19th Century Public Union Schools & Academies

and their Principals

Wayne County, NY

From Historical and statistical record of the University of the State of New York: during the century from 1784 to 1884, by Franklin Benjamin Hough and David Murray. Albany, NY: Weed, Parsons & company, printers, 1885.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Academies Of The State Of New York.

The following list is intended to include the names of the several Academies that have been incorporated by the Regents and by the Legislature. In case of change of name, the obsolete names are generally introduced without more than a cross reference to the last or present name, where the principal data concerning them are given. In a few instances the names of unincorporated Academies are given, but these were generally in some way connected with those having a charter, either preceding or following them.

At all periods during the century there have been a large number of private Seminaries in the State, but with the exception of very recent years, we have no information concerning their number or attendance. In 1884 the number of pupils attending private schools was 119,952, or about ten per cent of the whole number under instruction.

The list of Principals has been compiled for the earlier years from the original reports. They were first printed in the Regents report of 1850, and from that time to the present these lists have been prepared from these reports. In giving titles the one last used has generally been added, but this is not to indicate that it was held by the person to whose name it is placed during the whole period of service. It is also to be remarked that the absence of a title does not indicate that the person had no literary or professional titles. In a few instances, by the aid of Academies and county histories, we have been able to present series of names with reasonable assurance that they are complete; but of far the greater number it cannot be claimed that a full list is given. The information is presented as the best that could be obtained, and as only approximately complete.

It must be remembered that the latest information available in preparing this list has been the Regent's Report, printed in 1884, but referring to the year ending in 1883. In the few cases where 1884 has been entered it is from recent information by correspondence; and whenever 1883 is entered opposite the name it does not imply that the services of the person named had ended in that year.

[With respect to the lists of Principals in the following pages, it should be remarked that from imperfections in existing records it has been found quite impossible in some cases to prepare perfect lists. They should, therefore, be regarded as only approximately complete. The titles appended are generally those which were reported as pertaining to these persons while employed as Principals, and at the end of the period while so reported. They may have afterward received degrees of higher grade, but of this no notice is taken. As the lists prior to 1850 were prepared from unpublished returns, and by clerks who had not been previously instructed upon this point, many persons may have been mentioned without noticing the literary titles belonging to them in the earlier years of the period embraced.]

CLYDE HIGH SCHOOL. (Clyde, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by act of April 24, 1834. Placed under the visitation of the Regents, by act of May 15, 1876, and again July 12, 1881.

Principals.
Hugh R. Jolly 1881-82
Edward Hayward, A.M., 1883

LEAVENWORTH INSTITUTE. (Wolcott, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated provisionally by the Regents July 14, 1859. Charter declared absolute January 10, 1861. Merged in the "Leavenworth Institute and Union School."

Named in memory of Isaac Leavenworth, who gave about 900 rods of land, and in addition to this, one-half of the capital used in the building - about $3,000.

Principals.
M.H. Slee, 1860
Rev. A. Blakely, A.M., 1861-63
Jonathan S. Slee, A.B., 1864
Lewis H. Clark, 1865
Amos H. Thompson, 1866
Alfred J. Hutton, 1867-68
C.T.R. Smith, A.B., 1869-70
J. W. Hoag, A.B., 1871-72
A. M. Baldwin, Ph. B., 1873
John T. Cothran, A.B., 1874-76
Wm. R. Vosburgh, 1877
Cyrus W. Waterman, 1878-81
Edward Hayward, A.M., 1882
Edgar B. Nichols, A.M., 1883 -

LYONS ACADEMY. (Lyons, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Legislature March 29, 1837. Another act of incorporation was passed May 7, 1840, but no organization was effected.

LYONS UNION SCHOOL. (Lyons Wayne Co.)

Organized under special act April 19, 1855. Admitted by Regents January 8, 1857.

Principals.
D. H. Devoe, A.B., 1856
Frances R. Snow, 1857-58
H. M. Smith, A.B., 1859-60
Wm. Kreutzer, A.M., 1861
James C. Van Benschoten, 1862
C. M. Hutchens, 1863-66
Alexander D. Adams, 1867-69
Edward A. Kingsley, A.M., 1870-73
T. H. Roberts, 1874
W.H. Lord, A.M., 1876-7
Julius B. Frazer, 1878
John H. Clark, A.M., 1879-

MACEDON ACADEMY. (Macedon, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Legislature April 11, 1842. Admitted by Regents January 10, 1845.

Principals.
Stephen Wood, 1844-47
J.W. Stebbins, 1848
Henry Wheeler A.M., 1849
Rev. Samuel Center, A.M., 1850-53
Wm. M. McLaughlin, A.B., 1854-56
Charles S. Halsey, A.B., 1847
T. C. Ballantine, 1858
Rev. Geo. H. Thiting, 1859
Brainerd Kellogg, A.B., 1860
Edwin B. Harvey, A.B., 18611-62
Charles S. Halsey, A.M., 1863-65
Gardner Fuller, A.M., 1866-67
James S. Leman, A.M., 1868
H. George Miller, A.M., 1869
George C. Andrews, 1871
Richard H. Dennis, A.B., 1872
Henrietta W. Downing, 1873
Andrew J. Nellis, 1874
J. Edmon Massee, 1875-76
V.A. Crandall, B.S., 1877
Byron C. Mathews, A.B., 1878
D.D. Van Allen, A.M., 1879
Frederick A. Hyde, Ph. D., 1880
Charles H. Boynton, 1881-82
Frederick A. White, 1883 -

MARION ACADEMY. (Marion, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by Legislature March 27, 1839. The board was organized but a defect in the title of property prevented it from being successful. Simon Archer was Principal.

Discontinued in 1848.

MARION COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE. (Marion, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated provisionally by the Regents July 6, 1855.

Charter declared absolute January 14, 1858.

Principals.
Jas. H. Dann. 1867-58
Philo J. Williams, A.M., 1859-61
Allen S. Russell, 1862
R. T. Spencer, 1863
George H. Miner, A.B., 1864
Thomas B. Lovell, A.M., 1865-70
E. G. Cheeseman, A.B., 1871-72
Wm. T. Mills, A.B., 1873
Wm. H. Sloam (sic), A.M., 1874
I. Barnes Fraser, A.M., 1875-77
C. A. Congdon, A.M., 1878
D. Van Cruysingham, 1879
Charles E. Allen, 1880

NEWARK UNION SCHOOL AND ACADEMY. (Newark, Wayne Co.)

Organized under general act of June 19, 1853. Admitted by Regents February 5, 1863.

Principals.
J. Dorman Steele, A.M., 1863-66
Jacob Wilson, A.M., 1867-71
Orville B. Seagrave, 1872-73
A.W. Norton, A.B., 1874-76
C.A. Peake, A.M., 1877
Dr. Wm. S. Aumock, Ph. D., 1878-81
Wayland G. Bassett, 1882

PALMYRA ACADEMY. (Palmyra, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Legislature April 11, 1842. Never Organized.

PALMYRA CLASSICAL UNION SCHOOL. (Palmyra, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Legislature April 7, 1857. Admitted by the Regents January 14, 1858. This had no connection with the "Palmyra High School," organized in 1829, and continued until 1857.

Principals.
C. M. Hutchins, A. M., 1857-62
J. Dunlap, A.M.., 1863-66
M.H. Fitts, A. M., 1867-68
C. M. Hutchins, A. M., 1869-75
H. F. Burt, A.M., 1876-82
Ezra B. Fancher, A.M., 1883

PALMYRA HIGH SCHOOL. (Palmyra, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Legislature March 28, 1829. Admitted by the Regents July 2, 1833, and continued until 1848. It was discontinued when a Union School was organized.

Principals.
James F. Cogswell, 1833-35
James F. Cogswell and Joseph K. Wave, 1836
Joseph K. Wave, 1837-48

RED CREEK UNION ACADEMY. (Red Creek, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Legislature March 27, 1839. Admitted by Regents February 5, 1846. Sold on mortgage in 1868.

Principals.
Hugh B. Jolley, 1845-47
Rev. Eli C. Bruce, A.B., 1848-49
Rev. John B. Van Petten, 1850-51
Rev. O.N. Brooks, A.M., 1852
R.N. Mott, A.B., 1853-55
M.H. Slee, 1856-58
Rev. Charles S. Case, 1859-60
Rev. Wesley Mason, 1861
Henry R. Sanford, A.B., 1862
Sidney O. Barnes, A.M., 1863
Robert L. Thatcher, A.M., 1864-65

RED CREEK UNION SEMINARY. (Red Creek, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Regents January 10, 1867.

Principals.
Walter A. Brownell, A.B., 1866-68
T. C. Claven, 1869
Ralph Hunt, 1870
T. C. Claven, B.S., 1871
F. E. Murphy, 1872
Alden Allen, A.M., 1873
F. E. Murphy, M. D., 1874
T. Sanderson, A. B., 1875
Cyrus W. Waterman, A. B., 1876
J. Byron Smith, 1877
Louis W. Baker, 1879 -

SODUS ACADEMY. (Sodus, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Regents January 11, 1855.

Principals.
Dexter E. Clapp, A.B., 1854-55
E. P. Harris, A.b., 1856
Charles H . Dann, 1857
Lewis H. Clark, 1858-64
Elisha Curtis, A.M., 1865 -

WALWORTH ACADEMY. (Walworth, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Legislature May 12, 1841. Admitted by Regents April 19, 1843. Authorized to sell and buy other lands, April 2, 1864. By an ordinance passed March 5, 1857, the power of electing Trustees to this Academy was vested in the East Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This was repealed January 13, 1870, and the power restored to the stockholders.

Principals.
E. B. Walworth, 1843-44
Ornon Archer, 1844-45
A. G. Williams, 1847-48
James A. Smith, 1849-50
J. Chamberlain, A. M., 1851-52
John F. Severance, A.M., 1854-55
H. Vosburgh, 1856
W. B. Holt, A.B., 1857-58
C. H. Dann, 1859
George H. Preston, 1860
Henry L. Harter, A.M., 1861
H. O. Abbott, A.B., 1862-65
John G. Williams, A.M., 1866-67
Daniel Ayres, 1868-69
J. Carlton Norris, 1875-

WATSON AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE. (Clyde, Wayne Co.)

Joseph Watson and others were incorporated April 9, 1851, for the purpose of establishing a seminary of learning at Clyde. Shares, $50, and no one to own more than five shares at a time. Plans not perfected.

WAYNE COUNTY COLLEGIATE INSTUTUTE. (Newark, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Regents July 6, 1855. Name changed to "Wayne and Ontario Collegiate Institute" January 13, 1860.

WAYNE AND ONTARIO COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE. (Newark, Wayne Co.)

Incorporated by the Regents January 13, 1860. Changed from "Wayne County Collegiate Institute." A report received in January, 1871, showed that further progress had been made in the construction of the Academic building which was then nearly completed.

From "The Revision of Hough's Historical and Statistical Record," University of the State of New York Bulletin, No. 750, 15 Jan. 1922: 74.

"In 1885 the Regents of the University caused to be published a "Historical and Statistical Record of the University of the State of New York during the Century from 1784 to 1884," by Franklin B. Hough, with an introductory sketch by David Murray, Secretary of the Board of Regents. Ever since its publication this volume has been the sourcebook for information concerning secondary and higher education in New York State. It contains not only a brief history of the development of the University of the State of New York but also a detailed account of each separate institution in the University, including colleges, universities, professional schools, as well as normal schools, academies and high schools, down to 1884."

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