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Census Records,
Town of Minerva
including Hamlets of
Irishtown, Leonardsville, Minerva, Olmstedville
by Minerva
Historical Society
1860
By 1860 the population of Minerva had grown to 903 and many new names appear.
Among them were Henry and Dennis Callahan, Patrick Cassidy, Arthur Clifford, John Corscadden,
Richard and Thomas Fitzsimons, Lawrence Gautier, Stephen Higgins, John Huntley, John Jaquish,
Moses Kennison, Charles King, Dennis McCarthy, Michael McCullough, Owen McGaughren, John Montgomery,
Peter Owens, Henry Persons, Thomas Roper, Edmund and Edward Ryan, Thomas G. Shaw, Francis Shevlin,
Robert Welch, John Flynn, Harmon Brace, William Brannon, and Peter Gibney.
Minerva Lake Canteen 1961
1865
In 1865 the population of Minerva reached a high point of 1082.
(Note- In 1870 a decrease was noted but according to the 1880 Census there was an increase
and the highest population reached 1262.)
The tannery was running at full capacity, giving work to many, and lumbering was extensive.
There were seventy-five people living in Minerva who were born in Canada and many of them were
single men who were living in shanties and boarding houses. One of these was Henry Wissell.
Among the families that had come from Canada, supposedly being born there, were Isaac Bennett and
Henry Bennett, Joseph Berteau, Charles McGinn, Joseph Roberts and Paul Provoncha.
Other new families included George Dillon, Lorenzo Duel, Henry Eastham, James Husson,
William Jackson, John Johnson, Stephen Keyes, Louis and Joseph Knockarm, Cyrus LaFleur,
David Lahey, Alanson Lamb, Joseph Little, Patrick Mahoney, John Martin, John McArdle,
Bernard McCoy, James McGowan, Patrick McInerny, Hugh Mea, James Moore, John Mullin,
Patrick Ratigan, Wesley Rice, Timothy Slattery, Wesley Smith and George Virgil.
Lone Piper
Irishtown Cemetery 2004
1870
The population in 1870 had dropped back to 908.
The tannery had burned in 1867 but for some years the cutting and
peeling of hemlock trees continued and the bark was sold in Pottersville.
The lumber industry was still flourishing and gave work to many men.
Some families had moved away and new names appear.
Some of these are Nelson LaBier, Walter Coon, Peter Gregory, William Lorimer,
Dennis Shannahan, Patrick Sullivan, Orlando Brown, John Barber, Robert Gilleland,
John Dunlap, Mark Powers, John Cunningham, Louis Burnell, David Lewis, Henry Aldous,
and Duncan LaPrairie.
Old Tahawus Mining foundry Spring 2004
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1875
The state census of 1875 listed 922 people and 200 families living in 177 houses.
Some of the names appearing for the first time are Edmond Banks, Hiram Bell who was a shingle maker,
Richard Burch, Mike Calwell, Patrick Casey, John Clements, George Fleming, Fred Gero, Edward Gonnoud,
George Griffin, Michael Grant, Leander Hammond, Daniel Havron, Edward Healy, David Ingraham,
Frederick Loveland, Patrick Mallon, Samuel McLaughlin, Thomas McNally, Henry McNally, Frank Morrissey,
Julius Pidgeon, John Pratt, Louis Surprenant, Patrick Toomey, David Walker and Adelbert Whiting.
Bottles in Fireplace
1892
In 1892 the population was 934 with 248 families.
Some of the new people who had moved into town were Benjamin Barrett, Lafayette Beadelston,
John Bolton, Leonard Brown, Achsah Burditt, Charles Buttles, Stephen Canady, Scott Church, Alexander Clark,
Fred Cole, Emerson Cross, Oliver Daniels, Hezekiah Davis, Thomas Fagan, James Farrell, John Galusha,
Nelson Hyatt, Charles Lankenshire, Lewis Lane, Edward Lavery, John R. McKee, John W. McKee, Thomas McNally,
Joseph Mitchell, William Plue, Wallace Plumley, Fred Raymond, Henry Roblee, Sidney Rounds, Morris Snyder,
John and George Spring, George Stewart, George Washburn, Louis Watso and Theodore Yannard.
Comment
As the lumbering industry faded out of the picture for some years,
farms were abandoned and the number of people living in the Town of Minerva fell below 600.
Young people went away to find work and many of them remained in the cities to which they went.
After the mines in Tahawus reopened in 1941 and there was again work for more people, the population went up.
At the time of the 1960 census there were 776 and there has continued an increase since then. Several new homes
have been built and new families have moved in. Serveral of these new families are retired people who
appreciate the quiet and beauty of the country.
Road from Pottersville to Olmstedville about 1900
Trout Brook Spring 2004
Irishtown Road Spring 2004
Minerva Winter
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