Cambridge Springs History

Cambridgeboro is located on the banks of French Creek near the center of
Cambridge Township.  It had in 1880 a population of 674 and in 1870 452.
The village is quite an old one, though for many years its growth was very
slow.  As mentioned in Cambridge Township the Van Court's were the first
settlers on Tract 127, upon which the borough largely stands.

Job Van Court's cabin occupied the site of A. B. Ross' residence, Venango
Avenue.  Bailey Fullerton moved to the southern part of the village site in
1809, and remained a resident until his death in 1854.  He was a farmer by
occupation, also operated a distillery.  After the Van Court's were
dispossessed, about 1815, this land, 200 acres in extent, was sold by the
Holland Land Company to Nathan Cummings, who took possession and
dwelt in a log-house near the present American House at the head of
Venango Avenue.

Joseph T. Cummings, a resident of Evansburg and brother to Nathan,
became the purchaser of 100 acres from his brother, and about 1822, soon
after the turnpike was constructed, he made the village plat.  Nathan
Cummings was a physician, and beside him Drs. Lorin West, William
Killison, Joseph Gray, J. A. M. Alexander and Peter Faulkner were early
practitioners.  John Marvin and Dr. West kept the first stores, and
succeeding them soon after Ralph Snow and John W. McFadden were
early merchants.  Edward Hicks opened a tavern north of French Creek,
within the present limits of the borough, prior to 1812, and Thomas
Fullerton was a co[n]temporary inn-keeper near by.  Horatio G. Davis
and Nathan Cummings were early tavern-keepers south of the creek.

It was not until about 1860 that it began to improve much.  The
construction of the A. & G. W., now the N. Y., P. & O. Railroad, infused
life into the village, and since then its increase has been steady.  The
first cheese factory of the present system in the county was erected here
by George Thomas in 1867.  Kitchen Hoag built the first saw-mill about
1847, where Sherwood & Agnew's mills now are.  It was destroyed by fire
a few years later.  George Thomas afterward erected a saw-mill in
connection with his cheese factory on East Church Street, but it too
was burned to the ground.  B. M. Sherwood then erected a saw and
planing-mill just south of French Creek and east of Main Street.  It is now
owned by Sherwood & Agnew and is the largest establishment in the
village, employing about forty men.  The works include beside the saw
and planing-mill, a grist-mill and shovel handle factory.

B. B. Reynolds operates a planing-mill and a jelly manufactory.  There
are also in the borough a ware house, hay press, tannery, marble works,
two wagon and carriage-shops, four blacksmith-shops, two shoe-shops,
two harness-shops, a leather and shoe finding establishment and a
cooper-shop.  The mercantile line is represented by four dry goods stores,
five grocery stores, two drug stores, two furniture stores, two clothing
stores, two hardware stores, one jewelry store, two boot and shoe stores,
two millinery stores, two feed stores, two bakeries and a meat market.
There are two good hotels, a bank, organized in 1872, five physicians,
three dentists, a photograph gallery and three livery stables.

Many fine residences have been erected within a few years and quite an
improvement in business blocks is noticeable.  Among the first fine
business structures were the brick banking building erected by the Kellys
and the block of J. B. Wilber.

A petition to incorporate Cambridge as a borough, signed by forty-five
citizens, was presented February 16, 1866, to the grand jury, which
reported favorably, and the court of Quarter Sessions confirmed its
decision April 3, 1866, ordering an election to be hold April 17, 1866, of
which W. Thomas was appointed Judge and H. D. Bertram and E. Burt
Inspectors.  This election resulted in the selection of the following officers:
Burgess, A. B. Ross; Justice of the Peace, N. L. Snow; Constable, T. L.
Barber; Council, D. D. Birchard, Able Drake, S. B. Hadley, R. W. Perrin
and P. K. Carroll; Assessor, Martin Carringer; Auditor, John B. Burt;
School Directors, Jacob Wood, L. M. St. John, William Sitler, A. B. Howe,
H L. Johnson, and J. H. Gray; Judge of Election, D. C. Mory; Inspectors,
H. D. Bertram and Price Wilson.

The Burgesses subsequently elected were as follows:  S. H. Ellis, 1867-68;
resigned during second term, and W. W. Hyatt appointed to fill vacancy;
Martin Carringer, 1869; A. K. Lefevre, 1870; L. M. St. John, 1871; J. B.
Bonner, 1872-73; S. R. Jackson, 1874; E. L. Crumb, 1875; A. Sherwood,
1876; J. 0. Sherred, 1877; R. C. Quay, 1878; T. H. Agnew,. 1879-80-81;
C. S. Glenn, 1882; A. Sherwood, 1883-84.

The first newspaper venture was made by A. W. Howe, about fifteen years
ago (1869).  The Index, as it was christened, was at first a small sixteen-
page monthly.  It was gradually enlarged, and, winning public favor, became
a well established weekly.  Soon after the death of Mr. Howe, in 1872, the
paper was purchased by D. P. Robbins, who increased its circulation largely,
and in October, 1877, sold it to F. H. and George 0. Morgan; they removed
it to Meadville.  Immediately following the departure of the Index W. L. Perry,
November 1, 1877, issued the first number of the Cambridge News.  He
remained its publisher and editor until April 1, 1883, when Moses & Wade,
its present publishers, purchased it.  The News is an eight-page weekly,
issued every Thursday.  It is independent in politics, and possesses a highly
creditable circulation.

In the summer of 1883 Prof. E. P. Russell opened in Cambridgeboro a
Conservatory of Music.  Though only in its infancy this institution has already
attained marked success.  It has a faculty of six instructors, and includes in
its course vocal and instrumental music, elocution, drawing and painting.
Sixty-eight students were in attendance at the initiatory term.

The first schoolhouse in Cambridgeboro was located on the A. B. Ross lot,
Main Street, opposite and a little south of the Cambridge House.  It was a
small, one-story frame building, lighted by six windows placed in the roof, this
design having been adopted with intent to promote application to study, by
withdrawing from the pupil the possibility of gazing on external nature.  Early
teachers were:  Mr. Lowry, S. R. Jackson, Ezra Jones and Polly Reader.
This unique structure was succeeded about 1838 with a frame building,
erected on the lot adjoining the Methodist Church lot on the east.  It in
turn was superseded in 1855 by the two-story frame now used as the town
house, and located on Venango Avenue, on the lot of the present school
building, which succeeded it.  The present schoolhouse is a handsome,
commodious frame edifice, erected in 1875, containing five departments,
all of which are filled to their utmost capacity.

The Methodist Episcopal Society erected the first religious edifice in
Cambridgeboro in 1832, on East Church Street, on the site of its present
church, built in 1865.  The class was organized about 1828, and held its
meetings in the schoolhouse and in John W. McFadden's old distillery, which
stood where the Congregational Church now stands.  Among the leading
early members of the society were:  Christian Blystone, Eleazer Rockwell,
Stephen Mory, Bernard and Rebecca Rockwell and John M.  McFadden.
Cambridge Circuit was organized in 1831, continuing until 1844.  Its pastors
were:  A. Young, and B. Preston, 1831; H. Kinsley and J. E. Lee, 1832; J.
Jenks, 1834; J. Robinson and D. Richey, 1835; J. H. Whallon and P. D.
Horton, 1836; W. B. Lloyd, 1837; W. B. Lloyd and W. W. Lake, 1838; D.
Pritchard and J. R. Locke, 1839; A. Keller, 1840; A. Keller and J. E. Bassett,
1841; D. W. Vorce  and R. J. Sibley, 1842; I. Schfield and R. M.
Bear, 1843.  This charge was then connected with Rockville charge, but in
1855 and 1856 Cambridge Circuit was temporarily restored, with Revs. A. H.
Bowers and N. C. Brown as ministers.  Cambridge Circuit, as at present
constituted, was formed in 1878.  It includes beside Cambridge the societies
at Venango and Skelton, of Venango Township.  Its pastors have been:  J. H.
Vance, 1878-79; W. Hollister, 1880-81-82; I. D. Darling, 1883.  The society
at Cambridgeboro numbers ninety-five.

The Cambridge Baptist Church was organized in Rockdale Township, October
31, 1812, as the Lebanon Baptist Church, with the following members:  George
Miller, Alexander Anderson, Isaac Kelly, John Langley, James Anderson, Sally
Clark, Barbara Miller, Hannah Kelly, Elizabeth Daniel, Christina Daniel and
Lydia Anderson.  In the early history of the church every member was required
to attend every meeting.  For a single failure an excuse was required; if a
member failed twice he was visited by a committee, which reported at the next
meeting.  A. church building was erected in Rockdale, but as a majority of the
members resided at and about Cambridge the society was removed there, and
a meeting-house erected in 1835 on Venango Avenue.  It is now used as a
marble-shop.  A third church edifice was built in.1865 on Main Street during the
pastorate of Rev. M. Thomas.  His successors in charge of this congregation
have been Revs. Ross Ward, John Burk, J. S. Johnson, A. S. Thompson, H. H.
Leamy and S. T. Dean.  The last named took charge in December, 1883.  The
membership is 115.

The Congregational Church of Cambridgeboro was organized April 21, 1852,
with six members: A. D. Ross, D. 0. Wing, Mrs. Maria T. Fullerton, Mrs.
Harriet R. Ross, Mrs. Rebecca Rockwell and Mrs. Jane Wing.  A Congregational
Society had been organized a short time, and had erected a church building.
From this society both this church and the Presbyterian Church originated.  By
mutual agreement the Presbyterians retained the edifice already erected, and
the Congregational society at once built a church structure at the southwest
corner of Church and Prospect Streets, which they still occupy.  Rev. L. L.
Radcliff was the first minister, supplying the church several years.  His successor,
Rev. U. T. Chamberlain, was called in 1856 and remained till 1862.  Rev. William
Irons then served four years, and was followed by Rev. W. D. Henry, who preached
here until October, 1870.  Rev. D. L. Gear was pastor from April, 1872, to January,
1873, and Rev. George Adams from January, 1874, to July, 1875.  Rev. Dwight
Dunham was called in May, 1876, and his resignation was accepted in September,
1878.  Rev. W. G. Marts then served from the autumn of 1880 to February, 1882;
and his successor, Rev. S. R. Roseboro, the present pastor, took charge in
November, 1882.  The present membership is about sixty.

The First Presbyterian Church of Cambridgeboro was organized with twenty-three
members, April 22, 1852, by Revs. Craighead, E. W. Beebe, and Elder Kerr.  The
house of worship, located on the north side of Church Street, was erected about
the same time, as indicated in the sketch of the Congregational Church.  Rev.
G. W. Hampson was the first pastor.  He was succeeded by Rev. William A.
McCarrel, and he turn in [sic] 1875 by the present pastor, Rev. William Grassie.
The church membership is about 100.

A Universalist congregation formerly flourished here.  A frame church was built
many years ago north of French Creek.  The society in time became too weak to
maintain an organization and expired.  It was re-organized in 1875 and held
services until 1881.

A German Lutheran Church existed in Cambridgeboro from about 1869 to 1882,
but had no meeting-house.  It was a division from the congregation at Drake's
Mills, and rejoined it after a separation of thirteen years.

Covenant Lodge, No. 473, F. & A. M., was instituted July 19, 1870, with H. D.
Persons, W. M.; W. C. Gillett, S. W.; and G. D. Horn, J. W.  It now has a
membership of seventy-four, and meets the second and fourth Fridays of each
month.

Cambridge Lodge, No. 901, I. O. O. F., was granted a charter January 14, 1875.
Its charter officers were John Greene, N. G.; Bemus Buckley, V. G.; Willard S.
Skelton, Secretary; James H. Skelton, Assistant Secretary; George D. Humes,
Treasurer.  It numbers seventy-seven members, and meets every Saturday
evening.  Lady Haworth Lodge, D. of R., No. 121, was chartered February 26,
1879.  Cambridge Grange, 168, P. of H., was organized July 1, 1874, with the
following members:  George D. Humes, J. R. Kingsley, M. R. Smith, A. O.
Rockwell, W. C. Gillett, N. L. Snow, D. P. Robbins, Elizabeth Humes, M. L.
Rockwell, Lucia Chapin, F. C. Chapin, Mrs. Nancy Gillett, Mrs. S. A. Snow,
Lewis Knapp, S. B. Root, Clarissa Knapp, Tempie Smith, Mrs. M. M. Kingsley
and Mrs. E. A. Humes.  In 1882 the Grange erected a handsome brick hall and
store building, at a cost of $3,500.  Its membership is seventy, with meetings
each alternate Saturday morning.

Cambridge Lodge, No. 662, K. of H. was instituted May 15, 1877.  Its charter
members were: D. P. Robbins, C. F. Chamberlain, W. W. Hyatt, J. R. Cease,
A. F. Moses, F. A. Drake, R. B. Drake, J. S. Johnson, S. B. Root, T. T. Root,
J. B. Burt and D. M. Jones.  The membership is forty-seven, and the second
and fourth Tuesdays of each month are set apart for meetings.

Cambridgeboro Lodge, No. 181, A. O. U. W., was granted a charter August 18,
1880.  Its first officers were: B. B. Reynolds, P. M. W.; M. H. Luse, M. W.; B.
Sherwood, G. F.; Rev. A. S. Thompson, O.; E. S. Kelley, Recorder; T. T. Root,
Financier; P. F. Sherwood, Receiver; J. W. Rockwell, G.; Samuel Hise, I. W.;
U. T. Fink, O. W.  It has a large membership, and meets every Monday evening.

Alex B. Langley Post, No. 301, G. A. R., was organized January 13, 1883, and
now has a membership of thirty-three.  Its meetings are held on the first and third
Tuesdays
of each month.  The first officers were:  M. H. Luce, Com.; C. S. Glenn, S. V. C.;
J. C. Ames, J. V. C.; M. Miner, Chaplain; James Rockwell, Sergeant; James
O'Donnel, O. of D.; B. B. Reynolds, Q. M.; A. J. Williams, Adjutant; F. M. Cole,
O. of G.