The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 317

The present lawyers are Horace V. Howland, who came from Herkimer county, about 1850, and has since continued to practice law here. He finished his studies with the late Hon. Wm. H. Seward, of Auburn, and has distinguished himself in his profession by his learning and ability. Charles R. Berry, Howell B. Converse and Calvin R. Aldrich, all of whom read law with William Howland, and the latter two of whom are justices, are the other lawyers.

Port Byron possesses a remarkable case of longevity. Mrs. Lydia Graham, who is now living in the village with her son-in-law, Alfred Mead, has reached the advanced age of 103 years. She is vigorous mentally and physically, and has a retentive memory, especially in regard to early events.

MENTZ GRANGE was organized in January, 1874, with twenty-five members. Oscar Gutchess is President, and W. H. Rott, Secretary.

CHURCHES.-It cannot be definitely ascertained when the first religious services were held in the town; but judging from the following, it must have been at a very early day, of a primitive character, and under somewhat romantic circumstances:

"There is a very large hollow buttonwood tree, in this town, in which Elder Smith, preached to thirty-five persons at a time, and says the tree could have held fifteen more; he says its circumference, three feet from the ground, is thirty-three feet; and a correspondent informs me it measures more than seventeen feet in diameter."

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIN CHURCH OF THE TOWN OF MENTZ, located in Port Byron, was organized about the beginning of the present century, as early as 1801, as a Congregational church, and changed to the Presbyterian form of government in 1811, when the Presbytery of Cayuga was formed. The first meetings, and indeed for several years, were held in Ward's settlement, where the organization was perfected. A school-house, no longer standing, located near the site of the Mentz meeting-house in Montezuma, was the first public building used for religious services in that locality. This school was used on formal occasions, the meetings generally being held in private homes, till 1818 or`19, when it was destroyed by fire. The Society maintained a feeble existence, without a regular pastor or much accession to its membership till 1818, in which year the services of the Rev. Oliver Eastman were secured and meetings held regularly in the school-house. Meetings were afterwards held in the school-house at Forshee's Corners, until the removal soon after of the Society to Port Byron, which was then a prosperous village of 500 to 600 inhabitants, "as yet unoccupied by any religious body."

May 8th, 1820, soon after the removal to Port Byron, the church was first incorporated, as The First Congregational Society of Mentz, the meeting for that purpose being held at the house of James Pine. The first meetings in the village were held in the barns of Mr. Pine and Roderick Mattson. After the first summer the meetings were held in the ball room over the open shed attached to the Eagle Hotel, which Mr. Pine generously threw open to them, receiving in payment such voluntary offerings "as the church from time to time could make." In 1822 the meetings were transferred to a building in Nauvoo, near the western extremity of the park. The first minister who regularly officiated in this house was Rev. Abner Benedict, who staid about a year. September 5th, 1824, the Presbyterian form of government was again adopted, although the corporate name was retained, and a board of elders chosen, consisting of Lyman Grandy, John I. Wilson, John Dixon, W. Van Vleck and John S. Willis. Before the close of the year Rev. Birdsey Gibbs came to the church as a stated supply. During his pastorate the first Sunday-school was organized, Mrs. Sarah Osburn, to whose exterions it was largely due, and Miss Emeline White being the first teachers. "The first pupil and the only one on the first Sabbath was Mrs. E. P. Ross, of Auburn." July 26th, 1826, Mr. Gibbs was dismissed from the church, and "was succeeded after an interval of a year and a half by Rev. Wm. Williams, who labored as a stated supply in 1828-`9, under the patronage of the Home Missionary Society."

November 15th, 1830, the Society was reincorporated and the present name, symbolizing its form of government, adopted. With the opening of 1831 Rev. Justus S. Hough commenced his ministry, and before its close had added fifty-one names to the list of membership. He closed his labors the following year. For five years, with

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