The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 269

TOWN OF VICTORY/VICTORY VILLAGE

with the exception of the grist-mill, are believed to have been the first of their kind in the town. Further settlements were made this year (1812,) by Ephraim Smith, from Saratoga county; Silas Kellogg, from Brutus; Ebenezer Bird, from Onondaga county; and Chauncey and Simon Lathrop, from Sennett. Smith settled on the farm now owned by Philo Camp. His son Ephraim is living in Victory. Two daughters, viz: Mary Ann and Charlotte, are living, the former (now Mrs. John Cooper) in Conquest, and the latter (now Mrs. Luman Derby) in the village of Cato. Kellogg settled on lot 39, in the west part of the town, and removed at an early day to Ira, where he died, and where his son now lives. Ebenezer Bird settled on lot 27, about a mile north of Victory, where he died. His son, Daniel, owns a part of the farm on which he settled. The Lathrops settled at Victory, and opened a store there. A man named Needham settled at an early day about a mile east of Victory, on the farm now owned by James P. Root. He died here, and his sons sold out and moved off.

The present town officers are the following:

Supervisor--Edward Allanson.
Town Clerk--Irving H. Knapp.
Justices of the Peace--William R. Fleming, Russel Dutcher, Charles Dedrick, Joseph Raynor.
Assessors--Edwin Bacon, D. S. Woodford, Andrew Bennett.
Overseers of Poor--Samuel Murphy, Daniel Pinkney.
Inspectors of Election--Robert Cox, Corydon Doud, William T. Benedict.
Collector--A. B. Sabins.
Constables--A. B. Sabins, George Bamford, George Corkner, James Beesmer, Walter Follett.

VICTORY VILLAGE

Victory is situated a little south of the left of the town, and is distant six miles north-west of Cato on the Southern Central R. R., with which it is connected by daily stage. It contains three churches, (M. E., Baptist and Presbyterian,) a district school, five stores, two blacksmith shops, (Wm. Taylor and ------Smith, proprietors,) a harness shop, kept by Wm. R. Fleming, a shoe shop, kept by A. B. Wetherby, a hotel, kept by Hulbert Daratt, and has a population of about 150.

The first settlement in the village is believed to have been made about 1806, by James Gregory, who settled where his daughter Sally, (now Mrs. Philander Cutten) lives, and opened soon after the first tavern, which was built of logs, and stood near the site of Abijah Hager's store. A man by the name of Moffitt was one of the first settlers at the village, but in what year we are unable to determine. He sold out about 1809 and removed to Throop, where he died. Manasseh French came in from Scipio, but in what year is uncertain. Abram Scott, who came into town with his father in the spring of 1810, says French was keeping a store here at that time, which was doubtless the first one in the town. French also kept an ashery at the village, which stood near where David Woodford's house stands. The store stood opposite to it. French remained till about 1815.

MERCHANTS.--The first merchant at Victory was Manasseh French, as early as 1810. He opened a store opposite where David Woodford's house stands, and kept it till about 1815. In 1812 a second store was opened by Chauncey and Simon Lathrop, brothers, who came in from Sennett. They separated after a few years and kept stores on opposite sides of the streets. Chauncey failed after five or six years and removed from the town. Simon also failed about 1838. He moved west, where he died at an advanced age.

A small drug store was opened here about 1830, by James Gager, who failed after a year or two and returned his goods to his creditors. He is now living in Iowa.

In 1832, William Hager and John T. Knapp opened a store, which they kept in company some eighteen years. At the expiration of that time Knapp sold his interest to his partner, who conducted the business alone till about 1868, when his son, Abijah B. Hager, was admitted to partnership, with a half interest. Two or three years later Mr. Hager, who was becoming too infirm for active business, sold his remaining half interest to his son, who still carries on the business.

Several merchants kept stores for short periods, but failed. Among them were Mr. McCabe, Southwick, Walter Thayer, who was in

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