Town Situated on Corner of Yates, Steuben and Schuyler Counties, received Name from General Anthony Wayne. Villas Prospered with several Infant Industries Century ago. Town and church History Linked with Barrington Power Project and Real Estate Boom make Present Activity.

Schuyler County originally connected of only six towns, Painted Post, Bath, Canisteo, Middletown, Iransville and Frederickstson. The two later names was afterwards charged to Wayne Hotel and then in Wayne is 18068?., Named in honor of General Anthony Wayne, Fredericktown comprised what is now Tyrone, Reading and Orange towns of Schuyler county. Barrington and Starkey of Yates county and Bradford and Wayne to Steuben County. Reading was set aside is to Schuyler in 1822. Barrington together with Starky became a part of Yates County Jan. 1st, 1826. Barrington town was organized, however, on April 6th, 1822. Wayne comprised Wayne and Tyron. This land had been the hunting ground of the Seneca tribal of Indians. General Sullivan's memorable march had cleared out hostilities 20 years before the first settler came but encamped on the shores of Lake Lamonka and Waneta a each winter for a number of years.

Wixson settled Wayne

Some time between 1799-1862 Joshua and Elisha Wixson settled in the Wayne townships on the West Side of “Little Lake”. Lake Wanata.

Their home was a brush and bark shanty with a patch of corn. About 1800, three Bennett brothers with their two sons came from Orange County and settled on both sides of the creek between the two lakes. They took up a large tract of land, o f300 acres, upon which the village of Weston now stands. They were the first to make any permanent improvement, bringing with them the first horse an d farmeing implements and remaining here until 1835, when they all moved to Mich. Zebulon Dean, in 1863 built a grist mill in Tyrone village to induce settlements. Harlan Sears was the first miller. In 1864 settlements were begun at Wayne village by Solomon Wixson, Ephraim Sanford, Samuel Lowrey and an Irish Colony left by Thomas O'Connor. Thomas purchased by constract at $2.25 per acres, 4,000 acres of land, but only 290 acres were actually deeded t to him. He moved with his wife, whom he had married in NY City, and child. Charles O'Connor, then one year old. He conveyed the 290 acres. To William Kernan in 1827. The mother and son, Charles returned to the city in 1810. At the time the O'Connor's came here the, the place was a wilderness. Some people from Ireland came with or followed the. Charles O Connor the grandfather came and died soon after. Dennis O’Connor a brother opened a store, married a Miss Belmond, had a child and was appointed postmaster in 1810. This office was then called “Roscommon” They then left some time after and went south where all died. Among the early settler were Bernard Bedmond and family. The Stats family, Charles M Dermonito and family and a widow named Kernah with several grown up boys, also a widow with several children by the same of Burns. What became of them is not know, except William the eldest son of Mrs. Kenham who married Rose of the Bibbes/Bibbon family. They left a numerous son highly respected family. Son of them being Hon.. Francis Kernon, who was called United States Senator. Most the Irish colony moved away except the William Kerman and Stubbs families. It is said they were too poor to go. The poster master offered William assistance, but he would not accept, aid. He was by nature good management be became successful, grew to the confidence of his townseat, and was by them elevated to high positions of trust and homes. About 1820 he was commissioned a Brigadier General of the State Militia, was foremost in organizing schools in the new town of Tyrone, was the first Supervisor elected and held this office for ten years was the first elected and held this office for 10 years, was the first school commissioner and represented Steuben County in the state Legislature. Francis Kernan Became Senator. The Boyce/Royce farm in the old Kernan farm. General Kernan had three sons, Francis, William and Edward and three daughters. Two of who were married to George and Edward Quinn brothers. The family moved to Utica when he died before his son, Francis became US Senator. Joffis/Jiffies? Teeple and son, George, settler in Wayne in 1800 and opened the first tavern in 1805. He was the next tavern keeper and built the first Asbury. Other Keepers of the tavern were; Patten, Harris and Ereland Jewett. The hotel burned in 1866? The fist school taught here was in 1815, by Hugh Jamison. The schoolhouse was a log structure and was finally replaced by a wooden Building which stood where the present building now stands. The old building was moved down into the hollow and used as a hall. The present schoolhouse was built in 1886 and planned by Frank McDowell. Some of the early teachers were Alice Wixson, Martha Howell, Barnett Crosby, Eva Bakins and Mrs. Bailey. “Some of the latter ones were Anna Raight. Edna Look Disbrow, Mildred Crosby Grimes, Florence Gordon and Mrs. Jennie Hoover, the last two being our present teaches.

In 181 the Williams, Clark and Price families came from Herkimer County. Henry Williams married a daughter of John Teeple. The Sunderlin Brothers, Joseph and Daniel came from Putman County in 1812, and Dennis, the older brother, started a store in Wayne in 1815, Joseph Sunderlin opened the first tannery soon after 1813. Later it was operated by James Silsbee. Who also ran the first gristmill by horsepower. John Arnold built a gristmill in 1825 on the present site in Tyrone. Ralph Updike started the first wool carding and cloth dressing works at the head of the lake in 1820. Daniel Foster was the fist blacksmith. Squire Teeple ahs the fist improved plows. They were called Gibanner’s? Patent in 1820. Aaron Olmstead, an early settler made axes and scythes. John Magee owned the fist stage route from Watkins [then called Jefferson] to Bath. This route was started in 1822. Judge Dow built the fist house in Frederickstown in Reading in 1798. He was the first judge. The Bennett Brothers built the first solid log house in Wayne about 1800. The first physician was Dr. Charles Waldo, who settled at Wayne Hotel in 1815. Other doctors were Dr. Lockwood, Bridsell, Dean and Depuy and Dr. Allison. The latter was born Feb. 14, 1826, at Bedfordshire, England, the eldest of the family of seven sons and four daughters. When not 16 years of age, he left his home and kindred and crossed the Atlantic to make his home in America. HE had obtained a limited education and had learned the trade of shoemaker. He settled at Bath, worked at his trade, and studied the science of medicine and surgery, receiving a diploma and license to practice in 1856?, when he came to Wayne. He stayed two years; he then sold his practice and returned to Bath. He married Sarah Lazear of Wayne in 1863, came back and bought back from the man the practice he had sold and firmly established himself as a physician in the community. His brothers and sisters all followed and became useful citizens of this state. He was one of the great men and a successful physicians. He died May 13/18, 1906. James Silsbee kept a store here at an early date. Also a man by the name of Stafford kept store in the Hill building. Ance Hill, Silas Price and James Walts kept store where Royce’s store now is. Madge Fox and Dan Sunderlin ran a store in the Phoebe Easnost house and also John Gleason. The present storekeepers are Charles Lane. Erwin Crockston and Clifford Boyce. A photographer named Hoodlit held a studio in the house where Joel Pitcher now lives. A milliner store was kept in the Ance Hill home before the Hills lived there. Elizabeth Wixson, daughter of Solomon Wixson was the first child born it Wayne Nov. 6th, 1732?, In the year of 1837 in an old log school house at Wayne Hotel a meeting was held to organize the Methodist Church. The fist trustees were Amos Ward, Elias Casper, John Mitchell ------[piece of papers missing] sermons. Some of the members of the Wayne church went to the Barrington with some of the Second Milo members forming a church at Barrington. Some of the ministers who were pastors of this new church at Wayne were Rex Olney, for 11 years, Rev. Sunderling for 5 years, Revs. Hill Stanton, Sands, martin, Eveland, Cosrad, Robinson, Griffin and Packard. The parsonage was built opposite the church at a cost of $1,209 in 1872. Four years later during Rev. Binton’s pastorate in 1880 the addition in the rear was built and the vestibule placed in front, the pulpit changed from front to rear, a wooden ceiling was added and new windows and blinds. H T Stevens and Isaiah Jorden were the committee to raise the money, $1,209. For this work. In May 1855, the church licensed Johnathan Goble in the work of a minister and a missionary in Japan. He went in 1872. In this year the same was changed from Second church of Wayne to Wayne village Baptist Church. The parsonage burned in April 1906, and a new one was built at a cost of $1,605. A year or so later repairs were made on the church building when Rev. Gullian was pastor and a few years later a kitchen was built. For a time the church was without a pastor but on Feb. 17, 1929. Rev. D martin began serving.

St. John’s Episcopal Church was organized March 25, 1872, by Rev William Atwill. No services have been many years and the building is fast going to decay. John Mitchell was an early settler in Wayne and at one times one of ht the most extensive businessmen of that town. Francis M. MacDowell, or of the seven who founded the “Patrons of Husbandry” was born and lived many years in Wayne. Samuel Hallett and energetic citizen of Wayne married Ann MacDowell, daughter of Mathew MacDowell. A discharged engineer assassinated him in Kansas in 1854. Mr. Hallett was teacher, banker, railroad contractor a dif he had lived would have done much for Wayne village. In 1824 there were eight school districts in Tyrone with 471 students. The amount of money received and expended was $150. In 1877 the amount raised and expended was $33,920. Wayne of the present day consists of about 250 inhabitants. It has three stores; the garage of T Daboll; Waneta Inn, managed by Mr. and Mrs.. Edson Houck, and two churches, Methodist and Baptist. The finger Lakes land Co, Inc. has bought the old Mitchell and Turner farms and sold it out into about 800 lots. About 650 of these lots have been sold. 25 cottages having already been built. Many more are to be built this summer. The lots face Lake Waneta. Also a power construction company subsidiary to the Associated Gas and Electric is building a penstock, from Lake Waneta to Lake Keuka, causing the waters of Lake Lamoka and Waneta to empty into Lake Keuka. This is in process of building and in a big enterprise.

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