TOMPKINS
COUNTY
Navigating'
A Sua Or Resources
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
Title:
Author:
This, too, happened in Lansing
Parish, Isabelle H.
Call
LH 974.771 Parish
number:
Publisher:
Ithaca, NY
of
Ithaca
Assigned Branch:
Ithaca
Collection:
Local
Material type:
Book
Number
78
Note:
DeWitt Historical
Society
of
Tompkins County, 1967.,
Owner:
of pages:
:
-
-
Tompkins
Tompkins
County
County
Public
Library
Library (TCPL)
Public
History (LH)
pages
The
History Center
in Tompkins
County,
who owns
copyright, gave TCPL permission to digitize this
October 2009.
luiSaitkation of
2009
this
material was made possible with a
grant
from the Park Foundation
the
book,
LH
974.771
c.5
Parish, Isabel le
This, too, happened
in
Lansing
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ITHACA, N. Y.
This, Too,
Happened
in Lansin
By ISABELLE H. PARISH
Town Historian
1967
&
rt
^y,??=
t,
5
DeWITT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF TOMPKINS COUNTY, INC.
Ithaca, N. Y.
14850
Contents
Civil
History
of
1
Lansing
Lansing Had Cornet Band in
'Weaver
Sam'
1884
Had Fun While He Lived
2
3
Portrait Recalls Episode
Romance on Lansingville Road
Native Woman Early Rochester Doctor
4
Rock Salt
7
Mining Began
in 1916
Water Coach's Motion Animated
Indian
Life, Times in Lansing
6
6
8
9
Newcomers Used Indian Trails
13
Upper Bridge Cost $2,000
14
Tails Became Highways
15
Eugene LaBarre, Bandsman
The Village of Myers
17
Milliken E. & G. Station
23
Stories from
25
Lansing History
18
Nellie's Ride
33
Lansing Masonic Lodge
Railroad Gamble Costly
Pine Grove Cemetery Incorporated
35
Cement Works
37
at
Portland Point
36
36
Short Line, Road of Travail
Canalboat Launching Gala Event
39
School Fund Bought Library Books
The Abijah Miller House
45
Early Farms Productive
49
Aunt
Sue's'
Romance
Starr, Early
The North Family
Honeymooned
on
47
51
Grain Storage Large Operation
Micajah
43
Pastor
Horseback
52
54
55
61
Today's Lansing Town Park
Postmaster for 72 Years
Dr. Barr
and
Ladoga Park
Two Authors Lived
Marina Constructed
at
Lake Ridge
at
Wild Pigeons in North
63
*
64
^
67
Myers
68
Lansing
69
71
Native Had Active Career
The Unwilling Bride
73
Dr. John
77
Bascom, College President
An Unfinished Task
This
modest
is the
anecdotes
was
Lansing historical
of
task
unfinished
The-
(1881-1967).
pany
volume
article
the last for
the Cayuga Rock Salt Com
on
data, but her
which she collected
the
we
that
suggested
material she
make
she
as result
possessed,
ing Lansing historical data,
in
pen
the first
written
understood
what
a
from
to be.
scope was
In 1962
and
Isabelle Wood Parish
of
dropped from her hand before she had
word. It has been finished by one who
its
events
and
selection
of years spent amass
arrange
it for
publication
issued
by the DeWitt Historical
Society. She acquiesced and went industriously to work to
perform a no mean inconsiderable task, considering her 83
one
of
the
pamphlets
years.
sold so rapidly
brought her
tions from
that
reprinting
friends
scattered
rest
a
be
and
necessary
she
and
by May.
It
congratula
received
former
decided to
ses'quicentennial
was
the
the historic
second
pupils
during the
was amazed
and writing so
own
she
again
stage
during
volume
suggested
a public
the
set
to
be her
sequel
a
work.
observance
summer
would
that
of
Then,
of
1967, it
Lan
was
contribution
to
occasion.
Mrs. Parish,
substantial
again
and
appropriate,
sing's
planned
we
period,
it
tions,
was
Actually, Mrs. Parish
year.
when
to her
appeared,
response.
After
would
a
happiness, for
much
greater part of a
by the
Lansing"
1964, "It Happened in
In March
under
that
part
of
work,
up her research
the time her health failed she hed a
this
by
her
she
impetus,
manuscript
had invited
most of which she
speeded
completed.
others'
reviewed in
to
In
addition
make contribu
first-draft form, along
with
her
two days
own articles.
A
after she was
"clean-copy"
taken to the
draft
was completed
hospital, but this
she
never reviewed.
Realizing the weeks of work that lay ahead of publica
tion day, we invited Oliver Holden and W. Glenn Norris to
join in completing the work. They courteously accepted
and we
ished
have
worked
cooperatively to
complete
"an
unfin
task."
WILLIAM
DeWitt Historical
Museum, June 1,
1967.
HEIDT, JR.
CIVIL HISTORY OF LANSING
By W.
The
one
civil
the
of
York
1683,
Glenn
Norris, Tompkins County Historian
history
of
the Town
twelve
original
Albany County,
Lansing descends from
counties
which
is known
under what
of
at
the State
of
of
New
by the Act of
the Duke's laws of the Eng
was
created
lish Parliament.
Tryon
April
County
was
2, 1784, the
erected
name
out
Tryon,
of
Albany in 1772. On
which
honored the king's
to
Montgomery as a memo
rial to
Gen. Richard Montgomery who fell at Quebec.
Herkimer County was erected from Montgomery February
colonial
governor,
was changed
16, 1791.
After
ty
having been
was created
Herkimer, Onondaga Coun
March 5, 1794, its territory comprising the
a part of
military tract.
The first town meeting of the Town of Milton was held
at the house of Jonathan Woodward at Teetertown, now
Lansingville, on April 1, 1794. Milton was in the new Onon
daga County, erected four weeks previously.
Cayuga County was taken from Onondaga March 29,
1799. Milton, one of the military townships, embraced by
the
new
county,
was
named
after
the English poet, John
Milton; it was formed January 27, 1789. On February 20,
1802, the Town of Locke was set off from Milton, and on
April 6, 1808, the name Milton was changed to Genoa.
From the south part of Genoa, the Town of Lansing, com
prising military lots 41 to 100, inclusive, was set off on April
7, 1817, under the act that created Tompkins County.
It is believed the
name
honored John
Lansing,
a
distin-
guished member of a prominent
New York
state
family. A
judge, he presided over the
courts in the old Town of Genoa, and in 1817 was State
chancellor when the Town of Lansing was created.
jurist
noted
and
Supreme Court
Lansing Had Cornet Band in
1884
the South Lansing Brass Band from its organ
ization early in 1884, it became the Lansing Cornet Band.
It boasted eighteen instruments, with Bert Ozmun as lead
Known
as
William Burns, business manager.
In 1945, Mrs. Clarence T. Redline and her brother, Lloyd
A. Bower of Libby, Montana, donated to the DeWitt Histo
er and
rical
Museum
several
pieces
and recorded
The
music
pouch
used
by the band. Besides
band music, it contains a
other bits of history provided
of
roster
of
the
by the donors
by Mrs. Susan Haring, Lansing Town Histo
members and
rian at
a
the time.
uniforms of
colored
shirts,
the band
blue
four-horse team
caps
comprised
and
white
transported the
dark trousers, creamMorocco pouches. A
outfit
in
an
up-to-date
bandwagon.
Members
the band
J. J.
Bower, father of the
donors ; William Burns, Ellis Manning, Frank Bower, Lafay
ette Jacobs, Will Robinson,
Quinn, Will Seamon,
John Starks, Wesley Humphrey, William H. Miller, Morris
DeCamp, William DeCamp, Frank Giltner, Hope Detrick,
Dave Robinson, Albert Humphrey, Will Searles, Bert Oz
of
were
"Mick"
mun, and William
Starks
was
Duckenfeld.
drum
major of
the Peruville
band,
Miller
that
to
a
hamlet
once
for
week
band
walked
practice.
Civil
War
soldiers
from
Tompkins County played in
Many
bands,
and
they returned home became in
in organizing local bands. There was a dozen or
in the county at the turn of the
century, and they played
military
and
when
strumental
so
at
picnics and similar public gatherings
whether
compen-
Usually
sated or not.
$20 for
much as
Money
political rallies
paid, occasionally
a concert and street march.
was not
plentiful, but to make it
in keeping libraries reasonably
bands co-operated. One would purchase
possible
duplicated
There is
by
as
and
another,
then
still some copied work
spread as
up-to-date
far
as
several
certain pieces not
each would
copy the
in the Lansing
pouch
score.
in the
museum.
a
Weaver
Sam"
Lansing had two
Had Fun While He Lived
letter
one possessed a middle
him. But
a
Sam,"
the other,
Sam."
"Weaver
and
Still
"R,"
better identification
respective occupations :
as
a
the
which
identify
derived from their
was
was
of whom
helped to
shingle maker
weaver,
Brown,
became "Shingle
naturally better known
distinction kept their identities free from
another
confusion, for "Weaver
Sam"
had
long with the cup that cheers. He
ing to the exotic name of "Tippo
trained that he
If his
Samuel
pioneers named
would
a
tendency to linger
possessed a
Sahib,"
horse
too
answer
an animal so well
kneel for Sam to dismount
and
later
became too tipsy on occasion and fell
from the saddle, the horse would stand faithfully by until
the rider regained his senses.
remount.
"Weaver
it
rider
Sam"
led the
strenuous
life
the pioneer, but
deer hunter when
of
fun. He was a
time permitted or his taste buds called for venison, but to
make hunting less arduous for him he had two dogs, appro
enlivened
priately
Some
mitted
ior
with wit and
named
"Whisky"
and
"Weavers"
of
to his hounds
on one
were gone
along the
as
hunt.
four
happy
"Brandy."
ways
is indicated by their
They pursued a
days, but the deer
east shore of
may have been trans
deer
carefree
across
behav
the lake
and
bagged by a resident
Seneca Lake. He knew the dogs.
was
PORTRAIT RECALLS EPISODE
in
a
esting
1814
in local history. When fourteen, Joy came in
his older brother Arad from Fabius, after the
episode
with
death
inter
attic reminded older residents of an
Ludlowville
Joy
Benjamin
of a portrait of
The finding early in 1963
of
Arad
their father.
the
came with
key in his
pocket
to
manage
the
store
Benja-
in Ludlowville that Oliver Phelps had built in 1811.
man worked as a clerk for his brother until at twenty-two
he
established
general
a
tavern. The
village
store
of
he
next year
his
to the
Susan Morehouse
married
they built their dwelling between the Presbyterian
and
Church
born
and
and
the
here
schoolhouse.
they lived
Here their
a sparce
nine children were
1864.
until
In the early days whisky was sold in
other commodities, and indicative of the
by
adjacent
own
population was presence
stores
with
along
amount consumed
of no
less than
eight
to supply the local demand.
But there seemed no other way to dispose of bountiful grain
crops until the Erie Canal was complete^ in 1825. This prim
distilleries in the
neighborhood
itive transportation
tion to
Joy,
Beecher, became
the
through reading the sermons
convinced
that
constant
He then brought the barrels
merchandise
in his
store
of
Europe for the
coastal cities and markets of
Benjamin
wrong.
system provided a method
of
grain.
Lyman K.
drunkenness
was
whisky from among
into the village
dumped the contents, to the surprise
of
distribu
and
square
horror
of
and
by
standers.
From that time
store
and
his
on
he, he
evenings
spent
lecturing
his days
at work
against constant
in his
drinking.
He
went
to
in every
During
do
some, he
with
their
drunkard's
he
passed
hungry
him
were
the
songs
to sing
at
quick answer was:
by
many.
"Feed it to the
of
crowded, for he
stories. At the close
of
total
always
full
pledge
and called
abused
children."
speaker and
esting
and
was asked what else could growers
His
grain.
His lectures
tormented
was
lecture he
one
the county and beyond to talk
and schoolhouse. Loved and ad
villages of
available church
by
mired
the
all
him "Uncle
his
abstinence.
Ben."
was an
inter
his lecture
of
Children loved
In return, he taught them
meetings.
On New Year's Eve 1827, he called a memorable meeting
in the schoolhouse and formed the Lansing Town Temper
ance
Society. Names
of
six
the twelve
of
members
are
Thomas Ludlow, James A. Burr, Nicholas Townley,
Samuel Love, John G. Henry and Benjamin Joy. Every year
known
:
ered
of
important
an
until about
In 1853
where
the
"Anniversary"
that meeting
the Presbyterian Church in New Year's Eve. It
afterwards
1947,
and
'54 he
a
held in
was consid
in the community for 120
the church was torn down.
event
when
he became
was
was
elected
leader. There is
to the State
no
years
Assembly
doubt that his influ
"no-license"
town for many years.
kept Lansing a
There has been no legal selling of liquor in Ludlowville
since his day. Joy and his family during 1864 moved to
Penn Yan, where he continued his work in church and Sun
ence
day School. He died February 18, 1869.
The brick
occupied
in recent
was placed
Central
sing.
store
in the
School,
Oliver Phelps
years
by
museum
but
now
erected
in 1811
still
stands,
printing firm. The old portrait
of the Yorkers Club of Lansing
a
is in the Town Hall at South Lan
Romance
The Francisco
as relatives
on
family
there had
tunities in that
Lansingville Road
sent
them glowing
They
state.
packing to move to
was
were all
except eighteen-year-old
pect,
of oppor
accounts
happy
Jennie
Colorado,
did
who
lover, Jay Holden.
Mrs. Lowe, asked him if he
the
about
not
pros
want
to
away from her
go
A neighbor,
Jennie go. "What
I
he
urged
a
was
going to let
asked plaintively.
Mrs. Lowe, "and I
note,"
"Write Jennie
that
can
do?"
will see
it."
she gets
Next morning at tea, with his father's horse and buggy,
he was at the front door of the Francisco house, and neigh
bors kept Mrs. Francisco in the
might
buy
Jennie
riage,
Pratt's. He
married
pretending
they
something.
ran
and
rear while
out
away
of
the front
they
went
door, jumped into the
up the
road
car
to the Rev. J. W.
in the field, stacking wheat,
them behind a stack.
was out
where
he
Native Woman Early Rochester Doctor
A
native
doctors
of
Lansingville became
in Rochester. She
of medicine
daughter
of
the first female
was
Frances Fidelia
one
Mrs. Nathaniel Hamilton,
members of an old-line Lansing family.
Dr. Hamilton was born west of Lansingville in 1833, stud
Hamilton,
ied
medicine
of
in Boston
Medical College
of
Mr.
and
and
graduated
New York
City
from the Women's
in 1874. After
locating
in Rochester, Dr. Hamilton became a member of the Prac
titioner's Medical Society, Monroe County Medical Society
and the Western New York Medical Society. She was one of
the
organizers and a charter member of
pensary organized in 1886. This
the Provident Dis
dispensary
was staffed
to serve women and children.
Dr. Hamilton died at her home in Rochester on the
by
women practitioners
night
of
October 2. 1893. Her funeral
the
next
Her
sister
that
interment
and
evening,
Minerva
was
married a
was
Baldwin
The Baldwins had
village.
held from her
a
at
made
and
they
daughter
who
residence
Wellsville.
in
resided
became
a
doctor.
The Hamiltons
bers serving
as
an educated
were
foreign
family,
several
mem
missionaries.
ROCK SALT MINING BEGAN IN 1916
Lansing's important industry and employer of 200 men,
Cayuga Rock Salt Company, has developed from a begin
ning made in 1916. The
by John W. Clute,
year
He had located
which
salable ;
surface at
this level
finally
ted to fill
was
the
to ten feet thick
1,450 feet. A
were carried on
proved
to be
workings were
that
opened
Watkins Glen.
a stratum of salt eight
underlay the
salt at
Myers
salt magnate of
to 1,500 feet. Operations
the
at
mine
shaft was sunk
for two years, but
of poor
quality and un
closed down and permit
with water.
Organized in July 1921, Cayuga Rock Salt Company as
sumed the lease of the Clute interest, and production was
started
tinued
a salt
from the
same
bed in June 1922. This
operation con
February 1924, when diamond drilling disclosed
bed ten to forty feet in thickness at a leved of 2,000
until
feet below the surface. A shaft was extended blow the first
level and a new salt bed was struck at 1,925 feet. This salt
was
a
found to
fact
At
average
99.19
per cent pure sodium
which spelled abandonment of
present
the
mines
the former
extend across
the lake
chloride,
mine.
and under
the hillside along the west shore. The area, bottom of
ancient ocean, is estimated to contain millions of tons
an
of
salt.
by drilling and blasting. After blasting,
front-end loaders, operated by electric motors, load the salt
The
into
salt
mine
is
mined
cars which
resemble
somewhat a railroad
open
hopper. These
shaft
by
to the primary
cars are pulled
electric
battery-operated locomotives. The
crushed, then hoisted to the
in
surface
Here it is run through secondary
stored in bins. It is then
ready for
seven-ton
crushers,
shipment
the
crusher at
salt
buckets.
and
screened
to
is
widespread
customers.
Numbered among these
meat packers, feed dealers,
industries,
chemical
tanneries, railroads,
are
users
water softener
and on roads
for
manufacturers,
snow removal.
the company were Frank L. Bolton and John
W. Shannon. This company is still operating the mine under
Founders
its
of
present
F. L.
of
Mrs. Lucie G. Bolton, widow
president, and William B. Wilkinson,
management
Bolton,
as
of
first vice-president.
Water Coach's Motion Animated
Another
accomplishment
Phelps is found
that
stands
credited
to Oliver
in the American Journal
recorded
of
July
3, 1822. The story of Phelps and his many successful ven
tures is related in "It Happened in Lansing," but this ac
count merits recognition
"Mr. Phelps has
boat,"
here.
lately
constructed
an
ingenious
horse-
the report, "to ply between the bridge [Cay
uga] and the canal at Montezuma. This boat is a pleasing
change from the monotonous movement of the canalboats
to the more animated motion of the 'American Water
says
Coach,'
the
as
conveyance
proprietor
in this boat is
somely fitted for the
passengers. It reflects
poprietor,
justly
and
happily
pleasant
and
accommodation
great
credit
of
on
it is to be hoped that this
appreciated and
Apparently it
its
has very
safe.
it. The
It is hand
twenty
to
thirty
the projector
and
enterprise will
be
rewarded."
further reference to the boat
has been encountered.
wasn't;
animated motion
named
no
8
or
INDIAN
By
LIFE, TIMES IN LANSING
W. Glenn
Tompkins County Historian
Norris,
During the pre-Revolutionary War era, the Town
sing lay within the domain of the Cayuga Indians.
occupancy it
was
the
Algonquin Indians
aboriginal
culture of
people
these
possession of
and
living in
were
ancient
Before
wandering tribes
thousand
several
the
area.
inhabitants is known
years
Lan
of
of
the
ago,
an
The time
as
and
the Archaic
Period.
Frontenac Island in Cayuga Lake, opposite the village of
Union Springs, seems to have been the focal point for this
remote
many
who
occupancy.
years ago revealed a
lived there 4,000
populated
In
of
exploration of
large burial
site of
or more years ago
; it
this island
these
was
people
these
who
Lansing.
historic
found the
is
Archeological
times,
explorers,
principal village of
traders
and
the Cayugas
missionaries
in
situated
what
Cayuga County and within a thirty-mile range north
Lansing. As early as 1656 a mission was established in
now
Cayuga Oounty by French Jesuit priests from Montreal, and
known as St. Joseph. Doubtless, during their 28 years of
intermittent stay among the Cayugas these intrepid
aries visited
the
Lansing
mission
area.
During the Revolutionary War, Maj. Gen. John Sullivan
in 1779
was given
command
of
invade the Iroquois country of
York State. His orders were to
and
destroy
all
their
an
expeditionary army to
central
give
and
western
New
battle to the Indians
villages and crops.
This
was
in
retalia
tion for disastrous raids against the frontiers of the colo
nists and the Iroquois alliance with the British. Sullivan's
army went as far west
see
River,
return
the Seneca
villages
on
the Gene
destroyd.
which were
On the
as
journey,
at what
is
Geneva, General
now
Sullivan dispatched Col. William Butler
600
with
men
to
through the Cayuga territory on the east side of
Cayuga Lake. Butler carried out the destruction of all the
villages and a large fruit orchard at Aurora. The Cayugas
march
the British side, and
paid a heavy price for partcipating against the colo
September, 1799, was a fatal month for their home
had joined
now
nies.
other
Iroquois tribes
on
land.
Leaving Aurora, the
and on
of
the night
of
Ludlowville. The
site of
Ludlowville
followed
troops traveled
September 23
next
and
morning
camped on
they
the hill
and
trail,
west
through the
passed
up the Brickyard
Route 34 to Ithaca
present
well-used
a
Road; they
then
beyond. Butler's
journey through Lan
sing, neither enemy nor villages being encountered. It was,
we may assume, just another day in a tiresome and difficult
men met with
march
no
through
incidents
pleasant
on
their
but hostile
country.
After the Revolution, the Town of Lansing was to become
a part of a large township called Milton, known as town
ship No. 19 of the Military Tract. This immense area of
wilderness
ships of
lots
of
60,000
600
had
acres
acres
as
awarded
who
land in Central New
in
each,
each
gratuity
served
or
York, consisting
was surveyed
into
of
one
28 town
hundred
military township. These lots were
bonus lots to New York soldiers
in the Continental
Army
of
the United
States.
The Town
Genoa
from Milton in 1808, and
the
new county of Tompkins was created.
7, 1817,
Its lots 41 to 100, inclusive, were set off from Genoa to the
new Town of Lansing, which was created
by the same legis
of
was set off
April
lative
that founded the county. The original size and
the town has remained the same since its forma
act
shape of
tion 150
years ago.
10
The
and
pioneers
unmistakable
plow
unearthed
virgin
soil.
was
artifacts
opened
of
Surface finds in
to
bone
stone,
all
settlement
parts
of
ground.
has
the town plainly
Lansing was a favorite hunting
No discovery of a permanent village
been found, but numerous places give
a summer
or a village site of a
camp
About 1950,
clay in the
and
that
show
size
in 1790,
began moving in. These early settlers found
evidence of former Indian occupancy as the
Tract
Military
transient
and
site
fishing
of
any
evidence of
nature.
back the shoulders of the road
leading from the Bertram Buck farm on Peruville Road,
when cutting
Firepots,
an ancient village site was uncovered.
etal
fragments,
few
and a
it may have been
duration.
implements indicate
crude stone
small
a
some skel
Owasco-culture
site
short
of
decade ago, a power shovel uncovered in the
sandbank at Myers some very old firepits. One that I exam
ined was about two feet below ground level. From a piece
Nearly
a
human vertebrae, colored red from heat, one could spec
ulate that in earlier times the Indians had indulged in eat
of
ing
one
tioned
by
From
vicinity,
their enemies, a not uncommonu practice men
French missionaries in their 17th century writings.
of
days,
pioneer
and
the
east shore
farms along the
east
of
Cayuga Lake
and
side, have consistently
yielded arrow points, so-called skinners and other artifacts.
Occasionally
findings, and
out
a
human burial has been
others
that down the
ing
name
centuries
These
throughout the town
the land
was
a
point
hunting,
fish
Salmon Creek, the town's prin
stream, was known to the Cayugas as Gientachne, a
which probably alluded to its abundance of that
and
cipal
scattered
unearthed.
choice
camping
fish, the
Some
of
the
area.
salmon.
stories of
early times in
Indian life
Lansing
give
legen
While they seem
romantic and somewhat plausable, I have found no actual
facts to support them. From the south part of town have
dary
accounts of
and
11
events.
come
two
stories which
have
in
appeared
historical
print as
realities.
One is that
water
cure,
across
now
the
the Stone House inn
by
was a village presided over
posed
to have been
the
colonists
to
a
Burdick Hill
at
and motel,
wanton
rage
zealous
at
Estys,
was
murder
daughter,
pioneer's
a
old
Long Jim. He
one
present at
lovely Jane McCray,
that fired the
the
road opposite
an
of
sup
the
incident
the battle
of
Saratoga.
Two trained
archeologists
of
my
acquaintance
told
me
that they spent part of two summers examining the site, but
found nothing of historical interest. The story could have
originated with an early settlers who
and others made
an
"overnight"
Indian term for
knew that Long Jim
there,
longer.
camp
a
few days
or
overnight
being
Another untrustworthy account tells of two soldiers of
Dearborn's troops who encountered Indians. While march
ing
along the
south
fallen behind
and
west
soon
side
were
Cayuga Lake they had
pursued by redmen. Being
of
to capture, the soldiers took to the lake and appar
ently swam across to the east shore. The account fails to
say whether they had time to remove clothing and boots, or
close
kept their packs, guns and other equipment. Anyway,
they
took refuge in the first ravine north of McKinney's Point at
the foot
of
Esty Hill,
where
tortured them to death. This
mile
from the bottom
of
the savages found them
ravine
Esty Hill
is
and
about a quarter of a
and
is known
as
Kate's
Hole.
An
General Sullivan's final report of the
expedition indicates that he accounted for all
fatalities,
either battle or accident. No mention is made of
any sol
diers lost on the Cayuga Lake deployment, except one man.
examination of
Apparently, he died from heart failure during Butler's
arduous march through Pony Hollow on
the way back to
the
main
Point,
army, which had reached Fort
now
Athens, Pa.
12
Sullivan
at
Tioga
NEWCOMERS USED INDIAN TRAILS
Indian trails
Following
1803
his
moved
wife
bridle paths, Daniel Clark in
two children into Ludlowville.
and
and
from Harpersfield, Delaware County, where he
had located on moving from his native Middletown, Connec
They
came
ticut. It
was at
daughter
of
Harpersfield that he had
married
Abigail,
a
Col. John Harper.
Clark had
during 1800, bought the tan
nery on Creek Road and built there a fulling mill, dyehouse
and clothing works. Leaving his brother Cyrus in charge, he
returned
Then
when
and moved
he
area
to Harpersfield to
his
ported
to this
come
he
family
into
purchased
for
came
a
into the
log
land
permanent
wilderness
cabin at
on
the
the foot
and
cottage
Potash
tions that
in
chants
ash
his
the
factory
rural
and
round
During
oldest
built his
resi
ten children, it is now the Barr
frame building in Ludlowville.
where
articles
trip
the early
Clark, like
opera
other
mer
of
for his family.
through axle-deep
of
forest-clearing
the time, transported his pot
he exchanged it for dyestuffs for his
New York
the War
West Hill. In 1810
his death in 1855. The
until
in bartering.
used
was
of
additional
was a product of
Albany
to
week
of
settlement, he trans
by horse and wagon,
village square and
dence there. Here Clark lived
birthplace
his family.
get
1812 he was
an
By team it
mud
Army
was
in many
a
six-
places.
paymaster.
and the sorghum mill were
The tannery, clothing
Bridge"
fed by water from a dam built just above the "Red
;
works'
it
was
conveyed
in
a
raceway
close
to the highway. Wil
low trees were planted along the creek and highway to keep
it on its course. Sorghum corn was extensivly raised in this
section at the time, and wagon loads of it were driven from
13
the hill just
the house into the
south of
second
story
of
the
tannery. Here the stalks were run between great rollers and
the juice pressed out, then it went through long pipes to the
small building south of the clothing works where it was
boiled down to
molasses.
Daniel Clark owned more than 700 acres, renting the dif
ferent farms. Riding horseback, he occassionally visited his
tenants*.
(1809-1895) bought this place from his
sister-in-law, Harriet Cain, in 1863 and moved here after his
wife, Isabelle Harper Clark, died in 1865. He had been a
Amasa Wood
in Ludlowville.
son Adrian lived in
cabinetmaker and undertaker
a dwelling
Clark Wood, his wife and
constructed from the clothing works; the tannery was re
built for their barn. All these buildings are now gone. The
poperty
when plans
for
a
hydroelectric
were given
there
bought by the International Salt Company
were under discussion for constructing a dam
was
plant.
the Rod
and
Failing that, 25
Gun Club
the land
acres of
has
which
a
clubhouse
now.
Upper Bridge Cost $2,000
At
Lansing Town Board at Barr's
Hall, Ludlowville, May 6, 1872, a new iron bridge was
a special meeting of
ordered
track
from
Cleveland builder. It
a
structure
the
for placement
village and near
the
dwelling
Salmon
to be
a
single-
Creek,
north of
Amasa Wood. Its
cost was
over
of
was
$2,000.
The bridge
went out
in the flood
year another replacement was made.
red.
Since,
1922,
This
and
was
the
first
next
painted
have been used, mostly
green, but
going up to the "Red Bridge."
other colors
children still speak of
of
14
TRAILS BECAME HIGHWAYS
When Lansing's
there
1790's,
age
to
came
were no
another.
began coming in during the late
roads: just trails from one Indian vill
pioneers
Some
came
by
up the Susquehanna River to
across
to Ithaca
Samuel Baker
and
came
as
water,
the Ludlows
Standing Stone,
and
who
then
down Cayuga Lake to Salmon Creek.
up
the Hudson
and
through the Mohawk
Valley.
Some
family
came as
groups, the
baby,
and perhaps carrying a
wife
while
riding horseback
the husband
walked
his trusty rifle slung over his shoulder. His
less a protective piece than one for providing
alongside with
firearm
game
was
for their larder.
Trails
were
but tree stubs, rocks
to cover. Ox teams
out,"
and
hollows
hauling
were
woodshod sleds
became
a
de
transport. The short-legged, docile ox
break his own path through deep snow without be
pendable
could
is, "brushed
left for heavy snows
eventually widened, that
means
of
panicked,
coming
and
he
could
feed himself
on
tender
browse along the way.
But trails gave way to roads, however primitive, that were
laid out formally and with obstructions removed, until in
1866 there
there are 161
It is
age of public
difference in
frozen
deep in
that there is
in the town. A century later
not much
difference in
thoroughfares, but there is
quality.
demands,
ruts or
miles
miles.
observed
century
145*4
were
Before
changes wrought
our roads were
blocked by
an
15
incomparable
by
twentieth-
deep in dust in summer,
snowdrifts
springtime mud.
mile
in winter,
and
axle-
The
one mile
dirt
of
road
Road to Jerry Simth Road
ville and
is
an
anomaly
Fenner
remaining runs from
one
on
half
mile
of
west
today's highway
map.
Lansing
In 1830
five houses with barns and a
framed church, built in 1802. Before that, there was a log
church erected in 1796 that burned during 1801. This was
along this
road
were
White Settlement, and it was where three confer
of the Methodist Church were held. Now there re
called
ences
mains
hous'e
one
twenty-five
As
there
miles of
cemetery that
a
contains
more than
graves.
reported
miles of
and
State
town
by
highway commissioner, there are 30
in the town; 46 miles of county road ; 35
the
road
roads
that
are
blacktopped ; 49
miles of
town
that are gravelled, and the one mile of dirt road.
The State road from Ithaca to South Lansing was im
roads
by the State in 1912 and 1915; the
built first, that to South Lansing was
proved
section
was
not
until after
World War I. This
macadam.
water-bound
through North
Route
34B
Lansing
was
construction was
Route
and
34
from
northward,
constructed
to
the
was
to Estys
constructed
the
South
old-time
Lansing,
built in 1921.
Ludlowville-Myers
from Auburn south, leaving the question of how
around or across Salmon Creek gorge for the even
road and
to
get
tual
answer:
the
viaduct across
the stream built in
1929-
the two sections. Of reinforced concrete con
struction, the viaduct is 502 feet long and 18 feet wide, not
counting the two side walks, and 117 feet above the stream.
At the time of its erection it was the highest highway bridge
in Western New York.
'30 to
connect
Salmon
-Creek
and
its largest tributaries
require
many
bridges to carry highways across. The bridge just north of
Ludlowville went out in the fllood of August 1922 after 50
Bridge"
years of service ; the new "Red
replaced it the next
summer.
In 1919, when a heavy truck went over the bridge lead
ing to the Dug Road, one end of the structure fell some five
16
feet. Subsequently, the
new bridge put in.
or six
a
abutments were repaired and
The bridge below Mechanic Hall Hill
ing 1965 with
During the
went
out, carrying
were
standing
temporary
bridge.
a wider
flood
of
July 7, 1935, the
bridge
it into the lake four
with
it
on
dur
was replaced
and
watching the
span was soon replaced
by
at
Myers
who
persons
swollen
waters.
A
a permanent one.
An inventory of bridges in Lansing would include a
bridge on the road from Lansingville to the Creek Road,
and
the Twin Bridges
which are
two
short spans near
the
county line.
Eugene
There
ings
LaBarr, Bandsman
in
are a number of persons prominent
various call
born in Lansing or who spent much of their
here. One of these was Eugene LaBarre, called Gur-
who were
youth
born in Ludlowville in 1888, a son of Fred and
Ida Robins LaBarre. When but a boy the family moved to
ney, who
Groton
was
where at nine
At fifteen he
ran
he
away
was
and
playing in the
played
village
in circuses,
band.
ministrel
shows and vaudeville.
At
eighteen
he
was
a
member
of
the 8th
Cavalry Regi
in the Philippines, China and Japan.
After leaving the army he joined Arthur Pryor's band and
later John Philip Sousa's. Following Sousa's death in 1934,
ment
Band
LaBarre
certs
and played
organized
Sousa's Men's Band
in Rockerfeller Plaza. He
which
was named
gave
con
bandmaster
of
City Police Band in 1938, and was head
the New York City Police Band in 1938, was head of the
of
the New York
music
department
at
the World's Fair
next year.
He
com
Freedom."
the Fair theme, "For Peace and
In 1950 he became director of the Long
posed
Branch, Calif.,
Municipal Band. He died October 19, 1956, of a heart at
tack. His fame did not preclude visits to Lansing Old Home
Days.
17
THE VILLAGE OF MYERS
By Oliver Holden
Upon the opening of the Lansing section of the Town of
Milton, the area at the mouth of Salmon Creek was the
most accessible for water transportation. The first settlers
horesback, by ox-drawn
if by the latter, either by bateau or on
came on
frozen
foot,
on
by
sled or
water
over
occasion
Andrew Myers and Moses and Nicholas Depeu
among the first to locate here, in 1792.
and
manufacturing was limited to construction
bateaux. Because
transportation
covered
when
or
the
the lake
both
was
frozen,
of
the
the lack
highways,
of
limited. When the
sleds were
most
ground
feasible
route
were
boats
of
overland
snow-
was
used, and wheeled
too deep. Eight
mud was not
was
the
the lake.
surface of
Early
;
vehicles
the
months of
year
for transportation
of
goods and persons.
sloop, Samuel Baker moved his family from Peekskill
the Hudson to Luneberg ; then up the Mohawk River to
By
on
Oneida Lake
and
by bateau. And by
Cayuga Lake to Myers Point. From the Point to
they trudged
built during 1793,
ertown
A
grave
scription,
of
way of the Seneca River
in the
woods south
of
cabin
lish themselves
grain
endured
at
by
which
Lansingville
"Jane Strong, died September
the hardships
Hay,
foot to the
on
17,
he had
with
1787,"
settlers who sought
Teet-
to
the in
speaks
estab
this early date.
and
apples
early farms.
Their
market until
opening
sale
of
were
was
the chief products
of
the
mostly confined to the local
the Erie Canal in 1825. This
18
pro-
for
vided a much-needed outlet
Finger Lakes. Soon
all
the
area
sprang up all along the
Myers Point, Lansing Station,
warehouses
lakes. Collins Point,
Nortons,
Heddins, Atwaters, King Ferry, Aurora,
had warehouses,
boats.
all
Late in the
surrounding the
and
for
elevators
and
Union Springs
loading
efficient
of
century Marshall Sperry operated
the tugboat Clayton which sank at the salt company pier.
It
was
the
on
nineteenth
by the Hiawatha,
replaced
present site of
George
Burling
Myers'
Bloom
and
which
marina
LaBarre,
by
constructed
was
master
boatbuilders
built
also most of
who
the dwellings in Myers. These tugs hauled the
from the Gayuga
loaded
were
end of
with salt
canalboats
the Erie Canal to Myers
for
various points on
the
where
they
canal system
far away as New York and Philadelphia. The
Hiawatha burned at the salt company's pier in 1912.
and even as
The Brown Line boats
operated over
the
years
from 1900
to 1914, chiefly in passenger service. The Frontenac, largest
of Brown Line craft, burned and sank at Long Point near
Union Springs in 1907, with the loss of seven lives. The
other
about
for
the Mohawk, Iroquois and Commanche, all
100 feet long and 300-passenger capacity, operated
boats,
a number of years after
the Frontenac disaster. Excur
by the boats to the various docks along the lake were
frequent during the boating season.
The old hotels, the Wind and Wave, Glenwood, Fron
tenac Beach Hotel, Sheldrake House and the Cayuga Lake
Hotel were the meccas of these excursinos. Salty tales of
sions
the
old-timers
gatherings
uted
for
had
who
years.
to the hilarious
attended
the
picnics
At least two drownings
enlivened
were attrib
affairs.
The 'Cayuga Lake Railroad was chartered in 1867, con
tracts let in 1871-'72, and the first train rocked and rum
bled its way from Athens, Pa., to Cayuga in 1872. Foreclos
ures
in 1874
and
Geneva, Ithaca
1877
and
caused
Sayre,
the
a part of
19
road
to be
the Lehigh
sold
to the
Valley
sys-
forced
tern. These forecloses
of
many farms
Passenger
ture.
in
placed
tion
owners
whose
by
enormous
whose
has kept the
consumption
help to
make
this branch line
re
oper
road
mine of
from the
Outgoing shipments of salt
from
Rock Salt Company and cement
been
has
to Mihken
of coal
shipments
ative.
pany
sto ck
discontm ue^,
long
service
recent years
had bought
moorages
on
action
similar
Cayuga
Cayuga Cement Com
a paying
division
of
the
Lehigh.
The Cayuga Cement Company
boat
by
cement
receives
and
it in the former Penn-Dixie silos
old
area. The
distributes it by truck in the surrounding
Crushed Stone
Penn-Dixie quarry is operated by the Cayuga
Canada,
from
Company
stores
under
management
of
laboratories
are
(Sonic
Herman
Boom)
Besemer.
Three
floating
Point and
engaged
in
underwater research
Portland
off
anchored
for the Federal
Government.
The
remarkable
Myers, Jr.,
built
parking lot is. Down
on
pounded
the
oped
was
a
southside
waters
behind the
earth
to
also
gouge
the
pioneers
de
century Andrew
north end of
the Myers
running back of the
released
and
present
the im
fill the
area
Here Dr. Will Barr later devel
beautiful Ladoga Park
private
the
Myers Road, he
out the hillside
railroad station.
let lapse into
of
dam farther up the creek may
a dam where the high school
canal
of
some
nineteenth
a gristmill near
bridge. Remains of the
still be seen. He built
homes
of
Early in the
comment.
serves
ingenuity
which
hands for
for lack
a cottage
of
foresight
development.
by the International Salt Company
and additional land purchased by the Town Board have
again given the people of Lansing free access to the lake.
A
recent gift of
The
salt
land
company formed in 1891
by Rodney
Lambert-
son, Warren Clute and Arthur Oliver gave life to the vill
age, and a hotel and stores were built. A single vacuum
pan
was
built
at
first,
then later increased
20
by
a
multiple-
pan arrangement.
of
abandonment
Syracuse-Liverpool
the
solar
plants
in the
Fire in 1907 destroyed the plant
and production resumed. With re
area.
was soon rebuilt
grets we watched
that the ability of
lower cost was instru
note
produce salt at a
the Myers plant to
mental in causing
but it
interesting to
It is
its demolition in 1965.
The Cayuga Rock Salt Company shaft was sunk far down
after many mishaps. An explosion in 1917 killed two men
and forced a temporary closing of the mine but, put in con
dition,
the lake
under
furnishes the
and
farther back
that helps
salt
Heading far
the hills, this mine
started.
again
soon
was
production
under
keep
our
highways
winter
open.
The
Lansing
of
wheels
carded
the
Dams
are
be
cannot
overlooked.
far into the Town
extends
the
Salmon Creek to the early economy
contribution of
that
the grain,
the early days.
supplied water
sawed
ice
in
their
of
winter
Floods in 1922
raceways.
which,
and
the dams
1935,
loosened
These dams
accu
by
spring
who were on
it
when
the
generations
in the holes
vogue were
at
some
and
cing
farms
and
sorrel stallion
of
eddies around
affairs were
persons
dog
21
rocks or
suits
then
by indifortunes by finan
conducted
substantial
industries. One
a
large
bottomless bathing
with the boys.
accumulated
hitched to
of
Lansing learned to
and
popular
small
youth
by
In early times financial
uals,
cloudbursts,
Myers, drowning four
the
of
created
very
by heavy
village and
structure collapsed.
fallen trees. Their topless
in
caused
rains,
destroyed bridges. The flood
and
1935 destroyed the bridge
swim
and
over
the huge ice jams that actually flooded
lowlands along the creek.
Several
run
the
and
caused
out
to
the timber
half-hidden timbers
by their
grown embankments
wiped
which
frequent intervals from Myers Point to Genoa
testified to
mulated
Genoa,
of
ground
wool of
at
Its drainage area,
man
cart, kept
a
who
drove
a
burlap bag tied
the droppings for
his garden. Proof that thrift paid off is the Y.M.C. A. build
ing in Ithaca, Chittenden Hall, erected with the funds he
across
the thills behind the horse to
catch
provided.
Trials in justice
cases
were
court were
frequent,
and
many
friendly
A good, hot
than justice. One
his
terms
home, but
with
a
when a
Line-fence
horse-swapping trials
common occurrence.
entertainment
and varied.
neighbor
detective
case often
woman
was
furnished
who
suspected
was called
were
was
of
of
more
on
un
burning
in to investigate
the case, she married him. Later burnings brought the
woman to trial for arson, where she was convicted and sen
tenced to a term in Auburn prison. Upon her release, the
sentencing justice's barn burned.
22
MILLIKEN E. & G. STATION
Milliken
station
miles north of
power
is
the
on
Ithaca. It is
east shore of
one of
Cayuga Lake, 17
the largest
the
of
six
steam-
in the New York Electric and Gas system
the Finger Lakes and South Central New York
plants
which serves
state.
For this
installation,
ground was
broken October 28, 1952,
the hundredth anniversary of the founding of this com
pany's forerunner. Officially dedicated June 14, 1955, the
on
began generating September 24, 1955. It was named
for Arnold W. Milliken, vice president and general man
plant
ager
of
This
the
company.
site was selected
and railroad
facilities,
electrically a
power
major
network
of
because
and
the availability of water
it strategic location for becoming
source
of
of
power
the South Central
supply
section
to the
high-
the
state.
of
It is centrally located from the standpoint of interconnec
tion with neighboring utilities to the east, north and south.
as a
lakeside, the main building is 150 feet high, as
twelve-story office building. The chimney reaches
skyward
250 feet. Of four buildings planned, two have been
On the
tall
built.
Excavation
of
191,000
cubic yards of earth
and
153,000
necessary before the plant could be
built. Altogether this would be equal to 1,770 carloads or a
cubic yards of rock was
freight train reaching twenty-six miles.
Into this structure went 2,300 tons
800 tons
of re-enforced
concrete was poured
to
way, twenty-four feet
steel,
pave
wide
and
two
of
million
four
and a
and
nine
23
structural
steel,
bricks. Enough
half
miles of
high
inches thick. It
re-
quired
the labor
450
of
to
workmen
perform
the
work
of
construction.
This is
ergy
we
a
generating
stored centuries ago
call
electricity.
bituminous
coal
to
It
by
plant run
in
coal
requires
produce a
to
steam
into the
change
product of
seven-tenths
kilowatt hour
of
the
energy
pound
a
en
of
of electricity.
When operating at full capacity, a carload of coal is con
sumed every hour. As each car comes in, it is turned upside
down so all coal goes into the bunkers, and from there to
the pulverizing bins after all iron bits are removed by mag
nets. It is then fed automatically into the furnaces. Ashes
are removed mechanically and taken away in trucks. Water
is
to
used
to
return
keep dust down, but
directly to the lake.
It takes
after
it
a great
passes
deal
none of
of pure water
this
to
is
water
the
condense
through the turbines. The
water
allowed
of
steam
Cayuga
Finger Lakes is noted for its uniform year-round
55-degree temperature far below the surface. A daily aver
age of 125 million gallons of water is pumped from the lake
through an eight-foot intake that extends 525 feet out into
the lake. After it is used to condense the steam, the water
goes back into the lake a bit warmer and much
purer.
and other
It takes
a
staff of
day-and-night
shift
foremen,
fifty-six
operation.
persons
This
control-room
skilled
keepers,
maintenance
keep the
personnel
operators, turbine
operators, engineers, mechanical
repairmen,
to
men,
24
in
includes
and
pump
tester, chemists, welders,
coal and ash
clerks, stenographers,
plant
and
handlers,
first-class laborers.
store
STORIES FROM LANSING HISTORY
By Susan Haring, 1954
During
her
twenty years as Town Historiai, Susan Haring
(Mrs. William D.) gathered and preserved much historical
material that is now in the Lansing archives at the Town
Hall. A
follows.
selection
I.H.P.
Pioneer Families Came
As
the Indians
soon as
General Sullivan's
for
open
south
expedition of
driven from this
1779
and
section
by
the tract thrown
in 1790, pioneer families from east
began pouring in. They found the land so densely
settlement
and
cov
that the Indians had termed it the Dark Forest. These
ered
woods were
inhabited
an occasional
wild
rattlesnake and
animals,
men who cut
down the trees,
the soil came storekeepers,
cultivated
lesser
artisans.
trails
or primitive
came
the
historic
by
only
Indian.
Following the
and
were
Early
Little
highways
schools and
names
crossed or came
churches.
have been
blacksmiths,
buildings
clusters of
Nearly
changed with
Libertyville became South Lansing,
cleared and
all
grew
where
together. Then
the
meaningful
the passing
and
millers
of
Teetertown,
time
:
Lan
singville.
The first innkeeper
It is
related
house,
at
that the first
a rattlesnake
crept
Libertyville
was
William Boyce.
his family's stay in the
into the bed and slept with the
night of
children.
Rogue's Harbor Construction Cost $40,000
Later on,
during 1830-40,
the stately Central Exchange
25
of
a
a reputed cost
built by Gen. Daniel D. Minier at
$40,000. The first floor of the tavern was
Hotel
was
bar
and
used a portion of
the
used a portion of
the
north side
side
north
generad store.
The
decidedly Colonial, having
front
balconies running across
sides. As there were three
the three balconies
It is
The
general
for his
was
and west
store.
for his
building
and
that
related
to sleeping
second was given over
grillroom, the
provided a
the
when
as
constructed
in
pillars
wooden
story on the north
stories besides the attic,
each
very
pleasant
view.
putting up the
workmen were
finishing touches on the building a carpenter named Wil
liam Egbert, aged about 40, fell from a platform in the
gable
to the
bones
broken, he
happened
Seven
died,
the
day
on
the
an
whisky bottle
is
author of
erroneous
because
top
on
used
states
that
idea the
good
count of
one.
ballroom, for
prised
all
of
ladies
of
no
accident
times
some
building
persons,
was
applied
nature
said
and,
across
that
one
throwing
a
a
had
an old
however, have
the
to the little hamlet
infested the
the community
as
were
which
Directly
building. It is
people were all
In 1845
hands.
neighbor
was one of
highly
the best
respected.
the hotel ; we have an ac
Year party was held in the
at
Leap
the committee
on
arrangements com
Anson
Knettles, Jonathan Norton and James Boyce,
South Lansing. The party was sponsored
by some
at
were sent
the hotel
who
paid
to young
men
in
all
rigs out
expenses,
and
invitations
Ithaca, Groton, Dryden,
Enfield
them drove their horse-andto Rogue's Harbor. An old-time
country or-
and other villages, and many of
buggy
This
Lansing history found in
roguish
its
other
this
of
name
persons of
section and
Many
uninjured.
with
the hotel, christened it Rogue's Har
to this day.
this bit
hood. This is disputed
in the
into
unused
old,
against
name
scrapbook
jarred but
the hotel's completion, General Minier
place passed
a man stood
bor. The
practically
much
July 4.
was
road
The
was
years after
and
Picked up,
ground.
26
chestra
rilles,
furnished
Musk
Money
for the dances. There
music
very popular at the time. The
hour after attending the
given in Lansing.
Some
H.
notable
most
governor
drove home
guests
have
persons
former
Seward,
Dance, the latter being
the Spanish
and
notable
stayed
at
at an
early
ever
merrymaking
the hotel. William
New York
of
quad
were
and
secretary
of
State in Lincoln's cabinet, had rooms reserved where he
rested
on his travels between his home in Auburn and
When
Washington.
brought here
by
Sheriff Richard Ives to
taken to the hotel
little
lar
was
time. Rulloff's
some
was
just
located
half-mile track. About 1840 the
south
of
for
twenty
sport
a racecourse
became
popu
years.
Lansingville Was Called Teetertown
Why
days I heard many of the older people
Lansingville as Teetertown. This commemorated
In my
the
trial, he
stand
located
was
the hamlet
north of
and continued so
speak
house
was
murderer,
church.
Immediately
with a
kept there for
and
weather-beaten
Asbury
famed
the
Rulloff,
younger
of
name
of
a
Revolutionary War
soldier, Conrad
Teeter,
for many years kept the hotel there. This little hamlet
played an important role at one time, for the first town
meetings of the Town of Milton, as Lansing was originally
who
called, were held there.
1, 1794
the home
Dates
of
these
sessions are :
April
Woodruff; in April 1795,
at the home of Samuel Baker; during April 1796, at the
home of John Garrison; and in April 1801 and 1806, at
the
at
home
erected
of
the
Jonathan
Conrad Teeter. On the village
stocks
were confined
of
for
where
a
sometimes
since we
have
law
and
were
order
time.
No West
I
offenders against
green
wondered
Lansing Explained
why
North, South
we
and
27
have
East
no
West
Lansing,
until
Lansing,
I found
the following paragraph in Lewis Halsey's History
the Seneca Baptist Association. "Lake Ridge, the church
day
one
of
West Lansing, Lansing, and Genoa, was
October
organized as the First Baptist Church of Milton on
31, 1796. The meetinghouse was built in 1840 at Lake Ridge.
variously known
as
It
according to the
situated
was
Hotel
and
been held
the
and
church
So the mystery is
the descriptive title
church was
Since 1869 no
old cider mill.
the
bought
and
have
practically
The people,
Lake Ridge to
of
meetings
disbanded."
has
solved.
lease between Fenner's
torn down
a
no
doubt,
another
few
preferred
Lansing. This
by
years ago
mem
the United Brethren Church, and its timbers incor
porated in the Brethren Church at King Ferry.
bers
of
Fiddlers'
First Post Office Located
+-
i
r
k
m'.
\Uip
Miller,
-^>Abijah
jaSk-L-vjX,
post office
in
Lansing
Green; it
Fiddler's
called
.
^^
The first
Ludlow, March 10, 1815,
This location is
zey
now
I had
until
live ;
wonderful
from the
tled where the
own
country,
and
fade
John
were
and
Marion
Swea-
Poplar Hill.
the
significance of
explanation:
name
"Fiddlers'
place where all good sailors
away."
Could it be that
Long Island
or
to them seemed like
I have heard it
Red-Flannel
some old
New England
Paradise,
or
set
God's
called?
Shirt, Army Musket Paid for Lot
the early settlers in Lansing was Benjamin Buck,
came from Great Bend, Pa., in 1805 and bought mili
One
who
this
happy
shores of
place
as
upon
with
Bowman, March 1, 1817.
called
the
at a settlement
successors
George Beckwith
came
they die
located
Green
January 11, 1806,
His
John
late it has been
of
day I
Green is the
sailors
and
often wondered about
one
go when
where
was
opened
postmaster.
-*.,
at
of
tary lot 80 from
rick, for
a
Revolutionary War
a red-flannel shirt and an
nine children with
him
and
three
28
army
soldier, Rufus Hermusket.
more were
He brought
born in
Lan-
sing.
It is
back,
over
that Mrs. Buck made the
related
baby in her arms. A bed
horse's back, with a little straw in
the
unique
children.
The
saddlebags
youngest
Ruf us Herrick Buck
Benjamin had
and
spinster,
girls
of
a
rode
child
after
the
daughter
of
on
horse
tick
was
laid
each
end,
and
a
carrying
in these
the
journey
the
next
the
family
two
youngest
named
was
war veteran.
who
gained some
fame
as
a
in 1822 the following challenge was issued to
Tompkins County: "On Friday the 29th of
March, between the hourse of 1 a.m. and 10 in the evening,
Miss Anna Buck, aged 13, spun 90 knots of tow yarn. Beat
this if
The
can."
you
challenge
was
accepted
by
girls around
the county
and soon reports were received of similar accomplishments.
13^ hours spun 81 knots
of linen thread. Miss Philinda Dickinson, aged 14, spun 80
knots in 13% hours, and Miss Nancy Ann Goodwin in 15
Miss Eliza Higgins
hours
spun
of
165 knots
Enfield in
of
"good
yarn."
woolen
Samuel Gibbs Arrived in 1792
I think every
resident of
Lansing knows the
Gibbs house
Estys, just at the fork of the roads. Mrs. Berentha Gibbs
Harris, granddaughter of the original owner, told this story
at
the early days.
"In 1792 Samuel Gibbs, my grandfather, moved from
New Jersey into the south part of Cayuga County, now
Tompkins, four miles north of Ithaca, on the east side of
of
Cayuga Lake. The country was new (opened to settlement
in 1792) ; my father, Garrett Gibbs, built the first farmhouse
it. Ithaca
on
was a village or
way from Ithaca
where
edge of
the
"Milling
the
but
an
of
log houses,
oxcart road.
and
the
Teams drew the
the foot of the hill and through the
south of the lake. In later years my father showed us
the path was at the foot of the hill and along the
goods with
marsh
was
hamlet
difficulty
at
marsh.
was
done 12
miles or more
west side at what was
down the lake
known as Goodwin's
29
on
Point,
the
now
My
Taughannock.
lake,
half
eastward a
Grandfather
water.
mile or
his
or
bags down through the
feet, to
their
skiff
in
and across
their turn for
flour,
and
on shore so
know
two
take it
wheat
175
of
there to
Point,
in
seven miles
await
three days.
or
have
fire blazing in the
a
that her husband
and sons might see
bring their boat to land. It
to
where
would
to Goodwin's
night grandmother would
darkness
the
the
above
the steep bluff
and
they
sometimes
600 feet
would carry
sons
which
back from the
was
and
more,
woods
down the lake
"At
house
grandfather's
heavy
was
to carry the grain down and it was
to carry the flour up the steep cliff throught the dark,
much
work
worse
as
to
it
sometimes was.
"The Gibbs family burying
house,
the many
one of
ground
such plots
is located
in
Estys First Named Forest
Estys
tablished
was
first
was
as
the
City
post office
the old stonehouse
Dr. Burdick's Water Cure
there,
known
Forest City. A
named
east of
Lansing."
and
on
was es
the lake
and
road
Ladies Semi
nary.
Among the
tories I have
early
settlers near
are
those
Collins. Jeremiah
came
Asbury
Jeremiah Shurger
of
family his
whose
and
Barnabas
Lansing from Ulster County where
his father had been killed by the Indians. After several
days'
hard marching through the
successfully
whisky,
raided a settlement
they
proceeded
der the influence
with
to
of
to
drink,
her ten children,
wilderness
and,
as part of
the Indians
the loot
was
While they were un
Mrs. Shurger made her escape
celebrate.
Jeremiah.
Before coming to Lansing he married Miss Sarah Stew
art, a Scots woman descended from the royal Stuart house
of Scotland. Brave and fearless, she was a woman able to
withstand
one of whom was
the hardships
converted under
the Methodist
of
the times. When
the preaching
church.
She
of
Bishop Asbury,
was present when
30
a girl she was
and
joined
the first burial
was made
in the
Asbury Cemetery,
old
that
of
Catharine
Goodwin Bloom in 1794.
She
used
to
relate
away from home
beasts hovered
her
hood, the
The
overnight.
others grew
clung
away, she hurled burn
born to them. One died in
were
children
marauders
children
married and
up,
was
wild
other
and
wolves
their cabin, and the
around
to her dress. To drive the
ing firebrands at them.
Eleven
her husband
experiences when
child
lived in the Town
of
Lansing.
Bear
at
Thomas Oollins
Window Frightened Mother
to
came
Lansing
the
about
time
same
as
Jeremiah Shurger, 1792, and settled near Asbury. Descend
ants of these two Continental families repeatedly married
into the
opposite
family
two forty-second
tions back to the
until at
cousins
original
the time
down
sat
through
and
seven
of a
family
reunion
traced their
different
rela
routes.
My own Revolutionary soldier great-grandfather was
Henry LaBarre who lived near Asbury church. My grand
father Marion Howell
mother
and
LaBarre
heard
a
was
noise
told the story
often
alone with
at
the
there was the ugly face
that can be imagined.
window.
of a
Three Townleys
No
her
bear
of when
children
When
she
which
Grand
in the
cabin
glanced up,
caused
a
terror
Lansing Pioneers
Lansing would be complete without some
mention of the Townley family. Through articles written
about 1875 by Miss Mary Townley much of the early-day
chronicle of
lore has been
following
preserved
has been
and
daughter,
a
New Jersey,
of
the
sons
a
scrapbook, from
which
the
condensed.
Effringham Townley
sons
in
and
and
the time
his wife, Jemima
lived
nine
the French
Earl, had seven
miles from Newark,
and Indian War. Six
fought beside their father in the defense of the
at
of
31
city ;
later,
with
the Sullivan
one was
taken
Wyoming and another
into Central New York.
prisoner
expedition
at
the sons, Charles, Richard and James, were set
tlers in Tompkins County. Richard, his family and Charles
arrived December 18, 1792. He had purchased 400 acres of
Three
of
had drawn military lot 77 as
for his six and a half years in the
Archibald Cunningham
a
bounty
military
who
Continental Army. (His discharge,
ington, is in the DeWitt
built
was
Having
a
upon
site
no grain or
Historical
near
hay
by George Wash
Collection) A log cabin
signed
.
James Buck
where
the
cattle
fed
upon
lives.
now
browse
of
the
maples, basswoods and elms, and fattened.
Charles
back
with
to Wyoming Valley in 1794
his family to settle on a part of the 400
returnd
Richard had ten children and Charles
descendants are now living in Lansing.
James
came
later. He had
lived in Dryden. Both he
are buried at Peruville.
and
Perhaps it is two hundred
loaded
at a port
a
two
He
years
was
and
called
raised
Elizabeth,
who
became the
that
the
their
family
a
the boat sailed, he was
sailors sold him for a term of
when
Master
Lewis,
made
family
of
passage pay.
afterward
his way inland
children.
32
corrupted
where
Among
Richard Townley,
Charles Townley.
married
wife of
a
little lad playing along the shore
was Lewis. They persuaded him to
to the highest bidder for his
Mather Lewis. He later
ried
and
of
his wife, Catharine Brown,
years ago
knew only his name
come on board with them and,
brought along. On arrival, the
who
of
children
acres.
Many
six.
came
ship was being
in Scotland for New York. The sailors be
acquainted with
came
six
and
and
he
them
Polly
to
mar
were
who
NELLIE'S RIDE
By Mary L. Townley
"Oh,
the lake
of
Grandpa is going away up to the corner
he says I may go along if you will let me ;
mamma!
can
1 go,
the
old
and
mamma?"
farmhouse kitchen
"Yes, if
Nellie,
exclaimed
you
will
have
she
beautiful
one
face
your
as
June
morning.
first,"
washed
into
rushed
replied
mamma.
Now, having her face washed is one of Nellie's greatest
trials, but the prospect of a long, pleasant ride before her,
to
she managed
to the
also
and
submit
to the
impatiently
a
clean
tied securely
sunbonnet
aways
and
barn,
and
operation
affliction
additional
smoothly brushed
pink
to the
of
apron put
under
grace
good
having her
on; then
her chin,
she
climbing into the wagon,
Prince is harnessed
until old
with
and
they
hair
with
a
bounds
waits
are
very
fairly
under way.
Grandma,
passes
go
snatching
a
past
few
on one
the blue
other
they
watch
auntie
disappears
and
the
wagon
as
it
beyond the hill.
go
the schoolhouse
moments of
where
the
children
are
play before the bell rings.
corner and a
few
rods
farther
they
pass a
Now they have reached the lake woods
side, through the trees, they catch glimpses
schoolhouse.
where
of
bridge
Nellie
They turn the
red
and
jogging along behind old Price.
through the long woods so shady and cool, and
and
pass
they
on
the
over
Grandpa
They
mamma
water
the forest
come
to
sparkling in the sunshine,
covers
where
the hills
the
as
far
road curves
33
as
the
while
the
on
eye can see.
around
the bank
As
and
his whip,
crosses a narrow ravine, grandpa, pointing with
says :
a place where a white man was
burned
Indians."
by the
"Oh,
tell
ready for
"Well,
which
there is
"Up
all
me
it,"
about
Nellie,
says
is
who
always
a story.
the
sent
was
belonged to General Sullivan's army,
through the western part of the State to
man
drive away the Indians, and
to the white settlers. A few
them for their cruelty
punish
of
the
captured
soldiers were
by the savages, but this one had made his escape and was
following on the track of the army. Finding himself pur
sued but knowing that a detachment of trooops had been
sent between the Cayuga and Seneca Lakes, he came in this
direction, hoping to overtake them. But before he reached
the head of the lake he saw that he was being surrounded
by his pursuers and, taking to the water, he swam across,
landing
at
the
mouth
of
the little gully we just
crossed.
Here he hoped to conceal himself, but the Indians soon
hunted him out, and taking him a little way up the hill, he
was tied to a tree and tortured and burned to death.
"Once,
to the
that
when
I
place and showed me
remained of
boy, my father took
the tall, blackened stump,
was quite a small
the tree to
which
the
poor man
me
all
had been
fastened. There is nothing left of it now, but some day when
we have time I will show you where it
stood; but now we
must hurry on or we shall not get home to dinner."
By that time they had
grandpa soon
come
to the
finished his business for
their return trip.
(Editor's Note : There is no factual
they
of
which
mill
where
he came,
and
set out on
this story,
ing
plaster
as
Mr. Norris
on earlier pages
evidence
in his
in this pamphlet.)
points out
34
for the basis
article appear
LANSING MASONIC LODGE
By Morris B.
Accepted Masons, received
dispensation from the Grand Lodge of New York dated
Lansing
a
Smith
Lodge
490, Free
and
September 24, 1824. The first meeting of the new lodge was
held at the home of George Bower, in later years called
the Daniel Bacon
The
earliest
Lodge in the
place.
document
surviving
archives
the Grand Lodge is
of
to
relating
Lansing
letter from
a
Secretary John Ludlow to the Grand Secretary Ebenezer
Wadsworth dated August 22, 1825. There had been some
delay in obtaining a permanent charter and as the dispen
sation would expire September 24, 1825, a petition for
renewal was made.
The
man who started
by Genoa Lodge 213,
this lodge had been
and
the
papers and
recommended
money had been
forwarded to Brother Joseph Enos, Grand Master. The
lodge continued to experience difficulty in procuring a war
rant, but finally one was issued by the Grand Lodge under
date
October 12, 1826.
of
Little is known
to
as
degrees
when
were conferred or on
whom, but it is known that James Bower
tered
apprentice
6, he
was given
ning he
was
received
his
en
January 9, 1827. On February
his fellowcraft degree, and the same eve
degree
made
a
on
master
Mason. His Masonic
apron
is
(1966) in possession of his great-grandson Morris B.
Smith, 1217 Westmoreland Avenue, Syracuse. Bowers was
now
elected
secretary
1, 1828,
Bower's
are
in
of
the lodge. Its last
possession
of
signature.
35
minutes
dated June
the Grand Lodge
and
bear
The
charter was
Morgan
because
First
hundreds
affair when
anti-Masonic
officers of
Abraham
feeling
the lodge
Haring, Sr.,
The only list
Lodge
forfeited June
of
are as given
5, 1834,
lodges
of
were :
William R.
; Hiram
in the
members
here. Nine
of
ceased
of
the
to function
high.
ran
warden
the time
at
the
Moe,
Fitch,
master;
warden.
archives of
the Grand
original members were
from the Genoa lodge.
Hamilton, Thomas
Halliday, Amos H.
Halliday, Wm. C.
Haring, Abraham
Holden, Luther
Lanterman, Geo. L.
Lob ell, Henry
Ludlow, John
Mead, Lockwood
Miller, James
Moe, Hiram
Niell, Tllyer
Armstrong, Isaac
Bartlett, Clark W.
Benson, Nathan
Bower, James
Bowker, John
Brown, Isaac
Chapman, Samuel
Cix, William
Darling, Hercules
Fitch, William R.
Fox, Consider
Groves, David
Nix, Abraham
North, Joshua
Ozman, Jacob L.
Peck, Ezekiel
Phillips, John
Rose, John
Rude, Abraham
Rutan, Henry
Sailles, Richard
Seton, John
Steves, Joshua
Railroad Gamble Costly
For the
in interest
the New
year
1872, the Town
bonds issued to
on
road was abandoned
bonds lingered
on
Pine Grove
lowville
having
was
David
tary ;
as
to
the
before completion, but the
maturity.
Cemetery Incorporated, 1869
been
long
incorporated
The cemetery
elected
aid
York, Oswego & Midland Railroad through
town. The
After
Lansing paid $6,996.59
in building a branch of
of
neglected, the cemetery in Lud
as
Pine Grove
was placed under a
trustees. Officers
board
were:
Cemetery
in 1896.
twelve
persons
of
J. A. Burr, president;
McCormick, vice-president; William Mead,
Dr. C. P. Farlin, treasurer.
36
secre
CEMENT WORKS AT PORTLAND POINT
The Penn-Dixie
time
produced
However,
in the
the
cement works at
2,000 barrels
original
gullies above
The
gullies
of
operation
Portland Point
high-grade
had
a
cement
at
a
one
day.
humble beginning
Shurger's Point.
were
the lot originally owned by
daughter Jane married Harts Col
of
part
Joseph Shurger, whose
lins (1832-1905). Collins
recognized
the
value of
the
Tully
limestone underlying the surface, mined the stone, burned
it, and delivered the product to the Ithaca glass factories. It
cost
$3
a
After
gypsum.
gypsum
higher
ton
a
and sold
for $8.
time the Ithaca trade demanded
Collins then
rock
which
and
lime from
to Union Springs for
sent canalboats
he burned
white
delivered
at
a
much
than the brown lime brought.
price
The early kilns were very primitive and were operated
with wood fires. About three weeks were required to com
plete the process of combustion. Ashes that fell through the
kiln were sold in slaked form to farmers for fertilizer.
Collins, his son Sherman formed
Portland Cement Company. During 1900 the works
After the death
the
of
Harts
started on a site where
an
extensive
Norton Creek
operation,
it
was
Cayuga Lake ;
launched by the Cayuga
enters
Construction Company.
The quarry where the limestone rock was obtained was
some distance up the hill to the east; a tramway trans
ported the crushed limestone to the mill. By ingenious engi
neering, the loaded car descending the incline drew up an
empty
car.
At the
mill
the limestone
37
was
burned,
tested
and
quality that
standards of
Nearby
concrete
wooden
Hance ;
Erma Townley. Along the
by Ed
store operated
by
managed
were maintained.
building that contained a
upstairs was a boarding house
large
a
was
to bring it up to the high
added
gypsum
sufficient
garages,
creek
the hill to the
and on
bank
a row of
south were a
dozen
houses built by the company for its employees.
These houses were nicely furnished, for the men were well
or more
paid,
dwellings
and
gardens.
There
set off
were
were
by flower
five
additional
an
and
vegetable
houses
or six
near
the quarry, but as the operations developed it displaced
them. Now all of these houses are gone except for one that
is
by a lone man.
During July 1935 this region
occupied
hard
that
rains
bridges
waters
through
swept
the
machinery filled
clean
up this
The
was
with
mud.
closed
years
be
successor
unique
campaign
several
lished
feature
of
plants
a
year without
of
trophy
an
in
loss
a
and
leave the
year's
effort
to
work was resumed.
rail
and
the
canal.
Finally,
production, the plant
At the time it was explained
Company
efficiently at
of
other
plants
Easton, Pennsylvania,
concern.
the
plant's management was a
awarded
accident.
and
carried
of
the plant
On June
plant and
observance
of
required
on
the company. A competition
the Portland Point
without
by
inaugurated in 1925
with
holiday
It
produced more
to the Portland
garages
continuous
in June 1947.
could
and
Portland Point to
before
of
Penn-Dixie Cement
A
at
which
building
store
cement was shipped
cement
of
mill
equipment
nearly 50
after
and
away the
washed
floods
of
took away the
drowned three boys and a man. The
great
caused
Myers
at
days
experienced several
1, 1931,
their families
having
time through
gone
accidents.
38
which
all
safety
among the
was
estab
operated
employees
were
the
given
year
a
of
a
1930
SHORT
During
LINE, ROAD OF
TRAVAIL
nearly 50 years, railroad fever had been
fore
a
topic among leaders in Tompkins County; even as late
1900 there were those who convinced themselves that a
most
as
rail
line between Ithaca
and
knows better, and
sight
bitter
Auburn
benefactor
one would-be
would serve
an area
of
by
were
a
still
To
unimproved.
in both Tompkins
the
Cayuga
and
line, but
proposed
However,
the
the New
chartered
outline
at
an
serve
a
March 8, 1900. The
this time called for
area
the
objective of
to have foreseen
in the limited
York, Auburn
highways
over
agricultural
counties was
no one seems
sible shrinkage of agriculture
was
to
Lansing that was tra
lake, while the Owego-
Lehigh branch along the
Auburn road to the east offered service but
versed
of
went
grave.
This line
that
Hind
was a necessity.
pos
region.
Lansing Railroad
and
general
description
of
construction
of
line
a
from Ithaca to South Lansing, North Lansing, Venice,
Merrifield and Auburn.
north
Scarcely had these plans been made when another group
headed by Sherman Collins began planning the Auburn and
Ithaca Electric Railway. This
route was
two terminals but
to
by way of King Ferry,
Scipioville, but inability to develop an
doomed the
Before
project
before it
actual construction
urban proposals
then
began
floating
considerable attention
Construction Company
line,
emerged
a standard-gauge
for
connect
Poplar
same
Ridge,
and
entry into Ithaca
from the
on
the
the
paper stage.
steam
line,
inter-
throughout the country drew
time. Nevertheless, the Auburn
organized to construct the steam
a
was
railroad
39
equipped with a
third
rail
for
thought
transit
bow to the interurban
was a
electrified
This
enlarged
a change
Ithaca
in
plan was never carried
plans was
Another insoluable
realization
road
dictated
Lansing
line than
an electric
Lansing,
the
over
which
as
the
terminal
space
between Auburn
constructed
power.
motive
in Ithaca.
this perplexity, twenty-nine
seven miles
Again
the steep grades between
proved better adapted to
steam
was
problem
of
were
and
by
with
one
fulfillment, but
to
need might eventuate.
ties indicated the
South
and
steam
to Syracuse
continued on
West Shore.
extra-length
Upon
have
which would
inter-city
of
concept
fore
this
Evidently,
terminals.
between
operation
of
miles
South
and
line into Ithaca from
of electric
South Lansing.
A right-of-way of the abandoned New York, Oswego and
Midland Railroad was used from a mile north of South
Lansing and four south of Auburn. This abandoned line had
been built from Freeville to Merrifield in 1872, and then
extended to Auburn, but it was given up in 1892. Some of
the
abandoned
became known
Near North
monly known
crossed
fill this
by
depots
as
by the
new road which
the Short Line.
Lansing
as
there
Gulf Stream
a wooden
gorge
were utilized
existed
a
deep
that the Midland had
Gorge,
trestle. The Short Line
and spent
a year
nearly
com
ravine,
preferred
filling it
to
with earth
and cinders.
Simultaneously
Auburn end,
Ithaca. Here
cent
far
grades.
north of
proximity
with construction of
work on
the
the
steam
electric section got
line
on
the
underway
deep ravines and three
bridging were required, and
at
were encountered
per
Filling
not
Ithaca
and
where
necessitated
hills hugged the lakeshore their
excavating
a
plans
difficulties
roadway
along
the
cliffs.
Despite
changes
freight
service
March
1, 1908,
in
and
between Auburn
with engine
No. 1
40
and
as
South
the
of
terrain,
Lansing
began
motive power.
This
locomotive
traveled
was
upgraded
the line in
over
from the
whose
train
work
construction
now
and
it had
played
a vital role.
Subsequent to the initial
service, limited to
1
of
This
that year,
the
an extension
and
return
for
and
passenger
Genoa June
to Tarbell September 19.
twenty-five miles, but as there was
the engine around, it backed up on
turning
trip.
On December 12,
to
between Auburn
came
was a run of about
means
no
a run
scheduled run
1908,
mark completion of
line. On New Year's
a silver spike was
the
driven
at
Estys
southern or electric section of
Day 1909,
the
passenger service was opened
between Ithaca and South Lansing, to mark the beginning
of service between the two terminals of the Short Line.
began operating
when it pulled the company's pay trains for the first time
on July 6, 1908. No. 3 was a "cabbage cutter that was
The
locomotive
second
always
falling
apart,"
the
on
but it
new road
was used
only in
construction
work.
"T"
Well built
tween Auburn
highest
field
rails
and provided with seventy-pound
be
South Lansing, the roadbed reached its
of one thousand feet just south of Merri
and
elevation
after an upward climb of eleven miles.
Auburn
was
repair shops.
the
It
site of
was
tric lines. None
high
operational
from this
operational orders were
carried on extra
the
office
transmitted
headquarters
that standard
by
telephone
poles originally planned
and
railroad
over
to carry
lines
elec
were added.
for
The terminal problems at Ithaca made it necessary
Ithaca Traction
the Short Line to acquire an interest in the
This arrange
Company, operator of the trolleys in the city.
the trolley tracks from Renwick
into the city where a business and ticket office, waiting
block of
room and baggage room were located in the 100
ment made possible use of
North Tioga Street. At East Falls
small
freight house
was erected.
41
and
North Tioga Streets
a
the
During
summer of
was run
to Rogue's
reduced
to five the
Harbor,
Over the decade
good
heavily into
cut so
a
the
line
electric
day. These
to three in 1912,
and
were
finally
1920.
roads
transporta
and motorized
receipts of
the Short Line that
per
the company to cease operations. In
October 31, 1923, the last steam-powered
the evening of
train reached South
electric car made
Rails
trips
of
granted
was
mission
19,
branch
a
with six
next year,
discontinued October
tion
1909
were
Lansing
its final
torn up
and a short
to Ithaca.
run
1934
during
time later the last
and sold
for
Of the
scrap.
locomotives, a fire in the Auburn engine house Febru
16, 1916, severely damaged one and reduced another
steam
ary
to
scrap.
record
motive
Disposition
of
the
locomotives
no
carries
for the first three ; and express car used as a loco
and the two McKeen gasoline motor coaches were
destroyed in
a
fire in 1925. It is
many locomotives
reduced
were
no
longer known just how
lost in the fire, but
hand
all on
were
to scrap.
When the two McKeen
ning
electric
equipment of
to the
motor cars were added
the line in
1914, to handle
run
express ship
ments, it was soon found that their limited baggage
space
inadquate for the demand. It became necessary to make
the shipments by steam-powered trains, but as the demand
continued to decrease these two coaches all but replaced
the steam runs.
was
The McKeen
coaches are still remembered
of whom were passengers aboard
and
traveled
sengers,
der 200-horsepower,
they
weighed
As their
capacity
route
53
at a maximum of
six-cylinder
70
many,
seated
miles an
water-cooled
some
83
pas
hour
un
engines;
each.
lay through
a
dairying district",
each
had
a
cans, but the baggage compartment
bare 64 square feet of floor space.
of
occupied a
37 tons
them. Each
by
Four trains
milk
daily
each way rendered adequate
service
favorable weather, but
in
winter was a season of continuin
g
42
distress. The McKeen
drifts,
On
the
it failed to
other
road was
15
operate
Financial difficulties
Lansing Railroad
locomotive
one
necessitating using
one occasion
combat snow
on
snowplow.
a
tied up for 16 days and
the New
plagued
on an
25 days.
out of
that it defaulted
so
to
coaches were unable
York, Auburn
on payments
of
and
inter
its bonds in 1911, and on January 6, 1913, receivers
were appoined. Two years later the Central New York
Southern was incorporated, when it acquired all the prop
est on
the Short Line
of
erty
and added
As late
tions
flag
two McKeen
as
served
stop,
no
the Ithaca Traction
and
Company,
motor cars.
December 18, 1921, there were seventeen sta
along the route, listed as follows (f indicates
agent)
:
Renwick f, McKinney f, Asbury f, South Lansing, Davis
f, Tarbell f, North Lansing, Sills Crossing f, Genoa f, Myers
f, Venice Center, Woods Mill f, Merrifield, Kinslers f,
Mapleton, Whites
7:30
a.m. arrived
parted at
rable
f.
The
in New York
12:20 p.m., 3:45
that left Ithaca
passengers
City
6:15
at
7:20
p.m. and
p.m.
at
Others de
p.m. with compa
running schedules.
Canalboat Launching Gala Event
Always the launching
yard
who
was
a
gala
attended
occasion
was
event
for the
in family
lands
canalboat
a
lake
building
as
at
this
picnic.
The
on
the
shore of
his
Myers Point. He lost his
Union Springs. Subse
site
water
boatbuilder here
43
Lansing
the county fair.
started, Andrew Myers
storm at
industry that endured until
superseded by that of railroads.
prominent
daylong
tons burden
able
One
a
of
at
even
to be known
life by drowning in
for
day
a
was
of six or eight
which came
quently,
to
residents
rural
groups
comparable
Before the Erie Canal
built bateaux
the Myers boat
of a canalboat at
became
a consider
transportation
was
George
was
Edward
Quaker parents, he was a son
father was a
of Charles and Jemima Nivers Burling. The
Wal
boatbuilder, a craft followed by his sons George and
(1840-1927). Born
Burling
of
the Inlet boatyards in Ithaca. George Burling built
the tugboat Hiawatha for Marshall Sperry after his loss of
the tug Clayton. These boats towed canalboats from Cay
ter
at
uga
to the
to Cayuga
burned
at
George
they
salt plant where
horses
where
the
salt
were
or mules
pier about
company
Mary Sincebaugh,
married
Dutchman owning
a
farm
near
to Myers "and bought three
Myers
who
However,
the land
on
1912.
whose
acres of
the homestead
near
the
Storms, a neighbor on the
his, and after a survey Burling
to pay for it
a second
father
was
a
They
from Henry
campus.
land
Fred
was
and returned
The Hiawatha
over.
the Cornell
moved
lived
took
loaded
old storehouse.
south,
claimed
was compelled
time.
bluff by the lake that is now
owned by Jack Fenner. Nearby, he started a boatyard and
developed a canalboat business that throve for years. Each
He
boat
erected
his house
on
a
was carefully constructed and
small
kitchen
plied
with
Mr.
two
would
to
what would
be the de
today.
and
Mrs. Burling
lake through the
where
with a
tiny bedrooms. The interior was sup
the conveniences of the day which, of course,
and
were almost primitive compared
mand
furnished inside
it
was
be
waterways
by
canal and
way
of
purchaser.
boat down the
came, it
Their
return
boat coming up the
awaiting them.
another
stored grain
railroad
each
Hudson River to New York
delivered to the
to load
When the
accompanied
City
trip
same
made
canalboat transporta-
the
thriving boat-building
finally
tion uneconomical,
and
industry
by the application of steam and rail
Lansing products. The once-busy yards
was replaced
in transportation of
closed all along the lake before 1890.
44
School Fund Bought Library Books
By William Heidt, Jr.
As the
Lansing
School
result of
voters
and
legislation
the
November 8, 1960,
apportionment of the Town
general
authorized
Gospel Fund
was enacted
election
for distribution
military tract. At the time of the
approximated
$10,000
by the State
established
of
the lands
the
referendum
and accrued
interest
mated
that 90
it for
the
per cent of
residue
came
the
$1,200.
of
library books.
purchase of
of
principal
After authorization, the Board of Education of
Central School transferred the funds to the library
and expended
when
It
Lansing
account
was esti
to the
central
school.
Originally there were twenty-school districts laid out
during 1813 by Richard Townley, the school commissioner.
Later the Sage district
23 districts became
was added.
In
time these
course of
a centralized unit.
in Lansing in 1960 is traced directly back 180
years to the Revolutionary War at a critical time when New
York State was experiencing difficulty in maintaining its
This
quota
event
for the Continential Army. To
service,
legislation
was
enacted
grants
of
land for those
to termination
of
the
bounty
After the signing
taken to fulfill the
quired
by
in
by Indian
land
office.
of
the
peace
that
enlisted
military
provided
and
participation
years
treaty in 1782,
Management
agreement.
Two
who
1780
served
war.
subsequent treaties with
a
in
encourage
as
the
allies
of
of
action was
lands
the British
ac
and
tribes, was placed
later Simeon DeWitt, who had
45
several
been
given
ton's
staff
was
the
death
upon
recalled
and
rank of general
to his
Erskine,
General
of
cartographer,
surveyor-
appointed
and
state
native
to Washing
assigned
general.
DeWitt developed
a
plan
for
quadrants
and
ranges
of
mapping 28 military townships eventually laid out in the
heartland of the state. This tract extended from Lake
Ontario
towns
on
the
north
was
the
Unadilla River
DeWitt's
scheme
Individual
miles
units were
and
were
Income
school
expenses.
became
the
supervisor
sold
early
a
containing
township,
military
100
were
lots
was
lots
a
was
600
of
for
opened
each
to
each
acres
claim
township
for the Town School
be
and
cer
Gospel
devoted
Gospel lot in the
these
area
lots
and
invested the
was
the
responsibility
to invest these funds
enabled
distributing the
Hence
termed
1800's it
among the several
islature
for
adopted
to the Pacific.
school
Lot 56
line.
eastern
was
the
and
to
that
Lansing.
Some towns
Since
from
lands
War veterans, in
reserved
Fund.
new
western
Seneca Lake,
of
1790 these lots
ing by Revolutionary
tain lots
shore
today's
of
The
Newfield.
and
mapping
westward
after
boundary
Oneida Lake formed the
of
square
While
eastern
and
surveying lands
each.
northern
Caroline, Danby
of
boundary
ten
to the
and apportion
money.
of
the
the income
districts. In 1947 the State leg
town boards to close out these funds by
school
principal
action under
and
accruals
this law by
46
to
school
Lansing in
1960.
districts.
The Abijah Miller House
From Lois O'Connor's story
Alice Bristol:
Abijah Miller is
in
of
south
an
attorney and
ville, just
on
public
a reputed
the turn
of
down West Hill. It
cabin
the Ludlows built
east
village square
of
broad
walks.
Beside
trees
extended north
Creek Road
as
scholarly
the first
as
from
postmaster
were
bank
Ludlow
of
off
the
main
log
the
spacious grounds on
laid
out
in flowerbeds
tall forest trees left
a point of contact of
the
of
and
gardens
the Salmon
Afterward this
creek.
the
there, he
from the East. These
and shrubs
and the
village
the house Daniel Clark erected
several
as
the
halfway between
stood
in 1810. The
far
man.
Salmon Ceek Road
and
the Miller house
planted rare
was
quotes
a
dwelling in
a
road
the
in
and
small, red building just
Jonah Tooker's home in Fiddler's Green. He was
He built himself
on
in 1809
mentioned
serving the
Lansing,
1958
of
area
divided into building lots for five houses.
Records
show
that Abijah's brother Judge Elijah Miller
built his house in Auburn in 1816-17. Its
lovely fireplace
by Brigham Young
who, at the age
mantel was constructed
of
15,
was
an
expert
carpenter
in Abijah's house is the
same
probably the craftsmanship
about the same time.
The
four
great chandelier
sides of
the shade
is
of
of
and
so
pattern,
Brigham
brass
being
painter.
and
etched
in
The
we
Young
mantel
think it is
and
built
crystal, each of the
a
different
pattern
birds, deer and flowers. The door casings and baseboards
are delicately fluted with hand cravings. The staircase rail
of
is
shining black walnut, the section from the newel post
measuring nine and a half feet in one piece. The colonial
of
doorway
excites
the
gether
the house is
Salem
architecture.
admiration
considered
47
those passing by. Alto
beautiful example of old
of
a
William H. Seward, a young law student in Judge Mill
er's office in Auburn, married Frances Miller, the Judge's
daughter,
Frances
as
their courtship took place here
to visit her uncle Abijah.
the house was bought by James A.
in 1824. Much
often came
of
After Abijah's death,
Burr, and he and Mrs. Burr
it. She devoted her
scene of great beauty,
occupied
to the gardens, making them a
until her death in 1866. Since the Burr occupancy the house
has been owned by eight doctors; five who practiced their
self
profession
Swift;
three
his
Lawrence
son
who
Recently Mr.
the
place and
care
to
Lockerby, Chapman, Watson, Fish, and
Starr Cutter,
used it as summer homes
there
retain
Cutter,
and
did
the
and
Dr. Helen Elston Readio.
Mrs. C. L. Dickinson
of
considerable restoration.
old-time
beauty
but
Etna
They
remodeled
purchased
exercised
the kitch
into the most modern one. A garage along Salmon Creek
Road was added. The house is now occupied by their son
and family which includes four small children.
en
48
EARLY FARMS PRODUCTIVE
By William Heidt, Jr.
There
Lansing
its
settlement
to be
England
generation
1825 there
induced by the
perhaps
farmers
cially to Michigan
who
and
were
leaving
and
came
of
were
high
the
land
what
ap
immigration from the New
a second wave of
States,
there
prices
completed
was
mostly in production. Around
peared
to the Town
references
indicate that land
which
after
soon
many historical
are
numbers
first-
of
espe
westward,
moving
a void.
Many individuals and families came inspecting possible
home sites, but finding land prices ranging from $75 an
acre upward, they did not tarry long. Moving on west
ward, many of them continued to Allegany, Cattaraugus
and
Chautaqua
mid-century 30,000
By
under
cultivation,
in
were
charge
valuation
of
erty adding
stump land
counties where
of
just
of
Lansing's 38,000
many
and
farm
a
million
$150,000 for
total
a
time
when
ation
breaks down to $2,500 for
A
there
population of
1,620
females,
a
414
were
3,256
figure
acres
third-generation
operations.
under
was priced
This
real
dollars,
of
was made
exceeded
up
were
residents
estate
had
personal
a
prop
$1,054,030. At the
freeholders,
each
low.
this
total
valu
owner.
of
by those
1,636
of
males and
Ithaca,
Gro-
Dryden only of the other eight towns. Lansing's
residents lived in 616 dwellings of which 414 were owned
by the occupants. There were 20 school districts and 1,340
ton
and
pupils, thus averaging 60 to
a
a one-room schoolhouse.
49
district
and one
teacher in
Lansing is
a
rolling upland, 500 feet
Cayuga Lake.
above
is generally a rich, gravely loam. This soil in the
contin
early years of its cropping was rich in humus and
ued highly productive until overcropping brought exhaus
Its
soil
tion,
a
development that followed Civil War demands.
These farms in late 1858 had
14,000 bushels
variety;
3,000
49,000 bushels
1,386
of
duced
tons
of
cheese.
cloth
168,000
production
indicated that this
duction techniques
731
of
yards
the
potatoes,
butter
of
was
practice
during
perfected
of
of
pounds
of
the spring
of
bushels
hay, 8,000
of
apples,
A
20,000
and
wheat
of winter
production
recorded
a
and
home-pro
dying:
pro
war would end
it
completely.
This
Lansing
phase of
farming:
work
applies
agriculture
mostly done
by
members
of
to family-type
the
family to
for it; produce beyond this need was
marketed locally. Improved plows and harrows were now
becoming available for better fitting of the soil as were
cultivators and hoes that lessened
back-breaking toil of
hand hoing and weeding. These tools improved yields.
provide a subsistence
Mowers
in
hay
more
and
horserakes
and grain
efficiently.
later
and
harvests
and
reapers
did the
Other machines,
labor
reduced
incomparably
fertilizers, followed
work
and
All this better machinery required power, and this was
provided on Lansing farms by 1,270 horses and 1,706 oxen.
There
were
1,617
cows,
9,340
sheep
and
1,706
swine.
Remembering there were 643 families in Lansing at
time, these figures break down to a team of horses
more
than
a yoke of oxen
for
oxen were yet
"a
the
and
family; also each fam
had
three
14
ily
cows,
sheep and three head of swine. It
is clear that no one went hungry in the town.
This agricultural situation indicates a post-pioneer
each
econ
when
omy
furnished the
and
in
chain
chief meat
used
with
logging, plowing
poor man's
food. Because
oxen, they were
new
land
50
team,"
and
of
and
hogs
the simple
yoke
greatly preferred
wintertime
hauling.
Roads
still
were
and
unimproved
ing heavy snowfalls and high
traces, whiffletrees, eveners and
to
subject
winds;
dur
drifting
by
the horse's hitch,
unencumbered
reins, of
his way through snowbanks where
the nervous, long-legged horse frequently floundered. For
this reason ox teams were much preferred for wintertime
the
placid ox wallowed
hauling
logs
of
to
merchandise
lumber
and
and
from lake
and
produce
of
as
well
as
ports.
Until 1880, the ox continued to outnumber horses over
the nation's farming areas, but development of machinery
for
the large farms
on
use
and six-horse
egated
marks
pork
teams
on
the West
of
gang plows and
four-
for
called
reaper-binders rel
the slow-moving ox to pack-train hauling. This date
also the time when beef from the West replaced
the
as
duction
main
beef
of
in the
meat
national
hogs
cattle and
and
diet. By then
the development
pro
of
the
meat-packing industry, refrigerated cars and fast freight
service had doomed local production.
Under
a
impact, Western wheat,
similar
growing eclipsed that of the
soon local production was
agriculture
a
end of
of
until
on
from
and
the nation,
and
Lansing's
abandoned.
it has
which
oats
not
yet
Pillsbury mill in 1869 fore
East, although processing of
the
milling in the
buckwheat continued
factor in winter diets
but
all
setback
Establishment
recovered.
told the
suffered
older parts of
corn
that flour
longer
was no
a main
farms.
Aunt Sue's Romance
Susan
married
Terry and
but, at the
went west
She
him,
to
make
waited six
she
time
of
the California
his fortune
gold
and establish a
Alonzo Clark
Emeline. It
engaged
were
years, then giving up hopes
married
elder sister
Jefferson Crocker
seems
51
whose
that her
of
first
to be
rush, Jeff
home for her.
hearing from
wife
mother
was
and
her
sister,
thinking it best for Susan,
concealed
letters Jeff had
writ
ten.
Six
her
months after
parental
in her life
long
away.
Jeff
only time
and
departed,
her
never
to be
again.
afterward
her husband but
ed
and while she was at
in. For the first
walked
fainted dead
she
heard from
She
Jeff
home,
marriage
told intimate friends that
love Jeff to the
would
she respect
end
her life.
of
After the death of her husband in 1896, she lived in the
big house they had built, with an adopted son, Walter Bris
tol. Before her death at 85 in 1919 she became very lame.
One day
where
have
they
could see across
To this
yond.
friend
she and a close
companion
the
watched
heart has
gone with
Cayuga Lake
two
Bristol
north
miles
house,
now
and
yard
the hills be
years
observed :
and
I
my
it."
The Clarks in 1869 built the
road
in the front
"For fifty
down behind those hills
she
sun go
were out
of
big,
square
Ludlowville. It
owned
house
was
on
the lake
known
by Edward LeVigne, it is
as
the
called
Lake View.
Grain Storage Large Operation
Seven
years
after
cement plant at
Co.
of
since
lished
Seneca
1882,
a
cement-plant
Portland
Falls,
the
Point, it
operators
of
Company
was
sold
grain
closed
to Beam
storage
its
and
facilities
Edward Beam estab
at Hemlock, New York. At the time of the
purchase the firm operated a storage plant at
when
mill
the Penn-Dixie
grandfather of
Seneca Falls.
In converting and cleaning the structures the new owners
used 12 tons of white paint on the four 90-foot silos and the
bin. In this way the buildings became a
landmark on the east shore of Cayuga Lake.
After this renovation it became the largest and most
90x300-foot
storage
modern grain-storage
plant
in Central New York.
52
Utilizing
the 27
small silos and
ceeds
a
could
be
at
the
bushels. A
million
received
same
20 bins the
daily
aggregate
maximum
capacity
288,000 bushels
of
144 boxcar loads
and
ex
shipped
out
operation of
the
time.
Automation
leading
plays a
in the
part
A truck dumper weighed, hydraulically lifted and
emptied the largest trailer-truck in three minutes; a grain
plant.
dryer handled 1,000 bushels
puted
A
it
wide
belt
forth
the grain into bins; while enroute
for insect infestation. Grain in transit was
in by
on its own
a
tripper that
back
passed
the
silos.
account.
When the Federal
grains was
changed,
economical
and
more
by
The company stored grain
the Federal government and bought and sold
on rails over
shipped
In
system was re
conveyed
dumped into the desired bin
grain
hour. This
to be the fastest in the State.
was checked
and
an
it
regulation
operation
was
recent years
for
of
storage
of government
the plant
ceased
to be
closed.
a
Canadian
been using the former Bean grain
product. This cement is shipped
cement
storage
across
company has
facilities for its
Lake Ontario to
brought here by barges on the canal
lake. Distribution is by a special type of tank truck.
Rochester
and
53
and
Starr, Early
Micajah
Micajah Starr
Danbury, Connecticut, to Lan
from
came
Pastor
in the Revolution, and bought
part of military lot 52. His wife, Anna Piatt, died July 22,
1817; he, March 11, 1820. They were buried in the Starr
sing in
family
1793,
after
on
cemetery
house
(1966)
service
knoll just
a
one mile south of
north
Robert Gram's
of
Lake Ridge.
the family had been prominent in
Danbury. The first member to come to America was Dr.
AshComfort Starr, Micajah's great-grandfather, who left
For three
generations
1634 bringing to New England three
three servants. He established his home in Cam
fort, Kent, England, in
sons and
bridge, Massachusetts,
where
he
the founders
was one of
Harvard College in 1642. He traced the lineage
ily
in Kent for many
Micajah became
Milton
at
church
Lake
was
members:
of
of
the fam
generations.
pastor
Ridge,
the First Baptist Church
of
and
served
until
October 31,
organized
Micajah Starr
and
wife
of
his death. This
1796,
with
fourteen
Bene j ah
Anna,
Charles
Strong
Luther
Abigail,
Townley, Lydia Gillette,
Joel
and Thankful Bacon, Pierpoint
Barney, Sarah Bacon,
and Jerusha Bacon, William Avery, and Abigail Woodruff.
and wife
They
met
in the homes
1840
of members until
society took possession of the new church at
situated
"land
on
Fenner's tavern
Elder Starr
Beebe
lying between
and
the Old Cider
was
held here by
one
eran whose advice
tell you,
to
and you will
By 1931
many
Lake Ridge
the first bridge
south
all
be
of
Mill."
1869. After that date meetings
Whitcomb,
the
by Elijah Benedict, Elder
succeeded
and others until
when
Civil War
a rather colorful
was, "Don't do
as
I
were
do,
but do
vet
as
I
seved."
members
of
the Church
of
the Brethren
into the vicinity of King Ferry. They bought
the old church and tore it down, using the heavy timbers
in building their new brick church at King Ferry.
had
moved
54
THE NORTH FAMILY
By W. Glenn Norris,
Among the
pioneer
Norths have left
an
families
Michigan
of
and
North, first
Roger
of
County Historian
the Town
record
enduring
through three illustrious
tory
Tompkins
of
sons who are
of
Lansing, the
accomplishments
honored in the his
Nebraska.
the
of
family in America,
came
from
England in 1704. In 1750 he moved to Pennsylvania and
settled along the Schuylkill River; here his son Thomas
born during 1757. In 1799, or earlier, Thomas and his
family migrated to the Town of Milton, one of the town
was
the recently
ships of
military tract
surveyed
of
Central New
York.
Milton,
1799, to
all
of
then in Onondaga
newly
created
was set off
Cayuga County. Thomas
lot No. 71 in Milton
his deed
County,
which
March 8,
purchased
600 acres,
county less than a
consisted
of
in the new
month after its formation. This lot was originally patented
and assigned to Capt. Elias Van Benschoten as gratuity
for his services as a New York state soldier in the Conti
being
recorded
Army during the Revolutionary War.
nental
Thomas had three
three
are
daughers,
the
sons :
but the
Joshua, Joseph,
principal
sons and grandsons of
head
and
and
and
this story
Joseph. Thomas,
characters
Joshua
Roger,
of
the family kas probably builder of the home
stead log cabin that stood in the southeast corner of Lot 71
at the juction of Searles and Conlon Roads. Allotted parcels,
his sons began clearing the forest for farm lands.
as
of
In the 1830's
members of
the
55
family
were smitten
by the
in
land fever. Glowing reports of rich farm lands
lands for
Ohio and other Midwestern states and opening of
settlement in Michigan had aroused desire of many Tomp
farmers to seek new homes in the West.
kins
western
County
Thomas Jefferson North, eldest son of Joshua,
Apil 5, 1813, presumably in the original log cabin
lowville. He
married
ing January 1837.
Jane Elmira Townley
Soon after, they
moved
their first child, James E.
North,
1838. During the
the homestead in
1839-40 the
winter of
Lansing
where
of
was
born
was
near
Lud
Lansing
dur
to Ohio
where
born in September
mother returned
Frank J. North
was
to
born.
Later that spring she returned to Ohio. Luther Hedden
North, the third son, and two sisters, both younger, were
born in the Buckeye State.
James E,
from
Ohio,
was
the first
removing to
of
the family to
go
farther
in the
DesMoines, Iowa,
west
winter of
1855, when he was only 17 years old. His father joined him
there, and the next year they went to Omaha, a frontier
river
town
where
the
The mother, Frank
parent worked with a
and
gumbo
girls
to death in
a short
getting stuck in the
winter
a severe storm while engaged
the father froze
in surveying only
distance from his home.
After the death
and
times. That
mud numerous
crew.
joined them in the spring
to the end of the line at Iowa City.
the
1857, traveling by rail
From there they took a stage to Omaha,
of
surveying
of
the
his brother Frank
father, James E., the
went
to
a new
eldest son,
settlement
west
of
Omaha ; the rest of the family moved there the next year.
Frank obtained a clerical position at the Pawnee reserva
tion
and
learned their
oral
and
sign
languages, becoming
very proficient.
In 1859, the boys raised some wheat and had it ground
at Fort Calhoun. Frank, when 30 years old, took a load of
goods to Denver; James went along to try his luck at pros
pecting. Frank saw Kit Carson on this trip.
Luther
started
carrying the
56
mail
on
horseback between
Columbus
made
Monroe, Nebraska,
and
the round trip
24
of
13
when
three times
miles
years
old.
He
for $25
a week
a month.
In the spring of
er decided to visit
sisters and
their
moth
in New York State for the
relatives
boarded
They
mer.
1858, Luther, two
sum
Florence, Michigan, went
Louis, then up the Ohio to
a riverboat at
down the Missouri River to St.
Cincinnati. Later Luther
the exact route
1852 indicates that they
could not recollect
taken, but the Railroad Guide of
probably went by rail on the Cincinnati-Cleveland Railroad
Cleveland, then to Dunkirk, New York, thence by the
Erie to Owego, and to Ithaca by the Cayuga and Southern
(later Delaware, Lackawanna and Western).
They were met at Ithaca by Caleb Howell North, their
to
father's
Joshua's farm
Frank
on
from the
20
a
was
were experienced
Luther
enlisted
had
weeks
vice
under
a unit of
ceived
hiring
later known
as
Pony Express that
than Luther who,
to Columbus
when
growing boys,
the Civil War began.
as
Cavalry in 1862,
action
into Old Dakota on
against hostile Indians.
scouts
was
was
sent
organized
for
ser
the Kansas frontier, Frank
lieutenant in command of Pawnees on this expe
of
his
Pawnee
General Curtis
serving as
dition. Late in the
company
where
the Columbus-Monroe
23rd Nebraska
16, and the next year
the Sully Expedition; he saw
1864,
office
were not
Cody,
older
ridden
frontiersmen
when
In
they
through
before.
come
in the
the Platte
rider came
the
ridden
had
on
manager's
told
was
grandfather
Ludlowville.
Kearney
William I.
to have
only two
who
to the
job, but
mail route several months
The Norths,
near
Pony Express
went
years old,
Fort
at
years old.
claimed
only 13
were
the
took them to
who
homestead
old
Both
for
applied
anyone under
when
when
west.
Buffalo Bill,
year, but he
the
Luther
and
River in 1860
Luther
brother,
younger
year
Pawnee
he
on
was
to
organize
a
captain; he re
from the Nebraska territorial gov-
scouts and
commission
authorized
57
to
serve as
This company
enor.
in 1865
served
in the Powder River
In 1867,
Frank,
companies of
building
crews
and
protection of engineers
from Omaha. Luther
west
Luther
four
commanded
the Union Pacific Railroad, then
outfit and commanded one of
Frank
major,
for
recruited
of
next year.
a
commissioned
Pawnees
and construction
Frank
the
and was mustered out
expedition
the
was
a
captain
in this
companies.
were expert shots with pistol and rifle.
Wild Bill Hickok, noted gunman, in a target
Buffalo Bill considered Frank the best pistol shot in
outshot
match.
the West.
The year 1877 saw the final army service of the Norths.
That year the Pawnees were mustered out and returned to
their
Pawnee
warriors
friends. Frank
Chief,"
tle
in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.
felt that Frank and Luther were their true
new reservation
while
Chief."
was given
Luther
the
name
Pani-La-Shar, "Pawnee
Kit-E-Butts, meaning "Lit
as
by their admir
was named
"father"
Both
wee addessed
ing Pawnee friends.
That
same year,
Buffalo
with
Nebraska
Bill,
the two brothers formed
starting
They
ranch.
with
sold out
1,500 head
in
1882,
a
partnership
of
cattle
the
and
on
a
next year
Frank joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West Exhibition
where
had
Hartford,
charge
of
Connecticut, he
at point of
show
a number
of
Pawnees. While
badly injured in an accident
but he recovered and remained
was
death,
at
he
and was
with
the
March 1885. During a business trip he caught
cold and, when he reached home, he was confined
until
a severe
to his bed. A
asthma, which he had suffered
exposure for many years of campaign
chronic case of
from childhood, and
ing had weakened his vitality so that he died March 14,
1885, when only 45 years of age.
James
North, the
nessman and
did
much
brother,
politically inclined
for the
member of
elder
the
the
member of
practical
busi
the family. He
the county, was sheriff and
legislature. In 1886 he ran for gover-
settlement of
state
was
58
nor, but was defeated in
After Luther
he
nal
In
his interest in the Cody-North ranch,
the next three years in farming and cattle
1886, he
revenue
until
day,
quainted with most of
would sound
of
men,
have
semi-
like
a roll-call of
pages
of
a secure
the
most colorful
charac-
history. On that
western
names of
ac
the West. The
celebrated men of
course, are the illustrious
who
inter
was a store
1917. After that he lived in
the
tes that have filled the
list,
collector of
his death April 18, 1935, at age 89.
both he and Frank had met and were
retirement until
list
deputy
was appointed
and, after he resigned that post,
keeper in Omaha
In their
strongly Republican state.
sold
was engaged
raising.
a
the North
family
in Nebraska history.
place
Joseph, second son of Thomas, married Christina, daugh
ter of Henry Teeter, soldier of the Revolution and first set
tler and innkeeper at Teetertown, now Lansingville. They
had
a
large family.
Joseph Jr., in 1835 went to Ingham County, Michigan,
where he acquired a tract of land. Henry Harrison North,
son
second
returned
daughter
Joseph
of
Sr.,
visited
to
Lansing in 1838
of
Daniel Buck
his brother in 1837. He
Almira
married
and
Buck,
nearby East Lansing.
of
Meanwhile, Joseph Jr. had exchanged his land for an
other tract in the Town of Lansing, Michigan. He invited
his younger brother Joshua to join him, which he did in
May 1838. Joseph, the father, went to Michigan in 1838
where
he
and
his
son
Joseph
acquired some
1,700
acres of
land.
In the spring
of
1839, Henry, his
turned to Michigan
back to New York
married
Louisa
and settled
state
Buck,
of
turned to Michigan that year,
brother,
permanently.
in the fall
sister
Levi Buck. Another
wife and
of
1840,
his father
Joshua
and
his brother's
accompanied
brother, Daniel,
re
came
in January
wife.
He
bjr his
moved
re
wife's
there
permanently in 1847.
In Michigan, the Norths for the
59
second
time
undertook
the
task
stern
there,
State, they
and
ests
into
in the
as
in the
amazing
transformation
that the Norths had
show
of
affairs
civil
of
for
of
and productive agricultual region.
Local histories
part
the
witnessed
fertile
a
Town
older
land to settlement,
Lansing in New York
wilderness
opening a
of
the new
important
an
settlement.
Joseph Sr.
from Lansing to Mason and built the
first bridge over Cedar River in Lansing. Henry B. North
assisted in organizing the town and was its first supervisor.
the
surveyed
road
Darling's history
Forest,"
lively
formation
which
City
that the Norths
notes
and
the
of
progressive
about
Michigan to that
of
North Settlement
family. This
author
repeats
were
a
the in
H. North's making the petition
the change of name from the Town of
Joseph
about
brought
Lansing, "City in the
of
of
Lansing.
THE NORTH CABIN
The
log cabin of pioneer
log by log in 1847 and rebuilt
Thomas North
original
removed
Conlon Road
on
the
edge
the
of
farther
and
gulf
was
north on
nearly
a
the
mile
Route 34.
west of
In 1958, when I learned of its existence, it was about to
be torn down. Through the generosity of the owner, Julius
Buckingham, the cabin came into my possession. Prof.
Long, director of the Museum
tory, Auburn, was looking for a cabin
Walter K.
County,
and
Each log
of
grounds
where
it
was
the
was
appearance.
and
the
pioneer
the North
cabin
answered
carefully numbered
is
now
living.
60
as
a
Cayuga
transported to the
on
preserved
His
purpose.
Appropriate furnishings have been
cabin
and
built in
that
and
Art
South Genesee Street,
erected and restored to its
museum
again
of
memento
Auburn,
original
installed,
of
early
HONEYMOONED ON HORSEBACK
By Estelle T. Young
My
1816,
a
daughter
of
Benson homestead
Groton,
of
now
Grandfather
after
born Ophelia Benson January 28,
Nathan and Persia Fay Benson. The
grandmother was
its
one
organization
the Town
by
occupied
was
Grandmother
located
was
at
the C.
the first
of
Benson's
Town
Corners,
Fay Benson family.
supervisors of
the town
in 1817.
was married
to Aaron Heddon
Townley
of
January 28, 1837, her twenty-first
birthday. For their honeymoon they visited relatives in
of
Lansing
on
Skaneateles.
Grandmother's horse had
times, but this
length, and as
making
the
the trip
grandfather's first
visit was
a measure
in trees
notches
made
of
with
her many
journey
of
any
he blazed the trail by
hatchet that he carried on
safety
with a
"Blaze,"
his mount, was a fiery steed
that didn't like overhanging brush raking his back.
Their trip took them through West Groton and across
side of
the saddle.
country to Owasco
where
they
visited other relatives.
Then
they continued on to Skaneateles where an uncle and his
family had assembled many relatives to greet the new
bride
and groom
On their
keeping in
during
return
a
house
their
home,
on
visit.
the young
couple
started
house
Townley homestead in Lansing
the
had been built by the young husband's Grandfather
Richard and Richard II who came from Newark, N. J. This
farm contained more than 600 acres. Grandfather Richard
which
II
was a
foot
drover
with
cattle,
who made
other
many trips to
times
with
61
New York City
turkeys.
on
In late
in trees
afternoon
he halted his turkeys
and subsist on nuts of
which were plentiful.
Roosting in the
from skunks, foxes
festing the countryside.
by
went
and
they
were
community who came to love Aunt
lending
ever
a
hand in
sickness and
tunate for the community,
as
and
doctors
trees
chestnut
trees
made
then
still
joined by
the birds
great
and
others
"Ophelia,"
in the
as
she
distress. This
was
were
in
heavily
grandchildren
children,
came, and
grandchildren
weasels
and
safe
Years
the beech
migh rest
they
so
difficult to
was
for
get
in
those days, and she was called upon to visit the bedside of
neighbor, friend or stranger in times of misfortune.
In our old home there was a large fireplace with its and
irons,
crane
other utensils.
and
to keep the
slab
tongs
In front
was
large
a
stone
from flying upon the floor, with
use the fire
nearby. After many
sparks
years'
and
shovel
up to be used only at Christmas time. By
fond father would remove the board and build
place was closed
coaxing,
a
fire
ings
logs in its
of
on
a
the
mantel
that
so
for Santa to fill
stockings, mittens, hoods
candy and an
we chilren could
and
orange were
like the
with
hang
striped, homeknit
fascinators. Sticks
eagerly
our stock
accepted as
of
striped
dainties,
not
Christmas gifts, of course.
On the lawn at the rear of our house was a brick oven
for bread baking; it had a metal door. Pine knots from the
ubiquitious pine-stump fences were placed in the oven early
in the morning of baking day. Then when the oven was
quite
present
thought hot enough, the
bread, in large loaves,
brown. While I
large tree
was
was
blown
embers
small
across
child,
the
raked
out
in to bake to
put
was
were
during
oven and
a
a
heavy
and
the
luscious
storm
a
destroyed it. The
oven was never rebuilt.
During
her
school
while
once
received a
grandmother
had
studied astron
Groton academy, where she
small-denomination banknote as a reward
attending the
omy
of merit
days
for study,
old
conduct and
62
high standings in the
sub-
ject
had chosen. She taught us
Grandmother passed away at the
she
where she
had
to live
come
age
the
about
much
of
stars.
88 in the house
bride.
as a
Today's Lansing Town Park
When in 1962 the International Salt Company decided
to transfer all machinery in the plant at Myers to the one
at
the firm
Watkrns,
prised
Creek
It
24
acres on
which were
was
the
by floods, the
land for
south
a
the
of
side
town
most
It
park.
mouth
transferred to the Town
rough
very
gave
of
of
com
Salmon
Lansing.
land that had been repeatedly washed
destructive one being that of July 7,
1935.
and
the
wasteland
as
well.
spring
transformed into
in the town
population
growing
Each
of
year some
work
a special
effort
1964
donated $1,000 for
playground
For
entrance was paved.
trucks
with
marked
off
along the
Also
and
great
creek
as
erected was a small
food
a
water
concession
parking
of
Lansing
ears
is
spaces
building
was
erected a pavil
had been
against
A
roadmen
hauled topsoil
placed
another
containing
with a porch.
use
and a new road
and
the Lions
protection
boats
neighbors
the town
of concrete
along it deepened for
parking for
among its
equipment,
year
chunks
bank
and
deep
has been done, and in the
was made. The Lions Club
parking
make a
Before this,
a
several weeks
lawn. During the
ion to shelter the tables.
to
holes filled,
pleasant park for a
trees have been removed,
Many dead
rest
pier was
flood.
facilities
built
and
divers; a marina with
developed, but all-night
of
not allowed.
Since 1962 summer swimming classes for children have
been conducted, with teachers for the several classes. A
lifeguard is on duty from noon to 10 p.m. during the swim
ming
season.
63
POSTMASTER FOR 72 YEARS
By Morris B. Smith
The
the Town
Bishop
was
North Lansing was the second one in
Lansing. The first postmaster was Joseph
post office at
of
Roswell
and
Beardsley
was
his
assistant.
Beardsley
June 28, 1828, when John
president, John C. Calhoun, vice-presi
postmaster
appointed
on
Qincy Adams was
dent, Henry Clay secretary
postmaster general.
The
John McLean
of state and
man who
was responsible
was
for the
William H. Seward, an attorney, who at
associated in the practice of law with Nelson
appointment was
that time
was
Beardsley,
a
brother
later dissolved
was
Seward
Seward
thirty-three
was still
The
secretary
twice
of state under
postmaster at
post office was
postmaster was
$57
appointee.
life. Thirty-three
public
years after
by Beardsley,
ated
This partnership
Nelson followed farming while
the
and
in
continued
was
of
Seward's
and
was
death, Roswell Beardsley
North Lansing.
in the
rear of a general
oper
in the early days the pay of the
year. About 1870 mail was brought
a
10
with
held
a
nent citizen of
said
son
age,
postmaster
his
grandchildren
reunion
at
whose
enthusiasm
helped him
entered
and
with
chatted
the
with
of
and
great
his daugh
was a promi
the
of
spirit of
those
post-office work
64
13
and
husband
into the
for 74
relatives
the home
North Lansing. At the time
that Beardsley
with
of
years
ter, Mrs. Charles C. Barger,
His
store
and
then 93
together
grandchildren
sion
and
a week
friends
it is
after
Abraham Lincoln
by horseback.
In 1902, when Beardsley had been
years
years
reunion
the
about
occa
him.
but he is
re-
puted
to have
Through
signed
and
out
made
all
the quarterly
re
the years, never was a postage stamp
missing except once when burglars looted the office.
Roswell Beardsley was born July 5, 1809, at Scipio Cen
ports.
all
ter, Cayuga County, the
whose ancestors came
his
with
and
was
parents
to
son
of
John
and
Alice Beardsley,
from Connecticut. In 1825 he
what
moved
first became Beardsley's Corners
later North Lansing. He died November 7, 1902 and
buried in the North Lansing Cemetery. He left many
descendants
and an estate
of
$96,000.
His wife, Isabel Conrad Beardsley, died in 1895. They
had one son and five daughters.
Thus
passed a man who
postmaster
master
that he
government
His
office of
twenty presidents and thirty-four post
At the time of his death it was believed
under
generals.
was
had held the appointive
the only man who had filled continuously
office for 74 years.
commission of
1828 is in the
widow, Mrs. Edna
possession of
his
one
grand
Beardsley of South Lansing. It is
hoped that Mrs. Beardsley will someday consent to having
it photographed so that a copy of this historically valuable
document pertaining to the Town of Lansing may be
son's
preserved.
65
Dr. Barr
During 1885
Myers
to be known
He
they
barrel
and
16, to
day
into
area
a park.
land
It
at
came
mostly elm. To be sure
Adrian Wood, then a boy
employed
them. For hauling water, he had a
stoneboat that was drawn by a horse,
water
mounted on a
each
the
of
Ludlow
trees,
sizable
many
grow, he
would
or
develop
point
of
Ladoga Park.
as
planted
15
of
of
began to
and
Barr
thereabouts, Dr. Will
the Myer family the
or
purchased
ville
Ladoga Park
and
tree
each
treated to
was
a
barrel
lake
of
water.
Dr. Barr built
hall ; there
were
center of each.
dance
a
two
Also,
platform and
pools'
there
of water with a
the water, and a long
landed twice each summer
pier
for
a picnic and
The
nic, to
dents
ice
big
which
of
summer
in
add
dancing in
was
from Ithaca
wonderful
in
abundant
Ithaca
to the
supply,
dipped
hilarity,
a
to
place
any time.
the Lansing town
as
and
pic
well as resi
at
Sayre, Pa.,
clerks
from Barr
cream
generously all
band played, and there
day
was
the afternoon and evening.
Oklahoma,
and
in his last
Michigan. When in later
by
a man whom
Eventually, the lake
It is currently
Grace Brewer.
send's.
at
a
residents came
Dr. Barr left this vicinity,
attended
enroute
was
"Frontenac"
the
where
It
everyone
many former
was
store
long. To
the
dining
fountain in the
the town. Made in 20-gallon freezers
cream
Bros,
free to
event of
day
return.
and
on a
two bathhouses extending
were
over
Cayuga Lake Park
farther
married
years
years
he
wealthy
widow
in
lived in Harbor Springs,
he became blind, he was
called
property
owned
a
"Brit."
became
Clayton
Town-
by his sister-in-law, Mrs.
As is every available site along the lake, Ladoga Park
is filled with cottages. It is one of the most beautiful points
66
the
on
lakeshore, facing
City
the
directly toward
south
of
Ithaca. There remains no place for the public except the
end of the State road which runs directly to the shore.
As memory of Ladoga Park as a picnic center retreats,
Lansing Town
Park is fast
developing to
Two Authors Lived
Orville Taylor,
when in 1839 he
his theories
Lake Ridge
at
Lake
resident of
it.
replace
Ridge,
published a practical
29
was
book in
years old
support
of
country living. His volume was entitled
Book"
"The Farmer's School
and was compiled and pub
on
lished for farm
Author Taylor
emphasized
"Children may
read
they
the
practice
will
girls').
other
in;
one useful
Then he
large
They
when
they become
schoolroom
(he
what
overlooked
Reader'
or some
understand,
feel any
or
which, the worst of all, never gives them
life."
idea for the practical business of
and
to his
refers
amount
of
the
volume
most
business
and
useful
read over and over again
Marked
not
preface:
men
in the 'English
they do
that
this in his
study in the
and
now read
collection
interest
to
children.
was
contains
information for
in their
sagacity
it
asserts
"a
children
schools."
evidenced
by the
pub
lishers, for the time was propitious for a such a venture:
farming was the chief industry of the state and nation and
the
common school system was
opment.
However, 125
author's
theory
to forces
and
of which
his
he
years
work
never
in its early stages of devel
later it is known that the
have
long
since
succumbed
dreamed.
born in Montgomery County, this state, in
1807, and died at Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N. J.,
in 1890, but currently the college, now university, has no in
Taylor
formation
was
concerning
him.
He
had
long been
active
in
reform movements'.
Another author, S. Edward
67
Todd,
lived
at
Lake Ridge
20
years
later
farmers. He
interested in the
of young
welfare
"The Young Farmer's
in New York City in 1860.
Manual,"
which
wrote
was published
The
and was
illustrated by
187 wood engavings made from the author's drawings.
Todd's introduction is especially interesting for his ex
volume
contains
planation of what a
A
tials:
man
a good
man;
450
farmer
thought
of
mechanic;
a
that
pages
be. He lists these
must
investigation;
and
his field. His descriptions
ten in detail but in
The
author
author,
he
was
who
words
was
was
that
instructions
Todd,
of
are writ
journalist
born in New York in 1820. At
editor
author
easily understood..
Sereno Edwards
agricultural
laboring
a
thoroughly the
and
are
essen
a good engineer.
machinist;
A 12-page index indicates how
covered
are
the New
and
time
one
York Times.
He
The Apple Culturist, The American Wheat Culturist,
County Homes, Rural Poety, and Country Lyrics. Date of
his death has not been found.
wrote
Marina Constructed
at
Myers
In 1956 Leon Ford, who lived south of Interlaken, started
work on the lakeshore at Myers to construct a marina. The
operation proceeded
toward
Soon
two
the lake,
after
the
sons were
lake,
when
ing he
was
in
a straight
channels were
marina was a
dug
and
going
coming from home
going down
line from Hranek's
docks built.
business, Ford
on
the
store
and
other side
of
his
the
steep approach to a railroad cross
unable to halt his car, which was hit by a freight
train. Ford was
a
fatally injured but both boys
were
not
badly hurt.
Mrs. Ford has
has
which
boats
expanded so
stored
season
development of the enterprise
that there are now more than 1,000
there through the winter.
During the summer
continued
it is
a
diversion it is
busy
place
what with
nowadays.
68
boating
the
popular
WILD PIGEONS IN NORTH LANSING
By William Heidt, Jr.
North Lansing, April 24,
Davis caught with a pigeon
hours. The birds
every direction
were
net
very thick ; flocks
buckwheat
News Report.
them.
Sixteen
extinction
and
later
Last Monday Samuel
204 wild pigeons in three
1869
were seen
stubble was
flying in
fairly blue
with
indicated approaching
this famed bird. As of August 16, 1885, an
years
of
"John Walker, Jr., while hunting in
the Fall Creek marshes last week, shot two wild pigeons.
Ithaca
news
These birds
item
another report
are now
During the
age of
Walker
year
passenger
29
years
seen
rarely
hatched
another was
the last
said:
shot
elsewhere.
pigeon
in this
region."
the two
This
known to
one
rare
specimens,
became famed as
exist
died
and
at
the
in the Cincinnati Zoological Gardens Aug
ust, 1914.
"wild,"
Commonly
native
North American
the
tion
of
Bay
and
the
called
continent
westward
wrought upon
the
the lakeshore
by
species
from the
passenger
that inhabited
southern
was
crops
of
the birds
a
neath
dark-slate
with
colored
violet,
above
and
green
sec
was
pioneers
in Lansing
and along
their
northward
migration.
on
made
color
a
to Hudson
to the Great Plains. Destruction
tail. Coloration
of
was
eastern
states
In size, the passenger pigeon compared
mon trurtle dove, but was characterized by
shaped
pigeon
with
a
the
long,
wedg-
the bird distinctive. The
above
and
dull-white
69
and
gold
a
on
dull-white
the
com
male
under
neck.
beneath, the female
Drabwore
traces
slight
only
of
the brilliant
the
of
markings
neck
male.
sustained.
of these migrants was rapid and
Flight
traveled in
massive
They
areas
flocks from their wintering
in
South Carolina to nesting grounds as far north
food was
as Northern Canada. In the South their principal
state
rice and similar wild grains, but here in New York
Georgia
and
beechnuts
and
ries
were a
favorite. Beyond the beechnut zone, ber
provided
vegetation
summer
other
sustenance,
in the North Lansing instance.
It has been held that the disappearance of beechnuts
pigeon as they were then deprived of beach mast over a
buckheat
even
large
as
sudden
thus have
tiny
portion of
the
long
added
disappearance
slaughter of
a
their
by
covered
area
starvation may
the
reported
of
to
flights. Mass
mass slaughter
to
cause
the bird.
pigeons
delicate
migratory
meat
had
as
its
the breast
object
obtaining
provided.
Packed
in salt, the carcasses of the pigeons were shipped to city
markets in flour barrels. This slaughter was as crude as it
was
destructive. When the birds alighted, hunters
lanterns
with
death
or
and
maim
clubs
their
up but no less a
to die on the gound. A
picked
this
wild
bird
as was used
was use
went
quarry.
among them to
Thousands
of
armed
cudgle
bodies
were
number of wounded were often
more
of
by the North
humane
large
nets spread
Lansing
70
method of
hunter.
to
left
capturing
between trees,
NATIVE HAD ACTIVE CAREER
By Morris B.
When
in 1904
past
at
99
years of age
the age
Smith, Lansing
of
100
native,
he
Smith
cast
years and
closed what
his last
10
vote and
months.
died
Thus Austin
is described
as
"a very
career."
colorful
He
his
was
born in
Samuel Smith, Jr., and
in 1803 on land then in Cay
1804, the
son of
Hannah, who settled
uga County but now a part of Tompkins. The county line
divides the farm. The house he built, a. part of which is still
standing, is located on the King Ferry-Lake Ridge Road
(Rte. 34B) just south of the county line, and hence in the
wife
Town
of
Lansing.
Like many
came
alone
another
to
prospect
for the property
the first settlers,
of
for
and went
a
Samuel Smith
homestead. He
contracted
back home for his family. Their
toward Lake Ridge was so impeded by rough and
trackless routes that he began to fear the time limit
progress
often
for
fulfilling his
their way
on
foot,
well
part
of
the
contract would
expire
before
be forced through. He decided to hasten
of the family, with the money for his land
could
ahead
wrapped
in
a
handkerchief
and
placed
behind his
front. Much to his relief, there was a day to spare
when he arrived and exchanged his money for a deed to
shirt
the property.
Austin Smith devoted
18 he taught the
school
term
attended
private
went
to Cortland
a
all
his
spare
in district
school
time to study. When
4, Lansing,
in Genoa. From there he
Academy in Homer,
71
and after a
where
for the term
he
twelve
6
$4.37*4
paid
tuition
$15,
weeks
for
and
and
washing
room
mending
After attending two terms, he
Academy at Fairfield, N. Y.
cents.
As his
lent to two
credit, he
Clinton in 1824 as
29. Total
enrollment at
Hamilton he
at
and shook
ette
salutatorian
hands
As he had been
of
a
to
with
enter
Ham
juuior. He
graduated
that
numbered
class
Hamilton for 1825-26
went
to Fairfield
academies was equiva
his
$95
was
candles
and
went
was able
college
there, induing board,
While
$1,
years'
ilton College at
there in 1826 as
tuititon
the two
academic work at
board for the
and
to Utica
was
100. His
annually.
where
he
met
Lafay
him.
to teach
engaged
school
in Fredonia
N. Y., in the fall of 1826, he drove from his parental home
to Montezuma to catch the packet boat to Buffalo which
there
passed
by
went
stage,
and
corduroyed
From Buffalo to Fredonia he
midnight.
had to
passengers
(that
at
in his
get out
the
diary he records that at times
and help lift the wheels over logs
road).
At Fedonia he became the first
Academy,
of
law
and
in
dent
pal
now
court.
then
one
was
1865,
Chase
agent
on
of
Fredonia
State College. While teaching he was a stu
that in January 1830 he resigned as princi
February
He located in
house that
At
so
principal
was
Westfield,
still stands and
time he
elected
was
to
admitted
is
N. Y.,
occupied
surrogate
member
of
recommendation
of
practice
of
by
where
a
in county
he built a
great-grandson,
Chautauqua County,
Assembly
Secretary
for two terms. In
of the Treasurey
Lincoln's cabinet, he was appointed examining
for the Treasury Department for South Carolina and
of
Florida,
and
afterwards
was
latter state.
72
tax
commissioner
for the
THE UNWILLING BRIDE
Another Lansing
is that
sesquicentennial
Harriet Clark
of
who
to marry James Cain the
left
to be
soon
April 14, 1819,
day. Her schoolmates did not
next
school on
take her
announcements
chided
ing. This
was not a
problem
had
she
a
though there
The
an
seriously but
joke but a serious
that
situation
feared
elopement,
and
didn't
they
him
want
were uninformed of
warned
parents
to her, for
anxiety
al
alarm.
to marry Elisha after
her that as the outcome of
"not
did he
nor
farthing."
a
want
her,
excerpts
from
In her heart
but the
this antipathy. How the
issipated is told in
were
for
her for jok
she was about
such an act she would receive
she
her
caused
was no real cause
parents'
observed
parents
parental
spirited
fears
entries
in
her diary that follow.
April 1, 1819
Heigh-ho! Today is my last day in school.
Tomorrow I am to be married, and I have invited ever so
many
I
of
guess
the
if
girls.
they
other good
But they only laugh
could
things
I don't know
step in
they
and see
would not
whether
to be
and
the
be
so
glad or
say I
am
joking.
stacks of cakes and
faithless.
sorry ;
all
the
family
seems very glad, only I think I have been hurried into giv
ing my consent and they are afraid to trust me lest I take
the bit between my teeth
take
him, I
am
not
to
and
receive
know! He doesn't
want
me
bureaus
for
living.
and coffins
James is
good
a
run
a
nor
away with Elisha. If I
farthing. How little they
I him; he has to make
enough, but I do
not
believe the
match
in heaven. I told him my hands do not know how
to work, but he says he doesn't want my hands, just me.
was made
73
Well, it is
all
settled,
"for better
other
the trees
them soon
erate
and
on
to
walks
is
which
where you carved
Take
enough.
each
ceremony.
"Leave
good-by.
them ; time
our
will oblit
to the dances
some other girl
Falls."
to the Indian
the
part of
to say
came
have to take
we
suppose
worse,"
or
Tonight Nathan Burr
initials
I
and
So Nate kisses
me
for
the last time.
April 15, 1819
I am told the knot is to be tied at 6 p.m.
If I were superstitious, I should say I had a pre-sentiment
as I was sitting in the parlor, my arm
of
no matter what
the bureau, thinking, a bird flew through a broken win
dow pane, lighted on my shoulder, then flew out again.
on
Was it
bad
a
the
Well,
time to
here;
ready.
looks
It
sober
Gertie
and
clock strikes
get
pa
omen?
strikes
and
5, but
still
terribly
ma
to say it is
bridegroom is
me
calls
no
annoyed.
Word has
that the ceremony has been changed to 8, and
Gertie has gone up the hill which leads to Auburn to watch.
been
sent out
Mrs. Bowman is here to
her to
wait until
I found
put on
my bridal
to
someone
stand
asked, "What do you think has detained
ably the tailor has
guess;
Gertie
wasn't
finished
not
man
for,
and
brandy,
sober,
and
and
Had
a
ceremony
like the
grand
I
kissing
of
the bride
I do
not
Well,
we
are
She
prob
a
"The
Now,
ready; the minister
supper
cannot
the breath
assumed a name
made
assembled.
rum and wine.
perhaps
am
"Oh,
What
running in and exclaims,
the carriage broke down!"
guests
wife.
of
coat!"
I begged
with me.
up
him?"
comes
coaxed, half-scolded, I
sent
finished his
robe.
true
vest
halfwas
pronounced
with
any amount of
tell how many went home
those
who
made
like, but
went
through the
my head swim. I have
what
is the
name
if only
James is pleasant, and I am told an in
dustrious young man, lacking a few days of 19 while I lack
a few months of 18. Next
morning I rose with the sun and
we
was out
of
owner.
milking the
the folks
cows as
usual,
within.
74
much
to the amusement
April 16, 1819
Today
mother, my father
and
liam Cain
respectable
very
found
and onions althought
Maranda
it
baby,
We
and
a
We
made a
good
season,
and myself.
in
arrived
grand
supper
lettuce
with
only April. John Gain had just
was
Carter,
Minty his father
James, Gertie, Wil
for
mother,
company.
large company
a
married
and
wife, Dan the
and
start
we
very good-looking girl, but
a
well
liked because
that
night which made me sad and
she was poor.
The frogs
not
set up a concert
homesick.
April 17, 1819
Today we return to dear old Ludlow
ville ; James, Gertie and myself in one carriage, father and
mother in the other. It has been arranged that I commence
housekeeping
our
the first
of
May ; James leaves Monday to
cozy cottage ready and
commence
get
work.
spring
April 19, 1819
James has left and the business of get
ting ready has begun in earnest. Here are two beds, linen
for sheets and pillow cases, blankets, bed curtains; father
bought tablespoons
and
teaspoons,
bread tray full of
done a washing. The
and a
hard soap for me, who has never
thought of leaving home is not pleasant, I
"Sweet
The
home.
my
Ludlowville,
father
outfit was
Now for my
ing,
and
start
new
and another
sheep
beginners',
and
two
too,
boy
cows
new
as a part of
were
follow
A pretty
.
say.
still."
for our
started
we
going,
Auburn.
at
Curtis
stock.
driving twelve
for
and
and mother were
to be bought
truly
thy faults, I love thee
all
done,
was
packing
My
with
can
say my friends. We arrived
good
at
my
future home in Aurelius in time for supper when I bor
we had plenty of
a neighbor;
rowed
a teakettle from
We had brought a table and set of
cooked provisions.
chairs.
We then
Next day
net
and
shop,
put
things in
we started
mother
decanters,
to
wine
order
for Auburn
a
:
for the
father
night.
went
crockery store. She
glasses, and
tumblers,
to
sorted
a
a cabi
glasses
large framed
mirror, a breakfast set, a dinner set, and tea dishes in blue:
Father bought
another
bedstead, bureau,
75
set
of
splint-
bottomed chairs, a rocking chair, etc. He
money to buy ironware, a spinning wheel and
gave
James
reel, for my
were to furnish me with employment. We returned
home to find the boys with the sheep and sows.
I will describe my home. It was built of hewn logs, the
fireplace taking up nearly all of one end with a high, wood
sheep
en
crane.
board in
Two large
a
corner
stones
There
high
enough
was
small
a
in the
at
either
to the fireplace.
next
room with a recess on one
sides.
are
middle
One
a
cup
good-sized
windows on east and west
side,
bedroom,
for
and
end
and
a person
to
stairs
to
an
attic
stand upright.
furniture, my large
mirror covering quite a large space on one wall. My bureau
would just go in between my best bed and the wall, leaving
space to open the drawers by sitting on the bed. I own I am
In these two
quite proud of
houses
but
around
might
plenty
I bestowed
but
stayed
said
need
all
my
my establishment, but I found many larger
were not so well
My folks
I
rooms
he
furnished.
one
couldn't see
some
of provisions
day. My father looked
anything lacking, but lest
more
little things, he gave me $5. I have
yet. I am having plenty of calls from
my neighbors, both yong people and married folks. James
cautioned me not to offend his parents if I could help it,
but never
gave me
his
reason.
*
This is
that
*
*
the diary of spirited Harriet
Clark, who was highly knowledgeable even though her
"hands did not know how to
But more of her life
all
remains of
work."
is told in susequent paragraphs.
James
Harriet lived for ten
in the log cabin on
the farm at Arelius and during that time there were born
to them three sons: Edwin, Alfred and James. Eventually,
the father became heavily involved in debt and left his
and
family, "going into the
wilds of
years
Pennsylvania,"
one account
.ays.
Harriet
with
the
small
boys
76
came
back to her father,
who established
them in the "old
the
over
bridge
north
A few
Harriet
home in the
She
village.
came
her
and
near
died,
and
childhood
Emeline Clark Stew
Clark dying at 80 in
sister
lived there the
sisters
wife
to live in her
the household affairs.
1855, the two
the farm
Salmon Creek.
her three boys
art managed
on
later, in 1831, Daniel Clark's
years
with
house"
remainder
their
of
lives.
As the boys
grew
up
they took their
in the life of
sailor whose let
places
country and community. Edwin became a
ters told of his adventures and longing for the homefolks.
Alfred
was
had
and
tinsmith
family
a
Edwin
a
and
transported
five
of
James
typhoid fever
and
and
went
marriedf,
in
charge of a
ship which
to San Francisco for the Ithaca and
Mining Company. James
died,
aged
25. After
a year
The
contracted
in California,
James'
Edwin returned to
and removed
to Minnesota
children.
were placed
equipment
California Land
who
sweetheart
Ludlowville, married
to Minnesota, where Alfred had located.
way,
and
them, traveling by water much of the
stopping en route to visit friends who had gone
west.
She
seemed
mother visited
taking
off
gether
in the
1885
in
and
on
the
1810, is
in the
to think nothing of packing her bags and
the long trip. Harriet and Emeline lived to
deaths, the former in
later in 1888. The house, built by their father
old
still
home
standing
until
on
their
the
village square
the
oldest
village.
Dr. John Bascom, College President
Another
fessor
Lansing
and
native son who made
president
of
a
college
was
his mark as a pro
John Bascom. His
the Rev. John Bascom, pastor of the Lansing
Presbyterian Chrch, who died March 2, 1828, aged 43.
rather was
ville
His widow,
Jr.,
a
who
was
baby, brought
left
three
John,
her family to Ludlowville where they
with
77
small girls and
lived in the house Oliver Phelps built when he
1811.
The Bascom family was poor but it came of an
determined to
and all were
ancestry,
obtain
came
in
educated
a good educa
tion. As they became old enough, the three daughters at
tended the Troy Female Seminary at Troy, N. Y. Attaining
proficiency in
they
all
John
Latin, Greek
to
went
professor
other studies of
the
day,
of
College, Willamstown, Mass.,
Williams
and
political
economy.
instructor
as
remaining
Madison College,
of
the
became teachers.
graduating in 1849
dent
and
In 1874 he became
Madison, Wis.,
which
later
and
presi
eventually
became the University of Wisconsin. He remained there
fourteen years, when in 1888 he returned to Williams and
taught until his retirement. Besides teaching, Dr. Bascom
wrote several
books in which he
of education of
nell
forth his philosophy
that day.
The Rev. Dr. Bascom
direct line who were
Church. He
put
was
the
seventh of
clergymen
preached several
of
the
his family in a
Congregational
time in Sage Chapel
at Corn-
University.
He had several children, among whom a daughter Flor
ence had the distinction of being the first woman to be
granted a degree from John Hopkins University, Baltimore.
A
noted
at
geology
the era, she became
Bryn Mawr College.
geologist
of
a
professor
of
Of his three sisters, Harriet (1816-1897) married Fred
erick Beaumont (1799-1889), and in their old age they
came back to live with her sister Cornelia (1822-1903) in
Ludlowville. Afflicted with bad eyes, Cornelia had
to their home here. She knew Latin and Greek
tutored
she
became
textbook
which
sister,
who were
blind, but
Monroe Smith
other
boys
village
she
came
Mary,
she
did
knew
so
to live
died
at
entering
not need
well.
with
30.
78
college.
to
see
her
and care
and
she
Evntually,
the
Finally, Mr.
returned
pages of
and
Mrs.
for her. An