HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF VAN BUREN

Source:  Onondaga; or Reminiscences of Earlier and Later Times by Joshua V. H. Clark.  Syracuse:  Stoddard and Babcock, 1849, Vol. II, pp. 328-330.

This town was erected and organized in 1829.  It was taken from the north part of the original township of Camillus, and received its name from the Hon. Martin Van Buren, then newly elected governor of the State of New-York.  The first settlements were made in this town, (then Marcellus,) in 1792, to 1794, first by Joseph Wilson, and about the same time by William Lindsay, David Haynes, John McHarrie, Reuben Smith and James Wells.  Soon after, at what is called the Warner settlement, Eleazar Dunham and Heman Warner--and Benjamin Bolton, at Jack's Rifts.  Phineas Barnes, Jonathan Skinner, Isaac Earll, William Lakin, Charles H. Tull and others, in different parts of the town, previous to 1810.  At this period the country was entirely new and presented few attractions for settlement, most people preferring the higher grounds of the townships of Camillus and Marcellus, on account of their then more airy and healthy situation.  In these early times, wolves were numerous and troublesome, often doing immense damage to the flocks of sheep.  As a precaution against their depredations, the farmers were obliged to erect high enclosures and fold their flocks at night, and even then, they would occasionally leap over and destroy them.  Bears were common, and deer very plenty, having been driven from the higher grounds south, by the clearing up of the forests in that quarter.

The first settlement in this town, approaching anything like a village, was at what is now called Ionia.  Phineas Bates erected the first frame house, in 1808, and Isaac Earll another, soon after, and Charles H. Tull, another.  The first Post Office was established in town, in 1816, and called Ionia, which gave name to the village; Charles H. Tull, Post Master.  He was succeeded by Oliver Nicholls, and Oliver by Job Nicholls.  After the completion of the canal, business was attracted to that quarter and the prospects of Ionia were destroyed.

The first lawyer who established himself in this town was Theodore Popell, in 1818.  The second was Medad Curtis, in 1829.  The first physician who practiced in this town, was Jonathan S. Buel, in 1815, at Ionia.  The first at Canton, and second in town, was Wm. Laughlin, 1812.  First town meeting for Van Buren, was held at the house of Ebenezer Dunham, 26th of March, 1829, at which, Gabriel Tappan was chosen Supervisor, and Abel Tryon, Town Clerk.

The first religious society, formed in this town, was of the denomination, termed "Christians," inclining to the Baptist mode of worship, at Ionia.  Presbyterian and Methodist society at Warner's settlement, 1830.  The Baptist society at Canton, was organized 1832, or 1833.  Obadiah E. Morrell, the first minister in the Christian house of worship, and John Guthrie and Benjamin Rider, succeeded him.  Elder Reynolds, first officiated as pastor in the Baptist society, at Canton, and next after him, Elders Brown, Hough and Bates.  Canton is a smart little village, situated on the Jordan level of the Erie Canal.  It has grown up since the canal was completed, and contains about forty houses, and over two hundred inhabitants.  The Post Office is called Canal, and was established in 1828.  There are two other Post Offices in town, called Van Buren, and Van Buren Center.

The water power in this town is but slight, except on the Seneca River, the streams being small, and the surface level.  Dead Creek is the largest stream, and is very sluggish.  On the banks of the streams in this town, is an abundance of marl and calcareous tufa, which presents itself frequently, in large quantities, and the time will soon come when these marl beds, will be used as a dressing for the sandy soils in the neighborhood, and may be made useful to the southern towns.

The town of Van Buren is rapidly improving.  It is generally level, the soil alternating in sandy and clay loam, is very productive.  The dwellings are mostly new, and present an air of comfort and taste, not so frequently displayed in the older settled towns.  One feature is particularly worthy of notice--the barns are beautiful structures in their kind, very many of which are handsomely clapboarded and ornamented with a heavy cornice and painted.  These evidences of prosperity and thrift, tell well for the industry, perseverance and taste of the farming portion of the community.

Statistics of the town of Van Buren, taken from the census of 1845:--

Number of inhabitants, 3057; subject to military duty, 285; voters, 688; aliens, 35; children attending common schools, 766; grist mills, 2; saw mills, 6; carding machines, 2; iron works, 1; Tanneries, l; churches--Baptist, 2; Congregational, 1; Unitarian, 1; common schools, 16; taverns, 4; stores, 3; groceries, 5; farmers, 534; merchants, 5; manufacturers, 27; mechanics, 157; clergymen, 8; physicians, 6; lawyers, 4.