TOWN OF COHOCTON. 



241 



Brownson, and Levi Smith. Samuel D. Wells and Jonas 

 Cleland were chosen Poundmasters. 



It was voted that a bounty of $5 be given for each wolfs 

 scalp, and $10 for that of a panther. The bounty for 

 wolves' scalps was afterwards raised to $20. Twenty dol- 

 lars per head made wolf-hunting in those days for a time 

 profitable ; many scalps were taken and brought in, and the 

 bounty paid. 



The records of the town from 1813 to 1839 appear to 

 have been lost, — at least they are not to be found in the 

 town clerk's office. We have, however, by diligent search 

 in the county clerk's office, and from other sources of in- 

 formation, been able to supply in some measure the defi- 

 ciency. 



From 1823 to 1826, inclusive, Paul C. Cook was super- 

 visor, and was followed by David Weld in 1827 and 1828. 

 Paul C. Cook was again supervisor in 1829 and 1830. 

 Then followed David Weld for the year 1831, and then 

 John Nichoson for 1832, when Paul C. Cook was again 

 elected, and held the office for three consecutive years. In 

 1836, Elias Stephens was chosen supervisor; then Paul C. 

 Cook again for 1837 and 1838. The rest of the super- 

 visors, together with other town officers, will be found in 

 the tabulated statement below. 



Lucius Shattuck held the office of town clerk for twenty- 

 three consecutive years, and was the incumbent of that 

 office at the time of his death, in 1852. 



The first justices of the peace, by appointment, in the 

 town of Cohocton, were John Slack, James Barnard, Jonas 

 Cleland, and Frederick Blood. Others who held the 

 office at a later day were Constant Cook, John Nichoson, 

 Paul C. Cook, Thomas A. Bowles, John Hess, J. P. Brace, 

 Simeon Holmes, and Myron M. Patchin. Some of these 

 were in what is now the town of Wayland, which was then 

 included in Cohocton. Below will be found a list of the 

 justices of the peace from 1839 to the present time. 



At the election for senators and members of Assembly 

 in 1814, the town of Cohocton gave four votes each for 

 Joseph Kirkland, Joshua Forman, Valentine Brother, and 

 Jared Sanford, for senator, and one vote each to Philetus 

 Swift, Chauncey Loomis, Bennett Becknell, and John J. 

 Pendergrast. For member of Assembly, Moses Van Cam- 

 pen received 25 votes, and Daniel Cruger 39 votes. Samuel 

 D. Wells, John Stark, Francis Blakely, and Samuel Bhodes, 

 inspectors of election. 



In 1816, Daniel D. Tompkins received 15 votes for Gov- 

 ernor, and Bufus King 14 votes. For Lieutenant-Governor, 

 John Taylor received 14 votes, and George Tibbitts 15 

 votes. Daniel Cruger had 71 votes for member of Con- 

 gress, and Enos T. Throup 71 ; Elijah Miller 52, and Elea- 

 zer Lindley 52. 



The political status of the town of Cohocton was gener- 

 ally Democratic, up to the year 1856, yet, in 1840, it caught 

 up the rallying cry of ^' Tippecanoe and Tyler too," and gave 

 a decided majority for Gen, Harrison for President. But 

 after the effect of the " Hard Cider" wore off, and it had 

 emerged from the " log cabins," it went back to the Demo- 

 cracy. In 1856 it gave over 200 majority for Fremont, 

 and since that memorable campaign, till the annexation of 

 a portion of Prattsburgh, in 1874, has been a decidedly 

 31 



Republican town. The political parties since then have 

 been more nearly equally divided. 



During the Fremont campaign, a terrible accident occurred 

 in the village of Liberty, which cast a pall of gloom over 

 the place for a long time. While the excitement of the 

 canvass was running high, a cannon had been procured to 

 give vent to Republican enthusiasm, and to invite, by the 

 reverberations of its thundering voice, the inhabitants of 

 the neighboring hills to a mass-meeting, then in progress at 

 the village. The cannon was being discharged in the road 

 (which was full of people), just above the residence of 

 Amos Stone, when it exploded, throwing heavy pieces of 

 iron in every direction, endangering the lives of many. 

 One of the pieces struck and fatally wounded Wallace Hen- 

 dryx, son of Thomas Hendryx, a merchant of the village ; 

 another piece struck and badly injured Albert H. Weld, 

 but he afterwards fully recovered. Young Hendryx died 

 the next morning, and his sad and untimely death was 

 mourned by all. He was a universal favorite among all 

 with whom he was acquainted. 



It will be appropriate in this connection to speak of some 

 of the citizens of this town, who have held important posi- 

 tions of responsibility and trust by the suffrages of the 

 people. Paul C. Cook, for many years a merchant at Lib- 

 erty, and prominently identified with the political as well 

 as business history of the town, was chosen by the Demo- 

 crats of his Assembly district to represent them in the 

 State Legislature, in 1827. He was re-elected to the As- 

 sembly in 1830. In 1844 he was elected county clerk, 

 and changed his residence from Liberty to Bath, where he 

 continued to reside. He was re-elected county clerk in 

 1847, and discharged the duties of this, as well as all the 

 responsible offices which he filled, in a highly creditable and 

 satisfactory manner. 



Richard Brower was formerly a merchant in the village 

 of Liberty, and did business in the former store of Paul C. 

 Cook, previous to its occupancy by Dan. H. Davis. He 

 owned the farm now belonging to Amos Stone, which he 

 sold to David Rumsey, of Bath, and the latter sold to Mr. 

 Stone. In 1839, Mr. Brower was elected by the Demo- 

 cratic party of this district to represent them in the State 

 Legislature. 



At the election held in 1859, C. J. McDowell was chosen 

 district attorney for Steuben Co., and held the office three 

 years. He was especially adapted to discharge the respon- 

 sible duties of that important office, and he administered it 

 with zeal, efficiency, and honor. His term of office was 

 distinguished by the unrelaxing vigor and persistency with 

 which he prosecuted criminals, who were then banded to- 

 gether in large numbers to resist or evade the law, and de- 

 feat the ends of justice. The breaking up of these bands, 

 sending some to the State-prison, and causing others to flee 

 the country, were the acceptable fruits of his administration. 

 Mr. McDowell has possessed in a large degree the confidence 

 and esteem of his town's people, who have several times 

 elected him to the office of supervisor. 



At the fall election of 1873, Stephen Shattuck was elected 

 to represent the district in the Assembly. He served ac- 

 ceptably during the term, and was re-elected and returned 

 the following year, and during the session distinguished 



