N. Medbery, Joe Morse, J. M. Miller (Astor House), C. J. Medbery, E. B. Mason (tinner), W. F. Ormsby (blacksmith). W. S. Oviatt, Hiram Payne, T. P. W. Palmer (watchmaker). W. H. and E. F. Richmond, Chris. Ritzan (cabinetmaker), G. W. Sartwell, C. K. Sartwell, W. H. Sartwell, Sol. Sartwell, S. B. & R. Sartwell, Stanton & Beckwith (owners of sixty-four lots), J. L. Smith, P. E. Scull, G. M. Smith (joiner), J. B. Taylor (blacksmith), A. N. Taylor, Aug. Wolters, Ernest Wolters (blacksmith), W. A. Williams (attorney and treasurer), Dr. L. R. Wisner, J. G. Young. There were seven watches discovered and assessed. There were thirty nine horses and fifty-two cows, and all property was valued at $25,504.

Municipal Affairs. The first election held at Smethport, for borough officers, was that of February 11, 1853. William A. Williams received forty-three votes for burgess; W. Y. McCoy, S. Sartwell and Henry Hamlin, received forty three; William K. King, forty-two, and Ghordis Corwin, forty-one votes, for council; O. R. Bennett, Jeremiah Chadwick, N. Medbery and N. W. Goodrich, received forty votes; C. B. Curtis, twenty-eight, and P. E. Scull, four votes, for school directors; Byron D. Hamlin, eighteen votes, and Jeremiah Chadwick, seventeen votes, were chosen poormasters; N. W. Goodrich, James Miller and C. B. Curtis, were elected auditors; O. R. Bennett, assessor; George B. Backus, constable, and Hiram Payne, justice. At this time C. K. Sartwell and A. N. Taylor were chosen inspectors, and Philetus Ford, judge of election.

The names of citizens who have filled the office of burgess down to the present time are as follows: W. A. Williams, 1853; Philetus Ford, 1854; John C. Backus, 1855; C. K. Sartwell, 1856; S. M. Smith, 1857; G. C. DeGolier, 1858; S. A. Backus, 1859; Byron D. Hamlin, 1860; W. Y. McCoy, 1861-62. G. H. Mason was chosen assistant burgess in 1862; L. R. Wisner, 1863, with R. Sartwell, assistant; Warren Cowles, 1864, with J. R. Townsend; G. Corwin, 1865-66, with N. W. Abbey; B. D. Hamlin, 1867, with H. Hamlin; Henry Hamlin, 1868, with M. A. Sprague. The last named was elected burgess in 1869, with R. Sartwell assistant, and re elected in 1870; John C. Backus, 1871, with M. L. Armstrong, assistant; W. Y. McCoy, 1872, with W. D. Gallup, assistant; P. Ford, 1873, with N. W. Abbey, assistant; G. M. Smith, 1874-75, with T. J. Gifford, assistant; Thomas King, 1876, with Hugh Glenn, assistant; M. A. Sprague, 1877, with E. F. Richmond; M. L. Armstrong, 1878, with H. L. McCoy; S. J. Gifford, 1879, with H. S. Sartwell; B. L. Knapp, 1880, with J. C. Hamlin; J. C. Backus, 1881-85, with S. J. Gifford; M. L. Armstrong, 1882-83; Frank Moses, assistant, in 1884; A. T. Palmer, burgess, in 1886; B. F. Wright, 1887; F. W. Brownell, 1888, and Warley Gifford, 1889.

The names of the justices are as follows: W. A. Williams, 1854; Jeremiah Chadwick, 1855; G. B. Backus, 1856; Philetus Ford, 1860-65; R. Sartwell, 1861; A. B. Armstrong, 1862-67; M. N. Powell, 1869, J. G. Eaton, 1870; P. Ford, 1871 (but being collector of internal revenue he did not qualify); S. Sartwell, 1872; C. K. Sartwell, 1872; G. M. Smith, 1876-81-86; P. Ford, 1877– 82-87.

The officers elected in February, 1890, are as follows: Burgess, F. W. Brownell; council, N. D. Ramer, William Haskell; school directors, Hon. T. A. Morrison, E. R. Mayo; constable, H. L. Burlingame; collector, J. A. Holder; judge of election, E. F. Waller; inspectors of election, J. C. Backus, Wash. Starks; auditor, W. D. Gallup.

The secretaries of the borough have been Henry Hamlin, 1853; C. K. Sartwell. 1854; G. C. Chapin, 1855; S. B. Sartwell, 1856; W. K. King, 1858;

A. N. Taylor, 1859-64; B. F. Wright, 1860; W. S. Brownell, 1861; J. C. Hamlin, 1862-73–78; P. Ford, 1865; C. K. Sartwell, 1869; Robert King, 1870; Henry King, 1871; D. R. Hamlin, 1872-74; H. F. Barbour, 1875; R. H. Rose, 1877; W. D. Gallup, 1879-81; E. Quackenbush, 1880; A. B. Armstrong, 1882; Lucius Rogers, 1886, and John Forrest, 1889.

The expenditures for the year ending March 1, 1889, amounted to $2,900.05. The vouchers for this expenditure, in possession of treasurer, M. L. Armstrong, were examined by Auditors J. O. McCarty, F. R. Foster and John Forrest, borough auditors.

Hose Company.-The Smethport Hose Company was organized in December, 1881, with Sheridan Gorton, Pres.; W. F. Specht, V. P.; G. R. Brownell, Sec.; M. L. Armstrong, Treas.; W. P. Walshe, foreman; H. L. Wilson and John Russ, Assts.; Hugh P. Brawley, A. B. Armstrong and John Forrest, trustees. In July of this year 107 votes were recorded for, and eighteen against, the proposed water tax. The question being carried, the work of construction commenced, and when the hose company was organized a full supply of water for all purposes existed.

The election of the following efficient officers for the ensuing year occurred in December, 1889: President, E. M. Kerns; vice-president, Henry Beiver; foreman, F. W. Brownell; first assistant foreman, F. W. Rumsey; second assistant foreman, W. H. De Garmo; secretary, Clifford Burlingame; treasurer, M. L. Armstrong; trustees, Frank Kerns, John Rooney, Sam. Fry.

Academies.-The April exhibition of 1839, at the Smethport Academy, was participated in by David Crow, Levi Ketcham, Henry Hamlin, Wallace Sawyer, William King, Ransom Devereaux, Ithual Humphrey, Elizabeth Chapin, Violetta Sartwell, George Sartwell, Montague Rose, George Birge, Niles Taylor, I. N. Sawyer, Ormand A. Holmes, John K. Williams and Byron D. Hamlin. At this time Luther Humphrey was principal from 1837 to 1840, when Atkins came; George W. Scofield came in 1842, and is now judge of court of claims, at Washington; L. D. Wetmore in 1842-43, later president judge of the Warren District; Franklin Freeman was succeeded by B. D. Hamlin in 1844; Henry M. Lane came in 1845, and from 1847 to the temporary closing of the school, ladies presided. In November, 1849, the old academy was reopened, with Ephriam Mariner (now a leading citizen of Milwaukee), principal. W. Y. McCoy presided at this time over the board with J. Darling, secretary. In the fall of 1850 Miss Miner was principal. On June 30, 1851, the academy trustees organized, with S. Sartwell, president; William Y. McCoy, treasurer; Hiram Payne, secretary; G. Irons, J. Taylor and William Williams, directors. This board resolved to collect all debts due the old academy, put the buildings and grounds in repair and rent the concern to a qualified teacher. In November the academy was re-opened by F. A. and C. H. Allen. In 1854 the Allens left, but were followed by others until Mr. Train ended the academy days. In March, 1870, the trustees of the academy were authorized by special act to convey the buildings and grounds to the school district, which was done, the old buildings moved and the present large buildings erected on the site.

The call for the organization of the Smethport Lyceum was made in October, 1870, by Dr. W. Y. McCoy, who was chosen president; E. H. Bard, secretary; L. Rogers, J. C. Backus, A. B. Armstrong, Henry King, M. A. Sprague, G. Corwin, G. M. Smith, W. J. Milliken and A. N. Taylor. In November, L. Rogers was chosen president, and D. R. Hamlin, secretary.

Churches. The history of religious bodies in McKean county dates back to 1809, when a Catholic missionary founded a congregation at Instanter, and

held services there regularly until his disappearance in the forest toward the close of 1810. A reference to the history of Cameron county points out Smethport as a part of the Sinnemahoning Methodist circuit in the "twenties;" the collapse of the circuit work; the introduction of the Adventists; the return of Methodism and the introduction of Universalism.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Smethport is said to have had its beginning about 1832. Under date October 9, 1837, a subscription book was opened by the trustees. The subscription contracts were drawn for $500 down, but under the $500 heading a few men write their names for $5.00: Andrew Rifle, David Crow, Jr., Harvey Brewer, Richard Wooley and Daniel Rifle; Asa Sartwell contributed $300; Brewster Freeman, $200; Richard Chadwick, A. M. Stanton, Nathan White and Nathan Burlingame, $100; Samuel Smith, David Crow, Thornton Barrett, $50; John Needham, James O. Gunning, David C. and Warren Lucore, $25; Horace B. King, $20 in nails; David Comes and Lew. R. Hawkins, $25; Hiram Payne, John E. Niles, Salmon M. Rose, A. Burlingame, Harvey Brewer, Cephas Scott, Dudley Birge, J. L. Birge, W. Y. McCoy, Charles Smith, Leonard Rice, Isaac Thompson (who subscribed $10 worth of axes), William C. White, Joel Sartwell, L. F. Maynard, E. C. Chandler, Horace and Milo Scott, Anson Rice and Barnabas Graves were also among the subscribers. The society was incorporated with Samuel Smith, Cephas Scott, Willis Barrett, Daniel Rifle and Gardner Barrett, trustees. The petitioners were Sandusky Miller, H. B. King, John Mills, R. Chadwick, D. S. White, Daniel Brown, W. J. Colegrove and C. Steele. In 1837 a lot was purchased from the commissioners of the county, and the present house was built by Sol. Sartwell and P. Ford. It was completed, in 1839, at a cost of $3,000, repaired in 1865 at an expense of $1,000, and in 1880 at $2,000. The past recording stewards were Richard Chadwick, S. M. Rose, David S. White, I. S. Gleason, H. L. Burlingame and W. J. Colegrove. The present recorder is W. P. Eckels. The roll of preachers from 1832 to 1889 is as follows: 1832, William Butts and Samuel Gregg; 1833, Thomas J. Jennings, Benjamin Preston and Joseph A. Halback; 1834, Ignatius H. Hacket, Amer G. Smith and Bryan S. Hill; 1835, John Demming, Matthew Hanna and Lorenzo Whipple; 1836, Augustin Anderson and J. W. Stryker; 1837, A. Anderson, F. W. Conable and J. F. Mason; 1838, Alpha Wright and F. W. Conable; 1839, Horatio M. Seaver and J. W. Stryker; 1840, H. M. Seaver and Hugh Ely; 1841, A. Haywood and J. Hagar; 1842, J. P. Kent, J. Hagar and John Glass; 1843, J. F. Mason and John Glass; 1844, J. F. Mason; 1845, J. Pearsall; 1847, F. W. Conable and J. McCleary, Jr.; 1848, James McClelland; 1850, E. B. Pratt; 1851, R. E. Thomas; 1852, Hiram Hood; 1854, Withan H. Kellogg; 1855, H. W. Annis; 1857, J. J. Roberts; 1859, S. D. Lewis; 1860, Alonzo Newton; 1862, L. A. Stevens; 1864, Lowell L. Rogers; 1866, William Blake; 1867, Roswell R. Purce; 1868, E. B. Williams; 1870, W. Gordon and F. D. Sargent; 1871, H. Peck; 1873, J. L. Rushidge; 1875, J. C. Whiteside; 1878, W. B. Waggoner; 1881, E. P. Hubbell; 1884, William Bradley, and 1887-89, T. W. Chandler. The presiding elders are named as follows: 1832, J. S. Barris; 1833, H. Kinsley; 1836, A. Abell; 1837, J. Hemminway; 1841, J. Durham; 1844, Thomas Carlton; 1845, William Hosmer; 1846, J. G. Gulick; 1848, Elija Thomas; 1850, A. D. Wilbor; 1852, J. C. Kigsley, 1854, C. D. Burlingham; 1858, E. E. Chambers; 1862, A. P. Ripley; 1866, W. S. Tuttle; 1870, E. A. Rice; 1873, L. D. Watson; 1878, L. A. Stevens; 1882, O. S. Chamberlayne, and 1886, T. J. Bissell. Carlton, above named, was one of the Methodist Book Concern for twenty years; Hosmer died in June, 1889. He was an abolitionist. Thomas was killed in the Modoc war.