TOWN OF HORNELLSYILLE. 



327 



Co., where he had for several years previous been clerk in a 

 store in which his father had an interest. His first store, 

 which he built with his own hands, was a frame building, 

 about 18 by 20, and stood just opposite the present foundry 

 of Messrs. Rawson & Thacher. It was afterwards removed 

 and converted into a kitchen of the " Black Horse" tavern, 

 opposite. He built his next store just east of Main Street, 

 being part of his residence, now standing, as a tenement- 

 house, opposite Mr. Charles Hartshorn's. This house was 

 long after known as the "Eagle Tavern," kept for many 

 years by Hugh Magee. 



Mr. Davenport's next store was the first brick house 

 erected in Hornellsville, — residence and store combined, — 

 and is now occupied by Martin Adsit, Esq. He used to 

 haul his goods by team from Catskill, on the Hudson. 

 Col. Davenport had stores in many other parts of the coun- 

 try, and made a large fortune in mercantile business. In 

 1847 he removed to Bath, and there resided till his death, 

 May 2, 1868. 



His nephew, Martin Adsit, Esq., succeeded him in busi- 

 ness, and had also a bank in the same store for many years. 

 Present locality, No. 127 Main Street. 



Andy L. Smith, father of Andy L. Smith, the present 

 merchant, was the pioneer in the tanning and shoemaking 

 business, on the site of the present tannery of Mr. William 

 O'Connor. He commenced about 1816, and after carrying 

 on tanning for many years, closed that business and en- 

 gaged in mercantile pursuits. 



Dugald Cameron, son of the agent of the Pulteney estate 

 at Bath, settled in Hornellsville about 1814. He occupied 

 lands owned by his father, and carried on lumbering as his 

 chief occupation. He was also a farmer, and at one time 

 held the office of justice of the peace. 



POSTMASTERS. 



The first postmaster in the town was Judge Hornell. 

 There is an impression that he was succeeded by one of his 

 sons, but it is uncertain. Col. Ira Davenport was the next 

 incumbent of the office, and held it many years. He was 

 succeeded by Dr. Manning Kelly, who resigned in 1832. 

 John R. Morris was then appointed, and held the office 

 nine years, when he was superseded, under Tyler's adminis- 

 tration, by John K. Hale, who held the office during the 

 balance of the presidential term. Under Mr. Polk, in 1845, 

 Maj. Thomas J. Reynolds received the appointment. The 

 election of Gen. Taylor, in 1848, changed the order of 

 things, and upon his incoming administration Martin Adsit 

 became the incumbent, and held the office till the adminis- 

 tration of President Pierce, when Andy L. Smith received 

 the appointment, and held the office for a short time, when 

 he was succeeded by Dr. Luman A. Ward, who held the 

 office under Buchanan's administration. He was succeeded, 

 under Mr. Lincoln, by E. G. Durfey, who was followed by 

 J. W. Shelly. S. M. Thacher was his successor, and re- 

 mained in office till the appointment of the present incum- 

 bent, F. M. Cronkrite. 



SCHOOLS. 



The first school in Hornellsville of which we have any 

 account, was established under the patronage of Judge Hor- 



nell about the year 1810. It was taught by Miss Sarah 

 Thacher, in a block-house which was then standing near 

 the residence of Deacon Mowry Thacher, a brother of the 

 ^ lady. The first school-house built in the village was of 

 hewed logs, and stood on the site of the present cabinet- 

 factory of Messrs. Deutsch, Tschachtli & Co. It was built 

 about 1813. Mr. Thacher remembers being at school in it 

 when peace was declared with Great Britain, and one of the 

 large scholars, to celebrate that event, wrote the word 

 " Peace" in large letters, and attached the slip to his hat- 

 band. This was the first district school, now District No. 

 7. The first teacher was a man by the name of Dudley 

 Miller, who is described as a " tall and lean specimen of 

 humanity, with military boots and little tassels hanging 

 from the tops." It is said that he was a great gallant, but 

 met with about as much success among the fair Katrinas 

 of the Canisteo as his ancient counterpart, the hero of Sleepy 

 Hollow. This building was burned down, and a small frame 

 school-house was built on the site of what is now the Can- 

 isteo Block, corner of Main and Church Streets. It was 

 moved off at the time the Presbyterian church was built. 

 Among the teachers in this building were George Hornell, 

 Jr , Uriah Stephens, and James Osborne. Solomon Head, 

 irreverently called " Old Head," by the boys, was also a 

 teacher about this time, and was followed by John Hunt- 

 ington, a brother of ex-senator Huntington, of Bath. He 

 was succeeded by Rev. Samuel White, Mary Morris, Par- 

 melia Stephens, and others. Deacon Mowry Thacher taught 

 three winters, and was followed by John S. Livermore, Dr. 

 Thomas, and Orange McCay. 



In 1833 the district purchased the land for a school lot 

 on the point between Canisteo and Church Streets for $40, 

 and the " Old Red School-House" was built at a cost of 

 about 1200. The dimensions of the building were 22 by 

 28 feet. Ira Davenport was the architect. The first teachers 

 who taught in it were Washington Cruger, Samuel Porter, 

 H. V. R. Lord, and Samuel Street. The latter taught for 

 a considerable length of time, and is better remembered 

 than any of the early teachers by many now living, who 

 during that period attended the district school. Many 

 farmers' sons came in and boarded in the village, and at- 

 tended school during the winter months. Mr. Street was 

 somewhat severe in his government, but he possessed a 

 kindly. Christian heart, and always commanded the respect 

 of his pupils. He was followed by Hiram Bennett, Esq., 

 and afterwards, Hiram Hood, John McAlmant, Orson B. 

 Clark and others taught the school. 



In the summer of 1844 the new school-house, west of the 

 park, was built. Mr. Clark finished his term in this build- 

 ing, and was succeeded by Mr. Street, who was again em- 

 ployed as teacher. After him came the followmg : E. B. 

 Coon, A. E. Crane, Prof D. Ford, of Alfred, Myron Hurl- 

 but, of Arkport, N. S. Scott, Horace Bemis, Mr. Merriman, 

 Redmond D. Stephens, R. R. Rork, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Baker, 

 Erastus Williams, J, H. Strong, Benton C. Rude, Elizabeth 

 Bartholomew, Rev. S. D. Booram, H. J. Danforth, A. G. 

 Harrington, Mr. Murphy, W. T. Dunmore, and D. L. Free- 

 born. 



James Taggart, Asa Upson, and Stephen Coon were 

 the first school commissioners of the town of Hornellsville, 



