The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 442

and held it as late as 1825. He kept the office at his house, about a mile west of the village, near where William Hazard now lives. Eliphalet Sawyer held the office two or three years, but whether as postmaster or deputy is not certain. Wm. Mosher held the office as early as 1831 and until his death in 1833. He was succeeded by John Hart, who held the office about two years, when George Mosher was appointed and held it from 1836-'40. Asa Shourds next held it one year and resigned. He was succeeded by Daniel H. Wanzer, who held it in 1842, but how much longer we are not advised. S. William Sprague held the office as early as 1846 and as late as 1849. He was succeeded by Frank A. Raymond, who held the it till about 1863, when he resigned, and John Hart was appointed and held the office till about 1868, when George H. Mills received the appointment. He was succeeded about 1873 by Dexter Wheeler, the present incumbent.

PHYSICIANS.--The first physician at Poplar Ridge was probably Barnabas Smith, who came in from Washington county, in 1803, was one of the original members of the County Medical Society, August 7th, 1806, and practiced here till about 1845. He died here in 1855. Two of his children are living, viz.: Catharine, wife of Wm. Sprague, and Wm. B. Smith, in Warsaw, Wyoming county. Rufus K. Slosson, a native of Venice, studied with Dr. Phineas Hurd, and joined the County Medical Society January 5th, 1843, in which year he commenced practice here, continuing six or seven years, when he went to Michigan. There was no regular physician after that until 1876, when D. E. Mason, also a native of Venice, an eclectic, who is now attending a course of lectures in New York,commenced practice. G. M. Silvers, an allopath, from New York, commenced practice here in November, 1878.

EAST VENICE.

EAST VENICE is situated in the south-east part of the town, about three miles south-east of Venice, and four south-west of Moravia. It contains a store, paint shop, (kept by Alphonzo Cannon) a blacksmith shop,(kept by Henry L. Lester, Jr.,) a carpenter shop, (kept by George Easson,) twelve houses and thirty-nine inhabitants.

MERCHANTS.--The first merchants of East Venice were Henry and Charles Hewitt, sons of Henry Hewitt, an early settler, who opened a store shortly before 1812, which they continued till about 1833, when the building burned. It stood just back of the house of Henry L. Lester. The next merchant was David Raynor, who, in 1850, opened a store in a dwelling house changed into a store, which occupied the site of Henry L. Lester's house.

In the spring of 1851, he sold to Leonard Noyes, who, in the fpring of 1852, sold to Benjamin F. Snyder, who kept it a short time, and sold in the spring of 1853 to Samuel Close. In the fall of 1853, Close sold to Lewis Seymour, who sold in the fall of 1855 to Fulton Goodyear, who kept it till December, 1857, when he sold to Stephen D. Weyant, who kept it till the spring of 1858, when the store was burned and he discontinued business. The present store was built in the fall of 1858, and leased to Lewis V. Smith and Wm. E. Austin, who commenced business April 1st., 1859, and continued until 1865, when Smith sold his interest to John Tifft, who continued, in company with Austin, till March 1st, 1869, when George Smith Young bought Austin's interest, which he transferred to his son, Delmar T. Young, January 1st, 1872. Tifft & Young continued till March 4th, 1873, when George Smith Young bought Tifft's interest, and the business was conducted under the name of Young & Co. until May 1st, 1877, after which the store was closed until January 1st, 1878, when it was rented to Isaac Kinball and Lewis V. Smith, the present merchants.

POSTMASTERS.--The post-office at East Venice was established in the summer of 1854, and Lewis Seymour, through whose instrumentality it was established, was appointed postmaster. He held it until he left the store, and was followed by the successive occupants of the store until 1858, who each held the office during the period he kept the store. George W. Young was appointed in 1858, and held the office till the spring of 1869, when John Tifft was appointed. He held it till the spring of 1873, and was succeeded by George Smith Young, who held it till July 1st, 1877, when George W. Young was reappointed and held it till his death, October 9th,

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