CHAPTER XIII.
PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT IN TOWNS --- EATON.
The long march of events described in several preceding chapters involved the general development, the public welfare and public interest of the county at large, and has been treated from that point of view, with the exception of the action of the separate towns during the war period. But while the county as a whole was thus making for itself a half a century of general history, the footsteps of the spirit of progress were marked in every town, in every hamlet, in each neighborhood, and around every separate hearthstone. There it was, frequently in obscure places or among the toilers whose names were never to be known beyond their own narrow limitations, that were enacted the deeds of individuals and families, deeds that were, perhaps, trifling in themselves, the story of which is closely interwoven with the more significant and important features of the history of the county. After its formation, as described earlier, every town contributed its share to the great onward march of development and growth; every village left its record to form a part of the story of the time; each farm, even, and its occupants, made an impress, however faint, upon the historic page.
The changes that took place in Madison County during the half century preceding the Civil war were chiefly only those which have characterized the development of most rural communities in this State. In the following chapters, which are devoted to a further account of the growth of the various towns and villages, the historian finds little to record, outside of the gradual and steady advancement of each community in the arts of peace. Even in numbers of inhabitants this county saw less change during that half century than most others in the State. With a population of 32,208 in 1820, an increase from 25, 144 in 1810,1 we find it with only 39,038 in 1830; this number rose by slight increase during each decade to 43,687 in 1855, a number that has not since been exceeded. In 1865 it was 42,607.
In continuing the history of the towns of the county Eaton is taken up first, as it contains the county seat and was one of the five organized in 1807, following the five original towns of the county. The most important event in this town in the early years of the present century was the incorporation of the village of Morrisville. There is no doubt but its selection as the county seat was influential towards this result. The date of its first incorporation was April 13, 1819. Morrisville is a pleasantly situated village in the northwestern part of this town, on the Cherry Valley Turnpike, and now has a population of about 700. In 1850 the number of inhabitants was 500; in 1855 it was 715; in 1865 it was 650, which is a little less than the present number.
The early records of the village are lost, rendering it impossible to give the names of many of the officers and the proceedings of the authorities in early years. The last clerk under the old village govern-ment was Alexander Donaldson, jr., and it is supposed that he carried the records to New York, whither he removed. In 1848 the village was reincorporated under the general law and Abel B. De Forest, Bradley Tillinghast, Franklin T. Maybury, Luman E. Cole and Edward Norton were chosen the first trustees. The assessors were Moses Bicknell, Albert S. Norton, Elisha C. Topliff; treasurer, A. Scott Sloan; clerk, James Norton; collector, Hibbard Martin; postmaster, Dwight T. Williams. Abel De Forest was elected president of the village, and subsequently stated that he supposed he was given that honor as a reward for having constructed the first sidewalk in the village. Following is a list of the presidents and clerks from the incorporation to the present time:
Presidents --- 1849-50, Bradley Tillinghast; 1851, Edward Norton; 1852-57, Moses Bicknell; 1858-59, John Tillinghast; 1860-61, F. F. Stevens; 1862, Lucius P. Clark; 1863, Dwight Cross; 1864-65, Edward Norton; 1866, Lucisus P. Clark; 1867-73, Edward Norton; 1874, Edward Townsend; 1875-77, Henry S. Phelps; 1878, T. Foster Petrie; 1879-80, Edwin R. Barker; 1881, Henry S. Phelps; 1882, William P. Cleveland; 1883-87, Morris J. Blakeslee; 1888-89, E. G. Richardson; 1890-91, George S. Tillinghast; 1892-96, Henry B. Coman; 1897-99, F. S. Haywood.
Clerks --- 1849-57, James Norton; 1858-66, Alexander H. Holmes; 1867, J. S. Stewart; 1868-79, J. B. Bicknell; 1880-94, George L. Robie; 1895-99, H. C. Wood.
David Gatson, a prominent early settler, opened the first store at Morrisville, or Morris Flats, as it was known for many years. He began business in 1804 at the corner of the Peterboro road. The store continued many years in connection with a tavern at the same place. In 1808 Bennett Bicknell came from Utica, as before stated, and opened a store on the opposite corner and began what was destined to bring him honor and leave a marked impression on the place.
The post office was established about 1808 and located in Major Bicknell's store. When it was subsequently removed to Farwell's public house, at the other end of the street, considerable strife was engendered between the uptown and downtown residents. Farwell's was the first regular hotel opened in the village and was kept in operation a number of years from 1815; it was partially burned in 1859, but was later repaired and used for a dwelling. It stood on the site of the new Reidy block. The post-office difficulty was finally amicably settled by locating it first about midway on the street, and in 1832 it was settled in the Observer building, where it remained more than half a century until it was recently removed to the Reidy building. A half mile east of the village still stands the house that was occupied as a hotel long before there was any important settlement on the site of Morrisville; long known as the Runkel place, is now a fine example of the old-time farm home. The house was built by Abiathar Gates.
The schools of Morrisville, succeeding the first one kept by Dr. James Pratt, were those of districts numbered 8 and 17; the former occupied the building now used by the fire department, while the house in district number 17 was absorbed in a dwelling. The Morrisville Academy was established in 1831 and with its successor, the present Union school, is fully described in Chapter XXIV.
The first lawyer to settle in Morrisville was Andrew S. Sloan, who came from Mansfield, Conn. He was a graduate of Williams College in 1813 and settled in Morrisville in 1819, where he continued to reside until his death in 1857. He was a deserving citizen of high character, held the office of county clerk six years and was first judge of the Court of Common Pleas. With Mr. Sloan was for a short period associated Hugh Halsey, who came from Long Island. He returned to his former home and died there. Epenetus Holmes, another prominent member of the bar, located in Morrisville about the same time with Judge Sloan. He was a native of Amenia, N.Y., born in 1784. He studied in Schaghticoke and after admission to be bar, practiced there for a time. His first public office in this county was justice of the peace, and afterwards for ten years he sat on the Common Pleas bench. He died in 1861. His son, Sidney T. Holmes, followed him in the same profession and was prominent in politics, holding the office of county judge from 1851 to 1863, and was elected to Congress in 1865 by the Republicans and served two terms. He removed to Bay City, Mich., in 1871. Other prominent attorneys of this towns were A. Lawrence Foster, 1827; Otis P. Granger, 1821; William W. Farwell, 1854; Duane Brown, 1845; Alexander Cramphin, Charles L. Kennedy, Nathaniel Foote, father of A. A. Foote, Lucius P. Clark, S. Perry Smith, H. B. Coman, John A. Johnson, and others.
Dr. James Pratt, the first physician in the place, was joined before 1810 by Dr. Isaac Hovey, who continued in practice nearly fifty years, removed to Deansville where he died. Dr. Wm. P. Cleveland came about that time, and had an extensive practice during about forty years; he died February 18, 1844. Other later physicians were Drs. Milton Barnett, F. F. Maybury, M. M. Marsh, Zabina M. Morey, J. R. Wells, Hayes, Curtis, Geo. S. Loomis, A. A. Mason, Crowell, Phillips, Brown, H. P. Mead, D. D. and Lynn Chase, F. D. Babcock, and others.
A burial ground was established sometime previous to 1812 on the site of what became known as the Morrisville cemetery, Thomas Morris donated about three-fourths of an acre of land for the use of the public and families selected therein such small sections as best pleased them. In 1857 the Rural Cemetery Association was formed under the State law, and additional land was purchased on the west and north of the old ground. The first burial in the old cemetery, as far as known, was that of a child whose name cannot now be learned. The second was doubtless James Madison Bicknell, son of Bennett Bicknell, who died March 19, 1814, aged eleven months.
The tanning business was begun at Morrisville about 1814, and was one of the first industries in the place; Alanson Stillwell was the proprietor and he also manufactured shoes. He subsequently removed to Manlius where he built another tannery, leaving this one in charge of his son. Clark Tillinghast and his employer, Dr. Isaac Hovey, who had a drug store, bought the building and an acre of ground and established an ashery. Mr. Stillwell returned and built another small tannery across the brook. In 1830 Bradley Tillinghast came from Mansfield, Conn., bought the ashery of his brother and began tanning on a larger scale, carrying on the business until comparatively recent years. About 1828 one of the Slocum family operated a tannery a short distance up the brook, where a saw mill was subsequently located. Hiram D. Cloyes occupied the site with an ashery. In early years the manufacture of crude potash was one of the principal industries in most of the towns, and was the source upon which the settlers largely depended for cash. The saw mill there was built about 1830 by Abel De Forest, and ten years later he constructed the last dam. In 1861 he sold to William R. Jones; the latter was then succeeded at his death by his sons; the property is now owned by Thomas Green. The other mill is now in operation by William Field.
A silk factory was established about 1853 by F. F. Stevens and John F. Gurney and at one time from 40 to 50 hands were employed, chiefly in the production of sewing silk. Stephen Coman purchased the buildings, and in the spring of 1862 converted them into a cheese factory, the dairy business having by that date become an important industy. The building subsequently burned. The town of Eaton has the honor of first introducing the cheese factory and creamery system, which after 1860 created a most important change in the agricultural life of the county. The first cheese factory was built at Eaton village in 1861 by George Morse, and in 1880 there were eight in operation located at Morrisville, William's Corners, Hatch's Lake, West Eaton, Eaton, Pecksport, Pine Woods and Pratt's Hollow. The business has since greatly declined and large quantities of milk are now shipped to New York by rail. There are now only two factories in the town. The Morrisville factory passed through the hands of H. E. Griswold, Avery & Wadsworth and J. B. Wadsworth in 1880. It is now operated by Hopkins & Champlin. The Eaton factory is conducted by Tupper Brothers.
When Bennett Bicknell arrived in Morrisville in 1808 he at once began the manufacture of combs, building the first factory and using horn for the purpose. Jonathan Gurley succeeded to the business, which he continued until 1840. Bicknell, Coman & Norton's distillery was built in 1836 and was successfully operated for some years, the product being shipped to New York. The first firm was succeeded by Bicknell, Palmer & Norton, and they by Bicknell & Son. The business was discontinued in 1860 and the buildings long ago disappeared.
The grist mill was built in 1830 and still earlier a saw mill was built above the grist mill; this was moved down to the latter in 1855 and ceased operation about the beginning of the war; the mill is now owned by A. F. Cook. A woolen mill was established in 1836 by Nathan Shepard, which at one time employed fifty hands; among them was Emily Chubbuck, then a little girl, who was destined to win fame as the authoress, "Fanny Forrester." In 1841 was established the machine shop on the old distillery farm, long known as Torrey's machine shop, the buildings of which were afterwards used as a copper shop. Saleratus was manufactured here a number of years previous to 1840 by Babbitt & Darling. In 1830 Jefferson Cross built a foundry and shop for the manufacture of cast iron plows. Stoves were also made here in early years. Mr. Cross died in 1850 and was succeeded by his sons George and Dwight, who long continued the industry; the property is now occupied by Carlos Bennett.
With the growth of the village mercantile operations were extended to meet the needs of the community. W. P. Chambers opened a general store in 1850 and is still in business, the oldest merchant in the town. Windsor Coman kept a drug store a number of years and was succeeded by a firm consisting of Dr. H. P. Mead and H. E. Chapin, the latter retiring in 1884 and Dr. Mead continuing the business until the present time. W. R. Kimball began business as a merchant and shoemaker in 1883, succeeding his father, B. N. Kimball. H. S. Phelps was a general merchant a number of years prior to 1878, when he was succeeded by W. P. Jones. The firm of Storrs & Seymour (C. M. Seymour, Otis Storrs) conducted the general store in which Mr. Seymour now carries on the business. Other present merchants are noticed in the later Gazetteer of the town. Edwin Barnard was a former harness maker and was succeeded by John Reidy. George Wilbur engaged some years ago in the furniture business and was succeeded by W. L. Field.
The hotel called the Bicknell House was built on the corner opposite the before described Farwell House. It ultimately became the Burden House, with John Burden proprietor. The old Madison County Hotel stood on the site of the present Barker House and was long kept by Hiram Lewis, by William Morris and Samuel Tucker in partnership. The present house was built by Edwin R. Barker in 1872 and among its landlords have been T. O. Heacock, James Kinney. F. Murtaugh and Charles Beekman.
The Exchange Hotel was built for a store by Samuel Shepard and was converted into a hotel about 1826; it has had various proprietors before passing to the present landlord, B. A. Wilbur.
The next church organized in the town after the formation of the county was the First Baptist Church of Eaton, located in Morrisville, which was organized in 1809. A small meeting house was soon afterward erected. In 1829 the society was given a more suitable site for a church building by Bennett Bicknell, and the first structure was removed to it and enlarged. In 1848 a new edifice was erected, the old one being sold at auction. With some improvements the building is still in use. Among those who have entered the ministry from this church are Rev. William Dean, D. D., the missionary to Siam and author of the Chinese translation of the Bible; Revs. Joel and Willis Nye, Alfred Cornell, Henry M., Leonard J., William K. and Delavan D. Dean. Rev. Nathaniel Kendrick, D. D., was settled as pastor over the church in 1817 and resigned in 1820. Later pastors have been Revs. Obed Warren, David Blakesley, Silas Spalding, Nicholas Johnson, Edwin D. Reed, Benjamin Putnam, Simon Davis, Luke Davis, John J. Teeple, John N. T. Tucker, Reuben Winegar, Ira Bennett, Isaac E. Howd, Edward Royce, Norman C. Mallory, Samuel S. Utter, Stillman S. Bidwell, William Ostler, Eugene S. Gardiner. The present pastor is Rev. Enoch Powell.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Morrisville was organized February 24, 1834, in the courthouse, by Rev. William Worthing. The trustees then chosen were John Pratt, Benjamin Morse, Adolphus Brown and E. C. Topliff. The church edifice was begun within that year on the site presented by Bennett Bicknell. The society was slow in growth for many years, but is now prosperous.
Morrisville, which for many hears had only a hand fire engine for protection against fire, and a hose company, established and excellent water system in 1894-95. A Board of Water Commissioners was chosen consisting of Dr. A. M. Holmes, Dr. H. P. Mead, L. B. Burroughs, Sumner Gill and David D. Jones. The number in the board has since been reduced to three, the present members being Dr. H. N. Aldrich, L. W. Burroughs and David D. Jones. Bonds to the amount of $15,000 were issued for the purpose and water was taken from springs a little southeast of the corporation. A reservoir was constructed of 7,000,000 gallons capacity, giving an average pressure on hydrants of eighty pounds. There are now located twenty-seven two-way hydrants and private consumption of the water is large. The present fire department consists of Morrisville Hook and Ladder Company, with twenty-two members and a Rumsey truck and a hose company.
Prior to the establishment of the present lightning system of the village several unsatisfactory attempts were made in that direction. In 1897 an efficient electric lighting plant was put in operation which is the property of the D. A. Schuyler estate. For proper lighting of the streets and public buildings the village pays $500 annually.
After the settlement of Joshua Leland and his fellow pioneers at and near the site of Eaton village, or "Log City," as it was for many years popularly known, the place might grow to a large and thriving business center. These expectations were not destined to be realized. With the establishment of the mills by Mr. Leland, however, a number of other industries gathered about and men of enterprise found a field for their labor at that point. In 1800 Joseph Morse employed Theodore Burr, an early millwright, to build a mill for him for $1,200. The stones for the mill were wrought from field boulders, which were ultimately replaced with stones brought from Germany by Col. John Lincklaen. In 1802 Mr. Morse removed to the homestead in Eaton village, and improved the power for his grist mill and saw mill, acquired land and established other industries.
Among the pioneers of the village who came in soon after Mr. Morse, was Nicholas Byer, whose father was one of Burgoyne's Hessians in the Revolution; Nicholas was a blacksmith and had a shop in the place. Another settler there was Elisha Willis, a shoemaker. But there were only about a half a dozen houses there in 1806 when the county was formed.
Isaac Sage built the first tavern on the site of Eaton village in 1802; it was situated on the corner opposite the site of the later Exchange Hotel and remained standing a half century or more. Rufus Eldred began keeping a store across the street from the tavern and Robert and William Henry were among the first merchants of the place. The first distillery was built in 1804 by Rufus and Zenas Eldred, on the site afterwards occupied by another and larger distillery operated by Ellis Morse. The first carding machine in that region was set up in 1806, in a building on the creek on the site of the later woolen mill by Hezekiah Morse and Rufus Eldred. They soon added the manufacture of cloth, introducing spinning machinery and looms. In 1833 that establishment was rebuilt of stone by Alpha Morse and Clement Leach, who had purchased the property. They added to the machinery for making woolen goods and did a considerable business for a number of years. The property subsequently passed through various hands and the building was ultimately occupied for other purposes.
A tannery was built in 1808 by Barry Carter which was operated by him and his successors for half a century. Alpheus and Ellis Morse built a small foundry at a very early date and there made some of the first cast iron plows of this section, which found a ready sale and soon displaced the old wooden tools. The business continued a number of years, but was never very extensive, as similar foundries were in operation at many nearby points, where plows, stoves, etc., were manufactured. A small powder mill was established in 1806 on the river bank, by James McConnell; but it was soon discontinued as unprofitable.
The Eaton Woolen Manufacturing Company, composed of Dr. James Pratt, Joseph Morse, Curtis Hoppin, and others, erected a small factory in 1817. The property was subsequently leased to Gilbert Jones, and he was succeeded by David Rogers, who put in cotton machinery. There were other later proprietors, but the business could not be made profitable. Just as enlargement had been completed in 1845, the mill was burned and was not rebuilt.
After the construction of the Skaneateles Turnpike the augmented amount of travel seemed to demand greater hotel accommodations in Eaton, and Samuel Stow built a tavern on the corner opposite the later lower hotel, and kept the house himself. Opposite him was the early blacksmith shop of Samuel Chubbuck. He became a rival of Mr. Stow and built another tavern opposite Stow's; the latter thereupon set up a blacksmith shop opposite Chubbuck's. The Chubbuck house ultimately became the lower hotel.
The first school in Eaton was kept in a building on the site of the cemetery; that building was burned, and the next one was built father east on the Hamilton road. What was known as the old brick school house was built in 1808 and stood on the site of the Ellis Coman house: it was one of the earliest brick structures in the county, and served also as a town house. The site was donated by Esquire Eldred, but the location was unsatisfactory to some and various pretexts were made for its removal. It was hoped that if it was removed the lost would be used for a public square. In 1834 or 1835 the building was taken down, the ground did not revert to the village and both school building and park were lost. This building was of two stories and the school was a locally noted one for many years. A new frame school house was erected in 1836, which ultimately became a blacksmith shop, and in 1852 the present school building was erected. In early years a good select school was taught in the village and in 1836 Ellis Morse opened a private academy, which was continued ten years, and employed several teachers who afterwards became famous.
Dr. Charles W. Hull succeeded the pioneer physician, Dr. James Pratt, and during many years had a large practice. Dr. Albert Purdy, Dr. A. D. Head and Dr. E. L. Miller practiced in later years. Many of the prominent residents of early years were members of Masonic Lodge No. 121, which was removed hither from Hamilton in 1817 and remained until its dissolution in 1827.
A scythe factory was in operation a number of years about half a mile out of the village, the product of which had a wide sale; the business was carried on by Garner & Abbott and others. Later it was converted into an ax factory and operated by Samuel B. Winchester whose axes were highly regarded. The Madison county almshouse is situated a little to the south of the village, and is noticed elsewhere in this work.
Among the older merchants of the place who have not been mentioned were the firm of Leach & Morse, who were prominent many years; David Felton, O. A. Medbury, dealer in furniture; Henry Allen, druggist, in a store built in 1816 by Dr. Charles W. and Andrew C. Hull; Alpheus Morse, Baird Leavenworth, Sylvester Thayer, Butler & Burritt, and perhaps a few others. The Morse Brothers and Eugene Rabie are now in business. The first landlord in the Exchange Hotel was Cyrus Allen; it was built in 1836 by Ellis and Alpheus Morse. Frank Currier now keeps the house and the other hotel is conducted by Norman Hunt.
The industry which became most widely known in this town was the agricultural and steam engine works of Wood, Tabor & Morse. This establishment had its origin in 1848 when Enos and Allen N. Wood erected buildings and began the manufacture of machinery for cotton and woolen mills, and miscellaneous castings. The business increased for a period but when the demand for that class of machinery declined in this region, the works were closed in 1857, the proprietors going to Utica to become members of the firm of A. N. & E. D. Wood & Co., for the manufacture of an improved steam engine. In 1859 A. N. Wood sold his interest in the works and returned to Eaton where the firm of Wood, Tabor & Morse was organized and the old works fitted up for the manufacture of portable steam engines. These attained wide celebrity and a very large business was built up and continued to two or three years ago. The works are now idle, though the machinery is still in the buildings.
The grist mill was operated until quite recently by M. Wallace, when it was purchased by the Gardner Morse estate. The post-office was established in early years, with Dr. Charles W. Hall as the first postmaster.
The Second Baptist Church of Eaton was organized in 1816 under the ministration of Elder Joseph Cooley, who was succeeded by Rev. Nathaniel Kendrick. Services were at first held in the brick school house and in 1820 a meeting house was erected, which with improvements is still in use. Dr. Kendrick served the church until 1833 when he was made president of Madison University. The present pastor is Rev. G. W. Thorne.
The Congregational Church was informally organized on Nov. 22, 1831, with eight members. On the 27th of the next month it was reorganized as the Congregational Society of Eaton. The first deacons were David Hitchcock and Jesse Brown. In the next year a church edifice was erected at a cost of $2,000. The first pastor was Rev. John Foote, and the present pastor is Rev. John Bamford. Rev. W. N. Cleveland, brother of ex-President Grover Cleveland, was for a time its pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Eaton village was organized in 1856 by members of the West Eaton church who resided in this village. A meeting house was erected in the same year. The society is now prosperous under the pastoral care of Rev. S. S. Pratt.
The settlement of Thomas Fry, Stephen Cornell, Perry Burdick, Barry Carter, David Darrow and others on or near the site of West Eaton village made it the center of considerable early activity. Mr. Darrow's farm included much of the site of the hamlet. The place grew slowly. Thomas Fry built a saw mill on the site of the later manufactory of Barnes, Mitchell & Howe, and later, in company with William Hopkins, built a grist mill nearby. Isaac Sage was the first tavern keeper and Barry Carter a later one. A Mr. Dunham was the first merchant, keeping his store in part of a double building, in the other part of which a dwelling was installed for the family. Philip Lee was another early tavern keeper and from him the place became known as Leesville. A wool carding and cloth dressing works were established and owned by Abner Isbell on the site of the later woolen mill of Barnes, Mitchell & Howe. The old tavern finally disappeared and was succeeded by one built by Major Smith as early as 1830 and kept by Calvin Wellington. Joseph E. Darrow kept a store before 1840 at about which date an added impulse was given to the business of the village. Mr. Darrow built a store in 18454 and in the same year the first woolen factory was established by A. Y. Smith, whose son was afterwards associated with him. Mr. Smith built also the Henry W. Chubbuck store and a number of houses. The factory was burned in 1852 and at once rebuilt partly through aid of residents of the village. Mr. Smith failed in 1857 and Churchill & Gilmore were the next proprietors of the factory. After several changes in the membership of the firm the building was again burned in 1862 and rebuilt by Mowry & Huntoon, being given the name of the Monitor Mill. The business of making fine woolen goods was continued some years when the machinery was removed to Pennsylvania. The saw mill of Philo Walden is on the site.
The carding mill before mentioned of Barnes, Mitchell & Howe was established about 1845; in 1860 Otis Barnes became sole proprietor and in 1862 J. W. French purchased an interest. Under the proprietorship of Barnes & French the mills were enlarged and the name Eureka Mills adopted. James Mitchell succeeded Mr. French and H. C. Howe was admitted partner. Still later Otis Barnes & Sons became proprietors and in July 1880 John E. Lewis, Richard R. Jones and Gary E. Barnes succeeded under the style of Lewis, Jones & Barnes. The business is now conducted by the recently formed West Eaton Woolen Company.
A grist mill was built in 1865 which in 1868 became the property of Isaac Hopkins & Son, who added to its machinery and carried on sawing, grinding and cider making and now operated by John H. Northrup.
Other early industries not yet mentioned were a distillery which was built in 1815 by Joseph Enos, and a small manufactory of augers established in 1830 by John Brown. Among merchants of the past were H. C. Palmer, L. L. Hamilton, James Mitchell, A. L. Lowe, C. D. Tracy, J. E. Darrow & Son, and Isaac Hopkins & Son. H. W. Copley and J. W. Mowry were wagon makers; John Pennock and H. M. Collis, blacksmiths; M. S. Pennock, C. F. Owen, G. W. Johnson, shoemakers.
The West Eaton post-office was established in 1852 with Joseph Darrow as the first postmaster. The late C. D. Tracy was a merchant and the last postmaster.
The village is included in school district No. 8, which was changed to a Union school under the law of 1874 and the present building erected. The first school house in the district was built sometime between 1810 and 1815 and Thomas Hubbard was the first teacher.
The Baptist Church of West Eaton was organized in 1820 by Elder Shaw who served as the first pastor; services were held in the school house. The members were principally of the Six-Principle persuasion. A dispute arose in the church fourteen years later and a rival society was formed with the name of the Baptist Society of Leeville; this was ultimately merged in the Eaton church. The original society continued until 1853 when a reorganization was effected with a membership of forty-five, under Elder Daniel Putnam; a church was erected at a cost of $2,000. The society is still in existence, under the pastoral charge of Rev. Willard F. Dowd.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Eaton was organized as a class March 14, 1841, by James Tooke, a local preacher. There were only seven members and six of them were of the Darrow family. Elder Yarrington was the first pastor. A small meeting house was built in 1843, which was superseded in 1869 by what was the finest church edifice in the town, which cost $15,000. The society is and always has been prosperous and earnest in its work.
A Roman Catholic society was formed as a branch of the Hamilton church about 1880, and a meetinghouse was built at the same time on the site of the old Methodist church.
The early settlement of the Pratt brothers, John and James, in the northeastern part of Eaton, at what became widely known as Pratt's Hollow, and the establishment of various industries there formed a nucleus of a considerable business center, most of which has passed away with the lapse of years. The first industry they established was a grist mill, as early as 1809, which was at once followed by a saw mill and a distillery, with several houses. A store was also erected and stocked with goods and their trade prospered. A little later they established a woolen mill which employed about twenty hands. A second woolen mill was started in 1809 by J. F. Chamberlain, who, in company with several eastern men, built a large cotton mill in 1824, which gave employment to 130 operatives. At that time the population of the place was nearly or quite 450.
The firm of Pratt Brothers carried on a large business and accumulated considerable wealth, but they met with reverses, lost money in some of their undertakings and finally dissolved the partnership and closed their works. From that time the village began its decline and never recovered. Most of the Pratt property passed to possession of members of the Fearon family and the Pratts moved away.
J. F. Chamberlain and his associates established a store in connection with their factory, built a boarding house and several other dwellings. Mr. Chamberlain died in 1839 and his son succeeded to his business, which he continued until 1852 when he was ruined by the burning of his factory without insurance. Many of the inhabitants who had theretofore obtained a good livelihood in that and the other industries of the place, removed elsewhere, and the little village settled down to a quiet existence which ahs continued to the present time. A hotel is now kept by Adelbert Cole, a general store by W. W. Lewis, who is postmaster, a few shops, a Methodist church, a milk station on the railroad at White's Corners, where there is a sawmill operated by Amos Avery. The number of families of Protestant Irish, who located in the vicinity of Pratt's Hollow in early days, gave the place a character that it would not otherwise have possessed. The Kerns, Tookes, Philpots, Tackaburys, Fearons, and others have been frequently represented in public affairs and offices in the town and county and with honor to themselves.
The Methodist Church of Pratt's Hallow was formed as a class probably before 1810, the meetings being held for many years in the school house. The meetinghouse was built in 1838 largely through the liberality of John Pratt, who was an active member. The society is small.
The beautifully situated settlement known as Pierceville, situated on Eaton Brook and the Skaneateles Turnpike, found its earliest stimulus in the tavern built in 1819 by Samuel Chubbuck, which stood at the corner leading to Lebanon. In the days of heavy staging and other travel on the turnpike, this house had a large patronage and an excellent reputation. Luke Hitchcock was a large landowner there and Seth Whitmore was a prominent settler. About 1825 David Rogers built a small cotton factory, which was one of the three credited to Madison County in the census of 1832. Mr. Rogers built also several dwellings, set out trees and otherwise added to the attractiveness of the hamlet. In later years John Brown became owner of the Chubbuck tavern, which he converted into a dwelling when travel had declined. George Dunbar established a planing mill and carpentry business about 1835. In 1844 J. O. Pierce formed a company which purchased a large tract of land and erected a large cotton factory. An extensive business was carried on until 1850 when Mr. Pierce died. He was succeeded by his son and the firm was changed from J. O. Pierce & Co. to Pierce, Cady, Crocker & Co. In the financial crisis of 1857 the firm failed and the works were abandoned. Alpheus Morse erected and for many years operated a large woolen mill just west of Pierceville, but it was taken down and a grist mill stands on it site.
The old Rogers factory was occupied for three years by E. & A. Wood, in the manufacturing of machinery for the Pierce factory; they removed to Eaton in 1846. Pierceville has now only a cider mill owned by Le Roy Cook, and a carding mill; a sawmill operated by Healy Brown and a planning mill by John Copley.
At Pine Woods, which has been noticed as the scene of Joshua Leland's pioneer settlement and labor, is now a mere cluster of house with post-office, store and a plant for storing and shipping by rail large quantities of ice. The tavern formerly kept here was built in 1834 by James Madison and passed under management of various proprietors. In 1835 the firm of Howard & Markham built a carriage manufactory, which finally became a blacksmith shop only. Solomon Root was a prominent early settler on the town line nearby and was a leader in the old Methodist church of Bouckville; meetings were first held in his house and he acted as class leader. Then he built a chapel which ultimately became a dwelling.
Josiah Peck, who came from Rhode Island in 1806, took up a large farm and built a log house east of the site of the tavern across the canal. His son Alonzo succeeded to the homestead. The opening of the Chenango Canal inspired the hopes of dwellers here, as it did at many other points, that large industries would come into existence and business would flourish along the line. Mr. Peck's land was crossed by the canal and he built large storehouses and engaged extensively in forwarding here and in Hamilton. All this has, of course, passed away.
Eagleville (or Eaton Center) as it was more properly known, acquired a little late-coming importance in 1869, when Dwight Graham & Co. moved their machine shop from Morrisville in order to take advantage of the better waterpower. In addition to doing custom work and repairing they added in 1879 the manufacture of a new model of agricultural engine; but the business was finally given up and the building was occupied by the electric light plant of Morrisville until 1896, when the structure was burned. It will be remembered that one of the first woolen mills in Madison County was established here on the river by Perly Ayer. The factory passed to Clark Tillinghast in 1851 and he made enlargement and improvements; but a few weeks later the dam was carried away and again suffered the same fate after having rebuilt. The factory was not reopened.
When the railroad was built through this town it stirred the expectations of many of the inhabitants to an extravagant degree. It is almost needless to state that these expectations have not been realized, it is true that the Midland Railroad gave and still gives many people better and more convenient means of reaching markets and business center; but aside from this it has been and is a great burden in other ways. The town was bonded to aid in the construction of the road to the amount of $150,000, and it received back $7,000 for the shares assigned to the town when it was sold to the Ontario and Western Company. Before the town was thus bonded in 1868 the town expenses were $2,152.65. Ten years later, in 1879, they had increased to $15,547, with an existing debt then of almost $150,000. But with all of this to contend against the town is one of the most prosperous in the county. It was unfortunate that Morrisville was isolated from the railroad by a distance of about three miles and that the other stations in the town reached from Pratt's Hollow, Eaton and Pine Woods, are also some distance from the line of the road; but at most seasons the roads of the town are in good condition and travel is not difficult.
The ordinary town expenses at the present time are close to $3,000, while the interest and principal account brings them up to nearly $7,000 and the aggregate taxation to nearly $13,000. The number of acres of real estate is given as 25,669, with an assessed value of $42.78 per acre; this is slightly reduced by the equalized valuation.
1 - In 1810 Madison County had thirty-five slaves, reduced to ten in 1820.
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January 26, 2003
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