The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 8, 1899.
GRACIE.
A History of the Town and Its Early Settlers, and Mention of Many Who are to-day Prominent as Business Men or Residents.
EARLY HISTORY.
Comparatively few people in Central New York, outside of the postal authorities and railroad employees, can tell where Gracie is situated, and less who know anything of the circumstance from which it derived its name. It is but a simple country hamlet of a dozen or more houses, situated on the Lehigh Valley railroad, and is about three and one-half miles west of Cortland. The place for many years was called Chicago, and derived its name in the following manner: Immediately after the completion of the Lehigh Valley railroad the residents of that locality were desirous that a station should be established there, and frequent demands for the same were made upon H. P. Goodrich, then one of the directors of the road. At first Mr. Goodrich was opposed to this action, but after repeated requests he finally one day told Fredrick Frost, one of the representative citizens of the hamlet, that if the people would erect a station and platform at their own expense, trains would be allowed to stop.
Mr. Frost, armed with this assurance, hurried home and in a few hours the entire neighborhood had assumed the role of carpenters and with lumber obtained at the mill nearby soon erected a suitable building and platform adjacent. They then hurried to their homes and changing their wearing apparel presented themselves at the station to meet the afternoon train from the west. Up to this time no intimation had been given the train men of the existence of this station, and when the through express train in charge of Conductor Cornelius Judd came into sight the red flag, which had been suddenly improvised for the occasion, was waved furiously in the eyes of the astonished engineer. The train was brought to a standstill along side of the recently erected station, and Conductor Judd stepped out to learn the cause of the unusual stop. At a glance be took in the situation, and at once exclaimed, with much emphasis and accompanied with terms more forcible than religious "Chicago—grown up in a day." For about thirty years the place retained that name, but frequently mail directed to Chicago, Ill., would find its way to this place and vice versa. These errors occurred so frequently that the attention of the postoffice authorities was called to the matter, and they decided that the name should be changed.
The people of this section then endeavored to select a name which would be acceptable at Washington. Four or five names were suggested and sent to the postal authorities, but were in all cases rejected. It was then that the name of "Gracie" was suggested and this proved entirely satisfactory. This name was given in honor of Wm. Gracie, who at an early period in the eighteenth century came into possession of a government tract containing 640 acres. This territory embraced much of the country now tributary to Gracie and at that time was covered with a dense growth of both soft and hard wood. A large saw and shingle mill was at once erected and the work of clearing up the land commenced.
The lumber taken from this territory found a ready sale in Cortland and Ithaca. Mr. Gracie is remembered by some of our older citizens, who recall to mind many of his eccentric actions. For some years the Gracie mill was run on shares by Judson Gager. Thus to this extensive land owner and early resident is given the honor of this hamlets present name. When the postoffice was established under the new name, Mr. George Frost was commissioned as postmaster. J. J. Frost was named as deputy. The office is located at the home of Fredrick Frost, one of the pioneers of Gracie. The saw mill which now stands just across from the postoffice was built about 1884 by James Chapin and still continues to do a flourishing business. The present owner of the property is William Franklin, who purchased the mill about two years ago. He has recently added machinery for grinding feed and has already secured a fine trade in that line.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Isaac P. Thompson owned considerable land in and about Gracie as early as 1834. Among the former owners of the mill was Loren F. Thompson, who became wealthy, being possessed at one time of many acres of land near where this hamlet now stands. Miss Janette Thompson, a sister of Loren, afterwards became the wife of Fredrick Frost and still resides at Gracie. Reuben Davis was also one of the early settlers at Gracie, and for many years lived on the farm now owned and occupied by Nathan Salisbury.
FREDERICK FROST.
Mr. Fredrick Frost, one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Gracie, was born in Bridford, Addison county, Vermont in 1839, and in 1846, together with his mother and two sisters, came to this state. In 1855 he was married to Janette D. Thompson. In 1857 they removed to Gracie, where they have since resided with the exception of a year or two in Cortland. Mr. and Mrs. Frost are well preserved for people of their age, and are highly respected by all who know them. They have four children, two sons and two daughters, three of which reside with them.
CHICAGO GRANGE.
The people of Gracie have always taken a deep interest in the matter of agriculture, and June 14, 1881, organized Chicago Grange, No. 446, with 14 charter members. The officers were as follows: Marvin Wood, master; Zera Tanner, overseer; Park G. Gilbert, secretary; Edward Gager, treasurer; Mrs. Wayland Sweetlove, chaplain; Eben Baldwin, Steward; Nathan Hunt, gate keeper; Elmer Chaffee, lecturer; Sara M. Miles, lady ass't. steward; Mrs. Emory Doran, pomona; Mrs. Fredrick Frost, flora; Mrs. Eben Baldwin, ceres. These officers, together with Emory Doran and Nathan Pullen, constituted the charter members of the lodge. The meetings of the grange were for some time held in the hall over the saw mill, but some years ago, through the kindness of Marvin Wood of South Cortland a building was fitted up and now furnishes a very desirable home for the grange. The property formerly belonged to John Calvert, the father-in-law of Mr. Wood, and in regard for his wishes was fitted up for the grange. It is now known as Calvert Hall. In connection with the main audience room is a cloak room, dining-room cellar and general reception room. Several comfortable sheds have been built upon the lot adjacent where horses are comfortably housed. The grange is still in a prosperous condition and adding new members occasionally.
NATHAN SALISBURY.
Two years ago Mr. Nathan Salisbury purchased the James Chapin farm. Mr. Salisbury was born in 1886 upon the farm east of the park, now the property of the Cortland & Homer Electric company, and for the most part of his life has resided there. Since purchasing his present home at Gracie he has completely remodeled the house and barn, until now his buildings will compare favorably with any farm in the county. Some years ago Mr. Salisbury married Marsha Wheeler of Blodgett's Mills. They have one son, Charles, who resides at home and looks after the management of the farm.
REV. JOHN W. GILLEN.
Rev. John W. Gillen and wife were among the substantial citizens of Gracie and built the house now owned and occupied by T. R. Wing. Mr. Gillen was highly respected during his life, and came to his death by a falling tree, leaving a widow, Mrs. Sarah Gillen, who now resides with her son, Geo. H. Gillen, on a farm a few rods north of the old homestead.
GEO. GILLEN.
Mr. Geo. Gillen was born in Gracie in 1861, and has for the most part resided there since. His farm is well kept and under a high state of cultivation.
JOHN FRANKLIN.
John Franklin is a miller by trade and assists his son, Wm. Franklin, in the care of the saw and grist mill.
PERRY MYNARD.
Perry Mynard is now one of the oldest residents of Gracie. Mr. Mynard was for many years a minister of the gospel and presided over several important charges. Some years ago, however, he gave up preaching and has since devoted his attention to farming.
T. R. WING.
T. R. Wing owns the farm formerly owned by Rev. John W. Gillen. Mr. Wing is a hard working industrious young man, and respected by his neighbors. He has of late taken a great interest in poultry raising and has an incubator with which he annually hatches a large number of chicks.
OTHER RESIDENTS.
Other residents of the vicinity in and about Gracie are Thomas McMann, Hubert Davis, Frank Eggleston. L. L. Burgess, Seth DeLong, William Hunt, James Ellsworth, Thomas Moorehead and Chas. Baldwin. These gentlemen are all farmers, and are thoroughly interested in the future of Gracie.
HERE AND THERE.
A man is reported as traveling through the country collecting a royalty of $5 for every bicycle rack in use.
There will be three eclipses during the year of 1900, two of them of the sun and one of the moon. The meet interesting one will be of the sun on May 28th, which will be nearly total in this latitude.
Fortunate is the farmer who the past year raised a large crop of beans. The prices of this product are advancing rapidly, being already quoted at $1.85 per hundred pounds where a few weeks ago they told at $1.20. It is predicted that the price will go to $2.50. England is buying large quantities of beans for the use of her army in South Africa, and the American troops in the Philippines are also doing their share toward reducing the quantity on hand. England can buy anything [they want] in this country from bridges to beans.
"Under the laws of the state of New York it is possible for a man to live with three women as his wives." This statement was made recently by Secretary of State John T. McDonough in a conversation on the case of [Utah] Congressman Roberts. Continuing he said: "This is possible under these conditions: If the wife of a married man leaves him and he can find no trace of her for a period of five years he may remarry. If the second wife follows the example of the first and trace of her is lost for a period of five years, he may marry a third time. If the two missing wives should return there is no law on the statue books which would prevent them from living with him if they so desired. They are still his wives, and remain so until they begin proceedings to have their marriage contracts annulled. Thus, you see, it is possible for a New Yorker to have three wives within a period of eleven years."
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| Cortland County Almshouse and Farm. |
COUNTY POOR EXPENSIVE.
Forty-five Per Cent Increase in Cost Over 1897—Over $300 for Medicine
—Nearly $700 Worth of Live Stock Purchased.
During the past two weeks there have been many rumors of excessive and unnecessary expense in the management of the county almshouse. While the people of Cortland county are humane, and desirous that the unfortunate persons who are compelled to exist upon the charity of the taxpayers should be comfortably clothed and fed, they decidedly object to extravagance and to the unnecessary expenditure of the public funds appropriated for their care.
The supervisors were aware of the rumors of mismanagement, and when Superintendent of the Poor Mills Q. Frisbie presented his annual report they were prepared to scrutinize it very closely. No stronger evidence of extravagance and mismanagement could be produced than the report itself. Mr. Frisbie shows by his own figures that the cost of maintenance of the poor during the year has been something over $1.60 per week for each inmate, an increase of more than 45 per cent over the cost in 1897. That readers of the DEMOCRAT may judge of the increased cost and to verify our statement, we quote from the official records the cost per week of maintaining the inmates at the almshouse for several years: In 1897 the average cost was $1.09 per week; in 1896, $108; in 1895, $1.33; in 1894, $1.30; in 1892, $1.29 At no time during the past ten or fifteen years has the cost of taking care of the poor in Cortland county reached, anywhere near the figures given by Mr. Frisbie.
To show the cause of this increase it is only necessary to compare the disbursements for county house expenses during the year ending October 31 with the year ending same date in 1897, bearing in mind that in 1897 the number of weeks board furnished was 2,888, while in 1898-9 it was only 1,915, a difference of over 900 weeks. In 1897 the expense for groceries and tobacco was $748.60, and in 1899 it was $1,153.44. During the past year drugs and medicines have cost the county $868, $75 of this being for cough medicine alone, indicating that a serious epidemic must have prevailed at the almshouse. In 1897 the superintendent paid $181.93 for flour and feed, and Mr. Frisbie has during the past year paid $496.58 for feed alone. The inmates have been regaled on sixty cent tea, when a large majority of the taxpayers are content with an article costing not more than one-half that sum at retail. Fifty cents a dozen was paid for lemons, a figure far in excess of the retail price at any grocery store in the county.
Mr. Frisbie was asked to appear before the board and explain many of his transactions. He was asked by Mr. O'Donnell of Truxton why it was that it became necessary to sell off six or seven cows, nearly all the stock on the farm, and sell them as "bolognas" or old stock at a price ranging only a trifle over $20, and buy cows to replace them at a cost of between $50 and $60 a head. Mr. Frisbie could only say that it was necessary because the stock sold was old. Mr. O'Donnell inquired if it was the superintendent's custom to charge towns for the board of inmates when such inmates were absent weeks at a time, and the reply was yes. Many other pertinent questions were asked of Mr. Frisbie, some of them answered satisfactorily to the board and others far from being explanatory.
It is certain that the improvements, which have cost $2,800, have not been wisely and judiciously planned; in other words, the county of Cortland has not received satisfactory returns for the $9,181.38 expended by Mr. Frisbie.
On motion of Mr. O'Donnell the following resolution, which is self-explanatory, was passed:
Resolved, That it is the wish of this board that the Superintendent of the Poor of this county furnish no medicines for the inmates of the almshouse at public expense, except such as shall have been prescribed by the physician attending at said institution, and that said physician be requested by said Superintendent of the Poor to keep a record of all such prescriptions, and to furnish a copy thereof to this board at its next annual session.
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