CHAPTER XXI.
PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT IN TOWNS CONTINUED --- SMITHFIELD AND FENNER.
The town of Smithfield, the modern history of which must now be considered, is more peculiarly situated with references to changes of recent years, than any other in Madison county. It is almost centrally located in the county and is wholly isolated from railroads. As a consequence of this lack of rapid and easy communication with other points, and partly from the causes to which reference has frequently been made in these pages, the population, as will be shown, has decreased in comparatively recent years by a greater per cent, than that of any other town. From about 1,500 in 1860, it has fallen to about 1,000 at the present time, while its village life and business interests have proportionately declined.
The village of Peterboro is pleasantly situated near the center of the town and is built around a Green at the intersection of the Oneida Turnpike and the Morrisville Stone Road. In 1807 there were only ten or twelve buildings of all kinds in the village, including a store, and the grist and saw mills; but in those days it had prospects at least equal to those of many other settlements in the county.
Dr. Joel Norton settled in the town in 1814, succeeding Dr. Nash, before mentioned, and during many years was a successful physician and a respected citizen. He died at the age of fifty-four years.
John Forte, who settled early within the limits of the town of Lenox, became a resident of Smith field. He was father of Irvin A. and Irving C. Forte, former publishers of the Cazenovia Republican.
In the strife regarding the location of the county seat, Smithfield played an important part. The central situation of the town in the county was a strong argument in its favor; but it was destined to disappointment in this hope and also to become by erection from its former large territory of Fenner in 1823 and Stockbridge in 1836 the smallest in area of any of the towns of the county.
Nehemiah Huntington, a man of high character and signal ability, was the first attorney to settle in Smithfield, locating in Peterboro in 1807. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College and a classmate of Daniel Webster. He died in 1855, after a long life of usefulness.
Asahel C. Stone settled in Peterboro with his father's family, in 1808, and ultimately became a successful lawyer, State senator in 1850, and sheriff of Madison county in 1866.
The old Livingston house, built in 1801, and previously noticed, stood at the east end of the Green and was kept as a tavern until 1850, when it was removed to its final site by the late Aylesworth. It is now the property of Mrs. Quincy Martindale and is occupied as a dwelling. In this old building were held many town meetings and other public gatherings. In 1830 David Ambler built a hotel on a corner of the Smith estate, in which he was aided by Gerrit Smith. It was stipulated in their agreement that it should be conducted on temperance principles; but it was an unprofitable venture and after a few years Mr. Smith purchased it to prevent it being converted into a liquor-selling place, and on several later occasions supplied money to new owners or lessees to keep it open as a temperance house. But the community did not share his devotion to the cause and the house continued to run behind. Mr. Smith finally and soon after 1855 again came into possession of the building and the two stores adjoining which he removed and added the ground to his lawn. About the same time he built a hotel at the west end of the Green and offered it rent free to any one who would keep it open on temperance principles. The experience here was similar to that in the older house and it was closed before the death of Mr. Smith, the property passing to Jeremiah Bump, who built there his fine residence. W. S. Martindale opened a hotel previous to 1879 which he kept a number of years, when it passed to proprietorship of his son, Frank, the present landlord. The Cameron house was built in recent years by Charles Cameron, who now conducts it
Tanning was quite extensively carried on it this town in the first half of the century. In 1810 Benjamin Wilbur erected one at the east end of the village, which opened until about 1830. Abner Hall & Son built another in 1836, which was operated until near 1860. It was purchased by Gerrit Smith who demolished it to escape the disagreeable odors.
The Peterboro Academy, an institution of good repute in its day, was built in 1853, with money obtained by subscription to the amount of about $2,500. The charter was dated January 23, 1853, and the school opened in November with forty-two students. The first trustees were James Johnson, Gerrit Smith, Caleb Calkins, James Barnett, Samuel Wells, W. C. Powers, Nehemiah Huntington, Albert E. Coe, R. Northrup, A. C. Stone and Joseph Sims. The site was donated by Gerrit Smith, and in 1864 the academy received an endowment of $15,000, the income from which, less a reserve of $300 given to the poor, yielded about $800 annually. In 1871 Gerrit Smith purchased the stock in the academy at twenty-nine per cent, and transferred the lot and building to the Orphans' Home, which was then being organized, for which purpose it has since been used. At the same time Mr. Smith purchased the unused Presbyterian church edifice, on which he expended about $7,000 to adapt it to school purposes, and transferred it to the trustees of the academy. The Union School of Peterboro was incorporated in 1896, the first board of trustees being Garrett G. Miller, W. C. Dorrance, I. O. Wright, W. E. Coe and John N. Woodbury. The board remains the same, excepting the substitution of A. M. Bump for John N. Woodbury. The academy building was transferred to the school authorities and is still in use. The present principal is Arthur H. Jackson and about seventy-five scholars are enrolled.
The Home for Destitute Children of Madison County, although a county institution, was situated in this town and founded by the generosity of Gerrit Smith and may be properly noticed here. It is under management of the Board of Supervisors and has accomplished a vast amount of good. Mr. Smith donated a site and building and added ten acres of excellent land, which has been cultivated by the boys in the Home. It was incorporated in 1871, at which time fifteen children were taken from the county poor house and placed in the Home. The value of the property has gradually increased until is now more than $30,000. The average number of inmates is about forty and about $3,000 is raised annually for maintenance of the institution.
The frequent reference in the history of this town to the name of Gerrit Smith, and mention of his many benevolent acts, renders it necessary to further notice his life. He was the second son of Peter and Elizabeth Smith and was born in Utica March 6, 1797. He was brought to Peterboro by his parents in 1806. Prepared for college at Clinton Academy he entered Hamilton and graduated in 1818. In the following year he married Wealtha A. Backus, and established a modest home in the little village. He intended to study law and to gratify his literary ambition, but the sudden death of his wife, August 15, 1819, and a few months late the transfer to his charge of his father's property and various interests, changed his whole course of life. On January 3, 1822, he married Ann Carroll Fitzhugh of Livingston county, N.Y., and formerly of Maryland. They had seven children, one of who was Greene Smith, who inherited the family mansion and lived there most of the time until his death. It is manifestly impossible to give a detailed account of the life of Gerrit Smith in these pages, for he was a man whose actions and sympathies were far reaching and his public deeds innumerable. Liberty, temperance, independence and integrity were the great purposes of life, as he viewed it, and he drifted from the old Presbyterian faith in which he was reared, mainly because that church showed indifference to the great evils of slavery and intemperance. He was an earnest advocate of the suppression of liquor traffic by legal enactment. He opposed all secret societies, beginning with his career in college, and during the anti-Masonic crusade was candidate for State senator by the hapless party. Politics in everything except as a means for the accomplishment of worthy objects, he distinctly disliked; yet he founded four parties and was four times nominated for the presidency of the United States, twice for governor of this State, and once for member of congress from Oswego and Madison counties. The so-called Liberty Party was organized under him in 1840 and continued its existence until the Civil war; by it he was nominated him for president in 1848 and 1851. The Industrial Congress nominated him for president in 1848 and the Land Reform party in 1856. The Anti-Slavery convention in Syracuse in 1840 nominated him for governor, and again in 1858. Of all these honors he accepted only the latter, for which he made a vigorous canvass, but received only 5,446 votes.
The reason for this outcome is clear to the reader. His election to Congress in 1852 was by only a narrow majority and he entered that body against his inclination. After the first session, during which his bold eloquence was frequently heard in opposition to the Nebraska bill and other measures of which he did not approve, he resigned on account of ill health and the demands of his private affairs. He frequently and bitterly denounced the churches for their apathy towards the great evils of the time, and yet he was of deeply religious and devout character. His efforts to uplift the colored race were unceasing and his gifts for that purpose amounted to about $200,000. While war was repugnant to him, he firmly supported the government during the civil conflict and after the issue of the emancipation proclamation joined the Republican party. Mr. Smith possessed a powerful intellect; he could use his resonant voice with fiery eloquence when aroused, and his habits of reading and study made him a bold and original thinker. His judgment was frequently at fault, but his will was indomitable. These traits unfitted him to some extent for statesmanship. He died in New York city December 28, 1874, while on a holiday visit. His wife died three months later.
The town of Smithfield has produced a number of other men of prominence and ability, aside from Mr. Smith, some of whom have been already noticed. Caleb Calkins, a native of Aurora, N.Y., was a farmer's son and received an academic education, and a two years' course in Hamilton College, supplemented by a year in Union College. In 1838 he received a letter from Gerrit Smith requesting him to accept a position as his private secretary. He did so and remained in that capacity about half a century. He held the office of justice of the peace, and in 1866 was elected to the Assembly.
Asahel C. Stone, a distinguished lawyer; H. S. Foster, who rose from the humble position of a shoemaker to eminence at the bar; William Evans, and Judge Bronson, all of whom are noticed in other pages of this work, were Smithfield men.
Mercantile operations in Peterboro began early, but have never been extensive. James Livingston, whose early tavern has been mentioned, traded several years beginning in 1801, and in the same year Daniel Petrie, who came from Herkimer, opened a store. Among other merchants of the past were William Solon, and Myron Taylor, Elisha Carrington, Royal and Dorman Cooper, Asa Raymond, Charles H. Cook, Peter S. Smith, Samuel Forman, Dunham & Clink, Harry Curtis, J. G. Curtis, Eliphalet Aylesworth, Ives & Woodbury, Dr. N.C. Powers, Andrew S. Douglass, Dr. A. C. Baum, James R. Barnett, Charles Cutler, John A. Campbell, William T. Marcey, W. C. Ives, Charles N. Snow, Thomas C. Taylor, and possibly a few others. At the present time J. N. Woodbury has a general store, which he has conducted more than forty years. W. E. Coe has been selling groceries and drugs about sixteen years. I. O. Wright has conducted a general store more than twenty years. Dr. George W. Davis has sold drugs nine years. Besides these there are the clothing store of T. O. Taylor, the stationery store of Charles E. Wagoner, and the musical instrument and agricultural tool establishment of M. L. Dennison, all of which are of more recent date. William Ginney and Timothy Ginney are the village blacksmiths, and Wiley Conine and David Dean are wagonmakers. The grist mill and saw mill are now operated by A. M. Bump; there is now other manufacturing in the town.
Among the early physicians of this town and succeeding Dr. Phineas Lucas, who came in 1804, was Dr. John Dorrance, who remained in practice here until his death in 1855. Dr. R. Nash settled in Peterboro in 1807. Other later physicians were Drs. Stevens, Messenger, Mason, Watson, Norton, and N.C. Powers, who removed to Syracuse. Dr. F. E. Dewey began practice here more than twenty years ago and still continues. The only other physician is Dr. G. W. Davis.
The date of the establishment of the post-office cannot be obtained, but it was in the early years of the century, and Daniel Petrie received appointment as postmaster. Those who have held the office since have been Nehemiah Huntington, Joseph S. Palmer, John M. Messinger, N. C. Powers, Harvey Williams, Oliver Williams, A. C. Stone, Thomas Petrie, Andrew Douglass, Emmet Coe, and W. E. Coe.
Besides the post-office at Peterboro there is another in this town at Siloam, a little hamlet on the Oneida Turnpike, east of the larger village. This post-office was for a period closed. Harmon L. Holmes is the present postmaster, and a general store is conducted by Francis M. Wright, the grist mill and saw mill are operated by Mr. Holmes. The post-office named Mile strip is about on the line between this town and the new town of Lincoln. Roscoe Gates is postmaster and keeps a small store.
The principal agricultural industry of Smithfield is dairying, while hops are grown to a considerable extent. At the present time there are three cheese factories in operation, a less than in previous years. These are situated one at Siloam, operated by Albert Miller; one at Peterboro, by Robert Warcup, and one in the west part of the town, by Levi Miller. Among the most successful and respected farmers of the town may be mentioned Brainerd Johnson, Winchester Johnson, A. L. Cameron, Henry Campbell, Norton Bliss, Frank Conley, Frederick and John Brown, W. Cole, Everett Brown, Eugene Davis, Timothy Griffin, James W. Rich, A. Ingalls, L. A. Austin, J.C. Lynch, Louis Marquisee, E. D. Gill, D. E. Wright, H. E. Chafee, Charles L. Hecox, A. Moody, Henry and W. Eisaman, William Davis, Harvey Austin, Austin Hecox, Albert Howell, Eugene Rich, Morris Woodworth, Reuben Rich, Clarence Battey, and G. S. Miller.
The second church formed in Smithfield was at Siloam and was called the Baptist Society of Ellinwood Hollow (a name applied to the place for a time), which was organized in 1820, with a membership of forty-five. A modest church was built in the following year, and was succeeded by Elder P.P. Beman, who remained ten years, the membership reaching 100 before he left. It was he who gave the name of Siloam to the place, as appropriate on account of the sulphur springs which he was the means of advertising to the public.
The Methodist society here is a branch of the Stockbridge church and is in flourishing condition. The church edifice was built in 1896.
The Mile Strip Methodist Church was organized as a class in 1839 by Rev. Isaac Puffer. Meetings were held with regularity many years in the school house. The society is still in existence.
The Methodist Church of Peterboro was organized in 1854, mainly through the efforts of Avery H. Forte, then class leader. Services were held in various places until 1858 when a small frame church building was erected. The first pastor was Rev. A. L. York. Although this society was small in numbers and scattered in its early years, it has gradually grown and is now in flourishing condition under the pastorate of Rev. George W. Reynolds. The church building has recently been much improved.
The so named Church of Peterboro was formed in 1843 upon the theory of Gerrit Smith that the true church should be free from ecclesiasticism and creed obligations. Through widely circulated literature his views received extended notice and drew from the sectarian organizations many members. In 1847 he built a chapel in Peterboro and opened its doors to preachers of all denominations. The first stated pastor was Hiram P. Crozier, who remained two years, when he was requested to resign, as his teachings were radically atheistic. Other pastors followed for indefinite periods, while the pulpit was occasionally occupied by men of fame. The expenses of the services were defrayed by collections, but Mr. Smith had frequently to make up the deficiencies from his own purse. In recent years, the church has been occupied as a dwelling.
The town of Fenner, the early settlement of which has been described in Chapter IX, has seen few changes since the organization of the county aside from the gradual clearing of the lands and improvement of farms, with such municipal growth as has centered at the village of Perryville. The fact has already been noticed that a valuable limestone crops out on the northern line of this town, from which an excellent quality of lime has been manufactured many years, the works being situated just over the line of Sullivan. Marl lime was also made some years ago in the northwest corner of the town on the farm of Charles Keeler, who still resides there, but has discontinued his operations in that direction.
Hop raising has been followed in Fenner to a less extent than in many other towns in the county, more attention having been given to mixed crops and to dairying. The celebrated Hess barley was originated by David Hess, of this town, but it is not now grown to any extant. With the introduction of the factory mode of cheese making, Fenner farmers took up the business with enthusiasm, and at one time there were five factories in operation. One of these was at Perryville, which was built in 1868 by Webster C. Hill. Another was on the Mile Strip three miles from Perryville, built a little later by Monroe Lownsberry; both of these were owned during a period by the firm of Avery & Wadsworth. Another was at Fenner Corners and was built by William P. Lownsberry about 1865. A fourth factory was located a mile southeast of the Center on what is known as the Hutchinson Center. Another was on the Peterboro and Cazenovia Turnpike and was operated for some time by William Richards. Every one of these factories is now idle and the dairying interest of the town is chiefly confined to the domestic manufacture of butter. There is, however, a cheese factory at Perryville, but just over into the town of Sullivan, which is operated by a stock
The village of Perryville is pleasantly situated on the north line of the town of Fenner and is partly in this town, partly in Sullivan and partly in what was the town of Lenox before the recent division. The east and west road through the village is the town line. What was originally the Cazenovia and Canastota Railroad, and later the Erie, Cortland and Northern road, passes through the village, and with other causes operated in comparative recent times to make it the business center of the town, drawing away from Fenner Corners most of the industrial and mercantile interests that promised in early years to make that a business center. The excellent water power of the Canaseraga Creek at this point has been also an important factor in the growth of the village. The first grist mill here was built soon after 1800 by Richard Card, and around it the settlers gathered and stores and shops were opened. The old mill was superseded in 1822 by the present one, which is passing years was owned and operated by various persons. For some years past it has been operated by J. A. Armstrong and is used largely in grinding buckwheat flour and feed.
A carding and cloth dressing mill was established here in 1815 by Alpheus Britt, who had settled in Lenox about 1810, coming from Vermont. In that town he carried on the same business until his removal to Perryville. In 1831 he transferred the business to his son, Sergeant, who continued about twenty years and until it became unprofitable. The last building in use was erected about 1835. In later years it was used by Mr. Britt for a cider mill. In 1861, E. S. Hamblin purchased the property and converted it into a saw and planing mill, carrying on the business until 1877, when he sold to E.G. Crosby. Two years later he sold out to Abram Colyer and subsequently it passed to Fred W. Hodge, who uses it in connection with his stone industry. Alpheus Britt purchased a farm of 115 acres from the Peter Smith lands, which also passed to his son.
A tannery was established at an early day by a Mr. Glass, to which Oren S. Avery succeeded and wherein he established a boot and shoe manufactory. The business was long ago discontinued and the tannery building was demolished. Eli Blakeslee established a carriage manufactory many years ago, but it was discontinued about 1836.
In 1886 Fred W. Hodge, who had previously been engaged in wagon making, established a land plaster, water lime and cement works, in connection with a large quarrying and stone crushing business. After continuing his operations ten years, developing an extensive industry, he was killed in 1896 by an explosion of nitro-glycerine. The business has since been conducted by his widow, Mrs. Hattie Hodge. Long leases are held for several quarries in the vicinity and crushed stone is sold to cities and villages under contract. Mrs. Hodge also operates a saw mill. These works are within the town of Sullivan. About a mile north of Perryville, within the Sullivan bounds, Cyrus Worlock conducts a similar industry on a still larger scale.
The first merchants at Perryville was the firm of Tyre & Cole, who located there about 1811 and occupies a building standing near the bridge, which was later converted into a dwelling. About the close of the war of 1812 the Weeks Brothers opened a store in the building now occupies by John Hill as a hop house. Capt. Justus Durkee and a man named Bowen were merchants a little earlier than the Weeks Brothers, but they remained only a short time. William Doolittle came from Paris, Oneida County, about 1820 and continued in trade until 1828, when he failed and removed to Chittenango. Samuel Hill and a Mr. Stillson, who came from Jamesville, traded about three years after and opened a store, in connection with farming, about 1835 and continued during much of that time until his death about 1850. John Hill, who had kept an early tavern on the Peterboro road a little east of Perryville, opened a store in the village about 1839 and continued in trade about twenty years, carrying on also an ashery, distilling and milling a part of that period. He was associated in his store with his brother-in-law, Mason Annas, and also at another time with Webster C. Hill; the latter succeeded to the store and continued in business to 1875, with the exception of a few years while he was engaged in making cheese. John Hill was a son of Daniel Hill, a pioneer in Lenox, who afterwards settled in Fenner on the well known hill farm. John Hill purchased the Perryville mills in 1837, of Enoch Dykeman, and sold them about five years later to Lobdell & Rich. H. L. Keeler opened a store in 1864 and in 1876 sold it to Paul S. Maine, a native of Fenner and present clerk of the county; he is still in business and is the only merchant, aside from the stock of groceries kept by Mrs. William Cross. S. E. Marshall & Son carry on wagon making and blacksmithing.
The Perryville post office was established about the year 1816 with Oren S. Avery, postmaster. He held the office until his death in 1836. During that long incumbency he was one of the most prominent and enterprising citizens of the town and identified with various industries and business operations. He operated the old tannery and employed a number of hands in the making of boots and shoes. He was succeeded as postmaster by Silas Judd, whose successors have been Leonard Gough, Ira Bates, Silas Judd again, Orrin J. Woodworth, Joseph V. Wells, Webster C. Hill, H. L. Keeler, John Hill, Paul S. Maine, Leon Berson, Duane Chapman, Paul S. Maine again, James Wells, and again Paul S. Maine, who is the present incumbent.
A hotel called the Perryville House was built about 1825 by Simeon Jenkins, who kept if a few years. After several changes it passed to William T. Cross in 1857, who conducted it until his death in January 1899. He was succeeded by F. F. Hamilton.
During the period of medical practice of Dr. John Didama in Perryville, which extended from about 1812 until after 1840, when he went to live with his son Edward at Ovid, N.Y., Dr. Reed and Dr. N. C. Powers practiced about a year in 1833-34. Dr. Powers subsequently removed to Peterboro and from there to Syracuse, where he died. Dr. Powers R. Mead settled here about 1835 and practiced to about 1852, when he removed to Nelson. Dr. Theodore Mead, native of New Hampshire, practiced in Auburn, N.Y., and in Nelson and settled in Perryville in 1851 and practiced until 1874, when he removed to Cazenovia. From there he went to Oneida. Other later physicians were Drs. John H. Ramsey, Sylvanus Guernsey, George B. Munger, Benjamin Rush Mead, George W. Miles, M. R. Joy, and the present physician, Dr. Nelson O. Brooks.
The first religious organization of Perryville was the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church which was formed on September 18, 1816. It was the third church of this denomination in the state west of Albany. The society was always small in numbers and was served by numerous pastors, the records of whose terms are fragmentary. The parish was reported in 1851 as being old and feeble and in 1868 there were only nine communicants. There were frequent periods when the church was closed. The edifice was erected not long after 1830 and was consecrated in 1833. It is now in use for the Union school, as elsewhere noticed.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Perryville was organized as a class under leadership of Charles Blakeslee in 1831, at which time there were only four of that denomination in the place. The early meetings were held in the school house and later in the upper story of Eli Blakeslee's wagon shop. The church building, which is still in use with substantial repairs at various times, was erected in 1839. A parsonage was built in 1867, and is still in use. This church is connected with the one at Chittenango Falls, and Rev. T. F. Harris is pastor of both.
The town of Fenner was early divided into school districts, of which there are now eleven. There was little change for many years. In 1897 the union School of Perryville was incorporated, uniting the adjoining districts of the towns of Fenner, Lincoln and Sullivan. The Episcopal society gave to the school authorities their old church building and the site which was extensively remodeled and improved. The first and present Board of Education consists of Henry hakes, Frank Blakeslee, Henry Stafford, John Hill, Edwin D. Ransom, John Armstrong, Charles Cooper, Jefferson Howard and Willis P. Huyck. The present principal of the school is F. Reid Spaulding, who has two assistants.
Fenner Corners is a mere hamlet in the central part of the town, where it was originally supposed the business interests would be established. Martin and Daniel M. Gillet opened the first store, and Charles F. Kellogg, from Cazenovia, succeeded them for a short period. Hiram Preston and Martin Woodworth traded each a short time in early years. Perry Tidbits was a merchant in 1875 and Augustus Daniels in 1878. Benjamin Pearlman now keeps the only store.
The first post-office here was established some time between 1820 and 1825, with Ebenezer Dunton, postmaster. Later officials were Elias Munger, Anthony Barrett, William Barrett, Caroline Barrett and Charles Barrett, who held office until 1865; Alanson Roach, Frank W. Dewey, Lawrence young, Joseph Mathers, Van Buren Stafford, William Lownsbury, Alfred Loomis, Walter K. Smith, Perry Tibbitts, Andrew Jackson, Theodore McAlpin, Mrs. McAlpin, and Sanford Murray.
The only resident physician of the Corners was Dr. Powers R. Mead, who practiced about two years before his removal to Perryville. Dr. Daniel Pratt, brother of Dr. Jonathan Pratt, the pioneer physician in Madison, settled in Fenner in 1814 on a farm a mile and a half north of Fenner Corners. There he practiced many years and was a prominent and respected citizen.
The Fenner Baptist Church was organized August 23, 1801, by Elder Thomas Tuttle, with seven members. The first baptism in the young church took place April 25, 1802, when eight candidates received the ordinance. This society has already been further described in Chapter IX.
The hamlet of Chittenango Falls is situated on the western line of the town. In early years there was considerable manufacturing here, which has substantially disappeared. A paper mill was in operation many years ago, wrapping paper being extensively made from straw. With the introduction of wood pulp the industry became unprofitable and was abandoned. A cheese factory on the Cazenovia side of the line (where the paper mill was also situated), was operated a number of years, but is now closed and there is very little business in the place. There was formerly a sawmill here, the unoccupied building still standing, and an old carding mill a mile and a half south, is now going into ruins. The Chittenango Falls Park Association is a recent organization formed for the purpose of improving a beautiful park, which lies all in the town of Fenner. It is well laid out and provided with drives and shade trees, and affords a fine view of the Falls.
Previous to the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Falls, meetings had been held in 1843-4 by Rev. Jesse Watson, and forty or more were converted. The church was organized June 4, 1844, and the house of worship built the same year. The building has since been greatly improved. This church is now in a thriving condition and is under the pastorate of Rev. T. P. Harris of the Perryville church.
It will thus be seen that the town of Fenner in recent years is a quiet, peaceful agricultural community, the business interests of which are small and not likely to ever be much greater. It is proper here to mention some of the many prominent farmers who have labored for the good of the community at the same time that they struggled for the welfare of their families. Among them are Philander Blakeslee, Orlando Allen, Dr. G. B. Munger, L. Vander Hess, Loren Ransom, O. B. Hamblin, David Hamblin, N. B. Hill, Calvin Mead, Levi Brown, Alanson Burroughs, Garrett Blakeslee, Orrin Ransom, Eli Ransom, James Marshall, john Woodcock, and Abraham Wermuth.
Among the leading farmers of the town in more recent years may be mentioned Melvin Woolworth, Newell Hyatt, Orlando Hyatt, Kendall Cody, Irving Banyea, Frederick Barrett, Merton Allen, F. A. Hyatt, P. J. Huyck, Lysander Woodworth, George Brown, William Hamblin, Lucian Hamblin, Charles Hyatt and others.
Transcribed by
JoAnn Bartlett
July, 2005
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