Yates County, New York

History - Town of Milo

From the History of Yates County, NY

published 1892, by L.C. Aldrich

pgs. 285 - 289

 

 

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Pioneer settlements in Milo began with the coming of the Friend’s colony in 1788, and so rapid was the growth in population and development that the years 1820 found the town to possess 2,612 inhabitants, about 400 families, and there were then in operation seven grist-mills, fourteen saw-mills, three fulling-mills, one oil-mill, four carding machines, six distilleries, three asheries, and two trip-hammers.   Today the town has but three grist-mills, no fulling-mills or carding-machines, no more than three saw-mills and fortunately but one distillery. 

In 1818 the town of Milo was set off from Benton and given an independent corporate organization.  The first town meeting was held April 7th at the house of Isaac NICHOLS, and then the first town officers were elected as follows: Avery SMITH, supervisor; Charles ROBERTS, town clerk; George I. REMER, collector; Benedict ROBINSON, George NICHOLS and George YOUNGS, assessors; Richard HENDERSON and Roger SUTHERLAND, overseers of the poor; Isaac HEDGES, David BRIGGS and Solomon FINCH, commissioners of highways; Isaac NICHOLS, Thomas HATHAWAY and Allen VORCE, school commissioners; Samuel HENDERSON, Joel GILLETTE, John RANDLOPH, James N. EDMONSON, Peter YOUNG, and Luther SISSON, school inspectors; George I. REMER, Stephen YOUNGS, David J. BENNETT and Walter WOLCOTT, constables.  Prior to 1855 the annual town meetings were held at Milo Center, but the setting off of Torrey in 1853 and the increase in number of inhabitants in and about Penn Yan, so changed the center of population in the town that a vote of the electors determined upon the county seat as the place for holding elections. 

The hamlets of Milo are Himrods, Milo Center and Second Milo as at present known. 

Himrods, the hamlet proper, is located on lot No. 6, of the Potter location, and was originally called Himrod’s Corners, after Willhemus L. HIMROD, the founder of a store at that place in 1831.  Through the village courses Plum Point Brook, a small stream having no present importance because of the devastation of the forests of the locality, but formerly furnishing power sufficient to run mills.  Himrod’s Corners was the name of the post office established here in 1832, and so continued for many years and until changed to the more dignified, and perhaps more appropriate name of Himrods.   

But Himrod’s Corners and Himrods have never succeeded in acquiring any special importance either in mercantile pursuits or in point of population.  Its’ greatest glory was attained in the construction of the Northern Central Railroad, a condition subsequently slighted improved by the building of Fall Brook line as at present known. 

The pioneer industry of the hamlet, or its locality, was the distillery business established about 1794 by Richared MATTHEWS; and this appears to have been abut the only enterprise, except farming, that was conducted in the vicinity until Mr. HIMROD started his store in 1831.  Stephen CARD was a pioneer in the Friend’s settlement, but in latter years took up his residence where Himrods now is, and here he built and maintained a public house, such as the present generation would call a tavern or hotel.  This he conducted for many years.  The next hotel built was that by Garret S. AYERS in 1835, which passed through several owners and finally was transformed into a double dwelling.  In 1861 William S. SEAMANS built the Eagle Hotel, a fairly large and well appointed hostelry.  It is now the property of John SHEPPARD, and conducted by his son-in-law, Frank KNAPP. 

The mercantile business interests of Himrods have been represented by numerous proprietors since the time of Wilhemus HIMROND, the succession including Gilbert R. Riley, Ellis & Baker, John and Jephtha F. RANDLOPH, Marshall & Sherman, William S. ELLIS, Philip DRAKE, Jonathan G. BAKER, Miles G. RAPLEE, Peter WYCKOFF, Cornelius POST, William S. SEAMANS, Amos E. VANOSDOL, covert & Chubb, George SWARTS and Hiram SWARTS.  The last two named are the present leading merchants of the village.  In addition to these there may be mentioned the grain business of S. Nelson JONES. 

Milo Center as commonly known but properly, Milo, is a small hamlet of about two dozen houses, a store, a shop, hotel and possibly a few other light industries situated in the eastern-central part of the township.  This point was originally known as Nichols Corners, so-called from the pioneer family of the locality, of which family Isaac NICHOLS was the head and parent.  And even to this day, the surname Nichols, representing descendants from the same ancestor, is frequently in this part of Milo.  Isaac NICHOLS’s son, Isaac Jr., appears to have been the prime mover in the endeavors to establish a village at this point, and whatever was accomplished in this direction was mainly doe to him.  He opened a public house at the Corners in 1820 and was the first postmaster after an office had been established there.  George B. NICHOLS and Herman SMITH were the pioneer merchants of the berg.  During the state coach period, Nichols Corners or Milo, was a point of some importance, but when railroads superseded the slower means of travel the village lost much of its old-time importance.  It is now no nearer than a mile from Milo station on the Northern Central road. 

During the period of its existence the Center has had a number of successful merchants, among whom can be recalled the names of Nicols & Smith, Joseph C. STULL, William HOLDEN, Denreau & Fiero, Abel B. HUNT, Moses W. EASTMAN, George HOLLOWELL, H.F. ANDERSON, Schuyler SUTHERLAND, George W. and W. H. MILLARD.  Among the various landlords, proprietors of the public house in the village have been Isaac NICHOLS JR., Philip DRAKE, Manchester TOWNSEND, F.F. RANDOLPH, John CLARK, M. DEPEW, Patrick BYRNE and others.  The present landlord is Silas SPINK. 

Although Second Milo is a settlement of no great extent, it is never the less the center of a rich agricultural district.  In this locality are the excellent farms of James A. THAYER, Isaiah YOUNGS, Lewis SWARTHOUT,  Ira OWEN, Abner GARDNER, Rowland J. GARDNER, J.P. CASTNER, Andrew LONGWELL, Gilbert BAXTER, Daniel PLAISTED, Frank MALONEY and others of whom mention might worthily be made in the same connection.  In fact this particular locality can boast as of rich and productive farm lands as can be found in Yates County, and the husbandmen resident hereabouts are as thrifty, progressive and public spirited as their lands are valuable.   

West from Second Milo about one mile is historic ground, but connected with it is but very little known history.  On the farm of Lewis SWARTHOUT, on a little circular rise of ground some two acres in extent, once stood a fortification of some kind, but by whom built, by whom occupied and for what particular purpose, both record and tradition are silent; they furnish no satisfactory information.  That the fort at one time existed there came be no shadow of doubt, for traces of it even at this late day, are still discernible.  The only mystery surrounding the subject grows out of the doubtful causes that necessitated its construction.  Here was the interior country of the Seneca’s vast possessions, and not within hundreds of miles was there an enemy; form which we reason that the Indians themselves could not have built the fortress.  The French Jesuits and adventurers traveled the country of the Iroquois and built forts at various places for their own protection.  But of the principal defenses erected by them we have sufficient record, and any mention of this one is not to be found.  It is hardly fair or reasonable to suppose that this fort could have been the handiwork of a pre-historic race of occupants.

 

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