The early history of Hornellsville, Steuben County

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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

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THE EARLY HISTORY

OF

HORNELLSVILLE,

STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

An Address made at the Centennial of the First Settlement
of Hornellsville, on September 25th, 1890.

BY IRVIN W. NKAR.

HORXELLSVILLE. X. Y. :
THE EVEXIXG TRIBUXE PRINTING UOUSE.

1890,

C'

A.
^ .

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Settlement of }4ornensvilIe,

SEPTEMBKR 25, 1890.

Mr. Chairman: —

The territory now embraced within the limits of the city
and town of Hornellsville and the immediate neighborhood,
has been claimed by three Enropean governments.

Spain by discovery atfirmed by a papal bull. France and
England have proclaimed and asserted ownership, by col-
onisation and conquest, and, in the name of their respective
monarchs, have occupied it with armed military iorces. The
tri-color of France and the cross ot St. George have tloated
in its breezes, as an evidence and an admonition ol their
respective occupation, dominion and sovereignty. 1 he
rights of the native Indians, the English claimed, was the right
of possession, suDJect to be acquired by purchase or conquest.
The claim of the French was that France was the absolute
owner of the soil, that the Indians were their wards, to be
governed and cared for as the home government might di-
rect. It has been given and granted by conflicting royal
charters, and by sovereign states; has been transferred by

treaties solemnized both in Enrope and America, and was
part of the domain conveyed by the largest sale of land
ever made by a government to private individuals.

Forty-two years after the discovery of America by
Columbus, Jacques Cartier landed at Hochelaga, now Mon-
treal, on the banks of the river St. Lawrence, erected the
cross, and planted the French flag, and setting aside the
papal bull of Pope Alexander VI, proclaimed in the name
of Jesus and Mary, and of Francis I, of France, that he
took possession, in their names, of that river and all its
tributaries and lands adjoining both remote and distant.
The same claim and right was re-asserted by Champlain,
at the founding of Quebec in 1608.

The English under Gosnold had entered Chesapeake Ba}^
in 1607, and the Dutch in the person of Hendrick Hudson,
had entered the river that bears his name in 1609. Each
claimed the adjacent country for their respective monarchs.

In tracing the advent of our race to this locality, French
colonization and occupancy must, of necessity, take prece-
dence.

All that portion of what now constitutes the State of
New York, lying westerly and northerly of the boundaries
of Oneida county, and the extensions thereof, from and after
the arrival of Champlain upon the St. Lawrence, until the
conquest and treaty in 1762 — a centur}^ and a half — formed
a portion of French Canada, or in a more extended geo-
grajihical designation, New France, and this identical local-
ity was a part of this territory, and was carefuU}- watched,
and jealously guarded by the French government. In 1690
Count Frontenac, then governor of New France, learning
that a portit^n of his domain in the Seneca countr}' and on
la Belle (Allegheny) river was trespassed upon, sent Sieur
de Villers with a party of soldiers and Indians to warn and
drive away all trespassers and intruders upon the domin-
ions of his master. With this expedition was, upon the au-
thority of Fathers Hennepin and Charlevoix, and letters
addressed to Madame de Maintenon, one whom the world

will not easily foro-et, the good Abbe Fenelon, afterwards
Bishop of Canbray. The chronicler says: "The expe-
dition left Cataraiiqiii (now Kingston), crossed to and skirted
the south shore of Lake Ontario, until they reached the
Genesee river, which they ascended, making one portage
around two considerable falls, about a league apart, until
they reached its head waters, then after a carrying
place of nearly six leagues they reached the head
waters of a stream that flowed to the south ; upon
this stream, in a mountain country, they found a
settlement called Kanestio, containing several scores ot
habitations, built of timbers with stone chimneys on the end,
outside, and peopled by runaway Frenchmen, Indians out-
lawed, who belonged to no tribe ; fugitive negro slaves from
Chesapeake Bay : renegade Dutch, who had been driven
away from Albany, and graceless Yankees from New Ply-
mouth. A more worthless lot of good-for-nothings, who had
no hope of Heaven, or fear of Hell, we never saw. De Villers,
after erecting the cross and planting the colors of France,
proclaimed that the country belonged to Louis XIV, and was
a part of New France. We then hastened away without
further ceremony,"

The same authorit}- records that, it was on this journey
the good Abbe composed in part that charming work, " The
Adventures of Telemachus," an allegory representing a
youth in pursuit of happiness, guided by wisdom, which
will be read while mankind reverence the noble, the beau-
tiful and the true. The fancy that it was in part born in
thought, b}^ this murmuring river, makes, indeed, the soil
on which we dwell classic ground.

Long before the conquest and fall of New France, both
the English provinces of Massachusetts and New York pas-
sively claimed this region under conflicting charters. That
under which Massachusetts claimed was granted by James
I, of England in 1620, and b}' Charles I in 1628, embraced
all of the territory l)'ing between 42 degrees and 44 de-
grees, 15 minutes north latitude, and extending from the

Atlantic ocean on the east to the Pacific on the west.
The province of New York claimed under a charter
^^ranted by Charles 11, of England, to James, Duke oi York
and AU)any, whei-eby was j^ranted all of the lands extend-
ing- from a line twenty miles easterly of Hudson river,
northerly to Canada, southerly to Delaware Bay and west-
erly to the ocean.

After the conquest and fall of New France, this region
was owned by tlie English, but was occupied by the same
Indians as before, who were under the supervision of one
of the most remarkabc men of that period, who had con-
trol of the Indian affairs of the English on this continent —
Sir William Johnson.

In November 1762, two Indians ol Kanestio murdered
and confiscated the property of two Dutch traders, English
subjects, who were passing through the Seneca coun-
try. At a meeting held by Lieutenant Guy Johnson, deputy
agent for Indian affairs, with the Indians at Onondaga, on
December 6, 1762, at which, in pursuance of Sir William
Johnson's instructions, and at which the Senecas were noti-
fied to attend and produce the guilty parties. Delegations
of the Onondagas and Cay ugas attended, the Senecas were
not represented. Lieut. Johnson then and there said to
those in attendance, that if the Indians expected to live in
peace with the English, these malefactors must be brought
to justice, without unreasonable delay.

Teyawarunte, speaker lor the Onondagas, replied as lol-
lows: " Brother, we have all heard and carefully attended
to your speech, and must confess the case is very hard both
on your part and on ours, as it cannot but give us the
greatest uneasiness to think that a village like Kanestio,
composed of stragglers Irom several nations should have
presumed to act a part so contrary to the sentiment and
inclinations of the confederacy. For our parts we assure
you, that we are determined to do everything in our power
for procuring you that satisfaction so justly required, but,
we are very desirous first to see the Upper Nations, to ac-

qiiainl thcin willi noui" speech, an;l l(» he iiil()iinc(| what
they have done in [\\v allaii\ and we h()i)e thai their present
delay is owing U) their beini;- in quest of the murderers.
Therefore we bej;^ vou w ill rest satislied until the aiiival oi
the Upper Nations, and in case the Senecas do not immedi-
ately comply with your tlemands, you may rest assured we
shall, without further delay, go in search ol the murrlerers,
being unanimously resolved to pursue them to the utmost
distant parts, rather than fail in convincing y(ni how much
we disapprove of their barbarity."

The murderers lied to the region of the Ohio river and
the Indians declared they could not find them, it was after-
wards reported that one of them had been killed.

Sir William J(jhnson ])laced no conhdence in these reports;
he was satisfied that the criminals were being harbored in
the vicinity of their depredations, he therefore, in April,
1764, sent Capt. Andrew Montour, a half-breed Indian, wdth
one hundred and forty Indians and some white men, to
avenge these crimes; he proceeded to Kanisteo, which he
completely destroyed. It consisted of sixty good houses,
with three and four fireplaces in each of them. He found
a large quantity of Indian corn, as also a great number of
implements, wdiich they had taken from the inhabitants,
with many new saddles, etc., several horses, horned cattle
and swine, the most of them in such a poor condition that
he killed them all but about a dozen, which they carried (;lf
with them.

During the war ol the Revolution, this territory was
transiently occupied by the British and their Indian and
Tory allies for the purpose ol planning and preparing their
murderous invasions upon the patriotic inhabitants and
settlements of New York and Pennsylvania.

The expedition that massacred the inhabitants at Wyo-
ming in 1778, set out from Fort Niagara, by the south shore
of Lake Ontario, to the mouth of the Genesee river, thence
up that river to where Dansville is now situated, thence
over the divide to the Canisteo river — the same route taken

8

by the French before noted — halting at a point now within
the town of Hornellsville, nearl}' westerly of and opposite
where Big Creek falls into the Canisteo. Here they
built their canoes and floats, with which they decended the
river on th^ir bloody errand that culminated in the massa-
cre (jf Wyoming in 1778. The unsleejiing vengeance of the
Senecas was avenged for the unlicensed intrusion of the
settlers into their sacred valley. It is asserted that the first
white settlers in this neighborhood found canoes constructed
of the trunks of pine trees, that had been unskillfully made
and abandoned, and the tools used in such construction.

Says a local writer of 1812: "Here are still to be seen
the marks of the tracks of the invading foe that committed
the savage butchery at Wyoming, a fine settlement, and its
complete destruction in 1778 will long be remembered.
Here the ancient man showeth the stumps of trees from
which the canoes were taken, and chilleth the soul with
horror at the tale of woe." A sad memor}^ to associate
with the history of the beautiful valley of the Canisteo.

After the American Independence had been acknowledged
by Great Britain, at the treat}^ of Versailles in 1783, and
this region had become a part of the United States, the
contention between Massachusetts and New York for the
right to this territory became sharp and active. Massa-
chusetts claimed under the charters granted by James I and
Charles 1.

New York claimed under the charter granted by Charles
II, and by reason of the annulment of the Plymouth char-
ter, by the decree of the high court of chancery in 1684,
and by the charter granted bv William and Mary in 1692,
it was contended, all rights granted under the hrst charters
of Massachusetts that in any way conflicted with the claims
of New York no longer existed.

This contention and dispute was compromised by com-
missioners on the part of each state, four from Massachusetts
and six from New York, at Hartford, Connecticut, Decem-
ber 16th, 1786, by Massachusetts ceding to New York the

" (iovcrmnc'iit sov crcii;"iitv and jiiiisdict ion " ovct the dis-
piitcd Uiriforv. and New ^'()^k ccdin<j^ to Massachusetts
"the rii^ht of pre-emption of the soil of the native Indians,
and all other estate except of sovereii^nty and jurisdiction
to Massachus'.-tts, its grantees aud assigns forever." These
lands comprised about 6,000,000 of acres, commencing at
a point in the parallel of 42 degrees north latitude, and in
the north lioundary line of the State of Pennsylvania, distant
82 miles west from the northeast corner of the vState of Penn-
sylvania on the Delaware river, thence due north to the bound-
ary line between the United States and Canada, thence west-
erly in said boundary line until it intersects a meridian line
one mile east of the confluence of Niagara river with Lake
Ontario, and along this meridian line to Lake Erie, then due
west to the boundary line between the United States and
Great Britain, thence westerly in said boundary line until
it intersects with the said 42d parallel, thence easterly along
said parallel to the place of beginning. The eastern boun-
dary of these lands commencing at the 82d mile stone and
running due north to Lake Ontario, is the celebrated pre-
emption line. Its different locations are called the old and
new pre-emption lines. The history of the location
of these lines is interesting. It discloses the fact
that the men of a century ago had an eye to the main
chance, that they were fully as alert and unscrupulous as
those of the present day. To establish and locate the new
pre-emption line, the theodolite was first used in the United
States. It is the meridian of Washington. It forms the
eastern boundary of Steuben county.

Soon after the close of the Revolution, this region began
to attract the atenttion of adventurers and settlers; pre-
tended leases were made with the Indians to avoid the
provisions of the State constitution forbidding a sale by
the Indians of the lands then occupied by them.

In the early part of the Year 1787, Oliver Phelps and
Nathaniel Gorham applied to the general court of
Massachusetts for the purchase of the right of pre-emp-

lO

tion which that commonwealth had in ihe western territory*
lately ceded by the State of New York, and on the 31st of
March, 1788, the commonwealth of Massachnsetts, in con-
sideration of ^^300,000 in consolidated securities of that
commonwealth, or ^"2,000 specie and iJ"290,ooo of said secu-
rities, sold the right of pre-emption in the before mentioned
territor}' to said Phelps and Gorham. and they were there-
by authorized to extinguish b}' purchase, the claims of the
native Indians to the soil in the said territor^^ The Rev.
Samuel Kirkland was authorized to superintend and aj)-
prove the said purchase of Phelps and Gorham from the
Indians, on the ])art of the State of Massachusetts.

Phelps and Gorham, on the 8th/jf July, 1788, held a treaty
with the six nations of Indians at Buffalo Creek, at which,
among others, were present Benjamin Fi-anklin and La-
Fayettc, also a young P^nglish ofificer who was present by
invitation, and being somewhat of an artist, sketched the
scene with so much fidelity that several of the distinguished
persons who were present can still be recognized. In con-
sideration of $5,000 and an armuity of $500 forever, they
acquired the title ol the native Indians in a part of the lands
ceded by New York to Massachusetts, and described as
lollows: Bounded on the north by the shore of Lake On-
tario, on the south by the aforesaid noilh line of Pennsylva-
nia, on the east by the pre-emption line, on the west by a line
drawn at right angles to the Pennsy Kania line, and extending
due north to a i)oint of land made by the confluence of the
Canaseraga Creek with the Genesee river, thence down the
Genesee to a point t wo miles north of Canawaugus village,
thence due west twelve miles, thence northerly and parallel
with the Genesee river to Lake Ontario.

This western line of this i)urchase can now be fixed as
follows, beginning at the southwest corner of the town of
Independence in Allegany countv. forming the westerly
boundary of the towns of Independence, Alfred, Almond,
Burns, Ossian, Sparta and Groveland, northerly to the con-
Huence oi the Canaseniga Creek with the Genesee river, near

1 1

the point wlicre tlic I). L. .V W. k. R. crosses the \V . N. \'.
cV P. K. I\., north ol t he \ilhi>;c' ot Mt. Morris, and was h)nij;
marked by a hiri;e ehn tree. The viUage ol Cana\vauL;-us was
near the place where tlic Attica branch of the N. \ ., L. K. *.\:
W. 1\. R. crosses the Cienesee \^alley Canal and the Roches-
ter division of the W. X. ^'. iS: P. R. R.. a lew miles west of
Avon. The easterly end ol the trestle of the [.. ct P. R. R.
over the N., Y. L. E cS: W. R. R., near the larm residence of
the late Rev. Dr. Llovd Windsor, in the town ol Bnrns, is
on this line.

The State ol Massachusetts, on the 2istda\'ol No\'em-
ber, 1788, confirmed this treaty with the Indians and granted
to Phelps and Gorham the land embraced in said treaty ;
within these boundaries were contained, by estimate,
2,600,000 acres of land.

A word as to the consolidated securities with which this
land was to be paid for by Phelps and Gorham to the State
of Massachusetts. These securities were issued bv Massa-
chusetts to help defrav hercpujtaof the expense of the war
for Independence ; at the time of the offer of Phelps and
Gorham to bu^ these lands these securities were gi-eatlv
depreciated in value, and were selling for about 20 per cent.,
or one-fifth of their nominal value. Hut by the time
that the sale by the Indians had been ai)proved by the gen-
eral court of Massachusetts, and because ol the adoption
and ratification of the Federal Constitution, by a majority
of the States, a greater feeling of confidence began to
prevail through all of the States, of a more perfect and en-
during Union, and also because of the requirments of
PheL^js and Gorham, of a considerable amount of these
securities to meet their engagements, they rapidly appreci-
ated in value; were held at par, and in some instances com-
manded a premium.

In the spring of 1788, Mr. Phelps felt his home in Gran-
ville, Mass., to visit the tract he had purchased. It is
recorded that the hazard of the enterprise was deemed
so great that his family and friends, with the minister ol the

12

parish, assembled to witness his departure to the " far dis-
tant country," and wept ov'er him as one whose return from
a wilderness inhabited by savag-es could scarcel}^ be hoped
for.

Because of the inability of Phelps and Goiham to make
payments as they became due, on the i8th day of Novem-
ber, 1790, and after they had sold several townships of land
which were excepted, amonj^ which were this town and
Canisteo, they conveyed to Robert Morris, of Philadclphii3,
the great financier of the Revolution, all the remainder of
lands they had acquired from Massachusetts and the Indians,
or which they were entitled to, for eight pence an acre.
Mr. Phelps, who was the principal monied man and the
manager of the enterprise, by reason of unfortunate ven-
tures, died an insolvent debtor, on the jail limits in Canan-
daigua on February 21st, 1809.

Mr. Morris, by deed dated April nth, 1792, conveyed to
Charles Williamson for the consideration of ^^75,000 sterl-
ing, all of the lands acquired by Phelps and Gorham from
the Indians by treaty and last described, excepting sales
made by Phelps and Gorham. The lands en-yaraced in that
purchase have since been known as the Pulteney estate.

In 1792 and '93, Mr. Morris after he had acquired the
Indian title thereto, conveyed and mortgaged to Herman
LeRo}^ William Willink and others, known as the Holland
Land Company, the balance of the territory ceded by New
York to Massachusetts and was called the " Holland Pur
chase," except a strip of land two townships wide, extend-
ing through the Count}- of Allegany from the Pennsylva-
nia line, northerly to Lake Ontario, an average of twelve
miles wide. This is known as the " Morris Reserve." This
was largely sold under executions issued upon judgments
against Mr. Morris.

A large portion was brought by John 13. Church, the
father of the late Judge Philip Church, of Angelica, N. Y.

Mr. Morris by reason of this purchase became involved
jn serious financial complications that resulted in his utter

13

ruin and terminated in his death in a drhtor's prison in
Philadelphia. .Mav Sth, 1808.

it is a melancholv lact. that the purcliase ol the most
fertile part of the State of New York, to-day containini^
over a million of inhabitants, by Oliver Phelps and later by
Robert Morris, should ha\e been the cause of their hnan-
cial ruin, and consigned both to a debtor's |)rison to end
their lives.

Earlv in the year of 1789, Mr. Phel|)s opened an ofHce in
Canandaigua for the sale of his lands. In the early part ol
the 3'ear, 1789, twelve persons whose names were Uriah
Stevens, Sr., Arthur Erwin, Joel Thomas, Solomon Bennet,
Elisha Brown. John Jemingson, Uriah Stevens, jr., James
Hadley, Wm. Wynekoop, John Stevens, Thomas Bennet
and Christian Kress associated themselves together to pur-
chase lands from Phelps and Gorham which they had ac-
quired from Massachusetts. Solomon Bennet and E!lisha
Brown, two of these associates, were selected to make the
purchase for the benefit ol all.

On August I Sth, 1789, and in pursuance of the purpose,
Oliver Phelps, of Canandaigua, Ontario county, N. Y., of
the one part, and Solomon Bennet and Elisha Brcnvn, of
Chemung, Montgomery Co., N. Y., made an instrument in
writing, wherebv Phelps agreed to sell and convev to the
said Bennet and Brown, two townships ol land, each to
be six miles long, north and south, and five and a hall miles
from east to west, lying in the County of Ontario, State of
New York, to be located in such a manner as to take in
part or all of the old Canisteo fiat, and not to derange the
adjacent towns, in consideration of the sum of i^2,666, 13s,
4d., lawful money of the State of New York t<3 be paid as
follows: One-third on or before May ist, 1790; one-third
on or before May ist, 1791, and the remainder on or before
May ist, 1792, with lawful interest. The said Bennet and
Brown agreed that before October ist, 1789, they would give
good and sufificient security for the payment of said sum at
the times above mentioned and stipulated, and the said Phelps

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agreed that he would give a good and sufficient deed of the
said townships when the said Bennet and Brown shall give
the security aforesaid. This was before this tract was run
into townships, and the numbers of townships and ranges
were not specihed. This purchase was approved b}^ the
twelve associates, and in September, of the same year,
Arthur Erwin, Solomon Bennet, and Joel Thomas were
deputed by the associates to go to Canandaigua and
complete the purchase. Mr. Phelps being somewhat ac-
quainted with Uriah Stevens, Sr., requested that he
should sign the notes for the purchase, which was secured
by a lien upon the land and be made a party to the deed,
wdiich he did, and a deed was made and delivered from
Phelps to these four persons, namely : Uriah Stevens, Sr.,
Arthur Erwin, Solomon Bennet and Joel Thomas, lor
township 3, 5th i-ange, and townshi|) 3, 6th range. Tlie
survey of this tract had then been comidetcd and mapi)ed
by Augustus Porter.

it was soon discovered that the Canisteo Hats which the
campany wished to purchase, was not conveyed by tliis
deed which covered the j)resent towns of Canisteo and
Hartsville, but that the land they intended to purchase was
township 3, 5th range, now the town of Canisteo, and town-
ship 4, of the 6th range, now the city and part of the town
of Hornellsville. In Sei)tcml)er 1790, Stevens, Sr., Erwin,
Bennet and Joel Thomas went to Canandaigua to get a
deed for the last named townships and to deliver up the
first deed. Phelps agreed to give them a new deed if they
would strike one-half mile from each township so that each
should be 6 by 5^ miles, but as some improvements had
been made on No. 3, in the 5th range, Canisteo, it was agreed
that instead of taking one-half mile from this township, a
strip one mile in width be taken from the west side of No. 4,
in the 6th range, Hornellsville, sq that township 3 should be 6
miles square and township 4 should be 5 miles by 6, and in
pursuance of this agreement a deed was made on the i6th
day of September, 1790, by Phelps to Uriah Stevens, Sr.,

Aiihiir Erwi'n, vSoIomon Bcnnct and Joel riiomas lor the
same consideration, /^2,666, 13s, 4d, payable in the same
manner and h\- the same notes as lor the hist deed. The
security lor tlie ])avment ol the notes was transferred li-om
the first to the last land.

The lands in this deed are described as hini^ in the dis-
trict of Erwin, in the Count}- of Ontario, State of New
York, and known by the name of the old Canisteo Castle.

On October i8th, 1789, after the Hrst agreement made
with Mr. Phel[)s bv the associates, an agreement was made
and entered into in writing between the twelve associates,
whereby Uriah Stevens, Jr., Solomon Bennet, Joel Thomas,
of Chemung, in the State of New York, and Arthur Erwin,
of the State of Pennsvlvania, of the one part, and Elisha
Brown, Uriah Stevens, Jr., James Hadle}^ William Wine-
koop, John Stevens, John Jemingson, Thomas Bennet and
Christian Kress, of Chemung, aforesaid, of the other part
agreed that the party of the Hrst part should let the party
of the other part have eight-twelfths of the lands purchased
by the first part, of Oliver Phelps, and pay the first part
eight-twelfths of the price and cost of purchase, that the
Hrst part had incui^red, and the party of the Hrst |>art agreed
to conve^' eight twelfths of said two townshijis to the party
ol the other ])art, when thev shall give a good and sufHcient
securit}' for the payment of said sum.

About this time Augustus Porter, the surveyor t)f Phelps
and Gorham, asccrtainetl that townships 3 and 4 were much
larger than supposed. They w^ere about 6 by 8 miles. He
accordingly' cut off from the east side of township No. 3,
in the 5th range, 12,099 ''teres and from the north side of
township No. 4, in the 6th range, 9,406 acres. This last cut
off is now known as the North Gore. This reduced these
townships to the size originally intended.

It may be interesting to those who are unacquainted, to
know the boundary and location of township No. 4, in the
6th range. Its north line is in the highway leading from
Webb's Crossing, easterly to Miller's place. This line is five

i6

miles in length. Let me say in passing: the point where
this line crosses Selah's Creek, the stream that supplies this
citv with water, quite near the highwa}^ iron bridge at
Miller's, was formerly called ISIilltown. Here was located
and operated a mill, long since abandoned ; not a vestage
remains, but to preserve this fact this nr.me should be re-
stored to this locality. The west line of No. 4 commences
at the westerly termination of the said north line, a little north
of the McMichael cemetery on Pennsylvania Hill, is the
west line of this cemetery lot, crosses the Almond road at the
intersection of the road from Webb's near the residence
formerly occupied by Charles Major, now owned by Bur-
dick, and terminates in the north line of Hartsville where
it crosses Crosby Creek, near the Hood & Bardeen cheese
factory. The east line commences in the easterly termin-
ation of the north line, and passes near the dwelling of
Ross Swartz. It is the boundary line between the towns of
Hornellsville and Canisteo, crossing the N. Y., L. E. cS: W.
R. R., near the proposed Junction with it of that ill-starred
conception, the Hornellsville and Pine Creek R. R., and
terminating in the south line which is in the line between
the towns of Hartsville and Hornellsville.

The title to township 4 in the 6th range, which will hence-
forth engage my attention, having been vested in four of
the associates, and they having given their fellow asso-
siates legal evidence of their rights and interests, immediate
measures were taken to survey and divide the township
into lots and distribute them among the twelve partners.

On the 25th of September, 1790, one hundred years ago
to-day, lots were drawn for the ownership of the twelve
subdivisions of township 4, at the house of Benjamin Crosby
in this township as follows: Twelve slips of paper were
prepared, upon each strip was written the name of only one
of the partners, no two of the pieces of paper contained the
same name. These slips of paper were put into a hat;
seven of the partners were present. All were not in a per-
fect normal and fit condition for the business on hand, and

17

after some contention it was thought best that neither ol
the associates should draw in jjcrson, so it was agreed that
Hannah, wife of Richard Crosby, who was present, should
be blind-folded and should draw^ these slips of paper from
the hat, which she did. The hrst name drawn should be
entitled to lot No. i, and so on, consecutively, until the
twelve pieces of paper were drawn. This drawing resulted
as follows :

No. I— James Hadley, No. 2— John Jemingson, No. 3— Ar-
thur Erwin, No. 4— Christian Kress, No. 5— Joel Thomas,
No. 6— Uriah Stephens, Jr., No. 7— John Stephens, No. 8—
William Wynekoop, No. 9— Uriah Stephens, Sr., No. 10—
Thomas Bennet, No. 11— Elisha Brown, No. 12— Solomon
Bennet.

An agreement was entered into that day between the
owners of these great lots, whereby Arthur Erwin was to
survey township No, 4 into twelve lots, of equal wndth
of 133 and }i rods, running the full length of said town
from north to south, and each to contain 1,600 acres,
the most westerly lot was to be No. i, agreeably to a draft
that was made Sei)tember 13th, 1790, and to deliver a fair
draft to every man of his lot that day drawn.

For all ol his services, Erwin was to be paid by said
owners ^47, los in money, grain or cattle, at market price,
at Matt HoUcnback's store in Tyouga. One-half of the pay
was to be delivered at Newtown Point as soon as the work
is done ; each man was only to be accountable for the one-
twelfth part of the pay. On August 23d, 1790, Christian
Kress, by a quit claim deed, in consideration of /-230, sold
all of his interest in townships 3 and 4 to Arthur Erwin and
thereby Erwin became the owner of lot No. 4 in township
four, 6th range. John Jemingson was a subscribing witness to
this deed. William Wynekoop transferred his interest in this
town to Solomon Bennet and he became the owner of lot
No. 8. Thomas Bennet transferred his interest in this
township to Solomon Bennet and he became the owner of
great lot No. 10. Solomon Bennet conveyed this lot to

i8

Oliver Phelps, on February nth, 1794, for the considera-
tion of $1,233.33,

In the summer of 1790, Bcnjaniin Crosby with his family
settled in llornellsville, on great lot No. 8. Me erected a
house, and li\xd in it, on the site now occupied by St. James
Mercy Hospital, on Canisteo street in the city of Hornells-
villc. This was the first white man's house in the city or
town of Horncllsville. He purchased this lot of Solomon
Bennet, one of the twelve associates, the deed recites that
Solomon Bennet, gentleman, conveyed to Benjamin Crosby,
yeoman, in consideration of ^^300, lot No. 8, of township No.
4, in the 6th i-ange of townships, in the district of Erwin,
Ontario county, New York, containing 1,600 acres of land.

Benjamin Crosby, the first settler and founder of this city,
emigrated from England about the middle of the last cen-
tur}', arriving in New York after a long period of suffering
by shipwreck. Richard Crosby, one of his sons, who also
settled here with his father, served in the war of the Rev-
olution. He was a captain in General Washington's body
guard. He married Hannah, a daughter of Jeremiah and
Anna Baker, and sister of the late Hon. Jeremiah Baker, of
Canisteo.

Lot No. 8 is bounded on the west in the city of Hornells-
ville by Seneca, Canisteo and South Division streets, on
the east by a line parallel to the west line which is a little
east of Pardee street. We are, and this building, Shattuck
opera house, is on lot No. 8.

Oliver Harding came next and settled on the land be-
tween Main and Genesee streets, near where Hakes avenue
is now located. He was the nearest neighbor of Mr.
Crosby. He was a soldier of the Revolution. He after-
ward moved to Harding Hill, in the town of Fremont. He
has grand children and great grand children now living
and in business in this city.

George Horncll came in 1793, he was the son of a Swedish
Clergyman, was born in York County, l^ennsylvania. He
married Martha, a daughter of Uriah Stephens, Sr., the lead-

19

ing ninn of the twelve associates. Stephens, Sr., had I)ccn
a soldier in the French war, which terminated in Ihc
fall ot Canada. He was with Sir Jeffrey Amherst at the
capture of Ticonderoga and Fort St. Frederick. He Mar-
ried Martha Rathbun, a native of Stono^ington, Conn. He
with his sons, Uriah, jr., and John, and his son-in-law, Solo-
mon Bennet, who married his daughter Sarah, were four of
the associates, and at the time of the division owned one-
half of township 4.

On July 9th 1793, John Stephens, who drew great lot No.
7 conveyed this lot containing 1,600 acres to George
Hornell. The consideration named in the conveyance-
was /,""! 11. This lot is bounded in this cit}- on the cast
by Seneca, Canisteo and South Division streets. The
west line is parallel with the east line and passes near the
east line of St Ann's cemetery.

Judofe Hornell built the first grist mill on the site now
occupied by the Thacher mill. It was the first west of
Elmira, except one built by Solomon Bennet in Canisteo,
which was burned a short time before.

Judge Hornell lived in and kept the first inn in the town. It
was on the southerly side of Washington street, immediately
opposite to Thacher street. He also kept the first store,
situated near by. He represented this county in the Legis-
lature of this state as a Member of Assembly in 1808. He,
was an Associate Judge of the Court ot Common Pleas of
Steuben county in 1796

Judge Hornell died in 181 3 and with his wife is buried in
the old cemetry in the western part of the city upon the em-
inence overlooking the valley for miles, up and down the
river, and the eastern hills beyond. The disgraceful
and abandoned condition of this old cemetry is a stand-
ino- reproach to those who should protect it. Even
the stone that marks the resting place of Hornell and liis
wife, with its eloquent inscription, is fast disapi)caring by
attacks of vandals who are chipping it away.

20

Hornell was ^ood man. B)' his good character and up-
right conduct he did much to stem the disorder and intern-
Derate conduct that then prevailed in this vicinity. His
wife was noted for her deeds of charity and commendable
character. She was a ministering angle to all in this valley
who were suffering or in want.

Hornell had lour sons and hve daughters. William was
drowned while attending Williams college; George read
law and was admitted to the bar; John died in the morning
of life ; Vincent the youngest child, died at the age of
twenty-four. Of the daughters. Patience died at the age
of 17; Emily became Mrs. Dr. Walker, and after his death
she became the wife of Col. Ira Davenport, the founder of
that noble charity, " The Davenport Female Orphan Asy-
lum," at Bath. Martha was the wife of the late Major
Thomas J. Reynolds, of this town; Betsy, Mrs. Augustus
Newell, died in Michigan in 1832, and Anne, Mrs. General
Hartshorn, and after his death Mrs. Moore, died in 1882.

The records show that George Hornell certified that on
November 17th, 181 1, "Milo" was born to his slave "Milley."
He afterwards sold the boy Milo to one Hadley, of Canis-
teo, for $70. After Hornell's death, Milley ran away to
Palmyra. She was returned to Hornellsville. She remain-
ed a year or two, when she again ran away, never to return.
Milley was the first lugitive slave from this place of which
we have any record.

On December 10, 1790, Joel Thomas, one of the associ-
ates, conveyed lot No. 2 to Daniel Purdy, 1,600 acres, for
the expressed consideration of ^iio.

On September 23, 1794, Solomon Bennet, for the consid-
eration ol X210, conveyed lot No. 12 of this township, con-
taining 1,600 acres, to John McBurney.

Uriah Stephens, jr., conveyed parts ol his lot No. 6, to
his sons, John R. and Matt, and to his sons-in-law, Jerathaniel
Powers and Bazy Baker and to Stephen Webb and others.
Uriah Stephens, Jr., was a man of note in this valle}-. He helta
many local ofhces; in various legal contentions he gave evi-

21

dence and made depcisitions conccrnin<2^ the allotinent and
settlement of this town, which are still preserved in the
proper places, In the j)rej)ar;iti()n ol this mattei- 1 have drawn
largely from these records, lie died at Canisteo, August
2d, 1849; '^^ ^"^'^^ over 90 years old. Many ol liis granrl
children arc now residents of this city and town.

Arthur Erwin, one of the twelve, died in Pennsylvania in
June, 1 79 1, of a gun shot wound, leaving numeious descend-
ants, many of whom arc still living in the town that bears
his name. He was twice married. He left at his death
ten children. His daughter, Sarah, by his first wife, mar-
ried John Mulhollen. Their daughter Molly, or Mary, be-
came the wife of Thomas McBurney. They died leaving
eight children. Sarah married Hon. John Magee, of Bath.
She died without children surviving hCr. Jane became the
wife of Thomas J. Magee.

John Jemingson, now Jamison, was born at Dunham,
Bucks county, i^ennsylvania, December 3, 1753. He was
a captain commanding at the battle of Fort Washington, in
the Revolutionary war, now^ the upper part of the city of
New York, including J'livcrside, the resting place of the re-
mains of General Grant. He held the fort until the aninui-
nition was exhausted, when he was taken prisoner, with the
loss of 27 men, and imprisoned in the infamous prison ship in
New York harbor, where he contracted disease, from which
he suffered during his life. He died at Canisteo, March 23,
1836, at the age of 82, on the farm on which he settled in
the spring of 1790. He has great grand children now liv-
ing in thip city who have filled and are now hlling honored
and responsible positions. The " white woman," Mary
Jamison, came from the same ancestry.

Solomon Bennet died at Canisteo in October, 1823, aged
73 years. Although at one time holding the largest part
(3 shares) of this town, yet by unfortunate ventures and
unprofitable investments he died an insolvent. Grand chil-
dren and great grand children of Mr. Bennet are now-
residing in this city.

22

John Stephens, another of the 12 partners, was a son of
Uriah Stephens, the elder, and was known as Col. John.
In the latter years ot his life he lived in the town of Green-
wood, where he died March 19, 1837.

James Hadley died in the town of Canisteo in the fall of
1832, where he had lived since 1789. The remainins^ five of
the 12 associates disposed of their interests in the purchase of
these towns; they never became actual settlers.

It will be observed that the territory now embraced in
the city of Hornellsville, and all of the town of Hornellsville
included in township 4 of the 6th range was not included in
the sale to Mr. Williamson, the representative of the Pultney
purchase.

We had no interest in the fierce contentions that raged a
few years since between the land office and the anti-renters.

This territory was included in Tryon county from
March 12, 1772, to April 2, 1784; then in Montgomery county,
until January 27, 1789; then in Ontario, until the formation
of the county of Steuben, March 18,1796, where it has since
remained, notwithstanding the many vigorous but unsuccess-
ful efforts to get out.

It is hoped that it may always remain in Steuben County.

It. formed a part of the district of Erwin and afterwards
a part of the district ot Williamson, until 1796, then a part
of the town of Canisteo. A local writer, in the year 181 1,
in describing the town of Canisteo says, "it is nineteen miles
long, north and south, by fourteen miles wide, its area is
266 square miles. The Canisteo river courses centrally
across the town, and is boatable from Arkport to Tioga, in
the town of Painted Post. Boats descend the Canisteo laden
with one thousand bushels of wheat. The settlements are
of recent date, and still retain their first local names. At
Hornell's Mills, on the Canisteo, is a ferry and a road of
pretty extensive travel; here is located the Canisteo Post-
office."

On April i. 1820, a new town was formed and was named
by Col. Ira Davenport, who was then a resident, "Hornells-

23

villc," for Jiicls;c Ilorncll. It should have been naincd for
Benjamin Crosby.

Col. Davenport came to 1 loinellsville Ironi iJelawarc
county, N. V., in 1815, with a waj^on h)ad of goods. He
became tiie first merchant here, building with his own hands
the store in which he sold his first goods. He remained
hereabout thirty-two years, during which time he was a
prosperous trader. He removed to Bath in 1847, where he
resided the remainder of his life, contributing largely to its
wealth, institutions and advancement, and entirely neglect-
ing the town, village and city, where he laid the foundation
for and was aided in accumulating his great wealth and
good name. Col. Davenport was born in Columbia county
New York., in 1795, he died in 1868.

Warehouses were built on the Canisteo river, near where
Main street now crosses it. From these, arks were loaded
with grain, potash and other products for shipment to Bal-
timore. Later on a number of canalboats were built here
and floated down the river into the Chemung canal, and from
there by way of Seneca and Crooked lakes and connecting
canal to Hammonds[)orl, where they were used in canal
navigation.

The village of Hornellsville was incorporated under the
general village act June 28th, 1852, was reorganized as a
village under a special act of the Legislature, and given
larger powers April 9th, 1867. The city of Hornellsville
was created March 2d, 1888.

For sixty-two years this was a country cross roads, a ru-
ral four corners, with its grist mill, tavern and blacksmith
shop. " It was peopled with a hardy, rough and generally an
honest race, who had within them a goodly infusion of that
boisterous spirit, and love of rough, and often mischievous
play, tor which the free and manly sons of the backwoods
and frontiers are everywhere famous. The devouring of
hominy, hog, venison and all the invigorating diet of a new
settlement, the drinking of grog, baiting of bears and wolves,
the hewing down of the forest, the paddling of canoes.

24

fighting, wrestling and hunting, all combined to form a gen-
eration of yeomen and foresters, daring, manly and free."

When they went abroad they made themselves heard and
felt, and upon holidays generally, something broke loose. I
do not hesitate to say that many who hear me, have some
remembrance of these happenings.

For fifteen 3'eai-s it was the ordinary country village ; for
twenty-one years it was a village of the first class, with all
municipal machinery. This was the period of its prosper-
ity and greatest growth. For two years and over it has
been a city, and the most populous place in the county.

The school {)receded the church in Ilornellsville. The
first school in the town of Hornellsville was taught by
Abagail Hurlbut, in 1796, in what is now the village of
Arkport. The first school within the city limits was taught
by Miss Sarah Thacher, about 1805, in a block house, then
standing opposite the junction of Arkport street with Main
street, near the foot of Cemetery hill. The first school
house built within the limits oi this city, stood on the south
side of Main street, near the head of Pardee street. It was
built in 1813. The first teacher was Dudley Miller. Uriah
Stephens, Jr., and George Hornell, the younger, were also
teachers. The school continued to be a common school
until 1873, when, by an act of the Legislature, a graded
school and free academy was established.

The first Sunday school was held in a pine grove at Ark-
port, under the charge of Miss Abagail Hurlbut.

In 1799, religious services were held at the house of
Judge Hornell by Rev. Robert Logan, an itinerant Presby-
terian clergyman.

A Methodist clergyman, the Rev. John Durbin, of Wyo-
ming, Pa., held services within the present city limits, the
following year, 1800. He may well be termed the vidette
of his church in this valley. He served his Master with the
same zeal that the pious Father manifested in the same
valley more than a century before. Religious services

25

were held in the log school house on Main street before re-
ferred to.

The Methodist Episcopal church in this city was or.c^an-
izcd in 1830. The buildino^ has alway occupied its present
site.

The Presbyterian church was organized July loth, 1832.

In 1843, Rev. Father Benedict Bayer, organized St. Ann's
Roman Catholic church. I Ic said the Mrst mass within the
limits of the town during the present century, at the house
of Thomas Doorley, near Webb's crossing.

The Baptist church was organized October 17th, 1852, by
Rev. Thomas Sheardown.

Christs church. Episcopal, was organized into a parish
March 6th, 1854, Rev. James A. Robinson was the first rect-
or.

Jewish congregation, Ahavat-Achim, was organized in
June, 1867, by Rabbi Israel Erlich.

The First Universalist church, of Hornellsville, was 01"*
ganized May 23, 1868, by Rev. A. G. Clark, of Branchport,
N. Y.

The Seventh Day Baptist church of this city was formed
April nth., 1877, by Rev. Thomas R. Williams, D. D.

vSt. Paul's Evangelical German Lutheran church, August
23d, 1885, by Rev. John Miller, of Port Jervis, N. Y.

The Hornell Library, whose usefulness has been at least
next to the church and school, was founded by seven men.
I think they were wise, who gave their joint note for $50
for the first lot of books this libary ever owned, sold by a
noted, liberal and intelligent citizen at a large discount.
This library was organized April 6th, 1868. It was the
pioneer of its kind in Western New York. It is still in a
most flourishing condition and is the pride of the city.

No early record of lawyers can be found who were resi-
dents in this town. George Hornell, the younger, soon
after he was admited to practice in 181 1 abandoned the pro-
fession and became a clergyman. He went to what is now

26

the State of Minnesota, where he pursued the last named
profession with success.

The first lawyers in town of which I can find any record
were John Baldwin, John K. tiale and Nathan Osborn.
This was in 1835. The village then had 400 inhabitants.
Baldwin noted for his eccentricities, was a man of ability, a
master of sarcasm, he died about 1837 at Almond. Hale rep-
resented this district in the State Legislature in the Assembly
in 1849, ^^"^ the Senate in 1856 and 1857. He afterwards went
to Kansas; later he returned to this State; he died in Cortland.
N. Y. He is buried in Hope cemetry in this city. He
was a man of fine ability and good reputation. Osborn
went West and was lost sight of, perhaps some one can tell
of his subsequent career. Later, were William M. Hawley;
he served in the Legislature of this state, as a Senator,
was also the first County Judge of this County under the
constitution of 1846. He died in 1869. Robert L. Brund-
age, who was a district attorney of the county from 1850
to 1854, died in 1880. Horace Bemis, who represented the
County two terms in the Assembly, died in 1888.

Dr. Augustus Newell was probably the first doctor of
medicine to locate here. He moved to Michigan, and died
there in 1837. Drs. James Walker, Manning Kelly, Com-
fort E. Belden, and Samuel Olin were among the early
physicians. Among the later physicians were Drs. Luman
A. Ward, Charles D. Robinson and Sewell E. Shattuck, all
of whom are dead. I suggest to the Medical Society of
this city, the propriety of biographical and necrological
sketches of the early as well as the later physicians of this
town.

The first newspaper, the Horncilsvillc Tribune, was pub-
lished November 19, 185 i, by Edwin Hough, on the corner
of jNIain and Broad streets. The National American was
first published in 1854, bv C. M. Harmon; afterwards it
became the Canistco Valley Journal, published by Charles A.
Kinney, until shortlv after the breaking out of the war of
the Rebellion, when it suspended by reason of the enlist-

27

ment ol Kinne}' in ihc iiiilitan- service, in which he died.
This paper was revived as the Donocratic / V^A7/r, by llie
Burdick brothers, one of wliom as tlie witt}- but unfortu-
nate " Sparks." It then was transformed into the Canistco
Valley Times, and later tlic Ilornellsville Times.

Other newspapers have made their appearance here, and
strui^i^led for existence, some of which have survived under
other names, but all have been of comparatively recent
ventures.

The New York and Eric Railroad was opened to Ilor-
nellsville September i, 1850. Later the Buffalo and New
York City railroad was opened from Attica to Hornellsville.
It has since become a part of the Erie system, and is now
known as the Buffalo Division of the New York, Lake Erie
and Western railroad. Hornellsville became and is the
terminus of three of the divisions of this system. Since
the completion ol these railroads the growth and prospei'ity
of this place has been active and healthy. The thrift
of the city is largely due to the prosperity and energy of
this railroad.

Other railroad schemes have been developed and
aborted, until the building and completing, within the last
three years, of the Rochester, Hornellsville t^ Lackawanna
railroad, by which competing lines of railroads were reach-
ed, and placed the city on a more permanent basis for pros-
nus and substantial growth.

In 1832, a plot of ground w\as conveyed to the town for
a public park, called Union Park, located at the intersection
of Canisteo street with Main street. For a long time after,
it was embclished with upturned pine stumps ; these were
subsequently cleared away, trees were set out and a
fence built around it. Years after it was converted into a
dumping ground for street refuse. The piles of dirt made
it offensive. A local genius conceived the idea of turn-
ing it into a cemetery ; the bitter sarcasm inscribed upon
the head boards placed in the mounds of dirt, so aroused
public opinion that it was graded, beautified and adorned

28

with a memorial fountain, to perpetuate the memories of
the battles of the Rebellion ot 1861, with flowers and grav-
eled walks, making it the pride of the city, instead of its
shame.

The early place of the burial of the dead was on the
"knoll" in the western part of the city, now known as the
" old cemetery." Like ever}- thing else connected with early
Hornellsville, it was neglected and desecrated. It was a
ridge of sand, suitable for building purposes, and with the
ashes of the forefathers of this valley has been carted away
and become a part of nearly every building in the city.
Verily the dead we have with us, their remains cement our
foundations and are spread upon our walls. This most dis-
graceful and barberous business still continues at a dollar
a load.

In 1853 a place of interment was opened a little farther
west. Some of the younger and more enterprising of the
inhabitants, chagrined and mortihed by the neglected con
dition of the old cemetery, laid out Hope Cemetery, on the
site of the new burying ground, procured for it a legal ex-
istence and set the machinery of the corporation in motion.
It now has graded streets and avenues ; fountains, cascades
and pools ; well kept lots, adorned with beautiful trees,
shrubs and flowers. It overlooks a part of the valley of the
upper Canisteo, and also the site of the rendezvous and em-
barkation of the murderous expedition against the settle-
ments in the Wyoming valley in 1778. No place in this State
has a more beautiful cemetery.

Of the the men of Hornellsville who participated in
the War of the Rebellion, I shall not speak ; their
good record and glorious deeds are preserved fn enduring
archives. I have brought the events and histor}' of Hor-
nellsville down to the memory of men now living. It is a
brief record of events that are rapidly fading away.

The events of the last half century, that have occurred
in this city should be collected, written up and published ;
t is a subject that ought to command the attention of all

^9

our people, those who are passing away, as well as those
who are beginning to assume the active duties of life. It
should receive intelligent treatment by a competent person.
Some son or daughter of Hornellsville, should perform the
grateful task.

■v^Vv

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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