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CAYUGA COUNTY. 205
Morley, jr., from Conn., on Lot 21.1 The first church (Bap.) was organized Sept. 12, 1799, by
Rev. Manasseh French, who was the first preacher. There are now 3 churches in town; Presb.
Bap. and M. E.
SP RINGPORT—was formed from Scipio and Aurelius, Jan. 30, 1823. It lies upon tht
E. shore of Cayuga Lake, s. w. of the center of the co. Its surface rises in gradual slopes from
the water to the e. hordes, where it attains an elevation of 400 to 500 ft. Waterlime, plaster)
and limestone used for flagging, are quarried along the shore of the lake and in the adjoining
ravines. Two immense springs flow from the ground near the village, furnishing a valuable
water-power.2 The soil is a superior quality of sandy and gravelly loam, in some places mixed
with clay. The lake is so deep that it rarely freezes, and the warmth of the water essentially
moderates the intensity of the frosts of winter.3 Union Springs (p.v.) is beautifully situated
upon Cayuga Lake, s. of the center of the w. border of the town. It contains several manufac¬
tories, a private academy, and many fine residences. Pop. 1,118. The first settlement was made
in 1800, by Frederick Gearheart, Thos. Thompson, and Jas. Carr.4 The first church (Cong.) was
formed by Rev. Joshua Lane, the fii%t preacher.5
STERUINC3-—named from William Alexander, Lord Sterling, of the Revolution—was
formed from Cato, June 19, 1812. It lies upon Lake Ontario, in the extreme n. part of the co.
Its surface is rolling and has a slight inclination toward the n. The summits of the ridges in
the s. are 200 to 300 ft. above the lake; and Big Bluff, upon the lake shore, has about the same
elevation. The streams are Little Sodus Creek and its branches, flowing into Little Sodus Bay,
and Cortright Brook, flowing into Blind Sodus Bay.6 Little Sodus Bay is about 2 mi. long by 1
mi. wide, and is one of the best harbors upon the s. shore of the^ lake. An extensive swamp,
covering several hundred acres, extends along the lake shore, e. of the bay, and another lies on
the s. border of the town. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam; some portions of the surface
are very stony and. hard of cultivation. Outcrops of Medina sandstone4 and Oneida conglomerate
are quarried in this town for building stone. Sterling Center (Sterling' p. o.) contains 40
dwellings ; Fa.irlia.veii, (p. v.,) on Little Sodus Bay, 40; Martville, (p. o.,) near the s. e.
corner, 25; and Sterling Valley 20. North Sterling (p. o.) is a hamlet. The first
settler was Peter Dumas, who located upon Lot 19 in 1805.® The first church (Asso. Ref.
Presb.) was formed in 1818.5
SUMMER GILL—was formed from Locke, as “Plato,” April 26, 1831; its name was
changed March 16, 1832. It is the s. e. corner town of the co. Its. surface is a rolling upland,
1000 to 1100 ft. above tide. Fall Brook, the principal stream^ flows s. through the e. part. Its
valley is 300 to 400 ft. below the summits of the hills, and forms the only considerable break in
the general level of the surface. Summer Hill Lake is a small pond in the n. e. part, discharging
its waters into Fall Brook. The soil is a clayey and gravelly loam, the clay predominating.
Summer Mill, (p. v.,) in the s. part of the town, contains 115 inhabitants. The first settle-
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an effort has been made to change the name of this bay to On¬
tario Bay.
1 This stone is much used for the underpinnings of houses and
farm buildings. It has been observed that- hogs are very fond
of licking the stone whenever they have access to it; and in
consequence they foam at the mouth, and can only be fatted with
great difficulty.
8 Mr. Dumas was a Frenchman, who came tothis’country with
La Fayette and served during the Revolution. For his services
he received a lot. in the Military Tract, and drew Lot 19, in
Sterling. Capt. Andrew Rassmusen settled the same year on
Lot No. 1. He was killed on board of an American vessel, on
Lake Ontario, during the War of 1812. Francis Decamp located
near Martville, in 1806; Wm. Divine, Nathan Wilmot, and Jehiel
Peck, on Lot 11, in 1807; Jacob Wilsey, from Saratoga co., on
Lot 14, i-n 1808; John Cooper, on Lot 12, John Duzenbury. on
Lot 44, Curtis Stoddard, on Lot 19, John McFarland and' son;
from Washington co., on Lot 27, John and Matthew Harsha,
from Washington Co., at Martville, in 1810; Wm. Cooper, Jos.
Bunnell, and John Turner, from Long Island, in 1811; and Geo.
Cooper, from Saratoga co., in 1S12. The first child born was
Isaac Hoppins, March 16,1807; the first marriage, that of Mat¬
thew Harsha and Charity Turner; and the first death, that of
Ezra, son of Peter Dnmas, July 21.1806. The first school was
taught by Benj. Clark, in 1812; Wm. Cooper kept the first inn,
in 1810; John Cooper erected the first sawmill, in 1810, and the
first gristmill, in 1815.
9 The census reports 6 churches; 2 M. E., and 1 each Asso.
Ref., Presb., Bap., Ref. Prot. D., and Ref. Presb. |
1
In 1795 Judge Daii’l Sennett, Amos Bennett, and Jacob, Rufus,
and Dan’l Sheldon, from Conn., settled on Lot 99. In 1797 Jacob
Hicks, a Revolutionary soldier, who drew Lot 99, settled on it;
Benj. Miller, also a Revolutionary soldier, on Lot 17; and Jabez
Remmington and Hezekiah Freeman, from Vt.. on Lots 21 and
10. The first child born was Sally Smith, in 1795; the first
marriage, that of Nehemiah Smith and Mmdevill Morley, in
1794; and the first death, that of Thos. Morley, in 1795. Betsey
Morley taught the first school, in 1795 ; Joseph Atwell kept
the first inn, the same year; and Sheldon & Lathrop the first
store.
2
These springs are about 10 rods apart. From the larger flows
a stream of sufficient size to furnisli watei’-power for running a
flouring mill with 6 run of stones, a plaster mill, sawmjjl,
and several other kinds of machinery. The stream from the
smaller spring drives the machinery of a planing mill, sawmill,
and tannery. From the springs the town and village both derive
their names. •
3
8 Fruit growing, to which the climate and soil are admirably
adapted, begins to attract attention. The vine is successfully
Cultivated : and a single vineyard of 10 acres, devoted to grapes,
produces fine crops.
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factory.
5
e Since work commenced on the Ontario, Auburn & N. Y. R. R.
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