CENTENNIAL HISTORY [June 29,1876]
NOTES FROM THE COUNTY HISTORIAN.
At the commencement of the present century three families were living on what is now known as Duncan's Island at the month of the Juniata in Pennsylvania. They were the families of John Diven, Wm. Baskin and Thomas Carr. Finding their title to the land defective they resolved to try their fortunes in Western NY. Loading their goods on boats and driving their cattle along the river bank, Diven and Carr started up the Susquehanna with their families in the spring of 1802.
The entire force of the men being required to propel the boats against the current, Mrs. Carr undertook, on horseback, to drive the cattle along the river road; but when the road wound away from the river her courage failed and Mrs. Diven was obligated to take her place.
From Newtown they came overland and light overtook them in the “pine swamp”. At first they thought it impossible to get through to Catharinetown and the men prepared a couch of pine boughs; but when Mrs. Diven lay down and looked up into the tall pines, her courage failed at the thought of spending the night in the deep gloom, an d the party resumed their way, arriving at Catharinetown and spending the night at the house of George Mills, This was in June 1802.
The next morning Mr. Diven came on to the head of the lake, where he left his family for a few days until he could find a home. He purchased the “butterments” of one Robb or McFarlane. These consisted of a small clearing and two log housed. One of these they took for a residence, and the other was for several years occupied by bunting parties of Indians. In a short time, however, a house was built of hewn logs, and the old one taken for a kitchen. Mr. Diven was a carpenter and did the inside work of judge Catlin’s new house in the valley.
The Divens were of Revolutionary families. Mr.. Diven, himself at the age of 17 enlisted as a substitute for an older brother who had a young family dependent on him for support. When he came to this region he was accompanied by a second wife whose family name was means. Her parents were sufferers at Wyoming. She at the time was seven years of age, and often in later years related t other children the story of that terrible massacre.
Her father lived three miles below the fort and knowing its weakness he refused to enter it with his family. He was at work in the field when tidings came of the attack. Taking part of his family and a few effects in a canoe, and starting some on horseback, they fled down the river to Northamberland, where they lived in a barn until they could return to their home. In two days more the women and children who had taken refuge in the fort came straggling into Northumberland on foot.
When Mr. Means returned to his former home he found it in ashes. The little girl’s doll was lying by a log, its head having been severed by a hatchet.
Mr. Diven brought with him to this place six children by his first wife. These were Susan, who married Elisha Cuyler, son of the first settler at Watkins; this was the first wedding in Reading. William, long known as Esquire Diven, was the second child. Then there were George and John who died in Illinois; Francis who started from Ohio for home by way of new Orleans, and has never been heard of since; and Margaret, who married Samuel Demming, the son of an old resident; she died young and was buried in the “old burying ground.” Her only daughter married a Tillinhast, nephew of Isaac Q Leake.
By his second wife, Mr. Diven had five children, Alexander, who died at the age of six.; Elizabeth, who married a Rev. Mr. Washburne and died three years since; Eleanor, Hon Alexander S Diven, of Elmira, and charlotte. Eleanor and Charlotte still reside on the old homestead.
Bears and panthers had left the country at this time, but deer and wolves were
Accompanying her sister Margaret to the spring for water after nightfall. Deer were sometimes troublesome to wheat; but one pursued by bounds coming near the house aroused the pity of Mrs. Diven wit the pleading look of its large mournful eyes.
William Baskin the father of Clark J. Baskins Esq., the third occupant of the Island came on one years later and located a half mile further west.
The cars went to Hector; some of them proved a shiftless lot. One of the sons Peter supported himself by begging; he was known as “old blind Carr”. They located on Lot 44, Hector, occupying a piece of ground now in possesion of the County Historian and still known as the “Carr Lot”
John W Watkins and his family were residents of this place at that time. His wife was a Livingstone. They had four children, John William, Susan and Lydia. John Watkins was a very liberal kindhearted man; he would buy or borrow provisions to give to the poor.
He commenced a palatial residence a little northeast of the lake View House, bringing the marble mantles from New York City. He expended about twenty thousand dollars on the building but it was never finished. After his death it was destroyed by fire.
Soon after the Divens came, John Watkins erected a gristmill in the upper part of the Glen. It was down in the stream and could be reached only by a footbridge. The miller or his customer were thus compelled to “back the grist from the wagon or pack horse to the mill” This lasted but a few years and the people hereabouts were then pulled to go to Catlin’s Coryell’s and Seeley’s mills.
Claudius Townsend kept an inn at an early day a little east of the residence of M M Cass, Steuben St. being then further east. It was called the yellow house, and Culver’s just south of the Glen Creek was known as the red house; both were painted with native clay.
In the old cemetery are plain slabs of native stone with the name Smith and the date of death in 1793, and another marked 1795.
Seneca Lake used to be crossed on the far from the creek at Glen Excelsior to a point near “the elm.” One Horton also lived near the Glen and kept a ferry.
Isaac Q Leake, whose wife inherited great lot No 1, Reading built on Steuben Street, south of the creek, the twin houses.
In one of those he lived with his mother in-law, Mrs. Tillinghast. In the other he kept what was probably the first store in Watkins. Shadrack Allen succeeded him in the store before 1816. Charles Brown followed in 1817. He opened the first Sabbath School in the log schoolhouse just east of the old cemetery. He offered half a yard of ribbon to the scholar who would commit the greatest number of verses. Eleanor Divens obtained the ribbon. John Osborn kept store lower down at a later day, and Bartholomew Brownell followed him. Osborn was merchant at the time when the fist storm boat came up the lake and his wife who was a Quakeress, took refuge with the Divens from the noise and excitement of the celebration.
One of the first teachers in the log schoolhouse was Joseph MaCarlson; another was a Mr. Snow; then Bradley Thompson, uncle of Rev. G W Thompson, who lately resided in Watkins.
The first religious services were by a local M E preacher named Curry, and a Baptist by the name of Drake, grandfather of James A Drake, of this village.
Meetings were held in the house of Mr. Andrew McDowell on the County Line. He owned distillery, kept a tavern and opened his house for religious meetings in 1817 or 1818.
Styles Beach one of the early settlers of Tyrone came from Ct. to Oneida County at the commencement of the century. In Oneida, his son Obadiah, the father of Daniel and Lewis Beach, was born in 1804. The family next removed to Onondaga County and in 1814 came on to Tyrone. They were four days making the journey of 60 miles, coming by Cayuga Bridge, Geneva, Penn Yan and Wayne. Being overtaken by darkness they spent the first night with Gen. Wm. Kerman, who at that time had two children.
Mr. Bech settled near Crystal Springs in what is known as Jordan Hollow, on the farm now occupied by Dr. Rogers, on Lot No---. There was at that time only one family in the valley, that of John Silsbee. On the same day, however that Mr. Beach arrived. Henry Swartout came in with his family and household goods drawn by an ox team. Benjamin Sackett, Wm. Jordan, and Jesse Jordan arrived the same season and Michael Jordan the year after. The Jordans came from Cherry Valley. The father of Dr. Rogers and David Sunderlin, grandfather of M J Sundrelin, Esq. moved into the valley in 1816-17.
Mr. Beach brought out the improvements of one Sample. They consisted of a small clearing and an unfinished log house. There was no fireplace and for several weeks the family cooking had to be done out of doors, until a fireplace and “stick chimney” had been built.
The family remained here until 1821, when they moved to the present residence of Obadiah and his son Lewis. There were two sons, Miles and Obadiah and six daughters. Miles went to Texas in 1858, and has since died. Obadiah is still living in Tyrone. The two daughters were married and moved outside of Schuyler; were married and Robinson, one a Sunderlin, and another a Swartout. Obadiah attended school in the log schoolhouse a little east of Horace Dean's on Lot No ---. The children of William Kernana attended the same school and he remembers the summer when the Hon. Francis Kerman learned his A B C’s.
In common with the other early settlers, Mr. Beach’s family suffered from the “cold season”. Obadiah remembers that the reapers worked in harvest with coats on, and that he himself suffered with cold in carrying sheaves together. The next year there was great scarcity. They were without bread for days together, and the half ripened rye was dried so that it could be ground, while wheat too soft for grinding, was boiled in the battery to afford a change of diet. See wheat had bee $2.00 per bushel, but the next crop brought but two and six pence at Bath, and eight and a half bushels of wheat had to be given at Geneva for one barrel of salt.
Robert Lang moved in from Dutchess county in 1817, and settled first one the farm now owned by M Ellis on the east shore of Little Lake, afterwards moving to the Conover farm, south of Wm. Crowe’s. He had four sons and five daughters. The only living son, Capt. John Lang, is now in California. One of the daughters married Obadiah Beach, another Isaac Vanduzer, and the youngest Reuben Bennett, a son of one of the first settler. The other sons, Jacob, Daniel and Phillip moved to the west and died. There were no roads from Crystal Springs when Mr. Beach moved in there, but the roads to Weston, Wayne and Dundee were laid out two or three years later. Sylvenus Arnold started the first store in Tyrone in 1822. His brother Steven was a partner and successor. Timothy Whiting followed.
Ira and John White were the first merchants in Weston about 1825. Judge Williams father of Ansel, also opened a store about 1828. John Magee and Joseph Hause started the first stages from Bath to Jefferson and thence to Ithaca about 1827 or 1828.
Town of Catharine.
The following is the conclusion of an article by Hon. Abraham Lawrence, begun in last weeks Express, giving the early history of Catherine.
The Mallory Settlement.
Sept. 18th 1802, Robert Lockerby contracted with Jonathan Lawrence,
{through his agent Joshua Ferris, formerly of Spencer, Tioga Co.]
to buy the east half of Lot No 24. Not long after the interest of Robert Lockerby was sold to Ebenezer Mallory, and a portion of it constituted the farm on which his son [the late Caleb Mallory] lived until the time of his death.
The sons of Ebenezer Mallory were Ebenezer, Lawrin, Caleb, Roswell, David, Russell, and John; the wives of Joseph and Asa Lyon were daughters of Ebenezer Mallory.
June 21st, 1811, John Lockerby contracted for the south east quarter of Lot 17, directly north of Lot sold to his father, which continued to be his residence until his death a few years since at an advanced age.
In 1815, William Annis purchased the North west quarter of Lot NO24, [lying west of Mallory's] from Samuel and Joseph Lawrence.
South Settlement.
June 6th 1807, Samuel Agard contracted to buy seventy-five acres in southwest part of Lot No 13, northeast section township No 3. The farm of the late Munson Prince contained part of this purchase. It lay east of the road running from Johnson’s Settlement to Cayuta Lake.
June 1st 1807, David Gray contracted to buy the south east quarter of Lot No 12, buying on the opposite side of the road from the above, His contract was assigned in 1814, to Noah and Samuel Agard. The residence of Levi Beardsley is on a part of this purchase.
August 10th 1807, James Hitchcock contracted to buy the south west quarter of Lot No 18. The same land was purchased may 6th, 1814, by he lat Enoch Merchant and it continued his residence until the time of his death.
June 1st 1807, Peter Harvey contracted to buy the southwest quarter of Lot No 12. This land about 1812 passed into the hands of James Bennett; it subsequently became a part of the Stephen Beardsley farm, and now is part of the Charles farm, on the road from DeWitt’s [formerly Parmeter’s] corners to Odessa.
Aug. 6th, 1811, Elijah booth contacted to buy from Samuel Lawrence the north half of Lot No. 19, 122 3/4 acres; about 45 acres off the east end of this land was sold may 11th 1824, to his son, Solomon S Booth. This land lies mostly on the south side of the road from Dewitt's corners to Odessa; part of it is the George W Pratt farm.
About 1814, Aaron Bennett purchased part of the north west quarter of Lot NO 18.
Stephen Parmeter purchased a part of the same quarter Lot a few years afterwards.
Nov. 10th 1815, Luther Doolittle contracted to buy from Samuel and Joseph Lawrence, the north east quarter of Lot No 9. Dec. 11 1820, William brown contracted with Samuel Lawrence, to buy the same land which had been contracted to Doolittle.
Dec. 11, 1820, Solomon Brown contracted to buy from Samuel Lawrence the southeast quarter of Lot No 9. The farm of Israel Gibbs and what was formerly called the Higgins farm are parts of the land contracted to the Browns.
Dec. 28 1820, Horace Agard purchased 31 1/2 acres, in the northeast quarter of Lot No 12, which land is now a part of the farm of Sylvester S Mix.
Dec. 11th 1820, William Stone contracted to buy from Samuel Lawrence thirty-six and one half acres, in the south east part of that sold to Samuel Agard.
Dec. 25 1820, Nehemiah H Sylvester contracted to buy from Samuel Lawrence 24 acres in the east part o f Lot NO 13, and about the same time his father, Levi Sylvester, contracted for 62 acres in the northeast part of the same lot; these lands lying north of the lands sold to William Stone.
Eaton Agard came fro Ct. in 1812. Some years subsequently he purchased the balance of the north east quarter of Lot No 12, the south part having previously been brought by his brother, Horace Agard. He also purchased that part of the west half of Lot No 13. Which lies north of the purchase of his brother, Samuel Agard. These purchases constituted his homestead farm, which is now the residence of his son, Eaton J. Agard.
The eastern half of Lot NO 18, is marked on early maps as conveyed to Lockerbye but I am not informed as to the date of the conveyance.
The road running from the Johnson’s Settlement road through the North Settlement, and on the west side of Cayuta Lake, was laid out April 23rd, 1812/
Northern Part.
Previous to the year of 1813, the northern part of the present town of Catharine being about two thirds of is area remained in the hands of non-resident owners. A few small openings had been made, generally by girdling the trees in the neighborhood of the Cayuta Lake, mostly by men of that migratory class, who usually precede permanant settlers, and who regard agricultural pursuits and subordinate to fishing and hunting. Tradition ahs handed down the name of --- Paulding as the earliest of these, and probably the first white man residing within the present limits of the Town of Catharine. The earliest settlers at John's Settlement remembered his cabin, standing on the point near the subsequent location of the residence of Joseph Lawrence.
About 1800 Isaac Buckalew west from the Lake on Lot no 44; it is now a part of the George Burge farm. It lay on the line of the Indian trail passing from the bead of the Seneca to the head of the Cayuga Lake, which ran on the West Side of the Cayuta Lake. The Buckalew clearing was for many years a well known land mark, in the “the seven mile woods” lying between the North Settlement in Catharine, and the Harvey Settlement to Hector. Its identity is now effaced by the removal of the surrounding woods.
About 1803, James Smith made an opening on the east side of the lake, near the subsequent place of residence of William T Lawrence; he was killed about 1816 by the accidental discharge of his rifle. His two oldest sons, William and Hooker Smith, long resided near Cayutaville, and left numerous descendants. Smith Valley in Hector derives its name from the sons of James Smith, who were half brothers of Hooker and William Smith. Gerard Smith also settled at an early day on the east side of the lake; he was drowned in the lake in 1815, and was buried on the point, which in commemoration of him is still called “Garret’s Point” He said that he had visited the lake in 1779, while acting as a scout for Sullivan’s army.
about 1812, Sylvanus a Beeman commenced a clearing on Lot No 35, near the present location of Daniel Krum’s Hotel.
His “ Betterments” were subsequently purchased by Joseph Lawrence, as they came within the limits of what he intended for his farm. In 1813., ----- Connor occupied a cabin near the Lake, within the present limits of the lawn surrounding the residence of Abraham Lawrence.
In July 1813 Samuel an d Joseph Lawrence, who were sons of Jonathan Lawrence, one of the partners in the Watkins and Flint Purchase and who had inherited from their father the principal part of the northeast section o f Township Number 3, in that purchase, constituting about half of the present town of Catharine, having determined to fix their residence on the west side of the Cuyuta Lake, contracted with the late Samuel Winton, of Johnson’s Settlement to erect houses for them to be completed within the following year. In the fulfillment of the contract, the late David Beardsley and Elijah s Hinman subsequently became partners. Leaving New York early in Oct. 1814, they passed from Hoboken north to Montgomery on the Newbury and Cochecton turnpike, which they followed west to the Delaware River, which they crossed at Cochocton and went thence through the “Beech Woods” to great Bend on the Susquehanna, which they crossed and followed its north bank to Owego, thence they passed up the Owego, Catetant and Cayuta Creeks, through the Dutch Settlement to Johnson’s Settlement, the journey having occupied about two weeks. Having remained at Johnson’s Settlement about two weeks[ as neither of the houses at the Lake was yet fitted for occupancy] they removed to the house which was intended for the residence of Joseph Lawrence, which both families occupied until the following spring, when Samuel Lawrence removed with his family to the house in which he resided during the remainder of his life, and which is still the home of those of his family who reside in Schuyler county. During the following years 1815-16, there houses and out buildings were completed. Within the same period they employed Isaac Swartwood to erect a saw mill on the east branch of Catlin’s Mill Creek about a mile and a half from their residences, and just north of the present location of the Magee Fish Ponds for the purpose of furnishing lumber to complete their barns and other out buildings and to increase the building facilities for settlers in the northern part of their Tract.
In 1816 a settlement was begun on Oak Hill, which lies directly south of the Lake; Titus F Mix having contracted to buy from Samuel and Joseph Lawrence the southwest quarter of the Lot No 7, his brother Samuel Mix, the south east quarter Lot No 14; David Olmstead, jr. the south east quarter of Lot No 7, and the north east quarter of No 14; his brother Coleman Olmstead, the north east quarter of Lot No 17; Richard Wilcox the north west quarter of No 14, and about the same time David Olmstead, Sr. the southeast quarter of Lot NO 8.
In 1815 and 1816 settlements were begun about one mile west from the Lake in the Valley of the east branch of Catlin’s Mill Creek, extending up that valley to the south line of Hector, and westerly along that line. Elijah and David Sturdevant contracted to buy Lot No 49. Jonathan Sturdevant No 50, John an d Henry Chapman No . 51. ---- Sacket No 54 and Isaac Ganong No 57.
In Oct. 1816, Joseph Lawrence whose health had become very much impaired left with his family to pass the winter in Newtown, Queens Co. where his wife’s family resided. He died at Bloomingburg, Sullivan Co NY. On his return in the following April. His family never returned to reside on his place in Catharine. His widow is still living at Newtown aged 83 years. His two sons Andrew and Joseph A and daughter, Mrs. Mary R Stryker, reside at the same place.
The death of Joseph Lawrence caused a cessation in the sales o f lands held jointly by him and his brother until 1820, when their interests were divided by the late Judge Phineas Catlin, and Elijah S Hinman Esq. who had been appointed by a special act of ht e legislature Commissioners for that purpose. The lands assigned to their heirs of Joseph Lawrence,[ excepting such as had been already constructed] remained unsold until 1838, when his youngest son became of age. Those of Samuel Lawrence continued to be sold, but as 1820 terminated the era of settlement, in the plan of the County Historian, it is unnecessary to specify further.
A.L.
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