History of Ithaca, (Tompkins County) New York United States of America

ITHACA, a post-borough, capital of Tompkins co., New York, in the above township, on both sides of Cayuga inlet, about a mite S. from the head of Cayuga lake, and 162 miles W. by S. from Albany. It is finely situated on a plain, and on the lower declivity of the hill, which encloses it on all sides except the N., rising gradually to the height of 400 or 500 feet, and commanding an extensive view of the picturesque scenery for which Cayuga lake is remarkable. The town is regularly laid out and handsomely built. It contains churches of six or seven denominations, two banks, and an academy. One daily and two weekly newspapers are published here. Steamboats ply daily from this town to the foot of the lake, and connect with the main lines of travel and transportation. The Cayuga and Susquehanna railroad connects it with Owego, and another railroad extends northward to Auburn and Lake Ontario. Fall creek, which enters the lake at this place, furnishes abundant water-power. Among the manufactories of Ithaca are 2 woollen factories, 1 cotton factory, 1 paper mill, and several iron foundries, with machine shops. Population in 1853, estimated at 7000.

Biographies:

Francis Miles Finch, jurist, was born in Ithaca, N.Y., June 9, 1827; son of Miles and Tryphena Finch. He was a student at the Ithaca academy and graduated at Yale in 1849, having become the class poet. He was admitted to the bar in 1850 and began practice in Ithaca. He was collector of internal revenue for the 26th district of New York, 1861-65. He became the trusted counselor of Ezra Cornell, and during the organization of Cornell university his advice and judgment were always consulted, and he helped to refute the many slanders which assailed the founder. In May. 1880, he was appointed by Governor Cornell judge of the court of appeals to fill a vacancy of six months. In 1881 he was reappointed to fill a vacancy of one year, and he was elected in the fall of 1881 for a full term of fourteen years, which expired Dec. 31, 1895. Judge Finch achieved distinction as a lyrical poet. He read before the centennial meeting of the Linonian society of Yale college in 1853 a poem, including a lyric on Nathan Hale, the martyr spy of the Revolution, which attained great popularity. His college "smoking song" gave him a wide reputation, as did also "The Blue and the Gray." Judge Finch was librarian of the Cornell free public library, ex officio trustee and secretary of the board of trustees of Cornell university, 1865-75, trustee by election, 1877-82, director of the college of law, and dean of its faculty in 1891-'02. He received the degree of LL.D. from Hamilton in 1880 and from Yale in 1889.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Henry Hull, educator, was born at Ithaca, N.Y., Sept, 29, 1864; son of Albert Mosley and Margaret (Visscher) Hull; grandson of Aaron Whitlock and Lydia (Talmadge) Hull, and of Daniel and Hester (Conyne) Visscher, and a (probable) descendant of Richard Hull, a freeman of Massachusetts Bay, 1634; who went to New Haven, 1639, and died, 1662; and of Harmen Bastiaanse Vyssler (b. 1619 (?) d. 1693), surveyor of Fort Orange (Albany), N.Y. He was graduated from Cornell in 1886, and was assistant librarian there, 1886-90. He was a student at G?ttingen, Halle and Berlin universities, Germany, 1890-92, and received the degree of Ph.D. from Halle in 1892. He was chosen assistant professor of political economy at Cornell university in 1893. He was elected a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, was treasurer of the American Economic association, contributed to economic journals, and edited The Economic Writings of Sir William Petty (1899).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Henry Gear, senator, was born in Ithaca, N.Y., April 7, 1825; son of Ezekiel and Miranda (Cook) Gear. He attended the common schools of his native place until 1836, when he removed to Galena, Ill. In 1838 he went to Fort Snelling, Iowa Territory, and thence in 1843 to Burlington, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. He was elected mayor of Burlington in 1863, and was a member of the Iowa house of representatives of the 14th, 15th and 16th general assemblies, from 1872 to 1876, being speaker during the last two terms. He was governor of Iowa. 1878-82; a Republican representative from Iowa in the 50th, 51st and 53d congresses, 1887-91 and 1893-95; assistant secretary of the treasury 1892-93; was twice elected U.S. senator, to serve 1895-1907. He died in Washington, D.C., July 14, 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Alonzo B. Cornell, governor of New York, was born in Ithaca, N.Y., Jan. 22, 1832; son of Ezra and Mary Ann (Wood) Cornell; grandson of Elijah and Eunice (Barnard) Cornell; and a descendant of Thomas Cornell, who came to Boston in 1636 from Essex, England. He was educated at the Ithaca academy, and when fourteen years old became a telegraph operator in Troy, N.Y. In 1848 he went to Cleveland, Ohio, as manager of the Erie & Michigan telegraph company. In 1851 he returned home and was an officer in the Tompkins county bank, resigning in 1855 to accept the general management of the New York, Albany & Buffalo telegraph company in New York city. He introduced sound reading as an essential qualification for all operators and was himself an expert reader by sound. In 1862 he returned to Ithaca and for two years conducted a line of steamboats on Cayuga lake, which he sold in 1864 at a large profit, and joined in the organization of the First national bank of Ithaca. He became its cashier and subsequently vice-president, serving as a director for twenty-five years. In July, 1868, he was elected a director of the Western Union telegraph company and held the office of vice-president and acting president of the corporation. He introduced the free delivery of telegrams in New York city before letters were delivered by the post-office department. His political career began as chairman of the Republican committee of Tompkins county in 1862, which position he held for eight years. In 1864 he was elected supervisor of the town of Ithaca and re-elected in 1865. In 1866 he was chosen a member of the Republican state committee, of which organization he was made chairman in 1870. In 1868 he was the unsuccessful candidate of his party for lieutenant-governor, and in 1869 was appointed by President Grant surveyor of customs for the city of New York. He declined the appointment of U.S. assistant treasurer in 1870, was elected to the New York assembly in 1872 and on its organization in 1873 was elected speaker. In 1877 President Grant appointed him naval officer for the port of New York, from which post he was arbitrarily removed in 1878 by President Hayes for refusing to resign the chairmanship of the Republican state committee. This action resulted in his election as governor of the state in 1879. He resigned as chairman of the Republican state committee and his administration was entirely free from partisanship. He greatly reduced the public expenditures, exercised the veto power with great judgment, and was commended for his judicious appointments to the public service. He was deprived of the renomination by the fraudulent methods of disappointed office seekers, which resulted in the defeat of the state Republican party by 200,000 votes and the national party defeat in 1882. Mr. Cornell then took up his residence in New York city, where he devoted himself to the business of the Western Union telegraph company, of which he was the senior director. He was a member of the Grant monument association, a trustee of Cornell university from 1865, and was interested in various commercial and financial enterprises.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Ithaca, (Tompkins County) New York

Local History Notes:

Biographies: