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Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site


The History of Delaware County
W.W. MUNSELL 1797-1880

THE TOWN OF TOMPKINS

Electronic text by Alice Geier, NC

THE TOWN OF TOMPKINS

Hark! hist! It was but ninety years ago
Here, where young maids now walk so bright and trim,
The tall dark trees their giant arms bent low;
The surly bear stalked onward huge and grim,
And wolf and panther wailed their fearful forest hymn.


The town of Tompkins is the most western one in the county of Delaware, and is situated between latitude 41° 58'; and 42° 12'; north, and longitude 1° 39'; and 1° 58'; east of Washington, with Masonville north, Walton east, Hancock south, and Sanford, Broome county, on the west, and about two miles of Pennsylvania on the southwest.

In 1769 Simon Metcalf, a government surveyor, established the most western corner of the town and county, at the mouth of the Tewbeac, on Oquago creek, at Deposit, and ran "the property line" between the Indians and the King, in pursuance of the treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768. In 1774 David Rittenhouse and Samuel Holland, commissioners appointed by the States of Pennsylvania and New York to fix the northeast corner of Pennsylvania in latitude 42°, wet up and marked a stone on an island about six miles southeast of Deposit, on the Squire Travis farm, from which the island was called Monument Island. Soon after the commencement of the Revolutionary war Bo'son Parks was brought up to the Cook-house by the Indians from Equinunk in a canoe, and landed near the council ground on the N. K. wheeler farm, where he was tied, and the Indians (leaving him till their return) went up the river and gathered lead ore from a mine supposed to have been near the mouth of the Astraguntira.

During the war we next hear of the Indians passing down the Delaware with prisoners from Harpersfield-Harper, Cowley and others, on their way to Niagara.

The present town of Tompkins is situated on both sides of the Mohawk or main branch of the Delaware river, and at the close of the war was partly in Tryon county and partly in Ulster county; the part southeast of the river being in Ulster. In 1784 the name of Tryon county was changed to Montgomery, in honor of the brave young general who so chivalrously left his beautiful bride, to lay down his life in his country's cause at Quebec. We have seen an old English map, made in 1779, in which the lines of Albany county include the whole town, and extend to the Pepacton, It was finally settled that Ulster extended to the Mohawk branch.

In February, 1791, Otsego county was formed from Montgomery, including that part of Tompkins in said county then a part of Harpersfield, which town was formed March 7th, 1788. Before this time it was territory without a name, except that it was, after 1772, apart of Tryon county to 1784, then of Montgomery till 1791. The next year it was included in the town of Franklin, which then set off from Harpersfield, where it remained till March 17th, 1797, when Walton was formed, chiefly from Franklin, including Tompkins. It remained a part of Walton till February 28th, 1806, when the present town was set off under the name of Pinefield, which name it retained but little over two years, when, on the 10th of March, 1808, it took it present name, in honor of Governor Daniel D. Tompkins.

First Inhabitants

The first white man known to have resided in the town was Peter Hynback (usually pronounced Hinepaw), a High Dutch Indian trader, with his family, a wife and several children. Some supposed he was a half-breed. He lived at the close of the Revolutionary war on the old Pine farm ( now Judge N. K. Wheeler's), near the Indian apple tree on the bank of the river, some twenty rods below the railroad bridge. After the Indians left in 1785 he remained four or five years, and then went after them to Canada. The early settlers spoke of him as a good man. He sold or left his possessions to one Vandevoort-at least in 1790 the latter claimed the property, and sold it to Andrew Craig for a dark-complexioned boy named John Magee, generally called Jack Magee. After purchasing the boy, Vandevoort went off, driving his cattle on to the north and south road, intending to go back to Orange county. Before starting, he hired Conrad Edick and Henry Sampson to take his purchase to Carpenter's Point (now Point Jervis), where he expected to meet them. They were brothers-in-law, having married daughters of Squire Whitaker and sisters of John and Benjamin Whitaker. The boy was stout, and some ten or twelve years old. It must be remembered that slavery was then common and lawful in New York. Edick and Sampson started with their charge in a canoe, and the first night arrived at Skinner's Eddy, near Castleton. They had kept a close watch as their compensation depended on the safe delivery, at the point indicated, of the boy, who represented the proceeds of four hundred acres of the best land in the town. Taking uncommon care to secure him for the night they retired after a day of weary toil, to recuperate their energies for the long day's work of the morrow, when they hoped to reach their journey's end and reap the reward of their labor and risk. But "the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglee," and so it turned out in this case. On waking in the morning, Jack was missing, nor could they find the least trace of his whereabouts after the most diligent and anxious search. Chagrined and disappointed, the escort now had no alternative but to pole and drag back, during two whole day, their canoe, Not long after, Jack returned to Mr. Craig's and remained with him till grown up. He always called Mrs. Craig mother, and many people thought rightly, but the imputation was always stoutly denied by her and when speaking of it she often said, "The Lord knows and Macclure knows he is not my son." The Macclure referred to was a surveyor and a man of superior education, having taught school in Orange county, with Craig as one of his pupils.

Magee settled in the town and became a prominent and enterprising citizen; was for a long time justice of the peace, and held other offices with credit, though it is to be regretted that the latter part of his life was clouded by intemperance. He died at Trenton, N.J., while absent from home, leaving a family of several children. The next settler in the town was one Fitch, the father of Jabez Fitch, deceased, a machinist of Bainbridge. In 1785 he came to the mouth of the Astraguntira (now Cold Spring brook), and finding a few acres of clearing made by the Indians on the bank of the river, now on the farm of J. O. Whitaker, he built a log house near the Cold Spring there, and during that and the next year he erected a saw-mill near the house of the late Major E. Wiest. This mill was of very simple construction, the crank being of wood, and the carriage and log had to be gigged back by the foot. Finding his mill not very profitable Mr. Fitch soon abandoned it, and went to Bainbridge and settled there. The mill was afterward rebuilt by Hubbard Burrows and Aaron Stiles, and used for more than thirty years, when the creek changed its channel to the mountain side, leaving the mill without water.

Andrew Craig, before referred to, settled not long after, three miles below Cannonsville, and some years after died, leaving a son, Andrew, who lived there about forty years, when he removed to Bainbridge, where he died.

One Indian, Old Abram remained some years to guard the ashes of his forefathers, who were buried about twenty rods from the river, near the lower line of the N.K. Wheeler's farm, near Deposit. "Old Abram's rift and spring" still commemorate his residence and name. The solitude was too much for him to bear, and he, too, was gone.

The Whitaker Family

Squire Whitaker, in the spring of 1787, removed from Shehocken to near the Cook-house. The father of Squire Whitaker (whose name was Richard), and two brothers, were natives of England, and emigrated from London some time before the French war. One of the brothers settled in Connecticut, one in New Jersey, and Richard in Orange county, N.Y. His wife was a native of Wales. He had three sons-John, Squire and Benjamin. After the war John went to Ohio, and died there in 1786; Squire married in Orange county Elizabeth Ogden, a native of New Jersey. His father was wealthy and owned a large share of the present town of Middletown, Orange county. Benjamin, the brother of Squire, lived on the old homestead till about 1806, when he came to the Cook-house and lived some years, and then returned to Orange county and died there. Squire had four sons-John, Benjamin, Jesse and Stephen-and three daughters-Mary, Sally and Margaret Elizabeth. Mary afterward married William Fullerton, of Orange county, progenitor of the distinguished lawyer of that name in New York; Sally married Henry Sampson, and M. Elizabeth Conrad Edick.

In the spring of 1777, Squire Whitaker removed to the Wyoming valley, Pa. The family survived the Wyoming massacre, but on the renewal of Indian outrages in the valley soon afterward, concluded that it would be necessary to flee. After great suffering they reach Minisink.

Among the hundred and fifty volunteers who turned out to punish Brant after the Minisink massacre were most of the early settlers of Cochocton, who had been driven from their homes and had taken refuge in and near Goshen. Squire Whitaker and his two brothers, John and Benjamin, were among the volunteers. John Hulce, the grandfather of M. R. Hulce, though sick and just convalescent from a violent fever, caught the enthusiasm, and nothing could restrain him from rising from his bed, taking his gun and pushing forward, followed by his attendants about twenty-five rods, when he fainted and was carried back.

Just at the point of starting, Squire Whitaker received information of the sudden illness of his wife, requiring his immediate attention and aid. He applied to Colonel Tusten, who was also a physician and surgeon, stating the emergency, and asked permission to return. The colonel told him publicly he could not grant it, but soon after said to him, .soto voce, if on the march he should slip aside for a few moments till the troops had passed, and should not overtake them, it could not be helped. He took the hint and was soon hurrying homeward, having about twelve miles to go. That night Stephen Whitaker was born, who, eight years after, came to the Little Cook-house with his brothers John and Benjamin and the rest of his father's family. He lost his life at sixteen by a fall on a sharp knot, crossing a stream. His is the earliest record on a tombstone in the old burying ground near Judge Wheeler's in Deposit.

In the disastrous battle of Minisink Benjamin Whitaker was shot through the arm and breast and placed under the shelter of a rock with others, yet still had strength to fly. He reached and crossed the Delaware River, crawled up a hill among the laurels and secreted himself under a fallen tree, when he found he was likely to be overtaken by an Indian on this trail. The twilight had rendered all objects indistinct. The Indian got on the tree under which Whitaker lay, and after standing and listening awhile returned, greatly to the relief of the wounded and bleeding man. Whitaker lived many years, resided in Deposit a long time and afterward went back to Orange county, where he died. His brother John also escaped, after having seven balls shot through his clothes, with but slight flesh wounds.

In April 1786, Squire Whitaker and family left Orange county and came up the river from Carpenter's Point in canoes, with their scant household goods, to Shehocken, where they staid a year. In April, 17876, Mr. Whitaker purchased a possession of one Chapman, at the Little Cook-house, for a saddle, and moved his family thither into a cabin built against the turned up roots of a fallen hemlock tree, covered with bark, the sides being compose of poles and hemlock brush.

The first wedding in this town was held in this shanty. A Baptist missionary from Connecticut named Timothy Howe was engaged for the occasion, when he married Conrad Edick to Margaret Whitaker. The trousseau of the bride and dress of the groom were quite primitive. A skirt of checked linsey-woolsey, with a calico short gown, deer skin moccasins, and hose a la nature for the one, and a brown tow frock and trousers, with moccasins, for the groom, completed the costumes. Mr. Edick was from the Mohawk; he resided through a long life in Deposit and was a prominent and well known citizen. He had one son and five daughters. He was a soldier of the Revolution and present at the battle of West Canada creek, where Walter Butler was killed. He died in 1845.

John Whitaker, the eldest son of Squire, remained with his father at the Little Cook-house till 1783, when, at twenty years of age, he married Katharine Weaver, from the Mohawk valley, and began to keep house at Hale's Eddy, where he lived ten years, when he returned to the homestead and lived there with his father and mother till their decease, and until his death, August 1st, 1868, aged ninety-five. He raised a large family, five sons and six daughters, most of whom reside in the vicinity. For many years he was s deacon of the Baptist church of Deposit, honored as a citizen and beloved as a Christian. Toward the close of his life he lived on the homestead with his son Stephen, who had purchased the property. He was the last survivor of the Wyoming massacre.

Benjamin, the second son of Squire Whitaker, on arriving at manhood married a Miss Hine, and had three sons and six daughters. He purchased some six hundred acres of land about two miles below Deposit, where he resided till the end of his life. He died March 21st, 1863, aged eighty-seven. His son Benjamin had the homestead, and the declining years of the father were passed with him. He was an active and influential citizen, and long an honored member of the Baptist church. His children also settled in the vicinity.

Jesse, the other son of Squire Whitaker, lived for some years on the farm with Benjamin, and was interest in it, but finally sold to hi s brother and removed to Starucca, Pa., where he died in old age. He also had a large family.

Other Pioneers

Aaron Stiles, a native of New Jersey, came in a canoe up the river in 1795 with his family, and settled on the left side of the river, two miles below Cannonsville. After ten years he removed to Stilesville, two miles above Deposit, where he lived till his death, in old age. He had five sons, Stephen, James, Daniel, Ashbel and Samuel, and two daughters(all deceased). One daughter, Betsey, married John Walker, deceased, and the other, Thirza, married Alfred Webb, deceased. These all raised large families in the town.

William Walker, father of John, was a native of New Haven, and came to Tompkins in 1786. He first settled at Cannonsville and then near Deposit. He had a large family, of whom John was the eldest.

Martin Lane came to the town from New Hampshire, with James Kelsey, in 1794. He was an active and prominent business man. He bought the "Speedwell" farm-occupied for many years by his brother, Benjamin Lane, who came in 1820 from New Hampshire and is still living, ninety years old, in Cannonsville, Martin Lane married a daughter of Andrew Craig, and died in 1824, aged forty-seven. He left one son Jesse, who after leaving Tompkins lived in the town of Harmony, Susquehanna county, Pa., for some years, and gave the name Lanesboro to the place. He removed to Wilmington, Del., and established a lumber yard, and is till living. Benjamin Lane was drafted in the war of 1812.

James Kelsey, from New Hampshire, in 1794 settled on the Kelsey flats, where he lived till his death in 1843. He had three sons, James, Roswell and Martin, by his first wife, and one, Michael by his second. John Day lived on the Kelsey flats when Kelsey came.

Jacob Hathaway and his brother, Benjamin, from Morristown, N.J., were among the earlier pioneers of the town. Jacob settled two miles below Cannonsville, on the Miles farm, and Benjamin two miles above, where his son, Rev. Benjamin Hathaway, now lives. Jacob Hathaway's son, Jacob, bought the old B. Cannon farm, on the south side of the river, and his son resides on it now, the father having a house in the village. Benjamin, son of the elder Jacob, is a farmer and lives at the head of Sands brook, in Tompkins. The descendants of these pioneers are quite numerous in the town. They both died in 1858.

John Miller, father of Abram Miller, settled on the Gregory flats, three miles above Cannonsville, about 1791. Abram, an old man, is still living in Cannonsville.

John Stafford, Esq., stepfather of Joseph Adair, from Argyle, Washington county, came in 1807, and bought three farms, from the Lane farm to the Chamberlins. He sold one hundred acres to B. Hathaway for $1,000. His son, Young Stafford, Esq., resided in the town till a few years ago, when he removed to Afton. He was a soldier in the war of 1812.

John Carpenter came soon after 1800 and settled near the mouth of Dryden brook, about five miles above Cannonsville. He married a Blakesley, and kept a tavern for many years.

Calvin Chamberlin and brothers, Joseph and Eliphalet, "Vermont sufferers," came to Tompkins before 1800. Calvin lived about four miles above "the City." He had three sons, Benjamin, Daniel D. and Stiles. Benjamin owned and occupied the farm above B. Hathaway's, and was suddenly killed some years ago. Daniel d. owned and lived on the old homestead. Stiles has gone west. All were intelligent farmers.

John Alverson came early and settled on the Alverson farm, seven miles above Cannonsville. One Frazier lived just below. They both had large families, who settled in the vicinity.

Silas Maxwell, a Revolutionary soldier, lived near Carpenter's Eddy.

Phineas Case came in 1789, married Nancy Leonard and settled a mile below "the City," on the south side of the river. He died many years ago.

Alexander Crawford, from the Mohawk, settled early about two miles below Cannonsville. His sons, Alexander and Nelson, are still living. The latter occupies the homestead.

Joseph Cable emigrated from Connecticut near the year 1800, and located on a lot about four miles below Walton, on the east bank of the Delaware river, in a dense forest. After remaining there one year, chopping and clearing a home lot, he returned to Connecticut, and was married to Betsey Nichols, whom he brought to his wilderness home, where they suffered many privations. Mr. Cable had many thrilling encounters with wild beasts. On one occasion his two dogs ran a bear into a hollow tree. Cable, who was close at hand, struck with an ax upon the tree, and the bear went out of the top and jumped to the ground. With a dog at each side and Mr. Cable at the rear, bruin rushed down the hill pell mell, till they came to a steep place, where the pursuer lost his balance and fell sliding down astride the bear's back, and with his ax soon dispatched him.

The mode of hunting the elk was on the river, at night, with canoe and torch. Mr. Cable had kindled the fire in one end of his boat one night, and was propelling it up the stream with a paddle, when he discovered a large male elk slowly advancing toward him. Raising his musket to his face he was about to fire, when the elk took a new start and came bounding toward the canoe at full tilt, upsetting it and putting out the fire; but the hunter fired in time, and a ball and two buck shot found way to the monster's heart. The horns measured from tip to head five feet.

Benjamin Hawley came to the Cook-house about 1800, and bought a farm on the east side of the river above the corporation line. He had two sons, William and Sherman, and three daughters. One married-Gleason, and one-Armstrong, and one died unmarried. The father died in 1831, aged seventy-five.

Isaac Gillet, an old pioneer, settled three miles above Deposit. He had one son, Captain Isaac Gillet, and three daughters; Betsey married Jacob Hathaway, Lydia married Major Ezekiel West, and sally died unmarried. He died in 1856, aged eighty-five. His son Isaac died the same year, aged fifty-six.

Gideon Wiest came from the Mohawk in 1800. He was a millwright. He bought and lived on a farm a mile above Deposit, on the east side of the river. He had three sons, Stephen, Ezekiel and Gideon, and two daughters. Maria married John Ogden, deceased, of Deposit, and Rhoda married O. Chapman. Mr. Wiest was drowned from a raft about forty years ago.

Triumphs of Tompkins Wolf-Hunters

More than sixty years ago a large wolf, which had lost three toes in a trap and was known as "the three-legged wolf," prowled through Delaware county, making havoc among the sheep to the great loss of the owners. He was often vainly pursued. On one of these occasions he had been tracked and followed for three days into Tompkins by more than forty persons, who had here been joined by Truman Hubbell and Captain Wheeler, of Deposit. "All except Wheeler and myself," says Hubbell, "abandoned the pursuit. As soon as it was light enough to see the track we were on the ground where we left the night before, and we had not gone more than a quarter of a mile before we found his bed. He had risen and walked about half a mile up to the top of a hill, when, taking another direction, toward Walton, he continued on about fifteen miles, till near the Judge Pine farm, where he had killed a great number of sheep a few weeks before. Here he lay down for the rest of the night. On coming up we aroused him, and he started up a very steep hill, and we, after having walked fifteen miles, clambered up as fast as we could till we got to the top. I was first up, and looking back saw Wheeler about six rods behind.

The wolf followed the brow of the hill for about three miles, and left it, crossing the road from Walton to Franklin. The woods for the next six miles were open, on ascending ground, and we made rapid progress. As we came to the top I waited for Wheeler to come up. 'Now said he,' if the wolf keeps this course we will have a regular descent of nine miles.' I then started on at full speed till I came within two miles of the foot of the hill, when I saw the rascal about twenty rods ahead. He saw me at the same time. Both now exerted ourselves to the utmost in pushing forward. I gained by slowly, and when I got within ten or twelve rods I fired upon him, as he was changing his course, quartering on me, up a high mountain. I reloaded and followed on, and found that he often lay down, showing great weariness and exhaustion. On this mountain were many windfalls, almost impossible for man to traverse, but we were intent on victory, and did not mind the suffering and difficulty. Our game kept on his course on this range of mountain for about seven mile, through underbrush so thick that we were unable to gain on him, and the sun declining, we left the track to find quarter for the night.

Ascending a high bluff of the mountain, we saw a house in a valley about two miles off, to which we went, and were recognized by a young man, an inmate of the house. He inquired what brought us there in our hunting dress with our rifles. We told him we were after the three-legged wolf. 'Ah!' said he, 'I know him well: I hope you will not leave him, for only three weeks ago he killed eleven sheep of ours in one night; and last winter he killed eighteen others for us; has he not lost a part of a fore-foot?' We told him we were satisfied he knew him, as that described the one we were after, and that we should not give him up till we had killed him, unless a snow should fall and cover the track. We were then fifty-five miles from our homes, and had traveled that day not far from sixty miles and were near Delhi, in the upper part of the county. The family, named Wilson, made us welcome and did all we could wish to make us comfortable. After taking some tea and eating but little we retired, rest being more grateful than anything else. Our dogs did not come in till late, in a wretched condition. The family showed their humanity and sympathy towards them, feeding them, and the children too them into the parlor rubbed them dry with napkins.

"We rose before light and found a repast prepared for us, and some doughnuts to carry with us. These had been our daily food, and for drink we caught up handfuls of snow, not allowing time to quench our thirst at a brook. We started before it was fairly light up the mountain. I never felt better or in livelier spirits than then. We trod with freer footsteps than any day before and this was our fourth day. I asked Captain Wheeler how he felt. He replied: 'I feel well. Victory to-day! To-day the wolf must die!' But we felt keenly for our dogs; for, though they had been so well treated, they could not move a step without crying, and continued yelping till they had followed us some miles. We would have left them at the far-house, but they howled so piteously that we were compelled to let them follow us. About sunrise we got on to the track again, and within twenty rods found where the wolf had lain down, and had risen and gone a few rods and made another bed in the snow. It was evident that he was nearly tired out, for we surprised him in the last bed. His former habit had been, after we ceased chasing him, to run twenty or thirty rods, then lied down half the night, then rise and travel fifteen or twenty miles into the neighborhood of his depredation, and then rest, preparatory to his next night's havoc among the sheep; but he was too tired to do so now. This encouraged us. When we started him he led off directly from home, but we did not care so long as he left a track to follow. This mountain was covered with underbrush, with which he was well acquainted, and we could not follow him as fast as we desire. He would usually choose the most dense part of the woods, but now making circuits around the windfall, we followed him briskly for abut seven miles, when he left the mountain to cross the valley about six miles to another mountain, the woods were open and clear, and we pressed him so closely that he began to lengthen his jumps and made no more beds to rest till he got to the mount, when he ran along its steep sides where we could not keep up our usual pace, and he gained so much advance that he often lay down to rest. We felt confident that he often saw us when he ran from these beds of snow, though he was care to keep out of our sight. On reaching the top he entered a thicket before we could overtake him. The course he was going was in a gradual descent of about fifteen miles, when it terminated at the foot of another mountain, called Pine Hill, on the head waters of the west branch of the Delaware river. I started off at full speed down this side of the mountain, making long jumps, and never felt better. I could easily make a mile in five minutes, feeling so much invigorated that my progress was greater than on any of the other days. This speed continued for about thirteen miles, when I came in sight of the wolf about fifteen rods ahead. It was two miles further through the open woods to the mountain. In spite of his exertions I gained on him on the next mile till I got within three or four rods of him, when he looked back at me, dropped his tail between his legs and stopped. I ran within two rods of him and fired a ball through his body: He fell, but rose again. Captain Wheeler's rifle then cracked and he fell dead! In a moment my foot was on his heck. We shouted for joy, and loaded our rifles and fired four rounds in commemoration of our four days' race.

"We were in the midst of any extensive forest and did not know our whereabouts; but we determined to take the wolf home, difficult as the task might be. We took a sapling, and twisting the small end into a with, tied it around his lower jaw, and while one carried the rifles, the other dragged the wolf on the snow. We found that I had slightly wounded him in the flank when I shot at him the day before, though not enough to impede his progress. We continued to drag him and followed down a small stream, supposing it would lead us either to the Susquehanna or Delaware river. After traveling about eight miles we came to the house of a farmer named Sawyer. He soon recognized us as we approached, and seeing us dragging a wolf asked if we had got the "three-legged wolf;' when we replied in the affirmative, he said: 'I will hold a day of rejoicing, for I have but few sheep left from last winter, as then killed nine, eight of them my best ewes, and I suppose he came here for more mutton. Tell me what I can do for you and it shall be done.' We asked him if he would take us in his sleight toward home, till we could find some one of our neighbors who would carry us the rest of the way. We were then more than sixty miles from Deposit. He cheerfully agreed to do so. When we arrived at Walton about one hundred persons collected to see the result of the chase; all the farmers were interested in the destruction of the wolf. It was found on inquiry among those assembled that of their sheep not less then $1,000 worth had been destroyed by this wolf. They could not do too much for us, and escorted us home, near thirty miles, with fifteen sleighs to grace our triumph."

On the 19th of December, 1851, Abel Burrows, Milton r. Wheeler and Arnold Woollerton, of Deposit, and Solomon Bowles, a railroad conductor, with rifles and hounds, started on a deer hunt. They proceeded to a point on the Gannuissy, or Trout creek, three miles above Cannonsville.

Burrows and Wheeler took the dogs on to the mountain to start the deer, while Bowles and Woollerton were stationed at the runways on the creek. The loud baying of the dogs was soon heard, and expectation was on tiptoe. Eagerly watching for the antlered monarch of the forest, great was Woollerton's surprise and satisfaction to see a large and ferocious wolf approaching the runway to cross the creek to the opposite mountain. Waiting till he came on the gallop to within a dozen rods, Woollerton fired, and the wolf turned a complete somersault and fell; but the hunter had hardly reloaded before the wolf had sprang up and made off for Walton mountain. The other members of the party, hearing Woollerton's shot, came to him. he told them he had wounded a wolf and showed them the bloody track. This was far more important game than deer. The $40 bounty was a trifle compared with the satisfaction of killing the last known wolf in the county, whose depredations among the farmers' sheep had long occasioned serious losses. Now commenced an exciting chase over mountain, hill and dale; nor did the pursuers flag until the sun sunk behind the hills, when they were compelled to leave the track near D. D. Chamberlin's creek, and about three miles from his house, to which they went and passed the night. Here they were hospitably entertained by the generous host and his kind wife, who spared no pains to provide bountifully for the wearied hunters, not only for that night but for the following day.

Early in the morning they were at the point left, and recommenced the chase toward Walton mountain. The snow was favorable for tracking. In about a mile they found where the beast had lain down in a thicket of low hemlocks. He had bled freely, had risen and had at several places again lain down. They soon started him from his last bed, and pursued briskly up and around the mountain till they came to Dryden brook, just above the residence of John Love. Wheeler now continued the chase, while Bowles, Burrows, and Woollerton went over and across the hill to head off the wolf in passing up the creek. On this movement he turned his course down the creek, closely followed by Wheeler, who drive him into Love's clearing, where he was again headed off by Burrows, Bowles and Woollerton. He then started for a deep ravine and windfall. As he came on the bank Wheeler just saw him standing on a rock about forty rods off, but before he could shoot the wolf sprang off and ran along the side of the mountain. Wheeler then called to the others to run down the hollow where the mountains came near together, to cut him off there. They went, but were just too late. Bowles and Woollerton kept on down the log road, and burrows passed up the hollow on to the mountain in time to see Wheeler on the trail. They Now let loose the dogs. These soon overtook the wolf, but dared not attack him. The wolf kept along the side of the mountain toward the tavern stand of John Carpenter. Wheeler left Burrows on the trail, and passing over the bluff at the point of the mountain, got ahead of the wolf, but the wind blowing from him toward the wolf caused the beast to turn and take the back track. Wheeler then ran to the foot of the steepest part of the mountain-while Burrows pursued on the track, imitating the barking of a dog to give notice of his whereabouts. They had now got the wolf so closely cornered that he was obliged to seek refuge in a large den in a ledge of rocks, high up on the mountain.

Having "holed" the game, the hunters gave the preconcerted signal (two shots) to call Woollerton and Bowles, who were stationed below to cut off retreat in that quarter. Burrows and Wheeler, after holding a council, crawled into the den to make such discoveries as they could without a light, but finding it quite deep Wheeler lighted a candle, which he had the forethought to provide in the morning, and placing it in the split end of a stick eight or ten feet long, again crawled in on fours about twenty feet, when, turning nearly at right angles eight or ten feet, he discovered the position of the wolf. He informed Burrows, who was close behind him, and asked for his rifle. Burrows handed it to him and he fired at what he could, in the dim light, see of the wolf. The explosion of the rifle blew out the candle, leaving them in perfect darkness. Wheeler again lighted the candle and soon discovered the wolf crowded closely into the corner of the den. He now crawled forward to feel his pulse to learn if he was dead, but on touching his tail gently he got such demonstrations of life and belligerency that he though a sudden backing out advisable, and doing so called for another rifle. Burrows then came along-side of Wheeler and fired at the wolf. The light was again extinguished. Lighting the candle Wheeler again proceeded to examine his patient by taking hold of his tail, as he was crowded into the extreme end of the den. He found the shots had not proved fatal, and taking another gun from Burrows, placed the muzzle within six inches of the wolf, and fired. This short "fetched" him. Wheeler then took hold of the wolf, and Burrows seized Wheeler by the heels. Bowles and Woollerton had now arrived, and crawling in, took hold of Burrows, and thus by a long and "strong pull together," the wolf was drawn out, though Wheeler's clothes were nearly torn off. The wolf still breathed, when Bowles gave the coup de grace by shooting him through the neck.

Thus all of the party had the satisfaction of "drawing blood" on the last wolf ever slain in Delaware county, and of being the heroes of one of the many fireside hunting stories of the settlers. The hunters, greatly elated, brought their prize to Deposit, where it was exhibited, frozen stiff, for a long time to hundreds, who came to look at as fine a specimen of the genus canis as Delaware county ever produced.

Statistical

According to the report of the supervisors of Delaware county for 1878, Tompkins contains 89,866 acres, valued at $11.50 per acre; equalized value, $1,033.459. Personal property, $187,050.

By the census of 1875 it was shown that only 30,454 acres were improved, of which 3,897 were plowed, 12,699 pasture, and 11,835 mowed.

From Tompkins the following have been members of the Legislature: Peter Pine, Darius Maples, Fletcher Palmer, James E. Thompson and Joshua Smith.

The supervisors of the town have been as follows: Peter Pine, 1806-09, 1814-33: Isaac Gillett, 1810: Andrew Craig, 1811; Henry M. Gregory, 1812; Darius Maples, 1834-48, 1855; Charles Maples, 1849, 1851-54, 1856, 1857, 1863, 1864; P. L. Burrows, 1850; H. T. Devereaux, 1858-62; E. B. Owens, 1865-68; Albert P. Miner, 1869; James A. Kenyon, 1870-72, 1876, 1877; George D. Wheeler, 1873-75; W. G. Pomeroy, 1878, 1879.

The census returns of population in Tompkins for the last forty-five years show but a single, unimportant decline, against a general and sometimes rapid growth, which has made this town the most populous in the county. The figures are annexed: 1835, 1,951; 1840, 2,035; 1845, 2,261; 1850, 3,022; 1855, 3290; 1860, 3,589; 1865, 4,064; 1870, 4,046; 1875 4,138.

Hale's Eddy

is a hamlet and station on the Erie railroad, near an eddy in the river five miles below Deposit. The name of the eddy and hamlet is derived from Oliver Hale, who went there in 1790 and settled on the John Dickinson place, now owned by Holdridge Thomas. After living here two or three years he removed to the Gilbert Travis place, after Benjamin Jones left, and a few years later moved on to the Trout creek above Cannonsville, where he died. His sons, Oliver and Timothy, "went west."

John Dickinson, from Saratoga county, settled at Hale's Eddy about 1803, half a mile above the station. He was a drummer boy at the Saratoga battle, where he found a new British drum, which he exchanged for his own; but soon after, in climbing a fence, two balls were shot through the heads of his new drum, and he threw it away. He had three sons-Gilbert, Ephraim and James. The former was a member of the Legislature, and all were esteemed citizens.

Benjamin Jones, in 1796 or 1797, settled on the G. Travis place after O. Hale left, and remained there a number of years, when Gilbert Travis bought the place, who lived on it till his death, some years ago. He left a large family. His sons, Henry and Stephen, occupy the homestead with their mother, a daughter of John Whitaker.

Jonathan Jones, brother of Benjamin, was the first settler in Hale's Eddy village, locating in 1796. He and his brother Benjamin, after journeying for their affianced to Ohio on horseback, married them; Jonathan married Huldah Russ, and Benjamin, Mary. It would seem that such proof of affection should find its reward in reciprocal and permanent regard; but it is sad to record that Huldah was as fickle-minded as fair. This became apparent to the neighbors soon after the marriage. One Alpheus Wickwire, a red-headed young man, worked for John Whitaker on the Dickinson place. He frequently visited Jones' house when he was absent. Mrs. Whitaker admonished him, and he promised amendment. The husband was informed of the more than suspected infidelity of his wife, and banished her forever from his house. Jones reported that he found Wickwire at his house with his wife, and took a horsewhip and whipped him almost to death. The fellow was never seen after. Perhaps the following circumstance may give some clue to his fate: On the grading of the New York and Erie railway through Hale's Eddy it became necessary to take down the house in which Jones had lived, and make a cut of several feet deep on its site. There were found under the hearth the bones of a full grown man, with red hair, and a pair of shoes at the feet of the skeleton. This created considerable excitement in the neighborhood at the time, and much inquiry was made as to the former occupants of the ho7use, and many vague surmises and suspicions entertained and expressed.

The above recital will perhaps dispel the uncertainty and doubt of many, and exonerate some of the respectable subsequent inhabitants of that house from suspicion of participation in a supposed mysterious murder. Jones lingered a year, when, with a broken heart, he died, aged twenty-five. The Jones place after his death was occupied successively by George Jennings, Benjamin Travis and Nelson N. Hotchkiss. The latter in 1851 employed M. R. Hulce to survey out and plot his proposed village. He sold some of the lots to different persons, and finally the whole farm to Holdridge Thomas and Hiram Dickinson, a short time before the Rebellion, and removed to central Virginia.

Mr. Job Greenman about 1795 settled in Deposit, and soon after married Molly Alexander, and in or about 1812 removed to the next farm below Hale's Eddy, where he lived over fifty years. He was killed by the rail cars. The farm is occupied by some of his descendants. His sons Elias, Francis and Samuel lived long on the homestead, and were highly respected.

George Jennings, who married a daughter of Bo'son Parks, bought the Jonathan Jones property at Hale's Eddy soon after the death of Jones. He lived there many years, till his death. His son, Stephen H., now resides in Harmony, Susquehanna county, Pa. He had several daughters, one of whom married William Walker, deceased, and the other Cyrus H. Beebe, deceased, both old and respected citizens of Deposit. Mr. Jennings was a celebrated panther hunter.

The Travisville Baptist Church, near Hale's Eddy, was organized August 4th, 1875, with thirty-six members from the Maple Hill church in Wayne county, Pa. Rev. A. J. Adams was the first pastor.

Barbourville

is situated on the Astraguntira creek, six or seven miles northeast by north of Deposit. Three brothers, James I., William and John Barbour, came from Saratoga county about 1820, and settled in what was then called Cook's settlement, but was named after the Barbours came Barbourville.

James I. Barbour was an intelligent, active business man. He built a saw and grist mill, and was largely engaged in the lumber business. After a short illness he died, February 13, 1832, greatly lamented. His brothers survived him but a few years.

Nathaniel Cook, from Amenia, Dutchess county, N.Y., was the first settler of Barbourville, locating there in 1796, on the Bryant place. He had five sons, Nathaniel, Nathan, Simeon, Lot and Solomon, who all settled in the neighborhood. Their descendants are numerous.

Moses Axtell, a native of Boston, was a son of Daniel Axtell, who came from Wales with a brother, Aaron. Moses enlisted as a minute man at the opening of the Revolution. He also belonged to a company disguised as Indians, and helped throw the tea overboard in Boston harbor. He was at Lexington and heard the handsome British officer cry out, "Disperse, ye rebels!" answered by shots from all sides. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill, where the "rebels," under Putnam, sheltered by a fence, beat down the British in heaps, but were finally compelled to retreat. Mr. Axtell was a blacksmith and armorer in the Revolutionary army. After the close of the war he lost his wife and removed to New Britain, where he married Bershabe Peck. He moved to Schoharie, and from thence to Unadilla, with the Johnstons and Sliters, where he remained till 1803, when he settled at Barbourville.

It is related that he shed tears because he could not vote, under the John Adams law. He had six sons-Moses, David, Joseph, John, George and Rufus; and five daughters. Tamar married Nathaniel Cook, Abigail married Nicholas Sliter, Sally Pamilia married Henry Hess, and Ann is married to Daniel Wood. These all (except Rufus and Sally, who died of dropsy) raised large families in the town. Moses Axtell died before the war of 1812. His eldest son, Moses, is still living, over eighty years old, on the old homestead.

Nicholas Sliter removed from Unadilla to Tompkins. His father, from Dutchess county, settled at Unadilla with the Rev. William Johnston before the Revolution; was driven off by Brant in 1777, and returned after the war. Nicholas had four sons, William, Alfred Jonas and Hiram, and two daughters; Tamar, married to David Smith, and Bertia.

Abraham Sherman early came to Cold Spring from Unadilla. His sons, Harry and Alanson, succeeded him.

William Dovener built a saw-mill about 1800, staid two years, sold to Nathaniel Egleston, and "went west." His son froze to death going home from the Cook-house.

Samuel Egleston was the father of Nathaniel and James E., and of Mrs. Stephen Vanscoyk. James Egleston settled on "Triana" hill, where he passed a long life and died. His brother Nathaniel passed most of his life in Barbourville.

Levi Broth was the first settler on the M. Axtell place.

James and John Guernsey, Walton and Milo Heath, and Harper Rogers, from Saratoga, came early, when the wolves were plenty. Michael Sammons, an exhorter, and Henry Hess were from the Mohawk.

Stephen Vanscoyk, from Coxsackie, came when young, and settled on the Vanscoyk homestead, where he acquired a large property. His son Cornelius and three daughters (married) are still living and have families.

Sylvenus Palmerton, Ichabod Culver, Noah Hamblet, Ralph Smith, Daniel Woods and Robert Green were well known early settlers in the neighborhood, leaving many descendants.

A Baptist church was constituted-"the Barbourville Baptist Church"-with twenty-two membrs from the Deposit church, in 1878; no pastor; John Axtell, deacon.

Trout Creek, or Teedville

This is a post-office hamlet on the Gannuissy creek, about nine miles northeast by north from Cannonsville. John Teed and brother were its first settlers. Lebbeus Teed, son of John, is a prominent and substantial farmer and lumberman.

There is a Baptist church with a church edifice in the place. The church was organized in 1852. Being small in numbers and financial ability, the members have been unable to sustain regular preaching for much of the time. The present number of members, according to the last report, is thirty-four.

Among the early settlers of this valley were: Peter and Jacob Huyck, Joseph Crawford, John Ostram, Jacobus Bradt, Oliver Hale, Joseph Adair, John Magee, John Wallers,--Jackson, --Bullock and Joseph Cannon, all respectable farmers, who raised families.

"THE CITY"-CANNONSVILLE

This village is near the center of the town, and contains about 350 inhabitants, and three churches-Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist Episcopal, all of which have convenient houses of worship. There is a tannery, commenced in 1855, in this place, belonging to James A. Kenyon, Esq. He tans ten thousand hides a year, and uses two thousand cords of bark.

In the spring of 1786 Jesse Dickinson, a native of New Jersey, and a man of intelligence and considerable property, having previously explored the country and ascertained the most practicable route4, started from his native State with several for the wilds of the Delaware region. Arriving at New York he embarked with his family and goods, including some cows, oxen, sheep, horses and wagons, on board a sloop, chartered to land at Catskill. After several days, winds having delayed the passage, they landed on Catskill Point with considerable difficulty, there being no wharves. The first farm after leaving the point belonged to a Dutchman who had a great number of Negro slaves, several of whom were employed guarding each side of the road, to prevent the cattle from encroaching on the grain, as there were no fences. The road to the head of the Delaware and down that river to Kortright had been cut out, and no unusual difficulty was experienced in the slow and toilsome journey to that place. The Indian path after this, when practicable, was used, the ax and handspike coming in frequent requisition to widen the way for the wagons. But it was frequently necessary to diverge from the trail on account of its passing along steep hillsides and over precipitous elevations, where a wagon track was impossible. In such cases they were obliged to encamp, when with a party of pioneers a feasible route was searched and opened. In a little over two weeks they arrived, in June, at the mouth of the Gannuissy, now know as Trout creek. It is to be regretted that so few of the old Indian names remain-that of this creek is far preferable to the trite name by which this beautiful stream is now called. Here the Indians had resided, with a few acres cleared on both sides of the river, on which they had raised corn and pumpkins. The last of them had departed only the year before-following their tribes to Canada.

Mr. Dickinson had purchased several hundred acres of land at this place, to which estate he had given the name of Milton.

James Leonard, the father of Udney Leonard, deceased, long known as a respectable citizen of the town, came with his family at the same time. He, too, was a native of New Jersey. Five years before the Revolutionary war he removed to the vicinity of Lake Champlain, where Udney Leonard was born. On the breaking out of the war his situation was too much exposed to the Indian incursions, and he prudently resolved to secure comparative safety by abandoning his improvements, which he did, and returned to his native State, about twenty-five miles from New York, where he remained till 1786. Then, induced by the representations of Dickinson and others, who described in glowing terms the beauty and fertility of the land on the Delaware, he concluded to make it is his home. Mr. Leonard took up or located on what was then supposed to be State land, on the east side of the river, a little below Cannonsville, on the flats occupied by his descendants and by William McGibbon, Dr. Phineas Case, Alexander Crawford and W. Storrs. Here, for several years, he was engaged in farming profitably, clearing up his land and raising cattle. The wolves killed nearly all his sheep, and the bears his hogs, so that for many years he had to give up raising them.

Jesse Dickinson was a man of enthusiastic temperament, and conceived exalted notions of the prospective growth and importance of his new purchase. He formed extensive plans of improvement. He laid out a town in regular squares and called it Dickinson's City, "the city" still being the best known name of the place to all the older inhabitants. During the summer, with great energy and perseverance, he erected a large town hall and a saw mil, at the raising of which he was obliged to call on all the male inhabitants within a distance of twenty-five miles or more in all directions. They cheerfully responded, as was the usual practice in early times in such cases, and the heavy timbers were raised by strong arms and with willing hearts.

A barrel of good old Jamaica rum was used on the occasion, as without that lever no heavy job could be accomplished in those days. When we say good, we mean it was not the vile drugged mixture which is so common now, and which if a man drinks he runs a risk of his life. The mill was finished in October, but the builder was not permitted to reap any benefit from it; for just as he had got ready to start the saw a tremendous flood, known among old settlers (especially on the Susquehanna) as the "pumpkin" flood, came and swept every vestige of it away. This flood carried off all movable things from the flats and low grounds along the river, and greatly discouraged the early settlers. On the Susquehanna there were many more inhabitants, and the damage to the crops were immense. Much suffering ensued the following year from scarcity of food, and several lives were lost by starvation. Mr. Dickinson did not abandon his city on account of the serious loss he had sustained; but immediately began to rebuild, and before another year was completed his mill was again finished and all damages repaired. No road from the Cook-house, except the Indian trail, had been opened, nor was there any other for many years after. This trail led over the hills instead of following the river. Mr. Dickinson built a grist-mill under his sawmill soon after finishing the latter with home-made stones, quarried about three miles above the Cook-house, on the farm of F. Palmer. They were fitted and cut in a rude manner, but answered much better without a bolting cloth than a hollowed maple stump, into which before the grain was put and pounded with a pestle attached to a spring pole of a bent sapling. To this mill the public came from the surrounding country, sometimes from forty to fifty miles distance. Men would send grists from Oquago on horseback over the Indian trail to the Cook-house, and when the river was low follow its bed to "the City;" otherwise they would have to follow the trail over the hills.

The inhabitants on the Delaware used canoes to go to mill. After sifting out the bran a very palatable bread was manufactured from the flour, which, it must be confessed, was not as fine as extra superfine, but quite as healthful and digestible; such a thing as dyspepsia having never been invented or heard of. Mr. Dickinson' expenditures in building several saw-mills, dwelling houses, etc., exceeded his income and means, and in a few years he became insolvent. He was obliged to mortgage his estate of Milton in the hope of recuperating, but his anticipation were not realized. His "city" did not grow as expected, consequently he could not sell his lots. The expense of manufacturing and running his lumber to Philadelphia exceeded the avails. He ran the first raft ever taken from the town, about thirty thousand feet, which was for a long time the maximum for a raft. Heartsick and discouraged he surrendered the property to the mortgagees, and abandoning the country went to Philadelphia, whence he never returned. Of the first four settlers only Mr. Leonard remained permanently.

Benjamin Cannon, towards the close of the last century, bought the Dickinson estate of Milton and several adjoining lots in Walton's lower patent, and subsequently one or two lots on the south side of the river, on which he built his homestead house, where he lived till his decease, in 1839. He also built the fine hotel long kept by Stephen Durfee. He left two sons, Benjamin and George; the former a lawyer and for several years county clerk. He built an elegant residence on the fight side of the river, surrounding it with trees, etc. Here he resided till about 1876, when he sold the premises to Edgar G. Owens and removed to Oxford, where he died in 1878. Both father and son were deserving of the honor and respect which they ever received from the community, and the place was named after the man who had done much to improve it and advance its interests.

James Durfee came from Rhode Island in 1788, to Kortright and staid three years, and then removed to Tompkins; first to the "Slow and Easy" mill, two miles below" the City," and afterward to Cannonsville. Mr. Durfee had one son, Thomas, who became a Baptist preacher and whose long life closed in 1879. His daughters were, Polly, who married Jeremiah Alverson, and old and respected resident; and Sally, who married Jacob C. Edick (died in 1869, aged sixty-nine), only son of Captain Conrad Edick; Phoebe, who married Eliphalet Thompson, now deceased, father of James Thompson, ex-member of the Legislature; and Hannah, who married Henry Sampson, of Starucca, Pa.

John Stiles came with Jesse Dickinson in 1786, and bought, in partnership with Dickinson, property in Cannonsville, which, after some years, he sold to Wait Cannon, and removed to Philadelphia, where he and his sons, John and Henry, established a lumber yard.

Caleb Smith, Esq., came early from Rhode Island. He purchased the mill property and about forty acres of land adjoining, which he occupied through a long and useful life. He died in 1854, aged eighty-two. He was justice of the peace for many years. He had six sons-Abner, Stephen, Caleb, Peter, James and Joshua; and four daughters-Polly, who married A. Ogden; Hannah, who married Roswell Kelsey; Huldah, who married Tracy Cannon; and Julia who married Stephen H. Edick, Esq., son of Jacob C. Edick. These all settled and lived in the town. Joshua Smith was a member of the Legislature.

John Owens and his brother Heman came to Cannonsville from Dutchess county, N.Y., in 1791. John's sons were Amherst P., William K., Gordon and Abram. These all remained residents of the town. William K. and sons have long been successful merchants at Cannonsville. Heman Owen's sons were Nelson, Wilson and Ansel, all residents well known and respected. John Owens died in 1857, aged eighty-five.

William Seymour, father of Deacon Willet Seymour and Ezekiel Seymour, was an early settler in Cannonsville. Willet Seymour is still living on the old homestead, on the south side of the river, opposite Cannonsville.

Wait Cannon, in 1791, bought of John Stiles his share of the Dickinson estate in Cannonsville. His daughter, Persis, married Abram Miller, an old resident of Cannonsville, still living.

Darius Maples was born in New London. His father and uncle emigrated from Wales. General Nathaniel Greene was his great-uncle on the mother's side. Early in this century Darius Maples emigrated from Connecticut to Hartwick, Otsego county, N. Y., and hired out, chopping wood and clearing land, for a Mr. Moss, a manufacturer of cotton goods. By his advice, about 1810 he came to the "the City" and took charge of a small store built by his patron Moss. In 1812 he married Lucy Lillie, a native of Windham, Conn., from which place she rode on horseback in 1801, when fifteen years old. To the Butternuts. He after a few years bought out Mr. Moss and took a partner, Joshua Beers. The firm of Maples & Beers was finally dissolved, Beers going into business in Erie, Pa. Mr. Maples continued the mercantile business and lumbering with great success to the end of his life. He died in 1857, aged seventy-two. In 1851 he built the Oquago House in Deposit, at a cost of $16,000. He was elected supervisor of the town each year from 1834 to 1848 inclusive, and again in 1855. (His son Charles was elected each year in the interim except one, and four times afterward). He had four sons-Jerod, George, Charles and Darius Edwin, none of whom except Charles survived him. He had five daughters, of whom Fanny married James E. Thompson, deceased (who was once a member of the Legislature); Mary married Samuel Cottral, Emily married Chauncy Judson, deceased; Marie A. married William Henry Sheldon, deceased, and for a second husband Edgar Pinchot, of Milford, Pa., and Ellen died at eighteen. Mr. Maples was one of nature's noblemen, dignified, though unassuming, liberal in support of public improvements and generous to all. He left an ample fortune, the bulk of which his son Charles inherited, while the daughters were well provided for.

Presbyterian Church, Cannonsville

The Presbyterian church was formed in 1828 by the Rev. Elisha Wise as a Congregational church, with twenty members, chiefly from the Deposit church. The records are lost, but some of the name of the constituent members remembered, including Memucan and Jemina Lowry, Huldah and Phoebe Case, Analasson Underwood, Beulah Crawford, Catharine Ostram, Diodamia Storrs, Timothy Hale, Peter and Andrew Huyck, Joseph Crawford and wife, Phineas Case, Mrs. Britton, Jane Galley, Isabel Howland and Lydia Hathaway.

Soon after organization this church was received by the Chenango Presbytery and then by the Delaware Presbytery, until the reconstruction of 1870, when it elected to unite with the Binghamton Presbytery. In 1836 the polity was changed to Presbyterian, and Caleb Smith, Peter Huyck, John Howland, George Huyck and Thaddeus Mather were the first elders.

The church has never had a settled pastor. The following are the ministers who have officiated as stated supply: L. Sullivan, two years; Waters Warren, one; Isaac D. Cornwall, one; Andrew J. Phillips, three, from 1848; Samuel J. White, eight; Thomas Hempstead, two; J. J. Hough, three A. J. Quick, three; Thomas Hempstead, again, two; P. J. Abbott, eight months and died; W. W. Wetmore, since 1875.

For about twenty years the church received home missionary aid. The first house of worship was erected in 1831, and was used till 1868, when the second and present one was erected, at a cost of $10,000. A good parsonage, built in 1856, also belongs to this church, and the condition of the organization is reported as more encouraging than ant any former period; it has 117 members. The legal society, under the name of "The Second Presbyterian Society of Tompkins," was organized December 3d, 1830.

Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, Cannonsville

The records of the this society are lost. Missionaries occasionally visited the place in early times. Lewis, Brandon, Minshaw, Cook, Barnes, Herrick, Preston, Peck, Williams and Smith are names remembered, being those of members of the Oneida Conference. The New York Conference then sent Joseph Law for a short time, then Sanford Boughton, a zealous and faithful preacher, who died in the harness; many were converted under his ministry, and also under that of Alexander Calder, who succeeded him and organized the church in 1830 or 1831. The first class was formed in 1826. This church as a church edifice and parsonage. The trustees of the society reported are Perry Twitchel, W. W. Cleaver and L. H. Aldrich.

The leaders of the classes are: Jonathan Webster, David Pulver, Edwin Gregory, Francis Frazier, John Walley, Thomas Mills and Niram Schofield. The preacher in charge is Rev. F. N. Baker; local preacher, Rev. Chauncey Mills; members reported 132.

Tompkins Baptist Church, Cannonsville

In 1830 this was a branch of the Deposit Baptist church, and consisted of fifteen members; Thomas Durfee, Alice Durfee, John Randall, Ann Randall, Zebina Hancock, Dorothy Seymour, Jeannette Lowry, Affia Crawford, Electa Darrow, Mahala Hathaway, Benjamin Hathaway, Lebbeus Teed, Electa Teed and Betsey Day. They existed as a branch and increased to about fifty members, and September 228th, 1831, they were recognized as an independent church of Christ by a council of delegates from East Meredith, West Meredith, Sidney and Deposit churches. Their records are very incomplete. The first deacons were Thomas Durfee and J. L. Babcock. The first regular pastor in 1832) was the Rev. Mr. Baldwin. Thomas Durfee was licensed in d1832, and preached as main supply for six years; Stephen Stiles from 1839 to 1844, and E. L. Benedict to 1847. There was no pastor the next three years. S. Stiles supplied the society in 1850, and T. Durfee in 1851.

Up to this time the meetings were held in school-houses in Cannonsville, up Trout creek, in the Huyck neighborhood, on Johnny brook, at the Stone school-house, four miles up the river, and in "the Den," ten miles above Cannonsville, on the river.

In the spring of 1852 the society purchased the schoolhouse in Cannonsville and fitted it up for meetings. There was preaching for several years by T. Durfee. In 1855 Rev. Mr. Mann came and preached, and the next year Rev. D. F. Leach preached. In 1852 ten members were dismissed to form the Trout Creek church, and in 1857 twenty-nine were dismissed to form the South Walton church. M. L. Bennet at the same time was licensed and became pastor. Rev. John Bradbury preached from 1858 to 1860; then Rev. Mr. Gesner two years; then S. P. Brown, who enlisted in the army and died a year after. For three years there was no pastor. In 1866 E. Wright, and in 1867 Jacob Gray became pastor. Under his energetic guidance the society erected a commodious church edifice, forty by sixty, at a cost of $5,000, and a fine parsonage was secured. The church was dedicated June 17th, 1868. At intervals the church has been supplied temporarily by Rev. Messrs. Wattles, Tucker, Hartley, Morey, Winegard, Wellman, Hathaway and others. It has licensed five and ordained three of its members preacher-M. L. Bennett, Thomas Durfee and Benjamin Hathaway. Rev. H. C. Leach was pastor from 1868 to 1`871; T. Durfee, 1872; E. S. Gallup, 1873, 1874; J. L. Smith, 1875-78; the present supply is Rev. Mr. Gaitun.

All of the churches in Cannonsville early established Sunday-schools, which have been well sustained.

DEPOSIT

Deposit is situated in the valley of the Delaware, sixty miles from its source. It is nestled among the mountains, which surround it on all sides, with their summits nearly a thousand feet above the bed of the river, which is here one thousand feet above the sea. Until the opening of the Erie Railway it resembled Rasselas's valley, there being no apparent mode of ingress or egress.

"The Cook-House"

In early times this place was called the Cook-house, which word was a corruption of the Indian name of the locality-Coke-ose or Cookhurse.

We have seen in the office of Judge Gleason, at Delhi, a certified copy of affidavits taken in 1785, in the Hardenbergh-Bradstreet land controversy, in one of which the deponent says that, having asked "sundry Esopus Indians" certain questions about the Delaware river, they "answered that the west branch was called Cookhurse sepus." Another of these affidavits recounts that, "the deponent has spoke the Indian language from being a boy," and "has traded with the Indians both before and since the controversy between General Bradstreet and the proprietors of the Hardenberg patent; that they always informed that the west branch of Delaware was called Cookhurse hacka sepus; that Cookhurse is in English an owl, hacka land, and sepus a river; and [the whole name] is in English an Owl-Land river". Still another deponent swore that 'the Indians called the west branch of the Delaware Cookhurse sepus, and the east branch they call Packatacan or Pawpacton sepus." In several others of these affidavits we uniformly have the spelling Cookhurse.

It was here that a surveyor nearly came to grief at the hands of the Indians, about one hundred and fifteen years ago, on suspicion of having been operating on lands claimed by them, between the branches of the Delaware. The story is contained in another of the affidavits mentioned, in which Petrus Dumond, who took a deed for a farm in Middletown in 1763, "says that about the time of his taking this deed he conferred with Henry Bush, then of Shookan, respecting that country, and that the said Bush informed him then and afterwards that he had been out with Wooster, the surveyor, many years before, at the head of the east branch of Delaware river. They from thence took a northerly course in search of another branch of said river, and that they came on another stream, which they pursued down, and either found or made a canoe, in which they embarked with their instruments for surveying; that in falling down and either found or made a canoe, in which they embarked with their instruments for surveying; that in falling down said stream they overset their canoe and wetted their instruments, by which the surveyor' chain became exceedingly rusty; that they nevertheless pursued down the course of said river to Cookhurse, where they found many Indians, who, discovering that they had a surveyor, as also instruments for surveying lands, were much enraged, and talked of killing the whole party, as they, the said Indians, claimed the lands ass their property; that Wooster and his party diverted the Indians from their purpose by assuring them that they had not surveyed any of the lands on that river, and in proof thereof showed them the rust on their chain, which satisfied the Indians that they had not used it."

The Men Who Built Up Deposit

The name Deposit was given because in early times vast quantities of pine lumber were drawn in winter on sleighs from the Susquehanna, and deposited on the banks of the river to await the spring freshets, when it was rafted and run to the Philadelphia market.

In 1811 the village, then containing but twelve dwelling houses, was incorporated, on the west side of the river, and extending westward only to the "property line," being lot No. 43, Evans patent, one hundred and twenty-six acres, four hundred of which are in Sanford, Broome county. A provision was inserted that the village, except for elections and schools, should be regarded as belonging to either and both counties. The station of the Erie railway and the post-office are in Broome. That part of the village has been almost wholly formed since the opening of the N.Y. & Erie Railway. A new charter for the village was granted in 1873. The number of inhabitant in the village is now nearly 2,000.

The first permanent settler in the place was John Hulce, who came in the spring of 1789, from Orange county, and located on the west bank of the river, at the northerly end of the present village. He was on the paternal side descended from German ancestors, who came to New Amsterdam with the early Dutch settlers. His wife was a granddaughter of General Herkimer. Her mother was disowned and disinherited because she married a Welshman named Williams, who was a loyalist and private secretary of Sir Henry Clinton. When John Hulce came he brought only his son John W. with him, then only seven and a-half years old. He built a log house and cleared off some ground, and in the fall returned and got his wife and children, and brought them by way of the north and south road (through the beech woods), which had just been opened by Samuel Preston and John Hilborn for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Joseph Hulce, a brother of John, came with him, and the two located lots 43, 44 and 45, Evans patent; but not being able to secure the title to lot 43, Joseph, after a few years, returned to Orange county. John Hulce was a religious man, a Presbyterian, and his wife a Baptist. They had four sons: Sylvester, Samuel(died in 1853, aged seventy-seven); David and John W. (died in 1862, aged eighty-five); and three daughters: Julia, who married Comfort Penny, Polly who married Thaddeus Benedict; and Kezia, who married Henry L. Hubbart. All had families and settled in the vicinity, and all are now deceased. Martial R. Hulce, the oldest son of Sylvester Hulce, was born in 1804. His father died in 1852, and his grandfather in 1811.

The next settler in Deposit was Philip Pine, from Fishkill, on the Hudson. He came in the spring of 1791, with his wife, two sons, Daniel and Peter, and four daughters-Sarah, who married Jonas Underwood; Nancy who married Isaac Youmans; Elizabeth who married Samuel Butler; and Martha, who married Matthew Brown.

All these settled near and had children, except Peter, who married Phebe, a daughter of Conrad Edick. Before coming Mr. Pine bought four hundred acres of land, including the Cook-house flats on the east side of the river. The Indians had thirty or forty acres cleared, and their council ground, a plot about eight rods square, was on the spot where the farm building were made, and where Mr. Pine resided till his death, in 1818, aged seventy-seven.

His son, Peter, who inherited the homestead, also lived there till the opening of the Erie railway, when he sold it. It subsequently was purchased by Judge N. K. Wheeler, who still owns it, a portion of the farm having been alienated. Philip Pine was an energetic farmer and business man.

Peter Pine was for many years supervisor of Tompkins, was associate judge of the county, and twice a member of the Legislature. He died in 1847, aged seventy.

Jonas Underwood, before his marriage in 1792, taught school in the place. Philip Pine was opposed to his marriage with his daughter, and also to that of Samuel Butler. But the parties in each case would not be thwarted. Sally slipped away from home to the house of John Hulce, where a minister had been provided, and the knot was tied. In the case of Butler afterward, Pine refused to make a wedding, and Butler went over the river in his working clothes in the middle of the day, was married, and returned to his work. In both cases the marriages were happy and fortunate in the sequel. Both the grooms became prominent citizens, and raised large and respectable families. Underwood built the large and substantial house now occupied by Henry Evans-the oldest house in the village-and Butler, in 1806, built the house in which he lived for many years, now owned by Mr. Hoard. Youmans and Brown each built houses, which are still standing in the village. Daniel Pine settled on a farm four miles above Deposit, on the river road. He had two sons-Philip and Peter-and three daughters; one of them married to Charles Hewitt in 1791, and the other to Benjamin Austin, deceased.

Captain Nathan Dean was a native of Taunton, Mass., and was an officer in the revolutionary war, stationed near Boston. In 1778 he married Lois Snow, of Rainham, Mass., and in 1790 with his family removed to Kortright, Delaware county, where he remained till June, 1791, when, as there were no roads, he lashed two canoes together, and placing his family and goods thereon, he floated them down the river to the Cook-house, and landed a few rods above the present house of William J. freeman. Finding a log house empty, he lived in it till he could provide one for his family on the place, since known as the Dean farm, consisting of two lots of two hundred acres each, now covering that part of Deposit in Broome county, of which he was the first settler. His cattle were driven from Kortright on the Indian trail by his son Nathan L., then ten years old, and his uncle Joshua Dean. During the summer he built a saw-mill, and sawed out lumber for a house into which the family removed late in December, before the doors were finished, using blankets and quilts in their places through the winter. On the 2nd of January, while Mr. Dean was absent at Kingston, the upper portion of the mill was burned; when Mrs. Dean, with the energy which ever characterized her, employed workmen and had it rebuilt and running before her husband's return. In 1794 Mr. Dean built a grist-mill by the side of the saw-mill, on the site of the present flouring mill of Whitaker Brothers.

John Radeker, of Colchester, was the millwright for the grist-mill. He was a practical miller, and remained a year or two in charge of the mill. He was called Hans. At one time an old Indian came to Captain Dean's and asked to stay all night, saying he would sleep by the fire on the floor. After the family had retired the Indian crept up stairs and got into Hans's bed, and when he came in from the mill he had to sleep on the floor.

In January, 1796, Benjamin and Jeter Gardner brought eight loads of goods from New York by way of Carpenter's Point, from which place they drove up the river on the ice. Their store was in a building then recently erected by Captain Dean, where the Oquago House now stands, and was the first store kept in the place. Fletcher Gardner was clerk for them. Benjamin died in 1797 on a visit to Long Island. After a few years the store was closed. Previous to this Captain Dean had done his trading in Kingston, and to secure payment had confessed a judgment to one Tappan for $600. Captain Dean was a free mason. Three men of the vicinity, who were also masons, went to Kingston, and representing that they came at Dean's request, bought the judgment and went Owego, the county seat of Tioga, in which county Dean lived, and took out an execution, directing the sheriff to sell without delay. The advertisements were put up at so great a distance that none but the parties knew any thing of it till a short time before the day of sale, which was February 26th, 1799. On learning of this Captain Dean hastened to Philadelphia to raise the money. The day of the sale came and Dean had not returned. In the meantime Tappan, who was a friend of Dean, hearing what was going on, came in order to prevent the sale. Other prominent men from other places also attended, and the sheriff postponed the sale to the 5th of March, on which day, Mr. Dean not having returned, David Hotchkiss, Judge Harper, Major Stow, Captain Buel, Elijah Smith and William Macclure, of the then town of Chenango; Elijah and Asa Stowell, of Bainbridge, and other prominent men attended. Through their aid the personals were all bid in by the daughter, Catharine (who afterward married James P. Aplington), and Mr. Tappan bid in the real estate for $1,650, to the great disappointment of the trio. Mr. Dean was taken sick at Easton on his return and died there two days before the sale, as it was learned some weeks after. By the advice of David Hotchkiss, William Macclure and others the widow applied to the Legislature for aid, and the sale was set aside and commissioners appointed to sell the farm and settle with the creditors. This was eventually done, and the widow was enabled to buy in and keep the northerly two hundred acres, on which the Broome county part of the village chiefly stands. She was a religious woman and brought up her family well, and they all became useful and respectable members of the community; but one, Zenas K., and octogenarian, survives. Joshua was for many years supervisor of Sanford.

Soon after the village was incorporated Silas Crandall, William Wheeler and William Butler purchased of Henry Drinker, of Philadelphia, lot 43 Evans patent, covering the old village, excepting a few lots before sold. They had it surveyed and partitioned, each holding one-third. The second store was kept by Conrad Edick and Jonathan Parker. Silas Crandall and Peter Betts opened a store in 1802, the second store in the old village, and Jesse C. Gilbert, father of Dr. Gilbert and Maryette Gilbert, the next; Abel Downs and Henry M. Gregory the next. Gregory and Crandall traded for many years successfully. Gilbert was an educated man and much esteemed.

In February 1814, William Wheeler removed from Partridge Island, Hancock, to Deposit. William Butler came two years before. He was an intelligent, liberal and courteous gentleman. He built the Deposit Hotel in 1813, and several other houses. In 1818 he built for his own use the house which has been for the last fifty years the residence of M. R. Hulce, in the upper part of the village. Mr. Butler was largely engaged in the pine lumber trade, and in 1824 the financial depression fell on him with crushing weight, preventing sales in Philadelphia, to which place he removed to close out his lumber by retail. In the meantime his property in Deposit was sold by the sheriff. He had one daughter, Emily, who, in 1820 married Simon Lusk, in Deposit, a worthy and esteemed lawyer, who died in the place in 1855, aged seventy-one.

Silas Crandall died in 1831, after an active life. He left a widow, three sons and four daughters, who, after the estate was settled, all left the place.

William Wheeler occupied a prominent place in society. He was a deacon of the Presbyterian church. He had five sons, viz.: Nelson K., once judge and surrogate of Delaware county and member of Assembly, and now one of the district judges or justices of the city of New York; William F., banker at Olean, N.Y., and now member of the Legislature; Truman H., deceased, late judge of the Court of Conciliation; Addison J. and George D., successful business men in Deposit, the latter having been supervisor and member of Assembly. The deacon had two daughters, Malina and Elizabeth. In the early part of his life Captain Wheeler, as he was generally then called, was, like his brothers, a man of great physical strength and activity, fond of athletic sports and hunting and a good shot-woe to the panther, bear or wolf that came within range of his trusty rifle. Truman Hubbell, a half brother, was, if possible, more fond of the chase, and many are the hunting stories, not yet forgotten, related by them. Hubbell resided in Tompkins ten or fifteen years, then in Philadelphia and finally removed to Cattawissa. Pa., where he is still living. Joseph Wheeler from 1814 lived in Tompkins, and died in the town. Two of his sons, Franklin and Milton R., are lawyers.

Colonel Samuel Butler came to Deposit before the close of the last century. He served as captain in the war of 1812. He built a large house in the village in 1806, which is still standing. He was a shoemaker and tanner, and engaged in farming and lumbering. He raised a large family and brought them up to habits of industry and usefulness. Toward the close of his life he, with part of his children and his wife, removed to Michigan, where he died. His eldest son, Samuel P., is a resident well-to-do farmer in Tompkins, while two other sons are bankers in the West.

Thaddeus Mather came to Cannonsville in 1807. He was a well educated physician. After staying at Cannonsville a few years he removed to Deposit, and there raised a family of three son, Richard, John D. and Calvin, and three daughters. Caroline married Ira Bixby; Cornelia married Dr. S. D. Higgins, and Sarah married B. R. Nickerson. John C. alone of the sons survives. He was canal commissioner in d1850 and resides in New York. Francis M. and Butler H. Bixby, grandsons of Dr. Mather, reside in New York; the former a State Senator and the latter an acting district judge.

Henry M. Gregory, a native of Columbia county, N.Y., was a prosperous merchant in Deposit for about twenty-five years. He was a brother of General Edgar M. Gregory, who was for many years a resident of Deposit. Henry M. left no children living at this death.

Thaddeus Benedict, deceased, a native of Canaan, Conn., came to Cannonsville in 1808 and next year to Deposit, where he married Polly, a daughter of John Hulce. She was the first child born in Deposit. He had one son, the Rev. E. L. Benedict, now of Iowa, and three daughters, one of whom married Joseph Downs, and another Rev. Charles Fox. Mr. Benedict was a singularly pure minded man, and was an honored deacon of the Baptist church.

Joseph Webb, father of Alfred, came to Deposit about 1794 and bought one hundred acres (the late Samuel Hulce farm) of John Hulce, which e afterward sold back and bought half of lot 59 Evans patent, where he lived till his death. He had two sons, Nathaniel and David, older than Alfred, and three daughters. Eleanor married Sluman Wattles, of Sidney, and John Rider, deceased; Harried married Newell Evans, deceased, and Betsey married James Kelsey.

Jonas Park, a soldier of the revolution and in the disastrous battle of Long Island, came from Philadelphia to the Cookhouse before 1800. His only surviving son, William, occupies the homestead, and is a jeweler, like his father.

John Peters came from Northampton county, Pa., in the first decade of this century, and bought a part of the Nathan Dean property in Deposit, including the Oquago Mills. Before the opening of the Erie railway he sold the property to Henry Sheldon. The railway station is on this property. Mr. Peters had three sons, Henry, John and William, and six daughters, all married in the vicinity. His descendants are quite numerous. He died in 1849, aged sixty-nine.

Henry Flint, from Connecticut, came to Deposit in 1802 and first kept a tavern in the house now occupied by Henry Peters, which was built by Conrad Edick in 1802. Mr. Flint had two sons, James and Abel, and two daughters, Hannah and Phoebe Ann. He died in 1847.

Randall Briggs, deceased, from Vermont, came to the Cook-house in 1807. He bought the farm on which his son Deacon George W. Briggs died in 1879, where he passed his life. He had three sons-Eben, George W. and Otis, and two daughters. Hannah married Hubbard Burrows, deceased, and Lydia marred Albert Waring

Hubbard, Peres, Elisha and Denison Burrows came to the Cook-house from Groton, Conn., in 1800. Hubbard had three sons-Hubbard, John B. and Henry, and two daughters. One, Priscilla, married Ashbel Stiles, and Sarah married Daniel Stiles.

Peres Burrows had seven sons-John W., Albert, Daniel, Harry, Warren Almond T. and Palmer L., and two daughters. Charlotte married Rev. Benjamin Hathaway, and Lucretia married Joseph Whitaker.

Elisha Burrows had three sons-Elisha, David and Isaac A., and three daughters. Rebecca married-Hill, Caroline married one Slackbower, of Honesdale, and Lucinda remained unmarried.

Denison had one son, Denison, deceased. The descendants of these are very numerous in and near Deposit and elsewhere.

Shubel Merrill came to the Cook-house in the first decade of this century, from Ticonderoga. He had five sons and four daughters, and his descendants are numerous, many of them residing in the vicinity.

William Macclure was a surveyor, who came in 1786 from Orange county, and settled five miles west of Deposit. He first built a log cabin, which he called Castle William. He passed the first winter alone in this cabin, after having surveyed through the summer. In February, 1791, he married in Orange county, and brought his bride and a few household goods on a one-horse sled to his castle, where he lived a useful life till 1826, when he died, aged one hundred years. His eldest son, William Macclure, resided in Deposit many years, ad died in 1874, aged eighty-three. He was also a surveyor, and an excellent man. An incident in the life of the elder Macclure, showing the remarkable sagacity of his dog, is as follows: In the winter of 1786/7, while staying alone at Castle William, his dog came to the cabin of the Indian trader Hynback, at the Cook-house, and by whining and starting toward his master indicated that he wanted Hynback to follow. The trader followed the dog through the deep snow five miles, and found Macclure prostrated with fever and unable to move. He staid and nursed him till his recovery, and saved a life of usefulness.

William Freeman, a native of New Jersey, came to Deposit in 1813. He was a cabinet maker. He bought a lot adjoining Captain Wheeler's, and built a house on it, where he lived till his decease, about 1876. He had four sons, William J., Henry, Frederick S. and Charles, and three daughters.

John Ogden, of New Jersey, came to the Cook-house early, and resided through a long life in Deposit. He had four sons-John, David, Ethelbert and Henry, and six daughters.

CHARLES KNAPP

Among the men who have battled their way from poverty to wealth and social distinction, the subject of this sketch is worthy of a prominent place; not only on account of his position as a man of character and influence, but from the encouragement which his career affords to the intelligent and industrious, showing as it does that ability and well directed frugal industry, united, seldom fail.

Charles Knapp was born October 8th, 1797, in the town of Colchester, Delaware county, N. Y. He received such educational advantages only as were offered by the common schools of the day. Being gifted with a strong and assimilating mind, and having a keen appreciation of the value of learning, he so improved himself by observation and extensive reading that he overcame the defects of early education, and stored his mind with an unusual variety of sound information, which has been of essential service to him in his subsequent career.

Mr. Knapp's father was a farmer in moderate circumstances, and the son entered early into the laborious occupations of home life.

In the year 1815 he began his public career as a village school-master, teaching winters, but still continuing to devote his exclusive attention to the farm work during the summer months-his earnings all going into the common fund for the support of the family.

In proof of his economical habits, even at this early period of his life, it may be stated that at the end of a school term-having taught six months, at the rate of $16 per month-he gave to his father the sum of $100, he having added to his regular income by doing over-work.

When twenty-one years of age, with nothing but his head and hands as capital, he embarked in business on his own account, following his father's calling; afterwards engaging also in the lumber trade.

In the year 1825 he opened what was called a general country store, with a cash capital of about $300. His unblemished reputation for honesty and fair dealing, united with promptness in faithfully observing all agreements, soon insured his success. So ably did he direct this great variety of interests, that as early as 1848 he had amassed a considerable fortune.

While living in Colchester Mr. Knapp won the regard and confidence of his fellow citizens, which was frequently shown by expressions of popular favor on the paart of the people of his native town.

In 1841 he was chosen a member of the State Legislature. In this position he sustained himself in every respect to the satisfaction of his constituents and friends.

In 1848 he sold his property at Colchester and removed to Deposit, in the same county. Here he engaged in farming, lumbering and tanning.

These pursuits he afterwards abandoned, and in 1854 established himself as an individual banker, under the laws of the State of New York. In February of the same year his first circulating notes were issued. Two years later he changed the individual character of the institution to that of an organized association, with a capital stock of $125,000, retaining control of the bank by taking two-thirds of the whole number of shares.

In 1864 the State bank was changed to a national bank. The capital stock of the national bank was increased in 1873 to $200,000. In 1878, on account of onerous taxation, the capital was reduced to $100,000. Since its inauguration Mr. Knapp has been its president. Through all the disastrous panics which have destroyed older banks, this institution, under his management, has generally paid a semi-annual dividend of 5 per cent., besides adding largely to its surplus. The present officers are: Charles Knapp, president; James H. Knapp, vice president; Charles J. Knapp, cashier; and Herbert W. Knapp, assistant cashier.

In 1868 Mr. Knapp was elected member of Congress by a large majority. At the close of his Congressional term, being more than 73 years of age, he declined a re-nomination.

In his financial policy he agreed with Benton that gold is the best standard of value, and during all subsequent controversies he has vigorously maintained his opinion.

In politics he was originally a democrat, upholding Jackson's decisions and accepting his motto, "The Union must and shall be preserved." Being an inflexible opponent to the extension and perpetuity of slavery, he was among the first to join the Republican party, and he has ever been an earnest work and zealous advocate in behalf of Republican doctrine.

Mr. Knapp is now nearly 83 years of age, yet he retains in a remarkable degree the full possession of a sound, active and intelligent mind. During his long and active life he has always taken a lively interest in everything pertaining to the moral, intellectual and commercial development of his town and county.

It would be difficult to point to a more rounded experience than that of Mr. Knapp. He has achieved business success, his family love him, his neighbors respect him, and his fellow citizens honor him. Always a useful citizen, a faithful friend, an earnest counselor, a tender father, he stands in his private and public career a noble example to all who desire to build up a fortune and an honorable name.

Early in life Mr. Knapp married Sylvia Radeker, of Colchester. They had ten children, of whom five-three sons and two daughters-are now living. Mrs. Knapp died in August, 1877, after living with the husband of her youth for more than fifty years.

Newspapers

The Deposit Courier was the first newspaper published in Deposit. It was stated in 1848 by M. R. Hulce, proprietor, and C. E. Wright was publisher and editor for seven years; when S. D. Hulce took the editorship, and changed its politics to Republican and its name to the Delaware Courier. He published it five years, and sold to Blunt & Smith, who held it a year,. When it was sold to Charles B. Stow, who gave it the first name, the Deposit Courier, and who, with Watson for a year or two, and afterward alone, has edited and published it till the present, 1879. The paper has a good circulation.

A paper was started by Mr. Wright in 1856, under the patronage of an association, but its life was short.

In 1874 S. C. Clizbe started the Deposit Times and Democrat, but, like its predecessor of 1856, it was destined to extinction within about two years.

Academic Institutions in Deposit

An academy was built in 1830 in Deposit, and used till December 16th, 1835, when it was burned. Another was built soon after, and used for some time. In 1851-2 a seminary building was erected by private subscription, and was organized under the laws. The school was flourishing for some years, but owing to financial difficulties the building, ground, etc., worth about $10,000, were sold by the sheriff. In 1866-7 a new academy was built by private subscription, near the center of the village, in the Broome county part. After some six years the property was transferred to a union school, with an academic department. The school is in a flourishing condition.

CHURCHES IN DEPOSIT

There are six church organizations in Deposit, with five church edifices. The first public religious services in the town were held at the house of John Hulce, a Presbyterian, by Rev. Hugh Compton, who also kept the first school.

The first Sunday-school in the town was opened in Deposit in 1818, Mr. Y. Benedict presiding. The teachers were all women. Twenty-five scholars attended, and they learned and recited verses from the Bible. This course continued for ten years, when an undenominational Bible-class was organized in the Baptist meeting-house, by M. R. Hulce. This continued Several years, till Sunday-schools were established in all the churches in the village.

Baptist

The first church in the town-the Baptist Church of Deposit-was organized June 16th, 1812. The constituent members were: Thaddeus Benedict, James P. Aplington, James H. Coburn and Eunice his wife, Benjamin Coburn, Stephen Stiles and Sally his wife, John W. Hulce and Eliza his wife, Samuel Hulce, Sally Penny, Molly Burrows and Peninah Hulce.

The first deacons were Stephen Stiles and James P. Aplington. The pastors have been:

Rev. Messrs. Levi Holcomb, 1813, 1814; Samuel Gilbert, D. Robinson,--Woolsey and O. Spencer, supply for four years; Rev. Messrs. Spaulding, Richmond and Otis irregularly till 1821; Samuel Gilbert, during whose stay great accessions were made; Jason Corwin, 1823 to 1825; supplies till 1829; Levi Tucker, in whose pastorate the new church was dedicated; Michael Frederick, 1832-34; Thomas Durfee, supply; Charles A. Fox, one year, to 1837; John T. Fuller, 1838-40; Nelson Mumford, 1840; (parsonage built I 1842-3); Joel Hendricks, 1851, 1852; (July 2nd, 1852, meeting-house burned); Levi More, 1852-54; (new church built in 1853); L. W. Olney, 1855-58; Lewis Ranstead, 1858, 1859; A. L. Freeman, 1860-62; C. H. James, 1862, 1863; George Balcom, 1863, 1864; J. N. Adams, 1865-75.

In 1866 the church, while being repaired, was blown down by a hurricane and demolished. In 1867 the new church was dedicated, costing $10,000; William Mudge was pastor in 1876-78. P. S. Vreeland, settled in 1879, is the present pastor, Ten churches have in whole or in part been formed from this one, which has two hundred and fifty-five members. " The Baptist Society of Deposit" was incorporated in January, 1824. In 1877 the church was burned, and it has just been rebuilt. The present trustees are: John B. Perry, William Loder and M. G. G. Valentine; clerk and treasurer, C. M. Putnam.

Congregational

The Congregational church in Deposit was organized July 21st, 1812, by Revs. D. Harrower and J. T. Benedict, with eight members, viz.: William Macclure, Aaron Stiles and wife Catharine, Benjamin Hawley and Theodocia his wife, Mrs. Bathsheba Demander, Mrs. Lois Dean, Aphia Hawley and Anna Nickerson.

For the next six years the church was supplied by missionaries-Joel Chapin, Joel T. Benedict, Joseph Wood and others. From 1818 Rev. Elisha Wise preached about twelve years. Samuel G. Orton then stayed two years, and great additions were made. Leverett Hull then ministered one year; Joshua B. Graves, two; E. T. Ball, one; Smith P. Gammage, two; Foster Lilly, two; Aaron P. Allen, eight; O. H. Seymour, three; Thomas Hempstead, two, Charles H. De Long, eight; Marcellus Clure three years, to 1877, and James B. Fisher has since been the pastor.

The legal society, " The First Presbyterian Society of the Town of Tompkins," was formed February 15th, 1818, with William Butler, William Wheeler and Silas Crandall first trustees.

In 1818 the society built a church. It remained Congregational twenty-three years, was then Presbyterian twelve years, and since 1844 has been Congregational.

In 1854 a new church was built; the next year it was burned by lightning, in 1855 rebuilt, and in 1877 again burned to the ground. In 1878 and 1879 the present elegant brick edifice was erected.

The trustees are: Alvin Devereaux, G. D. Wheeler and John M. smith; Charles T. Edick, clerk; J. S. Minor, treasurer.

Methodist Episcopal

This church was organized in d1830. The first preacher was Alexander Calder; first class-leader, Hiram Banks. The original number of Members was 12. The first church was built in 1832; cost, $900. The second was built, of brick, in 1872; cost, $15,000. There are 165 members. The names and pastorates of the successive preachers have been as follows:

1830 Alexander Calder; 1831, Alexander and Nathan Rice; 1832, 1833, John P. Foster and P. House; 1834, 1835, Daniel Terry; 1836, M. Van Duzen; 1837, D. B. Turner; 1838, W. S.. Stillwell; 1839, 1840, D. Bullock and W.F. Gould 1841, A. C. Fields; 1842, A. C. Fields and J. Davy; 1843, W. C. Smith and R. S. Scott; 1844, R. S. Scott and P. Stodard; 1845, P. Wiliams (he was sent from Deposit as missionary to Africa, and died soon after reaching his field); 1846, J. Croft; 1847, 1848, M. M. Curtis; 1849, E. E. Stout; 1850, David Gibson; 1851, William Wilson; 1842, 18453, L. W. Walsorth; 18454, A. Ackerly; 1855, Richard Decker; 1856, 1857, Richard Wheatley; 1858, 1859, J. W. Sellick; 1860, T. Oakley; 1867-69, Thomas Lamont; 1870-72, Josiah Sims; 1873, J. L. Gamble; 1874, J. W. Jones: 1875, 1876, Z. N. Lewis; 1877, J. L. Gamble; 1878, 1879, C. B. Landon, the present pastor.

Roman Catholic (St. Joseph's)

St. Joseph's Church was organized by Rev. Father Hourigan, of Binghamton, about 1848. Not long after the church built a chapel and a parochial residence. The congregation is large, and services have been held regularly. The priests in charge have been Fathers Hourigan, Carroll, Forney, McGeough, Griffith, M. J. Fournier, the latter the present pastor. He reports six hundred communicants.

Episcopal ( Christ Church)

Christ Church was organized July 2nd, 1860, with 29 members, by Rev. Edward Andrews, of Binghamton. Church wardens, T. H. Wheeler and Asher C. Moses; vestrymen, N. K. Wheeler, W. I. Ford, M. I. Cannon, C. F. Sherwood, William H. Gregory and Isaac A. Burrows. There are about 30 members at present. They have been unable to sustain regular services, but are supplies occasionally. When the Baptist church was burnt they generously tended the use of their chapel, when they were without a preacher, to the Baptist society, till the latter could build. The offer was gratefully accepted.

African Methodist

The African Methodist Episcopal church Zion was organized by the colored people of Deposit in 1864 or 1865. Since that time they have had preaching most of the time by men of their own color. They have had a Sunday-school from the beginning, with white superintendents and teachers chiefly. The school was organized by M. r. Hulce, who was assisted by a corps of female teachers for two years. The superintendents since have been Alexander Walling, G. I. Babcock, Henry Burrows and G. M. Babcock.

The organization of this church and Sunday-school has been greatly beneficial to the colored people. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Mason, who is assisted by Rev. Mr. Alsen, a freedman, who has learned to read and write since coming here.

Lodges

In 1808 Charity Lodge, No. 170, F. and A. M. was constituted at the Cook-house, and for some twenty-two years it was in successful operation, till the opposition to masonry initiated by the abduction of Morgan swept over the country, when it was compelled to succumb, like nearly all others in the State. Its members were among the most influential citizens.

About a quarter of a century later another lodge, Deposit Lodge, No. 396, was instituted, and has at present 160 members. There is also the Deposit Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in the place, with 60 members.

There have been lodges of Sons of Temperance, good Templars and Odd fellows, but it is believed they are extinct at present.

BIOGRAPHICAL

David W. Axtell, sons of Moses Axtell, was born in 1828, and commenced business for himself in 1854. He married Miss Carrie Vanscoyk, daughter of Stephen Vanscoyk, September 12th, 1864; has one boy and one girl. His occupation is farming. He enlisted in August, 1864, in Company K, 179th N. Y. volunteers.

J. W. and M. R. Axtell are sons of Joseph Axtell, who was one of the first settlers on the west branch of Cold Spring brook, owning land here since he was seventeen years of age. J. W. married Miss Betsey Bolt in 1865, and has one son. Moses R. married Miss Lucia A. Underwood; they have one boy and three girls.

La Fayette Axtell was born November 1st, 1842. March 8th, 1871, he married Miss Ester M. Haynes, of Wayne county, Pa. She died October 21st, 1878, leaving a family of two boys. Mr. Axtell went out as sergeant of Company A. of the 144th N. Y. volunteers; was wounded at Honey Hill, S. c., November 30th, 1864, and discharged May 23d, 1865, on account of wounds. Colonel Wheeler gave a sword to the company, to give to him who won it by his bravery. The sword was voted unanimously to La Fayette Axtell.

Arthur Axtell is a son of George Axtell, who was born October 12th, 1807, married Miss Barbary Benedict in 1829, and died May 22nd, 1861. They had a family of seven boys and one girl. Three of the sons were in the late war; John in the 44th N.Y, Edgar in the 1st Michigan, and Charles in the 144th N. Y.

William L. Axtell, son of Joseph Axtell, was born March 6th, 1883 and married Miss Lydia Slater, of Bainbridge, Chenango county, March 18th, 1857; they have two children, boy and girl.

John Axtell, son of Moses Axtell, was born in Tompkins, January 25th, 1805. In January, 1839, he married Miss Mary A. Rogers, who was born in Saratoga county in 1820. They have had ten children, all of whom are dead and buried in the burying ground near where Mr. Axtell lives.

Arthur Axtell is a son of George Axtell, who was born October 12th, 1807, married Miss Barbary Benedict in 1829, and died May 22nd, 1861. They had a family of seven boys and one girl. Three of the sons were in the late war; John in the 44th N. Y., Edgar in the 1st Michigan, and Charles in the 144th N. Y.

William L. Axtell, son of Joseph Axtell, was born March 6th, 1883, and married Miss Lydia Slater, of Bainbridge, Chenango county, March 18th, 1857; they have two children, boy and girl.

John Axtell, son of Moses Axtell, was born in Tompkins, January 25th, 1805. In January, 1839 he married Miss Mary A. Rogers, who was born in Saratoga county in 1820. They have ten children, all of whom are dead and buried in the burying ground near where Mr. Axtell lives.

George W. Allen was born April 1st, 1847, and is a son of Joshua and Eliza Jane Allen. He began business for himself in 1863, at shingle making, and followed it till 1869, since when he has become a farmer. He married Sarah Jane Rose, daughter of Alexander Rose, and has had two children, viz., Arthur G. (living) and Avas J. (deceased).

Dr. George C Bailey was born in England in 1841, and came to this country in 1845. He commenced reading medicine with Dr. Sweet, of Unadilla, in 1859. He enlisted in 1864 as a recruit in the 89th N. Y. infantry; was appointed hospital steward; discharged in 1865. He then attended medical lectures in New York. In 1866 he went to Ohio, and married Miss L. M. Case, of that State, in 1868. He came to Cannonsville in 1872.

C. S. Beebe, son of C. H. Beebe, was born in 1834, and married Catherine S. Lakin, of Tompkins, in 1861; they have one boy and one girl

Alva Benjamin, son of Samuel and Hannah Benjamin, was born April 3d, 1830. He is a blacksmith at Cannonsville, where he began the business in 1861. He enlisted January 8th, 1864, in the 13th N. Y. heavy artillery, Company A. and was discharged at the close of the war. He married in 1851 Sarah a. Constable, daughter of Anthony and Caroline Constable. Their children are six, viz.: Samuel A/., William f., Lucius, George A., Abram and Charlie.

Amasa D. Bird, son of Amasa and Rebecca Bird, was born December 13th, 1821. In 1838 he began the tailor's trade at Windsor, Broome county, and followed the same till 1856; then located at Hale's Eddy, Delaware county, where he now resides and is station and express agent and postmaster. In 1846 he married Clarissa Russell. They had five children, two of whom are living-Willie and Hattie. Mr. Bird was again married, December 5th, 1861, to Almira Russell, sister of his first wife; she died, leaving two children-Frederick and Benjamin. For his present wife Mr. Bird married Mirinda Raymond.

Ambrose Bolt is a son of William and Betsey Bolt, who came from Saratoga county, N.Y., and settled in Masonville in 1813. He was born March 25th, 1810, and has been a farmer since 1831. In 1834 he married Miss Olive Griswold, of Masonville, and they had six children. She died in 1869. For his second wife Mr. Bolt married Charlotte Strong.

Nathan S. Boyd, son of Elisha Boyd, was born March 27th, 1831. He has been a farmer and lumberman since 1852. He married Ruth Ann Webster, daughter of David Webster, of Tompkins, July 14th, 1853. Their children are: Frank M., Dell E., Eva A., Addie L., Burt S., and Inez G. William Boyd' father, Elisha, was in the war of 1812. His grandfather on him mother's side, Remington, was in the Revolution. Joseph Webster, grandfather of Mrs. Boyd, was a soldier in the Revolution.

G. W. Briggs is a native of Vermont, born in 1801, and at the age of five years came to this count with his parents, who were early settlers of Tompkins. He married a second wife in Broome county. His son, J. M. Briggs, enlisted in 1864 in the 144th N. Y. volunteers, and was honorable discharged at the end of the war. Their post-office address is Deposit, N.Y.

Marshall B. Bryant was born in Upper Canada in 1836, and came to Tompkins with his father's family in 1847. He married Miss Anna Burnside, of Tompkins, January 1st, 1863, and has a family of two boys and one girl.

Samuel N. Burnside was born in Lawrence, Otsego county, N.Y., January 12th, 1830, and came with his father's family to Tompkins in 1850. In June, 1853 he married Miss Lois Clinton, of Butternuts, Otsego county; she died in August, 1872, and Mr. Burnside married for his second wife Miss Harriet E. Haight in December 1874. He served three years in the late war in the 144th N.Y. volunteers, Company A.

William H. Burnside was born September 19th, 1833, in Otsego county. He married Miss Lavina A. Howland, of Tompkins, July 1st 1859. They have a family of two girls. Mr. Burnside enlisted August 19th, 1863, in the1st N.Y. veteran cavalry, Company H. and was discharged on account of wounds May 15th, 1864.

P. L. Burrows, son of P. Burrows, was born in 1814, and married Miss Sophronia M. Shaw, of Delhi, in 1838. They have had seven children, six of whom are now living. Mr. Burrows went out as captain of company A, 144th N.Y. volunteers. On account of ill health he resigned January 17th, 1863. His son, S. W., enlisted in the 17th N.Y. volunteers, and was in the first Bull Run battle. He enlisted again, in the 1st veteran cavalry, and served until the close of the war. His brother, L. P. Burrows, went with him in the cavalry.

J. O. Burrows follows farming and lumbering; post-office address Deposit. He was born in 1830 in this county, of which his wife, Frances Peters, is also a native, and of which Mr. Burrows has been a life-long resident. Their family consists of one son and one daughter.

C. E. Burrows, farmer at Stilesville (post-office, Deposit), was born in this town April 23d, 1828. He married Miss Antoinette Wiest, also of Tompkins.

James H. Butler, son of Daniel and Mary butler, was born October 30th, 1820. He began farming where he now resides in 1849, buying the farm at that time for $4.50 per acre. Mr. Butler has been three times married. His first wife, Minerva, daughter of William Foote, of Stamford, he married in 1850. She died in 1861, leaving two boys and one girl. March 6th, 1862, he married Miss C. M. Smith, of Hancock, who died April 11th, 1876. To his present wife, who was Miss Susan Northrop, he was married in March, 1877.

S. P Butler was born at Deposit in 1805, and married Lorana Hulce, of Deposit, a descendant of one of the first settlers and an early teacher there. His father was born in 1777, in Saratoga county, and with his parents, having been driven out by the Indians and Tories, came to Deposit very early where he married Betsey Pine; he died in 1847. Mr. Butler is a farmer, with post-office at Deposit.

Abram M. Cable, farmer, post-office Deposit, was born in Walton February 19th, 1822, and came to Tompkins from Athens, Pa., in 1846. He married Jeannette Burrows, of Tompkins. His father, Joseph Cable, was a pioneer in this region, and incidents of his experience as such may be found in the history of Tompkins.

Stephen Carroll, son of Jonathan Carroll, was born January 17th, 1831, at Albany, He began business for himself in New York city as foreman in a coal yard. He came to Delaware county in 1872 and is a farmer. He married Susan Wall and has four children, viz., Catharine E., Stephen, jr., William H. and Ellen F.

Hiram Cook, son of Nathaniel Cook, jr. Was the last of the name to leave "Cook Settlement." He was born in 1809, and married Miss Jane Ann Haight in 1842. They have two daughters living, having lost one son and two daughters. Mr. Cook is a grandson of Nathaniel Cook, who came from Dutchess county about 1796.

Alexander Crawford was born in the town of Tompkins, Delaware county, February 8th, 1808, and is a son of Alexander and Beulah Crawford. He has been a farmer since 1826. December 13th, 1838, he married Ann, daughter of Phineas and Nancy Case. She died October 22nd, 1864. Their children are Nancy L. and Alexander. Mr. Crawford's present wife was Mrs. Caroline Henderson. The children of Mrs. Crawford by her former husband are William Emmet and Herbert D.

Henry Durfee, the only son of Stephen and Antointte Durfee, was born February 27th, 1854. Since the death of his father he as kept the Cannonsville Hotel. His father was a blacksmith till 1862, then a sutler in the army till near the close of the war. At that time he purchased the hotel, and kept it until his death, which occurred November 14th, 1878. Mr. Durfee's children are Henry, may and Mattie.

J. A. Farnham was born in Broome county, N.Y., in 1836. He is a farmer and mechanic of deposit. He married Nancy Hendricson, of Broome county, and has a son and a daughter.

Asa Grant, son of Nathan S. Grant, was born December 29th, 1836. Since he was twenty-one he has been engaged in lumbering and farming. In November, 1858, he married Lydia Webster, daughter of John Webster, of Tompkins. Their children are Ada, May, Alice, Elbridge, John and Webster.

Gregory W. Grant, son of Robert Grant, was born October 22nd, 1826, and commenced business for himself in 1846. His early life was spent in lumbering, and he is also a millwright; he is now a farmer. He was married about 1849 to Ruth A. Fuller, who died March 28th, 1866. Their children are George F., James Il, Charles R., Sarah, Addie, Mary, Fannie and William L.

B. E. Hadley is a native of Chenango county, N.Y., and was born in 1816. He came to Deposit in 1832 and in 1835 commenced mercantile business, which he followed with success for twenty years. He is now a lumber merchant. He married Miss Susan Simpson, who died in 1853, and he then married Amanda Dominique.

Elisha W. Hamblet was born February 16th, 1831, and is a son of Daniel D. and Phoebe C. Hamblet. He began business for himself as farmer, carpenter, wagon maker, etc., with his father in 1852. In 1856 he went to Nebraska and built a saw-mill; but returned in about six months, and since then his business has been wagon making and farming. March 12th, 1863, he married Caroline J. Axtell, daughter of Joseph and Caroline Axtell, of Tompkins. Their only child, Lela Bell, was born April 12th, 1868.

E. H. Hanford is a lawyer residing in Cannonsville. He was born in the town of Sidney April 15th, 1855; was educated in the common schools and the Delaware Literary Institute at Franklin, and in March, 1872, at the age of seventeen years, took a clerkship in the office of N. C. and M. W. Marvin, counsellors at law at Walton. He was admitted to the practice of the law at Binghamton, N. Y. in May, 1876, being then twenty-one years of age. He has since resided in Cannonsville and pursued the practice of law.

Benjamin Hathaway (2nd) was born in 1810, in Cannonsville. He is a farmer, and has been quite extensively engaged in lumbering in former years. He was married June 9th, 1836, to Charlotte Burrows, daughter of Peres and Deborah Burrows. She was born in Tompkins, Delaware county, in 1811. Their children now living are one son and three daughters. Mr. Hathaway's father, Benjamin, sen., came from Morristown, New Jersey, in an early day, and settled at Cannonsville. He was born in 1783, and died on the farm now owned by Benjamin second. He was a blacksmith. He married Mahala Turner, who was born in 1785; they had three boys and one girl who grew to manhood and womanhood. The father of the present Mrs. Benjamin Hathaway, Peres Burrows, was in the war of 1812, and the grandfather, Captain Hubbard Burrows, was in the Revolution, and was killed at Fort Griswold.

Martial R. Hulce, the well know authority on local history, and author of considerable portions of this work, as noted in the introduction, has always lived at Deposit, where he was born March f29th, 1804. He received an academic education at Cortland Academy, and was married Miss Eliza A. Curtis, of Homer, Cortland county, N.Y. He is the eldest son of Silvester Hulce, and grandson of John Hulce, both of whom emigrated from Orange county. Early in life Mr. Hulce was a farmer and lumberman. From 1834 to 1857, and since the last mentioned year, he has been a surveyor and civil engineer. He commanded a company in the old militia as lieutenant, and was justice of the peace from 1836 to 1843.

Enos D. Jester, son of Thomas and Nancy Jester, was born in Franklin, this county, December 4th, 1845. He enlisted in company D, 144th N.Y. volunteers, in September, 1867, and was discharged August 8th, 1865. He then worked at farming till 1873, since when he has been engaged in a flouring mill at Cannonsville. September 4th 1864, he married Ava M. Hall, daughter of Simeon and Betsey Hall, of Tompkins. They have one child, Winnie Iline, born September 7th, 1867.

J. A. Kinyon was born in Clermont, Columbia county, N.Y., September 2nd 1819. In 1833 his father and family moved to Albany county. J. A. taught for a few years. He married Miss Olivia Devereux in 1847, and the same year took an interest in the firm of A. Devereux & Company, tanners. In 1862 he came to Cannonsville and purchased the Trout Creek tannery. He has been supervisor of the town five years. Hs first wife died in Jun, 1859, and he married Addie R. Tanner, in June, 1865.

J. C. Lakin, formerly a farmer and lumberman, but now engaged in hotel keeping at Deposit, is a native of Hancock, and was born June 30th, 1837. Mrs. Lakin was Miss M. E. Peters, of Tompkins. During the suppression of the Rebellion Mr. Lakin served two years in Company C., 27th N.Y. Infantry; then raised Company H of the f1st N. Y. veteran cavalry, in which he served as first lieutenant until it was mustered out, July 23d 1863.

William H. Lee is the grandson of an old Revolutionary soldier. He married Sarah Graham, of Ulster county, N.Y. He was born in Delaware county in 1836, and has followed farming.

A. G. Loomis was born September 25th, 1847, at Bainbridge, Chenango county, N.Y. He married Miss Emma Rosecranz, of Pennsylvania, October 18th, 1875. He came to Deposit in December, 1870, where he is the proprietor of a good livery stable.

Abram Lord is the proprietor of the hotel at Hale's Eddy, and a native of Hancock: born in 1826. He went to the Eddy in 1865. He married Amy Burley, who was born in 1825., and old teacher. They have two children. Post-office, Deposit.

Walter P. McGibbon, son of William and Jeanette McGibbon, of scotch descent, was born in Andes November 6th, 1820. In 1840 he became a clerk in a store for Peter Cogher, of Oneida county, N.Y. He was thus employed for three and half years, since which time he has been engaged in farming. He was married June 7th, 1843, to Nancy B. Russell, of Delhi. Their children now living are Augusta V. and Forrest L., the latter of whom is farming with his father. He was born November 27th, 1847, and married Harriet R. McLaury, daughter of J. H. McLaury, of Sullivan county, September 1st, 1869. Their children are Milton J., Walter P. and Jennie A.

E. C. McClaughry, son of Thomas McClaughry (a native of Washington county, N.Y., who came to Delaware county before the Revolutionary war), was born August 18th, 1815. On the 19th of January, 1841, he married Miss Mary S. Clark, daughter of Colonel Ralph Clark, of Washington county, N.Y.: they have two sons and two daughters.

William McLellan, son of John and Jane McLellan, was born July 25th, 1828. He is a practical cooper at Cannonsville. He enlisted in Company C, 97th N. Y. Volunteers, September 26th, 1863, and was discharged July 18th, 1865. He was married April 7th, 1853, to Miss Nancy Palmer, daughter of Saunders and Cornelia Palmer. They have one child living, named Belle: their son John died at Nineteen years of age, and Francis S. at seven years.

John McLaughlin, son of John, sen., was born November 23d, 1806, in the town of Kortright. His father came from the north of Ireland, and is of Scotch descent. He settled in Kortright in 1804, and took up one hundred acres, at a shilling per acre. He died aged about eighty years. Eight children of his grew to mature age. John, the subject of this sketch, was married June 11th, 1829, to Elizabeth M. Beers, daughter of Abijah beers, of Ballston, Saratoga county: they have ten children now living, twenty-one grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; the children and grandchildren are all living in Delaware county.

Darius Maples, a native of Otsego county, came to Cannonsville in the employ of Moss & Co. He afterward bought the store, and also followed lumbering, and dealt in real estate largely. He was supervisor for many years, and member of the Legislature one term. He died in January, 1857, aged seventy-two.

Isaac Miner was born August 6th, 1839, and is a son of Abram and Kezia Miner. He enlisted in Company E, 3d N.Y. cavalry: was mustered August 19th, 1861, and discharged August 19th, 1864; was in nineteen battles. October 18th, 1854, he married Mary Ann Pulver, daughter of David and Lydia Pulver, of Walton. Lydia K., their only child, was born April 30th, 1868. Mr. Miner was collector of Tompkins for 1878.

Milton W. Owens, son of William K. and Eliza Owens, was born June 18th, 1845. He has been a dealer in general merchandise at Cannonsville since 1863. September 18th, 1872, he married Miss Grace T. Frazier, daughter of George T. and Antoinette Frazier, of Pennsylvania: they have two children-Grace and Antoinette K.

E. B. Owens was born at Cannonsville March 17th, 1840. He commenced business at the early age of eighteen with his uncle, A,. G. Owens. Five years afterward his brother bought out A. G. Owens, and they have carried on a store and a lumbering and real estate business. E. B. Owens went out of the store in 1878. He was elected the first Republican supervisor of Tompkins, and has held the office four terms.

William Parke is a native of this county, born in 1804, and a life-long resident. He married Miss Brown, also of this county, they have had one child, a son, who died in 1863. Mr. Parke was engaged in the old militia, and has filled places of trust. He is now a watchmaker and jeweler at Deposit.

Henry Peters is a native of New Jersey, born in 1807, and came very early to Delaware county with his father, who built the second grist-mill in Deposit. He married Almira Hulce, of Delaware county, a descendant of the first settler. He is a farmer; post-office Deposit.

Whiting G. Pomeroy was born in 1839. In the autumn of 1866 he married Miss O. Celestia Babcock. They have one child, a daughter. Mr. Pomeroy has served as town clerk five years, and is now on his second term as supervisor. He went out in company A of the 144th N.Y. infantry during the Rebellion, and was the second to enlist in the company.

Michael Quinn, of Irish nativity, was born in 1830, and came to America in 1849. He married a lady of his own country, who came over in 1852, and has a family of seven children. He is a cooper by trade, at Deposit.

B. Radeker was born in Colchester in 1831, and married Miss A. Perry, who was born in 1835 in Dutchess county, N.Y., and who died in 1870. Mr. Radeker was one of the Presidential electors who voted for General Grant, and has filled many important places. He is now a merchant at Deposit.

A. L. Scudder is a watchmaker and business man of Deposit, and a native of this county, born in 1833. He married Pauline Reed, also of this county. He enlisted in 1862 in the 144th N.Y. infantry, and went through the service to the end of the war.

Henry Silvernail was born in Columbia county in 1822, and came to this county in 1856. He married Miss Lavina Raught, of Columbia county, July 1st, 1843, and has a son and two daughters. He is engaged in hotel keeping at Trout Creek.

Orrin Squires was born in Madison county, N.Y., in 1830. His wife was Miss Rachel Gardiner, of Broome county. They were married July 2nd, 1857, and have one son and two daughters. Mr. Squire's business is farming.

Charles N. Stow, of Deposit, editor and publisher of the Courier, was born in Tompkins county, N.Y., October 28th, 1850. He married Miss Alice E. Burrows, of Deposit.

George Taylor, son of William and Samantha Taylor, was born September 28th, 1849, on the farm where he now resides. He began farming for himself in 1876. April 28th, 1874, he married Mary Hall, daughter of Alva Hall, of Barbourville, Delaware county. They have one child, Alva born September 1st, 1875.

Samuel J. Teed was born in Tompkins October 29th, 1804. Jun 23d, 1841, he married Miss Betsey Curtis, of Sidney; they have one son, John b. Teed. Mr. Teed followed rafting on the Delaware river in his younger days, but farming has been his main business.

H.P. Teed was born in Tompkins October 29th, 1804. June 23d, 1841, he married Miss Betsey Curtis, of Sidney; they have one son, John B. Teed. Mr. Teed followed rafting on the Delaware river in his younger days, but farming has been his main business.

Holdridge Thomas, son of Jesse and Sarah Thomas, was born April 22nd, 1825. He has been a farmer since 1846. In 1849 he married Clarissa Purdy, daughter of Sarah and Lewis Purdy. Their children have been Jon E. and George P., living, and Olive, deceased.

H. G. Travis is a prominent farmer of Tompkins: post-office Deposit. He was born in 1829. He and his six children mourn the loss of the excellent wife and mother, who died in 1878.

Gideon Van Akin, the father of Jeremiah, John, William, Jacob, Matilda and Sarah Jane Van Akin, was born in 1805 in Middletown, Delaware county. He was a farmer. He came to Tompkins in 1863. His wife was Katie Delamater. They lived together almost fifty years. Mr. Van Akin died June 2nd, 1879; she is still living. Jeremiah, their son, enlisted in company K. 144th N.Y. volunteers and died at folly Island. The other children are now living.

Mrs. Amelia Walley, widow of S. J. Walley, was born in 1820. She is the proprietor of the Deposit House. Mr. Walley was born in 1813, and was a carpenter by trade. He died in 1872, leaving three children.

William Ward was born in Tompkins in 1838. He married Miss Josephine Clinton, of Otsego county, March 3d, 1869. They have two children, boy and girl. Mr. Ward's business is farming.

Eliza A. Weed spent several years of her life in teaching, and is now a resident of Deposit. Her father was a native of Fairfield county, Conn., and married Nancy Holmes, of Westchester county, N.Y. He died October 17th, 1859, and his widow died February 21st, 1861.

S. B. Weeks was born in Broome county in 1815. He married Miss Lura Russell, of Windsor, Broome county, in 1840; she died in 1870, and Mr. Weeks married Elizabeth Empy, of Monroe county; she has one daughter.

Hon. George D. Wheeler, of Deposit, was born at that place June 24th, 1818. His first wife was Miss A. e. Antoinette Downs, of Colchester, and his second Miss Mary Waterbury, of Davenport, Delaware county. Mr. Wheeler was formerly a merchant, but is now engaged in farming. He was commissioned colonel of the 201st militia regiment, by Governor W. C. Bouck, in 1844, and has been postmaster at deposit, supervisor three years, and was a member of the Assembly of 1876.

Benjamin Whitaker, a son of Benjamin and Eunice Whitaker, was born September 4th, 1814. At twenty-one years of age he began business for himself at lumbering, which he followed to 1845; since then farming. December 25th, 1835, he married Miss Clarissa Hulce, daughter of Sylvester and Peninah Hulce. They have had seven children, of whom six are now living-viz.: Ellen, Sarah M., Thomas J., Mary L., Charles S., and Martha-and Allen, deceased. Mr. Whitaker's father, Benjamin Whitaker, was in the war of 1812.

Peres F. Whitaker is a farmer and sawyer. He was born in Wayne county, N.Y., in 1834, and was married to Christie Baird, of the same county, who died in 1861. He married for a second wife Miss E. Herrick.

Alphonso Winters, son of Joseph C. and Maria Winters, was born in Tompkins September 24th, 1828. From 1847 to 1844 he was employed as a farm hand by the month and year. He then bought a farm in Tompkins, and worked it to 1864, paying for it from its products. Since that time he has been successfully engaged in mercantile business at Cannonsville. September 7th, 1844, he married Mary Jane Owens, daughter of Major Owens, of Cannonsville. Their children are: Gordon O., born October 29th, 1855; George C., born June 29th, 1858, and Lottie F., born January 25th, 1861.


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