2000 --These pages are part of the Schuyler co., NY Genweb page.
Not for commercial use without permission of the owner.
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Memories of Cayutaville, early 1900s
Hector, Schuyler co., NY
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Memories of the Cayutaville Church & vicinity,
with local names & some genealogy
from
Henrietta States, Christine Leonard, Dorinda Ryan,
Viola Harvey, Marilyn McCarty,  & Gert Chapman,
Compiled in the 1980s.
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Contributed by Nancy Rogers & her father Orman Goodyear Charles.
Typed for the website by Nancy Rogers & Karen Dickson.
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This material was collected and intended for publication, but we don't believe it was ever published in any form until now.  Please let us know if you have come across this in a book.
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* Henrietta States--Cayutaville Church Weathered Difficulties.
* Dorinda Ryan--Memories of Cayutaville Church.
* Viola Harvey--My Memories of Cayutaville.
                           [esp. Sherwood store, Cayutaville Band, Plays, witnessing the Church fire].
* Marilyn McCarty--My Memories of Cayutaville. [esp. Pauline "Lina" Sherwood]
* Christine Leonard's Memories, from farm to farm, remembering the occupants, with lots of
                           local names and genealogy notes inserted.
* Gert Chapman--Memories of Cayutaville (esp. church suppers), with Chapman-Dickson genealogy notes.

Typist Note: Once again I need to give thanks to my father Orman Goodyear Charles.  It was while I was visiting him this summer 2000 that he allowed me to take this set memories.  This gentleman is now in his 92nd year and going strong.  -- Nancy (Charles) Rogers

Introduction
The church in Cayutaville, a place once known as Little Flats, is relatively new but its history stems back more than a century.  Some of that history was gathered by Mrs. Alfred STATES as part of a federal project during the depression days of the 1930’s.  Boys and girls attending Bible school there in the summer of 1934, two years before the Old Church burned, collected more history as a project.  Mrs. States loaned her notes for use in this article.
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Little Flats was one of many areas of the sparsely populated country-side once served only by circuit preachers.  Worship services were held in a local schoolhouse as early as 1841 and residents hoped to establish their own church.   Then, as now, life in the community tied in closely with Mecklenburg and, although there have been years when Cayutaville had its own pastor, most of the decades found the two little villages sharing a minister, as today.

In due time, Cayutaville folds bought the Good Templar’s Temperance hall located on the corner south of the William MOOT home.  (There were MOOTs on the Connecticut Hill road.)  It was moved to the present church site on to land owned by John BEEBE.  Records say the land was purchased in 1855 and that the Methodists’ Quarterly Conference two years later was held in the
Cayutaville Chapel.

An organ and a Bible were given by Floyd TRACEY, and the first organist was Mrs. Sarah MOOT.  Prior to that time, David MOOT had led the singing, using a tuning for to get the pitch.  A Reverend Mr. MAYNARD was pastor.

Among the list of members making donations of window were: Martha TRACEY, Dr. and Mrs. O. B. SHERWOOD, Susan B. TODD, Eli DICKENS, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander SMITH and Mr. and Mrs. Andrew JACKSON.   [typist note:  an Andrew Jackson CHARLES was also a resident of this area, connected to the Town of Catharine CHARLES family.]

Late in 1933, Mrs. Sarah WILLIAMS donated the church’s first bell in memory of Mary FLOWER.  The next spring, the little congregation began extensive refurbishing of the interior.  Seats were unvarnished and refinished.

An 1897 mural, which could no longer be preserved, was removed from behind the pulpit.  The pulpit was rescued from storage at Branchport, carted back and refinished.  The minister, the Revered Asa A. NICHOLS, gave it a new oak top which was varnished by William WOOD.  Mrs. Myron SEARS upholstered the Bible stand.

 Boys at the Vacation Bible School made chairs for Sunday school pupils and the girls made cushions.  Ingenuity was the prime mover of those difficult days, and the latter furniture was made from packing boxes and crates.  Many hours of volunteer labor completed the job within the building barely two years before it burned.

Today an attractive rural church graces the site, built in spite of residents’ personal financial struggle in recovering (along with the rest of the United States) from that depression.   Many of the refinements which could not be afforded at first have been added through the years.

Cayutaville’s citizens continue to raise money by public dinners and other humble means to keep their place of worship functioning at time when many country churches are being forced to close.  It is the spirit of the American pioneer shining through.

My earliest memories of the Cayutaville Church were probably in 1920.  It was Christmas celebration.  A number of small children sang a carol.  I don’t remember what it was but we were on the riser at the font of the church.  The minister’s name was DARROW but I cannot recall the first name.

The church was a large building located where Larry and Janet BROWN now reside.  There was also a row of sheds for stabling horses and wagons. There was large entryway with double doors leading into the sanctuary.  Two very large stoves with long pipes were here to provide heat.  It was these pipes that later caused the fire.

On the front wall back of the pulpit was a huge picture.  I enjoyed looking at it when the sermon was too long.  Each Sunday morning all six of the children were driven to church by the oldest brother in the wagon to services.  Later after I learned to play the piano, I played the pump organ.
As I could never remember to pump, the minister would prompt me halfway through a hymn by saying softly, “Pump, Dorinda.”

In later yeas, I helped with the Vacation Bible School, taught Sunday School and helped with harvest suppers.  Social activities were held in a building where the present church now stands.  Verne ROGERS moved it and it is still back of  his barn.  I believe that at one time it was a store.

For several years in the 1930’s an annual Old Home Days was held on the church grounds.  Due to lack of interest and changing times, it was not continued.

As I have travelled over the years, I see many small churches abandoned, turned into antique shops or even homes.  I always feel proud that this tiny country parish has continued to be active and independent.  It is certainly a part of our heritage and deserves the support of both former and present members of our community.

Watkins Express, March 10, 1887.  "Cayutaville is to have a new Postmaster in
the person of Mr. J. F. TACEY [TRACEY].  He was appointed Postmaster General and succeeds Dr. O. B. SHERWOOD".

When I was a little girl, we had to drive to Cayutaville to get our mail.  The post Office was in the old store which has been tore down.  Dr. SHERWOOD ran the store as well as being Postmaster.  He always took down a jar of stick candy and let me pick out my favorite.  At one time, my father furnished the horses that brought the stage from Ithaca with the mail.

I can remember the first time I talked on a telephone.  A company was organized to build a telephone line.  My father bought shares - - it was organized by Dr. O.B. SHERWOOD.  There were several parties on the line and the central was in the Cayutaville Store.  Lina SHERWOOD operated the switchboard.

For many years the hall over the store was the place where many social gatherings took place.  Many church socials were held there.  Everyone took food and we probably paid 10 cents or 25 cents for supper.  The young folds played kissing games.

There were also “sociables” around at the neighbors.  Sometimes necktie-nightcap-shadow socials.  The ladies made the neckties, etc., and the men bought them and took that lady to supper.

Cayutaville had quite a band at one time directed by Verne WILLIAMS.  They met in the all over the store to practice and we kids would dance.  Some of the members were Art JACKSON, George SMITH, Ray DICKENS, Ed MOOT, Chester LEONARD, Charles ELDRED, Don BENNETT, Darwin WOODFORD, Homer DICKENS, and Floyd CARPENTER.  Probably others whose names I can’t remember.  The band did very well and played at fairs, etc.

For several years, Cayutaville had an “Old Home Day.”  It was very well organized and was held on the old church grounds.  People came from long distances and met old friends and new.  There were usually a speaker and entertainment.  This was 40 or so years ago.  [c.1945]  I think Ione HAVENS has pictures of some of  the gatherings.

The “Ladies Aide” used to put on plays.  I can remember two that I especially liked.  In the first play the spinsters all met and decided to go in search of men.  They tried to make themselves more attractive and in the second play “The Spinsters Return” they returned and told of their successes in getting men.  It was all very funny.  My mother came dressed as a squaw
and had married a full-blooded “Pi U Eat” Indian.  (Typist note: Please remember that this took place in the later 19th and early part of the 20th century.)

Grace DICKENS and I were twins and sang a duet.  Our step-mother had married a man with many children.  Elvin STRANG had built a new barn and the play was put on there.

How well I remember the day the old church burned.  It was a cold day and I walked up to church.  I was sitting with Lina SHERWOOD.  Harry SHERWOOD had built a big fire in the stoves in the back of the church to warm the congregation.  The minister was preaching but we kept hearing this snapping sound in the back. I was very nervous and whispered to Lina that I had to go and investigate.  Gus CHAPMAN sat behind us and said, “I’ll go.”  He was gone only a few minutes when he came back saying, “the church is all on fire.”  Birds had built nests in the chimneys and they had not been cleaned. There was a metal ceiling in the church and the fire had spread above that.  We all worked hard to carry out the pews and everything else that could be
moved from the building, but the church could not be saved.

Many Christmas entertainments and trees were held in the old church as well as the new.  As a little girl, I can remember how scared I was to get up and speak a piece in front of  “all those people.”  I remember there were no electric lights or furnaces then and so it was quite a lot of work to get ready for such an event.  People drove their horses and tied them in the church “sheds” which are no more.

I remember church more in the old church than the new, although I was on some kind of committee when the new church was moved and built.  I kept some records but understand they have been lost.  Church was at 2:00 PM Sundays as the minister lived in Mecklenburg and preached there first.  We usually had Sunday School.  Linda DICKENS (BEEBE) played the organ and the choir was usually Susan STRANG, Home and Della DICKENS, Ed MOOT, Ray DICKENS and Lina SHERWOOD.  Later Edith SHERWOOD played the organ.  Three ladies I remember who always came to church and sat together were Ursula PECK, Aline SHERWOOD,
and Ann BRINK.  They were sisters and dressed primly in their black bonnets and black silk dresses.

The old store was a great gathering place for the men of the neighborhood.  In the evenings they gathered around the old iron stove and swapped stories. Dwight SHERWOOD, son of Dr. Orlando SHERWOOD ran the store then and for many years.

After the church burned, meetings and church services were held in the old store formerly owned by Mason WILSON.  We had many parities, dinner etc. there.  I can remember our putting on a play there, “The Little Clodhopper,” probably about 50 or more years ago.  Seeley DECKER bought this building and it is now on the farm now owned by the son of John ROGERS.

The new church was moved from Mecklenburg to the spot where it now stands.

One minister and family I so well remember was Mr. John DARROW.  He was at Cayutaville and Mecklenburg several years.  He and his family visited people in both localities and made many friends.  I was teaching in the Lake School and he came to school and gave the pupils a little talk and encouraged them to come to Sunday School.

My mother Pauline SHERWOOD was called by all from miles around “Aunt Lina.”  She was born August 5, 1877 and died October 13, 1974 at 97 years of age.  She married Dwight SHERWOOD February 28, 1900.  He passed away June 8, 1913.  He conducted a general store for many years.  Before their marriage, Pauline was a second grade teacher and after their marriage she worked in the store as well as being telephone operator and Post Office mistress.  She was always there to listen to anyone’s problems.  I can remember her going out to the shore in the middle of the night.  The key to the store was about six inches long with a hinge in the middle.  There was a big tall man – six foot and over –Granger FORD, who lived in the swamp was always getting her up to go to the store and she did.

The one thing she said about the church was always leave it open as it should be a refuge for anyone needing shelter or a place to stay overnight.  She loved her grandchildren and saw them all in school,  one grandchild married.  Marcus, my husband, said she was one of  her kind and when they made the mold they threw it away after her.  She was a great lady and I hope I have carried on some of her upbringing and loving care.

"I should like to start where the Cayuta Lake School was located.  My parents, Ezra and Sarah (PALMER) LEONARD, sister Marie and myself, moved to the neighborhood in November 1905.  They had spent most of the year finishing the house and getting moved.  Della DEAN (later Mrs. Laverne WILLIAMS) [dau of Wm. I. & Milly (BOTSFORD) DEAN], was my first teacher and an exceptional one.  Being practically a stranger to all the students it was hard to adjust.  The students at the time were:  Ruth and Frances SYDNEY; Richard, Mary, and Ruth VAN LOON; Clarence ERWAY, Charles GARDNER, Louis DEAN, Viola SMITH [Mrs. Robert L. (HARVEY),dau of  Ward & Gertrude (CHAPMAN) SMITH] ; Bertha LOVELESS and myself.  I have tried to find out the year the school was built.  Delbert (Adelbert) VAN LOON, who was born in 1865 [married Cordelia MOOT, dau of Alfred & Caroline (PORTER) MOOT], said his father (Samuel) helped build it and  Delbert attended school there.

Next was a large farm and a large farmhouse and outbuildings owned by the BURKE family.  Murray BURKE, a bachelor, lived there as well as other family members.  Murray spent the spring and summer working at logging on Columbia River in his younger years, then spent the remainder here.  We had to carry our drinking water for the school from a well on the BURKE property.  A tin pail and a long-handled dipper were in the school entry.  Everyone drank from the same dipper.

The next farm going north was owned by Seager TODD, a salesman for Leary Plow Co.  William DEAN and family lived here.  There was an apple orchard and my dad always trimmed the trees.  In the fall they picked the apples and packed several barrels of them.  Mr. DEAN would drive his team on a big wagon and take them to Elmira.

When I was still in grades, I wanted to go to Odessa to try Regents, but had no way to go.  Mr. DEAN happened to come to our house and I had been crying and of course Mother told (him).  He said, "Never mind, you get ready and I'll take you."  He had an old gray horse and he drove him as fast as he could go and got me to school in time and waited until I was through.  That's the kind of people in the neighborhood.  Always doing for one another.  Many people owned and rented the property, but the last ones were Richard and Mabel VAN LOON and family.  Mabel passed away in 1960.  Richard sold the farm but lived there for awhile and then moved to Odessa.

Next was the home of Ersula PECK [dau of Tillinghast & Nancy BROWN], mother of Maude, Albert, Grace (Mrs. Ralph STANLEY) and Anna Belle (Mrs. Fred CHAPMAN).  Anna & Fred had one son, Donald who died in May 1932.

On the right on the crossroad leading to Connecticut Hill (now the Leonard road), was our home.  My father was a carpenter and he helped build the Odessa Town Hall, which has been demolished.  Dad rode a bicycle to Odessa and worked for $1.25 per day.  He also worked out by the day...picked fruit, peas, etc.  She [my mother] made butter and packed for customers for winter.  There was always a large garden and the cellar was always filled with canned goods, pickles, etc.-- enough to last through the winter.

In late November, my parents drove a horse to Montour Falls and bought their winter's supply of sugar, flour and other necessities and what clothes we needed.  Usually by December 1st, the road was closed until the next spring.
The old home was torn down in 1970 by owners, John & Fran LEONARD and replaced by a lovely log home made from trees Minor [her son] planted on our farm when he was about 15yrs old.  Next on Main Road (north) on the right side was a house owned by Ward and Gertrude (CHAPMAN) SMITH and their three girls, Viola, Sabella, and Audrey.  Mr. SMITH was a butcher.  He had a slaughter house where he killed all types of animals and food.  He would butcher all day and early the next morning he would load his meat wagon and with a team of horses leave very early with his load for Ithaca and Knight's Meat Market.  This [house was] later owned by Dorian FROST and wife, Janice. [It] burned to the ground on December 3, 1975, and one little girl, Tina, was lost in the fire and another, Tammy, badly burned.  The house has been replaced by a log house.

Next on the right is a large house built by Harrison CHAPMAN in 1894 to replace a small one which was moved.  Told to me by the family, the windows, hardware and nails cost $30.50.  Harrison [son of James & Phebe Ann (HAYNES) CHAPMAN] was married to Viola SNYDER [dau of John & Fanny (CHURCH) SNYDER].  His mother, "Grandma" OWENS  had an apartment upstairs in the new house.  Viola and Harrison had three sons: Augustus, Frederick, and Harry and one daughter, Gertrude [Mrs. Ward SMITH].  The home is now owned by Wayne and Barbara CHAPMAN and their three daughters, Nancy, Brenda and Karen.

Directly across the road was a farm owned by John [son of Albert & Mary Jane (MURRAY) BEEBE] & Emma [MURCH]BEEBE, who had no children.  Emma's sister, Edith DEGRAW lived with them.  She taught school at the Lake School abt 1910-12.  In 1932 Howard and I bought the farm and moved here. We farmed it and later Howard went to Ward LaFrance in Elmira Heights for abt 15 years.  We had one son, Minor and one daughter, Doris.  We bought the James WILLIAMS property on the west side of the road and gave Robert KNAPP and his wife, Mary (NEWGARD) some property where they put a mobile home in April 1965, replaced with a nice log home in November 1978.  They have one son, Randy, born October 29, 1966.

Across the road on the right side was a house and small acreage owned by James and Frances (RUMSEY) WILLIAMS. [he is son of  Benjamin and Charity (SMITH) WILLIAMS and Frances is the dau. of Isaiah and Loranna (DOUGLAS) RUMSEY.]  They [James & Frances], had 2 sons: Laverne, who graduated from the Ithaca Conservatory of Music in Ithaca,  & married Della DEAN [dau of Wm. S. & Millie (BOTSFORD) DEAN].  They had one son who died in infancy, July 1924.  The other son, Dr. "Cort" SMITH [WILLIAMS], who married Frances JONES.  They had 2 daughters: Olive, a teacher and Marion, a doctor.  They lived in Lafayette.  The Williams house burned twice.  The last owners were Leon and Florence GROVER.  They had one daughter, Anne and three sons, Mike, Lee and David.

Frances WILLIAMS's mother, Lorranna RUMSEY, 90 some years old - Great-grandmother to Christine LEONARD. She reads her bible constantly and was able to read without glasses.  She would take me out on the stoop with her old big bible and have me read.  She smoked a clay pipe.  She used to put her pipe under the backrest of the stove to burn it out.  Another member of the household was a woman who lived with the family since childhood named Josephine KELLOGG.  She did all the heavy work for the household.  Her skirts dragged the ground with numerous fluffy petticoats underneath.  She wore a false front hairpiece, very curly.  She painted her cheeks, always as red as fire, with flowers from old hats.

Above on the left was a much used road called the Swamp Road which passed over the inlet and connected on the north with Cayutaville Road.  This was a corduroy road...logs placed across and covered with dirt.  Years ago this was traveled by horses and the shoes on their hooves had worn the dirt down and the logs were partly destroyed.  The road was retopped about 1962.  This was a short cut and a scenic drive.  Now the bridge which spans the inlet has been closed to traffic and numerous vehicles go down the north end and have to turn back.  All efforts have failed to get the repairs done and the road reopened.  What a pity.

Beyond the Swamp Road, on the left back from the road, was a small house where Gilbert HEDGECOMB (father of Minnie GARDNER) lived.  The house burned and he lost his life in the fire.

Beyond on the left, George and Minnie GARDNER lived.  They had 4 sons: Albert, Charles, LaGrand and Francis, who died young, and 1 dau., Maude, who married Fred PARKER.  Later Eva and Albert GARDNER lived there.  They had one daughter, Bernice.  The barn burned and later the house.

Beyond on the left, George and Caroline (BUDD) ERWAY owned a farm.  They spent the summers there and winters at the lake now known as the White Gates owned by James and Helene ALLEN.  Robert and Viola (SMITH) HARVEY owned it.  It is now owned by Laverne
ROGERS.  Arthur SMITH and family have lived there several years.

On the right, Mabel SECOR had a house, owned by her uncle (deceased), [she] moved from Pony Hollow and located on property she bought from John and Vern ROGERS.  It is surrounded by a high fence.  This was just a summer home.

Next a farm on the right owned by William DARLING (wife= Sarah Ellen SMITH).  They had a son, "Lon" and a daughter, Florence.  Lon took over the place.  He married Margaret CODDINGTON.  Florence married Sam DECKER.  Lon and Margaret separated later and Seeley DECKER, son of Sam and Florence (DARLING) DECKER, and Nellie (PAINE) DECKER bought the farm.  Later (1952) John, Sarah and Laverne ROGERS bought the place from the DECKERS and the DECKERS moved to Hector.  John and Sarah had 3 daus., Doris, Grace and June, and 2 sons, Laverne and Arthur.  Laverne lives on the farm alone.  My first remembrance of Mr. DARLING was of him with a team of oxen.

On beyond the ROGERS is a short road to the east.  Here Louella SMITH and Otis DICKENS lived.  Louella had one daughter, Grace DICKENS.  Grace had one daughter, Esther who married Asa RUMSEY.  Years after Mr. Dicken's death, Louella married Samuel RUMSEY, father of Asa.

Back on the main road going toward the four corners, the family of Alvin and Susan Frank STRANG lived.  I believe he was a photographer.  Her mother, Anne [BROWN] BRINK, lived with them.  Several times a year they would have special socials, ice cream and chicken pie suppers for the church.  The ladies would make the custard for the ice cream and the men and boys would freeze it and then lick the paddles.  Also for the suppers each family would furnish chicken baked in large pans.  Always a large crowd.  South of the four corners, Bezzie SAWYER and wife [Florance May SHERWOOD] and family lived. They had 2 sons and 1 dau.  Dwight SAWYER was a successful doctor and had an office in Mecklenburg where he lived with his family..  Charles, a son, worked for a paint company and Aileen, their daughter, was a trained nurse and worked in Ithaca.  She married John McCARTHY and had 2 daus; Frances and Ruth and 1 son, Bob.  Archie and Margaret NEWBERRY bought the house and lived there with their 3 daughters and 1 son.

Across the corner (north), was a two-story house in which Lafayette and Carrie SMITH lived.  I believe she was in a wheelchair for a number of years.  She enjoyed smoking her clay pipe as many older ones did.

Up the road toward the east on the left side of the road where a barn now stands was a man named BRACE (don't know his given name).  He ran a blacksmith shop and the coal he used to fire this forge he got from what was known as Coal Mine Hill, located on the hill south of the Saxam [Saxon?] Hill Rd.  Mr. BRACE had a small building by his barn (shop), he called home.  I was told by my father-in-law (Luther LEONARD) that one day he went there and on the stove in a large kettle was a hogs head, ears, snout and eyes staring up at him.  Evidently some farmer had butchered and given the head to him.

On the south side of the road was another small house.  Here Wilmont SMITH lived.  He was the father of Margaret SMITH NEWBERRY and Floyd SMITH.  On up the road on the right, Bertha [WICKHAM] & Bert HAUSNER lived.  They had a son, Samuel and a dau., Maude.

Across the creek which flowed below the HAUSNERr house was a road which followed the hill toward the east and came out on the road south of the four corners, which takes you to the tower. Here James & Hannah [RUMSEY] LEONARD lived and raised their family: 2 daus, Frances and Martha; and 3 sons, Luther, Isaiah & Chester.   Now only pieces of the stone wall wehre the building stood, remains.

West on the Cayutaville Road across from the church, where the parking lot is, was a well-kept house.  Here Charles HARVEY lived. They nicknamed him Red-Whiskered Charlie.  A few years ago this [house] burned.  Next was a house and lot.  I believe Charles CAYWOOD and mother live there and then Harry SHERWOOD and family lived there their lifetime.

Across the road, Alvin SAXON and family lived and just below on the same side, Andrew JACKSON & wife and family [lived], and after their deaths, Artemus and Ina JACKSON & family were there.  Further down on the left, where Alfred and Etta STATES lived was the family of Andrew ( I think) MICKLE [MEEKEL?] & dau., Anna, who later married Howard DRAKE.  Across the road were 2 small houses and one was owned by Mason WILSON....the other I don't know.

Down the road & over the inlet was a farm owned by Chauncey & Lydia DICKENS. [typist note: I have his wife as Mary Elizabeth STRANG].  Here they raised their family [Frank Otis, Myrtle L., L. Lois, Wayland & Chas Raymond.]  Later their son, Raymond [m. Freida STOHNER] & family [Elizabeth & Chas Raymond, Jr.] lived there.

On the north side of the four corners in Cayutaville were 2 houses.  The first was owned by Rowaine Wallace STATES (parents of  Lina SHERWOOD) and the next to the north, I do not know who owned it.  I understand Archie NEWBERRY and family lived here & Ronald was born there.  Christine was a teacher for a number of years.  Alice was a housewife.  Marian worked in Ithaca & married Jack DEAL, a talented musician, who worked at Ithaca's radio station, WHCU, for many years.  Ronald worked in Ithaca.  He and Marian retained the home after the parents passed away.  [Typist's note:  the original had the names Christine & Marian reversed in the sentences above, but Randy Deal wrote & I corrected it - Dec. 2004]

In the center of this community (formerly known as the Flats), was the home of Dr. Orlando B. SHERWOOD and his wife, Aileen [BROWN].  They had 3 sons:  Dwight, who married Pauline STATES and ran the store.  Harry, a farmer, who married Edith CODDINGTON, dau. of John CODDINGTON.  They had one son, Glenn O. SHERWOOD II (a sports editor for the Star Gazette.) and Elmer, who married Myrtle SELOVER.  He ran a nursery for many years in Odessa.

The SHERWOODs had a large, very well kept home and the doctor drove his horse and buggy to call on his patients.  I remember when my Dad was very ill and the doctor would come each day.  Dad suggested Mom give the doctor a shot of liquor. (The weather was cold.)  One day mother asked him how much longer he would have to come and he said, "Sarah, as long as the bottle lasts."  He was a very kind and efficient doctor.

Just north of the home was a large two-story building and here is where the family conducted a general store.   At one time it was a stage coach stop and Post Office.  In the store they carried everything from groceries to bolts of cloth, clothing, shoes, boots, mittens, patent medicines, etc.

In the store was a large coal stove, some chairs and benches.  Here the men gathered  in the evening to tell tall tales & enjoy crackers & cheese, usually furnished by Dwight.  During the day some men played cards and checkers.  The local farmers brought their produce, such as eggs, butter, etc. and traded them for groceries.  Dwight kept lots of hens & Lina would pack the egg crates.  Dwight & Elmer owned the local telephone & Lina and Mrs. O. B. Sherwood had the switchboard in the house where they operated it, 24 hours a day. Later the switchboard was moved into a room in back of the store where Lina, with extra help, tended it.

Above the store was a large room where social events were held.  Usually about every 2 weeks.  The ladies brought refreshments & after the social activities were over, the food was served.  Sometimes they had dances and medicine shows, etc.  Next to the store were sheds where the horses could be put inside.  The sheds were destroyed in the 1935 flood.

Just south of the SHERWOOD residence, where the present church now stands, was another store run by Floyd TRACY [TRACEY] and later by Muslin [Mason?] WILSON.  After the original church, west of  here, burned on November 22, 1936, this building was used & called the community House.  Everyone volunteered to clean & improve it as much as possible.  Church meetings & social activities were held here.  The ladies served meals there.  Part of this building is at present on the Vern ROGERS farm & part was placed on the former STRANG property, a nice two-story church now stands here.  It was built in 1937 by Lawrence Morley & son.  A beautiful window was donated by Carrie MORRIS in memory of her uncle.  Public suppers are served here by the ladies of the church from May through October.  People come from miles around.
Over the bridge on the left side of the road was a large barn owned by Harry SHERWOOD.  Adrain CORWIN made his home with Harry and his wife [Edith CODDINGTON] and helped with the farm work.  On the right side of the road was a two-story house owned and inhabitated
by Mrs. Sarah HARVEY HAUSNER.  She was an elderly lady and her granddaughter, Maude HAUSNER lived with her. [typist note: Maude HAUSNER's father is Albert and her mother was Bertha WICKHAM. ]

Next on the same side was a farmhouse owned by Laverne and Emily  M. DARLING [dau. of Clarence &  Hulda (DEPEW) DICKENS].  They had one son, James [who married Dorothy SIMPSON].  They ran a large hennery.  In the early 1900's they raised peas for sale.  My mother use to pick them by the bushel.

Next on the left, back from the road lived an elderly man, Eugene HULT.  He was a horse trainer and broke many colts and horses.  He had one daughter, Margaret, who married Ely SHERER.

On the right about one-quarter mile was a tenant house on the Mott TRACY farm.  Just beyond is a large house owned by Lamont TRACY and his wife, Corriette GEE TRACY.  No offspring.   Mr. TRACY was a farmer and worked his farm with horses and kept a very fine driving horse beside.  He also had a large hennery.  Later this property was owned by Dutton and Martha PETERSON and family. Their daughter, Joyce and her husband Robert SOULE lived in the tenant house.  It was destroyed by fire Jan 11, 1984 and has been replaced by a modular home.

About one-half mile beyond was a farm owned by Della SMITH.  On the front lawn was an old oak bucket which they used.  Gus BISHOP, who lived off to the east, took a great liking to Mrs. SMITH but she didn't respond.  One day he drove in with his horse and worldly possessions and informed her he had come to stay.  So one Sunday morning following church, Mrs. TRACY talked to the minister and he went over and performed the marriage ceremony.

Up the hill at the four corners, the first house on the right was owned by David PERSONIUS.  Now owned by Pete and Gloria MOSHER.  Just beyond at the top of the hill a large farm owned by Cornelius SEARLES and wife.  They had two sons, Warren & Cornelius (Neat, was his nickname).  Neat lived there after his parents died and later sold to George COOK and wife.

Back down to the four corners on the left was a farm owned by Willis SMITH [son of Alexander & Sarah Marie (SAYLOR) SMITH, of  McINTYRE Settlement] & wife, Frances.  Here they raised their family then moved to Mecklenburg.  The farm was let out to different tenants.  Luther and Louise LEONARD & sons, Chester & Howard, lived there for a number of years,  then moved to the Mott TRACY tenant house.  In the spring of 1918, Howard and I started housekeeping there, but only stayed a couple of years, then moved to my parents' home after they moved to Odessa.

South of there on what is now called the Chapman Road, was a large farm, owned by Sylvanus NYE.  Later his daughter, Sabella had the farm.  she married Augustus CHAPMAN. They raised their family:  Lester, Nye, Andrew, Barlow, Kester and Dorinda there.  This home is now owned by Roger CHAPMAN & family.

Next on the left was a house & farm owned by Frank & Fedelia [CHARLES] BURD.  They had two daughters, Lydia [married Olin SEARS COMPTON] and Frances "Leola".   The latter married Sydney Lester BEEBE.  They had two daughters, Elsie and Joy.  Joy died in infancy.  They also had six sons [Paul, Merton, Clyde, Guy, Neal and Nelson].  Mrs. BURD wove rugs.

The next farm on the left side was owned by John MOOT and his wife, Sarah (THATCHER) [dau of Alexander & Margaret THATCHER, Enfield].  They had one son, Edward, who married Bertha SMITH.  She was a minister. John and Sarah had a daughter, Lillian, who married Lewis EDMINISTER.  They had two boys, Robert & Russell and two daughters, Dorothy & Martha.  John MOOT died from a bee sting while haying, Sept. 9th, 1906.

Next on the right was a small home & farm owned by Allen KENNEDY & wife.  They had two daughters.  Grace, who married Frank DEPEW and Hattie, who married Fred DICKENS (a farmer) of Mecklenburg.  George & Marjory BAILEY now own the property.

Next was the school house & after it's closing was converted into a home.

Across the corner to the west was a home & acreage owned by John [& Rebecca M.] CODDINGTON.  He had three sons, Bert, William & Coral & two daughters, Edith & Margaret.  He later remarried.

Next a house and farm owned by Daniel and Ella SEARLES.  They bought up a girl (Bessie KELLY) , who later married Charles ELDRED.  The house burned about 1911--- a modular home is now on the premises.

Next a large house & farm.  A former owner was Mr. MACAY.  Below the road on the flat they raised tobacco and there was a drying shed and barns by the road.  Later it was the home of Homer & Della Terry DICKENS.  They had one daughter who married Robert MORRIS and they had one daughter who married James LYONS.  This home was the showplace of the vicinity.  It was always well kept and atop the house was a large square cupola with many windows.  Mrs. DICKENS kept children and many beautiful flowers and shrubs.   Mr. & Mrs. DICKENS were active members of the Grange & Church.

Down the Swamp Road which was south of the main road and on the right was a nice house owned by Frank & Herman REDNER.  Frank and his wife lived there and after her death, the house burned.  Now two modular homes are on the property.

Below was a small building and here Billy BRUCE and family lived.  Billy stuttered badly.  He married Mary DIMICK.  They had one son, William, & two daus., Lattie and Cora.  Bill BENNETT later lived there.  The place was disposed of and I believe it is now owned by "Golds".

Next the family of OSTRANDERS.  Conrad & Delilah had a daughter, Anna, and 2 sons, Charles and Vannie.  Across the road was a small house owned by James and Naomi DIMMICK.  She was of Indian decent.  The house is now improved and owned by Richard and Mary DRUM.

Back on the Cayutaville Road, toward Rte 228, on the left was a small old house.  Here, Cleveland GROVER and family lived.  John ROGERS bought the property and when the State took over Connecticut Hill, he took down some of the buildings and built a house on this land.  They lived there for some time and then they bought the DECKER place and moved his family there about 1952.  Roger VANDERVLIET and family now live there.

Across the road was a farm owned by Arthur BEEBE and wife [Delia SYDNEY].  They had two daughters, Lina, who married a DEPEW and Clara.  Both girls were teachers.  There were three sons:  Lawrence, Sydney & Spencer.  The latter lived at home and helped with the farm, dairy and hens.  One morning as Howard LEONARD was going by with a load of milk, taking it to the Odessa milk station, someone came from the barn and asked for his help.  Mr. BEEBE had hung himself in the barn.  In the 1930's a Sears and Roebuck house was put on the site of the old farmhouse.  The home is now owned by Kevin and Lori SNOW and family.

The Grange Hall was located across the road and was built in 1924.  It was discontinued several years ago and has since been remodeled for a residence.

Just below here where the road went to Lockheed, was a very small building and a man named Carl  STATES lived there.  He had one daughter (name unknown).

At the end of the road across from what is now Rte 228, was a large hotel and boat livery owned by George and Mahala [KRUM] STATES.  Fishermen would come and leave their horses at the barn and rent a boat.  Sometimes they would stay for days and Mrs. STATES furnished them food and lodging.  Grange was held at the hotel regularly.  On July 1, 1923, during a meeting, a hanging lamp fell and the building burned.  Della DICKENS was there and it is said she grabbed her violin and got out safely.  Mr. and Mrs. STATES had a daughter who married Charles CRIPPEN.  They had a son, Merle who married Mary BODLE.

November 22, 1936, the first Cayutaville church burned to the ground.  It caught fire during morning services from an overheated stovepipe.  About 1911or 1913, not sure of the date, when it was organized, Cayutaville had a fine band.  Members were Homer DICKENS, Raymond DICKENS, Edward MOOT, George DART, Darwin WOODFORD, Floyd & Delmar Carpenter, Charles & Ellsworth Eldridge, George SMITH, Chester LEONARD, Laverne WILLIAMS, Artemus JACKSON, Elmer NEWBERRY, Elmer RUMSEY and ____ CORNISH.

"If there is anything here that is of interest to any of you folks, I am happy.  I travelled to Cayutaville Saturday evening, or I should say afternoon, to a church supper.  It really brought back memories of years past.  My father, Willis Van HOUTEN, bought the KENNEDY farm
and we moved there in April 1935.  My mother moved there with them to nurse her through what proved to be her last illness.  She died of cancer January 18, 1936. [typist note: confusion about who was being nursed by the mother...a Kennedy? her own mother?]

I kept house for my father and took care of my niece, Jeanne Van HOUTEN, doing what work I could get to do around the neighborhood for awhile.  I did some paper hanging in most of the houses around there.  I did a little practical nursing from time to time.  I took care of my mother-in-law, Viola CHAPMAN and was with her when she passed away in 1937.  Two years later, I married her son, Gus.  At that time, the church was only a house on the corner.  It was called the Community House.

We put on church suppers there.  A lady by the name of  BIXBY was Ladies Aide President at the time.  The BIXBYs moved away, and I was elected Ladies Aide President.  This was in the depression years.  The farmers around there had little money but, they had food---home grown.  We had a struggle getting the money to pay the pastor's salary.  So I chaired a church supper every two weeks.

Telephones there were few.  So, someone took me from door to door to solicit food.  We got .35 cents a plate for supper.  If we cleared $35. on a supper we were doing well.  We finally raised the price of the meal to .50 cents.

Then of course, we lost the church by fire.  That was in 1937.  My memory isn't too clear about the things that happened.  We had quite a struggle to raise the money to build a new church but we started the fund by putting on a big turkey supper at the Cayuta Lake Grange Hall. We did very well.  I can't remember how much we cleared.  From then on the money gradually came in.

Of course the new church was built on the corner where the old Community House was.  Seeley DECKER bought the Community House.   I am not quite sure what he used it for; but he moved it over on his farm and used it for some purpose.  I don't know whether it is still standing or not.  Laverne ROGERS owns the farm now.  (someone has added...still standing full of hay)

Then the war came on (WWII).  I was still chairperson of the suppers.  Meat was rationed so we had a time getting meat for the suppers.  We served quite a few chicken suppers.  At that time everybody had chickens and donated some for the suppers.

I remember once we bought live turkeys and we met at Viola CHAPMAN's.  I was taking care of her at the time.  We put the wash boiler on the stove to heat water to scald the turkeys, we dressed them off, and each lady took one home and stuffed and roasted it.  Another
time we bought a veal calf and the men of the church butchered it and we had a veal super.  There were a few freezers in the neighborhood.  Some of the meat was frozen for another supper, then I believe we served veal stew.

I chaired suppers for around eighteen years since I was Ladies Aide President.  Of course it is W.S.C.S. now.  In those days, Harry SHERWOOD, Gus CHAPMAN, Ray DICKENS and Christine NEWBERRY were the trustees of the church.  Now there is a lady!  She taught
school for many years.  I believe she has had good influence over more children than any other person in that area.  Just think of the number of children she has taught.  God bless her!

Now there was Harry SHERWOOD.  He built fires for many years in the old church and in the new.  He walked many miles back and forth carrying wood to build and keep those fires going.  And of course, there was wonderful, good-hearted Lina SHERWOOD.  She was always
there when needed.  Everybody loved Lina.

Estus and Maude were two more of the old standbys.  - Volunteer keepers of the church during their entire lives in Cayutaville.

Oh yes, we didn't have running water in the kitchen in those days.  Harry always saw that there was a milk can full of fresh water ready for the church suppers.  He also furnished all the milk we needed.  We had a kitchen range with a reservoir which helped alot and a nice new wash boiler that we used to heat water.  We made coffee in a large coffee pot.  I think it held 3 gallons.  We put raw eggs into coffee grounds, shells and all.  Then we found a second-hand coffee urn which we used for a long time.  I don't know what happened to that.  Is it still in use?

I noticed the homemade pies are still good.  I had a very delicious piece of custard pie with my supper. I felt like having the second piece but decided you might run short,  just that one piece if I did.  Perhaps my niece and her husband will bring me over again sometime."

Descendants of James J. Chapman
(provided by Karen Dickson)

 1   James J. Chapman 1829 -
..  +Phebe Ann Haynes 1834 - 1907
......... 2   Richard M. Chapman 1846 - 1908
.............  +Mary A. Hoyt 1853 - 1881
......... 2   Harrison Chapman 1852 -
.............  +Viola Snyder Abt 1858 - 1937
.................... 3   Gertrude Chapman Abt 1870 -
........................  +Ward Smith Abt 1870 -
............................... 4   Viola Pearl Smith Abt 1895 - 1989
...................................  +Robert L. Harvey 1894 - 1966
............................... 4   Sabella Smith Abt 1897 -
............................... 4   Audrey Smith Abt 1899 -
.................... 3   Frederick Chapman Abt 1875 -
........................  +Anna Belle Peck Abt 1875 -
............................... 4   Donald Chapman Abt 1895 - 1932
.................... 3   Harry Chapman Abt 1877 -
.................... 3   Augustus "Gus" Chapman Abt 1880 -
........................  +Sabella Nye Abt 1880 -
............................... 4   Lester Chapman Abt 1900 -
............................... 4   Nye Chapman Abt 1902 -
............................... 4   Andrew Chapman Abt 1904 -
............................... 4   Barlow Chapman Abt 1906 -
............................... 4   Kester Chapman Abt 1908 -
............................... 4   Dorinda Chapman Abt 1910 -
....................  *2nd Wife of Augustus "Gus" Chapman:
........................  +Gertrude Van Houten
......... 2   John Chapman 1854 -
......... 2   Josephine Chapman 1856 - 1925
.............  +Emmett Barnum 1846 - 1920
.................... 3   Maretta "Rita" Barnum 1880 -
........................  +Unknown Mahoney Abt 1880 -
............................... 4   Robert Mahoney
............................... 4   Claire Mahoney
......... 2   Elnora "Ella" A. Chapman 1860 - 1881
......... 2   Angie Chapman 1862 - 1863
......... 2   Etta May Chapman 1864 - 1925
.............  +Leroy Duane Dickson 1860 - 1928
.................... 3   Charles Claude Dickson 1889 - 1937
........................  +Leda May Stuart 1890 - 1974
............................... 4   William Harrison Dickson 1911 - 1950
...................................  +Beatrice "Bea" Foulkrod 1909 - 1983
............................... 4   Sevellen Stuart Dickson 1914 - 1958
...................................  +Martha Louise Covert 1917 -
............................... 4   Drusilla Lucille Dickson 1922 -
...................................  +Francis Alfred Simpson 1922 - 1990
.................... 3   Susan Marquerite Dickson 1887 - 1968
........................  +John Bigley Hansen 1884 - 1960
............................... 4   Henry Hansen 1912 - 1912
............................... 4   Doris Katherine Hansen 1914 -
...................................  +Forrest Specht 1919 - 1969
...............................  *2nd Husband of Doris Katherine Hansen:
...................................  +Robert Snow 1912 -
............................... 4   Margaret Etta Hansen 1916 -
...................................  +Joseph Reginald Carr 1915 - 1980
.................... 3   Lena B. Dickson 1884 - 1934
........................  +Alan Everhart Abt 1882 -
............................... 4   Marjorie Everhart 1905 -
...................................  +Albert Grimsey Abt 1904 -
............................... 4   Adrian Everhart 1907 - 1991
...................................  +Pearl 1910 -
.................... 3   William H. Dickson 1886 - 1909
........................  +Harriet Van Riper 1887 - 1967
............................... 4   William H. Dickson, Jr.
............................... 4   Kenneth E. Dickson 1908 - 1916