The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 285
Spring Lake

section when the first settlements were made. The name was changed in the spring of 1874, when the post-office was established here. It is an attractive little village of ninety-five inhabitants, pleasantly situated on Duck Lake outlet, which is, however, of little hydraulic importance. It contains one church, (Prot. Meth.,) one hotel, (the Spring Lake House, which was built about 1851, by Hiram Worden, who kept it about nineteen months, and has been kept for fourteen years by his nephew, George K. Worden, the present proprietor, who bought the property of Alfred Disbrow,) one store, two blacksmith shops, (kept by Jacob White and Daniel Palmer,) two pump factories, one tin shop, (kept by Frank Garity and David Wickham,) and one milliner shop, which is kept by Miss Allie Reynolds.

Merchants.--The present merchant at Spring Lake is D.E. White, who came in from Rensselaer county, and has kept the store about twelve years. He is also the postmaster, an office he has held for four years, having been appointed when the post-office was established here.

Physicians.--The first physician was Dr. Wm. Thomas, who came from Butler Center in the spring of 1849, and has since practiced here. He belongs to the botanic school of medicine. The only other physician is Charles S. Stocking, an allopath, who came from Red Creek about ten years ago.

Manufacturers.--There are two establishments for the manufacture of wooden section pumps. One is owned by Henry Curren, who came in from Port Bay, north of Wolcott, about twenty-eight years ago, and has been engaged in the business about twenty years; the other by Frank Garity, who has been engaged in the business about twelve years.

The Protestant Methodist Church, at Spring Lake, was organized in 1853, by Rev. Nathan R. Swift, the first pastor. Some of the first members were Charles Frost and wife, Peter Thompson and wife, Jacob White, Archibald Forbes and wife, and Timothy Beebe. Swift served a pastorate of two or three years, and was succeeded by Revs. James Smith, -----Ballou, Ira H. Hogans and -----Ellis. Swift again became the pastor, remaining this time five years, and was succeeded by his brother Philip, the present pastor, five years ago. Their house of worship was built in 1855, and in 1875 it was moved back, enlarged and remodeled, nothing but the old frame being used, at an expense of $3,800. It will seat about 300 persons. The present number of members is 140. The attendance at Sabbath school is about 100.

Spring Lake Temperance Society was organized in December, 1877. Edson H. Marvin was elected President; Henry Curren, Vice-President; and Wm. Thomas, Secretary. It has a membership of 120; but does not hold regular meetings.

Among the early settlers at Spring Lake was Jason Goodell, who owned at one time about seventy-five acres of the village site. He is now living in the north part of the town.

"The Pepper Mill."--In the south-east corner of the town is a hamlet, which is locally known as The Pepper Mill. Theophilus Emerson, one of the first settlers, and probably the first in that locality, built a small grist-mill there at a very early day, and ground corn in small quantities for the settlers. This mill, which is still standing on the farm now owned by Lewis Emerson, a son of Theophilus, was built in 1810, and was the first grist-mill erected in the town. It was and is still known as The Pepper Mill, a name derived, says one authority, from its diminutive size, and by another, from the fact that at first a store was kept in it. Previous to the erection of this mill the settlers carried their grists to Springport, the journey being made by way of Seneca River and Cayuga Lake, and occupying four days. A canoe capable of holding sixty bushels of grain, was constructed by their joint efforts, and in this the grists of the whole neighborhood were conveyed. "In 1813, John Filkins took a load of wheat to Albany, and was obliged to sell the wheat and one horse to defray the expenses of the journey."*

Among the first settlers in this locality were families named Slayton and Lucas, descendants of both of which are now living in the town.

There is in the locality known as The Pepper Mill, a Christian church, a small store, owned by Wm. S. Freer, two blacksmith shops, owned by Leonard Rickard and -----Beach, a wagon shop, owned by Wm. Wilson, and some fifty inhabitants.

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* Gazetteer and Business Directory of Cayuga County, 1868.

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