Steuben County items
mentioned in the
Allegany County Reporter
Wellsville, Allegany Co., NY
The abstracts below are in their entirety! I can not be of any further assistance on any of these surnames/families. What you see is ALL there is! I also can not make photostatic copies of these items!
Allegany County is located on Steuben County's western border. I live in the south eastern part of Allegany County with the Steuben County (West Union) border less than a mile away from my home.
Abstracted by Judy Allen
Cwiklinski - Steuben Co., NY GenWeb coordinator.
Commercial use prohibited. All right's
reserved.
January 3, 1878 (missing inside page where local news would be)
January 10, 1878
--The Addison and Elkland plank road has been condenmed by the Board of Supervisors of Steuben. The gates will be thrown open Sept 1st, 1878, never more to be closed.
January 17, 1878 (nothing of interest)
January 24, 1878 (nothing of interest)
Feb. 7, 1878
--Hornellsville has now two daily evening papers and four weeklies. We don't know of a better place to start a newspaper.
--The Canisteo boys who enlisted for Brazil, went on an earlier vessel than the Metropolis, and consequently were not among the wrecked ones last week.
--Hornellsville wants the proposed new state prison located there. As the central rallying point for railroad riots that would be the right thing in the right place. By all means let our neighbor have a state prison.
Thurs, Feb. 14, 1878
--Alfred HORTON,of Hornellsville died from the injuries received fromt he cars.
--Mr. W.H. JOHNSON of Hornellsville was a welcome caller at The Reporter office on Monday. He leaves next week for a two months' sojourn at San Francisco, to avoid the rigors of our late winter and early spring. May the best of good fortune attend him.
Thurs, Feb. 14, 1878
WAR IN STEUBEN!
An Armed Mob Resist the Collection of Taxes.
Local Bull-Dozing!
The Governor Appealed to for Aid!
He Says the Sheriff Must Shoot First.
A Fine State of Things.
There is a speck of war in our neighboring county of Steuben. The collector
of the town of Greenwood undertook to sell certain personal property in
satisfaction of taxes, and the citizens deeming themselves aggrieved, resisted
successfully the sale. The grievance is oppression growing out of the bonding
of the town of Greenwood in aid of the Rochester, Hornellsville and Pine
Creek Railroad. Of course the rsistance is unlawful, and in time must be
crushed like any other rebellion.
On Friday last citizens of Hornellsville and others attended the advertised
sale in good faith, expecting to bid off articles of the property. About
200 men, armed with revolvers and guns, informed them that the first man
who bid upon the property would be a dead man. Of course they prudently refrained
fromt he purchase of pigs and things at the cost of a through ticket and
rapid transit to paradise.
Putting their horses in a barn to feed these Hornellsville men found their
harnesses badly cut when they undertook to return. This is regular Anti-Renter
tactics in Steuben, and is not a new game, through a very disreputable one.
To the credit of decent citizens of the town, enough money was made up and
paid over to pay for repairs to the harness.
The facts of the outrage were telegraphed to the Governor and assistance
asked to enable the officers to execute the law. The Governor replied that
the Sheriff of the county must first exhaust any means at his command before
State troops could be sent on.
Further advices we are not in posession of at the hour of going to press.
The affair creates great excitement in Steuben, and all sorts of rumors,
and speculation are indulged as to the result.
Of course, as we said at the outset, in time the resistance must be put down,
but among that unlettered, irresponsible mass there are many who would not
shrink at the commission of vilent acts, and the affair may wear a serious
look before it is done.
Hornellsville should press its claim for the new State Prison. It is situated
in just, the right spot to catch a whole house full in short order.
Thurs, Feb. 14, 1878
--Mr. LaFayette TAYLOR, of Howard, Steuben Co., recently killed a Lynx that was five feet from tip to tip, and two feet of said five feet was tail. The Lynx weighed 47 1/2 pounds. Its tusks were 1 1/2 inches long, and it was a fierce looking animal.
-- On Monday the 7th day of January, Mrs. Maggie PECK, of Hornellsville, who has been for ten years a sufferer from what was supposed to be rheumatism succeeded in finding a piece of glass one-half inch in length and one-fourth of an inch in width just pricking out above the knee pan. Her husband succeeded in extracting it. She then remembered getting cut by some glass when a girl ten years ago. The glass must have worked out through the knee, and now shows for a reality what has been the cause of her suffering for ten long years. Canisteo Times
Feb. 21, 1878 (nothing of interest)
Feb. 28, 1878 (nothing of interest)
Thurs, Mar. 7, 1878
--Ten Eyck G. OLMSTED, formerly of Howard, Steuben County, died on the 26th ult. (Feb 26th-JAC) of apoplexy, at Manitowoe, Wis., aged 45 years. He was editor and proprietor of the Manitowoe Pilot and last year held the position of County Judge of that county.
--The Hornell Daily Times isn't printed at Hornell. There isn't any such place as Hornell. Hornell is a pleasant fancy all in your eye. But the Times is a bright and newsy daily, nevertheless. What we were getting at is this - when we say Hornell, the reader will please understand that we mean Hornellsville, and nothing mean intended either.
Thurs, Mar. 14, 1878
--The WHITE brothers of Caton, Steuben county, will play with the Cincinnatis this year. James as catcher and William as pitcher.
Thurs, Mar. 21, 1878
--"That's our family tree," said an Arkansas youth, as he pointed to a vigorous hemlock. " A good many of our folks have been hung on that tree for borrerin' horses."
Thurs, Mar. 28, 1878
-- On Tuesday of last week an attempt was made to throw a passenger train from the track on the Rochester Division. An iron rail was placed across the track at Wolfe's Run, in the town of Campbell. When train 17, which passes Campbell at 2 p.m. came along, it was nearly thrown from the track. Fortunately, the rail turned around,a nd fell between the rails. Suspicion was placed on two tramps named Patrick MCMANN and Frank RAYMOND. Warrants were issued when arrested they resisted the officers. An examination was held at Campbell on Thursday and Friday of last week. Byron L. SMITH, of Bath, appeared for the Railroad company and E.B. ROSS, Esq., for the tramps. Sufficient evidence was found to hold the suspected parties, and bail fixed at $500. RAYMOND has found bail and is released, McMANN is boarding at Sheriff Sherwood's hotel and awaits the action of the Grand Jury.
Thurs, Mar. 28, 1878
--Twenty-two years ago, an apparently unfortunate young woman, left a boy two years of age with Mr. John O'KANE at Corning, N.Y. No one from that day to this knows whence she came, or whither she went. The boy grew to be a man under the name of John O'KANE. He traveled and wandered and in the course of his travels accumulated a fortune. He is now sick and probably past cure or hope that slow but shure harbinger of death, consumption. He is anxious to know who and where his parents are, or of other relatives. Any information will be thankfully received by the editor of the Allegany Democrat, Wellsville, N.Y. Exchanges please copy.
(look below***)
Thurs, Apr. 4, 1878
--Those who heard Hon. Horace BEMIS lecture on temperance in this place will remmember that he told how Dan MACK of Canisteo, while intoxicated, put one of his sick children in a barrel of water, and when the little creature died, how Dan lay drunk and cursing in an adjoining room to the one in which the funeral services were held. -- Well one night last week, while on a drunken spree at Canisteo, Dan's head was crushed in by a policeman's club and he died on Sunday morning. Cobbleskill Herald
Because of there being CADY's in Steuben Co. area and with Westfield, Tioga Co., PA only being across the line I am adding the below notice - Judy
Thurs, Apr. 4, 1878
Horrible Death of an Old Hunter.
The Westfield Idea of last week records the death of "Old Sid"
CADY, a hunter who has lived in the woods on Kettle Creek more than forthy
years, and whose body was found about three miles from his cabin on the 26th
ult., by a party of men passing through the woods. The Idea says:
"CADY it seems, had set several bear traps and while wandering about
in the deep snow, by accident stepped both feet into one of the traps, which
sprung and held him fast, so that he was unable to get away. In this condition
he remained and suffered until he died from pain and hunger and cold. The
tracks of bear and other wild beasts were discovered about the trap, in fact
the snow for rods around was packed solid, supposed to have been rendered
so by the large number of wild beasts which congregated there. The bones
of the old man's body were strewn about and entirely stripped of flesh. The
skull and some of the hair and portion of his long gray beard lay near the
trap, and the feet and a protion of the legs were fast in its iron jaws.
Shreds of clothing were gathered up, and in the watch pocket of the vest
was the old silver time piece, apparently unharmed, but, like its owner,
took "no note of time." By those who were eyewitnesses it is said that the
scene is better imagined than described. The bones were collected and the
ceremony of burial observed. The remains were deposited near the old log
cabin on what is known as "Wolf Creek," and a rude flat stone, long and wide,
placed on the mound with the simple inscription. "Sid, aged 63." The old
man had no family, and no relatives living, so far as is knwn. He will be
remembered by most of the hunters, who never failed to make him a call when
their visits took them in that direction, and now they will go a long way
out of their course to visit the spot that marks the resting place of old
"Sid" CADY.
Thurs, Apr. 11, 1878
--Nineteen car loads of emigrants passed through Hornellsville last week for the west.
--The many friends of I.W. NEAR, Esq., of Hornellsville, will learn with deep regret of the death of his daughter Genevive, aged eleven years, which occurred on Monday morning.
Thurs, Apr. 11, 1878
Below is a VERY horrific tragedy!
A Steuben County Horror!
Burning of a Portion of the County House.
Fifteen Persons Perish in the Flames!
Graphic Details of the Horror!
[Special to Rochester Democrat]
Bath, April 7. - About one o'clock this morning the village watchman discovered
a bright light in the nor and after some hesitation he gave the alarm of
fire which brought the fire department and a large number of citizens to
the streets. by this time the light had become brighter, showing that there
was undoubtedly a fire in the vicinity of the county house, and with the
liveliest apprehensions a large crowd started for the scene of the conflagration.
Arrived at the spot, the worst fears proved only too true, for the building
for the insane, connected with the county house, was found to be completely
enveloped in flames and the wildest terror prevailing on every side. Hurried
inquiry elicited the horrible fact that not all the inmates had been rescured,
but it was then too late to extend to them any aid, for every avenue leading
to their rooms was barred by fire, which was already darting out of the windows.
The scene was awful beyond description. The aged, infirm and insane men and
women, who had been saved with the greatest difficulty, huddled about in
groups, frantic with fright and those in charge of them hardly less excited.
Fourteen persons it is said had been unable to get out of the burning building
and the terrible thought that human beings were being suffocated by the flames
and smoke almost within a stone's throw, blanched every cheek and sent a
tremor through the stoutest heart. Occasionally an affrighted face could
be seen at a grated window, but only for a moment, and then the fierce flames
would sweep down and it would be seen no more. It was no wonder that women
fainted and men turned pale. Every effort was made to subdue the flames,
but without avail. After burning for about three hours nothing was left standing
save the bare fire-eaten walls enclosing a smoking, undefined mass of ashes,
bones, iron bedsteads and cell gratings.
The cause of this terrible destruction of life was an inmate of the asylum
named L.C. FORD, from Hornellsville. He was subject to severe fits,
but had never displayed any dangerous tendencies, and indeed so harmless
was he considered that he was employed to do light duties about the building.
He was an old man between sixty and seventy years of age, quiet and docile;
but some crazy freak must have entered his head, and in a moment of wild
insanity he started the fire which resulted so disastrously. As nearly as
could be learned, he fired the bed-clothes in his own room, and then terrified
by what he had done, pushed his head through the windown grating to call
for aid. No one heard his voice, however, at that moment, and when he tried
to withdraw his head, he found that he could not. In that position he was
securely fastened, and in that position, the iron bars holding him fast,
he must have remained until the flames mercifully released him from his agony.
In this manner the fire had gained uncontrollable headway before it was
discovered, and then every effort was put forth by the employees in the building
to get the inmates into the open air. The superintendent, Mr.
(Eli-JAC) CARRINGTON, was absent, but his
family worked with a will, and with almost superhuman efforts, forty of the
people were taken safely out of the house. But those in the more remote parts
of the building it was absolutely impossible to reach, and at last the humane
workers were obliged to flee to save their lives. As will be seen from the
list of the lost published below, they were nearly all afflicted with some
infirmities, and even had the means of escape presented itself, it is much
to be doubted if they would have availed themselves to it. What the scene
must have been in tehir rooms is too horrible for the imagination, and one
can only hope the end came quickly. There is little hope of recovering the
bodies in a recognizable condition, and indeed it is very doubtful if a search
reveal anything more than a mass of charred bones.
The names and ages of the victims, together with the cause of confinement,
so nearly as could be ascertained, are as follows:
L.C. FORD, fits, seventy-eight years.
David CURTIS, cripple, seventy-nine years.
John ALVAN, cripple, fifty-eight years.
John MESSENGER, old age, eighty-four years
Buel M. PAGE, fits and blind, forty-nine years.
Betsy SMITH, idiot, sixty-three years.
Julia DAVIS, idiot, thirty-eight years.
Rosa WELCH, idiot, twenty years.
Axy RANGER, idiot, twenty-six years
Chloe MUDGE (colored), idiot, sixty years.
Abigal SKEELS, old age, sixty-three years.
Catharine SLLIVAN, insane, seventy-one years.
Jennie MILLS, four years
Mary HEWITT, one year.
Many of the inmates had very narrow escapes, and one man was severely injured
in jumping from a window. With an unnatural strength he pulled apart the
iron grating in one of the narrow windows, and forcing himself through fell
helpless to the ground beneath. He was at once taken up and cared for, but
his recovery is considered dubious, as he seems to be suffering from internal
injuries, an dis, withal well advanced in years. One young woman, imprisoned
for insanity, with a sudden glimmer of reason, wrapped a petticoat round
her head, and rolled down the stairs through the fire and smoke and out of
the door unhurt. -- Others had periously narrow escapes, and under the
circumstances it seems marvelous that no more were destroyed. Forty were
saved, and so nearly as could be learned in the excitement, the only ones
who perished are given above. The coroner's inquest will probably be held
to-day, and perhaps that will develope some additional facts.
The building burned was of brick, two stories in height, and used almost
exclusively for the aged and insane. It sttod in close proximity to the other
buildings, but fortunately none of them were destroyed. As can readily be
imagined, Bath is in a state of the most intense excitement, and the great
accident has been the topic of conversation on the streets and in the houses.
Blame is attached to no one; it was simply an unforseen catastrophe that
the wisest could not have been prevented. The man FORD has been in
the institution for years and it was thought that he was perfectly trustworthy.
The injured ones have all been cared for and the search for the remains of
those who were burned will be commenced as soon as the heat subsides. [more
below - Judy]
Thurs, Apr. 18, 1878
The Steuben Horror.
The number of lives sacrificed at the recent burning of a portion of the Steuben County Poor House buildings was sixteen. The management is heartily condemned by the press of the state through the corooner's jury exonerate the Keeper, Mr. CARRINGTON, from all blame. Still he must have foreseen that in the event of a fire there was needed within the building some person of competent mind and muscle to open a way of escape and intelligently aid it. To quietly lock up fifty or more aged, idiotic, crippled or insane persons in a building night after night, pocket the key, and go off to bed in another building, providing no earthy means of aid in the event of an emergency, would seem to involve the faintest shade of responsiblility, before knocking too loudly at the door of the Supervisors and Superintendents of the Poor. Twice before it appears had the building used for the same purpose been burned and in both cases a serious loss of life was entailed.
From a very complete report of the fire in the Bath Courier we clip the following relating to the question of blame and previous catastrophes:
THE BLAME.
The blame for the horrible occurence belongs to the county, and to no one else. The building was nothing but a man trap, as are the other buildings of the County House and it is a disgrace that the people of Steuben should allow them to stand in their present condition. There was no night watchman around the premises, no provision against fire, and but one employed man on the premises besides Mr. CARRINGTON. We shall have more to say on the subject of the County House next week. No blame attaches to Mr. CARRINGTON in any way whatever. He did not allow FORD to have a light or matches at any time when confined in his cell, and on the night of the fire did all that any human being could do to prevent the loss of life. After he had got the women out of the east stairway it was impossible to enter the south door.
THE PREVIOUS CATASTROPHES
About the year 1840 one of the County House buildings was burned with a a loss of 3 or 4 lives. In August, 1859 the insane building was burned with a loss of 7 lives. After this thrid disaster with a loss of 16 lives it seems as though it was aobut time that some vigorous measures were taken to prevent a recurrence of the catastrophe.
Thurs, Apr. 18, 1878
--In the case of the burning of the Insane department of the Steuben county poor-house, the coroner's jury censured the Superintendents of the Poor and the Supervisors, but exonerated the Keeper, Eli CARRINGTON, from all responsibility or blame.
Thurs, Apr. 25, 1878
--Col. N.B. STANTON, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Hornby, Steuben coutny, was drowned by falling into a well on his premises last week Tuesday. He was 64 years of age and his death produced profound sorrow.
Thurs, Apr. 25, 1878
A Dying Allegany Soldier.
The editor of the Bath Courier gave a full description of the wretched
condition of what remains of the Steuben County Poor House. Among other items,
the following appears, which will be of interest to our readers:
We passed into the room which was originally intended as a sick room, but
for want of sufficient accomodations the sick and well are crowed in together.
The room is 16 by 18 feet, and is occupied by 8 people. Here we found "Ebby"
PECK, a soldier of 1812, just breathing his last. He had lost consciousness,
and his respirations were just percetible. His fact was terrible in its
emaciation, there being absolutely nothing of his head but a skull covered
with colorless and wrinkled skin. The night previous he had been wild with
delerium, throwing himself violently about his narrow couch and crying out
incoherently. He was undoubtedly fighting over again his old battles. He
was formerly from Allegany county, and was brought to the County House last
July, since which time he has been in a very miserable condition. He died
the same day of our visit. He was 84 years old. As we stood by his bed side
and looked around the wretched room with no one to watch him in his dying
hours but a few infirm paupers were sitting listlessly about the need of
a Soldiers Home came upon us with greater force than ever before. The keeper
was not to blame that there was not better attendance at the dying soldier's
bedside, and he is not furnished with sufficient help, but some one certainly
ought to be to blame. It outrages all sense of humanity that a human being
no matter who or what he is should be left to die in such a manner.
Thurs, May 2, 1878
GRAHAM-HUFF -- By the same, at the Howell House, May 1st. Mr. Henry W. GRAHAM of Hornellsville and Miss Mary A. HUFF of Friendship.
Thurs, May 9, 1878
--Bath had a small fire last Friday the WEDGE mansion on Morris street was burned. Insured.
--Hornellsville is to observe Memorial Day in fine style this year. A meeting to prepare was held last week.
Thurs, May 16, 1878
--On Thursday morning at Carrolton a lady named Julia MILLER, of Corning, accidentally shot herself in the leg while fooling with a loaded revolver sustaining serious injuries.
Thurs, May 23, 1878
(***look above)
--A.J. LEWIS died in this village on Thursday, May 2, aged 25 years. He has latterly resided in Dakota Territory. He left in the care of the late John O'CAIN (spelt as O'KANE in above article-JAC), when about two years old, but when he became nine years old he started out for himself. His wanderings led him to the mining regions, where he acquired considerable property. He found himself in failing health a year or two ago, and resolved to return to Corning, and if possible, discover who his parents were. An article was published in the Wellsville Democrat and copied into this paper, last March, reciting the circumstances, but we understand he obtained no clue before his death. As John O'CAIN died several years ago, leaving no family, we presume every trace of Lewis' parents and family are completely lost. His funeral took place on the 5th the Corning Lodge of Odd Fellows taking charge. -- Corning Democrat.
Thurs, May 30, 1878
--The WAMBOUGH mansion at Addison, a fine building on the river bank a little east of the village, was destroyed by fire Sunday evening.
--The untried indictments of George W. PATTERSON have been knocked higher than his bank at Corning. Creditors will get about sixty cents on a dollar.
--The supply bill appropriates: $82,361 for the Soldiers' Home at Bath, divided as follows: To pay indebtedness, $13,316; to complete buildings etc., $54,045; to support inmates during the year beginning Oct. 1, 1878, $15,000
I welcome all feedback - positive & negative about these newspaper items. - Judy
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