The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 284
Town of Conquest/Spring Lake

Shedd, from an eastern county in this State, by Peter Hood, and by Abraham Van Pelt, neither of whom remained long. Van Pelt sold to David C. Horton, who continued six years, and in the spring of 1877, sold to the present occupants, Velie Mead and Frank E.Davis, who keep a general stock such as is usually kept in a country store. Horton removed to Michigan.

About a year ago Henry J. Lake opened a small grocery, which he still keeps.   There is no manufacturing establishment in the village; but half a mile north is a saw-mill owned by Eugene Olmstead, who moved in from Mentz, his native town, and has carried on the business some eight or ten years. The first mill in this locality was built by Henry Switzer some fifty years ago. It was the second saw-mill in the town, and stood near the site of the present one.

PHYSICIANS.--The first physician in Conquest Center was Dr. Nathan Wood, who joined the County Medical Society August 4th, 1808, and practiced here a good many years. He died October 6th, 1824, aged forty-two years. After Wood’s death John Jakway, who resided at Cato, practiced here, making the circuit on horse-back. For several years there was no resident physician here. Alvah Randall, from Massachusetts, commenced the practice of medicine here fifty-one years ago, and remained ten or twelve years. He was succeeded by Eleazer R. Palmer, from the eastern part of this State, about 1839, January 3d of which year he joined the County Medical Society. He died here January 28th, 1852, aged forty-one years. His widow still lives here. He was succeeded by his brother-in-law, George Washington Reynolds, the present and only physician in the village, who studied medicine with Dr. Palmer, and joined the County Medical Society January 17th, 1867.

POSTMASTERS.--The first postmaster was Benjamin Osgood; the present one is Dr. Geo. W. Reynolds.

HOTELS.--The present hotel was built by Isaiah Cortright fifty-two years ago.  Cortright kept the hotel a number of years, and was the first hotel-keeper in the village.

CHURCHES.--One of the first preachers in this locality was Manonah Harris, who settled near Conquest Center about sixty years ago, long before there was any church organized here. He used to go on a circuit with his saddle bags, in one of which he carried his Bible, and in the other such things as he needed on the journey.

THE PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCH, at Conquest Center, was organized about 1831, by Rev. Joshua Beebe, who was the first settled pastor. Prominent among the first members were, David Horton, Timothy and Martin Beebe, brothers of Joshua, the pastor, Amasa T. and Burt Currier, brothers, John S. Horton and wife, Paulina, and James and Simon Haley. For the first two years meetings were held in the school-house. At the expiration of that time their church edifice, the one now in use, was built by David Horton, who furnished and drew all the timber, had it hewed, and supplied all the money used in its construction. It cost about $1,600, which sum was mostly reimbursed to Mr. Horton. It was repaired at an expense of some $200 about twelve years ago. Mr. Beebe continued the pastorate about eight or ten years. The present pastor is Rev. John Forbes, who has performed the duties of that office a little less than a year. The present membership of the church is about one hundred; the attendance at Sabbath School, about forty.

The M.E. CHURCH, at Conquest Center, was organized about 1843 or ‘44, by Rev. H. Madison. John Hamilton and Jacob Struble were among the first members. The first pastor was Rev. William Castle, who remained two years. Other pastors of this church were, Revs. Alden, Peleg Barker, Marclius Rowe, D.E. Davis, Isaac Harris, -------Phillips, William J. Mills, Richard Clark, Calvin Connell, and the present one William N. Sharp.  Their church was built about twenty-five years ago. It is now undergoing extensive repairs, which will cost about $1,800. The present number of members is about ninety, and the attendance at Sabbath School, about fifty.   The Society met with the Protestant Methodists, as a Union Church, until some misunderstanding arose, which resulted in a separation and the building of the present church.

SPRING LAKE

Spring Lake (p. o.) was formerly known as Pineville, which name it derived from the pine forests which, at an early day, covered the locality, pine being the principal timber in this immediate

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