Cato, New York, USA
1879 - Cato

CATO lies upon the east border, north of the center of the County, and is bounded on the north by Ira, on the east by Onondaga county, on the west by Conquest, and on the south by Seneca River. It is the south-east quarter of the military township of Cato, (which comprised 143 lots of 600 acres each,) and was formed from Aurelius March 30th, 1802. At that time it comprised all that part of the County lying north of the river. Sterling was taken off June 19th 1812; and Conquest, Ira and Victory, March 16th 1821. The south-east corner lot of Ira was annexed in 1824, to compensate for the waste lands in Cato.

The surface is level in the south and gently rolling in the north, where the ridges, which extend north and south, rise about fifty feet above the valleys, and 150 to 200 feet above Lake Ontario. Cross Lake, upon the east border, is a shallow body of water, with low shores, about five miles long, through which Seneca River runs. Otter Lake is a shallow basin, with low, marshy shores, situated north of the center of the town. It is one and one-half miles long and three-fourths of a mile at its widest point. Parker's Pond, in the north-west part, is a rounded, shallow basin, about half a mile in diameter. It is gradually filling up each year. Its waters were lowered several feet when the improvements at Jack's Reefs were made in 1854-7. It is connected with Otter Lake, which empties into it, by Drew Creek, which is about half a mile long, and named from Darwin Drew, through whose farm it runs. The Pond is named from Daniel Parker, an early settler in the town of Ira, and was locally known at an early day as "Parker's pork barrel," because of the abundance of its fish. It empties into Muskrat Creek, a sluggish stream, having a fall of only seven and a half feet in its course south through the central part of the town to Seneca River. All its waters are well stocked with fish.

In 1872, Hon. Ira D. Brown, then a Member of Assembly, secured an appropriation of $5,000 to prosecute a boring for salt. A spot in the south edge of this town was selected, and a boring over 6oo feet deep made the following year. A brine was obtained, which, according to an analysis made by Prof. J. J. Brown, of Syracuse University, exceeded in strength any obtained at Syracuse, but containing a greater percentage of impurities. Further work was prevented by the exhaustion of the appropriation.

The soil is a very productive alluvion, exceedingly fertile, and admirably adapted to all kinds of crops. This is one of the best agricultural towns in the County; but those who subdued its dense forests and drained its extensive marshes, filled with the decayed product of successive growths of vegetation, made terrible sacrifices in health to the noxious miasm arising therefrom. The malarial diseases then so prevalent in this locality caused many to abandon their improvements after a few years' settlement, and seek restoration to health in more favored localities, thus tending to retard somewhat the settlement of the town. These difficulties have, however, gradually disappeared, and, until the last two summers, have not been experienced for many years.

The Southern Central Railroad enters the town near the center of the south border and leaves it in the north-west part; and by its connection with the New York Central Railroad and Erie Canal at Weedsport and the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad at Sterling, opens up very accessible markets for its valuable pomonic and varied agricultural products.

The river is spanned within the limits of the town by three bridges, two of wood and one of iron. The latter, in the south-east corner, connects Cato and Elbridge, and was built in 1868, at a cost of about $25,000, toward which Cayuga and Onondaga counties each contributed $5,000, the remainder being paid in equal shares by the towns of Cato and Elbridge. It replaced a wooden bridge owned by the Cato and Jordan Plank Road Company, and abandoned by them in 1866. The wooden bridge in the south-west part was supported by the Plank Road Company, incorporated in 1848. Their charter having expired, the bridge became the property of the town.

The first settlement was made in 1800, by Samson Lawrence, who located on lot 32, on the farm latterly owned by Asa Crossman. Andrew Stockwell, from Whitehall, N. Y., also settled in 1800, about a mile and a half south-east of Meridian, on the farm now owned by Charles Bloomfield. His marriage with Sybil Root, June 4th, 1804, was the first in the town ; and their daughter Alvira, (who, in company with her mother, met with a tragic death about 1840, both being burned in the house of Chauncey Stockwell, a brother and son,) who was born May 4th, 1805, was the first white child born in that portion of Cayuga County lying north of Seneca River. His daughter Rebecca, who is living at Meridian, is the only survivor of the family.

In 1802, Joshua Chappell came with his wife, in company with John Watson, from Marcellus, and settled a half mile west of Cato village.

In May, 1803, settlements were made by Solomon Knapp, who located on lot 100, at Meacham's Corners, on the farm now occupied by William Cook, and by Alanson Sheldon on the same farm.

George Loveless and Abel Pasko settled in the south part of Meridian, in 1804. Solomon, a son of the former, is living about two miles south of that village, and Deacon Milton Pasko, a son of the latter, is living between Meridian and Cato.

Elihu Peck came from Pompey, in 1804, and settled on the farm now owned by Edgar Drew. His father, Captain Enoch Peck and his brother, Peter, also from Pompey, came in soon after. Enoch settled where Wm. Cook's house now stands, at Meacham's Corners. Peter, who was a bachelor and lived with his parents, took up a tract now owned by Isaac R. Merritt, in Ira. The Pecks sold to Joel Northrup, from Conn., and removed to Camillus, where their descendants are living. Northrup was wealthy and bought a large tract of land, covering a mile or more in extent. He brought in the first wagon in the town. He was a bachelor when he came, but married soon after to Clarissa Dudley, sister of Elder Ira Dudley, by whom he had three children. Northrup remained here till his death, about 1814.

Settlements were made in 1805, by Platt Titus, from Onondaga county, at Cato, where he was the first settler and felled the first tree; by Jesse Elwell and Abner Hollister, at Meridian; and by families named Cerow and Abrams, the former four and a half miles south of Meridian, and the latter, on the river, at the middle bridge, where, that year and for a good many years thereafter, he kept a ferry. Titus remained only two or three years, when he removed to the Taber farm one-half mile north of Meridian, in Ira, where he remained till 1833, when he removed to Hannibal, where he died in April, 1862. Elwell settled where the Meridian House now stands, and where he built, and kept till his death during the epidemic of 1811, the first tavern, which was built of logs and covered with bark. He had a large family, all of whom are gone. His daughter Polly was the wife of Abner Hollister, who settled in the south part of Meridian, where Marcus Drew now lives. Hollister bought of A. C. Rice, of Onondaga county, for a nominal sum, a tract of about three hundred acres, known as "possession land," to which the title was for a long time in doubt. Hollister soon after went south, where he spent several years as overseer on a plantation and acquired considerable wealth. On his return he removed to Cato, where he built the first frame house about 1810, which now forms a part of the Railroad House in that village. Stephen Olcott settled on the farm now owned by Carter Hickok, as early as 1805, in which year he died, his death being the first in the town.

In 1807, Stephen Dudley, from Vermont, came with his family, consisting of seven sons and five daughters, and settled in the north-east part, on the farm now owned by his grandson J. Y. Dudley, son of Sardis Dudley, the latter of whom died on the old homestead in January, 1876. Stephen took up a State's hundred, of which he let his son Sardis have fifty, and to which both subsequently added. He died in 1827, at Hannibal, to which town he removed in 1824 or '25. Three sons and one daughter survive him, viz: Lyman; James ; Ira, living at Meridian, who at present and for the past year has supplied the pulpit of the Baptist Church at Port Byron; and Rebecca, widow of Abner Loomis. Solomon Woodworth settled in this or some previous year, on the river, and kept for several years the ferry where the iron bridge now is. He was a captain and did service in the war of 1812. A man named Follett kept the ferry at the upper bridge at an early day. His descendants live on the farm on which he settled.,

Dr. John Jakway came in- about 1809, from Vermont, where he was a confrere of Ethan Allen, of whose singularly rugged energy he largely partook. About 1812 he bought the improvements of Abner Hollistér, at Cato,.to which place he gave the name of Jakway's Corners, by which it was known for many years. He was the first permanent settler at that village. He was preceded by some squatters, among whom were John West and Barber Allen, whose improvements he also bought.

Jakway was a bachelor and a confirmed infidel, and a man of generous impulses and marked idiosyncrasies.

Johnson Hall came in from Conway, N. H., about 1810, and settled at Meridian, where he died about 1840.

After the war, in 1815, the settlements were more rapid and important. Among those who came in that year were Wm. Ingham, Parsons P. Meacham and Michael Ogilsbie. Ingham was originally from Massachusetts, (but immediately from Skaneateles,) whence he came as land agent for Elisha Williams of Hudson, Columbia county, who owned large tracts of military lands in this and Onondaga counties. This connection with Williams, which continued till the latter's death, and his subsidiary mercantile business, brought him into intimate relations with the early settlers, and his sterling integrity left its indelible impress on the character of the persons who settled here. On coming here he opened a store at Meridian, on the site of Webster's store, on the corner of Main and Oswego streets, now belonging to the Morley estate. His son, Wrn. Smith Ingham, succeeded him in the mercantile business in 1831. Two grandchildren, sons of the latter, are living, viz.: Edgar I., who is connected with a mercantile agency in Indiana, and Albert C., who was for several years connected with the State Department of Agriculture of Wisconsin and prepared several volumes emanating therefrom, and who is now living in Meridian, of which village he is the president. Meacham was also from Mass., and came in July, 1815. He is now living, aged eighty-three years, about a mile east of Meridian at what is known as Meacham's Corners. He joined the Baptist Church in Meridian in 1831, since which time he has acted as its clerk. Ogilsbie came in from New Jersey and settled where he now lives, about four and a half miles south-east of Meridian, opposite to where Samson Lawrence, the first settler, located. Eleazer Squires and a family named Spinning, both from New Jersey, settled about this year, (1815,) about a mile north of the iron bridge.

OFFICERS. -- The first town officers were elected at a meeting held at the house of Israel Wolverton, March 1st, 1803, as follows: John C. Barnes, Supervisor; Alanson Sheldon, Clerk; Israel Wolverton, Archibald Green and Gilbert Jefferies, Assessors; Samuel Martin and Jacob Wiltsie, Overseers of the Poor; Ephraim Wetherell, Daniel Parker and Moses Farrand, Commissioners of Highways; James Perkins, Zadock Barnes and Gilbert Perkins, Pound Keepers; William Patterson and Samson Lawrence, Fence Viewers; Theophilus Emerson, Constable; Edward Wood, Constable and Collector.

The town officers elected in 1879 are: -David E. Hunter, Supervisor; Chauncey Olmsted, Town Clerk; Charles Cowell, Justice of the Peace; Daniel Sleight, Assessor; Jas. L. Roades, commissioner of Highways; Chauncey Olmsted and Leonard Mills, Overseers of the Poor; Eugene Deforest and I. W. Dudley, Inspectors of Election; David M. Mills, Collector; William S. Pearson, Theron C. Dudley, William H. Lockwood, George W. Woolford and George Cool, Constables; Charles Robinson, Game Constable.

The population of the town in 1875 was 2,095; of whom 1,900 were native; 195, foreign ; 2,090, white; and 5, colored. The area is 20,488 acres; of which 15,854, were improved; 3,797, woodland; and 837, unimproved...

CATO.
Cato is an enterprising village of five hundred inhabitants, situated in the north-west part, lying partly in this town and partly in Ira. It is on the S. C. R. R., eight miles north of Weedsport, and is the natural center for shipments on that road of a large section of fertile country, abounding in fruit, grain and other products. The business at this station is said to exceed that at Weedsport on the same road. There is a sharp competition among its merchants for a village of its size, and it exhibits corresponding activity. It has many of the elements of an attractive village. It contains three churches, (Reformed, Campbellite and R. C.,) a union school, four stores, three cigar shops, a steam saw and grist-mill combined, a foundry and machine shop, two cabinet shops, of which D. J. Acker & Son and Joseph Girard are proprietors, two shoe shops, of which J R. Allen and Wm. C. Rose are proprietors, two carriage shops, kept by Frank Brown and Wm. Devoe, three blacksmith shops, kept by Harvey Root, P. P. Brown and Frederick Kitner, two milliner shops, kept by Mrs. Margaret Dutton and Mrs. Nettie Morey, two hotels, and two barber shops, kept by A. J. Munroe and David Vine.

Settlement at Cato was commenced in 1805, by Platt Titus, who remained only two or three years. The first permanent settler was Dr. John Jakway, who came from Vermont, in cormpany with John Hooker, the latter of whom settled in the Ira side of the village. They came about 1809, and were preceded by some squatters, whose improvements Jakway bought. The village was long known as Jakway's Corners, a name it derived from the fact of Jakway's settlement there.

MERCHANTS.- The first merchants at Cato are supposed to have been Andrus P. Preston and Augustus Ferris, who kept a store about 1820, which they continued till about 1842, when they closed out, Preston removing to Red Creek, and Ferris remaining in Ira till his death about 1848. Benj. B. Conger opened a store about 1830. About 1834 Samuel Hale became a partner with him and continued about three years, when David R. Conger, a son of Benjamin, was admitted to partnership, and the business was conducted by them about five years, when they sold to Moore and Reuben P. Conger, who did business about three years. Benj. B. and Reuben P. Conger then formed a partnership, which continued about four years. Dr. John Jakway opened a store about 1838, which he kept some seven or eight years, when he sold his stock to Wm. H. Nobles, who kept a store four or five years. Theophilus Daniels opened a store about 1840, and kept it about three years. David Cook and David R. Conger kept a store about two years, and sold to Gilbert & Green, who kept it about a year. Wm. Fields bought their stock and kept store about a year. A union store was started about 1855, which was run abouta year. Evarts & Daratt bought their stock and continued about two years. Knapp, Barrett & Co., opened a large store in 1856 and failed in 1860. H. M. Wright bought their stock and continued till 1868. Hunter Bros. opened a store in 1870, and were burned out in 1876. David Mack opened a store about 1845 and kept it about ten years, when he sold his stock to G. A. Benedict, who did business till about 1866. J. M. Dutton & Co. opened a store in 1865. After some three or four years Mark Wright bought Dutton's interest, and the business was conducted by Turner & Wright till about 1875, when J. W. Hapeman bought Wright's interest. Hapeman sold in February, 1877, to M. M. Hunter, and the business is still conducted by Turner & Hunter. In 1866, Geo. R. Rich built a store, which was occupied by his son Jno. E. Rich till January 9th, 1869, when he was burned out. A. C. Bartlett kept a store from 1860-'5. Hapeman & Hunt opened a hardware store about 1865, and in 1868 they sold to S. J. Chase, who, in 1870, admitted Henry S. Hunt to partnership. In April, 1878, R. W. Cole bought the interest of Mr. Hunt, who opened, the same month, the store he now keeps. S. J. Chase and R. W. Cole still carry on the business, under the firm name of Chase & Cole. T. Jorolemon, general merchant, commenced in the spring of 1874, the business in which he is now engaged.

POSTMASTERS.- The first postmaster at Cato was Augustus F. Ferris, who was followed by Andrus P. Preston, William H. Noble, Judge Humphreys, Reuben P. Conger, George H. Carr, E. G. Allen, Amos Bartlett, George P. Knapp, Elias Richards, R. W. Cole, John E. Rich, Lewis Donius, J. W. Hapeman and S. J. Chase, the latter of whom, the present incumbent, received the appointment in 1870.

PHYSICIANS.- The first physician at Cato was John Jakway, who practiced till his death in 1844. The next was John Hoxie, who practiced with Jakway till 1833. Ezra Parker came in from Fort Ann, Washington county, about 1833, and practiced with Jakway some ten years, when he removed to Wisconsin. Robert T. Paine came in from Washington county about 1835 and practiced about fourteen years, when he removed to Jordan, where he died. J. B. R. Martin, from Victory, studied with Paine, and practiced from about 1842 till his death, about 1852. Dr. Hedger, from Cato, practiced with Martin about two years and then moved west. A. J. Brewster, from Jefferson county, came' about 1850 and practiced till 1875, when he removed to Syracuse, where he is now practicing. Dr. Ogden succeeded Martin and remained one year, when he went west. Lucius Hooker, ?, came in from Victory about 1855, and is still practicing here. James D. Benton came in from Ira Corners in 1865 and practiced till 1874, when he removed to Syracuse, where he is now practicing. Frank Murphy, from Wayne county, came in 1876 and practiced about six months, when he removed to Yates county. C. A. Groat, from Wayne county, came in 1875, and is still practicing here. He belongs to the allopathic school of medicine. E. S. Everts, homeopath, came from Auburn in the spring of 1878, and is still practicing here.

BENCH AND BAR.- The first lawyer in Cato was George R. Rich, who came in from Fort Ann, Washington county, in 1832, and commenced the practice of law in 1840. He was admitted to practice in the County Court in 1845, and in the Supreme Court in 1848. Geo. Humphreys, from Auburn, commenced practicing here in 1844, and with him Rich finished his studies. Humphreys was elected County Judge in November, 1851, when he removed to Auburn. Rich is still practicing here. Frank Rich, son of George R. Rich, commenced practice in 1855, in which year he was admitted to the bar. Stephen Olmsted, son-in-law of George R. Rich, commenced practice in 1863, at which time he was admitted to the bar. Both the latter are practicing here.

MANUFACTURES.- The Cato Milling Company, (D. J. Lamson, R. L. Whiting and E. D. Crowninshield,) commenced business in 1876. Slate Crowninshield erected the buildings in 1874, and carried on the business until the present proprietors took possession. The works consist of a grist-mill and saw-mill, connected, both being operated by the same motive power, which is supplied by a sixty-five horse-power engine. The grist-mill is a custom mill and contains three run of stones. The saw-mill contains one large and three small circular saws, for the manufacture of lumber, staves and heading. Its capacity is 5,000 feet of lumber per day, and 50,000 staves per annum. The capital invested is $20,000, and the number of men employed, six.

The furnace and machine shop, of which E. Q. Dutton is proprietor, was built in 1850, by Bradford Cook, on the site of one erected in 1832, by John Rich. In 1875 Mr. Dutton built an addition for the purpose of adding to his business the manufacture of stoves, but that branch was discontinued after about a year. He is now engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements, the chief article of manufacture being the "Easy Draft" Plow. Three men and a capital of about '$10,000, are employed. It is operated by steam. Curtis & Harris, (Chas. H. Curtis and Walter N. Harris,) commenced the manufacture of cigars in January, 1867. They give employment to seven persons and make about 15,000 cigars per month.

James B. Hunter commenced the manufacture of cigars February 2 1st, 1877, in company with D. S. Coates, whose interest he bought April 1st, 1878. He gives employment to ten persons and makes 35,000 cigars per month.

Adelbert P. Rich commenced the manufacture of cigars July 18th, 1878. He employs at present only two persons.

HOTELS.- The Central Hotel was built by Cornelius Acker, the present proprietor, in 1866, on the site of one built by David Chittenden in 1861 and burned in the spring of 1865.

The Railroad House is kept by Elias Quackenbush, who bought it of Willard Sturge, proprietor of the Willard House, Weedsport. in 1867. The main part of the building was erected in in 1810, by Abner Hollister. The addition was built by John Jakway fifty or more years ago.

SCHOOLS.- The school in Cato is a graded union school, with three departments. The teachers are Wm. Hopkins, principal, Miss Ella Saunders and Mrs. Kate Vanaernum. The school building, which is an unusually fine brick structure for a village of its size, was erected in 1876.

THE REFORMED CHURCH, at Cato, was organized about 1831. Wm. DeForest, Isaac VanDorn, DeLamater, John Wood and Jacob and Martin DeForest were among the first members. Rev.- DeForest was their first pastor. He remained with them about two years. Rev. - Hoffman was the second pastor. His pastoral labors covered a period of twenty years. The third pastor was Rev. ____ Knight, who remained about three years. Thomas Watson became the pastor about 1859, and remained till about 1866. He was followed by Revs. Swick, Wilson and VanDorn, each of whom remained a year. Their present pastor, Dr. Wells, came in 1876. Their first house of worship was erected about 1833. It is now used asa tenement house. The present house was bought about 1859, of the Methodist Society, by whom it was built about 1849. The present membership is about thirty-five; the attendance at Sabbath school, about fifty.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, (or Campbellite,) at Cato, was organized about 1848, by Rev. John Bartlett, who was formerly a Baptist minister, and was their first pastor. His pastorate covered a period of about eight years. O. C. Petty, the second pastor, remained about two years. The third pastor was Milton Shepard, who preached about four years and died in Ira. He was succeeded by - Robinson, who remained one year, when John Bartlett served them a second term of two years. The next pastor was Webster O/ Moon, who remained two years. Dr. Allen Benton, though not ordained, supplied the pulpit about four years: G. S. Bartlett, son of John Bartlett, succeeded Benton and remained one year. A. B. Chamberlain, the present pastor, entered upon his duties in 1876. Their church was built at the time of their organization. A session room and baptistry were added in 1874, and the church was frescoed, newly cushioned and painted. The present membership is about one hundred; the attendance at Sabbath school, about fifty. Among the first members were Bradford Cook, Allen Benton, Silas Kellogg, Joseph Spoor, Amos Bartlett, Jno. Barnes, Allen Green, Kingsley Stevens, Caleb Everts, Zaccheus Barnes, Othniel Clapp and Abijah Daratt.

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, (R. C.,) at Cato, was organized about 1863. Martin Cusick, Cornelius and Patrick Mehan, James Murphy, John Mengan, Michael Clune and Thomas Fitzgerald were among the first members. Father Donahue is the present pastor. Their house of worship was built in 1874. The number of members is about sixty.

THE M. E. CHURCH, four miles south of Cato, was organized about 1820. Amos Cowell, John Mills, Frank Hunting, and James Rhodes were among the first members. Their church edifice, which is a brick structure, was erected about 1828. Some six or seven years ago it underwent extensive repairs. A steeple was added and the whole exterior remodeled. It is a neat, substantial building. Rev. Mr. Kinney is the pastor. The membership is about fifty. Its prosperity is mainly due to the interest taken in it by Mr. Cowell.

SOCIETIES.
CATO LODGE No. 141, F. AND A. M., at Cato, was organized June 11th, 1849. The charter officers were George H. Carr, Master; Pier Teller, Sr. Warden; Ansel Kimball, Jr. Warden. The present officers are Frank Rich, M.; Wm. S. Pearson, S. W.; Shepard Knowlton, J. W. ; J. W. Hapeman, Secretary ; A. W. Palmer, S. D.; I. L. Van Dorn, J. D.; Nelson B. Knowlton, Tiler; Wm. Sidney, S. M. C.; W. B. Priddy, J. M. C.; S. J. Chase, Treasurer. Meetings are held the first and third Thursdays of each month, in their own hall, over the Central Hotel. The number of members is 112.

MANUFACTURES.- In the south-east corner of the town, at the iron bridge, is a saw-mill owned by John Busby and built by him in 1868. Connected with it is a cider-mill and jelly factory.

History of Cayuga County, New York: Elliot G. Storke, Pub. D. Mason & Co., Syracuse, New York, 1879

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