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Joseph Clayton Atwater was born in Scott on March 8, 1837, the second child of Joseph Atwater and Lucy Brown. He is referred to as J. Clayton in most materials referenced, though he may have been called Clayton to distinguish him from his father. For clarity, we will use Clayton when referring to him. Two Atwater brothers came to the American colonies from England in the 1600s and settled in Connecticut. One brother’s family line died out, but the other had numerous descendants, of which J. Clayton Atwater was one. Clayton’s grandfather was Joshua Atwater, who settled in Homer in the late 1790s. He wasRead More →

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This Main Street Monday also covers the history of Central Avenue! At least in part. Before the formation of Central Avenue, formerly called Railroad Street, a building stood on Main Street at what would become the street entrance. The first structure we can date there is from 1841 which is the earliest I can find a business under the auspice of J.C. Pomeroy & Co., dealing in dry goods as the “Cortland Exchange” in the “new white building one door north of Wm. Elder.” James C. Pomeroy had previously been in business with William Elder in the building next door, at the location of modern-dayRead More →

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Revolutionary War soldier Asa Bennett had two sons travel to Homer from Connecticut to settle, Deacon Asa Bennett and Reverend Alfred Bennett. Over the last two columns, we’ve learned more about some of Deacon Asa Bennett’s descendants in Homer, including Augustus H. Bennett, the father of Lester Pratt Bennett. Lester P. Bennett was born in 1870 to Augustus H. Bennett and Emma Gertrude Pratt. Lester was the second of five children born to Augustus and Emma, and he was their first son. Lester was named after his mother’s father, Lester Marcus Pratt. Lester Bennett received his education at the public schools in Homer and atRead More →

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In the last installment of “Slumbering Souls,” we learned about Dr. Lester Pratt and how he retired to Homer to live with his daughter Emma and her husband Augustus for the remainder of his life. It’s time to look at Emma and Augustus to learn more about their lives. Augustus H. Bennett was born at his father’s farm in Homer on April 14, 1840. His parents were Lorenzo Bennett and Almira Stone, and he was one of four children in their family. Lorenzo’s father was Deacon Asa Bennett who came to Homer with his brother, Reverend Alfred Bennett, from Mansfield, Connecticut. Their father, Asa Bennett,Read More →

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  This week’s Main Street Monday is a triple hitter with the First National Bank building, Fireman’s Hall, and the County Clerk’s Office building. We must first review a bit of information from two Main Street Monday posts ago when I covered the history of the Calvert Block (30-34 Main Street); the portion of Main Street that now contains 36 and 38 was once part of the Josiah Hart estate, and in 1865 he gave a portion of the land over to the village, allocated for the building of a fire engine house at 38 Main Street. At the same time, a part was givenRead More →

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This new series will be focusing on people you may not have heard of, but they are at eternal rest in the cemeteries of Cortland County. We’ll be exploring their contributions and stories in Slumbering Souls. This installment features a gentleman who truthfully did not live in Cortland County until his retirement, so why would we want to learn more about Dr. Lester M. Pratt? Although interred at Glenwood Cemetery, Pratt appears to have simply retired to Homer. He did not live here as a child, did not attend school here, did not practice here. Let’s explore what brought him to Homer for his goldenRead More →

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Central Avenue, c.1915, with the Burgess painted advertisement. We finally approach Central Avenue in our historical journey down Main Street! This time we are taking a look at 31-33 Main Street which has over the years been referred to as the Union Hall block, the Collins block, and the Burgess block. But its beginnings are believed to stretch back to about 1815 when Obadiah Boies presumably built his dwelling in that location. We are lucky enough this time to be able to include a story from when his house was being erected that includes a bit of drama: Nathan Luce and his crew were conductingRead More →

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This new series will be focusing on people you may not have heard of, but they are at eternal rest in the cemeteries of Cortland County. We’ll be exploring their contributions and stories in Slumbering Souls. Many of the people who came to live in Cortland County beginning in the 1790s came from nearby Connecticut, including Deacon Charles Chamberlain who arrived in Homer in 1801. Deacon Chamberlain purchased fifty acres of land “embracing the site of the village,” and here he built a home. He would marry Roxsey Lyon in Brimfield, Massachusetts in 1803, and the couple would welcome their first child, Alfred Lyon ChamberlainRead More →

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This new series will be focusing on people you may not have heard of, but they are at eternal rest in the cemeteries of Cortland County. We’ll be exploring their contributions and stories in Slumbering Souls. Leman W. Potter began his life in Cortland County on April 26, 1853, when he was born in Scott to E.H. Perry Potter and Roxanna Burdick. The Potter family’s roots were in Rhode Island, where Leman’s grandparents Ezekial Potter and Abigail West originally hailed from. Grandfather Ezekial was a miller and served in the War of 1812, winning honors for his service as a “post rider.” The Potters moved theirRead More →

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  The history of numbers 22-28 Main Street in Cortland, like several other addresses previously covered, starts with a house. Sylvester Blair (-1836) built his home on the property “consisting of a large and advantageously situated village lot” with a brick house, neighboring brick store (what would be no.18), extensive out buildings and well selected orchard. Blair was partnered with his brother-in-law, Asahel Lyman, in the mercantile business and in 1829 originated a pottery establishment located on the corner of Graham and Groton Avenues. Unfortunately, he did not have long to enjoy success for he died of fits (a seizure) in 1836 while traveling onRead More →