|
Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Communities & Neighborhoods
|
 |
|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
Why They Named it Mainesburg
|
|
| Article: Why They Named it Mainesburg |
| Township: Sullivan Township, TiogaCounty PA |
| By - 1939 Elmira Sunday Telegram Article |
Submitted by Joyce M. Tice
from the Mabel HILFIGER "Benson" Scrapbooks |
|
 |
|
|
Joyce's Search Tip - November 2008
 |
Do You Know that you can search just the
articles on the site by using the Articles button in the Partitioned search engine at
the bottom of the Current What's New
Page? |
|
|
Why They Named It: - Mainesburg . . . Max Stauffer Expert On Early History
THIS IS ONE of a series of Elmira Sunday Telegram articles, appearing
from time to time, explaining how villages in the New York and Pennsylvania
territory served by The Sunday Telegram, received their names.
WHEN SOMEONE seeks information concerning Mainesburg, pa., he consults
Max E. Stauffer, former blacksmith. Mr. Stauffer, except for one period
of less than three years, has spent his entire 68 years in this little
community on Corey Creek in Sullivan Township, Tioga County. Mainesburg
took its name, Mr. Stauffer explains, from John Maine, who more than 100
years ago, settled in what was almost virgin wilderness. In 1826 the place
was established as a village. Nearly all the land around the small community
between Sylvania and Mansfield was early acquired by the Maine family.
[Note From Joyce - This is not quite true, but John Maine was the first
postmaster and that is how the name was established] Later, of course,
these holdings were sold off a little at a time. Mr. Stauffer, naturally,
cannot remember the original John Maine but he does recall the pioneer
settler’s two sons, both long since dead. They were Dr. George W. Maine,
pioneer physician, and E. R. Maine, farmer. Like so many other villages
and hamlets, Mainesburg from the earliest was a lumbering and farming community.
Mr. Stauffer’s father, George E. Stauffer, who was 62 when he died in 1897,
42 years ago, was a pioneer blacksmith and it was from him his son learned
the trade. The elder Mr. Stauffer was a blacksmith nearly 45 years and
his son, before retiring five years ago, matched that record. Mr. Stauffer
can remember when a saw mill flourished on Corey Creek, near where the
highway crosses the stream. When Mr. Stauffer as a boy knew the sawmill,
it was operated by L. M. Doud and J. S. Woodburn. There was also a flour
and feed mill on the western outskirts of the place, operated by A. B.
Austin and belonging to C. M. Horton and his brother, Frank. This burned
down some 45 years ago. Disastrous fires in years past were blows to the
community. In 1917, the Christian Church, of which Mr. Stauffer was
a trustee, burned down and with it were destroyed a Grange hall, store,
and other buildings. Corey Creek has dwindled away so that it no longer
supports fishing, but in his youth, Mr. Stauffer recalls, it was no task
at all to catch a full creel of trout “right in the village limits.” When,
a half century ago, Mr. Stauffer donned an apron and became his father’s
helper in his smithy, there were then three other blacksmiths, all now
dead. These were Stephen Peters, Fred Bryan and Lewis B. Lucas. L. D. Lucas,
a son of the latter, carried on the trade after his father for a time.
Mr. Stauffer was born in the house in which he now lives. His father’s
home it was as well, and previously to that, Dr. George W. Maine, previously
mentioned, lived there. Consequently, the house, still comfortable and
homelike, is well over a century old. When a young man, Mr. Stauffer went
to Kansas for a time. There he met and wed Miss Laura M. Kuntz, a native
of Punxatawny, Pa. In February, Mr. and Mrs. Stauffer will celebrate the
47th anniversary of their marriage. The Stauffers have one son, Gordon
E., who operates a store at Mainesburg and is postmaster.
See Mainesburg Postcards by Caulkins
showing
the buildings that burned in 1917.
|
Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Tri-County People
|
|
|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
"Vet" Bailey - Sullivan-Rutland
Pioneer - The Stuff of a Tall Tale
|
|
Joyce's Preface- To this day stories of "Vet" Bailey can be heard around
the neighborhood where he lived so long ago. As to whether the following
stories which appeared in 1886, only three decades after the death of "Vet,"
are true or not, I can only say - I hope not. I really hope they
are exaggerations of truth, but who knows? You decide. Most tall tales
have a grain of truth behind them. Where is the line between bravery and
foolhardiness??
ELMIRA SUNDAY ADVERTISER June 27, 1886
Typed by Sherry Nichols
A MOST REMARKABLE MAN
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF VET. BAILEY, A FAMOUS OLD HUNTER
A Modern Sampson Whose Feats Were Unparalleled for Bravery and Whose
Endurance Was Simply Marvelous.
(Written expressly for the Telegram by an old correspondent)
One of the most remarkable and eccentric pioneers of Rutland and Sullivan
townships in Tioga county, PA, was Sylvester Bailey, better known as “Vet
Bailey”. He was born in the state of Connecticut about the year 1798,
and came into the Tioga valley with his parents when he was about eight
years of age, riding a pony all the way from that state and carrying a
small rifle by his side. The hunting and shooting traits for which in after
life he was so greatly distinguished, commenced their development upon
that journey, shooting and killing a number of deer along the road in the
Catskill and Delaware mountains, along the Chenango and Chemung valleys,
and in the mountains intervening between the towns of Towanda, Troy, and
on the Armenias. His father first located at the mouth of Mill creek, and
subsequently removed to Rutland. Vet. was a sturdy, square-built boy, fearless
of danger, and rugged and firm as the mountain country which he inhabited.
Before he was twelve years of age he had killed 100 deer or more, and at
the age of twelve he shot his first panther. He would roam over the mountains
barefoot, defying frost and ice, in quest of game, and when his feet became
too much chilled he would pull off his hat and step into it, and thus bring
back the circulation. Twas thus he spent his youth and boyhood. In time
he turned his attention to business, which he prosecuted with great, energy,
building saw mills and grist mills and erecting dwellings. He married Miss
Mary Welch, a native of Vermont, and a
DAUGHTER OF AN OLD PIONEER
by whom he had six children , vix: Abigail, wife of Russell Burnside; William
Bailey, who married his second cousin; Sarah Bailey; Lucy, wife of William
Aylesworth; Constant Bailey whose wife was Amey Jones; Laura, who married
Clark Bartlett and Griffin Bailey, who married Alvira Aylesworth. But in
the midst of pressing business engagements he always found time to hunt.
As we have stated he commenced the slaughter of deer at eight years of
age, and at twelve he had downed his first panther, and at thirteen a bear
came into the pig-pen and his mother held a light while he engaged in a
combat with the bear, in which he was victorious. After he arrived at the
age of manhood he became the most renowned hunter in northern Pennsylvania.
One time he set two traps near the present village of Mansfield, and upon
going to them one morning he discovered that one had been carried off by
some animal. He followed up the trail, which led to a mammoth white pine
hollow log. Vet cut a strong hickory club about six feet long and entered
the hollow log, punching away with his club. At length it came in contact
with an animal which proved to be a she wolf. Vet. kept punching it with
his club, and the wolf commenced snapping and biting it, and so successful
was she in the business that in less than five minutes she had bitten the
club off, so that the part that remained in Vet’s hand was not more than
two feet long. Discretion, Vet thought, was the better part of valor, and
once in his life he backed out. But his backing out was only to gain a
strategic point. He stopped up
THE HOLE WITH STONES AND OLD LOGS
and went after an axe. This obtained he returned to renew the battle. He
chopped a hole in the log where the wolf was in trenched, and after a desperate
struggle succeeded in capturing her ladyship alive, gagging and muzzling
her. He also found seven little wolves, which he also captured. He slung
the mother wolf over his shoulder, fastened the puppy wolves together,
gathered them under his arm and started for home, about eight miles distant.
The mother wolf struggled desperately to release herself and finally succeeded
in doing so, getting the stick out of her mouth and seizing Vet by the
scalp and tearing the hair and skin loose from the top of his head down
to the back of his neck. The sudden attack took Vet rather by surprise;
but he rallied not withstanding his scalp was torn loose and he was almost
blinded with blood which flowed from his wounds succeeded in putting the
gag again in the mouth of the wolf and reaching his home with the live
wolves. He sat down after reaching home and his wife, who had strong nerves
took a needle and thread, replaced the scalp again and took some ninety
stitches to complete the patchwork. Vet bound a handkerchief over his head,
and the next morning was going about in his usual manner. He kept the old
mother wolf for several years, together with two of her pups. The pups
he made completely tame, and they followed him wherever he went. One time
he went to Ithaca, NY for a mill stone, and had one of those wolves with
him. On returning from Ithaca he stopped over night at the famous inn of
John Davis, in Newtown, now Elmira, which was located on the corner of
Water and Lake Streets.
VET TOLD UNCLE JOHNNY THAT HE
had a very peculiar dog, which it was necessary to lock up nights, and
that he was willing to pay for his lodging. Uncle Johnny went with Vet
to the granary, that being the most safe and suitable “lock-up”. Vet discovered
a fine harness and a most excellent saddle and told Uncle Johnny to remove
them as his dog was very fond of leather, and might destroy them. Uncle
Johnny thought it only a whim of Vet and would only remove the harness
leaving the saddle hanging in the granary. Vet’s dog was given an old worthless
horse blanket to sleep on, when he was locked up for the night. His dog’s
name was Mollie Starks, named in honor of Mollie Starks, wife of General
Starks of revolutionary fame. When the granary door was unlocked in the
morning all that remained of that elegant saddle was the stirrups and iron
horn and tree. Mollie had entirely demolished it and eaten it up. Uncle
Johnny swung a very bitter lip for a few minutes, cursing the dog and everybody
else. Vet kept cool for a while and then launched forth in a counter tirade,
which completely laid Uncle Johnny on the shelf. Finally peace reigned
in Warsaw, a few drops of old rye were imbibed and matters were adjusted
in an amicable manner and Vet started for his home over the rough and unworked
roads from Elmira up Seeley creek to Samuel Miller’s where the present
village of Millerton is located, and over the mountain to his home in Rutland.
His eye was clear and his aim steady. One time he and his old friend Apollis
Pitts, of Richmond, and others, were returning home from a logging bee
or shooting match, when the subject of marksmanship came up.
HE PLACED AN APPLE ON THE HEAD
of Mr. Pitts and at a distance of six rods fired and shattered the apple
in a thousand pieces. As a hunter he always captured his game. He would
take upon the track of a deer and follow it with the rapidity, endurance
and pertinacity of a hound, literally running them down. Five and ten deer
were usually the result of one day’s hunting. He wrestled with bears, trapped
and ran down wolves, killed elk, shot panthers and slaughtered small game
by the thousand. Many eccentric and amusing anecdotes are related of him
by his old friends and neighbors. It is said that one day he went down
to his saw-mill where Israel Smith was working and told Smith that he was
obliged to remain at home that day in order to see a man who would come
there on business, but that he needed exercise and must have it. Vet proposed
to get up on the saw gate and take a ride upon that. Smith did all in his
power to prevent him but Vet climbed on to the old-fashioned upright saw
gate and commanded Smith to turn on the water or feed. Smith dare not disobey
him and complied with his demand. At first the gate moved up and down slowly
on a light head of water. This did not suit Vet and he demanded “more feed,
more feed, Israel”. Smith remonstrated with Vet but to no avail. Vet was
going up and down at a rapid rate, the downward motion raising his long
hair until it stood eight or ten inches above his head, and still Vet cried
for “more feed”. Smith
HAD HIS TOE ON THE FEED GAUGE
or gate, the embodiment of fear and despair. He knew if more speed was
given the gate that Vet could not hold on to it and there was danger of
his being crushed between the gate and the fender beam. “More feed more
feed, d—n you, more feed!” shouted Vet. Finally half crazed, Smith turned
on the full speed and the gate went up like a streak of lightning sending
Vet up through the roof of the mill, from whence he rolled off into the
flume. Smith, when he saw Vet take his departure heavenward, shut off the
speed and ran to an opening on the north side of the mill just in time
to pull Vet from the water. The breath of life was in him and that was
all. He was completely demoralized. His exercise that morning was too violent
and excessive. He was carried to the house and an investigation proved
that his arms and legs were broken and his hip out of joint, with sundry
and divers other wounds too numerous to mention. Vet however, soon rallied,
and in the proper season went forth to make war on the denizens of the
forest. Death, however, claimed him as a victim and he died in the year
1852 aged fifty-four years. He was just in the prime of life. The recital
of his hunting exploits would fill a volume. He made a record which none
could excel in the hunting line, and today when any young hunter is very
successful in the chase he is told to persevere, and perhaps he will yet
be as good a shot and hunter as Vet Bailey. {Estate was probated 22 DEC
1851, so death date is slightly off in this article} See
Family History from Joyce's Sullivan-Rutland Genealogy Project
|
|
Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Communities & Neighborhoods
|
|
|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
The Horse Thieves at Elk
Run
|
|
The following story comes under the category of lore. It is true that the
story has been part of the neighborhood forever. The Bailey Farm Joan mentions
is just north of the Rutland - Sullivan border on the Rutland side.
Story of the Elk Run Horse Thieves
By Joan Nash O’Dell
January 2001
This story was related to me several years ago by Jim Welch who had
heard it from Owen Smith at a much earlier time.
The farm where I lived, often identified as the Bailey farm or “the
farm where the barns burned” was the site of this illegal activity.
Across the road from the buildings was a small stream that had its origin
up on a much higher hill facing the north. If one were to walk from
a small bridge by the barn north they would find a ravine which has been
carved out by this stream over the many years.
As the story goes, and I do not attest to fact or fiction, horses were
stolen around the area at night time, herded into this rater remote, secluded
area and retained there ‘til further action could be taken to sell them
out of the immediate area.
The light colored horses were rubbed with a clay colored soil to disguise
them when they were “going to market” elsewhere. I have no idea what
they did about the darker shades but I presume like the importing them
to the ravine, the exporting was also done by moonlight.
I have wondered which Bailey person was running this activity.
Was it Sylvester, known as “Vet” or one of his forefathers, brothers or
descendants?
On top of a knoll not far from where this all was suppose to have happened
is a small, family burying ground known as the Bailey Cemetery. When
I was touring around those hills and dales, I remember several grave markers.
Today there are few, due to woodchucks and cows. We do know that
Constance Bailey and his wife are buried there. This small plot is
on the present adjoining farm, known as the Longwell farm and this was
also true half a century ago. Apparently this wasn’t always true
or else two Baileys owned adjoining farms.
I know nothing of the law becoming involved in this activity but apparently
the surrounding neighbors knew about it because Smiths lived near by and
the story has been passed down through the many years. True or not
true, it makes a good story.
|
|
Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Communities & Neighborhoods
|
|
|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
The Windmill at Mainesburg
|
|
 |
 |
| The windmill in 1979 |
As a Gas Station in the 1930s when Emery Austin ran it. |
Old Gas Station Sprouts Windmill
From Sunday Telegram, Elmira, N.Y. Sunday, January 28, 1979
By Garth Wade
Mainesburg – Rt. 6 travelers through this tiny Northern Tier community
do double-takes when they spot what appears to be a windmill growing out
of a house.
Not true. It was built that way just before the Depression.
Today, the house is owned by John Clark who lives on Old State Road
about two miles south of here. Clark rents the old structure to Donna
J. Wilcox and her son.
“That’s a good question,” said Clark when asked why he bought the place
from the late Irene Kuykendall eight years ago. “We were farming
at the time and wanted a little bit of something extra to do,” Clark said.
Clark said he didn’t know why the house was built that way, but said
the local postmistress is a good source for local history.
Miss Webster has headed up the local post office for 21 years and has
lived many of her 60 years here. The late Emery Austin built the
structure as a gas station nearly five decades ago, said Miss Webster.
“About the time I was going to grade school in Mainesburg.” See
Correction Below
The windmill is just a decoration, not functional, she added.
Mr. Austin added the eye boggler “just for fun, I guess,” Miss Webster
said.
Mrs. Kuykendall apparently inherited the property. Mr. Austin
was her uncle, Miss Webster said.
The place is hard to maintain, said Clark who is now a caseworker for
Tioga County Children’s Services. The numerous peaks and corners
created by the windmill structure make the house hard to weatherize, he
said.
At any rate, Clark would like to sell the property. That includes
three nearby cabins. Clark rents on a monthly basis.
Clark doesn’t dare tear the place down. Local folks wouldn’t stand
for it.
“I’d have to leave the community,” Clark said.
| Correction by Joyce: The windmill was built by Lettie Austin
and her husband Dr. Lou Smith as their summer home. It was built on land
that was part of the Austin Family area of Mainesburg. Emery Austin,
Lettie's brother, did run it as a gas station after Lettie and Doc
Lou no longer used it. Irene "Kuykendall" mentioned in the article,was
the daughter of Lettie and Lou.
At right - Lettie Austin and her husband,. Dr. Lou Smith at an Austin
Reunion abt 1921. |
 |
 |
Photo by Joyce Autumn 2005. No longer a windmill, the characteristic
adornment has been removed. I imagine it was a roofing nightmare. I don't
know when the windmill was removed. The "windmill" and the little cabins
next to it are in good condition, all painted and well roofed. |
|
Bradford County PA
|
Chemung County NY
|
Tioga County PA
|
|
Published On Tri-Counties Site On 20 JAN 2005
By Joyce M. Tice
Email:
Joyce M. Tice
You are the
visitor since the counter was installed on 20 JAN 2005 |
 |
|
