Yates County

Yates County, New York

History - Town of Jerusalem

From the History of Yates County, NY
published 1892, by L.C. Aldrich

Jerusalemis practically and substantially the mother of towns in Yates County. The district, sometimes called township, of Jerusalem, was organized in1789 as one of the subdivision of Ontario County, and included with its limitsall that is now Milo, Benton and Torrey, as well as its own original territory. On the erection of Stueben County in 1796, the region or district calledBluff Point, or so much of it as lies south of the south line of township seven,was made a part of the new formation; but in 1814 an act of the Legislatureannexed Bluff Point to Jerusalem, and to which it has since belonged.

In 1803the town of Jerusalem was definitely erected, embracing township seven, secondrange, and so much of township seven, first range, as lay westward of Lake Keukaand lot No. 37. At or about thesame time the other territory that had previously formed a part of the districtof Jerusalem was organized into a town and called Vernon, after Snell andfinally Benton.

Thetown of Jerusalem, as at present constituted, in the largest of the towns ofYates County; also it is one of the most important towns of the shire. As compared with the eastern towns of the county, Jerusalem may be calledquite hilly, and in some places, mountainous. Bluff Point, if standing independently, might properly be called amountain, at least its southern extremity, but with its surroundings becomes notmore than a formidable hill,elevated, at its highest point, more than 700 feet above Lake Keuka. Rose Hill in Jerusalem is 572 feet above the lake, while the countrypoorhouse is 634 feet higher than the lake. The highest general elevation in the town is on the west side near Italy,from whence there is a gradual descent as one travels eastward toward the WestBranch inlet. Still further east isanother though lesser rise of land, the summit of which is about two miles fromthe lake. It will be seen,therefore, that Jerusalem possesses superior natural drainage advantages. At the same time the town is exceedingly well watered, as ithas more lake frontage than any town in the county, not eve excepting Milo. A considerable depression in the surface is noticeable in the northeastpart of the town, the locality being designated by the name of Shearman�sHollow.

Shearman�sHollow possibly includes historic ground, for it is alleged that in thesoutheast corner of lot 48, near the schoolhouse site, are the remains of an oldfort; and that this fort was neither American, Indian or French in itsconstruction. Therefore, if suchallegations are true, the fort, or whatever may have been its character, wasundoubtedly of pre historic origin. Butthere have not been discovered relics to show whether the fortification was thework of the mound-builders or some other ancient race. But as this is a subject of entire speculation, and can only be treatedfacetiously, might more properly be passed and remain a mystery.

Jerusalemtoo, contents for whatever of honor attaches from the fact that Red Jacket, thefamous Seneca chief, first saw the light of day on the sores of Keuka Lake, at apoint near the village of Branchport. Butthe people of a town in Seneca have very recently, in 1891, erected a monumentto the memory of Red Jacket, and on the stone is recorded the fact that thecelebrated warrior was born very near the spot on which it stands. It may be said however, that the claims of Jerusalem to the place ofbirth of the chief were and are founded on the statements made by himself on theoccasion of one of his speeches at Geneva. But even this is not an important question, and whatever may be the truthit will neither benefit nor injure the people of Jerusalem one single whit.

Townshipseven of the second range formed a part of the vast Phelps and Gorham purchase,a full history and description of which may be found among the general chaptersof this work. The proprietors,Oliver PHELPS and Nathaniel GORHAM, sold township seven, second range to ThomasHATHAWAY and Benedict ROBINSON in 1789, but not until the following year was thedeed executed. In 1790 the town wassurveyed into lots under the direction of Noah GUERNSEY and it was found thatthe measurements, both north and south, overran six miles square.

HATHAWAYand ROBINSON purchased this township that it might be made the permanent abidingplace of the Public Universal Friend, and that on the lands surrounding her homethere might be built up dwelling places and farms for those of her followers whoremained faithful and true to her leadership and teachings. Such seems to be the understanding of those best informed concerning theFriend�s affairs, although at the time the purchase was made she has not beento the vicinity of the New Jerusalem, but was still at and near Philadelphia. If this be true, then the settlement and colony at Hopeton and on SenecaLake were but temporary. It is notunderstood either, that there was as yet an disturbance or dissension in theFriend�s Society. But whatevermotive may have prompted the Friend to cause the purchase of the town to be madecannot not be well explained, but form what was done we may suppose that she waslooking carefully into the future of herself and her society. At all events it is generally understood that the purchasewas made at her solicitation and under her advice. But the worthy proprietors found themselves unable to pay theconsideration money for the whole township, whereupon they reconveyed to theirgrantors a strip about two miles in width and extending across the south part oftown. This tract contained someseven thousand acres of land. Itpassed through a number of ownerships and finally came into the possession ofCaptain John BEDDOE, after which it was ever known as the Beddoe Tract.

On thewest side of the town, HATHAWAY and ROBINSON conveyed a strip of land from thenorth line of the Beddoe Tract to the north line of the township to WilliamCARTER as grantee, but he latter also appears to have defaulted in his payment,as he conveyed back the strip, embracing 4,000 acres to Phelps and Gorham. This tract, after passing through several owners, was finally sold onforeclosure of mortgage held by the State of Connecticut. It was bought by Gideon GRANGER of Canandaigua, who perfected the titleto the tract and afterward, June 30, 1816, sold it to Henry and Oren GREEN for$12,000 or $4.00 per acre, and this became thenceforth known as the Green Tract. The rest of the lands of the town appear to have beenretained by Thomas HATHAWAY and Benedict ROBINSON for the use of the Friend andher society. However, it appearsthat Thomas HATHAWAY sold or conveyed his interest in the township to hisassociate, Benedict ROBINSON, and the latter appears to have been the principalactor in the matter of after transfers. Commencingin 1792, the Friend made frequent purchases of lots and parches of land intownship seven, so that when her acquisitions were completed, she was thepossessor of 4,480 acres of land in the town, but not in her own name. According to her belief and holding, she could not hold real or otherproperty in her own name and right, or at least she would not do so, and theconveyances were made to one of her trusted lieutenants, generally SarahRICHARDS, but occasionally Rachel MALIN, each of whom held the property in trustfor the Friend.

In 1791the Friend and Sarah RICHARDS made a selection of land in the town upon whichshould be erected her domicile and other buildings for a permanent residence. They selected a tract in the vale of the Brook Kedron, as they werepleased to term it, and Sarah RICHARDS directed with her own hand theimprovements necessary to be made.

In1793, after clearings had been made, some ten or twelve acres of the land wereenclosed and a log house erected. Butthe faithful Sarah never lived to see the completion of her undertaking, for shedied during the latter part of 1793.

Duringthe spring of 1794, the Friend left the Seneca Lake place and took up her homeat the newly built log house in Jerusalem. She was followed here by many of her former adherents, but was notsubject to the intrigues of her enemies until some years later. For the poorer members of her society, the Friend provided ahome upon her own tract, while those of her society who were able to buy andbuilt for themselves, did so on the lands of the town. Therefore the Universal Friend herself was a pioneer in thistown, as were those of her followers who also made this an abiding place. Many, however, of her society remained at the original settlement nearthe lake, and never became residents of Jerusalem.

ThePublic Universal Friend, Jemima WILKINSON, was of course a pioneer of this town,the same as she had bee in the locality and settlement on Seneca Lake. In 1790 she first came to the Genesee country and four years later sheestablished herself permanently in the town of Jerusalem. One of the general chapters of this volume has narrated at lengthconcerning the Friend, her life and works, in view of which nothing further needbe said in this place.

Thepretty, pleasant and healthful little village of Branchport is situated whollywithin the limits of the old Beddoe Tract. Directly its location is on elevated ground, within convenient walkingdistance from the west branch of Lake Keuka. It is distant from the county seat about eight miles, and the journeybetween these points is made by daily stage and by boat; by the latter however,only during the warm months of the year.

Originallythe village was called Esperanza, a Spanish name, signifying hope; but the staiddenizens of the locality considered this cognomen rather sentimental or romanticfor their quiet ways in life, and as a consequence changed the name toBranchport. In population thevillage amounts to no exceeding four of five hundred inhabitants, and has notmaterially increased in numbers or industries during the last score of years. In 1867 the village became incorporated, taking upon itself certainmunicipal characteristics that its local affairs might be ordered and governedindependent of the township of Jerusalem, of which it forms a part.

Thefirst movement in the direction of establishing this as a trading center andsubsequent village, was made in 1831, by Judge Samuel S. ELLSWORTH and SpencerBOOTH, who erected a store building at the southeast corner of the intersectingroads. Judge ELLSWORTH soonafterward withdrew from this store, but the business was continued by Mr. BOOTHuntil 1866. In 1832, Solomon WEAVERbuilt a hotel on the southwest corner of the crossroads. Judge ELLSWORTH built a store on the northeast corner, andWilliam D. HENRY, the store and dwelling on the northwest corner. The stone schoolhouse was built in 1868, Mary WILLIAMS being the first,and Mr. HENNEBERG the second teacher of the village.

TownSupervisors : EliphaletNORRIS, 1799; Levi BENTON, 1800; Benjamin BARTON, 1801; Daniel BROWN Sr., 1802;George BROWN, 1803-09;, 1813-16; John BEDDOE, 1810-12; John B. CHASE, 1817; JoelDORMAN, 1818-22; Jacob HERRICK, 1823,1827; Elisha MILLS, 1824-26; Alfred BROWN,1823-30; John PHELPS, 1831; Aza B. BROWN, 1832; Asahel STONE Jr., 1833; HenryLARZELERE, 1834-35; Spencer BOOTH, 1836, 1840-41, 1844; Lynham J. BEDDOE, 1837;James BROWN, 1838 �39; Samuel BOTSFORD, 1842, 47, 51, 60;; George WAGENER,1843; Albert WAIT, 1845; Simeon COLE, 1846; Myron H. WEAVER, 1848; Peter H.BITLEY, 1849,54; George CRANE, 1850; Hiram COLE, 1852; Uriah HANFORD, 1853; JohnC. MILLER, 1855; Ferris P. HURD, 1856, 57, 65; Henry W. HARRIS, 1858; BradleySHEARMAN, 1859; J. Warren BROWN, 1861-62; Daniel B. TUTHILL, 1863-64; PhineasPARKER, 1866; Morgan SMITH, 1867; Harrison H. SISSON, 1868; John LAIRD, 1869-70;Charles W. TAYLOR, 1871-74; William F. HURD, 1875-76; Leonard STEVER, 1877;Watkins DAVIS, 1878-79; Joseph PURDY, 1880-81; William F. HURD, 1882; George C.SNOW, 1883; John C. WATKINS, 1884; John F. FINNEGAN, 1885; George W. HOBART,1886; Edward N. ROSE, 1887-88; Henry R. sill, 1889-90; Thomas CAMPBELL, 1891. (Footnote: There appears no reliable record of supervisors of Jerusalemprior to 1799, except that the office was held by Thomas LEE in 1792, and byJames SPENCER in 1797.)

Justicesof the Peace: Daniel BROWN Jr., Giles KINNEY, John BEAL, Thomas SUTTON, JoelDORMAN, Joseph GAY, Nathaniel COTHERN, Nicholas BENNETT, Erastus COLE Sr., EzraPIERCE, Elisha MILLS, Erastus COLE, 1830,34; Uriah HANFORD, 1830,31,32,37;Jonathan TALMADGE, 1831; Bartleson SHEARMAN. 1832, 35; Hixon ANDERSON, 1833;Martin QUICK, 1836, 43, 45; William CULVER, 1838; John A. GALLETT, 1838; IsraelCOMSTOCK, 1839, 43; Henry HICKS, 1840; Hiram COLE, 1841; George WAGENER, 1844;Benedict R. CARR, 1846; Almon S. KIDDER, 1847, 51; James P. PARDON, 1848; HemanSQUIRES, 1848. S. S. MILLSPAUGH, 1849, 53; Benjamin COLEGROVE, 1850; IsaacPURDY, 1852; Josiah WHITE, 1854, 58; Jeremiah S. BURTCH, 1855; Miles B. ANDRUS,1856, 60, 64, 69; Charles H. VAIL, 1857; Watkins DAVIS, 1859, 63; LeviMILLSPAUGH, 1861, 65; Thomas W. SMITH, 1862, 66; J. Warren BROWN, 1867; BotsfordA. COMSTOCK, 1868, 72, 76, 80, 84; James HERDERSON, 1870; Seymour B. COE, 1871,77, 81; James MC KIE, 1874; Henry STORK, 1875, 79; James E. WATKINS, 1878;Thomas CAMPBELL, 1882, 86; John N. MACOMB Jr., 1883; Robert C. BISHOP, 1885;William VAN TUYL, 1887; John J. COMSTOCK, 1888; William M. BARRON, 1889; RolandCHAMPLIN, 1890; Nathaniel KEECH, 1891.

History & Directory of Yates County, Volume I, by Stafford C. Cleveland published 1873

When the district of Jerusalem was organizedin 1789 it embraced all that is now included in Jerusalem, Benton, Milo, andTorrey, if its boundaries were distinctly defined. So much of Bluff Point aslies south of the seventh townships in the first and second ranges was includedin Steuben County when that County was set off from Ontario in 1796. The nameJerusalem was bestowed in deference to the Friend and her Society, she havingnamed the land settled by her disciples the New Jerusalem. As early as theautumn of 1791 a bush house was erected and a little clearing commenced on theFriend�s place in the valley on lot 23, Guernsey�s Survey, where herresidence was established in 1794. Her own household were therefore nearly ifnot quite the first settlers in the town of Jerusalem as now bounded. In 1803 atown was erected, consisting of township number seven of the second range, andso much of township number seven first range as lies west of Keuka Lake and lot37. This town retained the name of Jerusalem and the residue of the originaltown was named Vernon. To Jerusalem was added in 1814, by act of thelegislature, that part of Bluff Point which had previously been included inSteuben County. This is an elevated ridge embraced between the arms of the Lakeand extending nearly five miles southward of townships number seven, a part ofwhich belongs in township number six of the first range and a much larger partin township six of the second range. Such is the town of Jerusalem, includingabout 36,000 acres or 13,000 acres more than one full township.

From the Italy line eastward there is adescent of about nine hundred feet to the level of the Lake and the valley ofthe west branch inlet. On the north side of the town this inclined plane isbroken by Shearman�s Hollow, from which a ridge rises to the eastwardseparating it from the valley of the inlet creek. From this creek to the eastthere is a steep acclivity through most of the town, extending about two milesto the summit, which is considerably lower than the elevation on the west sideof the town. From this ridge there is a rapid slope eastward to Penn Yan and theeast branch of the Lake. The continuity of this ridge southward is broken by adeep depression, extending across from the head of the west branch to the eastbranch of the Lake. It is a reasonable inference that at some geological periodthe waters of the Lake covered this depression, uniting the two branches of theLake and forming an island of Bluff Point.

Almost the entire town of Jerusalem in itsnatural state was a densely wooded region. Much of it was very heavily timberedwith pine of the finest quality, especially in the west part of the town.Valuable as the land has become under eighty years of gradual improvement, thetown would probably be worth more money if it could be now restored to itsprecise state as it stood when Daniel GUERNSEY traversed it with his compass andchain in 1790 to survey township number seven of the second range into lots. Sothickly was the valley of the inlet creek covered with hard maple of the largestand most thrifty character that it was proposed by Gideon WOLCOTT to call thebrook Sugar Creek. No name, however, has been permanently affixed to thisstream, which rises in southwest Benton, crosses a corner of Potter, and formsthe west boundary of the east tier of lots in township number seven of thesecond range. It is the only mill stream in Jerusalem, except one or two of itstributaries which have had saw mills erected on them.

The vicinity of Branchport, the inlet valleyand Shearman�s Hollow afford abundant evidence that the Indians had throughthat region a favorite abode. Their burial places have frequently been found andtheir bones disturbed in the improvement of the land. The earlier settlersthreaded their trails along that historic valley, extending north from the westbranch of the Lake and across the hills in various directions. They had animportant burial place near the �Old Fort� in Shearman�s Hollow. But theso-called �Old Fort� itself was probably not an Indian work. It was situatednear the district school house on lot 48, and was an earthwork enclosing abouttwo acres of ground, and an excellent spring. It belonged no doubt to that classof works which competent investigators have ascribed to a race anterior to theIndian tribes swept away by European civilization.

RED JACKET, the distinguished native Orator,who figured as a chief of the SENECAS during the later and more disastrous yearsof the Indian occupation, was born on the shores of the west branch of KeukaLake and probably within the boundaries of Jerusalem. For this statement we havethe authority of RED JACKET himself. On a journey with other chiefs toWashington not far from the period of Gen. JACKSON�s first inauguration to thePresidency, RED JACKET addressed a public meeting called to give him a receptionat Geneva. In that speech he stated that his birthplace was near the west arm ofthe Keuka, so-called from its resemblance to a bended elbow. He further statedthat he lived here with his parents till he was about twelve years old, whenthey removed to the Old Castle near KANADESAGA, and several years later toCONEWAGUS. A sketch of that speech was reported by Roderick N. MORRISON, for thePenn Yan Democrat, and Alfred REED, then an apprentice in that office, was theprinter who put it in type. These corroborating facts are given because it isalleged by Col William L. STONE, in his Life of RED JACKET, that his birthplacewas CANOGA, on the west bank of Cayuga Lake; a statement rendered improbable,not only by the facts already stated, but by the further fact that CANOGA was onthe territory of the CAYUGAS. In Col. STONE�s work, the word Keuka hasprobably been transformed by some error into CANOGA. REDJACKET, (SAGAYEWATHA in the SENECA dialect,) was an illustrious character, whoseplace of nativity we may well be proud to claim. He was not a great warrior, andwas denounced by BRANT as a coward. But he saw what BRANT could not or would notsee, that war was the extermination of his people. He was gifted with rareeloquence and was an able reasoner. Men of the highest capacity andaccomplishments, who shared the acquaintance of this noted chief regarded him asa marvel of his race and a truly great man.

The sale of township number seven secondrange, by PHELPS and GORHAM to Thomas HATHAWAY and Benedict ROBINSON wasnegotiated in 1789, though the conveyance was not executed till September 1790.Daniel GUERNSEY surveyed the township into lots in the summer of 1790.Forty-seven years thereafter, when he was seventy-seven years old, hisdeposition was taken at Monroe, Indiana, with regard to this survey, to be usedas evidence in a suit, involving the title to lot 9, wherein Rachel MALIN andDavid B. PROSSER, were plaintiffs and Joseph KETCHUM was defendant. Mr. GUERNSEYstated in his deposition that he and Noah RICHARDS made a contract in March 1790with Benedict ROBINSON for the survey in question, and that the work was begunJune 30^th. He proceeds to say �Abram BURDICK, and Nathan BURDICK,his son, assisted me as chain-men, and Benedict ROBINSON and Thomas HATHAWAYaccompanied us four days in traversing and establishing the exterior lines ofthe township. Benedict ROBINSON erected a cabin near the Lake and employedNicholas BRIGGS, Seth JONES, Peter ROBINSON, Jabez BROWN, and a negro boy namedZIP, to assist in surveying and clearing a lot for improvement. Here we allresided and were supplied with victuals, and directions both as to surveying andclearing, by Benedict ROBINSON, who resided with us, except when he was calledabroad on business, till about the twentieth of September, when we all left theplace on account of sickness. During this time Thomas HATHAWAY visited us butseldom."

The township was found to overrun itssix-mile boundaries, by seventy-two rods north and south, and sixty rods eastand west. This overplus was equally apportioned to the several lots which wereotherwise one half mile from north to south and one mile from east to west,containing three hundred and twenty acres each. The first tier of lots wasnumbered from north to south, beginning with number one at the north east cornerof the township. The second tier commenced on the south at number thirteen andwas numbered northward to twenty-four. It will thus be seen that the townshipcontained seventy-two lots by this survey. By agreement of HATHAWAY and ROBINSONthe inlet creek was made the west boundary of the first tier of lots, owing tothe difficult ground over which the line had to be traced. This made thefirst tier much larger than the remaining lots, and the second tiercorrespondingly small. The east line of township number seven, second range, isthe line that separates Potter and Benton and is the east line of the ROSEestate.

Finding themselves unable to meet theirengagements in paying for the land, HATHAWAY and ROBINSON re-conveyed to OliverPHELPS seven thousand acres on the south side of the township, a strip about twomiles wide, as the water of the Lake was not included. This tract was sold byMr. PHELPS to James WADSWORTH, the pioneer of Geneseo, and by him it was sold inLondon to John JOHNSON, for �4,300 sterling, a price greatly above its value atthat time. By JOHNSON it was conveyed to his brother-in-law, Capt. John BEDDOE,who settled upon it. After taking off two thousand acres from the east end ofthis tract the residue of five thousand acres was subsequently re-surveyed intolots of one hundred and sixty acres each, or half a mile square. These lots arenumbered from one to thirty-two, beginning at the south west corner, the firsttier numbering northward, the second southward, and so on.

Another tract of 4,000 acres extending fromthe BEDDOE Tract northward across the west side of the town, was re-conveyed toOliver PHELPS by William CARTER, whose title was derived from Benedict ROBINSONand Thomas HATHAWAY, on the first of October 1794. On the 9^th ofFebruary Mr. PHELPS deeded the same to De Witt CLINTON, who mortgaged the landthe same day to PHELPS, who in the following January assigned the mortgage toHenry CHAMPION. CLINTON deeded to Peter B. PORTER, April 5, 1796, and PORTERback to PHELPS seven days later. Mr. PHELPS conveyed portions of the tract toWilliam OGDEN and Heman ELY, by whom it was re-conveyed to him. On the 5^thof April 1801, Mr. PHELPS mortgaged 2,000 acres to the State of Connecticut, bywhom the previous assignment of De Witt CLINTON�s mortgage was held. In 1807Mr. PHELPS sold 1350 acres to Stephen B. MUNN. In 1814 the mortgage of 1801 wasforeclosed by the State of Connecticut, and the land sold to Gideon GRANGER, ofCanandaigua, who received a quit claim deed of the State of Connecticut for theentire tract, a release of dower from Mrs. PHELPS, and a conveyance from StephenB. MUNN, of 1,350 acres. The Connecticut quit claim was dated May 8, 1816. June30, 1816, Henry and Oren GREEN purchased for $12,000 the entire tract of 4,000acres. They also became the owners of lot 56, GUERNSEY�s Survey, which theydisposed of with their principal tract, thenceforth known as the Green Tract.

This was also re-surveyed by the GREENs,making three tiers of lots from north to south of 154 acres each, numbered fromone to twenty-seven. Number one is in the north west corner of the town and thelots number southward on the first tier, northward on the second, and southagain on the third.

This explanation will show why the lots assurveyed and numbered by Daniel GUERNSEY, are not recognized on the maps in thatpart of the town covered by the BEDDOE and GREEN tracts. Otherwise they stand asoriginally numbered.

Thomas HATHAWAY and Benedict ROBINSON whenthey purchased the �Second seventh� were both firm and devoted adherents ofthe Friend, and it was with her advice and concurrence, and with a view topromote the interests of the Society that the purchase was made. This motive atleast had much to do with it, as all the facts that come to view go to prove. Itwas in compliance with previous understanding that the Friend was given a largetract of what appeared to be the most desirable land within the township. TheFriend really led the way in the settlement of the town, and led many of herSociety and their connections to join in the pioneer movement that opened thatwild region to civilization. The town settled very slowly, and was for a longperiod overrun with the wild animals of the native wilderness. But itssettlement would have been still longer postponed and more tardy, but for theearly nucleus planted there by the Friend and the ties attached thereto byreligion and kindred.

The story of her people has already beenbriefly related. It only remains to speak of pioneer families generally, somefew of whom were more or less connected with the Friend�s Society, and manymore who were not. Among the former is that now most conspicuously representedby Bartleson SHEARMAN. (see Bios pg 454, for town of Jerusalem)

During the later years of the eighteenthcentury a little settlement on the first road leading into Jerusalem, on lot 58of township seven of the first range, was made which took the name of Sabintown,because the principal families were SABINs. Henry BARNES, who passed throughSabintown in 1800, states that there were about a dozen log houses of humblepretensions within a small space, forming a little hamlet in the wilderness. Theroad led from the Friend�s Settlement, by way of Lawrence TOWNSEND�s andMoses CHISSOM�s to Daniel BROWN�s. At Sabintown a branch forked off to theright leading to the Friend�s place in the valley of Keuka Lake inlet. Theroad was a rough, stumpy highway almost wholly bordered by the woods, in 1800,and Sabintown was therefore a point of importance, on the road between theFriend�s Settlement and the Friend�s home in the wilderness of Jerusalem.The houses were first roofed with bark but afterward were well covered withpuncheon. Among these early settlers were Asa and Burtch SABIN, and their nephewHuram SABIN, who purchased about a mile square of land, now owned in part byJohn DORMAN, James PECKENS, Nathan COLEMAN and heirs of Hosea WILLIAMS. HuramSABIN in after years moved to Naples, where he became a prominent citizen. Asaand Burtch SABIN and their wives died and were buried at Sabintown. Of thefamily of Asa SABIN an only remaining daughter was the widow of FrederickPIERCE, and died the wife of David B. PROSSER, of Penn Yan. Anna, daughter ofBurtch SABIN, married Gideon BURTCH, of Pawling, Dutchess County. They came withher parents and were permanent settlers of this little colony. They both diedthe same year at the age of eighty-two. Their children were Polly, Jeremiah S.,Joel, and Daniel. Polly was the first wife of Deacon Stephen RAYMOND, and diedleaving five children, Jason, Betsey, Anna, Mary A., and Jeremiah B.

Jeremiah S. married Deborah, daughter ofElisha LUTHER. They settled first near the homestead, and now reside on lot 4,of Guernsey�s Survey. He is a carpenter, a farmer, and a worthy citizen. Theirchildren are Mary J., Joel, and Allen. Mary J., is the second wife of Dr. SamuelH. WRIGHT. Joel married Emma MC GUINN, of Penn Yan, and they reside on thehomestead.

Joel BURTCH married Clamana HULBERT,daughter of a Baptist minister, and died in Jerusalem, of consumption, leaving adaughter, Elizabeth, who married Francis DAVISON and moved to Michigan where shelives a widow with two children.

Daniel BURTCH went West, where he married.He lives now near Chattanooga, Tennessee. His wife is dead, leaving twochildren.

Braman BURTCH, a cousin of Gideon BURTCH,was also an early settler at Sabintown, and died a very aged man where JohnDORMAN now resides. One of his sons died in Penn Yan about 1855, after livingWest.

Another early resident of Sabintown wasHezekiah DAYTON, whose wife was Sally, sister of Mrs. Gideon BURTCH. He died inGeneva, of consumption.

Zephenia BRIGGS was the first settler on theDeacon RAYMOND place on lot 69 of the first seventh. He lived there about twentyyears and kept a tavern at quite an early day. When he opened his tavern therewas a great gathering to raise the sign post, and the occasion was notable forthe large number of young men who became hopelessly drunk. Another legitimatefruit of this tavern was frequent pugilistic encounters, even between prominentcitizens. The tavern was kept up but a year or two after the property passedinto the possession of Deacon RAYMOND. Zephenia BRIGGS was a member of the FreeWill Baptist Church, and frequently fell from grace through his love of liquorand the rough amusements of his time, but was as frequently restored to churchfavor by penitent confession.

The descendents of the early settlers ofSabintown are only represented in this County now by Jeremiah S. BURTCH andfamily.

Thisplace was first called Fox�s Corners, Abraham FOX being an early settler thereand for some time keeper of the public house at that point. He lived there manyyears and both the first and second wives of James WILLETT, were his daughters,Ebenezer SLAWSON, was an early settler in the same neighborhood, and wasOverseer of the Poor in Jerusalem many years. The Corners was a place of popularresort for many years, and the settlers from the surrounding clearings made it auniform practice to gather there on Saturday afternoons to race horses andengage in all sorts of athletic sports, and occasional fights. Whiskey wasfreely dispensed and wrought its usual effects. Two or three families of thename of ALTHIZER were among the early residents and one of them kept the publichouse for a time. There was for some time a saw-mill near the Lake, the littlecreek being much more of a creek than now. John TOWNSEND, son of LawrenceTOWNSEND, owned the public house some years and the farm connected therewith. Herented the tavern at first to Giles KINNEY. The place finally took the name ofKinney�s Corners from Giles KINNEY. His father Stephen KINNEY, was fromConnecticut, and a Revolutionary soldier. His mother was a sister of SanfordCOATES, who died recently in Jerusalem. The family settled in 1815 on the landafterwards owned by John N. ROSE. Their children were John, Giles, and Rebecca.John and his father and sister emigrated to the vicinity of Dayton, Ohio, wherethey became wealthy as distillers. Giles remained and married Polly BURTON, ofConnecticut. She died leaving two children, Albert, and Burton, and he againmarried in 1824, Mira, daughter of Samuel CORNELL, of Jerusalem. He conductedthe tavern at the Corners, and had a store, ashery, and distillery besides. In1838 the family moved to the vicinity of Dayton, Ohio, and now live at Xenia.The children by the second marriage were Lester B., Sarah A., Coates, Mary G.,George, John C., Andrew G., Charles, Frances, Emeline, Helen, and Eliza. Coates,John, George, and Andrew served in the army during the Rebellion. George andAndrew were in different regiments of the same army corps, of the army of thePotomac, often in the same battles, and neither knew of the near presence of theother till their return from the war. Coates KINNEY was a pay-master. Hetransported $2,000,000 in gold from New York to Cairo, Ill., early in the war,and paid it out to the army, and enterprise of much risk, which he accomplishedsatisfactorily. The coin was carried as freight in nail kegs.

CoatesKINNEY was born in Jerusalem and has gained a fair share of celebrity in theworld. He has an ardent, impulsive temperament, is an able writer and editor,and a man of superior literary taste and capacity. He was at the head of anadvanced institution of learning in Ohio before the war, and since that periodhas conducted the Xenia Torch Light, a spirited weekly paper, noted for itsincisive editorials and its poetic effusions. He is the author of the popularand beautiful ballad entitled �Rain on the Roof.�

SinceGiles KINNEY left, the Corners have become a place of less business. The publichouse has generally been kept up, with a frequent change of proprietors, andvery little else besides a blacksmith shop has kept up any show of village life.Hixon ANDERSON is the present tavern keeper, with no whiskey to attract the idleand tippling class of patrons.

The two arms of Keuka Lake divide around abold promontory rising quite abruptly from the level of the surrounding waterupwards of seven hundred feet at the southern extremity. The ridge which thusseparates the two branches of the Lake is called Bluff Point. It varies a littlein width but is hardly more than a mile and a half from shore to shore for adistance of about five miles. The land on this ridge is for the most part ofgood quality and it has become the abode of many thrifty farmers and the theatreof an extensive grape culture, on the slopes next to the Lake. The west line oftownship number six, first range, strikes the point about one mile north of thesouth end, and at the northern verge of the township reaches nearly a mile westfrom the Lake, thus including from five hundred to seven hundred acres of thePoint in the first sixth. The rest of the Point falls in the second range. Somuch of it as belonged to the first sixth of course became the property of theLessees. That in the second sixth was reserved by Charles WILLIAMSON from thePULTNEY estate as his own property and descended to his heirs. It was a favoritelocality with Captain WILLIAMSON. He was charmed with its beauty as viewed frombeyond the head of the Lake and all sides; and with the grand picture presentedto the eye from the elevation at the end of the Point itself. It is seldom thatone beholds a more enchanting panorama of natural scenery. Mr. WILLIAMSON causedone hundred acres to be cleared at the end of the Point and had a tenant thereat an early period. Who that early resident was is now unknown. The improvementwas not kept up, and the Point being a fine place for game, the land wassometimes burned over to drive the deer to the water�s edge for theconvenience of hunters. It is said that Mr. WILLIAMSON sometimes on his way fromGeneva to Bath, would ride to his place on the Point and swim his horse acrossto one or the other shore and continue his journey. The WILLIAMSONs frequentlyvisited the Point for fishing and hunting. Charles A. WILLIAMSON had the landsurveyed in 1814, by John N. HIGHT, whose map and field notes are now in thepossession of George WAGENER, the present Sheriff of Yates County. The wholetract embraced about 3,500 acres. Beginning at the north line of township six,second range, the first six lots extended across from the first sixth to thewest branch of the Lake. They seem not to be uniform in width. Lot 3 contains159 acres, 4 contains 154 acres, lot 5 has 90 acres, and 6 contains 221 acres.From lot six southward they are nearly all of the uniform width of 100 rods, anddivided by a nearly central north and south line. On the surveyor�s map theyare numbered from 7 to 18, each division having the same respective numbers eastand west. On the County map the west division numbers from 7 to 17 from north tosouth, and the east division from 19 to 29 from south to north, and number 18disappears. This is perhaps an error in engraving the map. The surnames of theoriginal owners or occupants are neatly traced on the surveyor�s map, and thatis the most that can now be known of many of them. They are as follows: Lot 1,THOMAS; 2, THOMAS; 3, MILLS; 4, TRACY; 5, CURTIS; 6, HALL, CURTIS, and WEED. Onthe west division, 7, LANE; 8, ALBERTON; 9, ANDRUSS, and ANDRUSS; 10, BROWN; 11,BROWN; 12, CARPENTER; 13, SCUTT; 14, SNOOKS; 15, CRANDALL; 16, CRANDALL andFRENCH; 17, FRENCH; 18, OLMSTEAD. On the east division, 7, POND and CURTIS; 8,OSMAN; 9, BEALS; 10, ANDRUSS; 11, OWEN, and OWEN; 12, PHELPS; 13, blank; 14,CURTIS; 15, FRENCH; 16, FRENCH; 17, TEMPLAR; 18, OLMSTEAD. Surveyor HIGHT�smap embraces the whole of the Point included in the second sixth, but his FieldBook begins with lot 7, and he makes mention of the quality and form of the landand timber, giving it for the most part a good character. Lots 8, and 9 of thewest division, he says are �middling good lands�the hill tolerablymoderate;� of lot 10, �the hill not very steep, but lengthy�soil good.�Lot 11, �soil only middling. Hill steep and lengthy.� Lot 14, �this lot ismore than half hill.� Lots 15 and 16 �take in part of the oldclearings,--soil middling.� Lot 17 �includes the old buildings and takes inthe Big Spring of water,--soil middling good quality.� Lot 18, which includedthe end of the Point, and contained 90 acres; the surveyor says, �lays on theside hill, the soil tolerable good and the greater part may be cultivated withthe plow. No doubt but a ferry house will be erected on this lot of land. Thetimber on this tract is chiefly oak, chestnut, hickory, maple, ash, &c.�Of the lots of the east division the surveyor speaks in good terms for the mostpart, and states that 15 and 16, which are 20 and 21 on the County map, �takein part of the old clearings, and very hilly.� Lot 17 he says is �chieflyhill and most intolerable.� It is now deemed good land for grapes. His finalobservation is, �the land on the north end of this Tract is as good as any oaklands in our part of the country, but the south end towards the Point are not asgood but would make exceeding good farms if it were not for the hills which makethem inconvenient.� The surveyor speaks of Jonathan FINCH as having possessionof lot 6.

Itwould seem that as soon as the survey was completed the Point filled up withsettlers, many of whom never succeeded in paying for their land. It was a longtime before Charles A. WILLIAMSON succeeded in getting it entirely off hishands. As late as 1828 Abraham WAGENER paid for one hundred acres on the end ofthe Point with a span of horses. He bought other lands of Mr. WILLIAMSON, someof which he paid about six dollars an acre for and finally owned about 1,000acres on the south part of the Point, of which about one third belonged in thefirst sixth, and extended down the east branch of the Lake to near the presenthomestead of Alanson S. DUNNING, where Melchoir SNAPP was the first settler.George WAGENER moved on the Point to live in 1831, and remained till he waselected Sheriff in 1849. He says it bore a very wild, uncultivated aspect on hisadvent there. In 1833 his father built a fine stone mansion there, now standing.It is a structure of solidity and taste, and cost $6,000. Abraham WAGENER wentthere himself to live in 1837 and remained four years. Two hundred and eightyacres at the end of the Point still belongs to George WAGENER, and is a goodproductive farm.

JohnBEAL was an early settler on the Point, locating on lot 9, of the east divisionof Hight�s Survey, number 27 on the County map, in 1813. John BEAL was a manof note in his neighborhood. He was Justice of Peace twenty years in Jerusalem,and was a leading member of the Baptist Church. He was a Presidential Elector in1828. The family came to this county from Galway, Saratoga County. The parentsboth died on the Point. Their children were Elisha, Nicholas, Reuben, Edward,Moses, Sarah, Sabra, Eliza, Beula, and Almira. No members of the family are nowliving in this County, since the death of Mrs. John MOORE, and only onegrandson, Almon BEAL, son of Edward who married Martha, daughter of Ira SMITH,and resides in Milo. They have a family of seven children, viz: Almeda, Ella,Lois, Sarah, Charles, George, Milly, and Emily. Ella married in 1869, WilliamHATMAKER, of Milo, and resides near Milo Centre.

Twoof the sons, Elisha, and Edward, with their families, reside at Bloomington,Illinois. Sarah married Hiram NASH, of Penn Yan, where he died. She removed withher family to St. Anthony, Minnesota. Their children were Zebyron, Edgar, Mariam,Adaline, and Zarlino. Mariam married Myron WYNANTS, of Penn Yan, and went toMinnesota. Adaline married Mr. VAN BLUNT, of Geneva, and went to Minnesota.

Capt. William THRALL a Revolutionary soldierwas the first settler where Cyrenus TOWNSEND resides, on lot 7 of the GreenTract. He died there and the family moved West.

Zadock BASS settled on a part of Albert R.COWING�s farm, lot 27 of the Green Tract. His wife committed suicide, and thefamily moved away.

Silas COOK settled where James CAMPBELLlives, on lot 10 of the Green TRACT, and Israel ROGERS where the CHAMPLINS areon lot 10. John GREEN, settled where Geo. W. CHAMPLIN lives on lot 9.

Benjamin and William LAFLER were the firstsettlers where Josiah WHITE resides on lot 11. Some of the family now live inMiddlesex.

Joseph GAY first settled where MathewHENDERSON lives on lot 8. He was a Justice of the Peace by appointment. Some ofthe family are now residents of Steuben county.

Enoch REMINGTON was the first settler whereJames MC KEY lives. He moved to Illinois.

Seth HANCHETT settled first where James B.WRIGHT resides. His was a talented and leading family. They enjoy good fortuneselsewhere in the world.

William SIMMONS was the first settler whereReuben TURNER now lives; and where John TURNER lives on lot 5, David CONLEY wasthe first settler.

Where Mrs. Julane DINEHART resides on lot 3,the original settler was John PURDY, the father of Isaac S. PURDY.

Henry DENNIS settled and staid a short timewhere Mr. HOOS now lives north of David TURNER.

William FOLSOM, husband of Jerusha, daughterof Capt. Henry GREEN, was an original settler in the same vicinity.

Reuel ROGERS, husband of Sally, daughter ofCapt. Henry GREEN, settled on a part of the place where Walter HENDERSONresides.

Horton ROUNDS settled on lot 17 on the roadfrom the present residence of George W. ROBINSON on lot 2.

Lewis R. CARVEY and Ira CARVEY settled onlot 18, on land now occupied by Lewis R. CARVEY.

Jacob CODDINGTON, a fine scholar and schoolteacher, settled on the corner south of Samuel P. CARVEY�s on land now ownedby him.

Benjamin WASHBURN, now of Gorham, settled onlot 21 where Abraham WATKINS now resides. Abraham WAGER also settled in the samevicinity. Everhart WAGER, the father of Abraham WAGER, was the first settlerwhere James WILCOX lives on lot 22. James WILCOX was comparatively early on theTract and has been a successful farmer by dint of industry.

Jacob YOUNGS, father of Abraham YOUNGS, wasthe first settler on the place afterwards owned by Thomas W. SMITH, andpreviously by Thomas OWENS, on lot 15. On another portion of the same placeEdmund ROBINSON a Quaker was the first settler. His son Jeremiah ROBINSON was aremarkable deer hunter. Jeremiah; a brother of Edmund ROBINSON, was the firstsettler on land where Isaac S. FOX now resides on lot 14.

Samuel WELDON was the first settler whereEberle E. SMITH resides, and his father, Jonathan WELDON, where Nathan G.BENEDICT now resides on lot 24.

Platt KINNEY of Ovid settled next south ofSeth HANCHETT and after a few years returned to Ovid. William PAUL and PeterSIMMONS were early settlers on the Green Tract.

The earlysettlers on the Green Tract were justly regarded as having a hard prospect forgaining a livelihood and still worse for the accumulation of property. After thefirst crops were taken off much of the land seemed cold and unproductive. It washard to till and rendered a poor return for the labor bestowed upon it. But ithas rewarded the diligence of those who persevered, quite as well as most othersections. The tenacity of the TURNERS, STODDARDS, BENEDICTS, CARVEYS, SMITHS andothers who might be named, has given them goodly possessions, and the qualitiesof character which have triumphed over the natural obstacles of their location,are such as belong to the highest order of manhood.

William RUNNER moved from Pultney in 1825and settled on the south side of the Beddoe Tract. He married Eveline PARKER,and by honest industry gained a good property. They had five children, James,Lovina, Lois, John, and Eliza. She died in 1842, and he in 1865, aged sixty-twoyears. John, now living in the town of Seneca, is one of the most prominentcitizens there, and a thorough business man.

John RUNNER, the father of Wm. RUNNER,settled near his son in 1826, and had a family of nine children, Margaret,William, Hannah, Christiana, Jacob, Eliza, Lovina, John, and Arminda. His wife,�Mother RUNNER,� as she was called, was one of the most useful women of herday. She served both as doctor and nurse, in hundreds of cases, many preferringher to the best physicians. Her strong constitution enabled her to live manyyears, and she died at the home of her daughter, Eliza TOWNSEND, widow of thelate Remer TOWNSEND, in 1870, aged eighty-seven years, having survived herhusband twenty years.

Ezra LOOMIS moved from the town of Seneca in1826, and settled on and improved the farm now owned and occupied by his son,Ezra, and daughter, Jane, on lot 12. He enlisted in the War of the Revolution atthe age of sixteen, and served two years, until the close of the war. A moreresoluto and persevering man of his age, is seldom seen. He had a family ofthirteen children by two marriages and died in 1839, aged seventy-four years,his last wife surviving him eleven years.

John COLEMAN moved from Benton in 1826,settled on the farm now owned by Daniel JOHNSON, about the year 1831, sold outto James COWING, and moved to Genesee Co., where he now lives.

Henry NUTT, in 1826, settled on lot No. 30,on what was then called the Oak Flat, remained there a few years, then tradedfarms with George CRITCHEL of Torrey, where he now resides. At that time theroad from Branchport to Italy Hill was not laid out and the first settlers hadto cut their own roads.

Benjamin ROGERS settled on the farm nowowned by Seneca BADGER in 1826, lived there a few years then sold out and boughtthe HAYT farm, afterwards sold to Joel TOWNSEND, and left the town.

Morris ROSS came in the town in 1826,settled and improved the farm now occupied by Wm. HERRIES and Thomas SCHULL, onlot 22. He was a blacksmith, remained there a number of years, sold out andmoved to Wisconsin.

Meli TODD came to this county with hisfather, Benajah TODD, in the year 1811, in his eighth year, from the State ofVermont. The family consisted of a father, mother and four children, one olderthan himself, Truman, and two younger. Benajah TODD took up a lot of land andbuilt a log house about two and a half miles south of where Dundee now is. Helived eighteen months there and died. The reader can have but a faint idea nowof the privations and hardships a family left fatherless and surrounded by awilderness filled with ferocious animals, had to endure. In 1812 they had theironly pig caught by a bear in the day time, which carrying it ten rods from thehouse, took a good meal and covered the remainder with leaves. The rattlesnakewas the most to be dreaded. Meli has stepped over them many times barefootedwhen they were curled up under small bushes. The family bought in 1814 the farmwhere Lodowick DISBROW now lives in Barrington. Truman and Meli cleared itmostly and paid for it. They frequently went to Bennett�s Settlement, adistance of three or four miles, and worked for eighteen pence and a shilling aday; took their pay in wheat and backed it to mill. Meli married a daughter ofWilliam OVENSHIRE, of Barrington, and in 1830 came to Jerusalem and settled onthe Beddoe Tract. He built a log house and commenced chopping and clearing hisland, converting the pine into shingles, of which he has rived, shaved andbunched as many as four thousand in one day, one thousand being considered aday�s work. In 1840, he bought the farm now occupied by Daniel JOHNSON, builta frame house and barn, and in 1850 sold out and bought where he now resides,one and a half miles west of Branchport. They have reared two children, Benajahand Lydia. Benajah is a well-to-do farmer living half a mile north of hisfather. Lydia married Frank STEVER, and lives on the homestead with her fatherand mother. Mr. TODD has been in very poor health for a number of years, inconsequence of chopping with too heavy an ax (one of six pounds) in his youngerdays. The strain of his chest has affected him through life.

Rochester HURD moved from Starkey in 1826,improved to some extent what is now known as the FRENCH farm, on lot 29;remained there two or three years and traded farms with John FRENCH, of the townof Reading. The farm has been owned ever since by some of the FRENCH family,until 1869 when Ferris P. HURD purchased it of the FRENCH heirs, Chester, theyoungest son of John FRENCH, and the owner of the premises, having died withoutissue. John FRENCH�s family consisted of nine children, Amasa, Lewis, Charles,Ann, Philemon, Robert, Betsey, Maria, and Chester.

James ROYCE moved from Starkey in 1827,improved a part of the farm now owned by William P. HIBBARD, on lot 20, stayedthere two or three years, sold out to James HAYT and went back to Starkey. JamesHAYT subsequently sold to Benjamin ROGERS, who afterwards sold to Joel TOWNSEND,a local preacher. He with his son-in-law, William P. HIBBARD, have madeadditions until the farm now numbers nearly two hundred acres, the originalpurchase being only forty acres. Father TOWNSEND, as he was known, died in 1860,aged seventy-eight years. His wife survives him at the age of eighty-two years.They had four children, James, Remer, Betsey A., and Sarah M. James died single.Remer married Eliza RUNNER, had one son, Wilber F., and died in 1858, agedforty-three years. Sarah M. married Alexander PARKER, of Pultney, where they nowreside. Betsey A. married William Philo HIBBARD. Their children were Sarah E.,James R., Elizabeth, Phebe A., Charles, Schuyler, and Hattie. Phebe A. marriedWilliam, brother of Ferris P. HURD, and has two children. The others areunmarried. James R. enlisted in the 126^th Regiment, N.Y.V., and diedof typhus fever while in service with the Union army, at Harper�s Ferry, in1863. He was an active, intelligent, and liberal-minded young man.

Rufus HENDERSON came from Starkey in 1827,purchased the BURCHARD lot, now owned by Ferris P. HURD, near the white schoolhouse. He remained on the farm two or three years, sold out to Joseph LONG andwent back to Starkey.

Dexter LAMB moved from Wayne in 1826,settled and improved the farm now owned by his son Franklin, on lot 28. Hemarried Sarah PIERCE, and they had nine children. He died in 1857, aged 63years. Their children were Esther, Chester, Franklin, Charles, Emily, Avery,Martha, Sarah, and Henry H. Franklin and Sarah are the only surviving children.Franklin married Christine FRANCISCO, and they have one child Mercer. He is aprosperous farmer and a good citizen.

Samuel S.ELLSWORTH and Spencer BOOTH erected the first store in Branchport in 1831. Previous to that time, no village aspirations took root in that locality. The store of Ellsworth and Booth was on the southwest corner, at the principalstreet crossing and they occupied it many years, Mr. BOOTH remaining till after1866. Solomon D. WEAVER built the hotel on the southeast corner in1832. William D. HENRY built the store nad dwelling on the northwestcorner and Samuel s. ELLSWORTH the store on the northeast corner, now occupiedby Lynham J. BEDDOE, with hardware.

Beforethe title of Branchport was given to the village, it was called Esperanza bysome of its more polished neighbors. This name, the Spanish equivalent ofHope, was too poetical for a new country full of pine stumps, and in view of itslocation at the head of the west branch of Lake Keuka, it was called Branchport- a name conferred by Spencer BOOTH. The block of stores next thehotel, known as the WEAVER block, was built by Solomon D. WEAVER in1850. The place was incorporated as a village in 1867, with about a milesquare of territory. The population in 1865 was 304 and in 1870 was309. The present stone school house was built in 1868. The firstschool teacher in Branchport was Mary WILLIAMS, and the next, Mr. HENNBERG. The principal merchants of the place have been Spencer S. BOOTH, Samuel S.ELLSWORTH, William D. HENRY, Peter YOUNGS Sr., Lawrence & Smith, Harry I,ANDRUS, Goodrich, Easton & Co., Myron H. WEAVER, Solomon D. WEAVER, BradleySHEARMAN, Frederick PARIS, James H. GAMBY, John LAIRD, Asa E. PETTENGILL, PeterH. BITLEY and Clark RIGHTER.

John VANNESS and Cyrus C. CRANE built a foundry, which was continued by Van Ness andJohnson and afterwards by the PARIS brothers. It was afterwards turnedinto a spoke factory.

Theblacksmiths of the place have been: Andrew SLINGERLAND, John VAN NESS, D. H.BENNETT, Riggs && Bennett, R. N. BENNETT, William DERRICK, John A.MILLER, Frederick PARIS, Wilson MATTISON, William A. PELTON, Stever &German.

Wagonmakers: Gage & Mariner, Henneburg & Quick, S. H. STORMS, C. B. QUICK,John MIDDLETON, Levi MILLSPAUGH, Robert HERRIES, Herries & Paris.

Druggists:Bush & Andrews; Elliott BUSH, Lynham J. BEDDOE, Myron H. WEAVER, RobertBOYD, Tomer Brothers, Theodore B. BOYD, James H. GAMBY.

Hardwaredealers: James T. DARRY, James C. HATHAWAY, Lynham J. BEDDOE, Joe DORMAN.

Harnessmakers: William D. HENRY, N. G. PETTINGILL, Henry & Vail, Charles H. VAIL,James SPENCER.

Boot andshoemakers: Pelton Brothers, William D. HENRY, Charles H. VAIL, Charles F.DICKINSON, N. DICKINSON, John SISSON, E J. MORGAN, Cornwell & Teets,Waterous & Kinner, James PARIS Jr., C. H. GROW.

Thefinest residences of the place are those of Rev. B. W. STONE, Solomon D. WEAVER,Peter H. BITLEY and John LAIRD. The health of the locality is sometimesseriously affected by the exhalations of the adjoining marsh, which are found tobe a prolific source of fever and ague. The scenery, viewed from theBranchport side of the lake, is beautiful, taking in a view of Bluff Point andthe high ridge east of the inlet.

ThomasLEE was Supervisor of Jerusalem in 1792 and without doubt, the first one. Thereis no record or recollection on the part of living persons showing who followedhim till 1797, when James SPENCER was Supervisor. From 1799 and onward therecord is complete, as follows:

Townmeeting was held at the house of Lawrence TOWNSEND till 1802, when it was heldat the house of Abraham WAGENER. After Jerusalem was set off from theoriginal district, town meeting was held at the house of Daniel BROWN till 1816,when it was held at the house of Stephen KINNEY; the two following years atGeorge BROWN'S; in 1819 at Giles KINNEY'S; in 1820 at the house of Elisha MILLS,near Daniel BROWN'S mills and also next 3 years; in 1824 at Brenton W. HAZARD'Smills; and thenceforward till 1830 at Henry LARZALERE'S. In 1841 townmeeting was held at the house of Solomon D. WEAVER in Branchport; in 1842 atLARZALERE'S; in 1842 at Branchport; in 1844 at LARZALERE'S; 1845 at Branchport;1846 at LARZALERE'S and thenceforth at Branchport without change. It was ahard struggle to wrest the town meeting from Mr. LARZALERE, who seemed to have astrong hold on the people.

The firstJustice of the Peace in Jerusalem of whom any record has been traced, was DanielBROWN Jr., who appears to have held the office from 1800 onward for 10 or 12 years,if not longer. He was perhaps, appointed still earlier. After him,Giles KINNEY, John BEAL, Thomas SUTTON, Joel DORMAN, Joseph GAY, NathanielCOTHERN, Nicholas BENNETT, Erastus COLE Sr., Ezra PIERCE, Elisha MILLS nad AllenCOLE. Erastus COLE Sr. was elected Justice of the Peace in 1830 and1834. Uriah HANFORD in 1830-1832 and 1837. Jonathan TALMADGE in1831. Bartelson SHEARMAN in 1832 and 1835. Hixon ANDERSON in1833. Martin QUICK in 1836, 1843 and 1845. William CULVER in1838. John A. GALLETT in 1838. Israel COMSTOCK in 1839 and1843. Henry HICKS in 1840. Hiram COLE in 1841. George WAGENERin 1844. Benedict R. CARR in 1846. Almon S. KIDDER in 1847 and1851. James P. BARDEN in 1848. Heman SQUIRES in 1848. SamuelS. MILLSPAUGH in 1849 and 1853. Benjamin COLEGROVE in 1850. Isaac PURDY in 1852. Josiah WHITE in 1854 and 1858. Jeremiah S.BURTCH in 1855. Miles B. ANDRUS in 1856, 1860, 1864 and 1869. Charles H. VAIL in 1857. Watkins DAVIS in 1859 and 1863. LeviMILLSPAUGH in 1861 and 1865. Thomas W. SMITH in 1862 and 1866. J.Warren BROWN in 1867. Botsford A. COMSTOCK in 1868; and James HENDERSON in1870.

The firstPost Office in Jerusalem was established in 1824, located near the mill nowowned by George ADAMS, and called the Jerusalem Post Office. A tavern waskept there at that time by Stephen HAVENS. Nathaniel COTHERN was thefirst Postmaster. In 1826 Henry LARZELERE having started his tavern in thevalley, took charge of the Post Office as Deputy. The near year he wasappointed Postmaster, and held the office till 1852, when it wasdiscontinued. In 1832 the Post Office was established at Branchport. Spencer BOOTH was the first Postmaster, and held the office till 1849, when hewas succeeded by Myron H. WEAVER, who was followed by William S. BOOTH, son ofSpencer BOOTH, in 1853. In 1861 Bradley SHEARMAN was appointedPostmaster. He was succeeded by Peter YOUNGS Jr., whose wife, AlmedaYOUNGS, is now Postmistress, and has been, much to the public satisfaction, forthe past few years. William C. VAN TUYL was Postmaster a few months in1866.

A PostOffice was established at Kinney's Corners in 1850 and Robert CHISSOM was firstappointed POSTMASTER. He was succeeded by John BISHOP, who was followed byDr. Alva B. CHISSOM nad he by Heman SQUIERS. Stephen WOOD, Miles B.ANDRUSS, John VAUGHN and J. Warren BROWN have also held the office. The presentPostmaster is Osborne MOORE.

A PostOffice was established at Sherman's Hollow in 1841. The first Postmasterwas Isaac HAIGHT. Delanson MUNGER was afterwards appointed and he wassucceeded by Nathaniel KEECH, who resigned and the office was discontinued in1866.

In 1800,Jerusalem, still including what is now Benton, Milo and Torrey, has but apopulation of 1219. In 1810, reduced to its present limits, omitting BluffPoint, its population was 450 and the census gave report of 5,162 yards of clothmade in the town the previous year. by the census of 1814, the populationhad reached 776; in 1820, it was 1,610; in 1825 it reached 2,50; in 1830, it was2,783; and in 1835 it reached, 2,843; and in 1840 the maximum of 2,935 and 508families. In 1845 the census fell back to 2,710 and gained in 1850 enoughto reach, 2,912. Again reduced in 1855 to 2,797, it raised in 1860 to2,873 and in 1855 fell back to 2,682. 1870 gives a population of2,612. Of the population of1865, there were 1,519 who were natives of this town, 2,272 of the Stateof New York and 2,454 of the United Stated, 56 of England, 127 of Ireland and207 in all, foreign born.

In 1865the town contained 10 stone dwellings, valued at $49,500; one of brick, worth$1,000; 480 framed, worth $319,000; 46 of logs, worth $2,000. In 1855 thedwellings were: 7 of stone worth $30,400; one of brick; 438 framed, worth$223,974; 95 of logs, worth $5,415.

In 1840,Jerusalem had three persons between 90 and 100 years old, and four Revolutionarysoldiers, John BEAL, 84, Jacob FREDENBERG, 81, Castle DAINS, 91 nad ElishaBENEDICT, 80.

In 1855.Jerusalem had 26, 294 acres of improved land, and the census reported the cashvalue of farms at $1,422184; of stock, $176,064; tools, $46,518. Thewinter wheat harvest of 1864 was reported at 28, 159 bushels, form 3,049 acre;oats 22,819 bushels from 2,045 acres; rye, 5,395 bushels from 508 acres; barley,17,710 bushels, form 1,459 acres; buckwheat, 2,149 bushes from 678 acres;potatoes, 7,878 bushels from 151 acres; butter, 106,673 lbs; cheese, 8,062lbs. Horses, 1,035, sheep, 9,047, pounds of wool, 41,845, yards of fulledcloth 22 yards, yards of flannel, 197, cotton and mixed cloths, 35.

The samecensus gave account of three blacksmith shops, one furnace, one steel spring manufactory,two wagon shops, one grist mill, one cooper shop, two boot and shoe shops, onetannery, one cabinet making shop, one tailor shop.

In 1865,the value of farm land was reported at $1,722,290; stock, $279,359; tools,$168,144; acres plowed, 7,305; acres of pasture, 8,130; meadow, 6,481; tons ofhay in 1864, 7,338. Bushels of winter wheat harvested in 1864 from 2,369acres, 24, 512. Bushels of oats from 2,722 acres, 42, 281. Bushelsof rye from 804 acres, 3,807. Bushels of barley from 748 acres,8,047. Buckwheat form 482 acres, 8,742 bushels. Corn form 1,443acres, 35,447 bushels. Potatoes from 188 acres, 24,122 bushels; Appletrees, 15,223. Apples in 1864, 11,310 bushels. Milch cows, 1,161.Butter, 128,527 lbs. Cheese, 5,758 lbs. Pork, 203,354 lbs. Sheep,22,360. Wool, 105,578 lbs.

Jerusalemhad 152 soldiers in the War for the Union, of whom 33 died in the service and 5were buried in that town. The census of 1865 reported 311 males in thetown between 18 and 45 years.

In 1820the town had 383 farmer, 28 mechanics, 5 free blacks; taxable property,$115,065; electors by property qualification, 329; and 6,814 acres of improvedland; cattle, 1,705; horse, 273; sheep, 4,025; yards of cloth made in families,9,810. Jerusalem had 639 votes by the census of 1855, and 552families, 456owners of land and 64 inhabitants over 21 years old unable to read andwrite.

In 1865the town had 729 voters, 75 aliens, 551 families, 407 owners of land nad 41 over21 years, unable to read and write.

Until1803 there was about one Road District in what is now Jerusalem. Twoprincipal highways, meeting at Robert CHISSOM'S, one leading to Potter's Millsin Augusta and the other to Daniel BROWN'S, were the chief roads of thatsection. At Daniel BROWN'S, the road passed in one direction across thevalley to the DAVID and INGRAHAM neighborhood, in another direction, to theFriend's.

In 1803,George BROWN and Achilles COMSTOCK, Commissioners, and Benedict ROBINSON,Surveyor, laid otu the road from Isaac TOWNSEND'S (Kinney's Corners) to JohnBEDDOE'S. It is described as a road leading from Steuben County (BluffPoint) to David WAGENER'S Mills in Vernon, (now the mill of Jillett &Longwell).

In 1804the road was surveyed by way of Daniel BROWN'S from Potter's Mills (Yatesville)to the south line of the town. This road was not all kept up. Thesame year a road was laid out from John INGRAHAM'S southwesterly to the town ofMiddletown (Italy). Also a road from Ezekiel SHERAMAN'S to Potter'sMills.

In 1805the following division of road districts was made in Jerusalem: First,being the town of Vernon, running westerly by Samuel CLARK'S to the road runningfrom Daniel BROWN'S to Potter's Mills. Second, beginning at the forks ofthe road about a mile westerly of Robert CHISSOM'S, running southwesterly to ornear Samuel KEENEY'S. Third, beginning at the town of Vernon, running upby the Crooked Lake by Isaac TOWNSEND'S to the County line; also the roadrunning from said TOWNSEND'S to No. 7 in 2nd range. Fourth being at thetown of Augusta, running southerly to the corner of Daniel BROWN'S orchard; alsoa road from Asahel STONE'S school house running westerly and northerly to thetown of Augusta. Fifth, being at or near Samuel KEENEY'S house, runningwest and south by Daniel BROWN'S, and all the roads south of Said BROWN'S andeast of the mill creek in No. 7, in 2nd range.

Sixth,being on the bridge near Sarah CLARK'S old house, running westerly and southerlyby John INGRAHAM's to the county line; also the road by said INGRAHAM'S to thetown of Middletown. Seventh, beginning near Daniel BROWN'S, running northerlyand westerly by Ezekiel SHEARMAN'S to the town of Augusta, as dividedby GeorgeBROWN and Achilles COMSTOCK, Commissioners of Highways and Daniel BROWN, TownClerk.

In 1812,Joseph BENTON surveyed a road from near George BROWN'S Mills to the road leadingfrom Daniel BROWN'S to Ezekiel SHEARMAN'S; Achillies COMSTOCK and Ezra RICE,Commissioners.

In 1814,John N. HIGHT surveyed a road described as follows: Beginning at the ridge roadon the line between township 6 in the first range and township 6 in the secondrange; then northerly to the great road leading by John BEDDOE'S to "Penyang"( Penn Yan). The other roads on the Point were surveyed by John N. HIGHTthe same years, and the name of David MORSE appears with that of Richard WINSHIPand Achilles COIMSTOCK, as commissioners. Achilles COMSTOCK wasCommissioner of Highways from 1803 to 1816. His son, Israel COMSTOCK wasCommissioner of Highways in 1819, with Judah CHASE and Joel BABCOCK. Hisgrandson, John COMSTOCK, is sole Commissioner of Highways for the town in1870. Daniel BROWN appears on the records as Town Clerk from the first organizationof the town till 1816. In the division of road districts in Jerusalem in1817, one road was described as leading from Daniel BROWN'S to"Morrisville." (Penn Yan). George C. SHATTUCK was a Surveyor ofRoads in 1817 and James BROWN Jr. and George BROWN, Commissioners. AlfredBROWN was a Commissioner in 1819. Alfred BROWN was a Surveyor of Roads in1818 and Judah CHASE, Erastus COLE and Thomas SUTTON, Commissioners.

JonathanCOLEMAN, Wallace BENEDICT, George PALMER, Elnanhan BOTSFORD Jr., Henry BARNES,Job BABCOCK, Elijah BOTSFORD, John INGRAHAM, William H. TORRRANCE, ElizurBARNES, Samuel SAMPSON, Nathan N. HERRICK, Stephen BABCOCK, William HEWSON,Richard WINSHIP, John BEAL, John ANDERSON, Sully HERRICK, Leman DUNNING, JamesBROWN Jr., Horton ROUNDS, Seth HANCHETT, Benjamin BONNEY, Justus HATFIELD,Ebenezer SHATTUCK, Samuel WILLIAMS, Jesse IDE, Russell BRIGGS, John S. ROWLEY,Joseph COLE, Daniel EARL, Nathaniel COTHERN.

In 1820Alfred BROWN surveyed the road on the town line next to Benton andMiddlesex. Erastus COLE and Jasper COLE were Commissioners inJerusalem. A. SWARTHOUSE and Stephen CHASE in Benton, and Israel ARNOLDand M. PUTNAM in Middlesex.

On IsraelCOMSTOCK'S authority it is related that the road from Italy Hill to Shearman'sHollow was cut through the woods at an early period, in one day. A gang ofchoppers begun at each end of the route and met about half way. This roadfro was a long period a very important thoroughfare, by which great quantitiesof lumber were taken to the towns of Seneca and Phelps and plaster and othersupplies taken back to Prattsburg and Wheeler and the far back regions thatdepended in the former days on the earlier settled nad more fruitful towns ofOntario. The most accustomed track was by way of Shearman's Hollow, IsraelCOMSTOCK'S, the Potter place, VOAK'S and FERGUSON'S.

	Acres		Acres
H. P. STURTEVANT	13	Isaac HERRICK,	1
Patrick GREGG,	18	Isaac HAIGHT,	1
Frank A. WAGENER,	7	John HAIGHT,	4
Harvey D. PRATT and		J. & R. SANDERSON,	9
Jeremiah S. JILLETT,	17	S. HORTON & Co.,	8
Frank M. MC DOWELL,	40	Frank KENYON,	4
Thomas VAN TUYL,	17	Abraham TAYLOR,	1
HESS & SMITH,	12	Benjamin KENYON,	1
Eli R. STEVER and		John C. FITZWATER,	2
William H. OLIN,	40	Morris BROWN,	10
James R. STEVER and		Erastus W. PARKER,	30
J. LLOYD,	11	Jacob HERRICK,	8
Alanson S. DUNNING,	5	John W. HUFF,	2
Lawson ROGERS	4	Gilbert T. STEWART,	2
George and Aaron HECK,	2	William CULVER,	8
Charles HEWINS,	2	Franklin CULVER,	3
Edward KENYON,	1	John CASTALINE,	1
David S. WAGENER,	4
At Kinney�s Corners and Vicinity
J. N. GILLETT and Dr. F. M.		John C. DINEHART,	2
HAMMOND,	15	Thomas BARROW,	2
Gen. E. SWIFT,	15	Daniel AUSTIN,	1
Gen. Eli LONG,	10	Jacob WEST,	2
S. B. COE and F. B.		Oren PENFIELD,	1
PATTERSON,	10	Henry R. SILL,	6
Isaac and Frank H. Purdy	3	Charles MOORE,	1/2
Isaac PURDY,	3	John MERRITT,	�
Dr. Alvah B. CHISSOM,	3	Nancy BENNETT,	1
J. Warren BROWN,	3	Levi NORTHROP,	4
John MOXCEY,	2
Near Branchport.
S.S. ELLSWORTH,	8	George EDWARDS,	12
Harris COLE,	10	Joel DORMAN,	3
Samuel BOTSFORD,	1	Moses EDGETT,	3
Fred PARIS,	1 �	D.H. BENNETT,	4
Solomon D. WEAVER,	1 �	Levi MILLSPAUGH,	6
George STEVER,	3	David WRIGHT,	7
Peter STEVER,	7
Total acres			438 �

The only distilleries known to the historyof Jerusalem are that of Daniel BROWN, Jr., and one at Kinney�s Corners, whichwas kept up there by Giles KINNEY and others. No distillery was ever erected onthe Friend�s Tract.

The line separating the Beddoe Tract fromthe rest of the township was surveyed by Augustus PORTER in 1794. He states thatthe Tract is two miles in breadth from north to south, or 640 rods. He alsostates that the township contains 24, 661 acres, showing that he had re-surveyedits boundaries. His map shows a jog in the township line across the lake, whichwas afterwards corrected. By the correction, 103 acres were added to the BeddoeTract on the east side of the lake.

A subsequent survey by Jabez FRENCH for theGREENS gives 24,914 acres for the township.

At an early period Anna WAGENER owned lots 2and 53, and Jacob WAGENER lots 29, 30, 31, 43, and the west half of lot 4, and100 acres of the east end of lot 44, Jonathan DAVIS having the east half. DavidWAGENER also had lots 49, 50, 51 and 52 and 48; Asahel STONE, lot 1; DanielBROWN lots 5 and 20, and 60 acresof the east end of lot 29; Benjamin BROWN, lots 6 and 7, and one of theINGRAHAMS lot 42.

William CARTER, who had a considerableinterest in the ownership of Jerusalem lands, was a Shaker and a very worthyman.

The first brick made in Yates county weremanufactured in the brick yard of Benajah BOTSFORD, on what is now called theStreet farm, on lot 1, Guernsey Survey.

The first saw mill on the inlet creek wasthat of Arnold POTTER, erected on the town line of Potter (then Augusta,) andJerusalem. The next was the Friend�s mill, erected where Silas S. CHAMPLIN�smill now stands, on lot 22. This was built about 1797.

Richard SMITH, of the Friend�s Society,commenced at an early day improvements on lot 29, where he built a saw mill. Hisgrandson, David W. SMITH, still owns the same place and has a saw mill on thesame ground.

The first grist mill in Jerusalem waserected where that of George ADAMS now stands, on lot 18, by George BROWN, about1812. For some years it has been in part run by steam. The mill was once burned,when Elisha MILLS was the miller.

The Plank Road from Penn Yan to Branchportwas made in 1850. The use of plank has been abandoned several years and a solidroad has been constructed by the use of gravel and broken stone. It is stillmaintained as a toll road, and has sometimes been a source of no littleirritation on the part of the people, but there is no doubt the road in itspresent condition is one of decided public value.

By arrangement of Josiah WHITE,Albert R. COWING, Darwin SHATTUCK Jackson WRIGHT and other citizens ofJerusalem, Israel H. ARNOLD on the 13th of October 1870, made observations withhis Transit Instrument, from which the following measurements are deduced. The summit in Italy, on Peter PULVER'S land, Lot 36, North East Survey, lessthan half a mile west of the Italy line, is 1,525 feet higher than CanandaiguaLake, 16 miles due north:

ItalySummit above Ansley's Stone House, 3 miles distant on Lot 14, Beddoe Tract, 120rods east of the White School House Corners on Branchport and Italy Hill road -507 feet

Schull'sabove Nathaniel G. Hibbard's Carriage House, distant 176 rods - 160 feet

N.J. Hibbard's above base of Keuka Hotel, Branchport, distant 400 rods (11/4miles) - 462 feet

Atthe White School House or Hurd's Corners, corner of lots 11, 12, 13, 14, BeddoeTract, the descent westward to the line between lands of Albert R. COWING andEzra LOOMIS was found to be 25 feet, distance 990 feet, or about 61 rods. From the latter point west to the Italy line, 440 rods, the elevation was 69feet. So the Italy line at this point was found to be 6 feet below theWhite School House, and 811 feet above Lake Keuka. An the Italy Summitappears to be ,2,064 feet above Tide water.

One of the most strikingnatural features in Jerusalem is the great ravine know as the Big Gully. Its bed is the course of a rivulet having its source high up on the Green Tract,and running in almost a straight direction eastward to the inlet creek, which itjoins in Larzelere's Hollow, on lot 19. Draining a considerable extent ofcountry, when freshets occur it becomes a mighty stream, bearing along immensecollections of debris gathered in its course, even to trees of large size androcs weighing tons. The last three miles of its way is a deep rocky glen,which in the lapse of long ages has been hollowed out by this torrent. Ordinarily, at the present day, it is but a modest and beautiful little brook ofclear and sparkling water. The glen is wild and romantic in the highestdegree. Rocky ledges 300 feet in height form its precipitous walls, and thedark evergreen foliage of the pine and hemlock adds to the wild and picturesquebeauty of its craggy scenery. This dark retreat was long a secure fastnessfor the untamed beasts of the wilderness. To the lover of bold, inspiringscenery or the student of nature, it must ever be a delightful resort, and itcould with little difficulty be made accessible to all. This ravine hasbeen made the subject of a highly creditable poem by Miles A. DAVIS, entitled,"The Shaded Stream."

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