TOWN OF URBANA. 



415 



Samuel Waterous ; Collector, Frank Covert; Clerk, Wm. 

 W. Wright. 



1869. — Trustees: Nelson Jewell, Matthew HeiFerman, 

 Jacob Frey, Ed. W. Cotton, Bela R. Streety ; Assessors, 

 Robert Snow, A. A. White, David Costerline ; Treasurer, 

 Peter Morsell ; Collector, Frank M. Covert ; Clerk, James 

 Donnelly. 



1870.— Trustees : Jacob Frey, Allen Wood, Deloss Rose, 

 G. W. Nichols, B. Frank Drew ; Assessors, Grattan H. 

 Wheeler, John Randel, Benjamin Myrtle ; Treasurer, J. S. 

 Thorp; Collector, Francis M. Covert; Clerk, William W. 

 Wright. 



NEW CHARTER. 



At a special election, held on the 24th day of January, 

 1871, it was determined, by vote, to reincorporate the village 

 under the general law passed April 20, 1870. Thirty-six 

 votes were cast, 33 of which were in favor of the change, 

 and the new charter was accordingly adopted. The officers 

 elected March 21, 1871, were, Absalom Hadden, President; 

 George W. Nichols, Allen Wood, and Walter L. Moore, 

 Trustees; Benjamin F. Drew was chosen Treasurer; and 

 George C. Wise, Collector. At the first meeting of the 

 board, William W. Wright was chosen Clerk ; David Burch, 

 Police Constable ; and J. B. Van Auken, Chief Engineer 

 of the Fire Department. The president was authorized to 

 procure a seal and an order-book for the village, and the 

 regular meetings were appointed for Tuesday evening of 

 each week. At the following meeting, March 28, 1871, 

 David Costerline was appointed Street Commissioner. 



The following have been chosen presidents of the village 

 under the new charter : Absalom Hadden, 1872; Grattan 

 H. Wheeler, 1873; B. R. Streety, 1874; S. S. Fairchild, 

 1875; 0. H. Babcock, 1876; Grattan H. Wheeler, Jr., 

 1877; Trevor Moore, 1878. 



The following have served as trustees of the village for 

 the years named : George W. Nichols, Allen Wood, Wal- 

 ter L. Moore, 1871 ; Grattan H. Wheeler, Allen Wood, 

 George W. Nichols, 1872; S. S. Fairchild, G. E. Rosen- 

 krans, Allen Wood, 1873 ; Robert G. Snow, John W. Davis, 

 David Costerline, 1874 ; Jules Masson, Patrick York, David 

 Costerline, 1875 ; Jacob Frey, Jules Masson, Patrick York, 

 1876; Patrick York, John R. Brown, Jacob Frey, 1877 ; 

 George E. Rosenkrans, John R. Brown, Patrick York, 

 1878. 



The treasurers under the new charter have been Ben- 

 jamin F. Drew, 1871-76 ; James S. Thorp, 1876 ; Henry 

 C. Ainsworth, 1877 and 1878. 



The collectors under the new charter have been George 

 C. Wise, 1871; Addison Damoth, 1872; Francis M. 

 Covert, 1873-75; John Wager, 1875; Jabez C. Mills, 

 1876 ; Daniel Damoth, 1877 and 1878. 



Hobart J. Moore has been regularly appointed corpora- 

 tion clerk, and has served in that capacity since 1872. 



In April, 1871, the fire department was reorganized un- 

 der Jacob B. Van Auken as Chief Engineer, Almon H. 

 Eggleston, First Assistant, and Wm. Benner, Second As- 

 sistant ; 25 members were added to the company, and 

 the board made an appropriation for the repairs of the en- 

 gine and engine-house. Improvements have gone steadily 

 on ; the creek, known as the Gulf Stream, has been sub- 



stantially walled at considerable expense, and sidewalks laid 

 and kept in good repair in every part of the village. It 

 would be difficult to find a village where the effects of good 

 corporation regulations and careful enterprise on the part 

 of the board are more apparent than in Hammondsport. 



CHURCHES. 

 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, HAMMONDSPORT. 



The Presbyterian Church of Hammondsport was organ- 

 ized Sept. 14, 1831. A committee of the Presbytery of 

 Bath, consisting of Rev. Isaac W. Piatt, Rev. S. White, 

 Mr. Elam Bridges, and Mr. Bauchman, the two latter rul- 

 ing elders, met at Hammondsport for the purpose of or- 

 ganizing a Presbyterian Church, at which time the follow- 

 ing persons, members of different Presbyterian Churches, 

 presented letters of dismission from their respective churches, 

 namely : Samuel A. Hastings, Lucinda Daniels, Eliza C. 

 Flagler, Augustus Moody, Thomas Judd, Thomas White, 

 and Stephen K. Tourtellot, whereupon the committee or- 

 ganized them into a Presbyterian Church. The church 

 then elected Samuel A. Hastings a ruling elder, and he 

 was set apart to his office in the usual way, the exercises 

 being concluded with prayer. 



Judge Hammond gave the lot upon which Wm. Hastings 

 built the first house of worship, and gave it to the society. 

 This is the house now occupied as the Catholic church. 



Hammondsport then gave promise of becoming a large 

 place, a centre of business enterprise and trade, being 

 largely patronized by the surrounding country and towns. 

 Many people moved in during that year. It was a year of 

 great revivals in many places, and also in this place. Meet- 

 ings were held by Rev. Mr. Finney with great success. 



Rev. Mr. Flagler was the first pastor of this church, 

 remaining one year and a half, during which time 43 were 

 added. Arrangements were made for holding a series of 

 meetings, but failing to do so they were afterwards con- 

 ducted by Rev. Mr. Ordway and Rev. Mr. Rudd, of Pratts- 

 burgh. These meetings resulted in many conversions. 



The second pastor was Rev. Mr. Adams, who remained 

 a year and nine months ; 24 were added during his minis- 

 try. That year, especially the fall of 1834, was a sad time 

 for Hammondsport. A terrible fever prevailed, which was 

 also prevalent in many other places that season, causing 

 many deaths. So general and so fatal was this fever that 

 many became disheartened, and quite a number removed 

 from the place. 



Rev. Mr. Delevan was the third pastor. He was a young 

 man just entered upon the ministry ; was married while 

 here, and his wife died here. He stayed with the church 

 three-fourths of a year, during which time 40 were added. 



The fourth pastor was Rev. R. E. Wilson, whose minis- 

 terial labors were also begun here, and for fourteen years 

 he continued the faithful shepherd of his flock, " leading 

 them into green pastures and beside the still waters.'* 

 During his ministry 133 were added. During the winter 

 and spring of 1843 there was an interesting series of meet- 

 ings, Mr. Wilson being assisted by Rev. Mr. Miner, of 

 Penn Yan. 



The present house of worship was dedicated in 1847. 

 The society purchased the parsonage in 1849. In the win- 



