HomeMy WebLinkAboutschool district 9 Glance backward artilce 1974.tiffour years later. When the congregation voted to disband, the
structure was purchased by John G. Wortmand who moved it
to the southeast corner at the main interseciton. It has been a
store ever since.
In 1835, the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed
although those interested had been holding periodic services
in a barn near Bostwick Corners one "block" south of the
main hamlet. A lot was purchased from Andrew Bostwick
for $50 and the church erected on the southeast corner that
very year. Forty-one years later the decision came to move.
Northward they went with the church, settling just west of
the four corners, off the main highway. The change, in-
cluding purchase price of the lot, cost $3,200. A dedication
program was held June 20,1878.
Enfield Center once had a fourth church, the Christian
Church constituted in 1821. This edifice is gone but its
cemetery is still in use. It is believed that the first burial in it
was that of a young man by the name of Cooper who was kil-
led when struck by a falling lot as he helped erect a barn for
Enfield's first permanent settler, Judah Baker.
Baker moved from Dutchess County in 13M. He brought a
wife, seven children, three horses and a wagon. The Cooper
burial was on part of Baker's land.
One John Giltner lived from 1803 or 1804 in Enfield but,
since he moved away, he is not saluted as the first per-
manent settler.
Although he claimed title to a large tract of land, Baker
had to make his own way to the undeveloped site. By fol-
lowing Indian trails, he reached Fall Creek where he left his
family for a time.
He followed Cayuga Inlet a bit and turned westward, chop-
ping his way for three miles through the heavy woods to
make room to drive his wagon.
After clearing space to hold a hut, he moved in with his
family. It was June and the family wealth included $11 cash.
The log barn which they built stood until 1878.
One of Baker's cows turned up missing in 1806 and he set
out in search of her. Soon he could hear the sound of an axe
reverbrating through the forest. Turning his attention to its
source, Baker came to a clearing where he made the
Rollison School on Mecklenburg Road near the Enfield town line had these
(bouffant hairdo in back row) was teaching. The students are, from left, M,
Georgia, Mary and Ralph Lovelace, Grace Rollison, Henry Ink, Harry Lov
T he girl standing right of the teacher is Elizabeth
acquaintance of a neighbor he didn't know he had, Arnold
Lowell whose family had lived a mile or so away for a year.
Applegate Corners on Rte. 79 was a busy place from 1805
when John Applegate, Peter Banfield and John White ar-
rived. The next year, they were joined by the Jonathan Rolfe
family from South Amboy, N.J. and one year afterwards
came Samuel Rolfe. Aftr_�r donation of a site by the first
Rolfe, an early cemetery association was formed.
What is now Rte. 79 Viva.-, part of a stage route between
Richford irk Tioga Countytiand Bath in Steuben County. The
Jericho Turnpike, as it was called, :.vas thartcred in 18"
Enfield's very first road connected Enfield Center and Ap-
plegate Corners where there was a tavern, burned since
World War II. Its site is commemorated with an historical
marker. One of the tavem's last operators was Joe Tebb, an
emigrant from England, who was postmaster late in the
1800's.
Although Enfield has no post office now, there were once
three, one at Enfield Center, one at Enfield Falls and the one
at Applegate Corners which was called simply the Enfield
Post Office. The tavern was, of course, the receiving and
shipping point for mail and merchandise sent by stage coach
before federal mail delivery became a general service to
rural areas.
There have been numerous schools in the township. The
one in Enfield Center accommodated so many pupils in its
final years that it had two rooms. The elementary school
which stands today between the Center and Rte. 79 is part of
the Ithaca School system. Before centralization, however,
Enfield Center School had the following students in 1901-02: from left, seated, Horace Wright, Charlie Wilcox
and James Harvey; front fow, Leland Bailey with Jessie Massey directly behind, Carl Palmer with DeVoe
Rumsey behind and partially hidden, Ina Wilcox, Nellie Harvey, Bessie Harvey and Nora Jones (Dodd) with
Irene Miller (Brown) behind her, George Hines and Nellie Wilcox ; back row, Lynette Wright, Fanny Curry,
Thvi on RAhnnn4 X4o "n of Vina Oho +n hn W;11 IM11— A— V—;nnc VI-4— R..;1.,......4 U-1, I•nr
some of the one -roof
the districts contraci
weather) to the near,
there.
At a short distant
stone structure whit
remains were ultim:
ding to the memor
previously has been
saying it was north
was south.
She has ,record :)c
plegate) and Distric
1915. At District 5, it
and the tax levy pi
were a 50-cent water
one eraser at 20 ce
broom which cost 30
The Center Schol
budget for the year
$34.30. As always, c
only. By 1912, the tw
budget of $517.94.
In those 1880 year
per week to as much
The Center schoo
in 1885. There was
paper. The 900 feet
of plaster board $1
$1.75 and whoever v
for what amounted
was paid for the sar
new ceiling. In addi
men while they pla(
their wages.
The district was c
same for painting tl
of wall paper cost
came to $1.16, 20 I
papering and labor,
Wooden blackboi
$2.16 for making ant
Some of the distri
story, too. 1896: pa
setting it up, 50 cl
Treman King and C
Also, in 1899, flag
cents"; 1900, for we
and for one globe, :
dish, 50 cents; 1901,
door,l5 cents and p.
Sometimes the c
towards expenses t
farmer, customaril
50 cents for its hay i
Insurance on the
plegate pupils were
transportation cost
ferent men "accord
We thank Mrs.
gathering this infor
and teacher at Enf:
her grandfather wt•
store, moving it to
Presbyterian Ceme
In the store ww
ment, living quarte
Wortman's endeav
wooden box, shaper
woods of different c
nnccoscinnc dpmnn