HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



91 



In 1872 new grand and judges' stands were erected upon 

 the driving-park at a cost of $1085.18 ; and at the annual 

 meeting of this year the constitution of the society was 

 amended, so that an honorary life-membership could be 

 conferred upon such old members of the society, of the 

 age of not less than sixty years, who have been most active 

 in their support of the society, the amendment providing 

 for the election of three such honorary life-members at 

 that meeting, and one at each succeeding annual meeting ; 

 and this honor was then conferred upon Otto F. Marshal, 

 Day Noble, and Reuben Robie. 



In 1873, $1165.04: were expended in grading the 

 grounds, planting trees, erecting new and commodious 

 cattle-, sheep-, and swine-pens and stalls, and in other 

 permanent improvements ; and in 1874 a new dining-hall 

 was constructed, and other improvements made, at a cost 

 of $1362.74. 



A manufacturers' hall, built in 1876 and costing $428.22, 

 and additional cattle- and sheep-pens, horse-stalls, and poul- 

 try-hall, constructed in 1877 at an expense of $552.97, com- 

 plete the permanent improvements that are worthy of notice. 

 The fairs of the society rank among the best given by 

 any of the county societies in the State, and the society 

 itself occupies a prominent position among similar organ- 

 izations. It has a large membership, not confined alone to 

 the people of Steuben County, and its influence upon the 

 industrial classes of the county particularly is very bene- 

 ficial Among its members can be selected many who 

 were prominent in the society organized in 1841, and have 

 since the organization of this society been its staunchest 

 friends and most faithful workers. Its property in the vil- 

 lage of Bath, upon which there is only an indebtedness of 

 $200, is very valuable. The buildings are convenient, 

 tasteful, and well constructed, and the grounds and conve- 

 niences in the best condition and exactly suited to the uses 

 of the society. 



The following are the officers serving the society for the 

 year 1878: President, Martin W. Noble; Vice-Presidents, 

 Frank Aulls, J. M. Hopkins, Clarence Myotte, Thomas 

 Hallett, Thomas Conover, Willard C. Morse, B. V. Lewis, 

 and John L. Smith ; Secretary, Reuben E. Robie ; Treas- 

 urer, Edwin C. Cook ; General Superintendent, Charles N. 

 Ackerson. 



The following are the persons who have occupied the 

 positions of president, secretary, treasurer, and general 

 superintendent of the society, and the years for which they 

 were elected : 



Presidents. — Goldsmith Denniston, 1853, '61 ; Uri Bal- 

 com, 1856; Lyman Balcom, 1857, 'Q^ ; Daniel Gray, 1859 ; 

 John W. Taggart, 1860; Grattan H. Wheeler, 1861; 

 Samuel Balcom, 1865; Robert B. Wilkes, 1867-68; 

 Frank J. Marshal, 1869; Charles H. Robie, 1870-71; 

 Samuel E. Haskin, 1872-73 ; Azariah C. Brundage, 

 1874-75 ; Nathaniel B. Stanton, 1876 ; Martin W. Noble, 

 1877-78; J. M. Hopkins, 1879. 



Secretaries. — Robert B. Yan Yalkenburgh, 1853 ; Geo. 

 S. Ellas, 1853-61 ; David McMaster, 1854-55 ; T. M. 

 McCay, 1854-56 ; Robert M. Lyon, 1857-65 ; Alexis H. 

 Cruttenden, 1862-64; Reuben E. Robie, 1866-78. 



7^rm5?^?-<3rs.—Geor2:e Edwards, 1853; Reuben Robie, 



1854-60 ; Ambrose S. Howell, 1861 ; Alvah E. Brown, 

 1862-63 ; Geo. S. Haverling, 1861-65 ; Geo. W. Hallock, 

 1866-74 ; Edwin C. Cook, 1875-78. 



General SiiperintPMdents. — James Lyon, 1867-68 ; Chas. 

 H. Robie, 1869 ; John L. Smith, 1870 ; Charles N. Acker- 

 son, 1871-78. 



The following are the persons who have been elected to 

 an honorary life-membership in this society, and the years 

 when they were severally elected: Otto F. Marshal, 1872 ; 

 Lay Noble, 1872; Reuben Robie, 1872; Goldsmith Den- 

 niston, 1873; Lyman Balcom, 1874; Abram Brundage, 

 1875 ; Henry McElwee, 1876 ; David McMaster, 1877 ; 

 Henry Brother, 1878. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



NEW YORK STATE SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' 



HOME. 



Inception of the Institution— Its Successful Establishment by the 

 Grand Army of the Republic— Location of the Site at Bath— Con- 

 current Resolution of the Legislature— Laying of the Corner-Stone 

 —Description of the Buildings— Opening of the Home— Trustees 

 and Officers for 1879, 



INCEPTION OF TEIE INSTITUTION, 



The first attempt to establish a Soldiers' Home in the 

 State of New York was made by ex-Governor Edwin D. Mor- 

 gan, in the year 1863, immediately after his term of office 

 had expired. Governor Morgan and others procured the 

 passage of an act by the Legislature, on the 24th of April, 

 1863^ to incorporate "The Soldiers' Home," the following 

 persons being designated therein as the incorporators : 



Gen. Winfield Scott. 

 Gen. Geo. B. McClellan. 

 Gen. John E. Wool. 

 Washington Hunt. 

 Francis Kernan. 

 Millard Fillmore. 

 August Belmont. 

 Wm. B. Astor. 

 Benj. N. Huntington. 

 J. Sullivan Thorne, 

 Rev. Francis Winton, D.D. 

 John H. Brower. 

 George Beach. 

 John Bowdish. 

 David Rurasey. 

 Charles P. Wood. 

 Thomas W. Olcott. 

 William E. Dodge. 

 A. B. Conger. 

 Erastus Corning. 

 Charles P. Daly. 

 Nathan C. Ely. 

 John S. Gould. 

 Robert P. Getty. 

 George Dayton. 

 Governeur Kemble. 

 Oswald Ottendorfer. 

 Hamilton Fish. 

 Edwin D. Morgan. 

 Geo. Opdyke. 

 Lockwood L. Doty. 

 David Devlin. 

 Edward Dodd. 

 Wm. A. Wheeler. 

 Joseph Mullin. 



Amaziah B. James. 

 Robert Lansing. 

 Wm. H. Ferry. 

 Peter A. Porter. 

 Elias W. Leavenworth. 

 Samuel G. Andrews. 

 Peter Cagger. 

 Isaac Sherman. 

 William Kelly. 

 John A. King, 

 John T. Hoffman, 

 John Anderson, 

 David Banks, Jr, 

 James B. Nicholson. 

 Wm. Cassidy. 

 Dean Richmond. 

 Amasa J. Parker, 

 Wm. Curtis Noyes. 

 George Dawson. 

 John W. Avery. 

 Samuel Sloan. 

 Gen. Jas. S. Wadsworth. 

 Thomas H. Faile. 

 Bradish Johnson. 

 John Stryker. 

 John B. Hall, 

 Henry Grinnell, 

 John Kelly. 

 John F. Seymour. 

 Daniel E. Delevan. 

 Thurlow Weed. 

 Elias B, Holmes. 

 Peter Rowe. 

 George G. Scott. 

 Wm. C. BcardsVy. 



