association as above stated, 
 consisted of ten and sixty-three one-hundredths acres 
 of land. Thereafter, and on the 26th day of Decem- 
 ber, an additional piece of land containing one-half 
 acre or thereabouts, was also conveyed to the Asso- 
 ciation, by Charles E. Parker, and Harriet (t., his 
 wife. 
 
 ORDINANCES OF THE ASSOCIATION. 
 
 The Board of Trustees of Indian Mound Cemetery 
 Association, do by virtue of the power and authority 
 in them vested, hereby ordain and establish the fol- 
 hjwing Rules and Regulations for the government of 
 the Association, and the management of the prop- 
 erty and affairs thereof, viz. : — 
 
 First. All the business of the Association shall 
 be managed by a Board of nine Trustees, one-third 
 of whom shall, after the exj^iration of the terms of 
 the first and second classes already designated, be 
 elected annually, by the proprietors of lots in the 
 Cemetery, for the term of three years. 
 
 Second. An annual meeting of the proprietors of 
 lots in the Cemeteiy for the election of Trustees, and 
 the transaction of such other business as may be 
 lawfully submitted to them, shall be held at sucli 
 place as shall be designated by the Trustees, on the 
 first Tuesday of Octobei-, of which it shall be the 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 201 
 
 duty of tlie Secretary to give at least six days notice 
 in a local newspaper published in this village, or by 
 a conspicuous notice at the Post Office, or both. 
 
 Til ird. From the Tiustees of the A ssociation there 
 shall be chosen immediately after each annual elec- 
 tion, a President, Vice-President, Secretary and 
 Treasurer, who shall hold theii' offices respectively 
 for one 3'ear, and until successors shall assume the 
 duties of the said offices, and appointed by the Pres- 
 ident two standing committees, to wit : a Committee 
 on Finance, and a Committee on Improvements. 
 
 Fourth. It shall be the duty of the President to 
 preside at all meetings of the proprietors and Trus- 
 tees, to call special meetings of either or both, at his 
 option, or when thereunto requested by the Trustees. 
 To appoint the Standing Committees required by 
 the preceding ordinance to sign deeds of burial lots, 
 to recommend to the Board by annual communica- 
 tion or otherwise, such measures for improving, pro- 
 tecting, beautifjdng and enlarging the cemetery 
 grounds as he shall deem expedient and proper, and 
 in general to supervise the affairs of the Association. 
 In his absence the duties of his office shall be dis- 
 charged by the Vice President, if he shall be pres- 
 ent, and if not, b}" a President pro tempore. 
 
 Fifth. It shall })e the duty of the A' ice President 
 to discharge the duties of President whenever the 
 latter shall be alDsent, or from any cause be unable 
 to occupy the chair. 
 
 Sixth. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to 
 record the proceedings of all meetings of the Board 
 
202 HISTORICAL SKETCHES Or^" MORAYIA. 
 
 of Trustees and stockholderi?, to keep a registry of 
 the sale of lots in tlie Cemeteiy, and of interments 
 reported by the Superintendent ; to sign licenses for 
 interments whenever thereto requested bv any per- 
 son who shall require the right to inter in the Cem- 
 etery, from the President of the ]3oard of Trustees. 
 
 Seventh. It shall, be the duty of the Treasurer to 
 receive and safely keep the funds of tlie Association, 
 to disburse the same only on the order of tlie Presi- 
 dent, countersigned by the Secretary, to I'eport all 
 funds in the Treasury, and the hnancial condition of 
 the Association to the Board whenever thereunto 
 requested, and before entering upon his office to ex- 
 ecute a bond to the Association with such sureties 
 and in such penalties as shall be approved by the 
 Board of Trustees, for the faithful performance of 
 his duties. 
 
 Eighth. All monies which shall be derived from 
 the sale of Ic^s, from bequests, and from other 
 sources, shall, except so far as they may be necessa- 
 rily applied to the payment of the consideration 
 mdne}^ for the lands wliich constitute the Cemetery 
 ground, be faithfully and economically expended 
 upon the said grounds, or otherwise devoted to the 
 purposes and objects of the Association, and shall 
 in no event be paid to, or be permitted to enure to 
 the individual )>enefit of any m('inb(n' of the Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 mnth. It shall be the doty of the Board of 
 Trustees to appoint ii Superintendent of the Ceme- 
 tery, who shall hold his office during their i^leasure, 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 203 ' 
 
 und receive for his services such compensation as the 
 Board shall prescribe. 
 
 TentJi. It shall be the duty of the Superintend- 
 ent to attend at the Cemetery from time to time, and 
 at such times as the Board of Trustees shall direct, 
 and particularly during funeral ceremonies and in- 
 terments, to report to the Secretary the name, place 
 of nativit}', late residence, age, and occupation of 
 every person wdiose remains shall be interred or en- 
 tombed in the Cemetery, together with the date of 
 liis or her demise. 
 
 Eleveidli. All interments in lots sluill be made 
 under the direction of the Superintendent, and shall 
 bo restricted to the remains of members of the fam- 
 il}' and relatives of the owner of the lot in which 
 such interment shall be made, exce];)t special per- 
 mission for the interment of the remains of other 
 persons upon a particular lot be obtained from the 
 Board of Trustees. 
 
 TioeJftli. Wlieiiever application shall be made to 
 tlie Suptnintendent by any person whom he does not 
 know to be the proprietor of a lot, for the opening 
 of a grave in the Cemeteiy, he shall before, comply- 
 ing with such request, require the ai^plicant to pro- 
 duce to him a permit, signed by the Treasurer. 
 
 In all cases of interments in lots, there shall be 
 hnmediately due from the owner of sucli lot, and 
 payable to the Treasurer of this Association for each 
 interment, the following sums or prices, to wit : 
 
 For opening and closing a grave less than three 
 feet in length, three dollars ; for opening and clos- 
 
,204 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 ing a grave of three feet or more in length, four dol- 
 lars. 
 
 Th i rieerdh . The Superintendent shall, before he 
 suffers disinterment to take place, require the pro- 
 duction of a written permit to that effect, signed by 
 the Secretary of the Association. 
 
 FoinieentJi. In order to preserve uniformity and 
 symmetrj^, and to prevent the introduction of nox- 
 ious or objectionable plants, all improvements to 
 lots, grading, ornamenting and planting of trees, 
 shrubs, or flowers, are to be done after consultation 
 with, and under the direction of the Superintendent 
 of the Committee of Improvements. 
 
 Fifteenth. The proprietor of each lot may enclose 
 the same with a fence or railing, as may suit his 
 taste, not exceeding three feet in height, provided 
 such fence or railing except the posts, which may be 
 of some dural)le timber or stone, shall be of iron, and 
 shall be light, neat and symmetrical, and the gates 
 thereof shall swing into the lot. 
 
 Sixfeenth. All vaults or tombs shall be constructed 
 of durable material and fitted up with catacombs, 
 and with the exception of the receiving vault of the 
 
 Association, shall be sealed up with hard brick or 
 cement immediately after the deposit of bodies there- 
 in, and the entrance protected with stone or metal 
 doors. 
 
 Seventeenth. If any monument, vault, tomb, effi- 
 gy, railing, or structure whatever, or any inscription 
 be placed in or upon any lot which shall be deter- 
 mined by four of the trustees for the time being to 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. ^05 
 
 be offensive or improper, the trustees sliall have the 
 right, and it shall be their duty to enter upon such 
 lot and remove the said offensive or improper ob- 
 jects, provided, however, that if such stiaVcture or 
 improvement shall have been made with the consent 
 of the Board for the time being, the same shall not 
 hereafter be removed except with the consent of the 
 owner thereof. 
 
 Eigldeentn. In th(^ erection of monuments, vaults, 
 tombs, railings, or other obstructions, a place will be 
 desio-nated by the Superintendent for i\ie deposit of 
 the stone, or other material which shall not remain 
 lono-er on the ground than is actually necessary for 
 their construction, and which shall be conveyed to, 
 and the rubbish consequent therein removed from 
 the grounds upon hand-barrows or vehicles with 
 broad wheels. 
 
 mneteentlu If any tree or shrub situated in any 
 lot shall by means of its roots or branches oecome 
 detrimental, dangerous, or inconvenient to the adja- 
 cent lots, walks, or avenues, the Trustees shall have 
 the rio-ht, and it shall be their duty, to cause the 
 removal of said tree, or shrub, or such part or parts 
 thereof, as may be deemed detrimental, dangerous, 
 or inconvenient. 
 
 Twerdletli. It shall be the duty of th(> proprietor 
 of each lot to place and keep in repair, permanent 
 landmarks of the l)Oundari(^s of their respective 
 
 lots. i. T +^ 
 
 Tweniihflrst. Proprietors of lots are requested to 
 provide themselves with a copy of the ordinances 
 ^ 25 
 
20C KISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORATIA. 
 
 and recommendations of the Board of Trustees be- 
 fore erecting any structure, or planting any trees, or 
 slimbbery upon their lots, that they may be advised 
 not only of tlie peremptory rules of the Association, 
 bnt of the suggestions of the Board presenting the 
 kind of structures which are the most durable and 
 tasteful, and the species of shrubbery and flowers 
 •the most approj^riate to the place of graves. 
 
 Tioenty-second. Yisitors properly admitted to the 
 grounds, may have access to ever}^ part of the Cem- 
 eter}', provided that they ride or drive in the car- 
 riage-ways, and walk in the avenues and paths laid 
 out for those purposes, and abstain from all disturb- 
 ing and unnecessary noises ; that they ride or drive 
 no faster than a walk, if they have with them 
 hearses or carriages.; that they bring upon the 
 grounds no fire-arms, fire-crackers, or other explo- 
 sive substances, refreshments, other than water, and 
 abstain from smoking during ceremonies of inter- 
 ment ; that they leave no horse or horses on the 
 grounds unattended without fastening ; that they 
 refrain from entering any lot which is occupied, 
 without the special leave of the proprietor, and ab- 
 stain from, plucking any flowers, either wild or cul- 
 tivated, or breaking, or injuring any monument, 
 railing, shade-tree, shrub, or plant whatever; that 
 they refrain from w^riting upon, marking, or in any 
 respect marring or defacing any tablet, monument, 
 tree, liead-stone, or structure used in or belonging to 
 the Cemetery ; that if they are under twelve years 
 of age, they are attended b}^ some person who will 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 207 
 
 be responsible for their conduct, and tliat tliey ob-- 
 sei've in all respects sucli rules of decorum and pro- 
 ])riety as shall be harmless to the Cemetery, inoffen- 
 sive to other visitors, and befitting well-bred visitors 
 to the resting-places of the dead. 
 
 Tioenhj-third. Any person wlio shall violate any 
 of t]ie foregoing I'ules in regard to visitors, shall be 
 expelled and thereafter excluded from the cemetery 
 grounds, and subject to the severe penalties which 
 t\\(* law in such cases imposes. 
 
 Tweiibj-fourtli. All applications for the sale and 
 l)urchase of lots shall be made to the President. — 
 The purchase money on any sale is to !)<' immedi- 
 ately paid to the Treasurer, or secured to him by an 
 approved note, when the Tfeasurer will deliv<T to 
 the purchaser a good and sufficient deed of tlie prem- 
 ises so sold ; and no interment will be permitted until 
 the purchase money of the lot <^n which any burial 
 shall be sought to be made, has been paid or secured. 
 
 Tioeniy-fifUi. It shall be the duty of lot owners 
 to cause all bases of head-stones to be set upon sub- 
 bases or cobble-stone at least two feet in depth, and 
 the setting shall be done under the direction of the 
 Superintendent. All head-stones having no bases, 
 shall be set under like dii'ections in a ])ase of colible- 
 stones and hydraulic cement. TJie time of tln^ Su- 
 perintendent occupied in or al)out such setting, shall 
 be paid for by the person for whom such services are 
 rendered, at the rate of twenty -live cents per hour. 
 Wliere the cement used is furnished by the Associ- 
 ation, such person shall pay a reasonable price there- 
 for. 
 
208 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAYIA. 
 
 . Tmentif'Six. Uj^on the purchase of a lot b_y any 
 person, the Association undertal-5:es and agrees to see 
 that the same is kept in order forever thereafter ; 
 that the mounds of any grave therehi shall be re- 
 tained in shape, that any monument or head-stone 
 tliereon be carefully attended to ; that the grass be 
 always neatly cut, the trees and shrubs suitably 
 pruned and cared for ; and generallj^ to do and per- 
 form such necessary and proper things in and about 
 the care and management of said lots, and the mounds, 
 monuments and erections tliereon, as by right should 
 be done. 
 
 Twenty -seventh. Any person who may be desirous 
 of having a bed of flow(^rs made and cultivated upon 
 any lot of which he may be the owner, may give no- 
 tice thereof to the President, who thereupon and 
 after the payment of a reasonable compensation to 
 the Treasurer for the work to be laid out, shall cause 
 the flower bed to be constructed by and under the 
 direction of the Superintendent ; the bed shall be 
 carefully kept, and shall be maintained from year to 
 3'ear on like payment of a small annual consideration. 
 
 Twenty -eiglitli. Alterations or additions to these 
 ordinances shall be proposed in writing, to the Board 
 of Trustees, and shall lay over until a subsequent 
 meeting, when, if they receive a vote of a- majority 
 of the Trustees elected, they shall take effect as ordi- 
 nances of the Association. 
 
 Indian Mound Cemeteiy, with its location and 
 natural scenery, will soon compare favorably with 
 any burial grounds in this portion of the country. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 209' 
 
 The cvei-greeiiy, of whicli there are many varieties, 
 under careful management and culture, are assum- 
 ing beautiful form and i)i'oportions. Maples and 
 elms, the most beautiful of forest shade-trees, are 
 set at stated distances along the carriage roads. 
 Choice shrubber}^ and flowers have been placed by 
 loving hands upon nearly ever}' occupied lot. At 
 this writing, many costly and elegant monuments 
 liave been erected. 
 
 The officers of the Association are deserving of 
 gieat credit for the ver> efficient manner in which 
 thei]' labors have been <"onducted, and for the beau- 
 tiful and tastef nl appearance which tlie grounds now 
 present. A local pride is natuially felt by all in 
 the great' improvements which have been made, in 
 litting up desirable, and above all, secure burial 
 grounds, which shall for all time be safe from floods 
 and devastation, and which, under the care and con- 
 trol of a, legally organized and established body cor- 
 porate will" be permanently maintained and protect- 
 ed, with all the sacred reverence and respect which 
 the living owe to the silent dwelling-places of the 
 dead. 
 
 COLD SPRIXG. 
 
 This valuable spring is located on the "Morse 
 Premises," neai;the eastern boundary of the corpo- 
 ration, thi-ee-fourths of a mile distant from, and 
 perhaps two liundred feet above the village ; and 
 with its present dimensions, contains from six to 
 eight barrels of water, which is very pure and cold, 
 and possesses a sweetness rarely to be found in the 
 waters of this part of the county of Cayuga. 
 
•110 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 From its location, the waters of this spring could,, 
 without difficulty, be conducted in iron tanks to all 
 portions of the village, and would furnish an abun- 
 dant supply for each building, by having a reservoir 
 of suitable dimensions, at some convenient point on 
 East Hill. 
 
 Such a "water power'' would be of great value 
 as a protection against fire, and much cheaper and 
 more reliable than fire engines. With hydrants and 
 hose stationed at convenient distances, the principal 
 streets could be kept free from dust, and lawns^ 
 3^ards and gardens watered at pleasure. 
 
 Tlius far, we have shown simply some of the pe- 
 cuniary advantages to be derived from this project. 
 But there are others equally desirable. Moravia 
 needs a "Public Park," — a place for recreation, 
 promenades, social gatherings, and innocent amuse- 
 ment. Doubtless in a few years, the premises known 
 as " The Grove Park Grounds," could be purchased 
 or leased (the former would be preferable), for a 
 term of years at a reasonable valuation or rental, for 
 such purposes. Proper!}^ laid out, with carriage- 
 roads and walks, and tastefully arranged with foun- 
 tains, flowers, shrubbery, &c., in addition to the 
 beautiful natural scenery, these grounds would be 
 an ornament to the village, and an. attractive and 
 desirable place during leisure hours. 
 
 Trout ponds could be added to the above with 
 profit. By a small admission fee to the grounds, the 
 project would be self-sustaining ; but it should be 
 light, that none need be excluded on the plea of 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 211 
 
 poverty ; and better yet, if, by any reasonable means 
 no entrance fee should be charged. 
 
 These suggestions m regard to "Cold Spring" 
 and the Public Park, are offered with the hope that 
 they may ere long lead to the accomplishment of 
 such desirable objects. 
 
 AC4ED PEESONS. 
 
 Of the persons who died residents of this town, of 
 the age of 7o years or upwards, we have been able to 
 gather the following names, and regret that it has 
 been impossible to obtain a complete list, either of 
 the dead or the living of such an advanced age : 
 
 Jane Berean, died March 19th, 1853, aged 96. 
 
 William Bov/en, aged 90. 
 
 David Wright, died August 19th, 1869, aged 95. 
 
 Dorcas Card, died 1849, aged 93. 
 
 Daniel Wood, aged 92. 
 
 Dudley Loomis, died December 31st, 1869, aged 90. 
 
 Daniel Goodrich, Sen., died April 29fch, 1855, 
 aged 89. 
 
 ^Rhoda Smith, died May 24th, 1836, aged 88. 
 
 Sarah Camp, died February 7th, 1859, aged 88. 
 
 Laura Wright, died January 22d, 1852, aged 87. 
 
 Charlotte Childs, died October 25, 1863, aged 87. 
 
 Sarah Warren, died February 9th, 1829, aged 86. 
 
 Capt. Alexander Stark, died September 18th, 1864, 
 
 aged 86. 
 
 Deacon Josiah Jewett, died February 24th, 1860, 
 
 aged 86. 
 
 Leah Cortwright, aged 86. 
 
 Lucy Cady, died January 21st, 1854, aged 85. 
 
,^1:3 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 Gad Camp, died March 27th, 1840, aged 84. 
 John Dennis, died September 2d, 1856, aged 84, 
 Harriet S. Loomis, died March 26th, 1864, aged 83. 
 Moses Little, died March, 1839, aged 82. 
 Zadoc Cady, died March 6th, 1846, aged 83. 
 John Stoyell, Sen., died October 23d, 1842, aged 82. 
 Polly Ames, aged 82. 
 Richard Smith, aged 82, 
 
 Silas Lincoln, died October 22d, 1864, aged S2. 
 Jerusha Wright, died April 15th, 1860, aged SO. 
 Prudence Skinner, died December 1st, 1844, aged 80, 
 Sophia Johnson, aged 80. 
 
 Thankful Rogers, died January 14th, 1S37, aged 80, 
 Eunice Powers, died September 3d, 1838, aged 80, 
 John H. Parker, died 1874, aged 80. 
 Peleg Gallop, died March 26th, 1858, aged 79. 
 Tryphena Cole, died September 9th, 1858, aged 79, 
 Catharine Dennis, died April 21st, 1849, aged 79. 
 Daniel Goodrich, Jr., died March 2Sth, 1869, aged 
 78. 
 
 Aaron Parsons, died August 21st, 1870, aged 78. 
 Mehetable Taber, died November 27th, 1864, aged 
 77. 
 
 Squire Robinson, died March 29th, 1858, aged 77, 
 Joseph Wilson, died April 22d, 1860, aged 76. 
 John White, died June 21st, 1867, aged 76. 
 Ruth Shinier, died March 24th, 1859, aged 76. 
 Elias Rogers, died December 20th, 1863, aged 75. 
 Sarah Tuthill, died March 30th, 1866, aged 75. 
 Jeremiah Sabin, died August 6th, 1847, aged 75. 
 Gershom Morse, died Sept(miber 27th, 1843, aged 75. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 213 
 
 Ebenezer Smith, died May 22d, 1858, aged 75. 
 
 Chaimcey Wright, died January 15th, 1872, aged 
 75. 
 
 Names of residents wlio are of the age of 75 years 
 and upwards : 
 
 Eleazer Carter, aged 07 ; Belinda Carter, aged 90 ; 
 Lois Mosely, aged 90 ; Sally Hough, aged 87 ; Lucy 
 Wood, aged 84 ; Matilda Rogers, aged 82 ; Luman 
 Barber, aged 81 ; Daniel Seed, aged 81 ; Daniel 
 Stewart, aged 80 ; William Everson, aged 79 ; Loami 
 Adams, aged 78 ; Catharine Ev^erson, aged 77 ; Na- 
 omi Goodrich, aged 77 ; Hector C. Tuthill, aged 77 ; 
 Henry P. Harter, aged 77 ; Abisha Morse, aged 76 ; 
 Oliver Davenport, aged 76 ; Laura Goodrich, aged 
 75 ; Peter VanTuyl, aged 75 ; Stephen Lilley, aged 
 75 ; Rebecca Piatt, aged 75. 
 
 26 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Members of Assembly — Sketches of Artemas 
 Cady, John L. Parker, ais^d Hector C. Tuthill 
 — Government Officials — State, County, and 
 «')tiier appointments ]fro3i this Town. 
 
 members of assembly. 
 
 This District has been represented in Assembly by 
 the following named gentlemen from this town : 
 
 William Satteiiee, in 1810 ; Rowland Day, in 
 1818 ; Artemas Cady, in 1839, and John L. Parker, 
 in 1865 and 1866. They were all able representa- 
 tives, and among the leading and most influential 
 members of their times. 
 
 Artemas Cady was the brother of Isaac Cady, and 
 th(^ father of A. S. Cady, of New York city, and 
 Capt. John S. Cady, who was killed by Indians on 
 the western frontier, in 1864. 
 
 At the time of his election, Mr. Cady was engaged 
 in mc^rcantile business in this village. He was a man 
 of integrity, and highly respected at home and 
 abroad. In the Assembly, he was a qniet, unobtru- 
 sive, but very intelligent member, carefully scruti- 
 nizing every bill which came before that body, un- 
 derstanding fully its meaning and import before ex- 
 erting his influence or casting his vote for or against 
 
21^ HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 its passage, and then laboring and voting according- 
 ly, conscientiously and effectively. 
 
 JOHN L. PAEKEK. 
 
 Mr. Parker was forty years of age when first 
 elected member of the Assembly, and always resi- 
 ded in this town. The following article is copied 
 from "Life Sketches of State Officers, Senators, and 
 Members of Assembly," written by S. H. Harlow, 
 and H. H. Boone, and published by Weed, Parsons 
 & Co., in 1867. 
 
 "The birthplace of Mr. Parker, is Moravia, Cay- 
 uga County, N. Y., where he was born on March 25, 
 1823. 
 
 On his mother's side, he is a descendant of John 
 Locke, whose name is familiar to almost eveiy one. 
 Mr. Parker has natural and acquired qualifications, 
 which have placed him among the most influential 
 members of the House. As a parliamentarian, he 
 has few superiors, and his knowledge in this regard, 
 with his naturally quick intellect and intuitive 
 shrew^dness, have rendered him one of the best tac- 
 ticians in the Assembly for several years. This fact 
 caused him to be selected by a party caucus in his 
 first year (1865), to engineer the Metropolitan Paid 
 Fire Department Bill through the House ; and he 
 did it, although the opposition was strong and un- 
 scrupulous. His skill in this respect received a 
 striking illustration in 1867, when in the first few 
 weeks of the session he brought to a third reading 
 in the House, and passed by a unanimous vote a bill 
 to require the rail road companies of this State to 
 
rilSTOKIOAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 217 
 
 give equal freight and express facilities to all (a bill 
 designed to reach tlie case of the Merchant's Union 
 Express Company ). The bill passed through all the 
 stages of legislation openl}^, yet so quietly, that its 
 presence was scarcely known before it had passed 
 be^^ond the jurisdiction of the House. 
 
 Mr. Parker has also eminent qualifications as a 
 presiding officer, having the requisite knowledge 
 and promptness fo]' that position. His qualifications 
 in that respect caused him to be selected in 1865, by 
 a party caucus, as Chairman of tlie Committee of 
 the AVlioh^ on tlu^ Metropolitan Health Bill, and the 
 Buifalo rolicc Bill. In 1866, he was frequently 
 called to take the Chair, by Speaker Tremain. 
 
 He is also an effective debater. In 1865, he deliv- 
 ered a speech on the Constitutional Amendment ; 
 and in 1 866, on the Health Bill, and the resolutions 
 indorsing Congi'ess agaiiist the President ; and, in 
 1867, an impromptu argument on the Constitution- 
 al Amt^ndments, all of which were deservedly 
 and highly j^raised, and widely read. 
 
 In his general course as a legislator, he has sought 
 the best interests of the State, the keeping down of 
 taxation, and the overthrow or crippling of monopo- 
 lies. He has been Chairman for two years of the 
 Committee on Railroads, serving in that delicate po- 
 sition with true credit to himself, honor to his con- 
 stituents, and the true interests of the State." 
 
 IIECTOE C. TUTHILL. 
 
 Hector C. Tuthill, a well known and highly re- 
 spectable gentleman, represented the District in As- 
 
318 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 sembly in 1848 and 1849. He was at that time a 
 resident of the town of Sempronius, where he settled 
 as a farmer in 1827. He was born in Goshen, N. Y., 
 where he was reared upon a farm and received a 
 thorough practical education in agriculture. When 
 lie settled in Sempronius, nearly all of his neighbors 
 were heavil}^ in debt, and only able to make the ends 
 of the year meet by the most rigid economy and ar- 
 duous labor. None of the houses between Nonesuch 
 and Kelloggsville were painted. Mr. Tuthiirs farm 
 consisted of two hundred acres of land, which, like 
 the lands in that section, had been used for grazing. 
 He saw that farming in that way was not profitable, 
 and being familiar with the dairy business, purchased 
 a number of cows, and commenced making and 
 packing butter for tlie New York market. His 
 neighbors ridiculed the idea of farming in that way. 
 They had been accustomed to make but little but- 
 ter, and that was sold to the nearest store-keeper at 
 six or eight cents per pound, dove %>ay at that. — 
 The merchant j)acked the different varieties and dif- 
 ferent qualities of butter thus gathered together, 
 and shipped it to New York, or some nearer market, 
 where it brought but an inferior price, and helped 
 to give to Western New York its unenviable repu- 
 tation for second-rate butter, which it has taken 
 years to overcome. 
 
 Mr. Tuthill, however, could well afford to submit 
 quietly to the notions of his neighbors, so long as 
 the business was profitable, and his increasing pros- 
 perity did not fail to have its influence ; and one 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 319 
 
 after anotlier of liis neiglibors followed liis example, 
 until that section of country became famous for its 
 large dairies, and excellent quality of butter mai- 
 keted. 
 
 Mr. Tutliill also brought with liiin from Orange 
 County, the castings for a machine for churning with 
 a dog, which excited considerable curiosity at that 
 time. 
 
 In the Assembly, he w^as a practical, honest, cau- 
 tious legislator. During his first session, 1848, the 
 following laws were passed which had reference par- 
 ticularly to Cayuga County, 
 
 ' ' An Act to incorporat(^ the City of Auburn, giving 
 its boundaries, and dividing it into four w^ards." 
 
 Also, "An Act to declare the public use of a rail 
 road from Auljurn to Ithaca, through the town of 
 Fleming and Scipio, and down the valley of Salmon 
 Creek."' 
 
 The men who conceived the idea of this road, 
 among whom were Leonard Searing, Slocum How- 
 land, Worthington Smith, Alfred Avery, John H. 
 Chedell, George Rathbun, and Thomas Y. How^, Jr. . 
 were considerably in advance of the people of South- 
 ern Cayuga, at that time, and the road for various 
 reasons was not built, although surveyed and par- 
 tially graded ; but the idea was a good one, and now 
 after more than twenty years later, a rail road occu- 
 pies for a considerable distance the track then gra- 
 ded, and will doubtless shortly connect the city of 
 Auburn and Ithaca for all practical purposes as 
 thoroughly as the road contemplated in 1848. 
 
220 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 It was also during the session of 1848, tliat the fol- 
 lowing concurrent resolution was passed : 
 
 '■^Resolved, Tliat tlie thanks of the Legislature 
 of tlie State of New York be tendered to Ex-Gover- 
 nor William H. Seward, for the eloquent eulogium 
 on John Quincy Adams, delivered at the request of 
 both Houses of the Legislature, on the 6th day of 
 April, 1848, and that a copy be requested for publi- 
 cation. 
 
 Resolved, That twenty times the usual number 
 of copies be printed." 
 
 Twenty-four years later, the distinguished orator 
 upon that occasion, himself had joined 
 
 " The innumerable caravan that moves 
 To tlie pale realms of shade." 
 
 While Charles Francis Adams stood before the Leg- 
 islature of this State, and pronounced a suitable and 
 fitting tribute to his memory. 
 
 But, perhaps the most important measure upon 
 which Mr. Tuthill was called to vote during the ses- 
 sion, and which became a law, was an act which 
 revolutionized the rights of property of married wo- 
 men in this State, known as, "An Act for the more 
 effectual protection of the property of married wo- 
 men," and which gave any female wdio should there- 
 aft(^r marry, owning real or personal property, the 
 right to hold and use the same, as her sole and sep- 
 arate property, not subject to her husband or liable 
 for his debts. Also, the right to receive by gift, 
 grant or devise, from any person except her hus- 
 band, real or personal property, to hold and use the 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 221 
 
 same and tlie rents thereof, the same as if unmar- 
 ried. This law marked a new era in the '' rights of 
 women," and has doubtless done more substantial 
 good than all the "woman's rights associations" or 
 parties, or movements led by "strong minded"' wo- 
 men amalgamated with weak minded men of ques- 
 tional>le morals and doubtful associations. 
 
 This law gives to women substantial rights and 
 protection of incomparable greater value than all 
 the theoretical, nonsen--^ical plans which such parties 
 have originated, and endeavored to force upon the 
 people. 
 
 In the session of 1840, Mr. Tuthill was exceedingly 
 interested in the bill which finally became a law, es- 
 tablishing free schools throughout the State, giving 
 the children of the poor an opportunity of acquiring 
 a common school education without expense. The 
 law has doubtless been beneticial to the entire peo- 
 ple of the State. 
 
 Mr. Tuthill removed from Sempronius to this 
 town in 1856, where he now resides, at the age of 75 
 years. 
 
 27 
 
CHAPTER XXIL 
 
 MoNTviLLE — Inhabitants — Manufactueers — 
 Daniel Goodrich — AV alter Wood — Millard 
 Fillmore — His first Public Speech — bMART 
 Men — C APT. Whipple and Ca.pt. Crosby — 
 "Tune" Barhite's Smart Man — Rogers & La- 
 TiiRop' s Foundry — School House — " Ginx 
 Baby not drowned — The Old Red School 
 House — Its Pedagogues and Pupils. 
 
 >10NTVILLE. 
 
 Tills is a hainlet one-half mile nortli-east of Mora- 
 xia Village, and contains a iK)pulation of about one 
 hundred and seventy souls. It is a quiet, peaceable 
 mind-its-own-business sort of a place, possessed of 
 considerable wealth, a fair average of brains, indus- 
 trious, practical mechanics and business men. Its 
 water power is excellent, and has been put to good 
 use for over seventy years. '^ Goodrich Creek, 
 alwa}-s in o-ood running order, Hows through the 
 centre of the village, and at its extreme western 
 boundary, after having been as serviceable as possi- 
 ble to its inhabitants, leaps over a rocky precipice 
 one hundred feet in height, and forms a junction 
 with -Pierce Creek" which iiows from the north, 
 whence both, having fallen to such low estate, as if 
 by common consent bury themselves in the oblivious 
 AA'aters of ''Sylvan Lake." 
 
324 niSTOEicAL sketches of 3I0R a via. 
 
 Montville was settled at an early day, and its first 
 inhabitants are all dead. Very few now living re- 
 member even wlio they were, and yet they lived and 
 moved and had a being, while some occupied po- 
 sitions of honor and trust which required intelli- 
 gence and business capacity. 
 
 Daniel Goodrich, Sen., bought out the Carding 
 Machine (the property since owned by Mr. Mellen, ) 
 in 1805. He was by trade a carpenter and joine]*, 
 and one of the best mechanics in the countr}^ He 
 afterward built the Congregational Church in this 
 village, and several private lesidences. Previous to 
 this, however, and in 1810, .Tolin Stoyell had erected 
 the saw mill, and in 1818, the grist mill. In 1800, a 
 tavern was kept by Zadoc Cad}', in a frame Iniilding, 
 one-half of which (since somewhat remodeled,) is now 
 occupied by Frank Williamson, and situate near the 
 Spoke Factor}'. This lious(^ has tlie honoi- of being 
 the oldest in Montville, 
 
 Walter Wood (an uncle of Charles P. Wood, Esq., 
 of Auburn,) came to Montville about the year 1810, 
 and in 1812 built the house on the corner, now 
 owned by Russell Green; and in 1814, the ''Hotel 
 Building,'" since owned by Franklhi Goodrlcli. He 
 was a lawyer of extensive practice, dealing largely 
 in real estate, and in his }U'iii»<N retained in nearly 
 every case upon the Calendei- of the Court of this 
 County, a large portion of the cases involving the 
 title to real estate. He was also at one time County 
 Judge. He owned nearly the whole of Montville, 
 the only exceptions being the Sh()V(> and Goodricli 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 225 
 
 places, and tlie premises of Thomas Hiinl, now ''In- 
 dian Mound Cemetery," and Mrs. Jenkins' residence. 
 Mr. Hunt's Tanneiy was located near the head of the 
 (iulf, there being no highway tliere at that time, 
 but farther to the east. Mr. Wood also in 1811, 
 built the ''store" since rejuvinated into tlie dwell 
 ing house of William Richmond. Isaac Wood, his 
 son, was also a laAvyer of fair abilities, but his 
 father died soon after he began practice, leaving a 
 large estate, from which Isaac received a competence, 
 making his profession no longd'r desirable. Later in 
 life, he was proprietor of the Montville Hotel. 
 
 Millard Fillmore commenced the study of the law 
 in Judge Wood's office, having first served an ap- 
 prenticeshi]) in the Woolen Factory ; while a stu- 
 dent, he obtained his lirst notoiiety hy the deliver}^ 
 of a Fourth of July address in a grove upon the 
 premises now owned by AVm. Walker, near the Gulf. 
 
 Some of his hearers then i^rophesied that he would 
 "make his mark," and i^erhaps Itecoma a Judge : 
 but he went far beyond their expectations, and 
 doubtless his own brightest fancy nevei- anticipated 
 the high estate to which he was to arrive at last. 
 
 "There were giants in those days," in Montville. 
 Jerry Sabin was celebrated for his great strength. 
 Also his son of the same name, and the father of 
 Walter W. and Lyman Sabin. He was a ma]i of 
 large stature, and possessed of immense strength, 
 and according to report, could easily cai'iy two bar- 
 rels of cider at once, by placing two tingeis in the 
 bung-hole of .each. Of course, he had considerable 
 
336 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 notoriety in the neighborhood as a very smart man ; 
 the current meaning of the word "smart"' being- 
 well illustrated by one of liis admirei'S in the follow- 
 ing incident, which occurred in "Tune" Barhite's 
 blacksmitli shop. 
 
 It seems that the character of Rowland Day was 
 being discussed, when some one present remarked, 
 that Rowland was a "smart man." "Tune" was 
 busy shoeing a horse ; but amid the din of the shop 
 overheard the above expression, let go of the foot 
 of the horse, straightened liimself up, gave the an- 
 vil a stroke with the hammer by way of emphasis, 
 and exclaimed: "'Wall, Rowland Day is a pretty 
 smart man, but then. Jerry Sabin can lick Tnm in a 
 minit r^ 
 
 Another illustration of greatness, although differ- 
 ing somewhat in tenor, is found in tlie summing up 
 by Captain Crosby, of Captain Whipple and him- 
 self — both of whom were old New Hampshire men. 
 
 Captain Whipple being a wonderful self-conceited 
 man who told all he knew, and generally a little 
 more, as his neighbors tliought, while Captain Cros- 
 by was always observing and commenting upon the 
 traits of the former. Saj^s Captain Crosby, ' ' That 
 Captain Whipple, is an awful smart man. He's a 
 wonderful man. He knows most everything. Gap- 
 tain Whipple and I do know everything. In fact, 
 he knows everything except one thing, and that / 
 know. That is, that he'' s a d dfoolT'' 
 
 A small foundry was built at an early day, by 
 Messrs. Rogers & Skinner, on the banl<; of the creek 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 227 
 
 in Moravia, near the promises of Heiuy Fox ; but 
 was shortly afterward removed to Montville, and lo- 
 cated near the junction of the creeks below the Falls. 
 At this establishment, ]:*^ows were also manufac- 
 tured. Another foundry was erected just below the 
 "Big Dam" (Selover's) ; but with the dam, was car- 
 ried away by a tiood soon thereafter, and was never 
 rebuilt. 
 
 Near "Parker's Grist Mill," woro a Nail and 
 Scythe Factory, and Ti'ip Hammer, and on the oppo" 
 site side of the creek, an Oil Mill. 
 
 There are now in Montville, about thirty -live 
 dwelling houses, one grist mill, two saw mills, a 
 spoke factory, planing and matching mill, one wool- 
 en factory, a blacksmith and cooper shop, and gro- 
 cery store. These indicate an ent(.»rp rising and in- 
 dustrious population. 
 
 SC!lI0OL HOUSES. 
 
 In addition to the above, and not the least in im- 
 portance, Montville has a commcxlious and comforta- 
 ble Brick Scliool House, capable of seating from 
 forty to sixty pupils, according to size and circum- 
 stances, and which has generally been well lilled, 
 for Montville, like the unsophisticated father of 
 " Ginx's baby," is married, &c., though unlike him, 
 if the innocent tlih-teentli should be born, noun- 
 seemly threats of drowning would be hear-d from 
 Ijaier familias, but in an almost incredible brief 
 space of time, the urchin would be swinging his toes 
 from a seat in the school house, puzzling his brains 
 over " B-a Ba ; B-e Be ; B-i Bi ; " giving the bounda- 
 
228 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 ries of the United States, and otherwise preparing 
 himself for Post Master, or some other lucrative office 
 in the gift of the Government, or the people. 
 
 The"91d Red School House," which, like its 
 builders, has disappeared, being too decrepit for 
 further use, was situate across the road from its 
 more pretentious successor. What a contrast in the 
 two. The former was erected, apparently without 
 the least idea of the "eternal fitness of things." 
 The seats certainly never "fitted" any scholar of 
 the hundreds who from time to time did penance 
 upon them six hours per day. Imagine a narrow 
 seat two feet high from the floor, for a boy of six or 
 eight years of age to adapt himself to, meantime, to 
 be thankful that he was born in a Christian land, 
 where school houses were accessible, and education 
 comparatively free to all. But it consumed the four 
 months school term to educate his legs and back to 
 an even balance, and get his little body properly ad- 
 Justed to the seat, which consisted of a slab with the 
 rounded side uppermost, smooth as glass from con- 
 stant wear, with two long legs of the same material 
 at each end. Balancing upon a tight-rope, or upon 
 the top of a pole, at an angle of forty-five degrees, 
 is secured by a rigid application of muscle, close 
 study, and strict attention to the laws of attraction 
 and gravitation. But to maintain an exact poise 
 and position upon the rounded surface of those 
 smooth slabs, with no support for the legs or back, 
 was a feat which, with no knowledge of the sciences, 
 boys could never with any certainty accomplish. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 329 
 
 though it were often sought carefully and with tears. 
 But there are pleasant memories associated with 
 the old house, barring the sittings. Who of the 
 pupils will ever forget th(^ faces or the manners of 
 the pedagogues who taught their young ideas how 
 to shoot. Where are they all ? Like their pupils, 
 scattered, — some dead and gone. But one here and 
 there of those teachers remain. And yet, that was 
 only twenty-five years ago. 
 
 Memory goes back to the lirst experiences of that 
 school house, when Miss Sophia Wright (since Mrs. 
 Cady,) successfully presided within its portals over 
 fifty boisterous scholars, some of them almost men 
 grown — or was that the imagination of the "smallest 
 boy." The Woods, of the "Hollow District," the 
 \"osburgs. Berry s, Tidds, Pierces, Whites, Lockes, 
 Sellecks, Mellendys, Oakleys, Coopers, Sabins, 
 ('handlers, and others. And who will forget poor 
 Lester Sal)in, — kind and generous hearted when in 
 liis right mind, ])ut a terror to the children when at- 
 tacked with tlie terrible malady whicli finally termi- 
 nated his life ; but even at such times, perfectly 
 harmless. And there was black Hiram Wheatly, 
 very black outside, but good withal to the boj^s and 
 girls, and with pockets generally supplied with can- 
 dies ; he lived at Wood's Hotel. 
 
 Another of the teachers was Miss Rowe, a mere girl 
 of sixteen or seventeen years, a teacher of the summer 
 school, pleasant, laughing and merry, romping and 
 sinffino- when out of school. Her kind heart won the 
 
 28 
 
230 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 affections of her pupils, and all wept wlien school 
 was dismissed and she bade them good bye. 
 
 One of the most efficient teachers was Miss Arniin- 
 
 da Heald (since Mrs. M ), she had that peculiar 
 
 hrmness of character so desirable in that position : 
 controlled the school, which was large and called 
 theretofore unruly, with perfect ease apparently, 
 taught her pupils thoroughly whatever studies were 
 pursued. Under her teachings and discipline the 
 school made marked progress, not only in books but 
 in general conduct and appearance. She was em- 
 ployed for two or three terras to the satisfaction of 
 the district. The pupils "didn't see wh}^ she could 
 not teach longer;" but she was even then, if mem- 
 ory is not at fault, oth<n'wise engaged. A most esti- 
 mable woman and teacher, her old pupils liaAe cause 
 to remember her with gratitude. 
 
 Alfred Hawk taught one winter in the old school 
 house. He w^as a w^ell meaning man, but we have 
 doubted, or did in those days, whether teaching was 
 his peculiar forte. He w^as a hard worker, and in- 
 tended to make his scholars improve. His manner 
 was stern, his government oftimes severe, and his 
 pupils seemed in constant fear of trouble. He was 
 at heart a kind and conscientious man, and all that 
 he did was meant for the good of the school. His 
 voice was heavy and well adapted to the reading of 
 tragic verse, in which he took great delight. 
 
 Franklin Goodrich had charge of the school during 
 two winters, and was really one of the most thorough 
 and practical of the common school teachers of his 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 231 
 
 day. He was pei'fectly familiar with the brandies 
 which he taught, and no sum was done or problem 
 demonstrated, until it was fully ascertained whether 
 it would prore. He Avas a good disciplinarian, tlio' 
 at times his quick temper led him to extremes ; but 
 a more conscientious man neve]- conducted a school, 
 and none more anxious to correct himself if he made 
 a mistake in judgment or otlierwise, in fact he dis- 
 ciplined himself as much as his pupils and apolo- 
 gised to the school when convinced l\y liis own sense 
 of justice that he was in error. His i)upils not slow 
 to judge character, greatly respected the high moral 
 ])i-inciple by Avhich he was actuated, and learned from 
 him lessons of justice and honoi-able dealings which 
 were never forgotten. 
 
 At a later p(Miod came other teachers, prominent 
 among whom was Peter VanArsdale, who labored 
 industriously and with marked eifect. He was 
 always ready to ''set a copy," ''do a sum,'' or give 
 an unruly boy a '"good licken," at the shortest pos- 
 sible notice, and would go through either of said 
 operations witli iteatnesfi and dhpak-lt. A good 
 hale, hearty teacln^r, he enjoyed a joke as well as any 
 of his scholars. But In^ was the mastei- and they 
 the pupils, ////// was well understood. 
 
 Oh, the old school house with its shattered frame 
 and sliabby (Uitside, saw mucli of jollit}', sliy amuse- 
 ment, and comic scenes, intei'mingled with sorrow, 
 pain and penalties within. The old stov(^ and desk, 
 and even the uncomfortable, homely benches, from 
 long acquaintance^ wei'e resp<^cted a*^ old fi'iends. and 
 
232 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOEAVIA. 
 
 fhQ ferule^ that always lield a commanding position. 
 Some of the teachers' whose experiences include the 
 "Old Red School House," reside hereabouts, but 
 the school companions seem scattered to the four 
 winds. How changed to-day from those early days 
 of childhood. To some the school of life below is 
 dismissed ; others are involved in the busy session, 
 unmindful of the approaching terminus, when witli 
 opportunities improved or otherwise, the great lesson 
 of life well learned or neglected, the books shall be 
 closed, and the Great Master announce the final roll 
 call. When that time comes who of us all can ans- 
 wer "Perfect?" 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 First Cast Ikon Plow — Patents — Bull Plow of 
 1820— Jetheo Wood — Pot Metal Plow — A Plow 
 SENT to Alexander I, Emperor of Russia — 
 Wood's trials and death — His Son Benjamin 
 — His Legal Triumph and Pecuniary Failure 
 — His Death — Jethro Wood the benefactor 
 of his Age — Rogers and Skinner's Manufac- 
 tory. 
 
 Plutarch records that at the building of Rome, 
 "Romulus took a plow, to which he fastened a colt- 
 er or plowshare of brass, and so yoked in an ox and 
 cow, he himself holding the plow, did make round 
 about the compass of the city a deep furrow." The 
 ancients ploughed with an instrument which was but 
 a crooked stick, with a sharp projection to stir the 
 ground. 
 
 "The Rotterdam Plow,'- used in England one 
 hundred and fifty years ago, was a heavy, unwieldy 
 implement, made entirely of wood except the colter 
 or knife depending from the beam, to cut through 
 roots and soil, and two shoes on the under side of 
 the share, which were of wrought iron. But in 1870 
 James Small, a Scotchman, introduced a. revolution 
 
 ♦Copied from an unknown autlior. 
 
234 KfSTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 ill husbandry hy producing a cast iron inold-boaixL 
 That was the beginning of a new era, Tlien there 
 was no marked change until nearly fifty years after- 
 ward, when Robei't Ransom of Ipswiek patented an 
 iron plowshare. 
 
 Until after the revolution the history of agricul- 
 tural instruments in America was nearly the same, as 
 in England. Yankee inventativeness did not assert 
 itself, till the Colonies threw off the yoke of the 
 mother country. But as the United States strug- 
 gled out of the gloom in which the war left, improve- 
 ments in agriculture and manufactuies began to oc- 
 cupy the keenest minds of the conntry. In 1797, 
 Xewhold of New Jersey, obtained a pat(^nt for some 
 improvenu^nt in plow making, which was jjurchased 
 by David Peacock, who afterward ])roduced a plow 
 having both mold-board and land-side of cast iron, 
 with share of sliarpeiied steel or wrought iron. So 
 important were improvements in plows considered, 
 that the versatile and philosophic Jefferson was 
 greatly interested in tliem, and in 1798 he wrote a 
 long, elaborate treatise on the construction of mold- 
 boards. His theory was, that as at tlie bottom of 
 the furrow is or ought to be flat, the breast of the 
 mold-board, where it comes in direct contact with 
 the soil, should be flat also. But the plow still con- 
 tinued in a very imperfect state. As late as 1820, 
 according to the testimony of old farmers now living, 
 the kind best known and most commonly used bore 
 the name of the "Bull Plow." It was made prin- 
 cipally of wood and iron, and ordinarily cost |40 to 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOitAVlA. 2^0 
 
 850 ; the mold-board was of wood iltted bunglingiy 
 to the irons, and tlie action of the rude implement 
 "might be illustrated by holding a sharp pointed 
 shovel back up and thrusting it through the ground.' ' 
 The share was of steel, and frequentl}' had to be 
 sliarpeiied by a blacksmith at a charge of from t^m 
 to twenty shillings. The plowing season, especially 
 when land was stony, proved very expensive to the 
 liusbandnmn. 
 
 In 1814 John Wood, a farmer of ample means and 
 large intelligence, living in Cayuga County, New 
 York, took out a patent for an. improved plow.— 
 From early childhood he had shown remarkable in- 
 genuity in the construction of agricultural imple- 
 ments. AVhen only a few years old he moulded a 
 litth^ l)low from metal, which he obtained by melt- 
 ing a pewter cup. Then cutting the buckles from a 
 set of braces, he made a ininiture harness with which 
 he fastened the family cat to liis tiny plow and en- 
 deavored to drive her about the tiower garden. The 
 good oldfashioned whipping he received for this 
 mischief was such as to drive all desire for repeating 
 the experiment out of his juvenile head. But when 
 he grew to manhood, the ruling passion asserted 
 itself, and for years the improvement of the plow 
 was his darling project. His chief desire was to in- 
 vent a new mold-board, which from its form sliould 
 meet the least resisteiice from tiie soil, and whicli 
 could be made with share and standard entirely of 
 cast iron. To hit upon the exact shape for the mold- 
 board, he whittled awav', day after day, until his 
 
336 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 neighbors, who thought him mad upon the subject, 
 gave him the sobriquet of tlie "Whittling Yankee." 
 His custom was to talve a large oblong potato and 
 cut it till he obtained what he fancied was the exact 
 curve. 
 
 The plow which he patented in 1814 he found de- 
 fective, and destroying his first patterns he set to 
 work again. In 1819 he took out a patent for his 
 perfect plow. It covered live distinct improvements, 
 1st. The new shape of the mold-board to raise and 
 turn the soil with the least resistance. 2d. The cast 
 iron standard, which is a projection of the mold- 
 board, connecting it with the beam. 3d. The cast 
 iron edge or share, and the manner of catching it to 
 the upper side of the mold-board. 4th. The fasten- 
 ing of the handles to the land-side and mold-board 
 by notches or loops, cast with the land-side and mold- 
 board respectively. 5th. The manner of connecting 
 the land-side and mold-board withcmt tlie aid of 
 screw bolts. He obtained his patent for a period of 
 fourteen 3^ears> and his invention received the nann^ 
 of the "Cast Iron Plow," from the entire abandon- 
 ment of wrought iron in its construction. He imme- 
 diately began to manufacture his plows and intro- 
 duce them to the farmers in his neighborhood. 
 
 The difficulties which he now encountered would 
 have daunted any man without extraordinary per- 
 severence and a firm belief in the estimable benefit 
 to agriculture sure to result from his invention. 
 He was obliged to manufacture all the patterns, and 
 to have the plow cast under the disadvantages usual 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 237 
 
 with new HiacLiiit'S. The nearest furnace was thirty 
 iiiih^s horn his home, and battled by obstacles which 
 unskillfnl and disobliging workmen threw in his 
 way, he visited it day after day, directing the mak- 
 ing of his patterns, standing by the furnaces while 
 the metal was melting, and after, with his own 
 hands aiding in the casting. 
 
 When at length samples of his plow were ready 
 for use, he met with another difficulty in the unwil- 
 lingness of farmers to accept them. " What," they 
 cried in contempt, "a plow made of pot metal! 
 You might as well attempt to turn up the earth with 
 a glass })lowshare. It would hardly be more brittle." 
 One day he induced one of his most sceptical neigh- 
 l)oi'S to make a i)ublic trial of the plow. A large 
 coni^nirse gathered to see how it would work. The 
 field selected for the test was thickly sti'ewn with 
 stones, many of them firmly imbedded in the soil 
 and jutting up from the surface. All predicted that 
 the plow would break at the outset. To their aston- 
 ishnnmt, and AVood's satisfaction, it went around the 
 held, running easily and smoothly, and turning up 
 the most ])erfect furrow which had ever been seen. 
 The small stones against wiiich the farmer ma- 
 liciously guided it to test the "brittle" metal, 
 moved out of the way as if they were grains of 
 sand, and it slid around the immovable rocks as if 
 they were icebergs. Incensed at the non-fulfillment 
 of his prophecy, the farmer finally drove the plow 
 with all force upon a large boulder, and found to his 
 
 amazement that it was uninjured by the collision. 
 29 
 
238 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 It proved aday of triumph to Jetliro AVood, and froni 
 tliat time he heard few taunts about the ''pot-metal/' 
 It was soon discovered that his plough turned up 
 the soil with so much ease that two horses could do 
 the work for whicli a .yoke of oxen and a span of 
 horses had sometimes been insufficient before ; that 
 it made a better furrow, and that it could he ]x>ught 
 for seven or eight dollars. No more running to the 
 blacksmith either to have it sliarpened. It was 
 proved a thorough success. Thomas Jefferson, from 
 his retirement at Monticello, wrote Wood a letter of 
 congratulation, and although his theory of the con- 
 struction of mold-boards had differed entireh' from 
 the inventors, gave him most heart}^ a})pre<iation to 
 the merits of the new plow. 
 
 During the same year, Jetliro Wood sent one of 
 his plows to Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, and 
 the peculiar circumstances attending the gift and its 
 reception formed a large part of the newspaper gos- 
 sip of the day. Wood, though a man of cultiva- 
 tion intellectually as well as agriculturally, was not 
 familiar with French, which was then as now the di- 
 plomatic language. So he requested his personal 
 friend. Dr. Samuel Mitchell, President of the New 
 York Societj^ of Natural History and Sciences, to 
 write a letter in French to accompany the gift. The 
 autocrat of all the Russias received the plow and 
 the letter, and sent back a diamond ring, which the 
 newspapers declared to be worth S7?000, "to $15,000, 
 in token of his appreciation. By some indirection, 
 the ring was not delivered to the donoi- of the plow. 
 
HlbTOKIOAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 239 
 
 but to tlu^ writer of tlie letter, and Dr. Mitcliell in- 
 stantly appropriated it to his own nse. Wood ap- 
 pealed to the Russian Minister at Washington, for 
 redress. The Minister sent to his Emperor, and Al- 
 exander replied that it was intended for the inven- 
 tor of the plow. Armed with his authority, Wood 
 again demanded the ring of ]\fitehell. But there 
 were no steam shii:>s or telegra})hs in those days, and 
 Mitchell declared that in the long interval in which 
 they had been waiting to hear from Russia, he had 
 given it to tlie cause of the Greeks who were then 
 rising to tlir<^w off the yoke of their Turkish op- 
 pressors. A newspaper of tlit^ time calls Mitchell's 
 course "an ingenious mode of quartering on the 
 enemy." and the inventor's friends seem to have be- 
 lieved that tlie ring had been privately sold for his 
 benefit. At all events, it never came to light again, 
 and Wood, a peaceful man, a Quaker by profession, 
 did not push the matter further. In truth, he had 
 little time to devote to side issues. His patterns had 
 cost him scmie thousands of dollars. For the past 
 year or two, he had given away his plows to the 
 farmers in all directions, that their value might be 
 thoroughly tested. jS'ow, when he liegan to look 
 around for some benefit to accrue to himself, he 
 found the plow makers everywhere manufacturing 
 them in defiance of his rights as patentee and inven- 
 tor. In fruitless suits and vain struggles against 
 the inefl[icacy of the law, the fourteen years for 
 which the first patent was granted expired. But in 
 1833, he succeeded in getting a renewal for fouiteen 
 
^40 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 3 ears more. In the mean time, however, lie had sp(>iit 
 a large private fortune, and became heavily involved. 
 His invention had brought him literally notliing but 
 a plentiful crop of lawsuits, which seemed to spring 
 ujD in every furrow his plow had traced. 
 
 In 1834, he died pecuniarily ruined. JN'otwith- 
 standing all his disappointments, his life was singu- 
 la rl 3^ bright and genial. His serene, equitable dis- 
 position was proof against all trials. Man}' persons 
 jet living remember him as one whose beautiful, 
 sunii}^ natnre no advei'sity conld cloud, aiid whose 
 good, loving philanthropy no ill treatment could 
 sour. In the event of reaping the deserved reward 
 for his invention, he had resolved to establish a fund 
 for a sj^stem of public schools in the State of New 
 York, and he seemed to feel as much disappointed 
 at the failure of this scheme as at his owji losses. 
 He always wore the garb and manners of the com- 
 munity of Friends, was of benignant and winning 
 presence, courtly grace of manner, and a tender, af- 
 fectionate heart. 
 
 After his death his son Benjamin, Avho received 
 the invention as a legacy, continued his efforts to 
 wrest justice from the unwilling hands of the law. 
 Nearly all his father's failures had proceeded from 
 the inadequacy of the patent laws, which were almost 
 worthless to protect the rights of the inventor. — 
 Even now a patent is worth little until it has been 
 fought through the Suprc^me Court of tne United 
 States. In those days so man}' obstacles were thrown 
 in the way of inventors, and the combinations against 
 
HlriTOItlCAL 8KETCI1ES OF MOIiAVlA. 241 
 
 them, were so i'ormidable, that Eli Wliitne}', in try- 
 ing to establish his right to tlie Cotton Gin in a 
 Georgia Conrt, while his machine was doubling and 
 tiebling tlie value of lands through the State, had 
 this experience, which is given in his own words : 
 "I had great difficultAMn proviiig the machine had 
 been used in Georgia, although at the same moment 
 there were tlu'ee separate sets of tins machinery in 
 motion within fifty Awards of the building in which 
 the court set, and all so near that the rattling of the 
 wheels was distinctly' heaid on th<' steps of the Court 
 House.'' 
 
 Similar difficulties had met Jetliro Wood in his 
 suits, so his son resolved to strike at the root of the 
 evil, by securing a reform of the laws. H(^ accord- 
 ingly went to Washington, wliei-e he remained thro' 
 several seasons, always working to this end. Clay, 
 Webster, and John Quincy Adams, all of whom had 
 known Jetliro AVood and his invention, aided his son 
 powerfully with their votes and counsel, and he suc- 
 ceeded in securing several important changes in the 
 patent law^s. Then he i-eturned to New Yorl^, and 
 commenced suit to resist encroachments on his rights, 
 and the wholesale manufacture of his plow by those 
 who refused to pay the ])remium to the inventor. — 
 The ''Cast Iron Plow" was now used all over the 
 country, Jind formidable combinations united their 
 capital and inlluence against Benjamin Wood. 
 
 William H. Seward, then practicing law at An- 
 luirii, N". Y., was retained as Wood's counsel, and 
 the ])1<)W makers engaged all th(^ talent they could 
 
"343 HisroKicAL sketches of mokavia, 
 
 muster t(^ oppose him. Heretofore it had never been 
 eontradicted that Jethro Wood was the originator of 
 the plow in nse ; but now the right to the invention 
 was denied, and it was alleged thiit his improve- 
 ments had been forestalled! by other makers. Again 
 and again the case was adjourned, and Europe and 
 America were ransacked for speciuK^ns of the differ- 
 ent plows which were declared to include his patent. 
 Wood also obtained from England samples of the 
 plows of James Small and Robert Ransom. He 
 searched New Jersey to find the Peacock plow, 
 which was said to have a cast iron mold-board, of 
 exactly similar shape to his father's. Everywhere 
 in that State he fonnd ''Wood's Plow" in use, but 
 he could hear notliing of tlie one lie sought. At 
 length riding near a farm house lie discovered (jne of 
 the old "Newbold-Peacock Plows" lying under a 
 fence, dilapidated and I'ust eaten. "We don't use 
 it any more," the farmer replied to his inquiries. — 
 "We've got one a good deal better." AVill you sell 
 this? asked Wood. "Well, yes," and Wood, glad 
 to get it at almost any price, paid the keen farmer, 
 — who took advantage of his evident anxiety — two 
 or three times the price of a new plow, and added 
 the old one to his sj^ecimens. 
 
 This motley collection of implements was brought 
 into court and exhibited to the Judges. At last, 
 after the case had dragged its slow length along 
 through many terms, and the plaintiff was nearly 
 worn out with the law's delay, the time for final 
 trial and decision arrived. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOHAVI.V. 243 
 
 The combinatic)2i of plow makers feared tliat the 
 case woukl go in Wood's favor, and made every ef- 
 fort to keep liim out of Court, tliat he might lose it 
 by default. During his long entanglement in the 
 law, he had contracted many debts, and one of his 
 opponents liad managed to purcliase several of these 
 accounts. 
 
 Just b(^f(yre the case was to be heard for the last 
 time, this worthy plow manufacturer, attended by a 
 sheriff, and armed with a warrant to arrest AVoodfor 
 debt, appeared at the front door of his house. For- 
 tunately, Wood had a few moments warning, and 
 slipped out at the back door. He made liis way un- 
 der cover of approaching darkness to the house of a 
 friendly neighbor. There he procured a horse and 
 started for Albany, 150 miles distant, hearing every 
 moment in fancy, the clattering of hoofs at his heels. 
 As if fortune coidd not be sufficiently ill-natured, 
 his horse proved vicious and unmanageable, and 
 thrice in the tedious journey, threw his rider from 
 his saddle upon the frozen earth, so injuring him 
 that he w^as barely able to go on. 
 
 On arriving at Alban^^, he found himself not a 
 moment too soon. The case had an immediate hear- 
 ing, and after tliree days trial, the Circuit Court de- 
 cided unequivocally, that the. plow now in general 
 use over the country was unlike any other whicli 
 had been produced ; that the improveinents whicli 
 rendered it so effective were due to Jetliro Wood, 
 and that all manufacturers must })ay his hriis for 
 the pi'ivilege of making it. , 
 
244 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORxVVIA. 
 
 T]iis was a great tiiuiii})li, but it was now tlie late 
 autumn of 1845, and the last grant of the patent 
 had little more than a year to run. Wood again re- 
 paired to AVashington to apply for a new extension, 
 but the excitement of so long a contest had been too 
 much for him. Just as he had commenced his 
 efforts, they were forever ended. While talking 
 with one of his friends, he suddenly Ml dead from 
 heart disease, and the patent expired without re- 
 newal. The last male heir to the invention was no 
 more. On settling the estate, it was found that 
 while not a vestige remained of th(\ large fortune 
 owned by Jethro Wood when he began his career, 
 less than five hundred and fifty dollars had ever 
 been received from his invention. 
 
 The after history of the case is a l>rief one. Four 
 daughters of Jethro Wood alone remained to ]-ep re- 
 sent the family. In the winter of 1848, the two 
 younger sisters went to Washington to petition Con- 
 gress that a bill might be passed for their relief, in 
 view of the inestimable services of their father to 
 the agricultural interests of the country. AVebster 
 declared that he regarded their father as a "public 
 benefactor," and gave them his most efficient aid. 
 Clay w^armly espoused their cause, and the venera- 
 ble John Quincy Adams, with his trembling hand 
 then so enfeebled by age that he rarely used the pen, 
 wrote them kind notes heartily sympathizing with 
 them. 
 
 On one memorable day while they were in the 
 House gallery, Mr. Adams at his desk on the flooi- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOBAVIA. 245 
 
 wrote them brieliy in relation to their case. A few 
 minutes later he was struck with the fatal attack 
 under which he exclaimed, — "This is the last of 
 <^arth ; 1 am content f' and was borne dying to the 
 Speaker's room. The tremulous lines, the last his 
 hand ever traced, were found on his desk and deliv- 
 ered to Miss Wood. 
 
 A bill providing that in these four heirs should 
 rest for sevi^n years the exclusive right of making 
 and vending tln^ improvements in the construction of 
 tli(^ cast ir(ui plow ; and that twenty-five cents on 
 each plow might be exacted from all who manufac- 
 tured it, jiassing the Senate unanimously. But 
 Washington already swarmed with plow manufac- 
 turers. The city of Pittsburgh alone sent live to 
 look after their interests. Money was freely used, 
 and the members of the House Committee who were 
 to report on the bill, were assured that during the 
 twenty-eiglit years of the patent. Wood's familj^ had 
 I'eaped immense wealth, and wished to keep up a 
 monopoly. The two quiet ladies, fresh from the 
 retirement of a Quaker home where they had learned 
 little of the world, were even accused of attempting 
 to secure its extension through briber3^ It was the 
 wolf charging the lamb with roiling the water. So 
 ignorant were they of such means that though the 
 chairman of the committee plainly told the younger 
 lady in a few words of jirivate conversation, that a 
 very few thousand dollars would give her a favora- 
 ble verdict, she did not understand the suggestion 
 
 30 
 
24i(j HISTOllICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 till after an unfavorable report was presented, and 
 the bill killed in the House. 
 
 When they were about to leave Washington, some 
 friendly members of Congress advised them to de- 
 posit the valuable documents which had been used 
 in their suit, including the letter from Thomas Jef- 
 ferson to Jetliro Wood, in the archives of the House, 
 where they could only be Avithdrawn on the motion 
 of some member. They did so, and left them foi- 
 some 3^ears uncalled for. Wlien at last they ap- 
 plied for them they could not be found ; nor from 
 that time to tlie present has any trace of them been 
 discovered by any of the family. Thus perished 
 the last vestige of proof relating to this ill-fated in- 
 vention. A few public attempts were made in later 
 years to obtain redress, but Jetliro Wood's contem- 
 poraries and friends, public and piivate, were nearly 
 all gone. The "Cast Iron Plow" was everywhere 
 in use, but the name of the inventor was forgotten. 
 Even the New American Cyclopedia, in its history' 
 of the plow, does not mention it. But ancient wood- 
 en plows unused and falling to decay upon thous- 
 ands of American farms, yet remain to show by con- 
 trast the exceeding service which Jetliro Wood per- 
 formed for the country. His invention is in univer- 
 sal use through the length and breadth of the land, 
 but his few surviving heirs are living lives of poverty 
 and struggle. 
 
 The United States Agricultural Report for 1866, 
 says truly : "Although Wood was one of the great- 
 est benefactors to mankind by this admii-able inven- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 247 
 
 tion he never received for all his tliought, anxiety 
 and 'expense, a sum of money sufhcient to defray the 
 expenses of his decent burial." 
 
 Mechanical inventions are our national shame - 
 Jethro Wood served his country more eifectua ly 
 than many a man to whom we have given wealth 
 and fame, and monument of enduring brass. 
 
 "Wood's Patent Plow" was lirst manufactured 
 in Moravia, near the Selover Mills, by Rogers & 
 Skinner, under a written agreement, a copy of which 
 
 is here given : , <• i 
 
 "This agreement, between Jethro AVood ot the 
 hrst part, and Elias Rogers and Isaac W. Skinner 
 of the other part, witnesseth. That whereas Let ers 
 Patent were issued to said Jethro, under the seal ot 
 the United States, for an improvement m the plough, 
 dated 1st of July 1814. And whereas other Letters 
 Patent were also issued to said Jethro, undei th(, 
 sJal as aforesaid, for other new and useful improve- 
 ments in the plough, dated 1st of September Ibl 2, 
 and whereas the said Elias Rogers and Isaac AV . 
 I^nner, are desirous of obtaining under conditions 
 herein contained, certain rights and privileges under 
 
 said patents. „. 
 
 Ncnv Therefore, it is agreed by the said Lhas 
 Rogers and Isaac W. Skinner, that they will not, dur- 
 ing the continuance of said Wood' s patents or either 
 of them, make or sell, or authorize to be made or sold 
 any Ploughs or Plough Castings, or rights in regard 
 to Ploughs, containing the improvements or any parts 
 
 tW sp cified in said Wood's Letters Patents, or 
 
248 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOKAVIA. 
 
 either of them, except under and by autliority of this 
 instrument, and on the following conditions. And it is 
 further agreed by said Elias Rogers and Isaac W. 
 Skinner, that they will, during the continuance of 
 said Wood's last Letters Patents, use every reason- 
 able exertions to procure men in different parts of 
 the country to make and v«^nd Ploughs under said 
 Jethro's patent, by virtue of a license sign^'d by said 
 Jethro Wood. ^. * ^ % * ^ * 
 And said Jethro doth further agree that one equal 
 half part of all monies received by him or his repre- 
 sentatives, as premiums on Ploughs or Plough Cast- 
 ings b}^ virtue of said contract, shall be by him or 
 them paid over to said Elias Rogers, and Isaac W. 
 Skinner, and to that end the said Jethro or his repre- 
 sentatives, will meet the said Elias Rogers and Isaac 
 W. Skinner at the house now owned by Piatt Titus, in 
 Troy, or some other place to be agreed upon, the first 
 Monday in May in each year, during the continuance 
 of said Wood's Letters Patent, and will render unto 
 them a just and true account in writing of every 
 Plough sold by him or any person acting under him, 
 up to the first day of elanuary then precedmg, and 
 will then and there pay over to said Rogers & Skin- 
 ner, or to their order, one equal half part of all mon- 
 ies that may have been received by the said Jethro 
 or his representatives ; and in case said Jethro shall 
 fraudulently withhold rendering such account, and 
 paying over as above provided, then he will forth- 
 with pay to said Elias Rogers and Isaac W . Skin- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOUAVIA. •/>49 
 
 iier one thousand dollars as stated dania^^es, express- 
 ly agreed on by tlie parties hereto. 
 Dated tliis 7th day of August, 1823. 
 
 JETHRO WOOD, [seal] 
 ELIAS ROGERS, [seal] 
 I. W. SKINNER. [SEAL] 
 Tn the presene<^ of B. H. AVOOD." 
 
 Annexed to the foregoing agreement is a Deed 
 over the signature and seal of Jethro Wood, 
 dated August 7tli, 1823, giving Ellas Rogers and 
 Isaac W. Skinner the right to make, use and vend 
 "Wood's Patent Plough" in th*^ States of New 
 York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere ;Mr. Wood agree- 
 ing to furnish ''at some furnace not more distant 
 than the town of Sempi-onius in the State of New 
 York, a set of patterns for said improved Plough.'' 
 
 Messrs Rogers & Skinner manufactured a large 
 number of plows, and sold the same in the States 
 above named. 
 
 Moravia has the honor of being the headquarters 
 for the manufacture of the first Cast Iron Plow man- 
 ufactured in the United States. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE BENCH AND BAE. 
 
 It was not intended that these Sketches should 
 "smell of the shop whence they were turned out." 
 One's business is a]3t to become a hobby which he 
 rides into the face of every one he meets. The bar 
 however, from their well known innate modesty and 
 delicacy of public notice, may not be subject to this 
 general accusation. 
 
 Since the greater j)ortion of this volume was writ- 
 ten, it has been suggested by authority which it 
 would be unreasonable to doubt, much less to con- 
 tradict, that without at least brief reference to the 
 bench and bar of the town, this work would in an 
 historical point of view, be incomplete. 
 
 Of the former, Walter Wood once held the office 
 of Judge of this county. 
 
 The offices of Justices of the Peace were tilled for- 
 merly by appointment by the Governor, and latterly 
 by election. Doubtless some inaccuracies have crept 
 into this portion of this chaptei-, as the old records 
 are not very reliable or complete. Of the latter, dif- 
 ficulty has been exjierienced in ascertaining tlie his- 
 tory and residences of several of whom it would be 
 
^52 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 interesting to have a true and full history, but from 
 these brief sketchesthe future historian of this town 
 may be enabled to form a basis for a complete and 
 impartial work. 
 
 THE EEXOII. 
 
 Justices of the Peace in and for the old town of 
 Sempronius, so far as their names can be ascertained 
 from the old records, are given below : 
 
 1798— John Stoyell, Jacob T. DeWitt. 
 
 1799_ " " *' ^i 
 
 1800— '' '' ^' " 
 
 1801— " " " " 
 
 1802— John Stoyell, Jacob T. DeWitt, Charles 
 Kellogg, 
 
 1803— John StoyeU, Jacob T. DeWitt, Charles 
 Kellogg. 
 
 1804— Abel Sabin, Jacob T. DeWitt, Charles Kel- 
 logg. 
 
 1805— Abel Sabin, Jacob T. DeWitt, Cliarles Kel- 
 logg. 
 
 1806 — Seth Burgess, Cyrus Powers, Aaron Stark, 
 Charles Kellogg, 
 
 1807— Charles Kellogg, Seth Burgess, Levi H. 
 Goodrich, Gershom Morse, Aaron Stark, Cyrus 
 Powers. 
 
 1808 — Charles Kellogg, Levi H. Goodrich, Aaron 
 Stark, Cyrus Powers, Gershom Morse, William Sat- 
 terlee. 
 
 1809— Gershom Morse, Levi H. Goodrich, William 
 Saterlee. 
 
 1810 — Cyrus Powers, Nathaniel Fillmore, Zadoc 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 253 
 
 Rlioads, Setli Burgess, Gersliom Morse, William 
 Satterlee. 
 
 1811 — Nathaniel Fillmore, Zadoc Rhoads, Setli 
 Burgess, C3'rus Powers, Gersliom Morse. 
 
 1812 — Gersliom Morse, Zadoc Rlioads, Nathaniel 
 Fillmore, William Satterlee. 
 
 1813— Nathaniel Fillmore, Zadoc Rhoads, Seth 
 Burgess, Cyrus Powers, Gersliom Morse. 
 
 1814— Same as 1813. 
 
 181i) — AVilliam Satterlee, Cyrus Powers, Nathan- 
 iel Fillmore, Thadeus Histed. 
 
 1816 — William Satterlee, Ebenezer Smith, Zadoc 
 Rhoads, Nathaniel Fillmore, Gershom Morse, Cyrus 
 Powers. 
 
 1817— Same as in 1816. 
 
 1818 — Charles Kellogg, Gersliom Morse, Zadoc 
 Rlioads, Nathaniel Fillmore, Ebenezer Smith. 
 
 1819— Same as 1818. 
 
 1820— William Satterlee, Zadoc Rhoads, Charles 
 Kellogg, Ebenezer Smith, Jonathan Hussey. 
 
 1821 — Ebenezer Smith, Asaph Stow, Gersliom 
 Morse, Cyrus Powers, George H. Brinkerhoflf. 
 
 1822 — ^Blirss Forbush, Matthias Lane, Gersliom 
 Morse, Asaph Stow, George H. Brinkerhoff. 
 
 1823— Same as 1822. 
 
 1824 — Same as year j)revious. 
 
 1825 — ^Same as year previous. 
 
 1826 — Same as year previous. 
 
 1827 — Same as year previous. 
 
 1828 — Same as above. 
 
 31 
 
254 HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 1820 — Asaph Stow, Matthias Lane, Jonathan Hns- 
 sey. 
 
 1830— John Rooks. 
 
 1831— George H. Brinkerhoff. 
 
 1832— Ebenezer Smith. 
 
 Gershom Morse held the office for twenty-one 
 years, and did a vast amount of civil and criminal 
 business, generally holding his courts at Cady's 
 Tavern. 
 
 Cases were often commenced in Justice's Court, 
 and upon Joining of issue, "left out" by consent of 
 parties to arbitrators, who generally managed by 
 ' ' hook or by crook" to satisfy all concerned. This is 
 contrary to the experience of arbitrators in these 
 latter days, for they seldom, however good their 
 intentions, have the luck to please either party. — 
 But times have changed. Then, arbitrations were 
 generally had at Cady' s Tavern, where the surround- 
 ings were most favorable, and the elements of a sat- 
 isfactory settlement generally forthcoming in the 
 flowing bowl. This subdued the savage breast and 
 moistened the eyes of the most hostile forces. " Yer 
 Honors," counsel, jurors, officers and _ attendants, 
 thirsted for an amicable reconciliation, and several 
 drinks all around. Routs and riots might ensue, 
 but for the nonce at least, in the words of Sergeant 
 Buzfuz, "All was confidence and reliance." 
 
 The high and the low, the rich and the poor, sipp- 
 ed from the same cup and joined in the universal 
 satisfaction. 
 
 For all men by whiskey, are brought to a level, 
 Where each is to all, good lord and good devil. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OP MORAVIA. 255 
 
 While Isaac Wood and H. B. Hewitt were doing 
 business as mercliants in Montville, they had con- 
 siderable experience in litigation ; among others 
 they brought an action in Justices Court against 
 Wm. Smith for damages sustained in a horse trade, 
 and Mr Smith in retaliation, sued them upon some 
 trade in grain, &c. Both cases were finally left to 
 arbitrators, of whom Squire Morse was one. By 
 agreement the horse case was tried one day and the 
 and the grain case the next. The evidence was taken 
 by the arbitrator in full, in both cases, and in the 
 latter concluded in the evening, when upon retiring 
 from the "long room" in Cady's Tavern, where the 
 trial was had, Squire Morse touched Mr Hussey upon 
 the shoulder and innocently inquired: ''Hussey, 
 Oh-Ah-what became of that hoss f 
 
 It is said that Mr. Morse once asked the following 
 question: "Mr. Crippen, what is it worth by the 
 hundred to saw lumber, where you saw at the 
 halves r' 
 
 Scene in Court. Justice Morse presiding. 
 
 Court. — Mr. Stocking, what is David ChurchelFs 
 given name ? 
 
 Mr. Stocking. — David Churchell, you old fool you. 
 
 Court. — No contempt of court, Mr. Stocking, no 
 contempt of court. 
 
 Mr. Stocking. — Oh, no, course not, you old fool 
 you.- 
 
 Squire Morse upon one occasion decided a case 
 which was before him, adversely to John Keeler, one 
 of the parties, who never forgave him, and endeavor- 
 
256 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 ed to liarrass and ridicule liim wlienever opportunity 
 offered. Mr, Morse was one day holding Court, the 
 room being filled as usual with attendants, among 
 whom was Mr. Keeler, pretty "blue," who at inter- 
 vals ejaculated, directing his remarks to the Court, 
 "You old pumpkin head." After several such in- 
 terruptions, "the Court knew herself," and told 
 Mr, Keeler squarely that the Court would commit 
 him. Keeler becoming frightened, duly apologised, 
 meanwhile edging along to the door, upon reaching 
 which, he darted out, exclaiming, ' ' Well you are 
 an old pumpkin head anyhow," and went on his 
 way rejoicing, believing himself beyond the juris- 
 diction of the Court. 
 
 Another story is told of the early experiences of 
 the Squire. Immediately after he received his ap- 
 pointment and before he had sworn in, lie had some 
 doubts as to his competency especially in perform- 
 ing the marriage ceremony, which devolved very 
 often upon the magistrate, in the absence of local 
 preachers. Therefore to test his own capabilities 
 in that line, he w^ent out into the grove near his 
 house for practice. After going out alone several 
 times, he invited his wife to go along and witness 
 the ceremony. Upon arriving at the chosen place, 
 where were two young trees standing close together, 
 he began: "Mr. Hickory and Miss Whitewood 
 join hands. Mr. Hickory you take Miss Whitewood 
 as your wife do you ?" Answer (sotto voice by the 
 Squire,) " I do." "Miss Whitewood do you do the 
 same by Mr. Hickory?" Answer by the Squire, " I 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOR.VVIA. 257 
 
 do."' ''Tlieii ill the name of Squire Mor^e, Justice 
 of tlie Peace of the County of Cayuga, I call you man 
 and wife, according to the Constitution of the United 
 States. Mrs. Morse would jou qualify ^" 
 
 Jerry Sabins used to claim that he overheard this 
 marriage ceremony, as he was returning home 
 througli the grove, but it was conjectured that the 
 whole tiling was a fiction, but he told the story so 
 often in the presence of the Squire that finally when 
 Jerry ))_(^gan the story the Squire would immediately 
 ask him, '•'what he would have to drinks'" which 
 had the effect to direct the attention of Jerry to the 
 more int<>resting matter, and the stoiy would be left 
 untold. 
 
 In 1838, when the Town of Sem2)ronius was divi- 
 ded, John Rooks, Mathias Lane, George H, Brink- 
 v'l'hoof and Ebeiiezer Smitli were acting Justices. 
 At the first Town jMeeting held for the Tow^i of Mo- 
 ravia, ballots w^ere cast for Justices of tlie Peace 
 W'hich resulted as follows : 
 
 William YanOrder, 204 ; Andrew^ Dibble, 203 ; 
 Jonathan Hussey, 174 ; Le6nard O. Aiken, 133 ; 
 Thomas Morey, 109; Thomas Hill, lOo. The first 
 three named being elected. 
 
 Justices were elected thereafter as follows : 
 1834 — Beriah Curtis. 1835— Samuel E. Day. 
 
 1836— Ebenezer Smith. 1837— William VanOi'der. 
 1838— Beriah Curtis. 1839— Samuel E. Day. 
 
 1840— Rufus W. Close. 184L— William A^anOrder. 
 1842— Wm. B. Stoddard. 1843— Samuel E. Day. 
 1844— Walter W. Sabin, Rufus W. Close. 
 
258' HISTORICAL SKETCHES OT iWKAYIA. 
 
 1845— Walter W. Sabin. 1846— Daniel M. Brr/WK, 
 
 1847— Samnel E. Day. 1&48— Willxam H. Price'- 
 
 1M9— Franklin Goodrich. 1850— Alfred Lester. 
 
 1851— Thomab^ Loomis. 1852— William H. Price. 
 
 1853— Franklin Goodrich, Silas D. Taber. 
 
 1854— Alfred Lester, Samnel E. Day. 
 
 1855 — Bradford Shirley . 1856— Jeremiah Mellen, 
 
 1857— Samnel E. Day. 1858— John L, Parker. 
 
 1859— D wight Lee. 
 
 1860— Teriy Everson, Alfred Lester. 
 
 1861— John M. Stoddard. 
 
 1862— John L. Parker, 1863— Alfred Lester. 
 
 1864 — Terry Everson. 
 
 1865— Charles E. Parker, John M. Stoddard. 
 
 1866— John L, Parker. 
 
 1867— William Wade, Loyall StoyelL 
 
 1868 — Lauren Townsend. 
 
 1869— James A. Weight, Seth R. Webb. 
 
 1870— Lorenzo D. Sayles. 1871- Rowland D. Wade. 
 
 1872— Seth R. Webb. 1873— Franklin Goodrich. 
 
 Samuel E. Day held the office for nineteen years. 
 He became perfectly familiar with the practice and 
 jurisdictional questions of this Court, presided with 
 dignity and firmness, and made his decisions with 
 fairness, and in accordance with his own views of 
 what was right and just upon the testimony in the 
 case before him. He held that the law was founded 
 on common sense, and acted accordingly, and but 
 few appeals to a higher Court were taken from his 
 decisions. 
 
 William Van Order held the office for twelve years. 
 
HISTORrCAL SKETCHES 'OF MORAVIA.. 25'9 
 
 Alfred Lester eleven, and John L. Parker for twelve 
 years. Several of the others were elected for two 
 terms. While the town has not in all cases el-ected 
 its most capable men to this office, by reason of the 
 unavailability of sucli, or tlieir unwillingness to ac- 
 cept office, or strength of party ties, or personal pre- 
 judice, yet it has been as fairlj^ represented in this 
 ])articnlar, as in other town offices, in the gift of the 
 people, 
 
 THE BAli^LEONAIlD O, AIKEN, 
 
 Mr, ^\ iken was born at Antrim, New Hampshire, 
 September 5th, 1805. His parents moved to the 
 town of Locke in 1806. After receiving other educa- 
 tion, lie studied law one year with Jonathan Hussey, 
 and afterward entered the law office of Judge Reed, 
 in Homer, N. Y. He was admitted to practic^e in 
 the Court of Common Pleas in 1828, and shortly 
 thereafter to the Supreme Court at a General Term 
 held at Utica. Of those admitted at that time with 
 Mr, Aiken, were Henry R. Selden and Preston King. 
 His first law partner was Judge Reed, of Homer, 
 N. Y., with whom he established an office at that 
 I)lace, and where he had his first case in 1830, which 
 is reported in 5th Wendall, he appearing for the de- 
 fendant, and Freeborn G. Jewett, of Skaneateles, for 
 the plaintiff. Judgment was entered for the plain- 
 tiff, and notice of the taxation of costs at Utica, serv- 
 ed upon defendant's attorney. Upon the day no- 
 ticed for the taxation, the defendant who was sued 
 as administrator, by his attorney, claimed tliat he 
 was not liable for costs. The Clerk so held and de- 
 
2G'0 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 clined to tax them, whereupon a motion was made 
 by the plaintiffs attorney for a rule or order direct- 
 ing the Clerk to tax his costs. The only point upon 
 the argument of the motion was whether the de- 
 fendant as administrator was liable for the plaintiffs 
 costs. After an elaborate discussion by counsel the 
 Court held "that as it did not appear that the claim 
 upon which the action was brought, was presented 
 for payment six months after the notice of the ad- 
 ministrator requiring all persons having claims 
 against the deceased to present them, and that the 
 payment of such claim was unreasonably neglected 
 or refused, or that defendant refused to refer his 
 claim, the plaintiff was not entitled to recover his 
 costs in the action.'' 
 
 Mr. Aiken first came to Moravia in August, 1831, 
 and commenced business alone, but afterward form- 
 ed a co-partnership with a grandson 
 of Judge Wood. He was also a partner with N. T. 
 Stephens, (who studied law" with him) until the lat- 
 ter went to California in 1850. After this S. Edwin 
 Day entered his office as a student, and upon being 
 admitted to practice, formed a co-partnership with 
 him, which continued until 1869. 
 
 E. M. Ellis was also wdtli him for nearly two years 
 thereafter. Several other young men in addition to 
 the above named, have studied law in his office, to 
 wit : George Cutler, who is now practicing in Penn- 
 sylvania ; Mr. Branch, in Michigan ; Samuel Alcox, 
 in Wisconsin ; Clinton Fitch, who removed to the 
 West, and has since died. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 261 
 
 When Mr. Aiken iirst commenced business in Mo- 
 ravia, Jonathan Hussey Avas the leading lawyer in 
 this part of the country, but he soon became incapa- 
 citated for business and Mr. Aiken was for several 
 years the only lawyer in town. His opponents in 
 those days were generally Seward and Beardsley, 
 and John I. Porter, of Auburn, and Jewett and San- 
 ford of Skaneateles, all of whom canie to Moravia to 
 try causes. Fj'om 1842 to 1846, Jared Smith, a law- 
 yer of iin(^ legal ability, was a resident of this town. 
 He died" during the latter year. 
 
 In 1835 an action was brought in Supreme Court 
 by one Samuel Baker as Administrator, &c., of Da- 
 vid Bradley deceased, against "The Owl Creek Com- 
 pany," composed of Elias Rogers, Jonathan Hus- 
 sey, Isaac Wood and Christopher Morgan. 
 
 The action was brought to set aside a Sheriff's 
 Deed of premises bid off by the defendants several 
 years previous, on the ground of fraud in the sale. 
 The premises in question consisted of about 300 
 acres, situate in East Lansing, Tompkins County, 
 N. Y. The plaintiffs attorney was Benjamin John- 
 son. Jonathan Hussey appearing as the attorney 
 for the defendants, with Mr. Aiken and David 
 Woodcock as counsel . A large amount of testimony 
 was taken in the case before an Examiner in Chan- 
 cery, at the liotel in East Lansing. The parties and 
 their counsel occupied a week at that place taking 
 testimony. During the examination of the widow 
 of David Beardsley, deceased, and while she was 
 giving a history of all the proceedings at the time of 
 32 " 
 
262 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 the Sheriffs' Sale of the premises, Isaac Wood, liad 
 been sitting in his chair apjiarentl}^ sound asleep. 
 As she concluded her statement tli(^ plaintiffs attor- 
 ney remarked, "Just twenty years since this tragedy 
 was enacted." At that moment Mr. Wood awoke 
 with a grunt, exclaiming, "Yes, just twenty years 
 between the tragedy and tlu' farce." 
 
 This case was argued at Binghamton, !N. Y., be- 
 fore Judge Monell, by Uon. John Collyer, for de- 
 fendants, and a decision rendej-ed in their favor. 
 
 Soon afterward an action was ])rouglit *liy "The 
 Bank of Ithaca" against Gilbert Honeywell, to set 
 aside a Sheriff's Deed of premises, x^m-chased by Mr. 
 Honeyw^ell, of about 200 acres lying south of Sum- 
 merhill Village. The attorneys for plaintiff were 
 Messrs. Bruyn & Dana, of Ithaca, and Mr. Aiken and 
 and John I. Porter, of Auburn, were retained for 
 the defendant. Tlie testimony in this case was 
 taken before Thomas Y. How, Esq., of Auburn, at 
 Barber's Tavern in Summerhill. This examination 
 lasted for several days. Mr. Brujn was a very ner- 
 vous, but gentlemanly man, and as they were busi- 
 ly engaged one evening upon this examination, bj;^ 
 the aid of tallow candles, which at their best threw 
 but little light upon the transactions in question, 
 Mr. Bruyn suddenly jumped up, looked under the 
 table upon which they were writing, remarking 
 "that a dog (which had been quietly resting him- 
 self unmindful of laws or lawyers) had bitten his 
 toe." The dog was accordingly turned out of doors 
 without a hearing, and the suit went on for lialf an 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 263 
 
 lioui", wlicii again Mr. Bniyn jumped up as before 
 
 and looked under the ta])le «^xelainiing, "d n 
 
 that dog, lie has bitten me again." The poor dog 
 lioweviM', was half a mile away at his home, beside 
 the fii'e-plaee, enjoying the sweet and nndisturbed 
 repose of innocence, which comes only to dogs of 
 good moral chai-acters, and who are worthy of con- 
 lid(^nce in any Court of Justice. 
 
 The suit in question was never finished, for after 
 a weeks experience at litigation in Summerhill, all 
 parties wei'e satisfied, and compromised. 
 
 Mr. Aiken Avas also the attorney for the plaintiff 
 in an action in Supreme Court in which AVni. Keeler 
 was ])laintiff and Dudlej'^ Loomis defendant, concern- 
 ing the right to the use of the water of Mill Creek ; 
 George Rathbun, Esq., was counsel with Mr. Aiken 
 for plaintiff, B. J). Noxen, of Syracuse, was counsel 
 with Paris (t. Clark, the defendant's attorney. A 
 large amount of testimonj^ was taken in the case, be- 
 fore Judge May]iai'd The case was linally settled 
 without ariiving at any decision of tlie legal points 
 involved. 
 
 Mr. Aiken s practice has been to a great extent 
 connected with i-eal propert}^ in this and adjoining 
 towns. V^ery many of the ftirms were held V)}- de- 
 fective titles, or merely hy possession, and hence 
 many litigations arose conceriiing them, which in 
 volved intricate and interesting questions of lav,' and 
 arduous labor. He has l)een in pi-actice in this town 
 for forty-three yeai's, duiing which time he has ol)- 
 tained a fail* comjx'tence, and lu^ld seveial oflices of 
 trust. His old associates are nearly all gone. 
 
2G4 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 JOII^X L. PAllKEK. 
 
 Mr. Parker was boiii March 25tli, 1825, received 
 liis education chielly at the Moravia Institute, read 
 law in the office of Jared M. Smith,, a practitioner 
 in this town, and after his removal, with L. O. 
 Aiken, Esq., and was admitted to the Bar on July 
 4th, 1848, and has continued in practice since that 
 date. He held the office ol Justice of the Peace 
 for twelve years, was appointed Superintendent of 
 Common Schools, for the years 1851 and 1852, was 
 elected President of the Village in 1870. In 1863 he 
 received the appointment of Engrossing Clerk in the 
 Assembly, wiiich office he also held the following 
 year. He was Member of Assembl}' in 1865 and 
 1866, was appointed Agent of Unit(^d States Pension 
 Department of the Special Service Division, in 1873, 
 which office he still holds. In politics he is a Re- 
 publicap. 
 
 S. EUWIN DAY. 
 
 Mr. Day was born in this town, January 20tli, 
 1840 ; was educated at the Moravia Institute, studied 
 the law in the office of L. O. Aiktn, Esq., and was 
 admitted to practice at Auburn, on June 6th, 1861. 
 He soon w^ent into the office of Mr. Aiken, and after- 
 ward formed a co-partnership with him, which con- 
 tinued until 1869, since which time Mr. Day has 
 been in practice alone. He has held the office of 
 Supervisor for the years 1869, 1872 and 1873, running 
 largely ahead of his ticket, which was otherwise 
 generally defeated. He was elected President of the 
 Village in 1868. Politically he is a Democrat and 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 265 
 
 received the nomination of liis party for District At- 
 torney of tliis comity in 1868. 
 
 ROWLAND D. WADE. 
 
 Mr. Wade was born Feb. 21st, 1840, and graduated 
 at tlie Moravia Institute. He entered tlie Army and 
 remained in service until July 22d, 1862, and upon 
 his i-eturn home, commenced the study of law witli 
 John T. Pingree, Esq., of Auburn, oS^. Y. He was 
 admitted to tlie Bar at Rochester, jN". Y., on June 
 7th, 1S67. In 1868 he formed a co-partnership with 
 E. E. Brown, Esq., wJiicli continued until the re- 
 moval of Mr. Brown to Nebraska, in 1S69. Altliouo-h 
 a Democrat, lie was elected Justice of the Peace in 
 1871, being the only candidate who was elected, up- 
 on his ticket. 
 
 Wl]N^G 'J'. PAIJKEK. 
 
 The above named is the son of John L. Parker, 
 and was born December 13th, 1849. He also receiv- 
 ed his education at the Moravia Institute. * He stud- 
 ied law with his father, and was admitted to the Bar 
 at Buffalo, N. Y., on June 9th, 1871. He afterward 
 engaged in business for a year witli L. O. Aiken, 
 Esq. Since which time lie has formed a co-partner- 
 sliip with his father, under the firm name of J. L. & 
 W. T. Parker. He is a Re2)ublican. 
 
 MORTIMEE y. AUSTIN. 
 
 He was educated in Moravia, and commenced 
 reading law in the office of E. E. Brown, in I860. He 
 removed to Auburn in Sei)teinber, 1867, and entered 
 the law office of Messrs. Cox & Avery, and was ad- 
 mitted to the Bar at Rochester, N. Y., in June, 1868. 
 
266 IIISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 He remained in the offi(X^ of Messrs. Cox & Avery as 
 chief clerk nntil 1869, when he opened an office and 
 commenced business for himself. He was admitted 
 to practice in the United States District Court, at 
 Buffalo, in August, 1878. 
 
 ERASTUS E. EROW]Sr. 
 
 He studied law in the office of Messrs, Wright & 
 Pomeroy, in Auburn, IN". Y. Was admitted to the 
 Bar, and came to Moravia in 1861, where he com- 
 menced the practice of law, in which he continued 
 until 1868, when he formed a co-partnership with 
 R. D. Wade, which was dissolved by the removal 
 of Mr. Brown in 1869 to Nebraska City, of which he 
 has since been elected Mayor, and which office he 
 still holds. 
 
 HULL GREENFIELD, 
 
 The above named was educated at Moravia Insti- 
 tute, studied law^ with S. Edwin Day, and was ad- 
 mitted to practice at Syracuse in November, 1871. 
 Soon after this he removed to the City of New York 
 where he obtained a position as clerk with the well- 
 known law firm of Weed & Parsons, Avhere he still 
 remains. 
 
 JAMES A. WRICJHT. 
 
 He was born May 4th, 1838 ; was educated at the 
 Moravia Institute ; studied law with E. E. Brown, 
 Esq., and afterward with Wright & Waters, of Cort- 
 land, N, Y. Was admitted to the practice of law 
 at Binghamton, N. Y., June 6th, 1864; removed to 
 Waverly, N. Y., where he remained until April, 
 1868, when he returned to Moravia, and formed a 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 2(17 
 
 €o-partner.sliip with J. L. Parker, Esq., which con- 
 tinued until 1870, since which time he has been in 
 practice aknie. He lias hekl the office of Justice of 
 the Peace since 1870. Politically he is a Republi- 
 can. 
 
 The lirst lawyer of any notoriety in this town was 
 Jonathan Husse}'. The writer however has not been 
 able to olxtain sufficient facts concerning him for a 
 ]uogra])hy. It is said that he had a very large and 
 lucrative ]U'actice, connected with the titles of real 
 estate in Southern Cayuga. He built the stone man- 
 sion on Main Street, and owned a large tract of val- 
 uable land at th<^ time of his becoming irrational. — 
 He relied, w^e are informed, more upon the opinion 
 of other lawyers than upon his own in difficult cases, 
 but was a careful manager, and quite successful. 
 
 Nelson T. Stephens was also a well-known la W3'er 
 of this town for several years prior to 1862, wdien 
 he ent(^red tlie Army as Captain. He was a man of 
 acknowledged legal ability and ranked with the best 
 lawyers of Cayuga County. 
 
 COLLEC^E C4RADUATES. 
 
 Of the young men who have graduated at College, 
 and who had previously graduated at the Moravia 
 Institute, are the following named : 
 
 Andrew D. White, Yale College. 
 
 Leonidas Dibble, " 
 
 Robert T. Mitchell, 
 
 Julius Townsend, Hobart College. 
 
 Smith Townsend, " " 
 
 Frank D. Wright, Union College. 
 
268 HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 George Dunbar. 
 
 William Sntphen. 
 
 George L. Wright, Yale College. 
 
 Fay Royce. 
 
 Thomas Bell, Hobart College. 
 
 Aaron Phelps. 
 
 In addition to the above who graduated at the In- 
 stitute, and entered the professions, are the follow- 
 ing : 
 
 Lawyers. — John L. Parker, Adolphus E. Hughitt, 
 S. Edwin Day, Rowland D. Wade, Wing T. Parkei-, 
 James A.Wright, Hull Greenfield, William Slade, Jr. 
 
 Physicians. — Arthur B. Aiken, Harmon Royce, 
 Rollin Goodell, William Bennett. 
 
 Clergymen. — John G. Webster, Manson Brokaw. 
 
 In addition to the names of the teachers of Union 
 Free School, given in Chapter XIX, we notice" the 
 following : Prof. Charles A. Rowndy, Principal, for- 
 merly of Syracuse, where he had been successful in 
 conducting an Academy for the past eighteen years, 
 he assumed the position vacated by Mr. Curtis, and 
 has proved himself a very competent teacher. His 
 assistants have been Miss E. Bertha Smith, Miss 
 Adele Cuykendall, Miss Carrie Freese, Miss Adell 
 Rowndy. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Business Directory ^SouTiiERisr Central Rail 
 Road — Town Valuation and Population. 
 
 The following list of business men and tlieir places 
 of business may be interesting in the future as a 
 matter of reference : 
 
 Attorneys. — Leonard O. Aiken, John L. Parker, 
 S. Edwin bay, Rowland D. Wade, Wing T. Parker, 
 James A. Wright, Main Street. 
 
 Physicians. — Cyrus Powers, Elias A. Mead, Au- 
 rora Street ; Arthur B. Aiken, Congress Street ; W. 
 W. Alley, Wm. Cox, Main Street. 
 
 Dentists. — Edward A. Huntington & William Cut- 
 ler, Main Street. 
 
 Hotels. — Milton Goodrich, Main Street, Cliarles 
 Shinier, Main Street. 
 
 Merchants. — Everson & Tuthill, G. Jewett & Sons, 
 Jennings & Parker, Wm. I). Bennett. 
 
 Gocernmeiit Offlcers.—-E. A. Mead, Post Master, 
 Main Street; John B. Strong, Assessor; David Wade, 
 Assistant Assessor. 
 
 Book f^tore. — L. M. Townsend, Main Street. 
 
 f^aJoons.—'R. A. Walden, James Wolsey, Main 
 Street ; James Wallace, Mill Street. 
 
 Flowing Mills.— M. C. Selover & Co., Cayuga 
 ' 83 
 
270 HISTOEICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 Street ; Alley & Cuykenclall, Mill Street ; Oiis G. 
 Parker, Montville. 
 
 Tanneries. — G. F. More}'. 
 
 Marble Works.— E.. Baker, Main Street 
 
 Meat Market. —QwHqy & Smitli, Main Street. 
 
 Lumber, Coal, &c. — Titus & Foster, Parker & 
 Nostrandt. 
 
 Sewing Machuies. — Wm. \Vestfal], James M. 
 French. 
 
 Jemellers. — Charles Ball, M. Downing, Main St. 
 
 Plaining Mills.—,]. & H. McCredie, Main Street ; 
 Wm. Selover & Co., Levi White, Montville. 
 
 Baker?/. — Christian Rhamb, Mill Street. 
 
 Furniture. — Wm. Waklen, Geo. Furguson, Main 
 Street. 
 
 Butter and Produce. — Daniel Butler, M. L. Wil- 
 liams, P. D. Livingston. 
 
 First National Bank.—R. 11. Tuthill, President ; 
 Leander Fitts, Cashier, Main Street. 
 
 Printing. — M. E. Kenyon, Moravia Valley Regis- 
 ter ; Uri Mulford, Moravia News, Main Street. 
 
 Hardware. — Hale & Greenfield, Small & Jennings, 
 Main Street. 
 
 Clothing.— M. P. Collins & Son, Benjamin Alley, 
 Thomas Green, Rnfiis W. Close, Main Street. 
 
 Grocers. — Alexander Colony, M. L. Everson, D. 
 Hall, Main Street. 
 
 Harness. — L. D. Sayles, Defendorf & Foote, Main 
 Street. 
 
 Carriage SJiojys. — W. G. Wolsey, Main Street ; 
 H. P. Parker, Mill Street ; S. L. Tice, Anrora, 
 Street. 
 
niSTOllICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 271 
 
 Boots and >^//ors. — B. J. Liimbard, J. D. Clark, 
 Andrew Perry, Win. Glover, M. Downing, A. Good- 
 ell, Main Street. 
 
 Daguerreian Hall.—T. T. Tiithill, Main Street. 
 
 BricJt, Lime and Tile.— A. B. Caldwell. 
 
 Barhers.^'Rewvj Paul, Earl Blakely, Main Street. 
 
 Coopers, — A. Lansing, W. Peck, Aurora Street ; 
 Daniel Lilly, James White, Montville. 
 
 Foundry.—^. & D, McCredie. 
 
 Sato Mills. — Wm. Selover & Co., Josliua Eose- 
 <']'ans, Smith M. Howen, Ezra Baker. 
 
 Woolen Factory. — J. Mellen k. Son, Montville. 
 
 BlacTismiths. — Jolm McGeer, Aurora Street ; R. 
 T. ]VreGeer, Mill Street ; H. P. Parker, Mill Street, 
 Chas. Brigden, Aurora Street ; W. G. Wolsey, Main 
 Street ; E. Lacy, Aurora Street. 
 
 Lirery. — VanEtten & Chi tier, John Signor, Main 
 Street. 
 
 Moriar.—Ri^mj Fox, Mil] Street. 
 
 In addition to the above, there are the following 
 named estal)lishments conducted very successfully 
 by ladies : 
 
 Millinery.— Mm. H. M. VanEtten, Mrs. P. 1). Liv- 
 ingston. 
 
 i);v.s'.v J/^/Zr/.v— Miss Susan 1^'oster, Mrs. G. R. 
 Huff, Main Street ; Miss Adelia Bartlett, Cayuga 
 Street. 
 
 SOUTHERN CENTRAL KAILKOAD. 
 
 Moravia Village was for many years after its lirst 
 settlement a very inaccessible point to reach save in 
 a southerly direction, but as the vsurrounding country 
 
272 HISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF 3I0KAV1A. 
 
 became more settled, additional roads were surveyed 
 and built, and access made more pleasant and com- 
 fortable. A public conveyance, in other words, "a 
 stage,"" was put upon the road, and made weekh- 
 and thereafter tri-w^eekly trips from Auburn to Skan- 
 eateles and Ithaca, via of this Village. Then came 
 another change, from Auburn to Cortland with 
 " coach and four " via Owasco, Dutch Hollow, Mi- 
 lan and Summerhill, clianging teams and drivers at 
 Moravia. The driver of ''ye olden times" was an 
 illustrious character ; not only wiis he invested with 
 the authority of the Government, which thougli 
 sometimes brief, was none tlie less potent, but he 
 was the general news monger of the day ; no need to 
 peruse the official organs, or locid items which were 
 enclosed within the sheep skin receptacle tuck- 
 ed away with care beneath the seat, with double 
 padlock, and glaring letters U. 8. M. portentious of 
 untold importance. He knew and was not slow to 
 relate all matters of importance, at every station on 
 his route ; and his ready inventive imagination never 
 failed to supply any deficiency, when there was a 
 dearth of actual facts, and he never failed to find 
 ready and anxious listeners, and believers, as there 
 always have been, and doubtless will be, in the 
 marvelous and the supernatural. The driver's horn 
 announcing the approach of this very important 
 branch of the Government service, was the signal 
 for suspension of all other horns, until the passen- 
 gers were duly looked over or unloaded, when the 
 driver was ushered in to partake, if in winter, of 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 273 
 
 somotliiiig "warmin," and if in summer, of some- 
 tliing " coolin' " to wit : rum and molasses, at 1)otli 
 seasons. But stages have liad tlieir day ; the coach 
 and four no kmger runs the "Hollow Road.'' The 
 drivers and tlieir horns have ceased to blow. Ser- 
 viceable in their time, but none would hav(^ thei]- 
 days of service lengthened. 
 
 The Auburn and Moravia Plank Road opened a 
 new and direct route from Moravia to Auburn, be- 
 ing one of the nu)st beautiful and picturesque drives 
 in the county, alcmg the shores of tlie Ovrasco Lake, 
 for its ('Utii-e length. For several years this road 
 was maintained, and kt^pt in good re2)air. But the 
 plank wore out, by incessant travel over them. Stone 
 and gravel were substituted, but these in turn were 
 ground to powder. Extensive repairs were made, at 
 large outlays of money and materials. Expendi- 
 tures left small mai'gin for profits. To maintain the 
 road in good order would not pay ; less repairs were 
 made, the road became bad, and almost impassible ; 
 the people grumbled. Rates of transportation of 
 merchandise advanced, and general dissatisfaction 
 prevailed. But is it not darkest just before day ? 
 
 For many years people had hox)ed, almost against 
 hope, that at some time a Rail Road through the 
 Valley would connect the towns of the Southern Tier 
 with the City of Auburn. Adjoining towns were 
 almost equally anxious for a road whicli they could 
 reach by coining to Moravia. Meantime enterpris- 
 ing men had deliberated, engineered, and calculated 
 the costs, and as a most glorious result we have the 
 Southern Central Rail Road. 
 
274 IIISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 The population of the town i]i 1870 was 2109, and 
 of the village 1131. 
 
 Farming land is worth from $35 to $100 per acre, 
 according to location and improvements upon the 
 same. The farm of Thomas YanArsdale upon the 
 lake road is valued at $90 per acre ; that of Hiram 
 Hunt near Free Church, at $100 per acre ; the Law- 
 rence A^osburgh farm on East Hill, at $80 per acre ; 
 while the farms south of the village are held as high 
 as $100 to $125 per acre. While these are not over- 
 estimates for the farms named, the larger proportion 
 of farm lands will fall much below in value. 
 
 The total assessed valuation of real estate in the 
 town is $556,855. The town is bonded to aid the 
 construction of the Southern Central Rail Road for 
 $84,000, which is the total town debt. 
 
 The village is the natural business center for the 
 towns of Moravia, Locke, Summerhill, Sempronius, 
 \^enice, and portions of Genoa, Niles, and Scipio. — 
 Situated in one of the most beautiful valleys of Cen- 
 tral New^ York, with natural scenery unsurpassed 
 in the State, with excellent churches, and schools 
 and easy of access, it must be conceded that Mora- 
 via is destined to become a place of no iiiconsider- 
 able importance. Its wealth and population are 
 steadily increasing ; enterprising business men are 
 here fixing "a habitation and a name." 
 
 Public institutions which tend to elevate the 
 morals of community are well patronized, and liber- 
 ally sustained. Liberality in any community is a 
 mark of healthy and prosperous growth. Moravia 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MOllxVVIA. 275 
 
 a few years since, seemed encrusted witli a class of 
 tolerably wealtliy, I)nt selfish, penurious and narrow 
 minded citizens, an element sufficient in itself to 
 stunt tlie groAvtli of any town, and prostrate all its 
 business interests. CluircUes were but grudgingly 
 supported in a clieap way ; schools and school liouses 
 shocked the feelings of eyery passer by, and were 
 but guide boards which pointed too truthfully the 
 course ^ye were pui'suing, while other public affairs 
 were in the same unfavorable and dilapidated state. 
 It is not pleasant to refer to tliose times, save for the 
 encouraging conti-ast vrhich is now presented. 
 
 Old tilings are passed away, and all things are be- 
 come new. An important era in our history has 
 commenced. Let by-gones be by-gones. Let ani- 
 mosity cease. Let petty quarrels, over more petty 
 objects, unfair dealings between neighbors, malice 
 and all ill-will be cast aside. And let us all strive in 
 unison to promote the general good, the best inter- 
 ests and prosperity of the town. It cannot be ex- 
 pected that all will think or act alike. Different by 
 nature and by education, warped by the circum- 
 stances in which we have been living, by peculiar 
 surroundings and inlluencd^s, it would be irrational 
 to expect, that in all the minutiae of business rela- 
 tions, and all the characteristics of social life, there 
 w^ould be perfect harmony, or oneness in opinion or 
 preferences. And it is a very easy matter to look 
 upon the peculiar traits of our neighbors, with criti- 
 cal and disapproving eye. Their faults are so glaring 
 to our fastidious taste that it is hardly possible to 
 
376 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 possess our souls with aii}^ degree of patience, as we 
 contemplate tliem. One possesses peculiar tempera- 
 ment and dis^iosition tlie very counterpart of tlie 
 amiable and self-sacrilicing Mrs, Caudle, another 
 forbearance (when forbearance ceases to be a virtue), 
 the humble submissive spirit of her husband. One 
 is a spendthrift, another miserly. Some dress too 
 richly ; others outlandishly. All in our opini(^n, 
 biased and warped associations, have some peculiar 
 faults, which we ourselves do not possess. 
 
 So apt are we to act the part of the unjust Judge. 
 This may be illustrated by an incident in the his- 
 tory of a lady who was continually finding fault with 
 other j^eojjle. 'No matter how many r/ood qualities 
 a person possessed, they were hidden from view by 
 this woman whose chief delight seemed to consist in 
 dwelling upon the errors of others. Upon one occa- 
 sion the character of a certain well known lady was 
 being discussed by a circle of her acquaintances, a 
 majority of whom decided that she was the most 
 perfect of any lady they ever knew ; of amiable dis- 
 l^osition, kind to the poor, tender hearted and for- 
 giving, possessing all the womanly virtues, in fact 
 they could not remember a single fault ; but this 
 faultfinding woman, from long and careful atten- 
 tion to others faults, thinking she had discovered an 
 imperfection even though of the smallest kind, and 
 unwilling that any one should pass from her hands 
 spotless, remarked : "Well, she is a very good wo- 
 man, hut I do think she is very absent minded.'''' 
 
 How different appears the character of the old 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 277 
 
 lady wlio had a good word for emry one, and who 
 when informed of the death of a notoriously bad 
 man, whose life had been one continuous round of 
 wickedness, unwilling to speak of his frailties but 
 wishing in the kindness of her heart to say something 
 in his favor, remarked : " Well, he loas a very sirnj 
 
 Oh, how noble thus to throw around the character 
 of even the most erring, the broad mantle of charity, 
 shrouding from the gaze of the inquisitive and un- 
 feeling the weaknesses which are a part and parcel 
 of each ones daily life. Solon's well known motto, 
 "Know thyself," was written in golden characters 
 over the door of Apollo's Temple ; let it be written 
 in living (diaracters upon our hearts, that with a 
 knowledge of our own frailties we may be mindful 
 of those of others, knowing that ux', all are fallible. 
 Let us l)e charitable, while differing honestly in 
 opinions, having respect for the opinions of others. 
 
 The business in which we are each engaged should 
 be conducted to tlie injury of none, and for the good 
 of all. Political affairs should be so controUed that 
 the greatest good to the greatest number should be 
 obtained. Local quarrels, insignificant in the object, 
 Init often productive of great mischief and discord 
 in the attainment, should be abandoned as a disgrace 
 to society, and as relics of barl)arisni, whicli tend to 
 hinder and obstruct the progress of reformation. 
 
 A house divided against itself cannot stand. The 
 interest of one party or faction, is the interest of the 
 whole town. All receive injury from tl) e in iscondu ct 
 34 
 
378 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 of any. So all are benefited by tlie reformation, or 
 by the high morality of a portion of commnnity. If 
 one member suffers, all suffer. And in the improve- 
 ment of one, all are imjjroved. 
 
 But a few days, or years, and we all step off the 
 stage of action, having acted our parts. We make 
 our own records, and are responsible, each for him- 
 self. Let those records be worthy of the j)rivileges 
 which we enjo}", and the times in which we live. 
 Let us be united, and endeavor to build up our town 
 upon a broad, liberal, moral, and intelligent basis, 
 and upon the principles of brotherly love and esteem. 
 Let us 
 
 " Be just and fear not, 
 
 And may all the ends we aim at 
 
 Be our Country's, God's, and Truth's." 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 LEGEND OF INDIAN HILL. 
 [According to tradition, the Owasco Lake once covered that por- 
 tion of the valley known as the "Flats," and including the present 
 site of Moravia Village.] 
 
 On the shores of the Owasco, 
 On its Eastern shore and Western, 
 Dwelt the Irroquois in safety, 
 Sovereign of the land and water. 
 Roaming through the field and forest, 
 In the freedom of his nature, 
 For the centuries unnumbered 
 Up and down these rugged hillsides. 
 Drinking of these flowing brooklets, 
 Sleeping neath these giant oak trees ; 
 In these fields around our homesteads, 
 Once their bark huts nestled closely 
 And their Villages were scattered 
 Here and there throughout the country. 
 
 On this hillside dwelt Cayugas 
 Of the Irroquois the foremost. 
 With their chieftan On-ten-e-ga, 
 Now bowed down, old and decrepit 
 In his wigwam, lived his daughter, 
 La-wa-ne-ta, fairest maiden 
 Of the daughters of Cayuga, 
 Well beloved by all the nation, 
 Most beloved by Me-na-ah-tha, 
 Their young chief, who in life's vigor, 
 
280 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA,. 
 
 By the will of On-ten-e-ga, 
 All the reins of State assuming, 
 All its heavier burdens bearing, 
 Guided by the riper counsel, 
 And the wisdom of his senior. 
 
 Thus the years in peace and plenty 
 Passing lightly o'er this people, 
 But increased their strength and numbers. 
 Fitted them to meet the future. 
 
 Ah ! who to-day can tell what sorrow 
 May await them on the morrow, 
 The past and present no sign giving, 
 Or aught of future things revealing. 
 
 Unheralded there came a time 
 Which involved the entire nation 
 In a war of self protection ; 
 Bloody, cruel, yet victorious, 
 But at cost of valiant warriors, 
 Ranking high among Cayugas. 
 From the Westward swift advancing 
 Came the Al-le-ghans their foemen. 
 Subtle, fleet of foot in warfare. 
 Striking quickly and returning. 
 But without the valiant spirit. 
 And the dreadful furious valor, 
 Which the Irroquois possessing. 
 With their craftiness and wisdom, 
 Made them terrible in battle, 
 All their deep felt wounds revenging. 
 
 Then began a fearful warfare, 
 Waging years without cessation, 
 Alleghans without succeeding, 
 Irroquois were yet unconquered. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 Then forsaking all their wigwams, 
 
 Leaving them to care of women, 
 
 And combining all their forces. 
 
 The Cayuga's and Oneida's, 
 
 Seneca's and On-on da-gas, 
 
 Mohawk's and the Tus ca-ro-ras. 
 
 Roused to fury, all uniting. 
 
 With renewed and deadly onslaught, 
 
 Forced their foes from out their strongholds. 
 
 Swept them from within their borders. 
 
 But while victory crowned their armies, 
 And the enemy retreated 
 From before them to the Westward, 
 Near the homes of the Cayugas, 
 Near their camp, along the Was-kough, 
 In their absence unprotected. 
 Stealthily and quick in movement, 
 Came an Al-le-ghan in sUence, 
 Through the dense and darkened forest, 
 Spying out where dwelt the maiden, 
 Plighted long to ]SIe-na-ah-tha, 
 Then as silently departed. 
 
 In his heart revenge was rankling. 
 
 Bitter, deep, and full of hatred. 
 
 For the chief of the Cayugas 
 
 Who had fought and won their battles, 
 Who had met him, Wah-wah-no-kee, 
 Of the Westward, and in combat. 
 Oft' defeated all his forces, 
 Routed oft' his bravest warriors. 
 
 But again in haste returning. 
 Ere another sun was setting 
 Near the home of La-wa-ne-ta, 
 Near the path where oft' she wandered, 
 Hidden 'ueath the low pine shrubbery. 
 Watched tlie coming of his viclini. 
 85 
 
 281 
 
282 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 Ah I what shriek is that which soundings 
 To the Westward, o'er the waters, 
 To the Eastward, o'er the hill-tops. 
 Backward, forward, through the welkin. 
 Echoing like answering voices ; 
 'Tis the cry of La-wa-ne-ta, 
 La-wa-ne-ta, bound and struggling, 
 In the arms of Wah-wah-ne-ka, 
 Fiercelj^ clasped and hurried onward. 
 As she quickly scans the waters. 
 And the hillside to the Northward, 
 Where in evening twilight often 
 Neath the silent pines and hemlocks, 
 On the brow of Os-ke-o-la,* 
 La-wa-ne-ta and her chieftan. 
 Me-na-ah-tha strong and fearless. 
 Lingered, till the lengthening shadows. 
 Faded in the evening darkness. 
 While her heart in joyous lightness 
 Heeded naught but loves securenes. 
 
 Now a captive she is carried, 
 B}'- a foe of all her nation, 
 And into a boat cast helpless. 
 
 Out upon the placid Waskough,f 
 Shoots the fragile bark of birchwood, 
 Forced by arms rough ridged with sinews. 
 Cunning in the arts of boatcraft, 
 Laden with this mourning wild dove, 
 Parted from its mate thus ruthless, 
 While so near sat Wah-wah-no-kee. 
 Hated Al-le-ghan, and cruel. 
 Gloating o'er the trembling maiden, 
 From the camp of Me-na-ah-tha, 
 From the wigwam of her father, 
 On-ten-e-ga lone and aged. 
 
 *Os-ke-o-la, Indian name for Indian Hill. 
 tWagkough, Indian name for O-was-co. 
 
aiSTGRICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 283 
 
 .A.I1 ! Cayfigas on the war-path, 
 Spake tlie warrior, Wah-wah-no-kee, 
 Following the fleeting shadows, 
 .Leave the pride of Me-ua-ah-tha, 
 To the care of Al-le-ghans-es, 
 To the storm cloud of the westland. 
 Wah-wak-no-kee is a chieftan, 
 In his wigwam scalps be plenty, 
 As the deer upon the mountain ; 
 As the beavers in the river's 
 To their number Me-na-ah-thas, 
 The Cayugas shall be added. 
 While the fair eyed La-wa-ne-tah, 
 Is the bride of Wah-wah-no-kee. 
 
 Hark I from out among the pine trees, 
 From the banks of Os-ke-o-la, 
 Comes the shrill whoop of the nation, 
 Comes the loud ciy of the warriors, 
 Home returning, flushed with victory. 
 
 Quickly down the rugged hillside, 
 ■Sprang in hot haste the Caj'Ugas, 
 And across from Northern headland. 
 To the Southward, and the Westward, 
 All their boats in haste v.'ere flying, 
 For the rescue of the maiden, 
 For the blood of Wah-wah-no keo. 
 For the pride of the Cay-u-gas, 
 And their chieftan. Me-na-ah-tha. 
 Swiftly o'er the sparkling waters. 
 Sped the Al-lc-ghan retreating, 
 Swifter yet the boats pursuing, 
 And the shouts rang tierce and loudly, 
 As the foremost gathered nearer. 
 Hedging in all ways of 'scaping ; 
 While erect sat Wah-wah-no-koe, 
 ISTow his boasting changed to fur}', 
 
284 IIISTOKICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 
 
 And his glitering ej^es flashed vengeful, 
 As he turned them on the niaiden. 
 Bound and helpless in the boat's end^ 
 Then upon his belt of buckskhi, 
 From whence hung a glistening knife blade. 
 
 Then was heard the twang of bow stringy 
 And the whizzing of the arrows, 
 Tipped with limestone from the quarry. 
 Winged with feather from the eagle, 
 O'er the waters flying thickly, 
 Yet the Al-le-ghan unharming. 
 Till at last from out the quiver, 
 Me-ua-ah-tha drew an arrow. 
 Quickly to the south he pointed. 
 Drew the bow string to its utmost, 
 And from an unerring aiming. 
 Darted forth the deadly missile. 
 Pierced the side of Wah-wah-nokee, 
 Turning out a crimson streamlet. 
 
 From his seat, e'en with death battling". 
 To the bound and captured maiden. 
 Leaped he, and with last endeavor, 
 Pierced her breast, deep to the knife liilt^ 
 And with savage vengeance sated, 
 Joined the sjurits of his fathers. 
 
 While the dying La-wah-ne-tah, 
 
 Witli lier eyes fi.xed on her lover, 
 
 And her bound hands outstretched toward him 
 
 O'er the boatside, frail and shallow, 
 
 Sank amid fair Waskough's stillness, 
 
 Sank deep down amid tlie pebbles, 
 
 Mid the lake grass and the lillies, 
 
 From the sight of Me na-ah-tha, 
 
 Down into the deepest soundings. 
 
 And the birch boat drifting onward, 
 
 Left unmarked her place of resting, 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 285 
 
 And the darkness of tlie twilight, 
 Settled down o'er lake and valley, 
 But the darkness of death's shadow, 
 Chilled the heart of Me-na-ah-tha. 
 
 Shoreiward to the east returning, 
 To the hillsides where their wigwams, 
 'Mong the oak trees, nestled closily, 
 , Whence their camp-fires smoke ascended, 
 High above the topmost branches, 
 Came these grim and stoic warriors. 
 Came in silence to their comrades, 
 While their chieftain Me-na-ah tha, 
 To the pine crowned Os-ke-o-la, 
 Turned him in deep desolation, 
 And upon its lofty summit, 
 Laid him down in bitter anguish. 
 Prone upon his face in darkness, 
 Heeding not the damps of midnight, 
 Nor the chill winds from the nortlnvard, 
 For his heart was buried deeply. 
 In the depths of Waskough's waters. 
 Hours passed by — unbroken silence 
 Reigned o'er all the lake and forest. 
 When from out amid the darkness, 
 Spake the voice of Me-na-ah-tha. 
 
 Oh, Great Manito the mighty, 
 Ruler of the winds and waters. 
 Speaking in the clouds above us, 
 Walking in the depths beneath us. 
 Dwelling in the clearest sunlight. 
 Ever present in the darkness ; 
 In thy hands are all the rivers. 
 All the rivulets and fountains. 
 And the streams and flowing brooklets, 
 And the great lakes and the small ones ; 
 Oil, look down on Me ua-ah-tha. 
 Pitying his lone condition, 
 
 36 
 
286 HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA, 
 
 For his eyes are dim witli watching. 
 And his ears are pained with listening, 
 And his voice is faint with calling, 
 Yet no answering voice replies. 
 
 All his love too weak to rescue, 
 From the cold embrace of Waskoughf 
 La-wa-ne-tah dead and silent, 
 Out of sight and out of hearing. 
 
 Oh, behold the bitter sorrow. 
 
 Weighing down his soul in dai'kness. 
 
 Oh, Great Spirit stretch thine arm out. 
 
 And remove from out its boundaries. 
 
 All the waters of the Waskough, 
 
 From the southward to the northward. 
 
 Let the waters be as dry land. 
 
 And from out its deep recesses. 
 
 Free the spirit of the maiden. 
 
 Now within its depths imprisoned. 
 
 Give once more unto the Indian, 
 
 La-wa-ne-ta his beloved ; 
 
 Let him clasp her to his bosom, 
 
 Let his eyes again behold her, 
 
 Though in death — in death's pale shadow. 
 
 Oh, thou waters part asunder. 
 Oh, depart far to the northward, 
 Speed thee in thine onward coursing. 
 And from out thy deep, dark confines, 
 From among the grass and lillies. 
 Give him back poor La-wa-ne-tah, % 
 Ere his heart is dead within him. 
 
 Thus he spake in earnest pleading. 
 With his hands uplifted westward. 
 While his eyes looked iiito darkness, 
 Waiting silently and trembling. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OP MORAVIA. 28? 
 
 Thus in the hours silent watching, 
 Passed away, to him long lengthened. 
 And the clouds aboTe sped onward, 
 All the beauteous heavens unveiling, 
 Till the gray dawn of the morning, 
 Dimly in the east ai:ipeanng, 
 Faintly, j-et each 'moment brightening, 
 "While beneath the mountain's summit. 
 Naught but thickening fogs were seen, 
 Hiding all beneath their mantle. 
 
 But anon from out the northwest, 
 
 Blew the winds, the mists dispelling. 
 
 And a vision strange and wondrous. 
 
 To all natures sight revealing, 
 
 For the Indian's prayer was answered, 
 
 And beneath him lay a valley, 
 
 Where before was Waskough's surface ; 
 
 All its waters had departed. 
 
 To the northward far from hearing, 
 
 All the waters were as dry land. 
 
 <^uickly down from Os-ke-o-la, 
 
 To the south ran Me-na-ah-tha, 
 
 Half across the valley's distance, 
 
 To the spot where wreathed in lake grass, 
 
 Dew drops sparkling in her tresses, 
 
 La-wa-ne-tah lay as sleei^ing, 
 
 Sweetly as in childhoods slumber. 
 
 But a sleep which knew no waking. 
 
 And a slumber without ending. 
 
 In his arms lie bore the maiden. 
 Back upon the mountains summit ; 
 There a grave he dug in sorrow, 
 Deeply down among the gray sand, 
 'Neath a hemlock's sheltering branches, 
 And therein spread softest mosses, 
 Spread a couch of natures sweetness. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF 3I0RAVIA. 
 
 There upon the pines and mosses, 
 'Mong the evergreens and oak leaves. 
 Laid his loved one, La-wa-ne-ta, 
 All unconscious of his presence. 
 
 Down beside the grave be sat him, 
 Guarding well his lifeless treasure, 
 "While three suns arose and setting, 
 Marked the time of faithful watching ; 
 Then a bird he caught at day dawn, 
 Golden crested, swift in flj'ing ; 
 Down within the grave then kneeling. 
 By the side of Li^-wa-ne-tah, 
 Murmured in her ear his- eorrow. 
 And a fond farewell repeated. 
 Then the bird he loosed to westward. 
 And his voice the silence breaking. 
 Uttered forth his last. 
 
 Go, oh wild bird on swift pinions. 
 
 To the lands beyond the sunset. 
 
 To the unseen world of future, 
 
 La-wa-ne-tah's spirit bearing, 
 
 Out beyond the realms of darkness. 
 
 Out upon the plains of beauty. 
 
 To the pleasant lands of summer. 
 
 There to linger in the sunlight, 
 
 Till the morn shall break which welcomes 
 
 IMe-na-ah-tha to her presence. 
 
 Till the Great Chief beckons to him, 
 
 Bids him enter on his journej^ 
 
 Leads him to the land of spirits. 
 
 When three days and nights were ended. 
 Which by custom of the nation. 
 Were devoted to their burials. 
 And held sacred to their chieftain, 
 To the burial place to meet him. 
 Came his warriors slow and silent. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MORAVIA. 289 
 
 In the grave beneath the hemlock, 
 In the grave of La-wa-ne-tah, 
 Found they also Me-na-ah-tha. 
 
 He had heard the voices calling, 
 He had seen the welcome signal, 
 And had entered on his journey. 
 
 There amid the quiet forrest. 
 Scores of years ago they buried 
 These two children of Cayugas, 
 In one grave beneath the hemlock ; 
 And e'en now at stated seasons, 
 If faith in legendry be strong, 
 Mny be stcn their flitting shadows. 
 And be felt their spritely tappings. 
 And be heard their mj^stic whispers, 
 Round about Old Indian Mountain. 
 
<o. 
 
 HK196-.?'8 
 

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