Cortland, the county seat of Cortland county, although a village in name, is a city in size, in public spirit and acquired advantages. It is situated in the beautiful valley of the Tioughnioga (bank of flowers) at nearly equal distances from Syracuse and Binghamton. At an elevation of 1129 feet above sea level, on a fertile plain formed by the confluence of seven valleys, framed by ranges of hills and ridges, which are pierced here and there by rich valleys, Cortland sits crowned with rare salubrity of climate and surrounded by a wealth of scenery of varied and surpassing beauty. The physical contour of the surrounding country makes Cortland the natural leading center of a large district. Through five of its valleys are stretched railroads and two of the adjoining villages are bound to it by and excellent electric trolley system. Cortland boasts of excellent waterworks and an abundant supply of pure spring water, of a finely constructed sewer system large enough to meet the demands of a constantly increasing population of gas and electric plants with ample capacity for power and for illuminating purposes.

The fine broad streets of Cortland give ample evidence of the generosity and wisdom of their projectors and the wide stretch of fine asphalt pavement embracing nearly all the prominent streets give equal evidence of the public spirit, pride and business sagacity of the Cortland citizen of to-day.

We venture the assertion that no village of the size of Cortland can be found having such extensive asphalt paved streets, and with so uniformly fine houses and where so many residents own their own homes. In Cortland are found no tenement houses. In fact there are no poor districts, but everywhere are cheery, well kept and attractive homes. While Cortland stand confessed a great center of flourishing manufactories and an excellent mart of trade it is also a city of beautiful homes. If, as Victor Hugo says, homes are like the people that dwell in them then the homes of Cortland stand as witness of a people of rare enterprise and thrift, of commanding civic pride and high public spirit. Although Cortland is a city of business and its upbuilding has been the creation of business ventures and enterprise at no time in its history has the purely mercenary spirit possessed it. Nor have its better impulses ever been touched by the blight of wealth in the hands of ignorant self-seeking men aiming either to rule or ruin. On the contrary the people of Cortland have maintained to a marked degree their business, social and political independence. They have had a lofty and just pride in their well filled churches, in the magnificent schools and in the number and excellence of their civic, social and literary organizations. As a manufacturing center, Cortland possesses peculiar advantages and has many inducements yet to offer and not the least of these is the large available building space yet remaining, bordering the lines of railroad. Hawthorne says that if cities were built by the sound of music, then more edifices would appear to be constructed by grave, solemn tones, others to have danced forth to light fantastic airs.

On April 8, 1806, by an act of the legislature, four whole and two half townships were taken from the southern part of Onondaga county into a new county, which was name Courtlandt, in honor of General Pierre Van Courtlandt, the first lieutenant governor of the state of New York. The town of Cortlandville constituted the southern part of the town of Homer until April 11, 1829. Obviously the earliest settlements of what is now know as Cortland county are written in the early settlements of Onondaga county, just as the early history of what is not the town of Cortlandville is merged in the early history of the town of Homer.

The earliest white settler within the present limits of Cortland county were Joseph Beebe, his wife, and Amos Todd, her brother. In 1791 they reared a primitive structure in the primeval forest on the banks of Tioughnioga in the town of Homer, at a point on the main road immediately north the present village of Homer. The first white settlers within the present limits of the town of Cortlandville were John Miller and family, who in 1792 erected a rude hut where now the great willow tree stands in front of the old Mason Loring place near the county house. The settlement of town of Homer, at first slow, was subsequently rapid in its development. Although in 1793 only six families had settled in the town, in 1797 the number of inhabitants had increased to 92 and the census report of 1810 shows the population of the town of Homer to be 2975. The internal improvements and developments of the town seem to have kept pace with the increasing population. As early as 1798 a schoolhouse had been built and a school opened with Joshua Ballard as teacher. In the same year a gristmill was erected, thus establishing the first trade center in the county. In 1801 two religious societies were organized, the Baptist and the Congregational. In 1808 a medical society was formed. The year 1810 was a red letter year. In that year Ephraim Fish represented Cortland county as the first member of assembly in the legislature of the state. In that year John Keep was appointed the first county judge, and in that year, after a bitter struggle on the part of Homer village, Port Watson and the village of Cortland, the site for the court house was chosen on a place now known as Court House hill in the village of Cortland, thus settling the question that the part of Homer township known as the village of Cortland should be the county seat.

Besides these important events the year 1810 witnessed the establishment of the Cortland Courier, the first newspaper published in the county. Although a county clerk had been appointed as early as 1808, the first county clerk's office was not built till 1819 and was a quaint one-story brick structure on the site of the present county clerk's office. During the year 1815-17 there was a bitter strife involving the whole county in a controversy over locating the site of the county jail in the village of Homer. This was regard by those opposing the proposition as an initial step in the development of a scheme to change the location of the county seat to Homer. A site for the jail was finally chosen near the court house on Court House hill, and jail building was erected the following year.

In 1829 the town of Cortlandville was formed from the southern half of the town of Homer. The original boundaries of Cortlandville remained unchanged until 1845. In that year, and the following, additions were made to it from the town of Virgil. In 1836 a new court house was built and still stands, with subsequent additions on the corner of Church and Court streets. On the site of the old county clerk's office, a new structure was erected in 1876, as county clerk and surrogate's office. Nov. 5, 1853, the village of Cortland was incorporated and in 1864 was rechartered by an act of legislature.

The people of Cortland have always shown a warm interest in the cause of general and higher education. Ten years before the separation of Cortlandville from the town of Homer, the Cortland academy-now Homer academy and Union school-was chartered, and for many years was maintained at private expense and at great sacrifice but with generous liberality. One year before the separation of the towns there was founded in the village of Cortland, the Cortland village Female seminary, which maintained high rank and exerted a wide influence. The building in which the seminary was held was located on a beautiful lot facing Main street and back of the present line of the Wallace building and Taylor Hall block.

The first schoolhouse in Cortlandville stood on part of the site now occupied by the Messenger House.

In 1816 a school building was erected on a site now forming part of the Normal school ground almost directly in the rear of where the soldiers' monument stands. In this building a few years later was carried on a "Classical School for Young Men," corresponding in character and influence to the Cortland Female Seminary, both of which institutions were merged into the Cortlandville academy, which was incorporated in 1842. The Cortlandville academy was conducted in the building of the "Classical School for Young Men," with material and extensive additions thereto. During its history it was a marked success and reached high name and fame among the excellent academies of the state. Its existence terminated on the establishment of the State Normal school in Cortland. On Dec. 11, 1866, by an almost unanimous vote-only ten dissenting votes-the people of Cortland voted to the state $75,000 for the erection and equipment of a Normal school in the village. Subsequent gifts to the state for the benefit of the Normal school increased the amount to nearly $100,000.

The present village school system was established in 1880 by an act of the legislature, and ward school building were immediately erected and the excellent system was completed by the erection of the present High School building in 1892.

The history of the Cortland Fire department, second to none in efficiency, dates from June 5, 1854, when the first village fire company was formed. Among the members of the fire company have been the most prominent citizens of Cortland. In 1875 was built the present handsome and convenient engine house and in 1876 was purchased a steam fire engine.

Cortland village holds a proud place in the military history of the county, which during the War of the Rebellion, sent out to the Union army the 76th regiment, four companies of the 157th regiment and three companies of the 185th regiment of N. Y. S. V. (New York State Volunteers), and 233 of shoes sons died on the filed of honor. The beautiful soldiers' monument erected in 1876 by popular subscription stands as a lasting memorial of heroic endeavor and of grateful remembrance.

Cortland, as has been noted, is rich in manufacturing industries. Conspicuous among the great industrial interests of Cortland are the immense works of the Cortland Wagon company, and the extensive wire factories of the Wickwire Brothers. The last quarter of a century has seen these great establishments developed from small beginnings until to-day in the quality and quantity of their outputs they are recognized among the leaders in the trade of the world.

To the following pages of the Souvenir is relegated the general and special description of the institutions, professions and organizations of Cortland. Enough, certainly, has been noted in historical description of things past to form a torch for lighting up the possible growth and achievements of Cortland and her citizens in the coming years.

The First Baptist Church was organized April 24, 1801, as the Homer Baptist church, at a meeting held at the home of Asahell Minor. On May 13 of the same year, a meeting was held at the home of E. Bishop, and three new members were received, John Morse, Mary Bishop, and Rhoda Beebe. On Aug. 28 the following resolution was passed: "Voted that we consider ourselves a church of Christ, and act accordingly," and on Oct 3 a council was called and the church as was recognized as a Baptist church. On Aug. 24, 1802, the church voted to join the Otsego association, and Thomas Keep and Peleg Babcock were appointed the first messengers to the association. When the Madison association was formed the church joined this association and remained here until the Cortland association was formed in 1823, when the church joined this association, the first meeting of which was held at Fabius, Sept. 11 and 12, 1823. The first house of worship of this church as located where Fitz avenue and Homer avenue intersect. This house was sold to the Wesleyan Methodists, who moved it to Blodgett Mills, where it was used by that society until June 4, 1890, when the First Wesleyan Methodist church of Blodgett Mills became the First Baptist church and the old meeting house with its modern improvement was again in the Baptist denomination. The church was first permitted only to have preaching occasionally. On June 19, 1802, the church voted to "support the gospel by equality" and two brethren were appointed to make out the first assessment upon the members which was as follows: Peleg Babcock $2.08; John Keep, $2.36; Joseph Beebe, 76 cts.; Cornish Messenger, 77 cts.; Daniel Crandal, 59 cts.; Roderick Beebe, 33cts.; James H. Wheeler, 13 cts. On March 23, 1802, the church voted to meet at Tully one-quarter on the time. On Nov. 19,1803, the following resolution was passed: Voted, to invite Elder Lesner to preach with us once in two months, beginning the first of October last."

However, it was not until 1807 that the church had a regular pastor, the Rev. Alfred Bennett, who united with the church by letter, April 29, 1804, and was licensed to preach by the church, March 15, 1806, being called to the pastorate Feb. 14, 1807, and ordained June 18, 1807. The church was incorporated at Albany, June 8, 1810, as the First Baptist Society of the Town of Homer. On Dec. 8, 1830, the name of the church was changed to the First Baptist Church and Society of the Town of Cortlandville. The church has had quite an ancestral record. On Oct. 19, 1805, it voted letters to its Virgil brethren to form the Virgil Baptist church and on April 14, 1827, letters were granted to 34 members to form the Second Baptist Church of the Town of Homer, now the First Baptist Church of McGraw. On April 18, 1827, letters were granted to twenty-five members to form the Homer village church, which is now the First Baptist Church of Homer, and on Nov. 5, 1896, the church voted letters to thirty-five of its member to become constituent members of the Memorial Baptist Church of Cortland. In 1831, the church voted to build a new meeting house on Chapel (now Church street), which was constructed the following year, the contract price being $3,000.00. This was the old church that stood upon the present site, the northeast corner of Church and Railroad streets. In 1871 the church again voted to build a new house of worship and the following building committee was pointed: Chauncey Keator, H. C. Smith. E. A. Fish, Samuel Freeman, J. S. Squires, J. L. Gillett, T. M. Loring G. N. Copeland E. P. Slafter, Joseph Kinney and N. Chamberlain and as a result of the movement the present building was erected. The following pastors have served the church; Rev. Alfred Bennett, 1807-1828; Rev. Peleg Card, 1828-1830; Rev Alfred Gates, 1830-1831; Rev. Nathan Peck, 1831-1834; Rev. Zenas Freeman, 1834-1837; Rev. O. Montague, 1837-1839; Rev. J. P. Simmons, 1841-1851; Rev Henry Bowen 1851-1861; Rev. Thos Goodwin, 1861-1863; Rev A. Wilkins, 1863-1869; Rev. Wm. N. Tower, 1870-1873; Rev. Wm. M. Kincaid, 1874-1877; Rev. l. J. Mattison, D.D. 1878-1878; Rev. H. S. Westgate 1878-1880; Rev. K. W. Putnam, 1880-1885; Rev. H. A. Cordo D. D. 1885-1895; Rev. A. Chapman 1895-1899; Rev. W. Jasper Howell, 1899---. At the last Association the church reported a membership of 612. The church is now in a prosperous condition and the outlook was never brighter. --- BY ASA STARR.

Rev. W. Jasper Howell, pastor of First Baptist church, was born in Washington County, Nebraska, in December, 1870. His father was a farmer and was a native of North Carolina. His mother was a Virginian. In 1880 his parents moved to Lenoir, N.C. where they still reside. In 1890 he entered as a student a Presbyterian college in East Tennessee, the Greenville and Tusculum college. This is the second oldest college in the state. During a college revival in February 1890, he was converted and later he was a traveling salesman for some time. The proved a valuable experience, as did also his varied services as a teacher in the schools. On Jan. 4, 1891 he was baptized into the fellowship of the Baptist Church of Greenville, Tenn., by the Rev. Oscar Haywood, now pastor at Jackson, Tenn., and was licensed to preach by the Greenville church in August, 1891. In the same month he entered Wake Forest college, North Carolina, and 1892 was called to the pastorate of the Jonesboro, Tenn., church. This was one of the largest and most important churches in that section of the state. He was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry by the Greenville church November, 1893. In August, 1894, his resignation was accepted which enable him to finish his course in Wake Forest college, from which institution he was graduate in 1895, being the orator of his college society. The theme of the oration was "Christian and Patriotic Citizenship." In temperance work, in Y. M. C. A. work and as a lecturer on popular themes, Rev. Mr. Howell's convictions and sympathies have found their expressing from time to time. He has had some successful pastorates: Franklinton, N. C., Dalton N. Y., and Irondequoit, N. Y. His theological course was taken in Rochester Theological seminary, graduating in May 1899. In June he entered with bright prospects upon the labors of his pastorate in this city.

Y. P. S. C. E.---In 1885 the young people of the First Baptist church organized a society called the Young peoples, association which was changed to the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, Oct. 12, 1886. For nearly three years, from June 30, 1889, to April 13, 1892, the society reverted to nearly its original form, calling itself the Young People's society. On the latter date it again adopted the constitution and pledge of the Christian Endeavor society, and since then has faithfully adhered to them. The society has materially assisted the church. Among many things, it has contributed liberally toward an old church debt, furnished the Sunday-school room with a carpet and piano, and provided a water motor for the pipe organ. It has sent aid to a theological student in this country and to a boys' school in China, it has furnished a room in the theological seminary at Hamilton, N. Y., and since 1895 has paid the traveling expenses of a native Burman evangelist.

THE CORTLAND NORMAL SCHOOL.
BY MISS M. F. HENDRICK.

The Cortland Normal School Was established under the provisions of an act of the State legislature passed in 1866. By that act a commission was appointed to receive proposals with reference to the establishment Of State Normal schools from local authorities through the state, and to accept not more than four of the proposals so made. By energetic efforts and liberal pledges on the part of the people of the village, Cortland secured one of these four Normal schools. Land was acquitted and a building erected at a cost to the village of a little less than $100,000. To this was added the land and other property of the Cortlandville academy, which for a quarter of a century had done good educational service in the community and which was at that time given up under the agreement that the state should always maintain in connection with the Normal school an academic department, to which residents of Cortland might be admitted without taking upon themselves the obligation to teach.

The property was accepted by the State and a local board appointed in December of 1868, and the first term of the school began in March of 1869. The original building served the purposes of the school until 1892, when the legislature appropriated $55,800 for a new building and $16,00 for the renovation of the old building. Other special appropriations for the buildings and grounds, both before and since that date, have raised the total investment of village and state in the plant of the school to nearly $270,000. The grounds contain four acres. They are well laid out and planted mainly with elms. The main entrance to the grounds is from Church street, which from the early days of the village was designed to be, as in dimensions and appearance it is a public park. The rows of elms on the greens bordering the street are of nearly a century's growth. Five of the churches of the village stand in almost consecutive order on either side of the Normal grounds, facing the street, and by their appropriate architecture add to the attractiveness of the place.

The Normal buildings are of brick. They have a total length of 350 feet and a greatest width 130 feet. They contain on all floors very nearly two acres of floor room devoted the purposed of the school. The new building is occupied exclusively by the Normal department while the laboratories and science rooms of that department are on the third floor of the old building. The first floor of the old building is occupied by the kindergarten and primary department of the training school, and second by the intermediate department. The heating through out is by a combined steam and hot air system. The heating apparatus is in a separate building, near the main building.

The furniture is all modern, different in the different departments according to the needs of the department, and the preference of the instructor. Liberal provision has been made throughout the school for maps, models, and illustrative apparatus. The chemical and physical laboratories are fitted for the purpose of offering individual instruction to students. Each has desks and apparatus for sixty students. The reference library contains about 8,000 volumes. A large room, one of the best lighted and most easily heated in the building, is given up to it and is furnished with tables and chairs to serve as a place for reading and investigation. The science and methods libraries are separate collections in their own rooms. The gymnasium is a large room, 95 x 50 feet, well equipped for work and training. The system of physical training used is the Swedish.

The attendance during the first twenty weeks of school was as follows: In the Normal school, 57; training school, viz.: Academic department, 18; intermediate department 241; primary department, 267; total, 526; grand total 583. The course of study adopted at the opening of the school was the same as that then in force at the Brockport Normal school. Subsequently a uniform course was prepared an adopted by the Normal schools at Cortland, Oswego, Brockport, Potsdam and Fredonia.

The growth of the schools is well shown by the following figures: Total number of pupils enrolled for the school year 1898-9, 1,154; average attendance 1,000; number of graduates 110 -16 men and 94 women. The whole number of graduates from the beginning, 1,458-men 276; women; 1182.

Death has claimed all of the original members of the local board, Mr. Henry Brewer being the latest survivor. With the executive body are associate twenty of Cortland's prominent men. The success of the school, its equipments in every department, particularly its fine library, is the best testimonial to the faithfulness and energy of those who have so generously given their time and influence to its advancement. First chairman of the local board was Hon. Henry S. Randall, chosen, March 3, 1869; the second Dr. Frederick Hyde, chose Aug. 15, 1876; the third, Hon. R. H. Duell, Oct. 24, 1887; the fourth, Hon William H. Clark, June 8, 1891. Mr. Clark still holds the office. Mr. R. Bruce Smith and Col. James C. Carmichael have been prominently associated with this executive body.

Much thought and time have been devoted to the formation of a library that should be representative not only of the technical work of a Normal school, but also of a broad culture. All barriers have been taken down and students have direct access to the shelves. The catalogue is with special reference to use by students. The name of the author, the title of the book, the subject, and in many instances the essential features of a table of contents are given in a catalogue after the manner of the Dewey card system. The library is open at all hours when the school is in session and for six hours on Saturday. Much effort is expended in promoting the intelligent use of the library by the students. List of books desirable in starting individual libraries are frequently given as well as the mention of special books that are desirable for a specialist. At almost any time when the library is open, from forty to a hundred students may be seen in it hard at work at the books.

The interest of the teachers in the social life and general culture of the students manifest itself in their helpful attention to the work of the literary societies.

There are five literary societies connected with the school: Delphic Fraternity; the Gamma Sigma-Delta Chapter; the Corloner-Alpha Chapter; the Clionian-Delta Chapter; and The Alpha Delta-Delta Chapter. The two former are for young men, the three latter for young women. These societies are each large and vigorous. Each has a large and pleasant room appropriately fitted up by its members, where weekly meetings are held for the purpose of the individual improvement of its members in parliamentary practice, discussion and literary culture.

Normal Football---Football was first played by the Normal students during the fall of 1893. In September of that year the firs regular tam was organized with Rufus Corlew as captain. The suits of the then recently disbanded Forty-fifth Separate Company were purchased. Four games were played, the Normals winning two of the fours. In the fall of 1894 a number of new men appeared who did much to make the game prominent. Among them were: Harry Oday, captain of the team, Berton Landpher, Robert Welch, Herbert Knight, Clarence Miner and Harry Givens. Five games were played, the Normals winning three. The following season the team was captained by Berton Landpher. Only three of the team of the previous year had left school and their places were well filled by A. D. Brown, A. P. Robinson and W. W. Wilcox, all of whom had been substitutes the previous year. Of the six games played the Normals won four. The season of 1896 brought into the game as new men, Frank Gleason, Buy Bailey, H. F. Brooks, C. B. Dugan, Clyde Griswold and Ralph Davis. The season's score was, Normals 120 points, opponents 12; but the12 points represent one defeat for the Normals out of six games played. The team was captained by A. D. Brown. The season of 1897 found Arthur P. Robinson as captain, and on the line W. B. Patrick, W. F. Seacord, Truman Wedge, Wilford Down, W. F. Costello, Wm. Mills and Clyde Griswold. Out of six games played, the team was defeated by the Cornell Freshmen and Syracuse university. Clyde Griswold captained a team in 1808 that met with no defeat. Undoubtedly the strongest team put on the gridiron by the Cortland Normal school is that of the present year. The prestige of previous years has made it necessary to go out of our class in order to secure games. But the record of the previous year has been repeated.

The line is composed of R. D. Hall, center; Geo. Moore and Richard Gleason, left guard; John Carty and Theodore Persons, right guard; C. M. Morse and F. Down, left tackle; W. C. Moon, right tackle; Earl Wooster and G. J. Little, left end; Wm. Mills and C. Murray, right end; R. H. Davis quarterback and captain; L. S. Hawkins left half back; F. C. Byrn, right half back; Frank Pierce and W. W. Wilcox, full back. Of the individual members it is not necessary to speak. Nor Normal team has been better captained. In the game at Athens, Byrn made a run of ninety-five yards, scoring a touchdown, and Hawkins put a touchdown to his credit after a run of eighty-five yards; while against the Mansfield team, Mills scored a touch down after a run of sixty-five yards. Of Pierce an opponent recently said, "he is the best football player in Central New York outside the college teams."

The early history of the village if rather vague and meager.

Prof. Charles W. Sanders, of New York, the well-known author of "Sanders Series of Spellers and Readers," who was born here, very kindly furnished the following as his recollections of its earlier days: "The beautiful, enterprising and flourishing village of Cortland, situated about midway between Binghamton and Syracuse, began to be settled in the early part of this century. It was formerly a part of the town of Homer which was ten miles square, divided in the centre. Homer and Cortland being only about two miles apart, a spirit of rivalry sprang up between them, which resulted in their separation April 11, 1829. Among the earliest settlers were four brothers--Solomon, John, Jonathan and James Hubbard, Samuel Crittenden, Eber Stone, John Morse, Moses Hopkins and Mr. Watson.

As so many valleys centered around Court House Hill, they predicted that near the base of that hill was the place to locate a village site, and some of them climbed the trees on that hill in order to ascertain the most probable, convenient, and eligible spot. Mr. Hopkins selected the west side of the hill, and located west of Otter creek. Mr. Morse purchased the land east of South Main street, now owned by Randolph Randall, and Mr. Watson settled at Port Watson, from whom the place takes its name. Solomon Hubbard, for whom the writer worked for two summers, owned all the land both sides of Tompkins street, from the house formerly owned by Roswell Randall to Otter creek, embracing the cemetery grounds, and those on which such elegant palaces now adorn the village. Besides these he owned nearly all the land one mile south of Tompkins street, between Owego and Main streets, embracing lands now owned by Randolph Randall as far east as Pendleton street. Jonathan Hubbard, father of Jonathan Hubbard now living in this village, in 1798 purchased all the land lying between Main and Greenbush streets, and from Port Watson street north as far as the river. He also purchased a few acres below, near that river, on which he erected a mill in 1804 [1802-3?] One of his children was born in that mill. He also built the first frame house in the village on the northeast corner of Main and Court streets, which was demolished over fifty years ago, the boys making a bonfire of the rubbish. He was the wealthiest man in town. He died in 1814.

At that early period the forests were plentifully stocked with wild deer, and the rivers with fish. The deers were so "unacquainted with man," that they were easily taken and furnished food for the early settlers; but bears and wolves made sad havoc among the young cattle, sheep, and swine that run at large in the woods.

Among the first merchants of Cortland were two brothers, William and Roswell Randall, who commenced business in 1810 [1812?], and Mr. Asahel Lyman, who commenced a little earlier. These merchants kept such articles as were in demand in a newly settled country, and were obliged to transport their goods by teams from Albany over the Cherry Valley turnpike, and thence to Cortland. Mr. Lyman, after carrying on business several years, erected the 'Old Brick Store,' now standing opposite the Cortland House. It was built in 1817, of brick manufactured about two miles from the village by Truman Doud. Messrs. William and Roswell Randall established business on the corner of Main and Port Watson streets, opposite the Messenger House. In exchange for their goods these merchants were obliged to accept such commodities as the country produced. Among these, ashes were a staple article, which they converted into potash or pearlash for New York market. Two, smoking, seething, hissing distilleries were kept in constant operation, converting the grain into whisky, which, except what was consumed here, was transported down the Tioughnioga river in arks built at Port Watson, thence down the Susquehanna to Harrisburg, and other large places.

The Court House and jail were located on Court House hill (Monroe Heights.) John Keep was the first Judge of the county, and at that time owned a house now occupied as the County Pool House. The jail was seldom destitute of tenants, not so much by those who had contravened the laws of the country, as by those who were so unfortunate as to be unable to pay their depts. The jail limits extended one mile from the jail, and the debtor was not allowed by law to go beyond that, except on Sundays, when he had the right to visit his family and friends, but must return before sunrise Monday morning. The principal lawyers in the village at that time were Oliver Wiswell, Henry Stevens, Nathan Dayton, and Samuel Nelson. The latter, for many years, was Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. He died at Cooperstown in 1872.

There were three hotels, or taverns, as they were called, one kept 'by Danforth Merrick, on the site of the Cortland House, one on the northwest corner of Main and Court streets, kept by Joshua Ballard, and one on the site of the Messenger House kept by Nathan Luce. The three physicians of the place were Drs. Budlong, Boies, and Goodyear. The first religious society in Cortland was formed in 1801, and soon after they erected a house of worship opposite the turn of the road leading to Homer. The society was called 'The Baptist Church of Christ in Homer.' Rev. Alfred Bennet was its honored pastor for many years, and in 1824 it numbered nearly 700 members. It was then divided into three societies, constituting the Baptist Church in Homer, the Baptist Church in Cortland, and the Baptist Church in McGrawville. The next religious society organized in Cortland was that of the Methodist. They erected the first house of worship (?) in the village in 1820. Rev. George W. Densmore being the pastor at that time. That house has been removed, and a commodious and elegant brick edifice now occupies the original site. Soon after the Presbyterian society erected their present house of worship, which continues in good repair to this day. The village now contains seven elegant church edifices, that are well filled every Sabbath with intelligent congregations.

One of the chief causes of the prosperity of Cortland must be attributed to the lively interest the people have always manifested in the cause of popular education. Beside its excellent public schools, the Old Academy, though receiving no revenue from the State, was, for many years, a successful rival of Cortland (Homer) Academy, and now the Normal School is not surpassed by any for its excellent system of instruction, and its efficient and competent corps of instructors"

One of the first colleges in America to admit African-Americans and women was founded in 1848 in McGraw. The Free Central College of McGrawville was also one of the first colleges to have African American instructors. Tragically, many of the students died of a smallpox epidemic. Their graves are in a small cemetery behind McGraw Elementary School.

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