Tuscarora - Livingston Co. History Smith 1887

TUSCARORA.
Tuscarora is a post village situated on Cashaqua creek in the south-east part of the town, some six or seven miles south of Mt. Morris, on the line of the Genesee Valley Canal and the Rochester, Nunda and Pennsylvania Railroad. The business of the place has been ruined by the abandonment of the canal. It contains two churches, (Presbyterian and Free Methodist,) but only one church building, one hotel, kept by Samuel Lashell, two stores, a gristmill, cheese factory, two wagon shops, (kept by L. J. Colburn and Harrison Hagadorn,) two blacksmith shops, (kept by Frederick Layman and William Narragan,) one harness shop, (kept by Squire Rumsey.) a saw-mill, and a population of 159. The settlement here, says Hotchkin, was commenced in 1822—23, by Messrs. Culver, Babcock and Caulkins.

Prominent among the merchants who have done business in this place were Benjamin Irish, who occupied the building next south of Mr. Northway’s store some sixty years ago, John and David LaRue, Elias Kinney, who was afterwards associated with John Sherwood, William Townsend, Henry arid Sidney Alden, Demorest & Son, and William Petrie, from 1839 to 1873. The present merchants are Frank A. Northway and Edward R. Creveling. Mr. Northway commenced business August 24, 1872, and was successively associated with L. H. Barron, R. K. Bergen, C. Whiteneck, the latter of whom he bought out May 1, 1879. The business was established about forty years ago by Jared P. Dodge in the building next south of the store now occupied by Mr. Northway, and now used by him as a storehouse. Mr. Dodge removed some ten years later to Mr. Northway’s present store and continued in trade till 1865, except at intervals, when his sons A. and A. C. Dodge, and later A.. C. Dodge and E. Youngs, carried it on. In 1865 he sold to Hand & Post, (Wesley Hand and Jacob Post,) the former of whom sold to Tallman T. VanOrsdale about 1867, and VanOrsdale to Lucius H. Barron about 1871.

Post sold to Mr. Northway, the present proprietor, in 1872. Mr. Northway is the postmaster at this place, having received the appointment June 1, 1871. E. R. Creveling came here from Sparta, his native town, and commenced business May 1, 1874. He was associated one year, in 1879, with W. M. Creveling, under the name of E. R. & W. M. Creveling

Dr. James S. Sharp and Orville L. Rowe are the physicians at Tuscarora. Dr. Sharp located here in 1864, and Dr. Rowe in 1879.

The grist-mill at Tuscarora was built in 1860, by David LaRue, who operated it about eight years, when he was succeeded by the present proprietors—Garrett, Barkley and David Miller—brothers. It contains three runs of stones, and is propelled by water from the Cashaqua creek, which has a fall of ten or twelve feet.

The saw-mill is located on the same stream about half a mile above the grist-mill. It was built about 1860 by Isaac Hall and David LaRue, who operated it till the death of Mr. LaRue, July 8, 1876, when Mr. Hall purchased the latter’s interest, and still operates it. The mill contains one circular log saw. The creek at this point has a fall of about nine feet. A. former saw and lath mill at this place, owned by J. P. Dodge, was swept off bodily and completely by the great flood of September, 1861, which nearly equaled that of 1835.

The Tuscarora cheese factory was built in the spring of 1877, by a stock company, who still own it. It receives from 1,000 to 6,000 pounds of milk per day. There are two other factories in the town; the Johnson factory, a small one, located near the Shaker settlement; and the Genesee River cheese factory, which was built, and is still owned by a stock company, about 1874, and receives somewhat more milk than the Tuscarora factory.

The Tuscarora House was built in 1841, by John and David LaRue, who kept it until 1860, since which time it has been kept by Samuel Lashell. The first tavern in the village, which forms the rear part of the present hotel, was built about fifty-five years ago, by Wm. Babcock.

TUSCARORA AND VICINITY
1794 - 1894 Centennial Celebration Mt. Morris, NY August 15, 1894

BY F. A. NORTHWAY.

What was known as the ‘Tuscarora Tract,” which includes the present village and vicinity of Tuscarora, formerly called Brushville, and in the south-east corner of the town of Mt. Morris, was purchased by Luke Tieman, of Baltimore, Md., and in 1822 he appointed Charles L Carroll as his agent for the sale of portions of the same. Sales were soon made, by means of articles, for said land; but many who purchased these articles never made the second payment but followed the tide of emigration westward.

Among the first to become permanent residents, in 1823, was Daniel P. Sedam, who purchased seventy-five acres just east of Tuscarora, and after making the first payment had only $60 left with which to build a home for himself and wife.

The first deed given for land in Tuscarora on record was to David Babcock and others in 1831. Prior to this, however, there were quite a number of residents, and a sawmill had been built by Messrs. Smith & Driscoll. Jared P. Dodge also had erected a fulling mill in 1826, a carding mill about 1830 and a sawmill a few years later. He proved to be one of the most influential men of the place; was a merchant for twenty-five years, for a long time was Justice of the Peace, and Supervisor of the town for ten or more years in succession. Late in life he moved to Nunda where he died about 1890 at the age of 90 years.

James J. Ammerman was another of the first settlers, coming from Cayuga County, N. Y., and locating his farm to the south of Tuscarora. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and I remember the fact of his securing his pension papers in 1816. He died in 1876.

In 1828 Amos Hungerford settled on a farm a mile north of Tuscarora, and the following year his brother Chauncey settled on a farm just west of the aforesaid, where both lived to the close of their lives. Asahel Northway came in the year 1830 and erected the first framed dwelling house in the vicinity. He, as well as the Hungerfords, were from Coldbrook, Litchfield Co., Conn., and were known as Yankees. Northway held a number of town offices and died in the year 1879. Samuel R. and Jacob Bergen came in the year 1826, but in a few years Samuel K. sold his land to Jacob who remained on his farm about a mile east of the village to the time of his death in 1890. He was deacon of the Presbyterian Church for over fifty years. Thomas Bodine purchased one hundred acres north-west of Tuscarora but remained on it only a few years. Jacob VanOrsdale came in the year 1830 and remained until his death. Abraham VanOrsdale was also one of the first settlers.

The school in Brushville, called District No. 13, was organized in 1830. The first record of the number of scholars, which was in the year 1835, was one hundred and six, and the number, who were over five and under sixteen, was seventy-six. The school had been kept eleven months and three days, and the amount paid was $127.42. In 1840, the district was divided on account of the large number of scholars; and all that part lying east and south of the creek, was assigned to a joint district, which in part was in the town of Nunda. The first school house was in the south-west part of the village, on the road leading west. In 1842, a new school house was built, 26 by 30, at an expense of $400, just north of the Methodist Church, where it still remains. The aforesaid church was never completed.

Dr. John H. Robinson was the first physician. Others of the first settlers were; J. H. Bowers, John Wheelock, Calvin Demon, who had a carding mill, Jacob Petrie, a blacksmith, and his two Sons, William and Peter. William Petrie taught school as early as 1888, and for forty years afterwards. He was also Postmaster and Justice of the Peace. He put up the first warehouse and purchased grain.

Nicholas Hall kept a hotel some fifty years ago. He had three sons, Isaac, Aaron and Lansing. Isaac Hall was a carpenter and contractor and died but a few years ago. Aaron Hall was the only lawyer that Tuscarora ever possessed, but he removed to the west. Lansing Hall was blind, but received a liberal education, and was the author of several books. John and David LaRue were large land owners, and built the first hotel in 1841, which still remains. They had a sawmill and gristmill; the latter being run for many years by Mr. Hoyt. About 1860, they erected the present mill, now owned and occupied by the Miller Bros. Henry Rockfellow, father of S. L. Rockfellow, came from Hunterdon county, New Jersey, in 1825, and located on a farm two miles south-west from Tuscarora, where he remained until his death in 1863. His age was 82. John It. McArthur located a mile north-east of Tuscarora, in 1830, and built a sawmill. He was one of the best-informed men in this locality. His three sons, William, James and Archibald, have become noted as builders and contractors.

*ANOTHER TUSCARORA (In Addison Township, Steuben County, New York)

From A History of Livingston County, DOTY, LOCKWOOD L., PP 1236, "TUSCARORA WAS LAID OFF FROM ADDISON DECEMBER 13, 1859, AND THE FIRST SETTLEMENT WAS MADE IN 1804 BY WILLIAM WOMBOUGH. This IS DOWN ON THE PENNSYLVANIA BORDER”. Mary EDICK TELLS OF THE CONFUSION OVER THE TWO TUSCARORAS IN THE POST OFFICES OF THE DAY. The OTHER TUSCARORA POST OFFICE NAME IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING USED IN 1994.