The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 75
Cayuga County Agricultural Society

swamps of marl and a fair promise of an abundance of salt."

On the 20th of October ensuing, the first Fair and Cattle Show in Cayuga County, was held at Auburn. The animals were exhibited in a field on the farm of William Bostwick, south of Court House, and the other articles in one of the stores of the village. The fair was held for two days and was an occasion of great interest, being largely attended. The church bells were rung for a half hour in the morning of each day, an expression of the jubilant satisfaction of the people of the village at the presence of their rural friends. The exhibition was closed by a long and formal procession from the Court House to the Presbyterian church. Here prayers were offered, hymns sung and an address delivered by David Thomas, full of sound practical thoughts. Twenty-five prizes were awarded, consisting of silver cups and teaspoons, of the aggregate value of two hundred and thirty-one dollars. One of these cups then awarded is still in the possession of H. H. Bostwick, Esq., of Auburn.

These fairs were annually held for many years, and were a decided benefit to the farmers of the County. But the burden of maintaining them fell upon a few who became weary of bearing it and, after about fifteen years, the enterprise was abandoned.

Another society was organized on the 22d day of July, 1841, of which Humphrey Howland was the first president, and the following gentlemen were the Vice-Presidents: John M. Sherwood, of Auburn; Loring Willard, of Aurelius; Isaac Bell, of Brutus; Luke Hollister, Cato; Levi Colvin, Conquest; David O. Durkee, Ira; William F. Tompkins, Fleming; Mathias Hutchinson, Genoa; Wing Tabor, Moravia; Samuel Bell, Mentz; Isaac Sisson, Locke; John I. Brinkerhoff, Owasco; Jonathan Richmond, Ledyard; Mr. Fuller, Sempronius; John W. McFadden, Sterling; E. A. Howland, Venice; Mathias Vanderheyden, Victory; John Sittser, Sennett; U. F. Doubleday, Scipio; Luther Fuller, Niles; Henry Crane, Springport; and Martin Barber, Summer Hill.

The following were the Presidents of the Society from 1841 to 1855 inclusive, namely:

Humphrey Howland ----------------------1841
John M. Sherwood -----------------1842-1845
Ezra W. Bateman -------------------------1846
Chester Gridley ---------------------1846-1849
Lyman Sherwood -------------------------1850
William Howard --------------------1851-1852
E. W. Sheldon ----------------------------1853
John S. Clark -----------------------------1854
Abraham Burlew --------------------------1855

The following were the Secretaries of the Society for the same period:

William Richardson ------------------------------------1841-1845
Benjamin F. Hall ---------------------------------------1845-1848
John B.Dill ---------------------------------------------1849
T. M. Pomeroy ----------------------------------------1850
H. H. Bostwick ----------------------------------------1850-1853
Luman W. Capin ---------------------------------------1854
John B. Dill ---------------------------------------------1855

There was a reorganization of the Society under the act of April 15th, 1855, when new articles of association were formed under the name of the Cayuga County Agricultural and Horticultural Society. the first associates were Thomas S. Bentley, Charles P. Wood, David Wright, Abraham Burlew, Harrison Hopkins, Henry Fellows, Benjamin Ashby, Henry S. Dunning, John B. Dill, Harvey A. Lamphere, Hiram O'Hara, Henry H. Bostwick, I. W. Quick, and others.

The first directors were Thomas S. Bentley, of Brutus, President; Horace T. Cook, of Auburn, Secretary; H. H. Bostwick, Treasurer; William D. Osborn, of Mentz; Abraham Burlew, of Springport; Henry Conklin, of Owasco; Charles P. Wood, of Auburn; and Mathias Hutchinson, of Genoa.

The Presidents of the Society from its reorganization until the present time have been as follows:

Thomas S. Bentley ----------------------------------1856
Grove Bradley --------------------------------------1857
Henry W. Dwight -----------------------------1858-1859
William Webster ------------------------------------1860
Alanson M.Clark ---------------1861-'2-'3-'4-'5-'6-'7-'8
Allen D. Morgan---------------------------- 1868-69-70
Jay Lewis Grant ---------------------------1871-'2-'3-'4
John B. Shank -----------------------------1875-'6-'7-'8

The Secretaries of the Society since its reorganization have been the following:

Horace T. Cook ---------------------1856
Larned C. Mann ---------------1857-'8-'9
B. B. Snow --------------------------1860
John G. Hosmer -------------1870-'71-'72
A. B. Hamblin ---------1873-'4-'5-'6-'7-'8

The Vice-Presidents were Henry Willard, of Aurelius; Harvey A. Lamphere, of Brutus; Moses Robinson, of Cato; Hardy Cole, of Con-

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