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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



Frederick Bartles built the first distillery. The first lawyer 

 who settled in the town was Heman Train, Esq. The first 

 clover-seed was brought into the town from Geneva by 

 Henry Switzer, who paid for the same $40 per bushel, and 

 sowed it on the farm where Henry Switzer now lives. 

 Thomas Sanford sold the first wheat at $1 per bushel at 

 Dresden. In 1827 wheat sold for fifty cents per bushel ; 

 poultry three cents per pound ; maple-sugar three cents 

 per pound. 



Rattlesnakes were abundant. The mowers in the meadow 

 of Jesse Munson wound their legs with hay-bands to keep 

 rattlesnakes from biting them. 



CHURCHES. 

 BRADFORD BAPTIST CHURCH. 



What is now now known as the Bradford Baptist Church 

 was constituted a separate church by a council of delegates 

 Oct. 28, 1884. The council was called by the Tyrone 

 and Jersey Church, and convened in their meeting-house 

 in Jersey village. 



Brethren representing the following churches were pres- 

 ent : Campbell — Rev. D. Smith, T. Corbit ; Hornby — Rev. 

 T. Graves, Deacon Slauntin ; Plainsville (now Dundee) — 

 Rev. E. W. Martin, S. Hults, A. Sunderlin ; Catlin and 

 Jersey — Deacon Lybolt, A. M. Vandeveter; Reading — 

 Bros. S. N. Smith, S. S. Hurley, R. Drake; Tyrone- 

 Elder Stone, I. W. Peck, A. Coon ; Barrington, Rev. J. 

 Ketchum, S. Robertson, L. Forrester. 



Rev. D. Smith was chosen moderator, and Rev. D. R. 

 Coryell clerk of the council. After listening to the read- 

 ing of their articles of faith and church covenant, the 

 council agreed to fellowship them as a church, to be known 

 as the Jersey Baptist Church. Rev. E. W. Martin 

 preached the sermon. Rev. J. Stone gave the right hand 

 of fellowship in behalf of the council. Rev. D. B. Coryell 

 addressed the church. Rev. J. Ketchum made the con- 

 cluding prayer. 



The constituent members were 60 in number. We have 

 no records previous to 1834, but by reference to the history 

 of the Tyrone Church, and by old residents still living, we 

 are informed that this church was originally the south part 

 of the Tyrone and Jersey Church, and that in J 825 Rev. Y. 

 R. Wall was sent here by the Domestic Mission Society, 

 and commenced supplying this church and the Tyrone 

 Church, which relation he sustained till September, 1839. 

 In 1833-34 they succeeded in erecting a house of worship, 

 which was dedicated soon after its completion. In 1835 

 the church was admitted into the Steuben Baptist Associa- 

 tion. Rev. Y. R. Wall, John Wixon, Comfort Beebe, were 

 delegates. 



From the time that Rev. Y. R. Wall closed his labors 

 with them till 1841, they appear to be without any stated 

 settled pastor, when Rev. D. Olney (a licentiate) commenced 

 his labors with them, which relationship he sustained until 

 the spring of 1842, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. D. 

 Carr, which relationship he sustained until June, 1843, 

 when Rev. EUett Otis came, who served them one year. 



In the spring of 1844, having added to their membership 

 16 by baptism, they settled as pastor Rev. James L. Coffin, 



which relation he sustained until October, 1849, leaving a 

 reported membership of 74. In 1850, Bro. I. Estabrooks 

 (a licentiate) became pastor of the church, he having been 

 ordained by a council which was called by the church and 

 convened in their meeting-house June 19, 1850 ; closed his 

 labors in the spring of 1853, when Rev. O. B. Call became 

 the pastor of the church and served them in that relation 

 for one year. 



In June, 1854, Rev. J. Ketchum became pastor of the 

 church, and served them in that relation for three years, 

 leaving a reported membership of 85, being an increase of 

 11 since 1849. 



In 1857, Bro. R. Hults (a licentiate) became the pastor 

 of the church. In November of the same year their pas- 

 tor, being assisted by Rev. Geo. Balcom, held a series of 

 meetings, which resulted in an addition to their membership 

 of 22 by baptism. Bro. Hults closed his labor with them 

 in the spring of 1859, leaving a reported membership of 102. 

 Bro. W. P. Omans (then a licentiate) was their next pastor ; 

 continued two years ; being ordained while with them in 

 1862. 



In February, 1862, Rev. I. Easterbrooks again became 

 the pastor of the church and supplied them nearly three 

 years, during which time they repaired their house of wor- 

 ship at a cost of $1870, which was re-dedicated June 1, 

 1864. Rev. Geo. Balcom preached the dedicatory sermon. 



During the associational year of 1865, Bro. M. H. Perry 

 (a licentiate) became pastor of the church, which relation 

 he sustained about one year. 



In March, 1867, Rev. R. T. Gates commenced a series 

 of meetings, as the result of which 23 were added to their 

 membership by baptism, which made their present number 

 100. 



In June, of the same year. Rev. A. B. Green became 

 pastor of the church, which relation he sustained until 

 April, 1873. 



In the summer of 1872, they having applied to the 

 proper authority, had their name changed from Jersey to 

 Bradford. 



During the summer of 1873 they were supplied by Rev. 

 E. T. Mallory. 



In April, 1874, they again procured the labors of Rev. 

 A. B. Green for one year. 



In June, 1875, Rev. E. T. Mallory became their pastor, 

 which relation he sustained till succeeded by the present 

 pastor. Rev. F. D. Worth, in 1878. 



In the fall of 1875 a series of meetings was held, in 

 which their pastor was assisted by the Rev. C. W. Brooks, 

 Rev. I. W. Emery, and Rev. E. F. Francis, which resulted 

 in an addition to their membership of 33 by baptism, 

 which increased their membership to 103. 



The Bradford Baptist Church is now in the forty-third 

 year of its history. The known records show that there 

 have been 149 baptized into the fellowship of the church ; 

 62 added by letter; 15 upon experience and former bap- 

 tism ; 14 restored ; 70 dismissed by letter ; 40 excluded ; 

 15 died. 



The church has built but one meeting-house, which they 

 now occupy. Ordained by council to preach the gospel 

 ministry, 2 ; licensed one of their members to preach the 



