TOWN OF CANISTEO. 



225 



On tlie 2(1 of July, 1849, Rev. Horatio Pattengill com- 

 menced preaching in Canisteo, and also a part of the time 

 at Arkport. Services were held only occasionally for some 

 time, when the congregations becoming large and the inter- 

 est general, it was decided, in 1851, to have regular preach- 

 ing. Rev. Mr. Pattengill from this time held regular 

 services on each Sabbath. A choir was organized, the 

 ladies formed themselves into a sewing society, a fair was 

 held with profitable results, which awakened an interest in 

 the erection of a church building. Among the foremost 

 in this movement was the late N. C. Taylor, one of the 

 leading citizens of the place for many years, who contrib- 

 uted most liberally to the erection of the church and the 

 support of preaching. No church edifice had yet been 

 erected in the village, and the way was open for the Pres- 

 byterians to go forward with their enterprise without incur- 

 ring denominational jealousies. 



On the 20th of March, 1852, a society was organized 

 and a board of trustees elected, consisting of the following- 

 named persons : B. C. Richey, N. C. Taylor, William B. 

 Jones, Peter Myers, Thomas J. Magee, and William H. 

 Mead. A lot was purchased of the Pulteney estate, $1360 

 were subscribed, and the society proceeded to erect a church 

 edifice. The corner-stone was laid in May, 1852, and the 

 house was finished and dedicated Feb. 15, 1853, the addi- 

 tional sum of $325 being raised at the dedication. 



On the 20th of March, 1853, a church organization was 

 formed, with the following members, viz. : Stephen P. 

 Sturdevant, Harriet P. Sturdevant, Sarah Waters, Joseph 

 Ashley, Ann Ashley, and Henry Ackers. Joseph Ashley, 

 Stephen P. Sturdevant, and Peter Myers were chosen eld- 

 ers ; Joseph Ashley, clerk of session. 



Oct. 19, 1853, a call was extended to Rev. George 

 Spaulding, who accepted, and was installed pastor, Feb. 7, 

 1854. He was succeeded, October, 1860, by Rev. L. F. 

 Laine. Rev. J. H. Brown, present pastor, assumed charge 

 in February, 1874. 



A bell was procured in 1856, and a spire erected in 

 1868. In 1877-78, the church was remodeled and enlarged 

 at a cost of $4500. 



A Sunday-school was organized at the beginning, and 

 has continued prosperous. Present number, 225 ; church 

 membership, 112. Present trustees, H. S. Beebe, M. L. 

 Taylor, John E. McCaig, William Riddell, Henry Carter, 

 L. P. Weed. 



METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



Rev. John B. Hudson was the pioneer Methodist 

 preacher in Canisteo, about the year 1800. He preached 

 in nearly all the houses in the settlement, but chiefly at 

 the residences of Jeremiah Baker and Jedediah Stephens. 

 There was a revival under his ministry, and a class was 

 formed, of whom Jedediah Stephens and Abigail, his wife, 

 Mrs. Cory, mother of Mrs. Abigail Stephens, Jeremiah 

 Baker, Sr., and Anna, his wife, Benjamin Crosby, father 

 of Richard and Reuben Crosby, and his wife, were mem- 

 bers ; and later, Daniel Upson and Rachel, his wife, Elijah 

 Stephens and Abigail, his wife. 



This early class continued in existence till the present 

 organization was formed. Jedediah Stephens and Jeremiah 

 29 



Baker were the earliest class-leaders. The class in those 

 days consisted chiefly of women. Mr. Baker used to go to 

 meet his class to what is now the town of Howard. Jede- 

 diah Stephens was ordained deacon in 1808, and minister 

 in 1812. Jeremiah Baker, now living, son of Jeremiah 

 Baker, Sr., was converted in January, 1818, and united 

 with the church, and was elected steward, and has held the 

 office ever since — a period of sixty-one years. He was also 

 class-leader twelve years subsequently to joining the church. 



About the year 1850 a society was organized and a par- 

 sonage built. Trustees, Jeremiah Baker, Stephen Taylor, 

 John H. Consalus, E. L. Gray, C. P. Chamberlain, and 

 William B. Jones. 



In 1853 measures were taken to erect a church building, 

 which was finished and dedicated in 1857. Jeremiah 

 Baker, as one of the trustees, had charge of the erection 

 of the edifice. At that time Rev. Chandler Wheeler was 

 preacher in charge. The original cost of the church was 

 $4000. In the summer of 1875 it was enlarged at a cost 

 of $3000. Rev. C. E. Millspaugh was minister in charge. 



The ministers who have officiated since the building of 

 the church are the following: Rev. Chandler Wheeler, 

 1856-57; Rev. L. L. Rogers, 1858; Rev. J. M. Park, 

 1859; Rev. J. Turton, 1860; Rev. W. A. Bronson, 

 1861-62 ; Rev. A. S. Aldridge, 1863 ; Rev. Isaac Everetts, 

 1864-65; Rev. N. N. Beers, 1866; Rev. Wesley Cochran, 

 1867; Rev. F. D. Blakeslee, 1868; Rev. J. H. Blades, 

 1869-71; Rev. James Landreth, 1872-73; Rev. C. E. 

 Millspaugh, 1874-76 ; Rev. D. D. Cook, 1877-78 ; Rev. 

 J). W. Gates, present pastor. 



The church at present numbers 150 members. Yalue of 

 church property, $8000; attendance at Sunday-school, 150. 



BAPTIST CHURCH. 



The first church of this faith and order organized here 

 was a branch of the Baptist Church of Hornellsville. 



On the 30th of November, 1876, previous notice having 

 been given, a meeting was held in Riddell's Hall for the 

 purpose of organizing a Baptist Church in Canisteo, Rev. 

 D. Van Alstine presiding. It was resolved that " we whose 

 names are hereunto subscribed do now organize ourselves 

 into a regular Baptist Church, to be known as the Baptist 

 Church of Canisteo." 



T. K. Brownell, Mrs. A. M. Delaney, Mrs. Lima Covert 

 Sherman, Mrs. L. T. Crane, Mrs. Rosetta Comfort, Mrs. 

 Polly M. Cook, Mrs. Alice Jameson, Le Roy Riddell, Mrs. 

 Emeline Pratt Riddell, Mrs. Elmira A. Pratt, Mrs. Clarissa 

 Wood, Miss Diantha Bertrom, Rev. C. K. Bunnell, Mrs. 

 M. J. Bunnell, Mrs. Adeline Cooley. 



Rockwell H. Comfort and Dr. Le Roy Riddell were 

 elected deacons, and T. K. Brownell clerk. 



Rev. C. K. Bunnell has been pastor of the church since 

 Dec. 1, 1876. 



The Sunday-school was organized in December, 1876, 

 William La Croix, Superintendent. The Sunday-school 

 numbers 80 members ; church membership, 50. 



The first trustees were Rockwell H. Comfort, Le Roy 

 Riddell, J. W. Allen, T. K. Brownell, John N. Jeffers, 

 John W. Brown, M. S. Parkhill, Lyman A. Cook, and 

 William La Croix. 



