HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



81 



1828, by David Rumsey, and was published by him, 

 Samuel M. Eddie, William P. xingel, and Charles Adams, 

 successively, till 1834, when its name was changed to The 

 Constitutionalist, and its publication was continued succes- 

 sively by R. L. Underbill, Whitemore & Van Yalkenburgh, 

 and Dow & Richards, and by the last-named firm as The 

 Steuben Democrat, until 1844, when the paper was sus- 

 pended. In 1848 it was renewed by L. J. Beach, and in 

 1849 was transferred to George H. Bidewell, by whom its 

 publication was continued till 1852. 



The Steuben Whig was published at Bath during the 

 political campaign of 1828, by William M. Swain. 



The Temperance Gem was published at Bath in 1854, 

 by Misses Jenny and Caroline Rumsey. 



The Addison Record was published at Addison by Isaac 

 D. Booth, from 1840 to 1842, and in 1849 by Dryden & 

 Peck. 



The Addison Advocate was published by H. D. Dyer in 

 1848-49. 



The Voice of the Nation was commenced at Addison by 

 R. l)enton, in 1852. In 1855 the paper passed into the 

 hands of A. L. Underbill, by whom it was published till 

 1856, when it was removed to Bath and its name changed 

 to The Steuben American, and its publication continued 

 until May, 1867. 



The Canisteo Express was published at Addison in 1850^ 

 by Thomas Messenger. 



The Addison Journal was started in 1851 by R. Denton, 

 and was removed to Allegany County in 1852. 



The Addison Democrat was commenced by Charles L. 

 Phelps in 1853, and was merged in the Voice of the Na- 

 tion in 1854. 



The Corning and Blossburg Advocate was commenced 

 at Corning in 1840, by Charles Adams. In 1841 it passed 

 into the hands of Henry H. Hull, by whom it was merged, 

 in 1843, in the Steuben Courier, at Bath. 



The Corning Sun was started in 1853 by M. M. Pome- 

 roy and P. C. Van Gelder. In 1854, Rev. Ira Brown be- 

 came the publisher, and changed the name to The Elmira 

 Southern Tier Farmer and Corning Sun, and continued it 

 till 1856. 



The United States Farmer was published at Corning in 

 the spring of 1856. 



The Painted Post Gazette was started by Mr. Fairchild 

 in 1846, and continued a few months. 



The Painted Post Herald was published by Ransom 

 Bennett and B. M. Hawley, from May, 1848, for about one 

 year. 



The National American was established at Hornellsville 

 in 1856, by C. M. Harmon. In November, 1858, it was 

 sold to Charles A. Kinney, and its name changed to Can- 

 isteo Valley Journal. 



The Painted Post Times was begun in October, 1870, 

 by William C. Bronson, H. C. Higman, and S. H. Feren- 

 baugh. It was discontinued some time in 1877. 



The Saturday News was established at Bath, by Enos 

 W. Barnes, in the early part of the year 1868. It was 

 Republican in politics. But eleven numbers were issued, 

 when Mr. Barnes returned to the Steuben Courier office, 

 from which he had retired Jan. 1, 1868. 

 11 



CHAPTER XVIL 



THE LAND CONTROVERSY. 



Difficulties with the Land-Office— Meeting of Settlers— The Protesting 

 Convention— Memorial to Col. Robert Troup— Col. Troup's Instruc- 

 tions to his Sub-Agent. 



The difficulties which many of the early settlers on the 

 Pulteney and Hornby estates had to encounter in paying 

 for their lands can be little understood or appreciated by 

 the present generation. While it was evidently the desire 

 and aim of the agents to treat the settlers with justice and 

 equity, yet the policy adopted by them and acquiesced in 

 by hundreds of land-purchasers proved to be of a very 

 embarrassing nature. Thousands bought their lands on 

 contract, agreeing to pay for them in installments, together 

 with a certain stipulated interest thereon, which accumu- 

 lated from year to year, amounting in a few years to more 

 than the lands were worth. Many of them were poor, and 

 had all they could do to gain a subsistence for themselves 

 and families on the new lands, which exhausted all their 

 energies and resources to clear and improve, to say nothing 

 of paying their installments and meeting the annual interest 

 when it became due. If these sums were not paid they 

 were compounded or added to the principal, on which in- 

 terest was again charged, involving them more hopelessly 

 than ever in pecuniary embarrassment. The longer this 

 state of things continued, the worse it became. The agents 

 could not go on forever accepting promises to pay, and the 

 only prospect left for many of the settlers was that the 

 lands on which they had toiled so long to gain a meagre 

 subsistence would be sold from under them to those who 

 could pay for them. This matter became so serious that in 

 1830 the settlers in Allegany and Steuben Counties began 

 to arouse themselves to the perils of their situation, and 

 hold public meetings for the purpose of considering what 

 remedy could be adopted. We give below the report of 



A CONVENTION OF SETTLERS 



held at the court-house in Bath, in the county of Steuben, 

 on the nineteenth day of January, 1830, " to take into 

 consideration the condition of the settlers on the Pulteney 

 and Hornby estates" in the counties of Steuben and Alle- 

 gany. Henry A. Townsend, Esq., was called to the chair, 

 and Edward Howell and George C. Edwards, Esqs., ap- 

 pointed secretaries. The following delegates appeared, and 

 took their seats : 



Addison. — William Wombough, Lemuel B. Searles, Da- 

 vid Shumway, Eber Scofield, and Daniel Burdick. 



Bath. — William Woods, James Warden, John Corbitt, 

 Peter Hunter, Melvin Schenck, Caleb P. Fulton, and Elisha 

 Hawks. 



Cameron. — Jacob Thayer, Joseph Loughry, Isaac San- 

 tee, Sheldon Porter, and Hiram Averill. 



Cohocto7i.—¥'du\ C. Cook, David Weld, Elnathan Wing, 

 Peter Haight, and Alfred Shattuck. 



Canisteo. — Henry D. Millard, William Stephens, Jere- 

 miah Baker, George Santee, and Moses Hallett. 



Dansville. — Thomas M. Bowen, Peter Covert, Annis 

 Newcomb, Leeds Allen, and Martin Smith. 



