BELLONA
 

By Mrs. I W Comstock                 

Published 1929

Village Named for Female warrior of Greek mythology who won fight with her Husband- Bellona Churches founded Presbyterian Churches in PEnn Yan and Dresden- Village Was Midway Stop on Old Stage coach Line to Geneva.

Bellona is a pleasant little village situated in the northeast corner of this township of Dresden, near the Ontario Count line and about two miles from Seneca Lake. It isolated in a valley through which flows the picturesque Kashong Creek, which is famous for the many fossils that are found in it.

the first settlement was made about 1788 or 1789. the first trader was a saw mill situated on the north bank of the stream opposite the present grist mill. As the virgin soil was covered with a heavy growth of timber. and as the Kashong is that early day furnished adequate water power it was paying enterprise. The next was a farm grist mill which stood on the site of the present stone mill. Ad the country was rapidly settled other industries followed in a rapid succession among which was a large carriage factory which turned out a wagon complete and furnished employment for several men. Other industries were a carding mill, a tannery, a distillery, an asberry, a large cooper shop, two blacksmith shops, two stores and two hotels. As the country developed rapidly there was a large local demand for the products of other mills and shops ,the surplus such as lumber and soar. Finding a ready market in Geneva and other nearby places.

The first school house stood on he site of the present Methodist Episcopal church and the church stood in the north end of the village at or near the little cemetery. That was the first church of the village.

The village had many names.

Bellona was on the Preemption road which was the main stage road from geneva to Penn Yan. The stage coaches made two trips daily. As Bellona was midway between the two places all stages stopped there to water and rest their horse. Up to the time that the first settlement was made, Bellona had been known by various names such as Snell, Vernon, Pinckneyville and Stab Hollow. The people feeling that the village was entitle in a name in keeping with the dignity of the place called a public meeting at which Napauel G Gage presided as chairman. After a lengthy discussion, the chairman being a man of more than ordinary education for those days proposed a name from Greek mythology, Bellona, meaning the Goddess of War. There was a tradition that the name is the result of the settlement of a dispute between a man and his wife, by physical force; as the woman was victorious, they called her Bellona, the female warrior. IF per chance this happened it may have had something to do with naming the village.

Organized Penn Yan Church

I have been unable to get much data about the Methodist Church but think that it was organized several years before the Presbyterian church. The latter was organized several years before the Presbyterian church. The latter was organized November 7, 1869 in the log home of Stephen Whitaker by Rev. John Lindsley. A missionary, with its charger member John Hall, Stephen Whitaker and Solomon Couch were chosen ruling elders and were ordained by Rev. Lindsley Nov. 12 1809. The church was received under the care of Geneva Presbytery in 1811. The name of the new church was the First Presbyterian Church of ht that town  of Benton. the date of the charter was June 17, 1816. the first building was erected in 1821 and stood in Mount Pleasant cemetery. The congregation organized the first presbyterian church at Penn Yan Oct. 11, 1831. and also organized a Presbyterian church in Dresden. In 1839 the congregation removed its place of worship to Bellona, using the church building that had been used by the Dutch Reformed congregation. The present Building was erected and presented to the conjuration by the late Mrs. mary F Johnson. The corner stone was laid July 11, 1893. the church was dedicated as the Memorial Presbyterian Church of Bellona April 26, 1894. since the church was organized in 1899? a total of 25 ministers have served the conjuration besides the present pastor, Rev. william L. Earl, who has lately been installed. Of those 26 ministers six have served five years or more. the longest pastorate of the six was 36 years and the shortest was ---Years. Rev. John Ingersoll, father of Robert Indersoll, preached in the church in 1833..

Bellona has always been noted for the patriotic sprit. Tehre are four soldiers of the Revolutionary war buried in Bellona Cemetery. 12 of the war of 1812. the records show that 77 soldiers of the civil war were credited to Bellona community; two in the Spanish american war, and a large number in the World war. The first soldiers to make supreme sacrifice was a Bellona boy, harold Johnson . Of the 77 young men that entered the Civil war, there is not one left in the community. They have answered the last roll call.

Recollection is due to Frank A Barnes for historical facts. gathered by his father, the late Augustus Barnes and for politic and church history to data compiled by the late Rev. T maxwell Morrtoon? who was pastor of the church for 12 years.