Comstock's History Page Twenty-four

SOME OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SCIPIO

CAYUGA COUNTY NEW YORK by Austin B. Comstock

I will be posting each page of this history separately. The index, posted on June 24, 2014 in 4 parts, provides the page numbers; you can also search the blog for a particular name appearing anywhere within it. 

The index is also being published at  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycayuga/ and will eventually have a link back to this blog.

I hope you find something new!

Page Twenty-four

and was succeeded by Henry Bolt, during whose administration the place took the name of Bolt’s Corners. Mr. Bolt gave place to Sam Russell and he to Sam Barker, who sold to Jeremiah Reynolds, who sold to Erastus Hill about 1850 when the place ceased to be a hotel and was torn down about 1870.

The house now owned by William Nolan stands where the garden was. There seems to have been no record of all the merchants who did business there, but we know that the first store was built on the north side of the street west of the hotel sometime before 1800, but who he was, or how long e did business, or where he went, there is no record.

Then came Sherman Beardsley who began to sell goods in the west end of the hotel. He finally erected an elegant store on the southwest corner; he also erected an ashery and the finest house in town.

Mr. Beardsley did a large and successful business during several years, when he sold out to John Glover who conducted the business for several years, and who was succeeded by Jotham Merritt, who was a jolly old cove who sold nutmegs for 10 cents a pound and refused to correct the mistake saying he never made mistakes.

The place finally went to James Aiken who sold to Chapman and Bigelow who conducted it for a while then sold to William Crowley who continued until 1848, when it was abandoned for a time. Then it was occupied for some years by Erastus Hill for a shoe shop, then by H. S. Nye as a blacksmith shop. It was then sold to Augustus Bishop for a stable and moved to the place now owned by Clinton Mosher where it now stands as a tool shed and garage. Thus ends the once famous Sherman Beardsley store as a place of business.

About 1800, a brickyard was established by the side of Salmon Creek.

Previous to 1827, the Town of Scipio included Venice and Ledyard and the town elections were held at Bolt’s Corners. Company training was held at this place and 4^th of July celebrations. Many balls and parties were held at the hotel. Several blacksmith shops, wagon makers, shoemakers, tailors and other merchants were there in plenty, but now there are no businesses or shops or mechanics or potash kettles except those used in hog killing time.

There was another hotel where Mrs. Patrick Kanalley now lives; in fact, the house was the old hotel. The records at hand do not show who were the proprietors.

The Indian Field road was the “Post Road” prior to the establishment of the Post Office at Poplar Ridge. Finally that office was moved to

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