The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 297
Town of Cato

BENCH AND BAR.--The first lawyer in Cato was George R. Rich, who came in from Fort Ann, Washington county, in 1832, and commenced the practice of law in 1840. He was admitted to practice in the County Court in 1845, and in the Supreme Court in 1848. Geo. Humphreys, from Auburn, commenced practicing here in 1844, and with him Rich finished his studies. Hunphreys was elected County Judge in November, 1851, when he removed to Auburn. Rich is still practicing here. Frank Rich, son of George R. Rich, commenced practice in 1855, in which year he was admitted to the bar. Stephen Olmstead, son-in-law of George R. Rich, commenced practice in 1863, at which time he was admitted to the bar. Both the latter are practicing here.

MANUFACTURES.--The Cato Milling Company, (D. J. Lamson, R. L. Whiting and E. D. Crowninshield,) commenced business in 1876. Slate Crowninshield erected the buildings in 1874, and carried on the business until the present proprietors took possession. The works consist of a grist-mill and saw-mill, connected, both being operated by the same motive power, which is supplied by a sixty-five horse-power engine. The grist-mill is a custom mill and contains three run of stones. The saw-mill contains one large and three small circular saws, for the manufacture of lumber, staves and heading. Its capacity is 5,000 feet of lumber per day, and 50,000 staves per annum. The capital invested is $20,000, and the number of men employed, six.

The furnace and machine shop, of which E. Q. Dutton is proprietor, was built in 1850, by Bradford Cook, on the site of one erected in 1832, by John Rich. In 1875 Mr. Dutton built an addition for the purpose of adding to his business the manufacture of stoves, but that branch was discontinued after about a year. He is now engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements, the chief article of manufacture being the "Easy Draft" Plow. Three men and a capital of about $10,000, are employed. It is operated by steam.

Curtis & Harris, (Chas. H. Curtis and Walter N. Harris,) commenced the manufacture of cigars in January, 1867. They give employment to seven persons and make about 15,000 cigars per month.

James B. Hunter commenced the manufacture of cigars February 21st, 1877, in company with D. S. Coates, whose interest he bought April 1st, 1878. He gives employment to ten persons and makes 35,000 cigars per month.

Adelbert P. Rich commenced the manufacture of cigars July 18th, 1878. He employs at present only two persons.

HOTELS.--TheCentral Hotel was built by Cornelius Acker, the present proprietor, in 1866, on the site of one built by David Chittenden in 1861 and burned in the spring of 1865.

TheRailroad House is kept by Elias Quackenbush, who bought it of Willard Sturge, proprietor of the Willard House, Weedsport, in 1867. The main part of the building was erected in 1810, by Abner Hollister. The addition was built by John Jakway fifty or more years ago.

SCHOOLS.--The school in Cato is a graded union school, with three departments. The teachers are Wm. Hopkins, principal, Miss Ella Saunders and Mrs. Kate Vanernum. The school building, which is an unusually fine brick structure for a village of its size, was erected in 1876.

THE REFORMED CHURCH, at Cato, was organized about 1831. Wm. DeForest, Isaac VanDorn, ---DeLamater, John Wood and Jacob and Martin DeForest were among the first members. Rev.---DeForest was their first pastor. He remained with them about two years. Rev.---Hoffman was the second pastor. His pastoral labors covered a period of twenty years. The third pastor was Rev.---Knight, who remained about three years. Thomas Watson became the pastor about 1859, and remained till about 1866. He was followed by Revs. Swick, Wilson and VanDorn, each of whom remained a year. Their present pastor, Dr. Wells, came in 1876. Their first house of worship was erected about 1833. It is now used as a tenement house. The present house was bought about 1859, of the Methodist Society, by whom it was built about 1849. The present membership is about thirty-five; the attendance at Sabbath school, about fifty.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, (or Campbellite,) at Cato, was organized about 1848, by Rev. John Bartlett, who was formerly a Baptist minister, and was their first pastor. His pastorate covered a period of about eight years. O. C. Petty, the second pastor, remained about two years. The

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