In 1782 the legislature of the State of New York passed a law setting aside lands purchased from the Indians to be divided among the New York soldiers who had served in the Revolutionary War. In 1789 when the Onondaga Military tract was surveyed, it was divided into 28 Military Townships, each containing 100 six hundred acre lots. Lots were drawn for the soldiers, their rank determining the number of acres allotted to them. The Cato Military Township comprised all the present Towns of Victory, Ira and the upper half of the Towns of Conquest and Cato.

Meridian is located on the N.E. corner of Lot No. 82 and the N.W. corner of Lot No. 83 in the Town of Cato, Township of Cato, the North-South road through the village center being on the line of Lots.

Lot No. 83 was allotted to Richard Williams who sold it to land speculators. William Ingham and his brother Samuel Ingham bought the N.E. corner and located their store there in 1814.

Lot. No. 83 was drawn by Jacob Frank who passed away either before or directly after the drawing. His heirs sold their rights collectively and separately several times so that there were several claimants for the same piece of land. Finally the claimants met and by arbitration some agreement was reached whereby Abner Hollister gained possession of the bulk of Lot No. 82, excepting the State's 100 acres in the Southeast corner which Stephen Dudley had purchased in 1807 and the Surveyor's 50 acres in the Southwest corner where George Loveless had settled in 1804. Abel Pasko is also reputed to have come in 1804 with George Loveless to Cato Four Corners or Meridian.

Abner Hollister was a public spirited person and liked to see his village prosper and grow which accounts for his generosity in donating the land for the District No. 5 school building and the sites for the two churches in the village of Meridian.

With the Hollister family in 1805, came the Elwell family from Rupert, Vermont. Abner Hollister Jr. had married Polly Elwell and the two families moved into the Town of Cato together.

Meridian was once known as Hollister's Corners after its public spirited citizen, and as Cato Four Corners. In 1849 the name was changed to Meridian.

Indians were not particularly dangerous in the early days. However, one old settler named Thomas Eldred told the tale of escaping from them by rowing across Cross Lake in a cauldron kettle with a crowbar for a paddle!

After the War of 1812 settlements became more rapid as industrious people came here from the New England States because of the excellent agriculture conditions. It was at this time that William Ingham and Samuel Ingham bought the corner of Lot No. 82. Mr. William Ingham built a store on the corner of Oswego and Main Streets of Cato Four Corners in 1814 and conducted it there until 1831 when his son, William Smith Ingham, took over the business. The son enlarged the store and started a branch at Ira. Mr. Ingham's business was probably one of the earliest adventures along the lines of modern department stores. They advertised nearly everything and manufactured ready made clothing in their own building after the latest Paris styles. Experienced workmen were employed. Seven people worked in the tailor shop while others worked at home. With the clerks and managers, the number employed in the store came to twenty-five.

In 1832 William Smith Ingham built the house now owned by Mr. David Dudley.  It was built by carpenters brought from New York City and was quite a mansion for its day.

     The Ingham home was the social center miles around.  Stagecoaches ran to Weedsport, Auburn, Wolcott, Oswego, and Baldwinsville.  Some came to buy at the Ingham store; some came to enjoy themselves at the beautiful home.

The Ingham store, which is not the Colonial Inn, had a balcony which went around the inner walls ot the main room.  It was on this balcony that the tailors worked and the showroom was below in the center of the huge room.  The balcony was in the building until it was "modernized" about thirty years ago.

In the early 1900's, the Ingham Store building was a dance hall and many festivities were held there, sponsored by local young men and community groups.

Later, furniture stores were housed in the building, Judson Dallas, Carl Severance and Stewart Norton were furniture dealers and undertakers. George Cornish used the building as a part of an undertaking establishment. Two barbers from long ago who thrived there were Ed Emmons and Pete Doty.

"Pete" Doty cut many men's hair in the early 1900's. He invented and patented a liquid to make men's hair grow. Doty's barber shop and poolroom were also once in the east end of a building (which was torn down by L. Hotaling) next to the fire house. When the store was located here, young men teased Doty on Halloween by letting a family of ducks in the street door of the barber shop. Pete would shoo them out the back door, and the ducks, being smart, returned to the front door where the act was repeated over and over.

The gazebo was near the Ingham store and band concerts were held many times from its stage.

The Ingham home has been kept in much the same state of colonial beauty and charm as when it was built. Carroll, Louella and now David Dudley have collected much information on the Inghams and their colonial home.

Mrs. William Ingham was Betsey Smith of Middlefield, Massachusetts. Primitive paintings of Mr. and Mrs. William Smith Ingham hang in the home of David Dudley, owner of the Ingham House.

When the daughter, Maldine Ingham, married, her father had a home constructed for her across the street. This is the colonial home now owned by Carol Barbagallo. Owners in the past have included Misses Beatricet, Clara and Martha Horrigan, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Longley, and Dr. and Mrs. James Kimber.

A more complete history of The Ingham-Dudley House, written by David Dudley, follows on page.

This Ingham store gave the first great impetus to Meridian. It was followed by establishment of a sawmill and a great many building activities. Farmers when they became elderly moved to the village to enjoy its social life. Other settlers came to the attractive little town.

A biographical history of the Inghams, written by Anna Meacham, appears later in this volume.

Among the early settlers in the town of Cato was Andrew Stockwell who settled on the farm formerly owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dudley. His marriage to Sibyl Root in 1804 was the first in the town, and his daughter, Alvira, was the first white child born in the portion of Cayuga County north of the Seneca River.

In 1807 Stephen Dudley came from Vermont and settled on what is now the Forshee farm. Among those who came in 1815 was Parsons P. Meacham of Middlefield, Massachusetts, grandfather of Philip and Anna Meacham, who settled at Meacham's Corners near Meridian. Other early settlers were Elihu P-eck, Joel Northrup, Michael Ogilsbie, Daniel Bristol, Abel West, Samuel Woodford, James Hickok, Dr. Jacob Drew, Dave Emerick, Daniel M. Wilson and D. E. Havens. Many of the families who came to Meridian came from Middlefield, Massachusetts.

In early times there were three manufacturing establishments in Meridian. In 1833, the foundry, once owned by Hiram Roe, was built by David Rockwell. They manufactured agricultural implements. Several men were employed here and the business was thriving due to the need for agricultural machinery. The foundry was last a home owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Pitts.

In 1853, a building, now owned by Paul Doran, was built for a grist mill and sawmill by a stock company at the cost of $10,000. In 1858, John Seymour bought it and converted it into a tannery. Motor power was furnished by a 25 horse power engine. It took at least one man to feed the fire with the part of the wood left over from sawing in order to keep the steam going. These works gave employment to six to nine men, turned out 3,000 sides of leather and 500,000 ft. of lumber per year.

The first hotel or tavern was built by Jesse Elwell on the site where the present large building stands on the northeast corner of Oswego Street and Main Street. It was built of logs and covered with bark. The building was replaced in 1818 by Abner Hollister who lived there until he died. In 1860, after changing hands many times and once being a Temperance Hotel, owned by Mr. William Smith Ingham, and Charles Austin separately, I.R. Merritt bought it. This burned in 1893 and the present hotel was built for I. R. Merritt, Reba Merritt Anger's grandfather.

A picture of the hotel, built in 1818 by Abner Hollister and which burned in 1893, yields a scene of tranquil beauty and serenity, a beautiful large country hotel for stagecoaches and travelers - with a circular driveway, many maple trees and many porches - stately and inviting.

A second hotel known as the Hunt House, opened by Solomon Loveless about 1835. He also had a blacksmith shop. This changed hands many times, the Ackers being chief owners. Later it became know as the Eagle hotel. Later it was the home of Mrs. Mildred Wands. In the early 1900's, Howard S. R. Murphy, ead Teacher of the Meridian High School lived in an upstairs room at the Eagle Hotel. Here he kept many books, and gave much advice and help to Young people Outside Of shcool hours. Hugh Hunter and Mate Hunter ran this hotel during the early 1900's. Innkeeper was also once Charles Palmeter.

There were several carriage works, the most notable opened in the village in 1876 by S.M. Chittenden.

Many homes in Meridian and the surrounding country were built by Buck and Herrington, two ambitious and creative carpenters. These men drew up their own house plans or building plans, and with a crew of men t o put them up.

Included in the buildings they Put up are the home owned by Mary Alice Dady; the large hotel, still partly standing, for I.R. Merritt; the house owned by Stephen Thompson; the house owned by Linda Trapp; the apartments owned by Gary Currier; the brick store, now called Konnie's Kountry Kitchen; the hardware that used to be adjacent to the Fire House. [In the currier Apartment there is still a huge wheel formerly used as a lift to get heavy materials up and down in the old hardware.)

Anson Buck was the father of Rossa Buck Wise and Flossa Buck Hedger, both of whom died during the 1970's. Buck and Herrington were partners who each

named a-daughter Rossa - both born in 1884 - Rossa Buck Purdy Wise and Rossa Belle Herrington Eldridge.

T-R- Timby, inventor of the turret, first used on the 'Monitor" in its sea fight with the 'Merrimac,* lived in Meridian a number of years about 1950-1860. He built the house on Pearl street (Bonta Bridge Road) where Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Palmer now live. He introduced the first climbing rose bushes seen in this vicinity and it is said planted currant seedlings bottom side up so they grew like trees instead of bushes.

Madison Young and James W. Bonta were lawyers who practiced in Meridian, However, J. Sprague Morley was the lawyer who lived in Meridian the longest.

He came here from Pompey in 1832 with his father. He attended Hobart, practiced here until his death around 1900. Except for very short periods of time, no lawyer has made Meridian his center of practice since then.

John 'W. Squyers was the first physician in Meridian. H. B. Wright, Dr.

Skinner, E. L. Everts and  others practiced at different times, Dr. Bartlett came from the army in 1869 and practiced here until his death in 1907. He raised many fine horses. One of them became a famous race horse after Dr. Bartlett died.

Dr. A.J. Spire practiced in Meridian in the 'early 1900's. He lived in the house, now owned by Mr. Jeff Case. He was much loved and respected by the community. His son, Lyman, is now a noted physician in Syracuse.

Dr. Knight purchased the practice and house of Dr. A. J. Spire.  His widow, Mrs. Cora Knight,  lives in Fair haven.  Dr. Gifford came in the early 1920's . He purchased the Ingram house and had a small hospital there.

Dr. Harold Rothschild Courtney was a physician in Meridian in the 1920's. He lived in the brick house at the corner of Main Street and Pearl Street, and drove one of the first convertible cars in the area.

During World War II, Dr. Daniels came to Meridian and lived in the same brick house at the corner of Main Street and Pearl Street (Bonta Bridge Road). His wife and housekeeper made delicious Hungarian Apple Strudel. Following Dr. Daniels came Dr. Myers with a large family who made their home here until moving to Fulton in the 1950's. Dr. Ralph Ragosta and his family followed. The residence and office for these doctors was at the corner of Hollister Street and Pearl Street.

The Lawrence Block, a block of buildings which housed six to seven establishments, burned in 1910. In this block were a millinery shop, a seamstress, book store, candy store, furniture store, tailor shop, shoe shop, meat market and grocery store.

The Lawrence Block was one of the stations in the "underground railroad" during the Civil War. The "station" was in the upper story of the south end of the building in a furniture store owned by James Hickok. The escaped slaves slept behind some furniture in the daytime, and at night were taken by wagon to some other place. The station was one of many in Harriett Tubman' s network.

The Lawrence Block was on the southwest corner of Main Street and Pearl Street now called Bonta Bridge Road. After the huge fire of 1910 which burned the block, the remains were cleared away, and in 1910, Mike Grace, an architect from Weedsport, built the house now owned by Mrs. Gerald Crowell. It was originally built for Mr. Herman Sleight and has been called the Sleight House. This was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Claire Tabor for many years.

Excerpt from: History of Meridian: A Bicentennial Product by Betty H.  Murphy, revised by Marion Dudley, third edition, 1996.