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Borough limits. He is a staunch citizen, and commands general respect and esteem, as did his father before him. In 1881 he married Hattie E., the daughter of Harvey Holdridge, the miller of Oakland borough, and has two children, Harvey C. and Fred. Lyons. He is an officer in Great Bend Lodge, No. 338 F. and A.M. Harvey Holdridge, born in 1828, in Schoharie County, New York, the son of Zebulon Holdridge (who died in 1882, aged eighty-four years) and Jerusha Durant, his wife, was for many years interested in building at Susquehanna, and erected a large number of stores and dwellings there, besides the school house at Lanesboro', and that formerly at Susquehanna, also the Episcopal Church at Oakland. He married Fanny S. Hall, who was born in Vermont in 1833, and has two children--Hattie (Mrs. Samuel Loomis) and Jessie F.
RED ROCK AND VICINITY.--Daniel Buck and family first located in the vicinity of Red Rock. Wright and Samuel Chamberlain came from Gibson, and engaged in lumbering and farming opposite Red Rock. The country back of them is a highland region at the time they erected their mills, covered with pine forests and known as Egypt. The timber has been removed to a great extent, but this mountainous region is still unpopulated. Being sterile, stony land, the home of the rattle snake, it is almost worthless for farming purposes; but the lands along the Susquehanna River are productive, and the Chamberlain and other farms across the river are cultivated with profit. D. McKinney afterwards owned the Chamberlain mills, which are now owned and operated by Charles De Haert. Stephen Keech resided just below the Chamberlains. The steep rock bluff at the river bank is said to have presented an even surface years ago, on which the Indians had painted, in red colors, figures of Indians and animals; but this surface has crumbled away, and the rock now presents a rough and uneven surface.
HICKORY GROVE OR TAYLORTOWN.--Almon Munson, in 1800, settled at this place. It was at his hotel that Jason Treadwell was arrested after having been identified by Joel Welton as the man he saw in the woods with a gun, of whom he was afraid. The whole neighborhood were assembled, and Welton selected Treadwell from the crowd. William Taylor came here in 1815, an erected saw mills, and carried on lumbering and farming. He died in 1851. He was succeeded in the lumbering business by the Daytons, and ex-Sheriff McKune has the mill now. Samuel Wright bought the farm in 1867, and their son, Samuel S. Wright, has the farm, and is station agent on the Erie Railroad at Hickory Grove. Robert Colwell bought the Almon Munson farm of Jonathan Taylor in 1844. Almon Munson Jr., and William Taylor were his neighbors at that time. About 1848 Nathan Skinner erected a store here, and has been succeeded in business by L. Tiel, Burton Fox, Daniel W. Van Antwerp, who sold to Charles D. Smith in 1879. Irwin Hawkins built the store that Charles Stockholm occupies.
Almon Munson's children were Ashbel, who moved to Lenox and died there; Almon, who lived and died here (his sons are Chester, Levi, Thomas, Daniel and Edward and daughter Mercy Ann, wife of Elias McCoy); Phila, of the old family, was the wife of Silas Buck; Sheldon resided on the homestead for many years and finally removed to Michigan, where he died; Benajah removed to Wisconsin.
Hickory Grove is so named because the school house is beautifully located (something unusual) on a little hillock that is covered with a growth of hickory trees. Samuel Wright, who taught in the common schools of New York and Pennsylvania for forty-seven years, taught here seventeen years and really died in the harness; for he had a stroke of paralysis one night after he had taught school, from which he never recovered. He possessed great enthusiasm as a teacher, and was a very successful instructor.
Hickory Grove post office was established November 22 1872, with James F. Blessing, first postmaster. His successors have been Albert O. Fox, 1875, Chas. N. Van Antwerp, 1876, John Lane, 1879; Chas D. Smith, 1881; Edwin R. Waterman, 1886.
LOCUST HILL AND VICINITY.--Jonas Brush, formerly of Litchfield, Connecticut, who settled one mile south of Great Bend, was born in 1810, on the farm located by Henry Lord in 1797, subsequently owned by Asahel Avery. His oldest son, Jonas Brush Jr., was the first settler on Locust Hill, in Great Bend township, about 1812, where he spent his life and reared a large family of children. Mrs. Doctor Charles Fraser and Mrs. Charles Avery, of Montrose, were all of Henry Lord's family that remained in the county.
Isaac Stoddard and wife from Litchfield County, Connecticut, in 1816, came to Locust Hill. He died in 1853, aged eighty-two, and she died in 1856, aged eighty. Michael Downs now owns the Stoddard farm.
William Fox came to Locust Hill, from Litchfield County, in 1833, and bought the Ethel Stoddard improvement, consisting of a log house, frame barn and about twenty-five acres cleared of Carmalt. He made further improvements, and at his death was succeeded in the ownership by his son, Orlo, the present occupant. Daniel Fox settled in Wayne County, and Ezra in Jackson township. Thomas Wilmot commenced on the farm adjoining, afterwards owned by Thomas Dickson, and now owned by John Lane. Seth Hall first settled where Cicero Dickson lives, followed by Heman Stoddard. Myron Mayo came about 1820, and commenced where his son Charles now lives. Orrin Mayo commenced where D. A. Brown lives. Almon Munson Jr., settled on the next place below, where John Tiel now lives. William and Orlo Fox commenced where Andrew Kent lives. Calvin Brush, Enoch Hawkins and Washington Hawkins reside in East Hollow.
The Methodists, in the vicinity of Locust Hill held meetings in their school house for many years, and in 1875 erected a neat little church. It belongs to the Randolph charge. Ethel Stoddard, John Lockwood and Captain Wilmot, in earlier days, and Calvin Brush, Alexander Brown and Stephen Bevins, have been prominent members.
CICERO B. DIXON.--Thomas Dixon (1800-1861), a native of the lake country, NY, settled at Windsor, NY, about 1823, and for seventeen years thereafter was a partner with Jesse Lane, of Lanesboro', in the lumber business. The products of their mills were hauled to the Delaware and rafted to Philadelphia markets, Mr. Dixon's part of the business being to raft and market the lumber. He also for a few years carried on a distillery at Windsor. In 1840 he bought the present farm of John Lane, on Locust Hill, Great Bend township, where he continued farming and lumbering until 1849, when he exchanged his property for the present farm of his son Cicero B. Dixon, where he resided till death. He was an ardent student, and gathered together a library of much value, with which he was familiar. He was an earnest advocate of the abolition of slavery, and gave freely of his means for the purpose of freeing those in bondage. He was frequently dubbed "Daniel Webster" by his fellow citizens for his recognized culture and superior ability as an debater and advocate of whatever principles he thought right and just. His charity was proverbial, and his sound judgment and council invaluable in the community in which he resided. In 1827 he married Matilda D. Sumner (1802-1872), the daughter of George Sumner. She came to Windsor with her brother Charles after their father's death, about 1825. She used to relate that during the War of 1812 she saw the troops pass the family homestead, at Hill, NH, on their way to battle. Thomas Dixon's mother was a Hotchkiss, of Broome County, whose cousin, Giles Hotchkiss, was a prominent lawyer and Congressman. The children of Thomas and Matilda Dixon were Ann E. (1830-1842); Susan E., born in 1832, married George Fairchild, a farmer and lumberman of Broome County, and now resides at Susquehanna, PA; Mary H., Victoria and Rush, all died young; Zemira (1841-1874) was the wife of Alexander Brown, a farmer of Great Bend; Moleskin (1843-1845); Cicero Brush Dixon, born July 4 1846, married, in 1868, A. Marilla Ford, a native of Otsdawa, Otsego County, NY, born July 25 1847, a daughter of John (1813-1874) and Eliza Grace Smith (1815-1851) Ford, whose family were from Herkimer County. John Ford was the son of Abijah and Sally Russell Ford, and both the Dixons and the Fords are of English descent. The Russells were among the early settlers in Broome County, and Sally's father, Captain Russell, served in the War of 1812. For many terms, before her marriage, Mrs. Dixon was a teacher in Broome County, and generally interested in educational matters. The children of Cicero B. Dixon by his marriage to Miss Ford are Ross W., born 1869, Llewellyn B. and Lucius W. (twins), born 1872, died in infancy; and John Ford, born 1875. Both Mr. And Mrs. Dixon are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Great Bend, and he has been a member of the Great Bend Masonic Lodge since 1885. His early education was obtained at the district school and at Professors' Select School, at Susquehanna. His main business has been farming, but since 1883 the firm of Dixon, Rose & Co. has been engaged in the manufacture of lumber and railroad ties at the old Dayton Mill. Mr. Dixon is a Republican in political affiliations, has served six years as school director, and is now serving his second term as assessor of his township. He is a practical and intelligent farmer and a prudent businessman.
DUTCH SETTLEMENT--Ezekiel Mayo came to Great Bend in 1832, and cleared up the farm and erected the stone house where his son Le Roy lives. Eliza, one of his daughters, is the wife of Albert Judd, a farmer in the vicinity. The Dutch settlement is up a little creek that rises in New York and falls into the Susquehanna near Great Bend. Isaac H. P. Roosa came up this creek in 1828-1829 and purchased two hundred acres of land of Judge Thomson and made the improvements on the place now occupied by his widow. His sons, David, Robert, Hiram and Herman, located near by. When Mr. Roosa came, in 1828, there were three other families in the neighborhood. Peter Wilsey lived on the farm now owned by Mrs. Monell. Silas Buck was on the opposite side of the creek, on the place now owned by Luke Smith. Mr. Buck afterwards removed to Great Bend borough and carried on the grocery business there. Lute, Sandy and Mrs. Emeline Griggs, three of his children, reside in the village. Jonas Smith lived where Charles Brant now resides. Olive, one of his daughters, became the wife of William McIntosh, a resident of the borough. Rufus Isbell began on the next farm north of Roosa's, where David Roosa afterwards died. James Carlisle took up the farm where Herman Roosa lives. Peter Calder lived on the last farm next the State line, now occupied by his son Cornelius. Henry Hendrix purchased about fifty acres of Isaac Roosa and made a commencement; Robert Roosa purchased this property, and by subsequent purchased made his present farm. William Reynolds lived up the creek next to the State line. Francis Gray and Isaac Reckhow built the sawmill that is now the property of Herman Roosa, about 1852. Henry Gunn built his sawmill in 1866-1867. A man by the name of Rouse began where B. B. Tuthill lived. Clement Wilmot formerly lived on the farm now owned by Addison Brush. Ira Odell commenced on what is now part of the Henry Hendrickson estate. Heman Stoddard began on the next farm and sold it to his brother
David, the present owner. Jonas Smith first took up the next farm; John Gray lived there many years and Marcus Colwell is the present owner. Hiram Gifford came from Litchfield in 1849. His children are Eunice, wife of Henry Gunn Sheldon, of Massachusetts; Orlando, who lived and died here; Harriet, wife of Henry Hendrickson; and Rachel, wife of Almiron Foote, reside adjoining the homestead near the State line; and Frank Gifford resides at Riverside.
Daniel Buck, son of Eben Buck, an Englishman who lived in Connecticut, was born in 1730. He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in his native State. In early life he was engaged in the old French and Indian War, in which he distinguished himself. He was a self made man and a doctor as well as a minister. In 1786 he left the valley of the Mohawk, near Albany, where he had resided some years, brought his family with teams to Otsego Lake, crossed it and came down the river in canoes seventy miles to near where Windsor village now stands. Here he remained nearly two years and then moved down to Red Rock. Ichabod and Benjamin, two of his sons, were there married and had families. Ichabod built a house just north of where the Erie Railroad passes through the tunnel; Benjamin located just south of this place, and their father located between them, on the line of the track over the tunnel. The high rocks on the river were painted red; that gave the location the name of Red Rock, a name which it still retains. On the island adjacent, the foundation of a house was found. There, for five years, he had to pound grain in a mortar to make bread. There John B. Buck, the narrator of these facts, was born in 1795, and is still living with his daughter, Mrs. Grimes, aged ninety-two years. There were nothing but paths through the woods at that time. Hundreds of Indians passed up and down the stream then. Daniel Buck removed to the Bend bridge and resided on the farm afterwards owned by Jonathan and Charles Dimon. He died in 1814, and is buried in the Episcopal burying ground. Benjamin moved down the river and occupied the farm since known as the Newman place. Enoch Denton Buck came later and located at Taylortown. Of Daniel Buck's large family, Ichabod and Silas lived and died here. Ichabod Buck was a Christian to whom the pioneers of Great Bend were indebted for religious teaching, influence and example. He had five sons,--William, who died at Great Bend, whose daughter Eliza is the wife of T. D. Estabrook, of Great Bend, and whose son Noble T. is a resident of Hallstead. John B., of Ichabod's family, is probably the oldest citizen born in Susquehanna now living or that ever has lived up to this time (1887).
"Lute" Buck, was constable for nine years, and has been auctioneer for thirty-five years, and has had as high as twenty-nine sales in thirty working days, and is employed all up and down the Susquehanna Valley from Bainbridge to Plymouth, a distance of one hundred miles. He has probably sold more goods at auction than any other man in the county. His gift of language, usually deemed appropriate in an auctioneer, is something remarkable, and he is now wholly divorced from the habit of speech on other occasions.
Captain Jonathan Newman, a soldier of the Revolution, came from Connecticut to Pittston, and from there, in 1795, to Great Bend, where he bought, of Mina Du Bois, land lying north of the river, above the ferry. He was a man of considerable prominence in local affairs. Late in life he removed to Bridgewater, near Heart Lake, and died there. Two of his daughters lived on this latter place. His son James remained on the Great Bend homestead and married Esther Buck. He lived to be eighty-four years of age. His children were David, who lived on part of the homestead; Adelia, wife of Jacob Hasbrouck; Nancy; Betsey, the only one now living, wife of Thos. D. Hayes, a farmer of Great Bend; and Galon, who succeeded to the homestead and became a man of prominence in the community. His widow resides there now, and his son, William is a merchant in Great Bend. Jonathan Newman's second son, Brown, raised a family, but they are all gone now.
Asa Bennett came to Great Bend as early as 1807, and he was a blacksmith in the village when it was called Lodersville. He died on a farm near McKinney's mills, aged seventy-six. His son Asa moved west . Of his seven daughters, three married and resided in the vicinity. William C. Carl, who married Mary, purchased the Dimon farm in 1865. His son, James F. Carl, owns the property now. Angeline Bennett was the wife of Horace E. Townsend, of Franklin; Ann Eliza was the wife of Harvey Keech, who resided near the McKinney mills, and raised a family of four boys and two girls; Sylvia was the wife of Frederick Aldrich, who resided near the McKinney mills for many years and finally removed to Apolacon.
Sheldon M. Bronson came from Connecticut and bought a farm, and lived here about fifteen years and then returned. Truman Baldwin came in 1844, and bought the Truman Hatch farm; George and William resided here. George is a lawyer and William is a preacher. Hermon lives in New York. John Hamlin came in 1845, and purchased a lot and started a blacksmith and wagon shop. He died in 1882, aged eighty-five. His sons, Philo P. and George, reside on the homestead lot, and continued the blacksmith business. Christopher C. resides here, and Charles S. runs a bus and keeps a livery stable. Asa Eddy was appointed justice of the peace by the Governor when this county was part of Luzerne. He held office until one of his "brother-infidels" quarreled with him and reported him to the Governor who took away his commission. Asahel Avery was appointed justice in 1812, and died shortly after. Charles Dimon was appointed March 2 1813, and vol-
untarily resigned April 23 1823. About nine years afterward the people, without his knowledge, sent a petition to the Governor to have him reappointed, which was done; his second commission bearing date December 3 1842. He held the office until it became elective, in 1840, and was twice elected under the amended constitution. His old dockets show that the people were more given to litigation about small matters at that time than they are now. Some of the most prominent men had suits brought against them for as small amounts as ten and fifteen dollars.
Isaac Reckhow, son of John Reckhow, who settled here in 1814, became justice of the peace after Dimon, and held the office in the township for some time, and after the borough of Great Bend was incorporated he removed into the borough and held the office there. Lyman Trowbridge and others held the office in the township. Isaac Reckhow and William A. Snow were justices when the borough was first organized. Since then J. H. Dusenbury, Freeborn Churchill, Chas. E. Baldwin, Chas S. Gilbert; since 1878, Messrs. Pile, McNamara and J. W. Dusenbury have held the office. C. M. Simmons has been the principal justice across the river at Hallstead.
PHYSICIANS.--Rev. Daniel Buck may have practiced medicine at Great Bend, but Dr. Fobes was here in 1791, or before, and was probably the first regular physician in Susquehanna County. Noah Kincaid and Charles Frazer, who afterwards removed to Montrose, were here prior to 1807. Dr. Jonathan Gray advertised his services "for twenty-five cents for every mile, and under; one dollar for every six hours' continuance with a patient sick of a fever; all shall be done gratis for any person who is less capable to pay than the practitioner is to do without it." In August, 1807, Dr. Eleazer Parker, of Connecticut, came to Great Bend and practiced successfully two and one-half years; he was also appointed postmaster, February 1 1808. Dr. McFall, an Irishman, practiced from 1813-1814 till he died, about 1884. After Dr. Eleazer Lyman was accidentally killed by his horse, in 1845, Dr. James Brooks came and practiced medicine at Great Bend many years. Dr. James Griffin, father of Dr. Lansing Griffin, was here also when Dr. E. F. Wilmot came, in 1854. Brooks was on the Hallstead side. Drs. Vail, Charles Bigelow and Merrifield practiced here more or less. Dr. E. P. Hines came in 1879. Dr. Dayton practiced medicine and resided in Hallstead, where he died. Dr. F. D. Lamb and Dr. Van Ness are the present physicians in Hallstead. Dr. Skinner practiced medicine to some extent. He resided in the vicinity of Hickory Grove, and wrote a history of the United States in poetry. He tried to write in the style of Homer's Iliad.
BURIAL PLACES.--There is an old burying ground near the Episcopal Church, in which there are many old graves, some of which are unmarked by anything save a small native head and foot stone, without inscription. Some of the native stones have inscriptions, and are in a good state of preservation, as the following: "Here lies Rev. Daniel Buck, died April 13, 1814, aged seventy-seven." Among others we noticed Jonathan Dimon (1761-1821); Charles Dimon, (1785-1864); William Thomson, died 1842, aged seventy-seven; Lyman Trowbridge, died 1848, aged sixty-five; Dr. Eleazer Lyman, died 1845, aged forty-three. "Here lies Mabel Seelye, who died April 12, 1813, aet. Eighty-seven years--Virtue and Piety." Silas Buck (1788-1850); Lewis Tompkins, (1801-1880); Charles M. Brown, died 1873, aged forty-six; Elijah Barnum, died 1868, aged sixty-three; Daniel Lyon (1778-1850); Asahel Avery, died 1813, aged forty-seven; C. C. Monk, died 1848, aged forty-eight; Daniel Chase, died 1828, aged twenty-five; Jacob Barnes, died 1852, aged seventy-eight; Sylvester Barnes, (1808-1876); B. Whiting, died 1875, aged forty-seven; John Colsten, died 1868, aged seventy; James Clark, died 1864, aged sixty; Norman M. Vance, died 1875, aged thirty-six.
In Woodlawn cemetery, which is beautifully located on a hill side, in a maple grove, we find Truman Baldwin, died 1866, aged seventy-seven; John Baldwin, died 1872, aged forty; Daniel Baldwin, died 1867, aged thirty-eight; "David C. Bronson, born in Roxbury, Conn., September 30, 1827, passed away October 7 1885." Selah R. Mapes, died 1881, aged seventy-six; Selah Belden, died 1875, aged sixty-one; Dr. B. A. Denison, died 1837, aged sixty-three; Gilead Wilmot, died 1829, aged thirty-eight. The Catholic cemetery is near by, in which Rev. James Loughran lies buried, born in Armagh County, Ireland, in 1842, ordained priest in 1868, died in 1883.
NEWMAN CEMETERY.--James Newman gave land on a beautiful ridge, which overlooks a small stream that flows into the Susquehanna river. Here, among others, are headstones erected to the memory of David S. Roosa, died 1867, aged forty; Isaac H. Roosa, died 1863, aged sixty; Ethel Stoddard, 1873, aged seventy-five; Harriet Stoddard, died 1876, aged seventy-one; John S. Gray, died 1875, aged fifty-five; Galon Newman, died 1885, aged sixty; Hiram S. Gifford, died 1873, aged seventy-three; John Smith, died 1868, aged sixty-eight; Charles Jenks, died 1869, aged seventy-seven; Jacobus Barley, died 1860, aged eighty-three; John Reckhow, died 1834, aged seventy-eight; Martha Reckhow, died 1854, aged eighty; James Newman, died 1854, aged seventy-eight; David Newman, died 1853, aged forty-six; Charles L. Monell, died 1860, aged forty-four; Almon Munson, died 1864, aged seventy-four; Thomas Somerton, died 1865, aged fifty-nine; Ebenezer Jackson, died 1865, aged sixty-six; "Abijah Wilmot, one of the pioneers, born at Litchfield, December 1, 1797, died October 30, 1871." Isaac Stoddard (1771-1853); Luke D. Roosa, died 1873, aged sixty-one; Myron Mayo, died 1864, aged seventy; Orin E. Mayo, died 1868, aged fifty-two; Enos B. Stoddard, died
1874, aged sixty-two; Jonas Bush Jr., died 1863, aged seventy-seven; Dr. Abraham Soule (1802-1878); Thomas Nigol, died 1869, aged sixty-two; Isaac A. Hasbrouck, died 1882, aged eighty-three; "William Prince, died 1884, aged forty-six. In memory of a colored volunteer, who fought four years in defense of his country."
PRESBYTERIAN YARD.--The Presbyterian yard adjoins the Presbyterian church and is not used as a burial place any more. It is within the village limits, and contains the bodies of many of the settlers. Among them, Solomon Jones, died 1855, aged seventy-eight; Elijah Skinner (1804-1852); Hugh I. Benn, died 1843, aged seventy-one; Joseph Hendrickson (1792-1881); Wright Chamberlain, died 1869, aged eighty-one; William Buck, died 1861, aged seventy-eight; Freeman Snow, died 1872, aged eighty-eight; Thomas T. Gale, died 1868, aged fifty-two; Ebenezer Brown, died 1871, aged seventy-five; Henry Langley, died 1861, aged fifty-three; James W. McIlwee, died 1856, aged thirty-six; John McKinney (1791-1856); George W. Stephens, died 1853, aged thirty-four; Jeremiah Baker, died 1829, aged sixty-six; Nancy, his wife, died 1858, aged seventy-six; Asa Bennett (1777-1856); Anna Bennett (1783-1860); Peter Decker, died 1862, aged fifty-seven; Rev. Samuel Chamberlain, died 1850, aged fifty-five; John Scotten, died 1853, aged seventy; "In memory of John Gillespie, a native of Scotland, who died at Great Bend, April 17 1841, aged sixty-eight; Jannet Hume, his wife died 1844, aged eighty-three; John Gillespie, died 1876, aged seventy-two; Jahiel Dayton (1804-1872); S. W. Dayton, M. D., died 1883, aged forty-two; William Dayton, son of Elias Dayton (1801-1855); Samuel H. Dayton, died 1876, aged sixty-six; Abraham Du Bois (1786-1867; Juliet Bowes, wife of Abraham Du Bois, born in Edinburgh 1794, died at Great Bend 1855; Minna Du Bois, died 1824, aged seventy; Elizabeth Scudder, his wife, died 1848, aged eighty; Franklin Lusk, died 1853, aged fifty; Jane A., his wife, died 1863, aged fifty-three; Henry K. Niven, died 1826, aged twenty-six.
ROSE HILL CEMETERY, so named in honor of Benjamin H. Rose, who gave the land, is handsomely located on a little eminence west of Hallstead, having the old burial place in the Presbyterian yard, the winding Susquehanna, the two villages of Hallstead and Great Bend and the surrounding mountain, all in view. The ponderous trains of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad rush heedlessly past at the base of the eminence, in strange contrast with the last sad repose of the village dead on the hill above. Among those buried here we notice Joseph J. Adams, died 1886, aged seventy-four; James H. Simrell, died 1875, aged forty-five; William H. Norton, died 1881, aged thirty; Thomas Gilliens, died 1881, aged seventy-six; Garrett Johnston (1800-1883); Nicholas Du Bois (1823-1879); Joseph Du Bois, (--------); George W. Bailey, died 1877, aged sixty-seven; Henry V. Colsten, died 1881, aged thirty-eight; Samuel Wright (1816-1883); Ralph Mesick, died 1883, aged fifty-seven; Wm. Lawson (1813-1883); John L. Ward (1799-1885); William C. McIntosh, died 1878, aged fifty-one; Orren Hall, died 1880, aged seventy-three; Oliver Scranton, Company F, Fifteenth Regiment, New York Volunteers, died June 23, 1885, aged seventy-four; T. J. Barnes, died 1881, aged sixty-two; Joseph S. Hallstead, died 1865, aged thirty-four; Henry Van Sickler, died 1883, aged sixty-two; Sibyl, wife of Ichabod Buck, died 1855, aged eighty-nine; Thomas Bates, died 1813, aged fifty-six; Deacon Nathaniel Ives, died 1867, aged seventy-six; "Here lies Marion, wife of B. Marquissee, died April 10 1813, aged fifty-three; John McDonald, died 1862, aged eighty-two; Daniel B. Wylie, died 1828, aged thirty-four; Jacob Mayne, died 1881, aged eighty-one; Artemus Hall, died 1848, aged forty-six; Richard Preston, died 1853, aged twenty-three. Many of the graves in the old quarter of the ground are unmarked, save by a small native head and foot stone.
KEYSTONE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.--At a meeting held in J. W. Dusenbury's office, July 23 1881, the Keystone Agricultural Society was organized by the election of T. T. Estabrook, president; W. S. Barnes, vice-president; J. H. Dusenbury, secretary and treasurer, an office which the latter resigned at the next meeting, July 31st, and J. W. Dusenbury was elected secretary, a position which he has held ever since, and William Newman was elected treasurer. Rufus Kistler was elected vice-president in place of W. S. Barnes, resigned. A constitution and by-laws were adopted at this meeting. A piece of flat land, beautifully located on the Susquehanna, was rented of James F. Carl, and the sale of intoxicating liquors on the ground was forbidden at that meeting; also the executive committee was empowered to take full charge of the affairs of the association. At the annual meeting of the stockholders, the old officers were re-elected, with the exception of vice-president. B. B. Tuthill was elected to that position, and Galon Newman, W. S. Barnes, Charles Summers, Thomas Conklin and Calvin Brush were elected as an executive committee. J. H. Dusenbury was appointed to have control of the grounds, excepting during fair time. In 1883, P. H. Lines was elected treasurer; Galon Newman, L. D. Judd, Jeremiah Banker, W. T. Estabrook and W. S. Barnes, executive committee. In 1883 the stock subscription amounted to $937.60; receipts from fair, $1166.40; ground-rents, $48.00. There was paid in premiums $475.00, racing; and $326.00, agricultural,--total $801.00. For labor on buildings, $310 .24; rent, $100.00. There were sundry other items of expense, leaving a balance in the treasurer's hands of $209.55. The association have erected suitable buildings and stalls for exhibition purposes, and they have one of the finest half-mile racetracks in the State. The exhibition of stock and horse-racing are prominent features of the exhibition.
COMMON SCHOOLS.--The following is J. Du Bois' account of The First School House.---The early settlers in the valley, to their honor let it ever be remembered, felt it their duty, at a very early day of its settlement, to build a respectable edifice in which they could educate the rising generation, in which they could worship God. They not only felt it their duty, but they at once acted in the matter by calling a meeting, at which a committee was appointed to circulate subscriptions to raise funds for the purpose of building a house, not only large enough to hold all the children in the township, but large enough to accommodate all the people of the valley who wanted to meet for worship. A subscription was drawn up, signed and circulated, and another meeting was held to hear the report of the subscription committee. The amount of subscriptions was reported. Many of the subscribers were then living in log houses, with roofs made by slabs split out of logs by hand, and others with roofs made of the boughs of the hemlock. Yet, at this meeting, it was resolved that this first house, which they were about to build and dedicate to these noble purposes, should be a frame building, sided with sawed pine siding, and shingled with good pine shingles, to be fourteen feet between joists, and twenty by forty feet on the ground, and to be furnished in a workmanlike manner. One of the settlers proposed that a belfry and steeple should adorn the building. This proposition was objected to, on the grounds that the amount subscribed would not warrant this additional expense. The individual proposing this then arose and said that as he was desirous of seeing at least one thing in this valley pointing heavenward, if they would build a spire, he would add ten dollars to his subscription; a lady present then arose and said that she would add ten dollars; others followed suit, and the matter was soon decided in favor of a steeple. The windows were to be large, and Gothic in style, and pulpit was to be built in the north end of the building; a porch was to cover the entrance, and as the house was to face the street, the spire was to be on the center of the building. Large swinging partitions divided the interior of the house in the middle, when used for school purposes, but were hoisted and kept in position by supports, when used for church purposes. This house was to be free to all denominations of worshipers. After the above plan this house was built. The steeple on this first house of worship, built at Great Bend, displayed good architectural design and ornamental finish, and was painted white; but I am sorry to have to record the fact that neither the fathers nor their degenerate sons ever painted the body of this otherwise fine building. But in it many youth were educated, and many a sinner, convicted of his great ingratitude to a kind and ever merciful God, was pointed heavenward for relief, by the faithful teacher and preacher. As the roads were very rough in those days, most of the worshippers came to meeting on horseback, often two riding on one horse. As we had no settled ministers of that time, Captain Ichabod Buck, a soldier of the Revolution, of the Presbyterian faith,, when there was no preacher present, always opened the meeting by reading a portion of God's Word, and by prayer. William Buck, his son, led the choir in singing, after which Captain Buck read a selected sermon, and invariably closed the meeting by calling on Deacon Asa Adams, another soldier of the Revolution, for the closing prayer."
In this school house the first Sabbath school was started, June 1 1817 or 1818, at the suggestion of Elijah, son of Captain I. Buck. The first teachers were Miss Jane Du Bois (Mrs. Lusk) and a Miss Stewart.
Mr. J. B. Buck states: "The school-houses of those early days were extremely primitive. They were built of logs; the seats made of slabs, with legs inserted in two-inch auger-holes for supports, and without backs. The desks for writing were along the wall, and when the lads and lasses practiced at writing they sat with their backs to the school. The rooms were warmed by a fire-place; and in these rude shelters the religious meetings were held, and the early churches established. A school house was afterwards built upon the ground now occupied by Mr. McKinney's store. It was used, for a long time, for a meeting-house. Previously, we had used Mr. Strong's dwelling house, which stood a few rods north of the water-tank."
The first district school was taught in 1800 by Alba Dimon. Abijah Barnes taught in 1801, in a room of a log dwelling, vacated for the purpose. The first singing school was taught by Almon Munson in the chamber of Judge Thomson's house, or what was afterwards his. Religious meetings were sometimes held in Esq. Dimon's barn.
There are eight school districts besides the two boroughs, which have graded schools. Besides the common schools, there have been academies and private schools in the days gone by, and Mrs. S. B. Chase, a lady well capable of judging, says that some of those schools were well conducted, particularly Mr. Mann's school. Early in 1831 a man by the name of Strails had a select school in the Bowes mansion, or female seminary. The principal afterwards removed to Binghamton and disgraced himself. In the fall of 1832, James Catlin and Miss Lucretia Loomis had charge of the institution. When the latter went to Montrose, it was changed to an academy, and only male students were invited--Rev. Jason Corwin, principal.
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for Great Bend Township township extracted from
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