PINE VALLEY AKA SOUTH DAYTON
“He builded better than he knew and so did the band of hardy pioneers who laid the foundation of the present Village of South Dayton. It is nicely laid out with well shaded streets adorned with fine residences and active and enterprising business interests, providing the necessaries and comforts of life. Fully equipped with a good hotel, churches, and other agencies to stimulate and strengthen all that goes to make up the general intelligence of people.”
In 1816, Leman H. and James P. Pitcher first settled here. They sold to C. Nickerson, then he sold to the Farmer’s Loan and Trust. Between 1830 and 1840 the prevailing religions were Mormon and Methodist. Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith came here occasionally and held various services in a large building 30’ x 50’, three stories high and occupied by nine families. It stood where the Kerr’s now live. The Mormons left New York State and all who lived there left with them. In 1838, the Trust Company sold to William Tweedy, who then sold it to Christopher Smith in 1841, he then sold it to his brother Daniel C. Smith in 1845. Homer and Joseph Wheelock purchased the property in 1849, they tore down the large building that occupied the land at the time they bought it, they then sold it to Frederick Phillips in 1861 and in 1865 it was sold to John and Cynthia Wickham. Mr. Wickham sold 32 acres to Robert Ewing in 1875 and together they platted and laid out the land into lots, this was the beginning of the Village. The lots had 50’ frontage and 150’ depth, maples were planted along lot lines and midway between them. During 1875 a store, depot, hotel, grist mill and about 30 buildings were erected.
Ehan Beach was the first Postmaster, today Craig Howard is the acting Postmaster and Officer in Charge. Pine Valley was so named in 1858 by Baron Hubbard and the railroad and post office used the name until about 1900, when a Post Office Express was established and the name was changed to South Dayton. Mail was supplied by various ways from Perrysburg, Cottage, and Villenova until July 1, 1875 when the Buffalo & Jamestown Railroad opened, then business grew rapidly. Edwin Beach was the first station agent at Pine Valley, William Neubeck was the last station agent at South Dayton.
Peddlers went around on horseback with their various wares, now we can go to the super market. There were shingle mills, saw and stave mills, wagon and carriage business, blacksmiths, shoe, grocery, candy and medicine shops which gave way as times changed to two feed mills, a milk plant and canning factory.
In 1874, the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed, it is now the United Methodist Church, the Free Methodist Church was formed in 1878. The school was organized in November. 1859, E.B. Crissey built a bank building in 1900, many of these former businesses are now homes.
On December 29, 1914, a vote was taken to ask residents if they wanted to incorporate into a Village; 175 ballots were cast-102 yea, 73 nay. An appeal was made to Cattaraugus County Court and the election was upheld on February 25, 1915. It was then appealed to the Appellate Court and on May 26 1915 the Appellate Court affirmed the County Court Order and filed with Charles Shults, the Town of Dayton Clerk on June 11, 1915 the Incorporation of the Village of South Dayton with a population of 629, The 2010 Census reveled the Village still has a population of 620 persons.
Due to the economic climate and larger businesses buying smaller ones to consolidate and compete, many have closed such as the milk plant and the canning factory. South Dayton still has a feed mill, the depot has been restored and is a historic site, the hotel, two restaurants, grocery/drug store, bank, and a woodworking plant that makes plaques, now has three churches, the school system consolidated, so the students now go to the school that was built in Chautauqua County. Bob Astry still runs the hardware store, the Village purchased R&L Smith’s truck garage for their DPW building, the school now houses apartments, the bowling alley is now a package delivery business, the liquor is now Bell’s Chiropractic, the grocery that was on Park Street is now Fast Track restaurant, the ambulance and fire apparatus are now in their own building and there are still several civic organizations.
The movies “The Natural with Robert Redford was filmed here in 1983 and “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with John Candy and Steve Martin was filmed here in 1986.
Source: Submitted by Ruth Bennett, Town of Dayton Historian. See below.
1. History of Dayton N Y by Shults, 1901 & South Dayton News Anniversary Number-August 16th, 1906