admin CHAPTER XIV.
WYOMING COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY, AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY AND INSURANCE COMPANY.
NOVEMBER 22nd, 1841, a meeting of persons favorable to the organization of a county Bible society was held in the session room of the Presbyterian church at Warsaw. Deacon William Buxton was chairman, and Edwin B. Miller secretary. It was resolved that it was expedient to call a meeting of persons in the county favorable to the design and operations of the American Bible Society, to consider the propriety of forming a Wyoming county Bible Society, auxiliary to the former. Rev. Salmon Judd, Rev. Richard Ray, and Edwin B. Miller were appointed a committee to arrange the time and place of the meeting.
Notice of such meeting was published in the Western New Yorker November 24th, 1841, calling a meeting for December 2nd of that year, in the Presbyterian church in Warsaw. The meeting was held; Rev. Richard Ray, pastor of the church, presided, and E. B. Miller was the secretary. Rev. J. M. Ballou, of Gainesville, moved that it was expedient to form such society, and the resolution passed unanimously.
The form of a constitution was presented by Rev. J. J. Aiken and adopted; Dr. Augustus Frank, Rev. Pliny Twitchell, and John Crocker were appointed a committee to nominate officers for the society. The committee recommended as officers: President, John B. Skinner, of Wyoming; vice-presidents, Salmon Judd, of Warsaw, and James C. Ferris, of Wyoming; secretary, Edwin B. Miller, of Warsaw; treasurer, John Crocker, of Warsaw.
May 21st, 1842, the first regular meeting of the society was held, in the session room of the Presbyterian church in Warsaw. The president stated that the Genesee County Bible Society had resolved to place one-third of the Bibles and Testaments in their possession at the disposal of the
Wyoming county society, being the just proportion to which the latter would be entitled by its former connection with the Genesee county society. ‘Books were also ordered from the American Bible Society, and a depository of books was opened in the store of the treasurer in Warsaw.
October 19th, 1842, Nelson Wolcott was chosen treasurer. November 27th, 1844, three additional vice-presidents were chosen – A. G. Hammond, of Warsaw, Rev. Joseph R. Page, of Perry; and Rev. Joseph Pearsall, of Warsaw.
Dr. Augustus Frank was afterward chosen treasurer, which position he held until his death, in 1861 – succeeded by his son, Augustus Frank.
In 1845 the county was thoroughly canvassed, for the purpose of obtaining funds and supplying the destitute with the Holy Scriptures, by Mr. Amasa Lord. Two thousand four hundred and one dollars were received for books and in free donations, nearly the whole amount being donated. Rev. Gilbert Crawford and Rev. J. H. Wallace were made life members of the American Bible Society, and one thousand dollars were donated to the same society. Town societies were formed in every town in the county during the year 1845. In 1850 Hon. John B. Skinner, and in 1853 Edwin B. Miller were made life directors of the American Bible Society.
In 1854 the county was again thoroughly explored; 5,209 families were visited; a large number of Bibles were sold, destitute families were supplied with the Scriptures, and donations received. April 7th, 1859, Joshua H. Darling, of Warsaw, was chosen treasurer. In 1859 Rev. E. Everett was employed by the society to canvass the county, spending 119 days, and visiting 5,041 families. Destitute families were also supplied with the Scriptures.
January 8th, 1861, the president, Hon. John B. Skinner, declined a further re-election, stating that he had been president nearly twenty years, and felt it a necessity that he be relieved from further duties. Edwin B. Miller was chosen president, and Rev. John Jones secretary in place of Mr. Miller, who had held the office from the organization of the society.
January 27th, 1863, George W. Morris, of Warsaw, was made president. January 7th, 1866, Hon. Augustus Frank was chosen president, Joshua H. Darling treasurer, and L. E. Walker secretary. In 1868 Rev. G. Lane explored the county, visiting 5,947 families, and supplying 419 families that were destitute of the Scriptures. He also received donations, and made sales of Bibles and Testaments. Lloyd A. Hay ward was chosen treasurer of the society in place of J. H. Darling, deceased.
The present officers of the society, 1879, are Hon. Augustus Frank, president, with one vice-president in each town. L. A. Hayward is the treasurer and John B. Matthews secretary.
WYOMING COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
In the month of October, 1843, a meeting of those interested in agricultural pursuits was held at the court-house, pursuant to previous notice, for the purpose of organizing a county agricultural society.
Of this meeting Calvin P. Bailey, of Perry, was chairman, and James L. Hosford, of Castile, secretary. A committee appointed for the purpose, consisting of James L. Hosford, John A. McElwain, John W. Paddock, Uriah Johnson, Seth
C. Grosvenor and George B. Chase reported a constitution, which was adopted.
The first officers chosen were James C. Ferris, of Middletown, president; Lyman Brainard, Attica; Philo Durfee, Bennington; Stephen D. Tabor, Castile; James Steele, China; Micha Johnson, Covington; Rufus Conable, Gainesville; Allen Waldo, Java; Job Sherman, Middlebury, Truman Lewis, Orangeville; Rufus H. Smith, Perry; Godfrey Grosvenor, Sheldon; Dr. Augustus Frank, Warsaw; and Reuben Doolittle, Wethersfield, vice-presidents; James L. Hosford, corresponding secretary; Linus W. Thayer, recording secretary; and John A. McElwain, treasurer. One manager and a committee of three were appointed in each town.
The following resolution among others was adopted: “Resolved, that, inasmuch as intelligence is the mainspring of action, every member of this society be earnestly requested to become a subscriber to some agricultural paper of this State.”
The annual fairs of the society were held nearly every year at Warsaw. The interest taken in these annual exhibitions was such that it was deemed expedient to establish a permanent place for holding them. On the 27th of September, 1855, a meeting of the society was held in the court-house at Warsaw to elaborate a plan for procuring and fitting up grounds for the fairs of the society. A committee consisting of John A. McElwain, Frank Miller, James C. Ferris, Uriah Johnson, Samuel Fisher (2nd), Newbury Bronson, W. Bristol, jr., and E. C. Skiff, was appointed and authorized to take such action as should be deemed expedient in the premises. At a subsequent meeting this committee reported in favor of purchasing twenty-one acres of land from David McWithy, selacting for the use of the society ten acres and selling the balance. They also presented an estimate of the expense of fencing this ground and building a hall, which they had fixed at $1,000.
In order that the society might have a legal status and be able to hold and convey real estate, it was necessary that it should be reorganized. This reorganization was accomplished and Hugh T. Brooks chosen president; Uriah Johnson,’ vice-president; H. A. Dudley, recording secretary; John L. Clark, corresponding secretary; and John A. McElwain treasurer. The directors chosen were: for one year – Ezra Bishop, Attica; Norman Howes, Eagle; Newbury Bronson, Warsaw; for two years – Arten Woodruff, Sheldon; A. D. Lucas, Gainesville, E. C. Skiff, Pike; for three years – Welcome Wilcox, Wethersfield; A. S. Patterson, Perry; E. A. Durfee, Middlebury.
Warsaw was designated as the permanent place for holding the fairs of the society, and the officers were empowered to purchase and fit up grounds and make all other necessary arrangements for holding such fairs.
The executive committee finally arranged to purchase from Samuel Fisher (2nd) ten acres of land near the corner of Brooklyn and Liberty streets in the village of Warsaw, and to fence and improve this land for a fair ground; and the officers were authorized to execute the necessary papers.
A driving track of one-third of a mile was laid out on this ground, but in 1866, when the society acquired four acres in addition to the ten originally purchased, and the State at the same time purchased three and one-half acres, which was occupied jointly for a parade ground by the regiment of national guard and by the society for a fair ground, this track was enlarged to half a mile.
After the year 1853 the annual exhibitions were held in a tent, which was purchased that year for that purpose. This having become worn and dilapidated, it was deemed expedient to erect an exhibition hall, which was done in 1874, under the superintendence of the building committee, consisting of J. O. McClure, M. Hatfield and A. F. Chase. The cost of this hall was about $1,500. The society also incurred the expense of erecting cattle pens and rebuilding the grand stand, which had been blown down.
In 1875 an unsuccessful attempt was made to merge the society in a joint stock association.
The position of president of this society has been occupied by the following gentlemen, each having been reelected till the year of his successor’s election: 1843, James C. Ferris, Middlebury; 1847, Mosely Stoddard, Castile; 1849, E. P. Beck, Sheldon; 1851, Newbury Bronson, Warsaw; 1853, Hugh T. Brooks, Covington; 1858, J. A. McElwain, Warsaw; 1862, Duncan Cameron, Covington; 1863, J. Ephraim Wheeler, Orangeville; 1865, Thomas J. Patterson, Warsaw; 1868, J. S. Walker, Covington; 1869, Emory
B. Chase, Castile; 1871, Gideon H. Jenkins, Covington; 1873, Charles Brown, Warsaw; 1875, Albert F. Chase, Gainesville; 1876, Ethel C. Sherman, Middlebury; 1878, William Bristoll, Warsaw.
WYOMING COUNTY INSURANCE COMPANY.
In the year 1851 the Wyoming County Mutual Insurance Company was formed and a charter obtained, authorizing a working capital of $100,000. Its founders were among the leading men of Warsaw, possessing probity of character and business capacity. Its principal office was located at Warsaw, and the following persons composed the first board of directors: John A. McElwain, Isaac C. Bronson, Elijah W. Andrews, George Reed, Augustus Frank, Seth M. Gates, F. C. D. McKay, Israel Hodge, Charles J. Judd, Timothy H. Buxton, E. H. Lansing, W. Riley Smith, and Joshua H. Darling.
J. A. McElwain was elected president, Seth M. Gates vice-president, J. H. Darling treasurer, and C. J. Judd secretary. In 1853 Mr. Judd retired from the office of secretary, and was succeeded by L. A. Hayward, who was afterwards also elected treasurer.
The company’s field of operations was restricted to the western counties of the State, in which it very soon secured a good position. Its risks for the first few years embraced both a merchants’ and farmers’ class; but in 1856 the former class was dropped, and all the risks afterwards confined entirely to the latter. Its reputation as a prudently managed and secure company was maintained throughout its entire career.
The following named persons, in addition to the above, were elected directors of the company at different periods during its existence: James G. Hoyt, James C. Ferris, John B. Halsted, W. J. Chapin, Joel S. Smith, L. A. Hayward, Nelson Wolcott, Linus W. Thayer, William Bristol, Ezra Bishop, Peter Patterson, Ira F. Pratt, James H. Loom is, Jedidiah S. Walker, Noble Morris, and Alanson Holly.
The company continued to do business until the latter part of 1865, making no assessments, paying all its losses with promptness, steadily accumulating a surplus fund, and gaining year by year in the confidence of the community. In the meantime rival companies had multiplied, and, in the intense competition that had sprung up, the rates of insurance were forced down below the point at which a company could safely do business. The directors therefore prudently resolved to cease the further issue of policies and take measures to close up the affairs of the company. A re-insurance of all the existing risks of the company was accordingly effected with the Home Insurance Company of New York, for the sum of $5,000. This left a surplus in the treasury of the company of something over $5,000. The directors, being at a loss how to dispose of this amount in a legal manner, obtained an act of the Legislature authorizing them to invest it in the stock of the Warsaw Water Works Company. This was accordingly done. The investment having proved unexpectedly remunerative, the directors made sale of the stock, under a further act of the Legislature, and applied the entire proceeds of the sale toward the erection of the Wyoming county soldiers’ monument. The risks of the company all expired in the year 1868, and it was left without liability or indebtedness of any kind. Its financial record has but few parallels in the history of insurance in this State.
SOURCE: History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents; F. W. Beers & Co.; 1880