The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 349
TOWN OF AURELIUS/ EARLY SETTLEMENTS

and in 1809 to Auburn, where, in that year, the court-house, which was authorized March 6th, 1805, was completed.

Previous to this, in 1796, a State road was opened from Whitestown to Geneva, through Auburn, and although, in 1797, it is said to have been a little better than an Indian trail, it had a marked influence upon the subsequent settlement of this section of country. In 1800 it was made a turnpike; and on the 4th of September in this year the celebrated Cayuga bridge, which was begun in 1799, was finished, and speedily became the great highway of western emigration. This bridge was just about a mile long, twenty-two feet wide, and twenty-two feet between the trestles. Eighteen months were consumed, and $150,000 expended in its construction. It was built by the Cayuga Bridge Company, which was incorporated in 1797, and consisted of John Harris, Thomas Morris, Wilhemus Mynders, Chas. Williamson and Joseph Annin. It was for many years looked upon as one of the greatest public improvements in the State, and was considered the dividing line between the east and the west. It was destroyed in 1808, rebuilt in 1812-'13, and finally abandoned in 1857. It was a prolongation of the main street running east and west through near the center of the village. Nothing is now left of it but the spiles and timbers, which are mostly hidden by the waters of the lake. The lake is now crossed by means of a ferry in the summer and usually upon the ice in winter. Further up, towards the head, Cayuga Lake seldom freezes.

David Hulin, the pioneer blacksmith, was among the first settlers, but in what year we could not determine. He located on the shore of the lake,. just west of where the Titus House now stands. He made a latch for the first frame school-house, built in 1804, and stamped thereon his name and the date of its erection. This building is still standing on the south-east corner of Center Street. It has been added to, and is used as a public hall.

Hezekiah Goodwin, from Connecticut, settled soon after 1800, about four miles east of Cayuga, where Lockwood Hunt's family now live. He took up about 400 acres, and carried on a extensive business in buying and selling cattle, distilling, and making black salts. He sold out about 1833, to the Hunts, and removed to Seneca Falls, where he died about 1840. Wm.Guy moved in from Scipio in 1801, and bought the west half of lot 34. He settled about a mile south of Fosterville, where Ralph DeCamp now lives. In 1823 he sold seventy-five acres to DeCamp, and then or subsequently removed to Livingston county. DeCamp came in from New Jersey in 1816 and settled at Auburn, where he was engaged in the construction of the State prison, which was begun the following year. He is now in his eighty-ninth year. The orchards on this farm were planted by Guy, the one on the north side of the house in 1801, and that on the south side in 1802.

Loring and Emory Willard, brothers, came in from Chenango county, about 1801, and settled at Cayuga; Loring, where John McIntosh now lives. He subsequently removed to the house now occupied by Edwin Hall, near the malthouse. Loring was commissary for the army during the war of 1812-'14. He died here in 1845. Both he and Emory were young, single men when they came in, but they afterwards married and had families. About 1807 they built a distillery, north of where the malt-house now stands, which they sold after about a year to Daniel McIntosh, who soon after converted it into a tannery and run it as such a good many years. Three of Loring's children are living.

During the war of 1812, Loring Willard was engaged in purchasing supplies for the army and forwarding them to Oswego and other points where wanted; and when an attack upon Kingston was in contemplation, under orders he purchased all the boats that could be obtained for transportation, took them to Oswego, and thence, under cover of night, sailed out of Oswego and delivered them, some forty of fifty in number, to Commordore Chauncey, at Sacketts Harbor. They were "Durham boats," and would carry 30 to 50 tons; but the expedition was abandoned, and the boats were never used.

Bezaleel Shaw came in from Massachusetts about 1802, and settled at Cayuga. He kept a blacksmith shop, on the north shore of the lake, west of the Titus house, and about 1816 he moved up on the hill, the place being included in the property owned by Catherine, daughter of Daniel McIntosh. About 1825 he removed to Portage, with his family, except his son Abner, who remained and carried on blacksmithing here

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