Historical Wyoming County July 1956 - Old Fulton History

Page 104 July 1956
A REVOLUTIONARY HERITAGE (cont0)
the Pioneer Cemetery, Village of Gainesville,, He was on the Genesee
County pension listo Family records state that he was married to
Polly Bennett (1763-1839)» and among their children were Jabez Jr0
(1802-18^7) and John B„ (1799-1882), both burled with their families
in the game cemetery®
A Perry Pioneer
James Edgerlyp a veteran from New Hampshire, erectedrin Perry
about 1812 the first frame house in town* a two-story building situated
just south of "Universalist Hill/" near the boundary line of
Perry and Castile0 Family records say he was born at Brentwood, N„
Ho in l?6lp and died in Perry in l830„ The History of Perry states
that when eighteen years of age he enlisted in the New Hampshire
Militia and was with General Sullivan's army in its 1779 advance
into western New York when the power of the Iroquois was broken forever
o He was much impressed with the richness of the Genesee Valley
and came to Perry with his family in 1811, and bought 100 acres.
The Western New-Yorker (Janc 1* 187U-) recorded "An Old
Pioneer's® r@rrd.nlss®ne©s""of Mr0 Edgerly, which state that in 1815«
he brought 100 apple trees from Cayuga County and set them out on
his farm,, They were a handsome lot, all grafted and were very
straight and within three years excellent fruit was being produced,,
Among these trees there were two or three that bore sweet apples
later known as ''"Bailey Sweets,, w Mr0 Edgerly had a name for them but
it had been forgotten by l87i|.« - In 1817, Calvin P„ Bailey settled in
Perryp but did not buy land In the east of the village until 1827S
upon which he soon afterward built a house and set out an orchard of
common and natural fruit and grafted with scions from the Edgerly
orchard and thus obtained the fruit which afterwards took his namec
The apple was described as a beautiful red fruit, distinctly sweet
and of very good quality,, but not a good keeper and did net continue
popular except as an early winter fruit from October to January,, For
many years though this fruit was widely raised in the State,,
After James Edgerly built his house, he commenced keeping
tavern with his son, James G og who sold goods in a part of it, the
first goods sold In Perry,, Our ""Pioneer 811 authority states that in
1812, James C„ built a new store.on the west side of the road, and,
with his brother Thomas commenced business in partnership. Their
goods came from Albany,, During the hard times of those days the
firm failed to pay their New York creditor and he attempted to collect
by levy on the land which the father and sons heldo The sheriff
found this was only held by contract, whereupon the creditor, Samuel
Rathbone, paid the balance owed at the land office in Canandalgua,
secured a deed to the Edgerly property,. He then had it sold by the
sheriff and recovered his claim,, Edgerly sued Rathbone for fraud
and the suit was in the co-arts for several years until the costs
were more than the claim, and finally decided against Mr„ Edgerly,
the Revolutionary veteran lost his farm together with over $2,000 in
(continued on page 105>)