Historical Wyoming County September 1949 - Old Fulton History

.September 1.9ii£,. ...Pane I4.
EARLY DAYS IN COVINGTON - CONT.
the hymns. As Miriam Thompson In the early days there were
(Mrs. John Paine) united with the two doctors, .Dr. . Daniel White,
church, when a young girl, she south of Pearl Creek,and Dr. Eben
walked to mooting from the top of :• Warner at the Center,where Lrnest
Burleigh Hill, a distance of four Phillips lives.Dr.White's daughter
miles, carrying her Sunday shoos rVolina was the first child born
in her hand.
"in the town. Dr. Sprague and Dr.
Fay also practiced here, but doc-
There v>e:,"Q many Methodists in .tors were not considered indis-
the town. Some attended the South pensable . Some families neve r
Church,some a church near Sprague thought of calling one. Sulphur
Corners, later moved to Pavilion. :and molasses,sage, catnip, penny-
The Scotish people went to York, ;royal and boneset tea answered
or to the Gilfillan (United Pres- 'ordinary purposes. In many cases
byterian) church. A society , •;a neighbor woman acted as both
called "Christians", had many doctor and nurse.
followers, especially the ITorris
families .Rev.Mark Ilorris preached
the first sermon in the town in Letter writing was rare. At
l8l5. Rev. William True settled first, letters we re sent' by_ mosand
preached hero the same year. ^senger, A letter from Dublin,
jH.H.,to a daughter in South LoRoy
On school, on town and church jsaid: "I hope we hear from you
records the name of John Paine often now that Squire Appleton's
appears as an officer. In state idaughter has moved to a place
politics he was also prominent. called 'Rochester,' Letter paper
He was sent to represent his dis- was bought as needed from one to
trict in the legislature in 1855 -four sheets at a time,at one cent
and 1856.
reach,When .sent'by mail,the- letter
was folded and secured by a seal.
:No envolope or stamp was used.
The amount of postage was written
:
on the face. The postage to New
England was two shillings and
might be prepaid or not. The best
;writer in the family or sometimes
the schoolmaster was asked to
"back" the letter.
We note with interest some of
the old records. From the church
record: that a committee Was appointed
to visit each member to
learn if any difficulty existed
that might keep him from the
Lord's table; "That brother James
Holden act as 'seater' of the
congregation on the Sabbath and
preserve the order and quiet of
the house",From the Tovm record ,
"The poor shall be struck off to
the lowest bidder the board being
paid $1*25 a week: "Swin e
shall not be com oners" .Voted "The
Pound Master shall make a pound
of his own yard". From the school
record: "Ho family shall send the
itch to school";"one-half cord of
wood shall be furnished for each
scholar. The
the wood".
teacher to measure
I
It is interorting to note that
those who were ne...r neighbors or
closely associated with the Paine
: family, the Taylors, Fishe*rs,
Morrows, and the Brooks, still
occupy the pioneer farms.