Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-25
HORSEHEADS, n. Y.
The Origin of the Name of a New York
Town.

Town.
When the first white settler entered
the Chemung alley, about 100 years
ago, they found the skulls OF hundreds
Of horses piled in mounds on the spot
where this village now stands. Ac-
cording to the tradition these skulls
had belonged to horses in the army of
General Sullivan when he made his his
torlcal raid upon the hostile Indian
tribes, in 1879. On the return march
Of the victorious army from the Gen
eSee country a portion of the troops en-
camped here. As he intended to 90
down the Chemung with his forces on
RATS, General Sullivan ordered the kill
ing of all the superduous horses. Wild
animals deyoured their carcasses, and
subsequently, the skulls were heaped up
by the Indians where the first settlers
found them. On account of this Incl
dent the settlement received the name
of horseheads In 1887 the village was
incorporated, and the name was chang
ed by the Legislature to Fairport,
against the wishes of most of the peo-
pie. For eight years they petitioned
regularly to have the original name re-
| stored. This was done in 1915. No
stranger ever comes here whose first
question is not:
why is this place called Horse
heads?"
Citizens are always lying in wait for
strangers, and as soon as the invariable
question comes it is their one delight
and recreation to tell the story, with
| oh
and the horse-skuH mounds. In fact,
competition in retailing the story has
come to be so close among enterprising
Households people that the one that
gets the ear of strangers first and most
| frequently is looked up to with envy
by his fellOw-townsmen. The wide
awake citizen has even reduced the
thing to so exact a science that he does
not wait until the stranger asks the en-
/ tire question. The man who aights
from the cars here and begins his first
utterance with ''Why" or ''What" or
''Will you," need speak no further, for
the citizen, lying in wait, launches the
story of Sullivan and the horse skulls
at him at once. The man who is now
looked upon as the smartest one in the
place is distinguished citizen who sat
up for the a. N. train the other night.
Two strangers alighted. They were so
sleepy they did not stop to ask why the
place was called Households. The
wide awake-citizen collared them.
81 see you want to hear the story
about Sullivan and the horse heads"
he said. "Give me your valise; I'll
tell you the story as we walk over to
the hotel"
It may be well supposed that the
fact that strong effort is now being
made to have the name of the village
changed has raised a howl of indigna-
| ton here. 1t seems q capitalist from
another place wants to become interest
ed in manufacturing on an extensive
scale in Households. He visited the
place day or two ago to look over the
prospect and talk with a Households
capitalist. After walking about the
streets for while, and being unable to
find the man for whom he was looking,
he stepped into q saloon to ask where
the man lived. There were four citi-
zens in the place. The visitor ap-
preached the man behind the bar, say
| ing:
E'Will you kindly tell me-"
That was as far as he got The four
citizens were on their feet and on all
sides of him in less than a second. They
all addressed him:
'sIn September, 1879, General Sull-
van, on his return from chasing the In
dams in the Genesee country encamped
On this very spot
Then followed the story of the horses
| and their skulls. The capitalist was
specifies with surprise.
'.They got it all mixed up" said the
saloon-keeper. Order your drinksent
to the back room, and I'll come in
and I'll tell you the story slow and
straight"
The visiting capitalist hurried out.
Meeting boy on the street, he said:
''My son, can you tell me-"
go, yes," said the boy. I'm Sep
TENDER, 1879, General Sullivan
The visitor dashed wildly down the
street and met the man he had come to
see. This citizen explained the state
of affairs to him. Then he declared he
wouldn't put dollar OF his money in
Households unless the name was chang
ed. Some of them want his money and
are working hard to induce the people
to petition the Legislature to change
the name. Patriotic citizens, however,
| are outraged at the suggestion. AS
one walks along the streets he sees
groups of residents discussing the sub
ject.
cit is sacrilegem some Of them ex-
claim
Here, where General Sullivan. camp
ed in September, 1879, after"
Then if he doesn't. pass on he will
! hear the rest of it. The movers in IA
yor of a new name want the town call
| ed North Elmira. -HOr8ehc0ds, ~. ].
| Cor. n. 7. San.