The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 425
Town of Scipio/Scipio Center

county, and was the first shoe-maker in Scipioville. He was the grandfather of J. E., R. D., R. B., G. L., L. W. W., and A. Q. Watkins. In his house, says G. L. Watkins, was published the Western Luminary, the second newspaper published in Cayuga County. It was published every Tuesday evening, "by Ebenezer Eaton for Eaton & Co.," and the earliest preserved copy we have seen is dated "Watkins Settlement, Tuesday, July 21st, 1801," and is No. 17 of Vol. I. Wm. Main settled on the south line of the town, on the farm now owned by Hiram Wheat. He afterwards removed to Venice, about 1835, and died there August 14th, 1855, aged ninety-seven, and Lucy, his wife, April 28th, 1847, aged ninety-one. Charles, who is living in Venice at an advanced age, is the only one of his children living. Thomas Parker settled in the east part of the town, on the farm now occupied by Robert Stewart, and died there February 20th, 1855. He was born December 16th, 1775. Three sons are living, Nelson and Perry in Venice, and Franklin in Locke. Elnathan Smith settled south-east of the center of the town, on the farm now owned by George Barnes, where he died February 8th, 1860, aged eighty-three. His children were Eli, who died March 29th, 1869, aged seventy-one; Lorsey, afterwards wife of Charles Fitch; and Maria, afterwards wife of J. Crosby Smith, who died May 11th, 1867, aged sixty.

TOWN OFFICERS.-The first town meeting was held at the house of Augustus Chidsey the first Tuesday in April, 1794, and the following named officers were chosen: John Stoyell, Supervisor; Samuel Branch, Clerk; Henry Watkins, Daniel Mack and Elisha Durkee, Commissioners of Roads; Luke Taylor, Gilbert Tracy and Joshua Patrick, Assessors; Wm. Branch, Alanson Tracy and Winslow Perry, Constables; Alanson Tracy and Winslow Perry, Collectors; Thomas Morgan and Philip Strong, Overseers of the Poor; Ebenezer Witter, Simeon Herrick, Daniel fuller, Henry Watkins, Gideon Allen, Jr., Edmund Sawtelle and Winslow Perry, Pathmasters; Joshua Patrick and John A. Thompson, Pound Keepers; Jonathan Hastings, Sealer of Leather; Thomas Morgan, Sealer of Weights and Measures.

At this meeting it was resolved to pay a bounty of $5 for every grown wolf taken and killed in the town. Every ram found running at large from September 1st to November 25th was to be forfeited to the people of the town. At the annual meeting in 1795, it was "resolved that each sheep ram that is found running at large from the first day of September to the first day of December shall forfeit $2.50, to be recovered of the owner." In 1796, the bounty on wolves was increased to $12.50, and hogs were made free commoners.

The town officers elected for 1879 were: Supervisor-John P. Chase. Town Clerk-Willis G. Hoskins. Justice of the Peace, (to fill vacancy,)-Enos T. Shaw. Justice of the Peace, (full term)-Enos T. Shaw. Commissioner of Highways-Calvin H. Wattles. Collector-George Coy. Assessor-Elias C. Pierce. Overseers of the Poor-John Casler, John Snyder. Inspectors of Election-Henry T. Marsh, F. Leslie Smith. Game Constable-James Flynn, Jr. Constables-Leonard S. Owen, George L. Hoxie, James Flynn, Jr., Libbeus H. Merry. Sealer of Weights and Measures-Jeremiah Simons.

SCIPIO CENTER.

SCIPIO CENTER is situated a little south-east of the center of the town, nine and one-half miles north-east of Aurora, one and one-half miles north east of Summit Station, and about three miles south-west of Ensenore, on the Southern Central Railroad. It contains three churches, (Baptist, Catholic and Universalist,) a district school, one store, one hotel, (kept by Frederick Nichols,) a cider-mill, (owned by James Smith, and erected by him in the fall of 1878,) two wagon shops, (kept by David Hawley and Albert Slocum,) two blacksmith shops, (kept by Wm. Coulson and John Beachman,) and a population of 102.

MERCHANTS.-The first merchant at Scipio center was Dr. Ezra Strong, who came in with his brothers, Philip and Epaphroditus, about the beginning of the century, and opened a store at the Center, where he settled, about 1808, which he kept some ten or twelve years, and failed.

The information on this page was transcribed to a digital format by Roger A. Post

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