TOWN OF HORNELLSVILLE. 



331 



On that day he baptized 14 children. Three months later 

 he came again, and said mass in Judge Thurber's old brick 

 building. In three months he officiated again in the old 

 school-house, where the brick school-house now stands. 

 In 1844, Father McAvoy came and paid a visit once in 

 three months, and continued his labors about five years. 

 In 1849, Rev. Michael O'Brien came, and built a little 

 brick church, 30 by 40, on Cross Street, by the railroad. 

 The brick work was done by Adam Hill, and the carpenter 

 work by William Mahar. Father O'Brien remained about 

 two years, and was followed by Rev. Father McCabe, for 

 six months, and he by Rev. Daniel Moor, about two years, 

 and after him Father McGlew, about two years. The 

 next was Father Keenan, who remained eight years and 

 doubled the size of the church by an addition. Then 

 came Fathers Lawton and Grregg, remaining one year, and 

 was followed by Father Story, one year. Father Creedan 

 built the new church, situated on the corner of Elm Street 

 and Erie Avenue, and the convent and school-house on the 

 opposite corner. The church is a brick building, 110 by 

 60 feet, with priests' residence attached. There are 13 

 Sisters of St. Joseph, who are teachers in the school. They 

 were brought here by Rev. William J. McNab, who en- 

 larged the school-house to twice its original size. The 

 school prior to that had been supported by the town as part 

 of the common-school system. 



When the first priest came, in 1843, his parish extended 

 from Friendship to Corning, and from Rochester to the 

 Pennsylvania line. Cornelius Carroll, now living in Hor- 

 nellsville, before there was any visiting priest here, went to 

 Rochester to get his three children baptized. He went by 

 wagon to Danville, and down to Rochester by canal, and 

 was over a week in performing the journey."^ 



MASONIC. 

 EVENING STAR LODGE, NO. 44. 



From partial records, and the recollection of old mem- 

 bers, we gather the following items respecting this old 

 lodge : 



The lodge was organized in Canisteo some time before 

 1814. The first entry in the record (which has evidently 

 lost some of its preceding leaves) is dated Jan. 17, 1814, 

 at which time '^ Evening Star Lodge met for installation, 

 and installed by brethren of Ageteen Lodge, Joel Redfield, 

 Worshipful Master ; William Higgins, Past Master ; John 

 Ayers, Past Senior Warden. Brethren present, x^ndrew 

 Simpson, W. M., Timothy Perry, S. W., John Stephens, 

 J. W., James Jones, Nathaniel Thacher, William Mulhollen. 

 Visiting brethren, Andrew Morris, Uriah Stephens, Wil- 

 liam Hyde, Samuel 0. Thacher, Elias Perry, Samuel Lenox, 

 and Samuel Darby. Extra lodge called, William Stephens' 

 petition, and deposit paid ; John R. Stephens' petition, and 

 deposit paid ; William B. Jones' petition, and deposit paid ; 

 Timothy Russell's petition, and deposit paid. William 

 Stephens balloted for and accepted. John Stephens bal- 

 loted for and accepted. William Stephens initiated, John 

 R. Stephens initiated, William B. Jones initiated. The 

 lodge closed in harmony." 



* Items furnished by John Cameron, Hpri^ellsville. 



At the next monthly meeting a committee was appointed 

 " to form a code and by-laws," and were instructed '' to re- 

 port of the lodge on the next regular lodge night." 



The lodge appears to have been financially prosperous. 

 In the minutes of the September meeting, 1814, " one 

 hundred dollars and fifty cents " are reported in the treasury, 

 and the yearly dues twelve shillings. The usual fee accom- 

 panying application for admission seems to have been $4, 

 but we find this minute, " Samuel Head paid $8 for first 

 degree." Also, " Greorge Hornell's petition and deposit 

 received." '' Yoted that Brother Barnard have $10 from 



the funds of this lodge for the use of Brother and 



family." And that " all the money paid into the lodge be 

 kept for the use of the lodge." '^ Yoted that a box be pre- 

 pared, and all the money put into the same, and the treas- 

 urer keep the key." 



Dec. 23, 1814, Andrew Simpson was again chosen Master; 

 John Stephens, S. W. ; John Stephens (No. 2), J. W. ; 

 Uriah Stephens, S. D. ; Elijah Stephens, J. D. Twenty- 

 four members present at this election. " Voted that the 

 next stated lodge be held at the house of W. Mulhollen." 

 •' Voted that the steward furnish the lodge with the neces- 

 sary refreshments," 



The records then skip to " Feb., 1817," when the lodge 

 is duly chartered by De Witt Clinton, Grand Master. Rev. 

 Andrew Simpson is still Master ; William Mulhollen Sec- 

 retary. Dec. 18, 1817, William Stephens was elected 

 Master. The following year Elijah Andrew was engaged 

 '' to instruct twice a week for three months for $18, and a 

 committee was appointed " to procure a suitable room in 

 Upper Canisteo, near Hornell's, to hold Evening Star 

 Lodge." 



November, 1848. — "Resolved that Evenins; Star Lodsie 

 be removed to the house of Peter Reynolds, a few rods from 

 Davenport's." We have it from some of the old Masons at 

 Canisteo that Evening Star Lodge was moved to Almond 

 before it went to Hornellsville, to make room for the 

 chartering of another lodge, and that Morning Star Lodge, 

 No. 421 (now Morning Star Lodge, No. 65, of Canisteo), 

 was soon after chartered. Of the old Eveninor Star Lodsre, 

 Andrew Simpson was the first Master, and traversed the 

 forest twelve miles from his home in Jasper, for about four 

 years, to be present at every meeting of the lodge. 



The lodges in Hornellsville and Canisteo were the only 

 ones in the country which maintained their charter during 

 the Morgan excitement. The anti-Masonic spirit was par- 

 ticularly virulent in Hornellsville at that time, and some 

 anti-Masons threw the archives out of the window of the 

 lodge. Col. John R. Stephens, a prominent Mason at that 

 time, happening to be passing along the street, picked them 

 up and preserved them. Col. Stephens, Maj. Thomas Ben- 

 nett, and Bazy Baker met under Maj. Bennett's sign-post in 

 Hornellsville for several years, and made their returns to 

 the Grand Lodge, thus preserving their charter intact. 



After meeting at Peter Reynolds' as above stated, the 

 lodge made several other removes, each time for the better. 

 Once, while occupying a building where Harry Johnson's 

 house now stands, they were burned out, losing everything 

 but the books, which were saved with risk by the late Hon. 

 Miles W. Hawley, wbo was then secretary. 



