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The Reverend Mr. David Craft Pike Township |
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HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIPS
RIDGEBURY TOWNSHIP
THE township of Ridgeberry is situated between Chemung Co., N. Y., on
the north, and the townships of Athens on the east, Smithfield and
Springfield on the south, and South Creek on the west. The township
is well watered by the Bentley creek and its tributaries, the principal
ones
being Fall, Trout, and Buck's creeks, and Miller's run in the southern
part of the township. The Bentley passes from south to north through the
entire length of the town, west of the centre.
The surface of the country is hilly and much broken, but the soil is
fertile and well tilled at the present time. It was originally covered
with
rock-oak, chestnut, white- and yellow pine. The pine was mostly in
the swales and in the valley of Bentley creek. The land was more easily
cleared than in other towns, where the growth was of a different character
and heavier and more dense.
CIVIL HISTORY
The township was organized in 1818 from the townships of Athens and
Wells. It was named Ridgeberry by Samuel Bennett, who called his own
farm by that name on account of the berries which grew abundantly on
the hill. In 1850 the population of the township was 1616 ; in 1860, 1785;
and in 1870, 1476; of whom 194 were foreign born. The area of the township
is about 40 square miles.
The township is divided into twelve school districts fully within the
limits of the same, and one joint district with South Creek, each one of
which
has a school house in the town.
There are two post-offices in the township, Ridgeberry in district No.
1, and Bentley Creek post-office in district No. 2. SETTLEMENT The first
settlers in the present township of Ridgeberry, as far as can now be ascertained,
were Isaac Fuller and Joel Campbell, who came to the
town with their families in 1805 or 1806. Their nativity was Mammiscotten,*
Orange Co., N. Y., from whence they came to Ridgeberry to find a
better, if not a heavenly country. They came in with oxteams, and drove
several cows in. They made their first settlement on Bentley creek, one
mile from the State line, on property now owned by William J. Fuller,
son of Abial Fuller, and by Mrs. E. R. Beckwith; also on lands two miles
farther up the creek, on farms now owned by John and Alexander Stirton.
The Campbells moved away from the town in 1820. The land was
government property, and the Fullers lived there until they gained
possession by settlement.
The inconveniences and privations of the wilderness were experienced
in full measure by these pioneer families. Their dwelling were made of
logs and roofed with bark or shakes; their nearest mill was at Sheshequin,
twenty-five miles distant by the shortest road; they ate their samp and
johnny-cake made from pounded corn, rendered palatable for daintier
tastes by the addition of maple sugar of their own making; roasted their
potatoes in the ashes, and boiled beans in their kettle suspended over
the fire from a forked stick; but venison and bear steaks and roasts,
wild-turkeys, pi-eons, and grouse, and delicious trout graced their
tables at all seasons of the year.
They chopped and burned their fallows, and with a sharpened stick made
holes in the ground among the logs and stumps, into which they
dropped their corn and covered it up with their feet. They formed logging-bees
to clear off the logs on their wheat patches, and harrowed in
their grain with drags with wooden teeth; their plows were wooden ones,
called "bull" plows. The backlog for their fire-places they drew into
their houses with a horse.
The family of Isaac Fuller, when he came to Ridgeberry, consisted of
his wife and eight. children-viz., Beulah, born Sept. 19, 1774, married
Nathaniel Campbell Betsy, born Sept. 23, 1776, and died in her youth;
Charity, born March 12, 1779, never married; Isaac, born August 18, 1781,
married Rachel Van Curen, of Mammiscotten (Mamakating ?), died in Ridgeberry;
William, born May 20, 1784, married a Campbell, and died
on Post creek - Abial, born Feb. 8, 1787, married a Campbell ; Lemuel,
born May 24, 1790, lived and died in Ridgeberry; Peter, born Oct. 11,
1796, moved to Michigan and died there. Isaac Fuller came first to
Ridgeberry to view the land and then returned for his father's family.
He was
a volunteer in the war of 1812. Abial was drafted, and started for
the seat of war, and met his brother, when orders were received foi- their
return
home, the war having closed. Peter's son, Isaac, served in the war
of the Rebellion, and Lemuel's grandsons also.
Joel Campbell's family, at the time of his settlement in Ridgeberry,
consisted of his second wife, his brother Benjamin, and seven cbildren,-viz.,
Joshua, Ezekiel. Joel, Jonathan, Nathaniel, Benoni, and William. Nathaniel
married Beulah Fuller, and their three children came with them to
Rideberry. They had five grandsons in the war of the Rebellion, four
of whom died in the service. Nathaniel died on his original location, as
did
his wife subsequently. The Campbells joined the 'Mormons largely. Joel
Campbell and his wife lived to be very old people.
Mrs. E. Fuller, now of Ridgeberry, says that Adam Ridenbar and his family were in the township when the Fullers and Campbells came.
Samuel Bennett was among the foremost men in the township. He came to
the hill on which his farm was situated, and which is still known as
the Bennett farm, in 1807, and was the first settler on the bill. It
was covered with berry bushes, and he gave his place the name of Ridgeberry,
and being active in the organization of the township, the people gave
him the privilege of naming the town, and he conferred upon it the name
of
his farm. He was the first tailor in the township. It is said that
he adopted a unique method for cutting, an overcoat for a Mr. Rickey. He
sewed
the breadths of the cloth together, wrapped it around his customer,
and cut it out with a butcher knife. It was the best he could do, but no
report
is preserved of how the garment fitted. The hill is known as Durkee
hill,* and was settled and considerably advanced in clearance before a
settler had come to the hill on the west of the creek. Mr. Bennett
came from Orange Co., N. Y.
The Susquehanna company's township Durkee covered this part of Ridgeberry, hence the name of this part of the township.
Another prominent citizen of Bradford County was Vine Baldwin, who came
to Ridgeberry in 1808 or 1809. He was the son of Thomas Baldwin,
who, with his wife and other members of his father's family, were among
the first settlers of Wyoming valley, and were from Norwich, Conn.
Thomas was in the battle at Wyoming. Waterman and Ada Baldwin, his
brother and sister, were captured in the fort and taken to Tonawanda
creek, near Niagara, by Cornplanter, a chief of the Iroquois, where
they were held until peace was restored, when they were released. Thomas
served with Col. Franklin, and hunted Indians and Tories along the
Susquehanna. Thomas and Franklin were scouting somewhere about
Wyalusing and found two "cow-boys" (Tories) encamped. Each of the scouts
got a bull's-eye watch, though the stem of Franklin's was shot off.
During the captivity of his brother and sister Thomas scouted the Susquehana
and Chemung valley's, hoping to meet and release them. He
heard the report of a gun one day, and soon saw a white man running
and an Indian after him. He fired and wounded the pursuer, who turned
about and ran off. The white man was scalped, shot, and stabbed seven
times. Thomas then followed the Indian, and found him sitting in the
grass, with his rifle across his lap. he advanced with his rifle at
his shoulder, and finger on the trigger, ready to fire if the savage stirred.
The
Indian sat still, and striking his gun out of his reach, Baldwin said
to him, "I will pay you for scalping a white man alive!" and commenced
hacking at his head with his tomahawk. The Indian scratched his bead
and grunted, whereupon the heart of the avenger failed him in his
cruelty, and he sunk his hatchet into the brain of the helpless victim,
and left him. He took the white man along with him to the settlement,
where be recovered from his wounds, and made an annual pilgrimage to
his preserver's house while he lived.
Thomas also commanded one of the companies of volunteers sent in pursuit
of Roswell Franklin's family, and persisted in the pursuit when the
other companies turned back, and rescued the children, though Mrs.
Franklin was shot. Seven of the company were left on Frenchtown
mountain to watch the Indians while the rest went out to kill game,
supplies having been exhausted. Five of these were Col. Franklin, of Athens,
Thomas Baldwin, Joseph Elliott, of Wyalusing, Handy, of Elmira, and
Hammond Stevens. The hunting party were under strict orders to return
at nine a.m., but did not act in, and about noon the Indians were seen
coming along the trail. The seven men on guard formed a semicircle, and
as the Indians came within range opened fire on them, expectance the
return of their comrades every moment. Baldwin showed his hat on his
ramrod, and drew the fire of the Indians, and as they looked out from
their coverts behind the trees, gave them the contents of his rifle. One
of
the redskins getting, into close quarters, Baldwin held his hat on
his hand and received the bullet through his hand. The Indian rushed forward
with his tomahawk, when Baldwin fired into his face, having only powder
in his gun, and burned the Indian horribly. About this time the Indians
ran, and as they left Mrs. Franklin looked above the log, behind which
she was lying and was shot and killed by the Indians. The children were
taken back to their friends. When the treaty was made at Newtown, Baldwin
saw his Indian whose face he had burned, and, upon inquiry, the
Indian corroborated the fact, saying, "Yankee fired big gun in my face."
Baldwin was with Sullivan at the battle of Baldwin's creek, where the
Indians and British fought together behind breastworks. He got in the
rear, and was having a busy session by him self, firing into the enemy's
back. When the Indians ran one of them jumped over the log behind
which Baldwin lay, and seeing him gave him the contents of his gun
in his knee, the ball passing on and lodging in his thigh. He rode to Tioga
Point on horseback, had his wound dressed, and retired with the army
to Wyoming.
In the spring of 1783 he pushed a canoe up the river, carrying his wife
and few household goods, and settled in Sheshequin for the summer.
Here Vine Baldwin was born the same year, the first white child born
in the valley of the Sheshequin after the Revolution. He, Thomas Baldwin,
made several trips to the mill just above Wilkes-Barre, with grists.
He assisted to build the first mill in Athens, near the stone mill on Shepherd's
creek, near Sayre; Spaidino, and Prince Bryant being his associates.
He moved from Sheshequin to the battle-ground where he was wounded,
now the town of Ashland, Chemung Co., N. Y., and used the breastworks
for several years. He built the first grist-mill on Baldwin's creek, in
Chemung County, and died and was buried there.
Vine Baldwin was reared on the farm on the battleground, near Wellsburg.
While a boy he used to haul goods from the Catskills, on the Hudson
river, to Elmira. He married Sally Burt, the daughter of Thomas Burt,
of Chemung, the family being originally from Chester, Orange Co., N. Y.
Vine settled on Bentley creek, about a mile above Wellsburg, in the
township of Ridgeberry, where he built a grist- and saw-mill and a distillery.
He ran his lumber down the river, and built the first raft he ever
saw at Wellsburg, which was the first beginning of that business on the
Chemung.
Mr. Baldwin moved to Troy in 1821, and built the Troy House, or rather
the first house on the site of the present hotel of that name, and opened
the same to the public. He built the first store and traded there,
burned potash, operated a distillery, bought and drove cattle, drew his
potash
east and brought back goods, loaded goods on wagons in New York city,
and drew them thus to Troy, his oldest son, Thomas, being his chief
teamster. Mr. Baldwin lived ten or twelve years in Troy, and accumulated
a good property. He took a contract to build twenty miles of turnpike
in Potter county, and executed the same, but lost the greater portion
of his pay, and his property in Troy was absorbed in paying his men. He
then moved to Tioga County about 1831 or 1832, bought 900 acres of
land, which was called the Marsh farm, sold corn, hay, and pork on Pine
creek for lumber, and ran the latter down the river, mostly paying
for his farm; but in the spring of the great May flood he lost sixteen
rafts,
which ruined him financially. He sold his interest to Gen. George Kress,
his son-in-law, and moved to Chemung in 1836, and cleared up the
Manning farm. While at Troy, be had a line of stages from Troy to Ralston,
and carried the mail. Other parties wanted to get the mail-route, and
undertook to do so by main force, but though three of them attacked
him while having the mail-pouch in his hands, be discomfited them, and
was unmolested for the remainder of his contract.
Mr. Baldwin died at the residence of M. C. Baldwin, his son, in Chemung
June 20, 1873. His family consisted of five sons and three daughters,
viz. : Charlotte, married Gen. George Kress; Thomas, married Polly,
daughter of Reuben Wilbur; Robert C., married a Foulke, and lived in
Chemung; Vine, married a Border, and lived in Wellsboro, Pa.; Morgan,
lives in Michigan - Miles C., born Nov. 5, 1819, in Ridgeberry, lives in
Chemung; Mary, born in Troy; Martha, born in Troy, and died in Chemung.
George, a brother of Vine Baldwin, moved into Ridgeberry from near Wellsburg
about 1822, and settled near the line, about one mile below
Wellsburg, on the farm now owned by David Burt.
Griswold Owen came from Chemung to Ridgeberry about 1809. He was born
in Connecticut. When seven years old his father with his family
moved to Orange county, thence to Unadilla, and thence Griswold came
to Chemung, where he married Anise, daughter of Elder Roswell Goff.
He settled first on the creek near the upper part of town, and after
a few years moved to a farm next above Centreville, where he lived until
his
death. His father-in-law, Roswell Goff, came from the Shawangunk Mountain
on horseback, and brought his daughter (afterwards Mrs. Owen)
in his arms. She was born June 1, 1788, and gave the facts concerning
Mr. Owen and Mr. Goff. John Cummins came in from Hartford,
Washington Co., N. Y., about 1812 or 1813. He settled on the farm now
owned by John Thompson. He married a sister of James Covell, and died
while living with his son more than twenty years ago. Captain Calvin
West came from the same place as did Cummins, his wife being a daughter
of James Covell. He came in 1813, or thereabouts, and settled on the
farm now occupied by Robbins, about half a mile below Centreville. He
moved to Wisconsin about 1870 or 1871. He began in indigent circumstances,
and by thrift became wealthy, in the lumber and milling business.
He built the mill below Burt's. He was elected captain in the independent
company that succeeded the old militia.
Jonathan Kent came from Southport to Ridgeberry about 1813, and settled
on the farm on which Pennyville* is now situated. After several years
he removed to Big Flats, taking his family with him, and died near
Watkins, N. Y. His wife was a daughter of Elder Goff.
James Covell was a soldier of the War of 1812. He came to Ridgeberry
in 1816, at which time there was but one framed house in the town, the
same being Vine Baldwin's. He came from Hartford, Washington Co., N.
Y. His sister, Mrs. John Cummins, and daughter, Mrs. Calvin West,
were already in the town, and, while visiting them, he was so favorably
impressed with the country, he brought his family in, and made the town
his home the remainder of his life. He bought the possession of Silas
Campbell, who had made a clearing of about an acre. John Roberts, of
Philadelphia, was the owner of the tract. His son, Calvin T. Covell,
now occupies the farm, and on which his father died in 1864, aged eighty-nine
years. He built his present house on the farm in 1832. He was very
systematic in his methods of work, and accomplished a great amount of
labor without driving hard. His son, Calvin T., was born in Plattsburg
and was seven years old when the family came to Ridgeberry. The season
of 1816 was the cold season, and Mr. Covell paid $13 for a barrel of
rye flour at Tioga Point. He was a captain in the War of 1812, and a brother
of
his was a lieutenant in the same.
Maj. Alpheus Gillett, a Revolutionary soldier, came to Ridgeberry in
1826, or thereabouts. He lived about a mile and a half above Pennyville,
on
the farm now occupied by his grandson, Aaron Gillett. He and Aaron
Mareellus, his son-in-law, came together from Boston, and made a
possession, which Mr. Gillett subsequently sold to Vincent Owen. Henry
Wells, of Wellsburg, built a house on the place for tavern purposes, and
Marcellus bought him out, The latter remained on the place ten or twelve
years, and then joined in the sale of it to Owen. He reared a family,
the greater portion of whom live in the immediate neighborhood.
Elijah Buck assisted in the survey of the Roberts land, and received
land for his services at sixpence per acre. This he gave to his son, John,
who
settled on it in 1826 or 1827. John died on the farm in 1857. The place
is now occupied by D. H. Burnham, in the upper part of Pennyville. John
Buck came from Buckville, N. Y. He was the postmaster for many years.
Sturgis Squires came from Yates Co., N. Y., to Ridgeberry, in 1827.
His brother Peter had been a resident of the town for some twelve or thirteen
years when Sturgis came, and bought a portion of his possession, which
was located on the James Wilson warrant. Mr. Squires lived in
Columbia, Bradford County when he was about ten years old (1801), and
was in Cabot Hollow when the difficulties occurred arising from the
conflict of titles. He then returned to Connecticut, and was in the
army during the War of 1812, after which he went to the lake region of
central
New York, and from thence came to Ridgeberry. Peter held his land by
possession, as did Sturgis a portion of his, the owner neglecting to pay
the taxes on the same. Peter was an early settler in Columbia Township,
and came to Ridgeberry because of the lighter clearing
Among other early settlers may be named the following the exact dates
of whose settlement we have not been able to obtain: Joseph Batterson,
on the hill on the farm now owned by Lawrence Amy. He was from Connecticut,
and moved away from the town several years ago. A Mr. Pierce
settled for a short time on the place now occupied by the widow Griswold.
John L. Webb, who for one term held the office of sheriff of the county,
was an early comer and a prominent settler in the township. He was the
father of Hon. James H, Webb, of Smithfield.
Job Stiles lived three miles south of Wellsburg, on the farm now ownedby
William Dickinson. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and had a large
family, but all are gone. Some of his family came in as early as 1810
or '11. He married his wife in the barracks. She was a Burnham, a daughter
of Asahel Burnham. Mr. Stiles and his wife died on the farm adjoining
Vincent Owen. Kinney Burnham, a son of the above, came later, in 1835,
and settled east of Pennyville, on the hill. Asahel was another son
of the elder Burnham. Abram Westfall settled on the farm occupied later
by
John Stirton, a Scotchman, who is yet living on the farm. Mr. Stirton's
wife was an English lady, and they reared a large family, the sons being
among the foremost men of the town. Jonathan Davidson was a carpenter,
and lived about a mile from the Bennett farm.
Green Bentley and his family settled on the creek which bears his name,
and is said to have been the first settler on that creek. "Old" Samuel
Green was an early settler on the hill east of Centreville. He was
for some cause called "Durkee," from the name of the hill. The public records
show the following facts: Elijah Buck and Margaret, his wife, of Chemung,
N. Y., sell to James Bentley a lot on Bentley creek, four miles above
the State line, on the forks of the creek, surveyed to John Adlum the
"forepart" of July, 1792, on a warrant dated Oct. 14, 1785, and patented
to
the grantor January, 1793. The deed to Bently was dated Dec. 6, 1803.
Peter Evans came in from the eastward in 1842, and settled on the farm
now occupied bv his son. He bought the possession of Allen Miner. He
died June 10, 1868, aged fifty-five years.
THE IRISH SETTLEMENT
The above is the name given to the settlement in the southeast part
of Ridgeberry, and which extends slightly into the adjacent towns of Athens
and Smithfield. Its area was, as late as 1839, an unbroken wilderness.
The greater portion of the land originally belonged to Charles Carroll,
who
acquired his title from the State in 1792. It was subsequently divided
among his heirs and legatees, and was not offered for sale until about
the
year before named, 1839.
About that time Cornelius O'Driscoll commenced a clearing, and soon
put up a small log house for himself and family, on the present farm of
Corkins. He came to America, remained four years, and then returned
and brought out his family, accompanied by several of his neighbors.
The North Branch canal was just then being constructed, and the prices
offered for work seemed fabulous to the new comers. Driscoll bought
of Patrick and Williston. He brought his family to his clearing in
1840, and died February, 1876, aged ninety-six.
Richard O'Connor was the next settler, with his two sons. They came
in 1840. James White was the third settler, and came in 1841. He bought
the possession of John Downs, one mile south of the Catholic Church,
on which he is yet living. James White emigrated from Ireland, and
landed in Quebec, in April, 1837. His son, the present owner of the
farm, was born the following December, on Victor E. Piollet's farm, in
Wysox. From there he moved to Browntown, and thence to Ridgeberry.
George O'Leary was the fourth settler, and had a large family of sons.
He came from the mouth of Sugar creek in 1842, and settled on the farm
he now lives on, nearly opposite the church. His house was burned down
recently. These four families were the pioneers. After them, the
Irishmen came by squads, among them Daniel Desmond, with his sons John
and Timothy, Richard Hurley, John Mahoney, Patrick Butler,
Daniel Chambers, George Chambers, Thomas Chambers, Daniel Cain, and
James Crowley. There are now about a hundred families in the
settlement.
Father O'Reilly came on horseback to the settlement in March, 1843,
and was the first priest who celebrated mass in the township. There were
fifteen or twenty persons present. The service was held in the house
of Daniel Cain. After that be came quite regularly. The chapel was built
in
1847, by Colonel Scott, for $750, In 1877 it was enlarged and refitted.
Father O'Reilly was bitterly opposed to liquor-drinking and the traffic
in that beverage. One of the women of the settlers, while they were
working on the canal, sold whisky to the men, and on one occasion,,
when she had just laid a fresh barrel on tap, the priest came along, and
taking an axe knocked the head of the barrel in, and let the whisky
run out on the ground.
Nearly all of the present settlers formerly worked on the public works,
and when work ceased on the North Branch canal, they came one after
another to the settlement. They helped one another in their clearings,
and were very social in their habits. They were charged a large price for
their lands, but by perseverance, industry, and frugality they have
paid for them, and their neat homes, well-tilled farms, and numerous,
well-kept herds, attest their success and prosperity.
PIONEER ENTERPRISES
The first framed house was built by Vine Baldwin. The first saw mill
was built in the year 1826, by Abial Fuller, on the farm now owned by his
son, William J. Fuller. Calvin T. Covell built a saw-mill at McAfee's,
which was burned down. He rebuilt it, and added a grist-mill. Vine Baldwin
also had a saw and grist mill and distillery early in the settlement
of the town. David Buck cut the first road through to Smithfield. Previous
to
that date there was a road made up the Bentley creek. The Berwick turnpike
was laid up that creek in 1820 or '21, and was the first really good
road in the town.
Mr. Webb was the first justice of the peace, and Sturgil Squires the first constable in the town.
CENTREVILLE
is a little post-office village on the Bentley creek, in school district
No. 1, the post office being known as Ridgeberry post-office. It contains
a
post-office, two stores, a Methodist Episcopal Church and parsonage,
a school house, mechanic shops, and a few dwellings.
BENTLEY CREEK POST-OFFICE
is a similar village on the same creek-, above Centreville, in school
district No. 2, and contains, besides the post-office, two or more stores,
a
schoolhouse, a Baptist church, a hotel, mechanic shops, and several
dwelling. The Berwick turnpike is the principal street in the village.
MIDDLETOWN
is another little hamlet, still farther up the creek, and contains a store, grist and saw mill, and a carding machine. It is situated in district No. 3.
DEACON SYLVESTER BARNES
The subject of this sketch was born in Washington, Litchfield Co., Conn.,
Oct. 24,1785. He was the third son of a family of eight children of Elijah
and Marcy Farnham Barns, both natives of the New England States, and
supposed to be of Scotch descent.
His father was a farmer, and in limited circumstances. Served as a soldier
in the Revolutionary war on the side of independence, and died soon
after the close of the war. His mother, after the death of her husband,
married again, and died in the Genesee country, N. Y.
Sylvester, at the age of seventeen years, purchased the balance of his
time until he would come of age of his father, and, being somewhat
acquainted with the carpenter and joiner trade, engaged in that business
in erecting the forges at Salisbury, Conn., and other buildings.
In the year 1809, Oct. 26, be married Miss Sally, daughter of Samuel
Darby Goff, of Connecticut. Soon after he removed to Sheffield, Mass.,
and
carried on his previous business. It was here that two children were
born, Samuel Lewis, Nov. 17, 1810, and Sally Maria, Sept. 9, 1812.
The family in the year 1813 came to the township of Standing Stone,
Bradford Co., Pa. Soon after moved to Myresbury, where he worked some
four years in a grist-mill of the late William Myres, Esq.
In April 1819, he bought the farm and mill property of the Ridgways
in the township of Rome. The property is now in the hands of the family,
owned and occupied by his son Sylvester, a view of which and its surroundings,
and the portraits of himself and wife, will be found on another
page of this work.
The balance of his live was spent in clearing his new farm and carrying
on his grist-mill, and during his whole career integrity in all business
transactions with his fellow men was his characteristic.
In matters of school and church interests he was never in the background,
but literally supported both, and soon after coming to his new home
in Pennsylvania, he and his wife both united with the Baptist Church
of Orwell and Wyalusing. He was one of the organizers of the Baptist
Church at Rome, and for many years previous to his death was a deacon
of that church.
In politics he was active, but not radical. Originally a Jeffersonian
Democrat, but afterwards a member of the Whig party, and upon the
formation of the Republican Party became a stanch supporter of its
principles.
Socially, Deacon Barnes was an example still remembered by all who knew
him. The early custom of the use of liquor was laid aside from the
sideboard for fear of its influence upon his children, the result of
which left impressions for life upon the minds of those under his care
and
parental training.
His wife lived a consistent Christian woman, devoted to her family and
the church. An invalid for some ten years previous to her death, she bore
her sufferings with true Christian fortitude, and died April 5, 1841.
Deacon Barnes survived his wife some thirty years, and died at the advanced
age of eighty six years, March 11, 1871.
There were born to Deacon and Mrs. Barns, after coming to Pennsylvania,
seven children: Elijah Farnham, July 25, 1815; Harriet M., October
16, 1817; Ridgway Sylvester, August 2, 1819; David Buel, March 15,
1821; Martha Ellen, February 19, 1828; Edwin Burr, June 9, 1825; Allen
Weston, May 28, 1828.
Samuel Lewis maried Miss Jane E. Cannan, June 23, 1842; wife deceased; four children.
Sally Maria married John Woodburn, Esq., of Rome, November 11, 1830; five children; she is deceased.
Elijah Farnham married Amanda Forbes, March 15, 1843; six children.
Harriet M. married Preceptor Forbes, of Rome, June 17, 1851; two children; husband deceased.
Ridgway S. married Harriet Forbes, May 9, 1847; four children.
David Buel married Mrs. Elizabeth Kinney, October 13, 1858; resided in Rome.
Edwin Burr married Miss Esther Verbeck, November 24, 1852; resides in Rome; four children living.
ALLEN WESTON BARNS,
youngest son of Deacon Sylvester Barns, married Miss Darwina R., daughter
of Daniel and Maria Miller, of Rome, Bradford Co., Oct. 31, 1861.
She was born in the village of Towanda, May 12, 1831. To Mr. and Mrs.
Barns were born three children, M. D. Miller, Cora I., and William S.,
all
living.
Mrs. Barns desires to place his engraved portrait in the history of
the township he represented as a soldier in the War of the Rebellion. He
was
drafted in August,1864, and although pronounced unfit for service by
the examining board of physicians, his patriotism led him to the front.
He
died in the army before Petersburg, Dec. 28, 1864.
* This is the common name for Bentley creek, and came as a term of reproach
on account of a little grocery which some roguish boy said did
only a penny business.
