REMINISCENCES (copied from THE ADVERTISER, An Eight-Page Weekly - Union Springs, NY) UNION SPRINGS AND ITS PEOPLE IN THE EARLY DAYS We are indebted to Mrs. Sarah M. Sleeper, eldest daughter of Philip Winegar, deceased, for the excellent sketch of the appearance of Union Springs; its business and people in the early times. When the reader bears in mind that the writer is aged nearly seventy-five years, they will marvel at the clearness of her memory and her apt expression of it, which was written in a plain, uniform, and exceptionally legible hand, upon half-note sheets, plainly numbered, and in all respects first-class copy, by her own hand. We are very grateful to her for the kindly interest shown and have no doubt that the feeling is shared by the many readers of the Advertiser. Kalamazoo, Mich., December 7th, 1886. James B. Hoff -- Dear Friend: Thank you for your communication and paper which were duly received. Union Springs in my early recollection was quite a different town from the present. My father bot the mill property he owned so many years of James Barker, a brother of Mrs. Elihu Eldredge, in 1816, and came in August of that year to your place. That was, of course, before my recollection,for I was but a few months past three years old. I remember the pond when it was about half its present size, My father raised the dam several times in my recollection; and it extends much farther south. The old mill as I remember it was a one and a half story frame building, situated a little to the north of the centre of the pond as it is at present, with a basement, where the fulling and dyeing was done; the big wheel that carried the machinery was there too. The first floor above was the finishing room; the upper room was where the carding was done. It was reached by a flight of stairs outside on the south of the building. The saw mill was still farther north; and the flume which carried the water to the wheel was between the buildings. I can remember when there were but two streets (roads they were then called) leading east out of town, one at the head of the north spring, the other leading to the Friends Meeting House. Orrin Winegar built the first house on that street. It was next east of the widow ShankÕs residence. Neither were there but two on the west of Main street, one leading to the grist mill in the north part of the town, and the other to the mills my father owned. There were three houses on that as long ago as I can remember, one where Capt. Finch lived, which was back and a little east of where you live, and is now, I think, west of your house. Another was the one your father lives in; and the other was owned by a Mr. Carr that was always called ÒJake,Ó It must have been about where the street that goes to Basin Street now is. The rest of the town was on Main street, reaching from Captain CozzensÕ place (afterwards Mr. ArnoldÕs) to John YawgerÕs tavern, which was on the site of the brick house afterwards built by Daniel Yawger. There were four dry goods stores, (no groceries), the first north by Asa Burnham on the southwest corner of the street leading to the grist mill, in a stone building. He lived in the same building; another kept by Isaac Valentine, about half-way between BurnhamÕs and one kept by Laban Hoskins, which was nearly opposite his residence; the fourth was John MosherÕs which was about on the site of the Baptist church. There were two hotels, or taverns as they were then called, one at the north end of the town, before mentioned, the other at the head of what was called the big spring, that is the north one. It was on the southwest corner of the street east, and was called the ÒLucky house,Ó I donÕt know why. Both were large two-story buildings. As to the people, I think they were more intelligent and refined than of most small towns at that early day. They were mostly from the far east and Quakers, especially the south part. William Burling, who owned the north mill property, was from New York City, born and bred there; and I think Capt. Barney Earl, too. Their wives were sisters and real ladies, too. Several families were from New Bedford and Rhode Island. I forgot to mention Daniel MersereauÕs store in the north part of the town. I think it much have been opened about 1823, as my mother bought quite a large bill of goods there about that time. Groceries, crockery and hardware were kept by all of the stores. ÒTimÓ Bush was the village blacksmith. His shop was south of BurnhamÕs store, afterwards owned by Mr. Barnes. Mr. Choat had a cabinet shop north of the Burling house, afterwards Mr. FowlerÕs. Later Isiah Fish had one in the north part of the town. His son married Janet Winegar, Uncle AshbelÕs daughter. Stephen Mosher was the only practising physician. His cousin, Dr. John Mosher, did not practice, after my remembrance. Stephen constructed the basin, afterward sold his practice to Dr. Dodge, his property to others. I think my brother, Caleb, was the first lawyer in town. I suppose you know of the Cayuga Tocsin, that was printed by Royal Chamberlin at an early date. It was before my remembrance but I recollect the building very well. It was a long, low building between the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches. Thrulow Weed worked in that office when a boy. The only church for many years was the Quaker, on the hill. It must have been built very soon after my father moved there, as he gave the site, or he and my grandfather, Esek Mosher, did. I donÕt think there was steady preaching service in town until about 1831. The meetings were held in the building formerly used by Isaac Valentine for his store. Mr. Clark was the first minister. He was the father-in-law of George Ham, of Hamburg, and a Presbyterian. Before that date there was a church of that denomination north in the Thompson neighborhood, which afterwards removed to the Springs, at just the time I donÕt know, but services were held in the old store for several years, as the present church was not build but a short time before I moved to Michigan, which was in 1842. The Methodists held meetings occasionally in the district school house. It was north, in the southeast corner of John YawgerÕs yard. It was so far that I went to school there but little, but to a private school taught first by Miss Sophia Gidding, a niece of Mrs. Laban Hoskins, afterwards by Miss Cynthia Southwich, a sister of Mrs. Hoskins. But my brother, Esek, got all the schooling that he ever had in that old stone school house. The district, in time, was divided and my sister and younger brothers went to school in the school house built in the south part of the town. My father bought quite a large tract of land with his mill property, but considered it of but little value. Money was scarce and wheat but two and sixpence a bushel. I heard my father say that a farmer went to HoskinsÕ store to buy a piece of rope for a halter. He would trust him for it, but would not take wheat for pay; but my father took wheat or anything he could use for his work. One farmer wanted to bring honey and asked father how much he should bring. Father said he wasnÕt particular,” bring what you are a mind to,” and he brought sixty pounds. Mother said she wasnÕt troubled to dispose of it. They had a large family and boarded all their workmen. Father kept two sets of hands. In the carding season the machines were kept running night and day, the same with the saw mill when there was water enough. The wheat my father took for his work was stores in a long building standing on the bank about where the grist mill now is and was called the dry house; and in the winter he took it to Albany in sleighs, sold it and bought his dye stuffs or whatever he couldnÕt get nearer. When in the course of time the materials he needed to use in his business could be had at Utica he thought he was highly favored, and that would be thought slow business in these fast times. At that time there was no canal or railroad in the great State of New York, or in fact, anywhere. It is hard for us to realize the difference between then and now. My father built the first canal boat that was built at the Springs. It was built south of the basin (there was no basin there then,) in the year 1826, I think. It was quite an event in the quiet town when she was launched. Silas Ludlow was the builder. Her name has gone from me, but the next one he built was the P. Winegar. At that time they used sails to take them to the bridge, if the wind was right. Otherwise, they had to pole down. The only way to get down the river to Montezuma was to pole, untril the canal was made from that place to the bridge. Then the family shoes were made up in the house, the householder furnishing the materials, the shoemaker the work; and tailoring was done in the same way. The houses had large yards. The rest of the land was used for farming purposes. The only flax I ever saw growing was on the corner opposite the Sanitarium, reaching to your house. That was, I think, in 1825. In 1827 the corner store of the block was built, where MersereauÕs is. The rest of the block was built some years later. In the spring of 1828 Dr. John Mosher and my father opened a store there. He closed his store and put his goods in the new one. He stayed but one year, after which brother Esek managed the store. The two upper stories were used for storing grain, which our people either bought of, or stored and shipped for the farmers. After farmers began to trade their wool for cloth, father began making cloth in a small way. The first spinning-jenny he bought had eight spindles and was worked by hand. Cousin Sepronia Winegar was one of the first to spin on it, and could spin more yarn in a day than any one who ever run it. Father gradually increased his facilities for manufacturing, enlarging the buildings, but in November, 1835, the factory took fire and was burned to the ground with most of its contents. The stone factory was built the next summer, and is now doing duty as a grist mill. I have heard my mother say when they first lived there, the people were all on visiting terms, not calling, but neighbors took their work, spent the afternoon and stayed to tea. But as the village increased, all this was changed. Some of the first inhabitants were Captain Cozzens, Aunt Amy, then the widow White, and her mother, Aunt Lizzy Mosher. They had a row of poplar trees in front of their house, (about the only shade trees the village could boast), Dr. John Mosher, Uncle Esek Mosher, Barney Kirby, a brother Joseph Kirby, Dr. Stephen Mosher, James Barker, Lurad Chamberlin, Jake Carr, Abel Finch, Laban Hoskins, Captain Earl, (Earl and Cozzens were retired sea captains), Wm. Burling, Isaac Valentine, Tim Bush, Asa Burnham, Elisha Southwick (he lived north across the street from BurnhamÕs store), Isiah Fish, John Tayger. My father lived in a small story and a half frame house * on the site of the Sanitarium, which was moved off in the spring of 1829 to make place for the new brick dwelling which was built that summer, and we moved in in October. The next spring the old house was repaired and brother Esek moved into it, remaining there until he moved to Auburn. * Present postoffice building. -- Ed. * * * In Memoriam Obituary Sarah M. Winegar was born April 16, 1813, in Galway, Saratoga County, N.Y. In 1816 she removed with her fatherÕs family to Union Springs, Cayuga County, N. Y., which was her home for nearly 30 years. In 1836 she married John Sleeper. In 1842 they came to Michigan and settled on a farm in Comstock, Kalamazoo County. This farm remained in possession of the family for 45 years. Their home was in Kalamazoo from 1849 to 1861 when they returned to the farm. In 1865 her husband died. In 1884, on the death of her youngest son, she came to this city to spend her remaining years with her daughter, Mrs. C. L. Rounds, who with two sons, Henry S. Sleeper of Lansing, and Esek W. Sleeper of this city, is called to mourn the loss of a devoted, self-sacrificing christian mother. Busy and helpful to the last, in full possession of her faculties, her work being done, and well done, she lay down like a tired child and went to sleep. At night she went to sleep on earth, and on the morning of March 9, 1889, she awoke in heaven. Beautiful ending to a beautiful life. Excerpts from TRAVELS THROUGH THE WESTERN COUNTRY IN THE SUMMER OF 1816 by DAVID THOMAS Page 3 - The village of Union Springs, six miles north of Aurora, derives its name from two fountains, fifty rods apart, with streams sufficient for mills. The lake road passes near them on the east, and forms the principal street. There are twenty dwelling houses three stores of merchandise, and a post office. It was first regularly laid out into lots in the year 1813. We were detained half an hour at this village, by a thunder shower from the south-west. I believe no instance of these storms from the north-west is known, except when the atmosphere has been previously loaded with vapour. The latter wind is destitute of sensible moisture. Frequently, however, it condenses the exhalations from our lakes, and of those which have been wafted hither from other points of the compass. Rains, from that quarter, result from such retrograde movements, and a clear sky generally attends the calm that succeeds. Salt and sulphur springs rise adjacent to this village, but none of these are deemed valuable for mineral properties, and would scarcely merit notice, except as characteristics of the Limestone Ledge. Plaster, of the cockscomb kind, though white or transparent, is found plentifully on the beach after high winds, it having been washed by the waves from the bank where it lay embedded and, by digging, it may be procured at a considerable distance from the shore. The rose colour of the French cockscombs is ascribed to iron. Notes to Page 3 - (on Page 243). The importance of these springs to the surrounding country will be appreciated by the following statement: On the smaller spring are erected a fulling mill, which in the present season of 1816-17, dressed 15,000 yards of cloth, - carding machines which wrought into rolls last summer, 18,000 pounds of wool, - and a saw-mill (assisted in its motion by a brook turned into the basin of the spring) which sawed 60,000 feet of boards and scantlings. On the larger spring is erected a grist-mill, thirty by forty-four feet, three and a half stories, with two run of stones, and the necessary apparatus. It is stated to be capable of grinding 200 bushels of grain per twenty-four hours and as this stream, with the other, suffers no material diminution in drowths, or increase in heavy rains, and no obstruction from ice in winter, it is the main-stay of the surrounding country in extraordinary seasons. In the present extreme severity of frost, grists from a distance of twenty-five miles in almost every direction. [2mo. 15, 1817.]