The First School House in the Town was Built in 1800, and the
First Church was Erected in 1808.
Mr. Editor:--By request I will give you
a few names of the first settlers of the town of Pompey.
Asa Barnes came to Pompey in 1793, and purchased a farm near Oran.
Phineas and Roswell his brothers came at the same time. Duane
Barnes and family are the only ones of the name left in town. Job
Bartholomew came about the same time. He built the first hotel
at Oran in 1796. The first school house was built in 1800,
and the first church in 1808.
Josiah Holbrook and family came in 1793 and settled a little
east of what is Pompey Center. There are
five great grand-sons living near the old homestead and two grand-sons
in DeWitt, Levi S., and Josiah E. Josiah G. Holbrook was one
of the first subscribers to the Pompey Academy fund from which so
many eminent men have gone forth to fill places of honor and trust,
such as Governors; United States Senators, two, Geo. H. Williams
and Frank Hiscock; two Judges, Morgan and Williams, a number
of Congressmen and other important stations too
numerous to mention. Mr. Holbrook died in 1831, at the age of 73.
David Green came in 1796. He took up 300 acres
of land at what is now Pompey Center. Several of the building
lots were purchased of him. A grand-daughter, Mrs. Robert
Moore, owns and resides on the east half of the original purchase.
Timothy Sweet came in 1794 and purchased a farm about two miles north
of Pompey Hill, where his grand-son, Wheaton B. Sweet,
now resides. Mr. Sweet was one of the most
prominent farmers at that time in the county. He introduced
into the town and county that famous breed of cattle known as
the short horned stock. Mr. Geddes said in 1857 that
one of the cows of that stock gave 40 quarts of milk
in a day; a few such as that now would be worth a small fortune.
Mr. Sweet paid $500 for a cow and calf to begin with. He was
the father of nine children; Horace was the youngest and he
was father to Wheaton B., who resides on the old Homestead, and also
of the Sweet Bros., in the city.
Jesse Butler came in 1792 and bought 100 acres on
Pompey Hill. He returned to Connecticut that fall and the next
spring he and George Catlin came with their families on a sled drawn
by oxen, each owning one, the two women having young
children to care for. They came from Whitestown to Pompey
mostly by marked trees. Orange Butler was the first
male white child born in Pompey.
Asa Wells came to Pompey Hill in 1803;
he was the father of Levi Wells, who was quite a noted
man in Pompey. He was Justice of the Peace for 32 years and Supervisor
18 years and died with the harness on. Lucien B., another son
was a very able physician in 1870, he was chosen President of the Homoeopathic
State Medical Society.
David Williams came in 1791. He was married at the
age of 21. The day after their marriage he
killed a bear. He lived north of Watervale and was a successful farmer.
He died at the good old age of 93.
Henry Seymour came to Pompey Hill at an early day. He was
father of Horatio who was born in 1811,
and became one of New York's very noted men. He was
twice elected Governor of the State and
served them faithfully and well. His
second term was during the Rebellion and he proved himself
equal to the task.
Daniel Gott and Victory Birdseye were two more
of Pompey's noted men. They were two very
prominent lawyers and they were both elected twice to represent this
Congressional District at Washington. Mr. Birdseye was
elected to the Legislature twice and the Senate once. He was a member
of the Constitutional convention in 1821.
John Smith was another of the early settlers near
Pompey Hill. In after years he was one of the prominent
men of the town. He was Justice of the Peace for
a long term of years, and was Supervisor 12 years. He died in 1872
at the age of 86.
Lyman Morgan was another of the early settlers near Pompey Hill.
His eldest son Leroy became quite noted. He was Judge
of the Court of Common Pleas and Surrogate of Onondaga
Co. In 1859 he was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court
for a term of 8 years, and at the expiration he was re-elected without
opposition.
Paul Clapp settled in the north-west part of the town. He
had three sons, John, Chester and Carleton, who were among
the very best farmers in Pompey.