Gc
974.701
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1340284
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 01152 7790
PIONEER HISTORY
OF
ORLEANS COTTNTT,
NEW YORK.
CONTAINING
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE CIVIL DIVISIONS
OF WESTERN NEW YORK,
WITH BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF EARLY SETTLERS, AND OF
THE HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS THEY ENDURED, THE
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNS IN THE
COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH
LISTS OF TOWN AND COUNTY OFFICERS.
SINCE THE COUNTY WAS ORGANIZED,
WITH ANECDOTES AND REMINISCENCES, ILLUSTRATING THE
CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE,
BY
A R A D THOMAS.
Gc
OrlST"£
ALBION, 2s. Y.:
II. A. BRUNER, ORLEANS AMERICAN STEAM PRESS PRINT.
187L
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by
ARAD THOMAS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court ot the United States, for the
Northern District of New York.
1310284
Dcfricattoit.
TO TIIE
ORLEANS COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION,
BY REQUEST OP MANY OP WHOSE MEMBERS THIS WORK
WAS UNDERTAKEN, BY WHOM TnE AUTHOR nAS BEEN GREATLY AIDED
IN PREPARING IT, AND TO WHOM HE FEELS UNDER
OBLIGATIONS FOR MANY PERSONAL FAYORS,
THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED BY THE
AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
The origin ctf this "book is briefly this : The Orleans'
County Pioneer Association had collected a volume in
manuscript of local history of many of its members,
written by themselves, which they desired to have
published.
Some difficulty existed in getting out the work by
the Association, and the author was requested by
many of his friends to get up a book on his own ac-
count, which should contain the substance of the his-
tories referred to, and such other matter connected
with the Pioneer History of Orleans County, as might
be of general interest to readers.
The author has used the records of the Association,
taking some histories of Pioneers in full, as written
by themselves ; and extracting and condensing from
others such parts as he thought of more general inter-
est, and as his space would allow.
Many of his facts he has collected from his own
knowledge, and from the testimony of early settlers,
and others acquainted with the matter.
To those who have so kindly aided him by such in-
formation as they possessed, he returns his sincerest
thanks, particularly to Messrs. Asa Sanford, Matthew
Gregory and Hon. Robert Anderson, for their gener-
ous contributions of material for this book.
The character of this book being local, many names ■
of persons, and events of private history have been in-
troduced, of little interest perhaps out of the families •
and neighborhood of the parties ; but with these the
author has endeavored to collect and preserve thj&
PREFACE. V
memory of such events of a more public character,
:as marked the progress of settlement of this portion
ofithe Holland Purchase, and as maybe worthy of
remembrance.
lEtorthis purpose O'Reiley's Sketches of Rochester,
Turner's History of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase,
as&d of the Holland Purchase, and French' s Gazetteer
cf New York, have been consulted, and such extracts
and compilations made as could be found there.
It has been an object, kept in view, to collect as
much personal reminiscence as possible, for the grat-
ification of the older inhabitants of Orleans County,
To ■ whom the book was more particularly designed.
Errors in dates, events, names and narratives, no
doubt may be found in the work. Such errors are
unavoidable in giving details of statements of aged
people, often conflicting in their character, and the in-
telligent reader may sometimes regret that he finds no
notice here of facts and incidents in the Pioneer His-
tory of this region of country, which he may deem of
more importance than much of the matter the book
dns.
Some such facts and incidents may not have come
; the notice of the author, and he has been compell-
ed to omit much matter of interest, lest his work
should be too large, beyond the plan proposed.
Much as apology may seem to be needed, the au-
thor has little to make, more than to say he is not a
professional book maker, and has no hope of found-
ing a literary Reputation on this work. He has little
fear therefore of critics, and will be happy, if by this
labor he has pleased the old settlers of Orleans County
and done his part to save from oblivc
for history, fast passing away: for in the beautiful
langn iTiittier —
"SI ill from the hurrying train of life, fly backward "
The mile stones of the fathers,— the landmarks of the past."
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
The Indians of Western New- York — Their Traditionary History — An-
cient Fortifications in Shelby — Their Friendship for the White Man
in the War of 1812— Fishing and Hunting.
CHAPTER II.
Phelps and Gorham's Purchase — When made — Territoiy Included in
— Consolidated Securities — Their Sale to Robert Morris — Divisions
of their Purchase — The Triangle.
CHAPTER III.
The 100,000 Acre Tract— Boundaries— Dr. Levi Ward— Levi A. Ward
— Joseph Fellows— Transit Line.
CHAPTER IV.
The Holland Purchase — Names of Company — Location of Tract — Sur-
veys— Ceded by Indians — Counties in New- York One Hundred Years
Ago — Genesee Country — Genesee County and its Subdivisions — Jo-
seph Ellicott and brother Benj., Surveyors — Agent of the Company
— Land Office — Where Located — Practice in Locating Land — Arti-
cles— Clemency of the Land Company — Deeding Lots for School
Houses — Land Given to Religious Societies — Anecdote of Mr. Busti
Rev. Andrew Rawson — Route ot Travel to Orleans County — Oak
Orchard Creek and Johnson's Creek — Why so Named — Kinds of
Forest Trees — Wild Animals — Salmon and other Fish — Rattlesnakes
— Raccoons and Hedgehogs — Beaver Dams — Fruits — Effect of Clear-
ing Land on Climate — The Tonawanda Swamps.
CHAPTER V.
The Log House — Description — How Built— Windows and Door — Walls
Raised at a Bee — Chimneys — Ovens — Cellars — Double Log House —
Copied after Indian Wigwam— Fires— Great Back Log— Lights. _
CHAPTER VI.
Log House Furniture — Beds and Bedding — Fire Place — Hooks and
Trammel— Bake Pan— Table— Chairs— Pewter Spoons— Blue Edged
Plates— Black Earthen Tea Pots.
CHAPTER VII.
Clearing Land and First Crops — Cutting down the Trees — Black Salts
— Slashing — Clearing— Fallow — Planting and Sowing — Harvesting
and Cleaning Up— How Done.
CONTENTS. Vll
CHAPTER VIII.
Hardships and Privations— Want of Breadstuff— Scarcity of Mills-
Difficulty of getting Grain Ground— Mill on a Stump— Fever and
Ague — Quinine and Blue Pill — No Post Office — Keeping Cattle —
Difficulty Keeping Fire— Instance ot Fire Out — Want of Good Water
— No Highways — Discouragement from Sickness — Social Amuse-
ments—Hospitality— Early Merchants— Their Stores and Goods-
Domestic Manufactures — Post Offices and Mails.
CHAPTER IX.
The Erie Canal — When Begun — Effect — Rise in Price of Everything—
Progress of Improvement— Carriages on Springs.
CHAPTER X.
Pnhlic Highways— The Ridge Road— When Laid Out— Appropriation
—Oak Orchard Road— Opened by Holland Company— Road from
Shelby to Oak Orchard in Barre— Salt Works Roads— State Road
along Canal— Judge Porter's Account of first Tracing the Ridge
Road.
CHAPTER XL
Railroads — Medina and Darien — Medina and Lake Ontario— Roches-
ter, Lockport and Niagara Falls.
CHAPTER XII.
State of Education — School Houses — Description — Gaines Academy —
Other Academies and Schools.
CHAPTER XIII.
State of Religion — Religious Feeling among the People — Ministers and
Missionaries— Meeting House in Gaines— First in County — Building.
CHAPTER XIV.
Burying Grounds — Mount Albion Cemetery — Boxwood Cemetery.
CHAPTER XV.
Town of Bane — First settled along Oak Orchard Road — Land Given
by the Holland Company to Congregational Society — Congregational
Church — Presbyterian Church in Albion — First Tavern — First Store
— First Lawyer — First Doctor — First Deed of Land to Settler — Deeds
of Land in Albion — First House in Albion— Death of Mrs. McCallis-
ter— First Warehouse— First Saw Mill— First Grist Mill— Trade in
Lumber— First Ball— First Town Meeting— Fourth of July, 1821—
First Wedding in Albion — Story — Biographies of Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XVI.
Village of Albion — First Inhabitants— First Business Men— Strife with
Gaines for Court House — Strategy used by Albion men to get Court
House — First Court House— Second Court House-- County Jail —
First Hotel — First Warehouse — Sione Flouring Mill — Lawyers — Dr. .
Nichoson and White — First Tanyard— First Blacksmiths— Name of
the Village.
Vlll CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVII.
Town of Carlton — Name — Lumber Trade — First Settlement of White
Men in County — James Walsworlh — Village of Manilla — Names of
Persons who took Articles of Land in Carlton in 1803, 1804 and 1805
— Matthew Dunham— Curious Mill to Pound Corn — Dunham's Saw
Mill and Grist 31111 — First in County— First Frame Bar,n — The Union
Company — Death ot Elijah Brown— First Children Born in Town-
First Store— Biographies of Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Town of Clarendon — Difficulty in getting Titles from Pultney Estate —
Eldredge Farwell— Farwell's Mills— First School— First Merchants
— J. and D. Sturgess — First Postmaster— First Physician — Presbyte-
rian Church — First Town Meeting— Biographies of Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XIX.
Town of Gaines — First Settlers — Case of Getting Fire — Noah Burgess
—Mrs. Burgess — Cutting Logs for a House — First Orchard — First
School House — Drake's Mill Dam and Saw Mill — Organization of
McCarty's Militia Company — Their Scout after British and Indians
— Dr. Jesse Beach — Orange Butler — First Marriage— First Birth-
First Newspaper in Orleans County — First Tayern — Store — Grist
Mill— First Merchants— James Mather Dealing in Black Salts, &c. —
Business at Gaines Basin— Village of Gaines — Gaines Academy — Ef-
forts to Locate Court House Here— Trade in Other Localities— Biog-
raphies of Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XX.
Town of Kendall— Partitioned between State of Connecticut and Pult-
ney Estate— First Settler— First Marriage— First Birth— First Tav-
ern—First Death— First Store— First School— First Saw Mill— First
Public Religious Service— First Physician— First Highway from
Kendall Corners to Ridge— Biographies of Early Settler:-.
CHAPTER XXI.
Town of Murray— Towns Set ( MI— First Tavern— First Marriage— First
Birth— First Death— First Store— First Grist Mill— First School-
First Church— Sandy Creek— Met 'all & Perry's Mill— Sickness at
Sandy Creek— Biographies of Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XXII.
Village of Holley— Areovester Hamlin— First Store— Post Office—
Frisbie & Seymour— Early Merchants— First Sawmill— Lawyer-
Tavern— Justice of the Peace— Salt Brine— Mammoth Tooth— Salt
Porl — Presbyterian Church — Salt Spring.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Village of Halberton— Joseph Budd— Canal Basin— First Ware!
-First Tavern— I. H. S. Hulbert— First Narai
—Methodist Society — Abijah ]ivv(\ and Hon;,.
CONTENTS. IX
CHAPTER XXIV.
Village of Hindsburgh — Jacob Luttcnton— Jacob Hinds and Brothers
— First "Warehouse — Jabez Allison — First Hotel.
CHAPTER XXV.
The Town of Ridgeway — Formed from Batavia— First Town Meeting
—Turner & White's Grist Mill— First Saw Mill— Dr. White— Salt
Works — First School — Biographies of Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Village of Medina — Saw Mill by Land Company — Evan's Grist Mill —
Canal Feeder — Xixon's Brewery — Coan's Store — First Tavern — First
Merchants — Physician— Attorney — Quarries— Justus Ingersoll — Bap-
tist Meeting House.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Village of Knowlesville — Win. Knowles, Founder and First Settler —
First Clearing — First Framed House — First Tavern — First Ware-
house— First Boat Load of Wheat — First Ashery — First School
House — Post Office— First Religious Society.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Town of Shelby — Jo. Ellicott Locating Land — Ellicott's Mills — Road
irom Oak Orchard Road to Shelby — Salt Works Road — Anecdote
of Luther Porter— Col. A. A. Ellicott— Ball in Ellicott's Mill— Abner
Hunt — Fiddler Hackett — First Physician — Post Office — Iron Foun-
dry— Tannery — Biographies of Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Town ol Yates — Formerly Northton — George Houseman — Discourage
ment to Early Settlement — First Deed — Tappan's Tavern — Liquor
Sold— First Marriage— First Death— First Store— First School— Bi-
ographies ot Early Settlers.
CHAPTER XXX.
Biographical Notices of Joseph Ellicott and Ebenezer Mix
APPENDIX.
Towns in Orleans County — Their Organization — Villages in Oilcans
County — Table of Elevations— Members of Assembly Elected from
Orleans County since its Organization — County Clerk
County— County Treasurers— County Superintendents of ('«
Schools — First Judges of Orleans County Courts— District Aii
of Orleans County — ShcriiFs of Orleans County — Surrogates of Or-
leans County— First Courts of Record— Supervisors of the Different
Towns in Orleans County since their Organization — The 0
Count;,' Pioneer Association— Fir I Annual Address, Delivered be-
fore the Orleans ( y Arad
Thomas.
INTRODUCTION.
After the discovery of America by Columbus, the
first settlement on the Atlantic coast by Europeans
was made by English and Dutch, on the south, and
by French on the extreme north. Ascending the great
river St. Lawrence, the French founded the cities ot
Quebec and Montreal ; and following the river and
the lakes westward, they established the settlements
at Pittsburgh and Detroit, many years before the En-
glish settled Western New- York.
The Algonquins and Hurons inhabited Canada East
at the coming of the French. With these, from mo-
tives of policy, they formed an alliance. These Cana-
dian Indians, and]the Iroquois of Western New York,
were at war with each other. The French joined their
Indian allies in this war, and thus incurred the invet-
erate hostility of the Iroquois.
Many desperate battles were fought between the
French and these Indians with various success. The
Algonquins and Hurons were driven out of their coun-
try, or destroyed, and the Iroquois came near exter-
minating the French settlements in Canada. They
effectually prevented their locating themselves in New
York, although they claimed this whole territory. A
few French missionaries only of their people were tol-
erated by the Iroquois within their country, except
at the mouth of the Niagara Elver, where the French
established a trading post in 1678. This was taken
by the English under Sir William Johnson, in 1759,
and retained by them until it was surrendered to the
United States in 1796.
INTRODUCTION.
In 1722, a trading house was built at Oswego, under
the direction of the Colonial government of New- York ;
and in 1727, this was strengthened by a fort.
The French protested against this encroachment up-
on the territory they claimed, by the English, and sev-
eral times sent military expeditions to drive them out.
These English establishments at Oswego were taken
by the French in 1756, and destroyed. They were
ebuilt by the English in 1758, and continued in their
possession until 1796 ; they were surrendered to the
United States under Jay's treaty.
The French kept up communication through Lake
Ontario, between their western settlements and Que-
bec, but made no other location within the bounds of
New- York, being kept back by the power of the In-
dians.
In 1760, a powerful army of British, Indians, and
Provincial Americans, was sent into Canada, under
Gen. Amherst. To these forces the French surrender-
ed Canada and all their western possessions, which
included their claim to Western New York.
The Iroquois, or Six Nations, having early entered
into relations of amity and friendship with the English,
remained true to their engagements after the overthrow
of the French in America, and so down to the time of
the Revolution.
At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, Gen.
Philip Schuyler, in a council with the chiefs of the
Six Nations, at German Flats, in June, 1776, had ob-
tained their promise to remain neutral in that war. —
After the war had been some time in progress, howev-
er, Sir John Johnson, Brant, Col. John Butler and
other tories of that day, prevailed on the Indians to
violate their pledge, and take up arms against the
Americans ; and with the exception of the Tuscaroras
and Oneidas, they remained the firm friends of the
British through that war.
Xll INTRODUCTION.
Under the influence of the Johnsons, a large pro-
portion of the white inhabitants in the Valley of the
Mohawk were tories ; these uniting with the hostile
Indians, led by Butler, Brant and others made incur-
sions, carrying murder and devastation along the fron-
tier settlements of the Colonies, and retreating witli
their prisoners and plunder to the British strongholds
at Niagara and Oswego, where they were safe.
This predatory warfare continued at intervals, from
1775 to 1779, along the Mohawk and Susquehanna
rivers more especially.
In 1770, Gen. Sullivan, with an army of five thou-
sand men, was sent by Gen. Washington to punish
the Indians and tories of New-York, for their conduct
in the war. He encountered them in force in a forti-
fied camp near Elmira, where they were defeated with
great loss. The army of Gen. Sullivan pursued the
enemy to Canandaigua, thence through their villages
in Livingston County, destrojung everything belong-
ing to the Indians on their route. But few of the In-
dians were killed after the battle at Elmira ; but they
were thoroughly frightened, wasted and vanquished,
and never afterwards resumed the occupancy of their
settlements east of the Genesee river, but on their re-
turn from flight before Sullivan, they located near
Geneseo, Gardeau, Mount Morris and other places in
the western part of the State. The Oneidas not hav-
ing engaged in 11k1 war, were not disturbed in their
homes.
The Indians were terribly beaten and humbled by
this expedition of Gen. Sullivan, and from that time
ined peaceful toward the whites.
PIONEER HISTORY OF ORLEANS COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
THE INDIANS OF WESTERN NEW- YORK.
Their Traditionary History — Ancient Fortification in Shelby— Their
Friendship for the White Men in the War of 1812— Fishing and
Hunting.
HISTORY of the Indians, who inhabited
Western New-York at the coming of the
white men to reside among them, is compar-
atively unknown. Their own traditionary accounts
go "back but little more than a century, but the nu-
merous relics and " ruins" and the marks of ancient
fortifications, upon which no doubt human labor and
skill have been employed, which are found scattered
over all this region of country, seem to prove conclu-
sively that here men have lived for many centuries
past.
All these traces of former habitations of men are .
found within the bounds of Orleans County. When
they were made, and by whom, seems to be as inex-
plicable to the Indian of the present day as to his
white brother. The commonly entertained opinion, of
those who have investigated the subject most, is that
tins country has been inhabited by a people of higher
civilization and more skilled in the arts than those
found here and known as the Six Nations, who have
become long since extinct.
The most considerable of these "ancient fortifica-
tions" to be found in Orleans County is thus described
in Turner's History :
14 PIOXEElt HISTORY
"About one and one-half miles west of Shelby Cen-
ter, in Orleans County, is an ancient work. A broad
ditch encloses in a form nearly circular, about three
acres of land. The ditch is at this day well denned
several feet deep. Adjoining the spot on the south is
a swamp, about a mile in width, by two in length. —
This swamp was once doubtless, if not a lake, an im-
passable morass. From the interior of the enclosure
made by the ditch, there is what appears to have been
a passage way on the side next to the swamp. No
other breach occurs in the entire circuit of the em-
bankment. There are accumulated, within and near
this fort, large piles of small stones of a size conveni-
ent to be thrown by the hand or with a sling. Arrow
heads of flint are found in or near the enclosure, in
great abundance, stones, axes, &c. Trees of four
hundred years growth stand upon the embankment,
and underneath them have been found earthen wares,
pieces of plates or dishes wrought with skill, present-
ing ornaments in relief of various patterns. Some
skeletons almost entire have been exhumed ; many of
giant size, not less than seven or eight feet in length.
The skulls are large and well developed in the anteri-
or lobe, broad between the ears, and flattened in the
coronal region.
Half a mile west of the fort is a sand hill. Here a
large number of human skeletons have been exhumed,
in a perfect state. Great numbers appear to have
been buried in the same grave. Many of the skulls
appear to have been broken in with clubs or stones."
The Indians found actually occupying this part of
the country when white men began to settle here were
the Senecas, a tribe of the Six Nations. They had no
village or permanent settlement within Orleans Coun-
ty ; but they counted this as part of their territory,
and occupied it as their hunting and fishing grounds,
and were accustomed to follow these pursuits here. —
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 15
Their places of residence were their villages in Genesee
and Niagara Counties. These Indians were friendly
to the whites, and the pioneer settlers of Orleans
County never feared their hostility. In the war of
1812, with Great Britain, the}r took up arms on the
side of the United States, and made themselves use-
ful to us in checking the invasions of the hostile In-
dians from Canada, who acted with the British.
These Indians had formerly "been favorably dispos-
ed to the British Government, and it was a source of
alarm at the breaking out of the war lest they should
be found with their ancient allies. Their great chief,
Red Jacket, counseled them to maintain neutrality.
This neutral state was construed unfavorably by t]ie
pioneers, and rumors of contemplated Indian atroci-
ties were circulated from time to time, until the Sene-
cas had resolved to take up the hatchet with us.
The rapid settlement of the county by white men
had the effect to diminish the number of wild game
animals, which the Indians had been accustomed to
hunt ; and fishing in the Oak Orchard and Johnson' s
Creeks, with seines and nets, soon exterminated the
salmon and drove away other kinds of fish that had
formerly come up these streams from Lake Ontario in
abundance, until the Indians found their occupation
worthless and ceased to come here.
In an early day parties of Indians came over from
Canada and wintered in Carlton, for the purpose of
hunting. In the spring they would return to Canada.
As game became scarce they discontinued their visits.
Indians in families, or singly, frequently traveled
about among the dwellings of the pioneers to beg or
sell their small wares, or get whisky. They were gen-
erally harmless, and made no trouble. Their claim
to the land was long since settled by treaty transfer-
ing it to white men, excepting the reservations to
which they retired.
CHAPTER II.
PHELPS AND GOItHAM'S PURCHASE.
When Made— Territory Included in— Consolidated Securities— Their
Sale to Robert Morris — Divisions of their Purchase — The Triangle.
HE original charter, granted "by the King of
England to the colony of Massachusetts, in-
cluded all the country "between the north and
south boundaries of the colony, extending from the
Atlantic Ocean on the east, to the Pacific Ocean on
the west. The western boundary had not then been
explored, and the extent of the continent was un-
known.
New York was afterwards chartered by the same
authority, covering a portion of territory previously
granted to Massachusetts. After the close of the
Revolutionary war, Massachusetts urged her claim.
The difficulty was finally compromised between Mass-
achusetts and New York, by commissioners mutual-
ly agreed upon, Dec. 16, 1786, by giving to New York
the sovreignty of all the disputed territory lying with-
in her chartered limits ; and giving the property in
the soil to Massachusetts, or the right to buy the soil
from the Indians, who were then in possession.
All of the State of New York lying west of a line
running from Sodus Bay through Seneca Lake, to
the north line of Pennsylvania, estimated to contain
6,000,000 of acres, was sold subject to the title the
Indians then had to it, by Massachusetts, to Phelps
and Gorham, in the year 1786, for $1,000,000, to be
paid for in a kind of scrip, or stock, which had been
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 17
issued by Massachusetts, called v; Consolidated Secu-
rities," which at the time of the sale was worth about
50 per cent.
In Jul}', 17S8, Phelps and Gforham made a treaty
with the Six Nations of Indians, by which they pur-
chased from them a tract estimated at 2,250,000 acres ;
bounded east by the Pre-emption Line ; which was
the eastern boundary of their purchase from Massa-
chusetts, and west by a line from Lake Ontario to
Pennsylvania, twelve miles west from Genesee River.
From this sale to Phelps and Gorham, and other
causes, the market price of these "Consolidated Se-
curities1' rose so high that Phelps and Gorham were
unable to buy them to fulfill their contract with the
State ; and so were compelled to surrender to the State
of Massachusetts, all the lands lying west of the west
boundary of the tract they had purchased of the In-
dians, as above stated. To these lands so surrender-
ed, the Indian title had not then been extinguished. —
This tract was sold in the year 1791, by the State of
Massachusetts to Robert Morris. About the year
1793, Robert Morris sold this tract to an association
of capitalists residing in Holland, excepting and re-
serving a parcel of land twelve miles wide, to be ta-
ken off from the east side. This strip was afterwards
called "the Morris Reserve," a part of it was sold
by Morris to Bayard, Leroy and McEvers, known as
The Triangle, containing 87,000 acres, and another
portion lying west of The Triangle, and contaiuing
100,000 acres was sold by Morris to Cragieand others
and by them to Sir William Pultney and the State of
Connecticut, ever since known as "The 100,000 Acre
Tract," or " Connecticut Tract."
The tract so purchased by the Holland Company
contains about three million six hundred thousand
IS PIONEEE HISTOEY
acres, and is distinguished as "The Holland Pur-
chase."
THE TRIANGLE TRACT.
One of the large divisions of the Phelps and Gorham
Purchase, lying west of the Genesee River, is known
as "The Triangle." By treaty "between Phelps and
Gorham, and the Indians, after they had granted to
Eb'enezer Allen, a piece of land of 100 acres, on which
to erect a saw mill, at what is now Rochester, an-
other tract was granted to Phelps and Gorham, for
a "Mill Yard." This was called "The Mill Yard
Tract," and was twelve miles wide east and west, by
twenty-four miles north and south, from Lake Ontario.
The -agreement was. this " Mill Yard" should be
bounded east by the s River; south by a line
running west from : Avon now stands ;
and west twelve mil* e north to Lake Ontario.
It wa the course of the Gen
i about dr and the west line was at
.'. an by Hugh Maxwell, due north from said south
was after-.,.- L, i the mouth of
.: twelve miles easx from the
e lake shore.
The matter was afterwards arranged by a ne\s
being s Porter, nearly parallel
I Tract. This '■■
lying between the
sr, containing about
. brming the towns of Clark ailin,
. lias ever
The Triaii
CHAPTER III.
TITE 100,000 ACRE TRACT.
Boundaries— Dr. Levi Ward— Levi A. Ward— Joseph Fellows— Tran-
sit Line.
&i EFOEE the west line of the Mill Yard Tract
had been rectified by the new line ran by Por-
ter, Mr. Robert Morris sold a tract lying next
west of "the Mill Yard," to contain 100,000 acr<
Cragie and others. This parcel was afterwards sold
by the i*to Sir William Pnltney, and the
State of Connecticut, to each, an undivided half. Af-
terwards, and i 811, this tract was di-
vide;' e of Sir William Pnltney, and
the State of Connecticut.
The 100,000 Acre Tract includes the towns of Ken-
dal], Murray and Clarendon, in Orleans County; and
Byron, and a portion of Bergen, Stafford and Leroy,
in Genesee County ; and is bounded on the north by
Lake Ontario, and on the south by a part of the Mor-
ris Reserve, known as the "Cragie Tract;" on
east by "The Trial 1 On the
and Purchase.1' " In July, 1810, tto Con-
i sell farm
an, and about 1816, Dr. Ward an<
Clark pun f Connecticut all the unsi
but by agi irued in the nai
the State Dr. Ward and Ids son Levi A. Ward,
have ever since
20 PIONEEB IIISTOBY
State of Connecticut, while Mr. Joseph Fellows has
been a like agent for the Pultney estate.
THE TRANSIT LINE.
This line which forms the eastern boundary of the
Holland Purchase, and the western boundary of
Morris Reserve, begins on the north bounds of Penn-
sylvania, 12 miles west of the west bounds of Phelps
and Gorham's Purchase ; thence runs due north, to
near the center of the town of Stafford, in Genesee
Count}* ; thence, west a fraction over two miles ; thence
due north, to Lake Ontario. It forms the eastern
boundary of the towns of Carlton, Gaines, and Barre.
It is called the Transit Line, because it was run out
first by the aid of a Transit instrument. The offset
of two miles is said to have been made to prevent
overlapping the Connecticut Tract by the lands of
the Holland Purchase. The trees were cut through
on the4 Transit Line, to the width of about four rods,
at an early day, by the Land Company ; thus afford-
ing a convenient land mark to the early settlers in
locating their lands, and serving as a guide in finding
their way through the woods. The Transit Line was
run by Joseph Ellicott, in 1708.
CHAPTER IV.
TIIE HOLLAND PURCHASE.
Names ot Company — Location of Tract — Surveys — Ceded by Indians —
Counties in New- York One Hundred Years Ago — Genesee Country —
Genesee County and its Subdivisions — Joseph Ellicott and brother
Ben,]., Surveyors — Agent of the Company — Land Office— Where-Lo-
cated— Practice in Locating Land — Articles — Clemency of the Land
Company — Deeding Lots for School Houses — Land Given to Relig-
ious Societies — Anecdote of Mr. Busti — Rev. Andrew Rawson —
Route ot Travel to Orleans County — Oak Orchard Creek and John-
son's Creek — Why so Named — Kinds of Forest Trees — Wild Ani-
mals— Salmon and other Fish — Rattlesnakes — Raccoons and Hedge-
hogs—Beaver Dams — Fruits — Effect of Clearing Land on Climate —
The Tonawanda Swamp.
#
HIS tract included all the land lying in the
State of New York, and west of the Transit
Line, excepting the Indian Reservations, and
contains about 3,600,000 acres. It was purchased of
Robert Morris by an association of Hollanders, in
1792-93. The names of the original members of this
association were Wilhelm Willink, .Tan Willink,
Nicholas Van Stophorst, Jacob Van Stophorst, Nich-
olas Hubbard, Pieter Van Eeghen, Christian Van
Eeghen, Isaac Ten Gate, Hendrick Vollenhoven,
Christina Coster, widow, Jan Stadnetski, and Rutger
Jan Schimmelpennick.
The surveys of the Holland Purchase were begun
on the east, at the Transit Line, and continued west
dividing the whole territory into ranges and town-
ships ; the range lines running from north to south,
the townships from east to west. The ranges number
from the east, and the townships from the south. —
22 PIONEER HISTORY
Townships are all subdivided into lots, and the towns
of Carlton and part of Yates, into sections and lots. — ■
The county of Orleans contains the north parts of
ranges 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the east parts of townships
14, 15 and 16. It is about 20 miles square, not inclu-
ding so much as is covered "by Lake Ontario, and con-
tains about 405 square miles.
About the year 1797, the Indians ceded most of
their lands on the Holland Purchase, to the white
men ; reserving to themselves tracts of the best land
for their occupation. Most of these reservations have
been since conveyed by the Indians to white men. —
No reservation was made of any land now in Orleans
county.
One hnndred years ago, the then province of New
York, contained ten counties, viz : New York, West-
chester, Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Albany, Richmond,
Kings, Queens and Suffolk.
The county of Albany embraced all the territory
now included in the State of New York, lying north
of Ulster, and west of Hudson River. So much of
said territory, as lies west of Schoharie, was taken off
from Albany, and named Tryon, in the year 1772. —
Try on was changed to Montgomery, in 1784.
All of said territory lying west of " the Preemption
Line," including all land sold by Massachusetts to
Phelps and Gorham, in their first purchase, was ta-
ken from Montgomery in the year 1789, and named
Ontario county. Ontario county, at that time, was
an unbroken wilderness, only as it had been occupied
by the Indians, west of Genesee River. Some settle-
ments by white men had been made in the eastern
part. It was then generally known as " the Genesee
country," named from the Genesee River, the most
considerable stream of water in the country.
Canandaigua was then the chief town in the county
OF OELEAXS COUNTY. 23
and it lias ever remained the county seat of Ontario
county:
From Ontario has since been formed the counties of
Steuben, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Monroe, Livingston,
Wayne, Yates, Genesee, Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua
and Orleans.
Genesee county was taken from Ontario in 1802. —
The Genesee River was then its eastern boundary,
and it included so much of the State of New York, as
lies west of that river.
The original county of Genesee has been subdivii Led
into Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Livingston.
Wyoming, Erie, Niagara and Orleans, leaving a small
portion around Batavia, which was the original coun-
ty seat, still known as Genesee county.
Orleans county was set off from Genesee, Nov. ] 1 .
1824. The town of Shelby was annexed to Orleans
from Genesee county, April 5, 1825.
The county of Genesee included, in its original lim-
its, all of the State of New York, which Robert Mor-
ris purchased.
The general land office of the Holland Land Com-
pany was first located at Philadelphia.
Mr. Joseph Ellicott was engaged as principal sur-
veyor for the Holland Land Company, in July, 1797.
Assisted by his brother, Benjamin, and, others, he
commenced surveying the lands embraced in the Hol-
land Purchase, in 1798, by running and establishing
the Transit Line, as the eastern boundary. These
surveys were continued ten or twelve years, until the
whole tract was divided into townships, ranges, sec-
tions and lots.
In 1800, Joseph Ellicott was appointed local agent
of the Holland Land Company, and for more than
twenty years thereafter, he had almost exclusive con-
trol of all the local business of the Company.
The Land Office was first established on the Pur-
24 PIONEER HISTORY
chase at Pine Grove, Clarence Hollow, in Erie coun-
ty ; but upon the organization of Genesee county, in
1802, the office was transferred to Batavia, where it
remained until' the affairs of the Company were final-
ly closed up in the 3Tear 1835.
The principal Land Office was kept at Batavia, but
several other offices were established in different parts
of the Purchase, for the convenience of parties having
business with the Company.
It was usual for persons, who desired to locate on
land of the Holland Land Company, to select the par-
cel they desired to take, go to the Land Office at Ba-
tavia, and make a contract with the Company's agent
there, for the purchase. Very seldom indeed was
payment in full made, and a deed taken, in the first
place. The common practice was for the purchaser
to make a small payment down, and receive from the
Company a contract in writing, known as an "•Arti-
cle," by which the Company agreed to sell the parcel
of land described, the purchaser to pay the price in
instalments, within from five to ten years, with inter-
est ; . when he was to receive a deed. On receiving his
"Article," the settler went into full possession of his
land, cleared it up, and made improvements, making-
such payments to apply on the purchase money as lie
was able.
These land "Articles" were transferred! by assign-
ment, and were conveyed from hand to hand, often
many times before they were returned to the Com-
pany. A settler who wished to sell out his interest in
land did so by assigning his "Article." Or, if lie de-
sired to give security tor a debt, or obtain a credit in
his business, he would pledge his ' ' Article. ' ' Trades-
men and speculators of every class were accustomed
to deal largely in these "Articles," and men who had
means to lend, often held numbers of these contracts,
transferred to them by absolute sale, or in security
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 25
for some obligations, to bo afterwards redeemed by
the owner. The Holland Land Company sold their*
wild lands in Orleans county for from $2 to 85 per
acre, according to the quality and location of the
land. In the later years of the existence of the Land
Company, frequently the Company would give a
deed to the settler, and take his bond and a mortgage
on the land deeded, for the balance of ''purchase
money.
The Company generally dealt very leniently with
its debtors, frequently renewing their "Articles"
when they had run out without payment ; and some-
times abating interest accrued and unpaid, or throw-
ing off a part of the sum originally agreed to be paid,
when the bargain had proved a hard one for any rea-
son to the debtor.
Another measure of relief to the settlers, from their
obligations to pay for their land, was the Company
agreeing to receive cattle, and apply their value on
"Articles' ' for land, on which payment was in ar-
rears. For some years before the Company ceased to
exist, they would send their agents to different points
on the Purchase, to receive these cattle, and indorse
their value on the "Articles1' of the settlers. The
cattle were driven to a distant market. Although
this arrangement was beneficial to the people, it was
attended with considerable loss to the Company.
It was provided in an early School Act of the State
that sites for school houses should be secured to the
school districts by deeds in fee, or by leases from the
party owning the fee of the land.
It often occurred, before the year 1828, that there
was no deeded land in the district, or none where a
school house was desired to be located. In such ca-
ses, the Company provided by a general order, that
they would grant half an acre to such district gratis,
if the Company owned the land where the school
26 PIONEER HISTORY
house should stand, then not under "Article," provi-
ded, if such site should fall on land held by some per-
son under contract, the district was then required to
procure a relinquishment of the right of such person
in the half acre, to be indorsed on Ms " Article."
Another instance of the generosity of the Holland
Company, as shown in the conduct of their general
agents, is recorded of Mr. Busti, who for many years
was their head agent, residing in Philadelphia. Mr.
Turner, in his History of the Holland Purchase, in a
note says — " In the fall of 1820, Mr. Busti was visit-
ing the Land Office, in Batavia ; the Rev. Mr. R., of
the Presbyterian sect, called on Mr. Busti, and insist-
ed on .a donation of land for each society of his per-
suasion, then formed on the Holland Purchase. Mr.
Busti treated the Rev. gentleman with due courtesy,
but showed no disposition to grant his request. Mr.
R., encouraged by Mr. Busti' s politeness, persevered
in his solicitations day after day, until Mr. Busti' s
patience was almost exhausted, and what finally
brought that subject to a crisis was Mr. R's. follow-
ing Mr. Busti out of the office, when he was going to
take his tea at Mr. Bllicott's, and making a fresh at-
tack on him in the piazza. Mr. Busti was evidently
vexed, and in reply said :— " Yes, Mr. R., I will give
a tract of one hundred acres to a religious society in
every town on the Purchase, and this is finis" —
"But," said Mr. R., "You will give it all to the
Presbyterians, will you not ; if you do not expressly
so decide, the sectarians will be claiming it, and we
shall receive very little benefit from it. ' ' l 'Sectarians,
no!1' — was Mr. Busti' s hasty reply, " I abhor secta-
rians, they ought not to have any of it ; and to
save contention, I will give it to the first religious so-
ciety in every town." On which Mr. Busti hastened
to his tea, and Mr. R. to his home, (about sixteen
miles distant) to start runners during the night, or
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 27
next morning, to rally the Presbyterians in the sever-
al towns in his vicinity to apply first, and thereby
save the land to themselves.
The Land Office was soon flooded with petitions for
land from Societies organized according to law, and
empowered to hold real estate, and those who were
not ; one of which was presented to Mr. Bnsti before
he left, directed to "General Poll Btisti," on which
he insisted it could not be from a religious society,
for all religions societies read their bibles, and know
that P-o-1-1 does not spell Paul. Amidst this chaos
of applications, it was thought to be unadvisable to
be precipitant in granting these donations, the whole
responsibility now resting on Mr. Ellicott, to comply
with this vague promise of Mr. Busti ; therefore con-
veyances of the "Gospel Land," were not executed
for some space of time, notwithstanding the clamor of
petitioners for "deeds of our land," during which
time, the matter wa3 taken into consideration and
systematised, so far as such an operation could be. —
Pains were taken to ascertain the merits of each appli-
cation, and finally a tract, or tracts of land, not ex-
ceeding one hundred acres in all, was granted, free of
expense, to one or more religious societies, regularly
organized according to law, in each town on the Pur-
chase, where the Company had land undisposed of ;
which embraced every town then organized on the
Purchase, except Bethany,' Genesee county, and
Shelden, Wyoming county ; the donees always being
allowed to select out of the unsold farming lands in
each town. In some towns, it was all given to one
society ; in others to two or three societies, separate-
ly ; and in a few towns to four different societies, of
different sects, twenty -five acres to each.
In performing this thankless duty, for Hie land was
claimed as an absolute right by most of the appli-
cants, the whole proceedings were so managed, ua-
28 PI0NEE11 HISTOEY
der Mr, Ellicott' s judicious directions, that amidst all
the clamor and contention, which from its nature such
proceedings must elicit, no complaint of partiality to
any particular sect, nor of undue weight of influence
in any individual, was ever charged against the agent
of the Company, or his associates acting under him."
It is understood the Rev. Mr. R. referred to was
Rev. Andrew Rawson, of Barre. Mr. Busti was by
profession a Roman Catholic.
The county of Genesee was formed from Ontario
County in 1802, and the town of Batavia was organi-
zed at the same time, and then included the entire
county of Genesee. The town of Ridgeway was form-
ed from Batavia June 8, 1812, and then embraced all
the territory now included in the towns of Shelby,
Ridgeway, Yates, Carlton, Gaines and Barre.
Some of the first settlers of this territory north of
Tonawanda Swamp came from Canada, in boats
across Lake Ontario ; others from New England and
the east, came by boats along the south shore of the
lake. Those who came in on foot, or with teams, usu-
ally crossed the Genesee River at Rochester, and then
took the Ridge Road west.
The Ridge in this locality had been used as a high-
way, ever since the county had been traversed by
white men ; and it was a favorite trail of the Indians.
Bridges had not been made over the streams, by
which it was intersected, and it was difficult crossing
these with teams. Sir William Johnson, going with
a large body of soldiers to Fort Niagara, went along
the Lake shore from Genesee River, and encamping
for the night on the Creek in Carlton, west of Oak
Orchard, he gave it the name of Johnson's Creek,
which it has since retained.
The Oak Orchard Creek was so named from the
beautiful oak trees, which grew along its banks, as
seen by the first discoverers.
OF CHILEANS COUNTY. 29
In its natural state Orleans comity was thickly
covered with trees. On the dry, hard land, the pre-
vailing varieties of timber were beech, maple, white
red and black oak, white wood or tulip tree, bass-
wood, elm, hickory and hemlock. Swamps and low
wet lands were covered with black ash, tamarack,
white and yellow cedar, and soft maple ; large syca-
more, or cotton ball trees, were common on low lands
and some pine grew along the Oak Orchard Creek,
and in the swamps in Barre ; and a few chestnut
trees grew along the Ridge in Eidgeway, and in other
places north of the Ridge. It lias been estimated by
the first settlers, that from seventy -live to one hun-
dred cords of wood of 128 feet each, stood on each
acre of land on an average over the county.
The principal wild animals found here were the
bear, deer, wolf, raccoon, hedgehog, wood-chuck,
skunk, fox, black, red, striped and flying squirrel,
mink and muskrat. Bear and deer were plenty, and
hunting them furnished food and sport for the pion-
eers. For some years the wolves were so destructive
to the sheep and young cattle, it was difficult to keep
them. The bears would kill the pigs, if they strayed
into the woods. As the forests were cut down, and
settlers came in, these large animals were hunted out,
till not a bear, deer or wolf has been seen wild in Or-
leans county for several years.
Fish were 'plenty in the streams, coming up from
Lake Ontario in great numbers.
At the first settlement of the country, white men
and Indians caught an abundance of salmon here. —
These fish, in high water would run up the Oak Orch-
ard and Johnson's Creek, and out into their tributa-
ries, where they were often taken. Salmon were once
caught in a small stream in the west part of the town
of Gaines. It is related that at an early day, after a
high freshet, Mr. John Hood caught a number of sal-
30 PIONEER HISTORY
mon on the bank of this stream, south of West Gaines,
where a tree had overturned, leaving a hole through
which the water had flowed ; and where they were
left when the water subsided.
A kind of sucker fish, called red sides, used to run
up from the lake in plenty. They were taken in
April and May, in seines, by wagon loads. The sal-
mon disappeared years ago, and very few red sides
run now.
Rattlesnakes were numerous along the banks of
Oak Orchard Creek and Niagara and Genesee Rivers,
when the country was new. They had several dens,
to which they retired in winter, and near which they
frequently seen in spring time. Lemuel Blan-
don relates that in 1820, he went with a party to fish
near the mouth of Oak Orchard. They intended to
stay all night, and built a shelter of boughs on the
lake shore, on the east side, near where the hotel now
stands ; and set fire to an old log that lay there. Af-
ter the fire began to burn, two or three rattlesnakes
came out from the log, and induced the fishermen to
fix their camp in another placi .
Enos Stone, an early settler in Rochester, said "The
principal colony of the rattlesnakes was in the bank
of the river, below the lower falls, at a place w i
to call Rattlesnake Point ; and there was also a
large colony at Allan's Creek, near the end of the
Brighton Plank Road. I think they grew blind about
the time of returning to their dens, in August and
September. I have killed them on their return, with
films on their eyes. Their oil was held in greal
mation by the early settlers. Zebulon Norton, of
Norton's Mills, was a kind of backwoods doctor, and
he often came to this region for the oil and the gall of
rattlesnakes. The oil was used for stiff joints and
bruises ; and the gall for fevers, in the form of a pill
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 31
made up with chalk."* A rattlesnakes den where
they used to winter, and out of which they would
crawl in early spring to sun themselves, was situated
on the west bank of Oak Orchard Creek, on the Ship-
man farm, in Carlton. No snakes hare "been seen
there for many years.
Raccoons were plenty. Their fat was used to fry
cakes, and their flesh was much esteemed for food by
the inhabitants.
Hedge hogs were also common. They frequently
came around the log cabins in the night in search of
food. Dogs, who were unacquainted with the animal
sometimes charged upon him so rashly as to get their
a< ads filled with the quills, which it was very difficult
to extract, on account of their barbed points.
There were no natural openings in the woods, or
prairie grounds in this county, before the settlement
of the country, adapted to the habits of the quail ;
and they are supposed to have come in with the emi-
grants. They soon became plenty, the large wheat
fields affording them sustenance.
Quails, raccoons and hedge hogs are nearly exter-
minated in Orleans County. A rattlesnake is very
seldom seen.
The beavers were all destroyed by the first hunters
who came here.
Those who asume to know say skunks and foxes
are more numerous now than ever before, which if
true, may be owing to the abundance of field mice
they feed on.
Be! I [lenient of this county, streams of wa-
ter on an average were twice as large as they are now;
and they were more durable, flowing the year round,
wh( i y are low, or dry, a part of the year.
Large tracts of low land, now cultivated to grass
and grain, originally \ h, too wet even to
* Phelps & Gorham's Purchase, p. 425.
32 PIONEER HISTORY
grow trees ; sometimes occasioned by the dams of the
heaver, which by flooding the land destroyed the
timber once growing there. As the beavers were
limited and destroyed, their dams were opened, or
wore away, and their ponds in time have become cul-
tivated fields. Quite a number of these beaver dams
existed in Orleans county. The largest in Barre per-
haps wits at the head of Otter Creek, on lot 15, from
which a stream flowed north, and near which some
years ago, E. P. Sill had a saw mill, that did a large
business. This beaver pond covered a hundred acres
or more, which after the beaver were gone, but be-
fore tii" pond had been effectually drained, became a
cranberry marsh ; and old people still recollect going
there to get cranberries. Near the outlet of this pond
or marsh, was a favorite camping place of the In-
dians, who made this a kind of head-cjuarters in their
visits here to hunt and fish. As the water subsided
in these marshes, different kinds of forest trees gradu-
ally came in. Another beaver dam was erected on
the head waters of Sandy Creek, on the farm of Wil-
liam Cole And another on the farm of Amos Root,
at tin1 head of a small stream which flows into Tona-
wanda Swamp. Remains of beaver dams are seen in
Ridgeway and other towns.
When white men began the settlement of this coun-
1 v, the winters were much milder than now. Old set-
tiers tell us the ground seldom froze in the woods so
hard a stake could not easily be driven into it at any
time. Snow did not fall to as great a depth as is
sometimes seen now. The thick tops of the tall trees
broke the force of the winds, and the softening influ-
ence of the great lakes — Erie and Ontario — served to
prevent the extremes of heat and cold, which have
been more prevalent since the timber has been cut-
down, and the wet lands dried up.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 33
Soon after clearings began to be made in the forest,
peach trees were planted, and grew luxuriantly, and
ripened the choicest fruit, in great abundance. The
peach crop was never a failure, and apricots and nec-
tarines were grown successfully.
The cultivation of apples received early attention,
and some orchards, now in full health and bearing,
are almost as old as the first settlement,
In the woods, the first pioneers found occasionally
a wild plum tree, bearing a tough, acrid plum, of a
red and yellow color ; and a small purple fox grape
of no valne.
For many years before and after the opening of the
Erie Canal, wheat was the great object of cultivation
among the farmers. The quantity of wheat raised
and exported from Orleans County yearly, between
1830 and 1840, was immense. Barley did not come
into cultivation till much later than wheat, and no rye
was sown for many years.
It was not until after the ravages of the weevil, or
wheat midge, had begun to interfere seriously with
wheat growing, that the culture of beans attracted
any considerable attention.
THE TOXA WANDA SWAMP.
This swamp lies in the counties of Genesee and Or-
leans, covering parts of Byron, Elba, Oakfield, and
Alabama, in Genesee County ; and parts of Shelby.
Barre, and Clarendon, in Orleans County. Originally
it contained about twenty-five thousand acres, most
of which was too wet to plow, and was covered with
swamp timber, or was open marsh, covered with flags,
or swamp grass. Oak Orchard Creek drains this
swamp.
About 1820, the State constructed a feeder from the
Tonawanda Creek in Genesee County, to convey the
34 PIONEEE HISTOEY
water of Tonawanda Creek into Oak Orchard Creek,
to supply the Erie Canal with water.
The outlet for water from the swamp was through a
ledge of rock, too small naturally to drain it suffi-
ciently, and when the Tonawanda Creek was thus
brought into it, the level of water in the swam}) was
thereby raised, and nothing was then done by the
State to facilitate the discharge, thus increasing the
stagnant water.
In 1828, the Holland Company sold a considerable
portion of these wet lands to an association, who ex-
pended about twelve thousand dollars, in enlarging
the capacity of the outlet, to drain the swamp through
Oak Orchard Creek.
The Canal Commissioners then appropriated the
whole of the Creek for the canal, and further at-
tempts at drainage were abandoned.
In April, 1852, an Act was passed appointing Amos
Root, John Dunning, Henry Monell, and David E. E.
Mix, Commissioners, to lay out and construct a high-
way across the Tonawanda Swamp, on the line be-
tween ranges one and two, of the Holland Purchase.
A road was made and opened to travel under this Act,
at a cost of about 82,750.
As the surrounding country became settled, this
swamp became an obstacle in passing through it,
from the great expense required to make and main-
tain highways. This large tract yielded but little re-
turn to the owners, and paid but little tax to the pub-
lic. K"o further attempts to drain were made. The
association sold their lands to different individuals,
and nothing was done to reclaim this tract, until
April 16, 1855, an Act of the Legislature appointed
Amos Root, S.M. Burroughs, Ambrose Bowen, Robert
Hill, John B. King, and Henry Monell, Commission-
ers to drain the swamp.
It was provided in this Act, that the Commissioners
OF ORLEANS Co INT Y. 35
should assess the expenses of their work upon the
owners of the lands immediately affected by the
drainage, in proportion to the benefits each would be
adjudged to receive ; the whole amount of such as-
sessment not to exceed $20,000.
The Commissioners entered upon their work, and
made an estimate and assessment of the expense. —
This gave offense to the parties assessed, who united
almost unanimously, the next year, in a petition to
the Legislature to repeal the law, and it was repealed.
In 1863, an Act was passed appropriating 816,306 ;
to be expended in improving Oak Orchard Creek, and
the Canal feeder, on condition that all persons, who
claimed damages of the State on account of the
making the feeder from Tonawanda Creek, to Oak
Orchard should release all such claims, before the ex-
penditure of the money. 134 02S4.
CHAPTER V.
THE LOG HOUSE.
Description — How Built— Windows and Door — Walls Raised at a Bee
— Cuimne3's— Ovens— Cellars— Double Log House— Copied after In-
dian Wigwam — Fires — Great Back Log — Lights.
HE log house, as it Avas constructed and used
^ by the first settlers of Western New York, as
s»9r "an institution," belongs to a generation now
gone by. No new log houses are now being built,
and the few old ones now standing, will soon be de-
stroyed by the relentless ''tooth of time," and of those
who were their builders and occupants, soon not one
will be left to tell their story.
The most primitive log house, to which we refer,
was rather a rough looking edifice, usually 12 or 15
by 15 or 20 feet square. It was made of logs, of al-
most any kind of timber, nearest at hand, of uniform
size. These were used with the bark on, by rolling
one log upon another horizontally, notching the cor-
ners to make them lie close together, to the height
wanted for the outer walls of the house.
An opening in one side was left for a door, and
commonly another for a window. Poles were laid
across the walls for a chamber fioor to rest on, to be
reached by a moveable ladder. A ridge pole and
rafters supported a roof, which was made of oak or
hemlock splints, or elm bark.
Bark for roofs was peeled in June, in strips about
four feet long, and laid upon the rafters in courses,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 87
held to the rafter by heavy poles laid transversly,
and bound on by strips of bark. An opening in the
roof at one end was left for the escape of smoke from
the fire, which was built upon the ground under the
opening. The remainder of the ground enclosed was
covered with a floor of basswood logs, split, or hewed
to a Hat surface. The crevices between the logs were
tilled or "chinked" as they called it, by putting in
splints in large openings, and plastering with clay in-
side and out.
When a sash, lighted with glass, could be procured
that was used for the window. Instead of glass, oil-
ed paper was sometimes substituted. In an extreme
case, the door was made of splints hewed flat and
thin ; but ordinarily of sawed boards, hung upon
wooden hinges, and fastened with a wooden latch,
which was raised by a string tied to the latch, and
put through a hole, to lift the latch from the outside.
Hence, to say of a householder, "his latch string was
always out,'' was equivalent to declaring his generous
spirit in opening his house to whoever applied for
hospitality.
The carpenter and joiner work on the house was
now complete. Masons, painters, glaziers, and all
other house builders, had nothing to do here. The
owner was his own architect, and commonly the house
was put up at a "bee," or gathering of all the settlers
in the neighborhood, gratis.
We read that Solomons Temple rose without the
sound of a hammer. The temple in that respect has
no advantage above these early homes of the settlers
of Orleans County. There was no hammering here,
for there were no nails to be driven. Sturdy blows
with the ax did the business, and every thing was
fastened with wooden pins, or withes.
If time and means permitted, and the wish of the
owner was to indulge in the luxury of a chimney, he
38 PIONEER HISTORY
was gratified by building one end wall of his house
with stone, laid in clay mortar, from the ground sev-
eral feet in height, carrying up the remainder of the
end with logs in the usual way. A high cross beam,
or mantel, was put in, on this a superstructure of
sticks laid up in a square, as the walls of the house
were, tilled in with clay, was carried up above the
roof and called "a stick chimney." This chimney,
and all the wood work exposed to the fire, being well
plastered with the clay mud, rendered the whole tol-
erably safe from danger of burning, giving little en-
couragement to insurance companies, whose agents
never ventured to take risks on such property.
As wealth increased, and a higher state of civiliza-
tion and architectural development was introduced in
the structure of log houses, stone chimneys were built
from the ground up. About the time when stone
ehi nmeys were first made, cellars under the log houses
began to be constructed ; and were found to be ex-
ceedingly convenient, as a depository safe from frost,
adding much to the storage capacity of the house.
The introduction of brick ovens marks an era that
may be called modern compared with the primitive
log house. These ovens were sometimes made at a
distance from the house, standing on a frame of the
kind called Scotch ovens.
When the family had become sufficiently affluent
to afford it, sometimes a chamber floor of boards
would be laid upon the cross beams over head ; leav-
ing a hole in the flooring, by which a person from be-
low could mount into the chamber on a moveable lad-
der.
And sometimes a wealthy settler, who felt cribbed,
and confined too closely in a single room, would build
an addition to his log house, like the first, and adjoin-
ing it, with a door between. The owner of such a
double log house, was looked upon with envy and
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 39
admiration by all the neighboring housekeepers, who
wondered what he conld do with so much room ; and
it would be a remarkable and exceptional case if the
owner and his family did not put on some airs and
go to keeping tavern.
It would be several years before the general class
of log householders got a barn. Straw and fodder
would be stacked out for the cattle. And, if a shelter
for cattle or horses was desired, some crotches of trees
would be set in the ground for posts, poles laid across
on these, and a pile of straw heaped on, and a shed
warm and dry was the result.
The log house was copied from the wigwam of the
Six Nations of Indians, as to its general form and
structure. The bark roof was similar in both cases,
but the Indians commonly built the walls of their
wigwams of bark fastened to upright poles, without
a floor, their fire on the ground in the center, the
smoke rising without any chimney, found its way
through a hole left open in the center of the roof.
Fires were sometimes made in these log houses of
the white men, by cutting a log eight or ten feet long,
from the largest trees that would go through the door
of the house without splitting. This was run upon
rollers endwise through the door, and rolled to the
back of the fire place. A fire was then built in the
middle of the log in front, and fuel would be applied
to that place, until the fire would consume the center
of the. log ; when the ends would be crowded together
until the whole was burned. Sometimes such a back
log would last a week or ten days, even in cold weath-
er. The light from such a fire was commonly suffi-
cient to illuminate the single apartment of the house
at night. If more light was wanted, a dipped tallow
candle, made by the mistress of the household ; or a
taper made of a dish of fat, or grease, with a rag stuck
in it for a wick, would answer the purpose.
CHAPTER VI.
IiOG HOUSE VmXITI/KK.
Beds and Bedding — Fire Place — Hooks and Trammel — Bake Pan-
Table— Chairs— Pewter Spoons— Bine Edged Plates— Black Earthen
Tea Pots.
LL household furniture used at first iu the
log houses of the farmers, at their first begin-
ning in the woods on the Holland Purchase,
was about as primitive in its character, as their
new dwellings. It was such as was adapted to
the wants and circumstances of its owner, and such
as he could readily procure.
For temporary use, a lew hemlock boughs on the
floor, covered with blankets, made a comfortable bed.
If a better bed and bedstead was wanted, it was made
by boring holes in the logs at proper height ; putting
in rods fastened to upright posts ; and upon this bed-
stead, laying such a bed and bedding, as the taste
and ability of the party could furnish. To a cross
pole over the fire place, kettles were suspended by
wooden or iron hooks ; often by an instrument called
a trammel, which was a flat iron bar filled with holes,
hanging from the pole, on which a kettle suspended
on a hook, might be raised or lowered at pleasure, by
moving the hook from one hole to another.
Their nearest approach to an oven was a cast iron
bake pan, covered with a moveable lid, standing on
eg s, and lifted by a bail. Dough was placed in this
vessel, and coals put on and under it, when in use.—
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 41
Another cooking utensil was a frying pan,, with a
handle long enough to be held in the hand of the
cook, while the meat was frying in the pan over the
tire. The table was at first a board, or box cover
laid on a barrel ; and many of the first families have
taken their meals with the keenest relish, for some
time after moving into a new log house, off a barrel
head, or a chest cover. Their chairs were often blocks
of logs, or benches and stools, of home manufacture.
It was manjr years after the first settlement of Orleans
County, before a stove of any kind was seen here.
The pewter mugs and platters, and the wooden
trenchers that graced the shelves and tables of our
grand-mothers, among the early settlers of New Eng-
land, were not commonly seen in the outfit furnished
the young couple commencing housekeeping among
the first, on this part of the Holland Purchase. —
Spoons of tinned iron, or pewter — home made ; and a
slender stock of necessary crockery, including the
veritable "blue edged plates," comprised the table
furniture ; not however forgetting the black earthen
tea pot, in which the tea beverage for the family was
duly prepared, whether the ingredient to be steeped
was boughteti tea, or sage, or pennyroyal, or any
other herb of the fields. These little black steepers,'
holding about a quart, were claimed by their owners
to make a better article of tea, than any other materi-
al ; and were used for every day, some time after
block tin had become the fashionable article for a tea
pot, which increasing wealth and pride had introduced.
To this day, one of these interesting relics of antiquity
is occasionally seen, with its spout probably broken
off, adorning the upper back shelf of some kitchen
pantry, in the great new house, which has succeeded
the log one, carefully preserved, and annually dusted
by the loving hands of the venerable dame,, who used
42 PIONEEE IIISTOKY
it once ; or, of her grand-daughters who, inheriting the
time-honored frugality of the family, in turning every
thing to profitable account, make even the old teapot
useful in storing a few garden seeds.
CHAPTER AIT.
CLEAKING LAND AND FIRST CHOPS.
Cutting down the Trees — Black Salts — Slashing — Clearing — Fallow —
Planting and Sowing — Harvesting — and Cleaning Up — How Done.
t4W CLEANS County was originally covered with
V->L. a heavy growth of trees. These had to be re-
ify&^r moved to open the soil to cultivation. This
was commonly done by cutting the trees so as to leave
a stump, two or three feet high. The felled timber
lay upon the ground until it was dry, when fire was
put in, and the whole field was burned over at once.
The logs were then cut off at proper length, to be
hauled together in heaps by oxen, and burned ; and
the ashes of the heaps collected and leached to make
black salts and potash. The land being thus cleared
of wood, the first crop was wheat, sown broadcast,
and covered with earth by harrowing the ground with
a triangular harrow, or drag.
A field with the trees lying as they fell wras called
a ''slashing," and sometimes a "clearing," or a "fal-
low," as the work progressed.
The wheat was sown in the fall, to be harvested the
next season ; no spring wheat being raised. Some-
times corn and potatoes were planted among the logs,
the first season, by digging in the seed with a hoe.
It was several years before the land could be plow-
ed to much advantage, after the trees were felled, on
account of the stumps, but as these were chiefly hard
wood, they soon rotted out.
For some years, the first settlers cut their wheat
44 PIONEER HISTORY
crop with a sickle ; threshed out the grain with flails,
or trod it out with horses and cattle, and freed it
from cliaif by shoveling in the wind, or fanning with
a hand fan. The want of barn floors, and other con-
veniences, made all these operations exceedingly la-
borious and slow, compared with such work now-a-
days.
Before barns, with threshing floors in them, were
made, some farmers made floors, or platforms of split
logs, and laid them on the ground, without airy roof
over them. Beside these, they stacked their grain
and threshed it on these floors in fair weather, or trod
it out with oxen or horses.
CHAPTEE VIII.
HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS.
Want of Breadstuff — Scarcity of Mills — Difficulty of getting Grain
Ground — Mill on a Stump — Fever and Ague — Quinine and Blue
Pill — No Post Office — Keeping Cattle — Difficulty Keeping Fire —
Instance of Fire Out — Want of Good Water — No Highways — Dis-
couragement from Sickness — Social Amusements — Hospitality —
Early Merchants — Their Stores and Goods— Domestic Manufac-
tures— Post Offices and Mails.
CARCITY of bread and breadstuff's before the
war, and even down to 1818, is to be number-
ed among the hardships and privations which
beset the settlers ; and even when they could get a
bushel of wheat, or corn, the difficulty in reducing
the grain to flour, or meal, was truly formidable. —
The nearest mill was 15 to 30 miles away ; there was
no road leading to it ; and probably no horse to draw,
or carry the grist, if a road had been opened. But
meal must be had, the undaunted emigrant would
hitch his oxen to his sled, or wagon, pile on a bag for
himself, and take as many bags for his neighbors, as
the occasion required, and start for some mill. We
will leave imagination to describe his journey. After
three or four days absence, it is announced in the set-
tlement that Mr. A. has got back from the mill, and
marvelously soon woidd each family be eating pud-
ding, or have a cake. But, what if the family had no
neighbors ; and no horse or ox, to carry their grist. —
Still the grist must go at once. Its owner shoulders a
half a bushel, or a bushel, according to his strength,
and carries it to the mill, be the distance what it may,
46 PIONEER HISTORY
threading his way 1)}* marked trees, through the
woods. Such journeys were not lightly to be thought
of, and they were honestly performed.
A sort of domestic mill, in which corn could be re-
duced to meal, was made, and used, by some of the
settlers, by making a hollow in the top of a hardwood
stump for a mortar ; rigging a heavy pestle on a spring-
pole over the mortar; and thus pounding the corn
fine enough to be cooked.
But, if the new coiners had bread enough and to
spare, they all had to pay a penalty to Nature, in the
acclimating process; which all went through almost
without exception. Fever and ague attacked the pi-
oneer, or his wife, or children, or all of them together,
whenever an opening was made in the forest ; or the
earth Avas turned up for the first time to the hot rays of
the summer sun.
Oh, the amount of quinine and blue pill, consumed
in those days, by those who could get a doctor to pre-
scribe in their case ; while those sick ones, who had
no doctor, because there was none to be had, wore
their ague out, and let it work itself off the natural
way ; generally coming out about as well as those
who doctored, and tried to "break" it, excepting that
they took more time to do it.
The first professional doctors who came in were
most intensely allopathic in their practice ; and dealt
out quinine and blue pill in most heroic doses to their
patients ; infinitessinial prescriptions, and homeopath-
ic practice, had not then been thought of.
Another privation, if not a hardship, consisted in a
lack of post offices, and mail facilities. Coming as
most of the pioneers did from New England, whic*li
they, and their fathers regarded as a civilized country;
and where they had always had post office accommo-
dations all they wanted, it was rather hard to be shut
out completely from the outer world.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 47
The first settlors in Orleans County got their letters
from Batavia, or Clarkson. They did not take news-
papers by mail.
The first winter was a hard time for the pioneer to
keep his cattle, on account of the scarcity of fodder.
It took several years to clear the trees, and get a crop
of hay grown in their places ; and a year or two was
required before cornstalks, or straw could be pro-
duced. If nobody in the neighborhood had fodder t< i
sell, the new settler must cut down trees for liis cattle
to browse, or feed upon the boughs, a work of im-
mense labor, especially in severe cold weather, and
deep snows ; and a sad time the poor cattle had, com-
pelled to lie out exposed to all storms, and feeding on
such diet.
Especial care had to be taken to keep lire from go-
ing out in their dwellings, it was so difficult to recov-
« 'v ii again. An instance is given of such a loss in the
house of widow Gilbert, in Gaines, who returning
from the funeral of her husband, found the fire was
out, and no means at hand to kindle it. Fire had to
be procured from the nearest neighbors, then several
miles off". The tinder box and powder horn, were the
usual resort in such cases, but these might be out as
well as the lire. Friction matches had not then been
invented. And it was an inconvenience at least, to be
deprived of soft water, the bark roof of a log cabin be-
ing a poor contrivance for collecting it, when there
was no snow to melt. The hard water from the
ground Avas prepared for washing clothes by "cleans-
ing/' as they called it, by putting in wood ashes
enough to form a weak lye.
The Holland Company commonly sold their lands
for a small payment down ; and gave a contract, ex-
tending payments for the balance, from live to ten
years ; with interest annually after about two years.
This seemed to be ;i good bargain to the settler 'at
48 PIONEEE HISTORY
first ; for, although he was poor, he felt hopeful and
strong, and went into the woods to begin his clearing,
sanguine in the belief that he could meet his payments
as they fell due, from the produce of his land ; be-
sides paying the necessary expenses of his living, and
his improvements. But, after a year or two, a part
of his family, are taken sick ; doctors and nurses
must be paid ; stock, team, tools, furniture, and pro-
visions, must be bought. He may have cleared a few
acres, built a log cabin, and raised some crops, more
than was needed for home consumption ; but the sur-
plus he could not sell. The road to a market was im-
passible for teams ; and, if the roads had been opened,
it was hard work at best to pay for land by raising
wheat among the stumps, at the price of thirty cents
a bushel. Is it surprising that under circumstances
like these, some of the earlier settlers of this county,
after toiling several years, and finding themselves
constantly running behind hand, got discouraged, and
wanted to sell out, and go away. And many would
have sold their claims, and left the country, or gone
any way, whether they sold or not, if the Land Com-
pany had enforced their legal rights on their Articles
as they fell due. But the Company were lenient. —
They gave off interest due them, and sometimes prin-
cipal, in cases of great hardship to the settler. Many
times, when he went to the Land Office to say he
could not make his payments, and must give it up ;
the agents of the Company finding him industrious and
frugal, trying to do the best he could, would meet him
with such words of kindness, generous encouragement
and cheer, that he would go back to his home with
fresh courage, to renew his battle with the musketos,
the ague, and the bears ; and wait a little longer for
the good time coming. But few were able to take
deeds of their lands, and pay for them, until after the
Erie Canal was navigable. They kept on clearing
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 49
land, and enlarging their fields ; and between the
years 1830 and 1836, good crops of wheat were raised,
and sold at the canal, for about a dollar a bushel. —
Then the clouds of gloom began to lift from the face
of the country. Prosperity had verily come ; no more
" hardships, privations and sufferings" after that ; and
more deeds of land were taken from the Holland Com-
pany, in this county, in those years, than were given
in all others together.
Notwithstanding so many and so great discourage-
ments, surrounded the pioneers, they never yielded to
the gloom of the present, or suffered their great hope
in the future to die. They had their joys as well as
griefs, running along their pathway together. Social
amusements, conviviality, fun and good feeling, were
intermingled with their sadder experiences.
They visited together, labored for and with each oth-
er. They exchanged work in chopping, logging, and
in heavy toil on their lauds, where several together
could work at better advantage than alone.
They were " given to hospitality." They aided, as-
sisted, and helped one another ; with a liberality and
kindness, that seems remarkable in contrast with the
selfishness of older society.
If a family came in, who had not in advance built
themiselves a cabin for their residence, they had no
difficulty in finding a stopping place with almost any
settler, who had got a house, until a log house could
be built. And the best of it was, all the men in the
neighborhood assembled at a "bee," and built a log
house gratis, for their new friends, if it was necessary.
If a man fell sick in seed time, or harvest, and could
not do his work, his neighbors would turn in and sow
his seed, or gather his crop for him. If a family was
out of provisions, everybody, who had a stock, shared
with the needy ones.
A happy feature of this primitive society was the
50 PIONEER HISTORY
entire absence of caste, dividing the people into class-
es, and making social distinctions. Everybody was
considered just as good, and no better, than every-
body else. All met and mingled on terms of social
equality.
At the dancing parties, quilting frolics, weddings
and other gatherings of the people for social enjoy-
ment, everybody in the neighborhood was invited,
whether they wore "store clothes," or common home-
spun ; and they commonly all attended.
People generally were acquainted with everbody
near them. Old people are living, who say for sever-
al years they knew every family in town ; and used
to visit with them, going often on foot miles through
the woods, by marked trees, to meet together.
As clearing away the forest, and doing the heavy
work of beginning settlements in the woods, constitu-
ted the main business of the pioneers ; they thus
learned to value ability to excel in whatever was use-
ful in their calling.
Hence, at their loggings, raisings, and other assem-
blings for work, or play, friendly trials of strength or
; skill, found favor. Contests in chopping, lifting, cut-
ting wheat and other tests of muscle, were common ;
-and seldom did a number of young men meet on a
..festive occasion without forming a ring for wrestling.
The pioneers, at their first coming here, were gener-
ally young. They were resolute, intelligent, deter-
mined and persistent ; for no others would quit the
comparative ease, safety and comfort of older socie-
ty, to encounter the certain hardships, perils and dis-
couragements of frontier settlement in the woods, in
such a country as this was. The true grit of the emi-
grant was proved hy the fact that he came here ; and
such men were not to be driven back by hardships,
want, sickness or misfortune.
While the hope and resolution of the settler could
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 51
not protect him from sickness and calamity, they fill-
ed him with fortitude to endure them, gave him a
keen relish to enjoy whatever in his way might afford
a pleasure.
Looking at these pioneers from the standpoint of
the present day, an observer might well conclude they
were as happy then, as their descendents are now, on
the same ground. Many who began here in poverty
and want and worked their way through every diffi-
culty to wealth and abundance, have often said in
their old age, their happiest days in life were spent in
their old log houses, away back among the stumps.
EARLY MERCHANTS— THEIR STORES AND GOODS.
Soon after the settlement of this county, asheries
were built; the large quantities of wood ashes, produced
in burning the log heaps in clearing land, were a
source from which money could be made easier than
from crops of grain raised.
The#se ashes were leached in rude leaches ; the lye
obtained was boiled down to a semi-solid state, call-
ed black salts ; and then sold to Mr. James Mather,
or some owner of an ashery, who put the salts
through the processes of making potash, or pearlash,
a refined kind of potash, the use of which is now super-
ceded by saleratus.
These products of ashes brought some money and
were taken by the merchants in exchange for their
goods.
Before the canal was made, merchants' goods were
brought in by water, by way of Lake Ontario, or on
wagons, from Albany.
Robert Hunter and brothers, of Eagle Harbor, were
teamsters who traveled to and from Albany with
large teams of horses to wagons and brought in most
of the goods used here for several years, before they
came by the canal.
52 PIONEER HISTORY
A wagon load would go a great way in stocking a
store then. The important and heavy article of whisky
was made sufficient for home consumption here.
Merchants did not then as now confine their trade
to a single line of goods, as hardware, drugs, grocer-
ies, &C, but tueir stock, in the common language of
their advertisements, comprised "all the articles usu-
ally called for at a country store ;' ' and that meant
everything the people wanted to buy at a store. The
wants of the settlers were few and simple in the line
of such goods. They confined their purchases to ar-
ticles of prime necessity, which they could not well
do without, such as tools to work with, building ma-
terials, &c, which did not grow upon their land ; an oo
casional calico dress, and a few kinds of utensils,
such as they could not make at home.
These goods were generally bought on credit, the
pay being promised to meet the wants of the merchant
when he went to New York, a journey he undertook
about twice a year. These debts were not all paid
when due, and many of them were collected by legal
process, and many of them were lost to their owners.
The credit system was a bad one for both parties in
many cases. People found it very difficult to pay
their store debts before the canal was made; for
though they had a large and good farm, plenty of the
finest wheat, and possibly a stock of cattle, hogs and
horses ; they had no money, and could not sell their
stuff for money, as they could not get it to a market.
Timber was plenty, and sawmills had been built
about the time the canal became navigable ; and saw-
ed lumber then paid store debts ; and wheat, pork,
flour and produce of all kinds, that could go to mar-
ket on the canal, found a ready sale* at fair prices ;
and thus means to pay debts would be obtained. *
DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES.
Most of the early settlers were New England Yan-
OF OELEANS COUNTY. 53
kees, of that class, who, if they wanted a tiling they
had not got, they made it. With very few tools, and
those of the simplest kinds, they made almost every
thing required, that could be produced from the ma-
terials on hand.
They brought in a lev/ clothes when they came ;
when these were worn out, they supplied their wants
with cloth made at home. The women made up the
common articles of clothing for their families. If the
man had a new coat, or other garment his wife did
not feel competent to make, the cloth was taken to
some one properly skilled, to he cut out, and a tailor-
ess would come to his house, and make it up. These
itinerant seamstresses, did most of the needlework re-
quired by the family, and which they could not do
themselves ; the modern classification of needle wo-
men into milliners, mantau makers, dress makers, &c,
did not then prevail.
The people got their leather made by neighboring-
tanners, and from such stock, a traveling shoemaker
visited the houses of his customers, and made and
mended their shoes and boots. The boys and girls,
and some of the older folks, commonly went barefoot
in the summer, and often in the winter likewise.
POST OFFICES AND MAILS.
Mr. Merwin S. Hawley of Buffalo, son of Judge
Elijah Hawley, who resided in Ridgeway in his boy-
hood, and speaks from his recollection says :
"In 1815, the only mail to and through Ridgeway,
was carried on horseback twice a week, between Can-
andaigua and Lewiston. Oct, 22, 1S1G, a post office
was established at Ridgeway Corners, named "Oak
Orchard," Elijah Hawley, postmaster.
The mail was now carried in two horse carriages,
three times a week each way ; stopping over night at
Huff's tavern in East Gaines.
54 PIONEER HISTORY
Aug. 24, 1817, a post office was established at Oak
Orchard Greek, on the Ridge, which place was then
growing to be a smart village, and James Brown was
appointed postmaster there.
To make the names of the offices conform to the
name of the places where they were located, the new
post office was called " Oak Orchard," and the name
of the other was changed to "Ridgeway, " Mr. Haw-
ley holding the office of postmaster there until his
death. During this year, (1817,) a daily line of mail
stages, each way, between Rochester and Lewiston,
on the Ridge Road, was commenced.
A post office was established at Gaines, July 1,
1816, Wm. J. Babbitt postmaster.
The next post office in Orleans County was located
at Shelby Center, and got its mail from Ridgeway.
Post offices were located in other parts of the coun-
ty from time to time, as the wants of increasing popu-
lation required.
CHAPTER IX.
THE ERIE CANAE.
When Begun — Effect — Rise in Price ot Everything— Progress of Im-
provement— Carriages on Springs.
jllr HE work in digging the Erie Canal was begun
r:^3 on ^ne middle section near Utica, on the 4th of
*$? July, 1817. In 1823, the eastern part of the
canal was so far completed, that in November boats
from Rochester reached Albany, at the same time
with boats from Lake Champlain, on the Champlain
Canal. And in Nov., 1825, a fleet of boats from Buf-
falo passed the entire length of the Erie Canal, carry-
ing passengers to the Grand Canal Celebration at New-
York.
To no part of the State of New York has the Erie
Canal proved of more benefit than to Orleans County.
Although the soil was fertile and productive, and
yielded abundant crops to reward the toil of the
farmer, yet its inland location and great difficulty of
transporting produce to market, rendered it of little
value at home. Settlers who had located here, in
many instances, had become discouraged. Others,
who desired to emigrate to the Genesee country, were
kept back by the gloomy accounts they got of life in
the wilderness, with little prospect of easy communi-
cation with the old Eastern States to cheer the hope.
As soon as the Canal became navigable, Holley,
Albion, Knowlesville and Medina, villages on its
banks, were built up. Actual settlers took up all
the unoccupied lands, and cleared them up. No
56 PIONEEK HISTORY
speculators came here and bought up large tracts,
and left them wild, to rise on the market. The lum-
ber of the country found a ready market and floated
away. Wheat was worth four times as much as the
price for which it had been previously selling. Pros-
perity came in on every hand ; the mud dried up, and
the musketoes, and the ague, and the fever, and the
bears, left the country. Farmers paid for their
lands, surrendered their articles, and took deeds from
the Company. Good barns and framed houses, and
houses of brick, and stone began to be built, as the
common dwellings of the inhabitants. "The good
time coming,'7 which the first settlers could not see,
but waited for, with a faint and dreamy but persistent
hope, had come indeed. The price of lands rose rap-
idly, making many wealthy, who happened to locate
farms in desirable places, from the rise in value1 of
their lands. From this time forward, rich men, from
the Eastern States, and older settlements, began to
come in and buy out the farms and improvements of
those who had begun in the woods and now found
themselves, like Cooper's Leather Stocking, "lost in
the clearings," and wished to move on to the borders
of civilization, where the hunting and fishing was bet-
ter and where' the ruder institutions, manners and
customs of frontier life, to which they had become at-
attached, would be better enjoyed among congenial
spirits.
The clearing away of shade trees, thus drying up
the mud and the substantial bridges over streams
and leveled and graveled highways, which the num-
bers and abundant means of the people, now enabled
them to establish, occasioned a demand for other car-
riages for the conveyance of these now independent
farmers and their families.
Time was when they went to mill and to meeting,
,to the social visit, or the quilting frolic, happy on an
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. ;><
ox sled. A little progress, and pride and ambition
substituted horses and lumber wagons as the common
vehicles of travel, in place of the oxen and sleds.
A buggy was no more known or used than a balloon
in those wagon days, and when the canal was first
made navigable, there was not probably a one-horse
buggy in Orleans County. Indeed several years after
boats began trips on the canal, Messrs. R. S. & L.
Burrows, then merchants in Albion, broughl on six
or eight one-horse wagons, with wooden springs under
the seats, manufactured in Connecticut, and put them
on sale ; and great was the wonder of the people, and
the comment they made upon the amazing luxury
and comfort and ease in riding in these little rattling,
jolting machines.
CHAPTER X.
PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.
The Ridge Road— When Laid Out — Appropriation — Oak Orchard
Road — Opened by Holland Company — Road from Shelby to Oak
Orchard in Barre — Salt Works Roads — State Road along Canal —
Judge Porter's Account of first Tracing the Ridge Road.
LTHOUGH the Ridge Road had been travel-
3§b <Jd by the Indians from time immemorial, and
after the settlement of the country by white
men, improvements had been made by cutting out
trees, and making the crossings at the streams of
water more passable, yet many large trees still ob-
structed the carriage way, and bridges were wanted
in many places. In April, 1814, the Legislature of
the State appropriated §5,000, and appointed com-
missioners to apply said sum to the improvements of
such parts of said road between Rochester and Lewis-
ton, as said commissioners should think proper, for
the public benefit. This appropriation, together with
some labor by the few inhabitants then living on this
route, made the Ridge road a tolerably fair wagon
road.
The Ridge road, so called, was regularly laid out
and established by Philetus Swift and Caleb Hopkins,
under an Act of the Legislature passed Feb. 10, 1815,
An act providing for a re-survey of the Ridge Road,
from Rochester to Lewiston, was passed March 24,
J 852, John LeValley, Grosvenor Daniels and William
J. Babbitt were appointed commissioners to superin-
tend the work through Orleans County. Darius W.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 59
Cole, of Medina, was the Surveyor, and the road was
re-surveyed and established six rods wide. Although
the Ridge road had been opened and traveled many
years, no survey and record of it had been made be-
fore Swift & Hopkins' survey.
Mr. Lewis W. Gates, formerly of Gaines, relates
that about the year 1843, Judge Augustus Porter,
then of Niagara Falls, gave him the following account
of the Ridge Road.
He, Judge Porter, and others, were interested in
surveying and locating a large tract of land west of
Genesee River, since known as The Triangle. The
Indians told them there was a gravelly ridge extend-
ing from the Genesee to Niagara River. Porter and
his company employed a surveyor named Eli Gran-
ger, to go with a few men and trace a road through
on this Ridge, from river to river, and they traced the
Ridge Road through near its present location, in 1798.
The Oak Orchard Road was the first highway cross-
ing Orleans County north and south, that was open-
ed and worked. Supposing, as everybody then did,
that the trade from this part of the country must go
by the lake, and that Oak Orchard Harbor would be
its place of embarkation, the Holland Company and
the settlers, at an early day opened this road for
teams, made log causeways through wet places and
bridged the streams. It was a rough road, but teams
could get through with light loads, as early as before
the war.
Andrew A. Ellicott built a mill on the Oak Orchard
Creek, at Shelby Center, about the year 1813. To ac-
commodate travel to this mill and promote the sale
of land, the Holland Company cut out a highway
leading from the Oak Orchard road near the County
Poor House, to Shelby Center. This highway follow-
ed the ridge of highest land, crooking about on places
where it could be easiest constructed. It is still used
60 PIONEER HISTORY
as a public highway, and is traveled on or near the
line originally followed. This was the first road cut
out for teams, east and west, south of the ridge. As
the timber which grew in this County was generally
hard wood and decayed soon, tew fallen trees, or logs
lay in the woods to obstruct teams passing- anywhere
in the forest, where standing timber or swamps did
not prevent ; and the course of travel was directed by
marked trees, until enough inhabitants had come in
to lay out and work roads.
Before the forest was cleared from this county,
much of the land was wet, and in fitting a highway
for travel, a large amount of log causeway had to be
laid, in places now dry hard land. Where the Oak
Orchard Road crosses the canal in Albion, and for
many rods north and south of the canal, such a cause-
way was laid. Indeed, many farms, which in a wild
state, were not taken by settlers at first, because they
were so low and wet, now, on draining the water off,
and cutting away the trees, are the best farming land
in the neighborhood.
The Ridge Road was laid out six rods wide, and
the Oak Orchard Road four rods wide. In selling
lands bordering on the Ridge Road, or the Oak Orch
ard Road, the Holland Company bounded the tract
they sold by the outer lines of the road ; thus giving
the lands the roads covered to the public. In selling-
lands on all other roads, they deeded to the center of
the highway. When no natural obstruction prevent-
ed, highways were laid out on the line of lots accord-
ing to the Company' s survey, and then the owners on
each side gave each the half of the road.
Works were put up by the Holland Company for
the manufacture of salt, at the salt springs north of
Medina, as early as 1805, and opened for use by the
settlers. To facilitate access to these works, the Com-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 61
pany cut out two roads, about the same time, one
leading south from the works, to the " Old Buffalo
Road ;' ' the other south-easterly, to the Oak Orchard
Road. These highways were known as the Salt
Works Road. When the manufacture of salt there
was discontinued, the Salt Works Road was dicontin-
ued.
Frequently, when a new road became a necessity,
all the settlers would turn out with their teams, and
cut out the trees, and clear them from the roadway,
and build such sluiceways as were necessary and so
make a highway passable, to be worked up when the
roots had rotted out and the people of the district
had got able to do so.
About the year 1824, the people along the Ridge
Road turned out on the 4th day of July and celebra-
ted the day, by cutting out a highway from the Ridge
north to Waterport which is now the road leading
from Eagle Harbor to Waterport.
An Act of the Legislature was passed April 2, 1827,
appointing John P. Patterson, Almon H. Millerd and
Otis Turner, commissioners to locate and lay out a
public highway, four rods wide, leading from Roch-
ester to Lockport, " on, or near the banks of the Erie
Canal." A highway was located and laid by said
commissioners, Jesse P. Haines, of Lockport, being
the surveyor, pursuant to said Act. For most of the
way said highway was laid on the south side of the
Canal. The records of said survey and highway
were tiled in the County Clerk's offices, and in the
several towns through which it passed, and the road
established Oct. 1, 1827. The law required the com-
missioners of highways in the several towns, to open
the road to travel ; and it was done by them along
the most of the line where the public convenience re-
quired it. Considerable of this road was never open-
62 PIONEER HISTORY
ed, and the franchise was suffered to be lost to the
public by non-user.
This was known as the State Road. Through the
village of Albion, it is called State Street.
CHAPTER XI.
RAILROADS IN ORLEANS COUNTY.
Medina and Darien — Medina and Lake Ontario — Rochester, Lockport
and Niagara Falls.
AY 5, 1834, an Act of the Legislature was
passed incorporating the Medina and Darien
Railroad Company, to construct a Railroad ;
and the road was built from Medina to Akron, in Erie
County, twelve or fourteen miles, and fitted for cars,
to be drawn by horses. It went into operation about
1836. After a short trial, it was found to be an un-
profitable investment, the track was taken up, and
the road discontinued.
This was the first Railroad incorporated to be made
in this county.
In 183C, the Medina and Ontario Railroad Company
was incorporated by the Legislature, to construct a
Railroad between Medina and Lake Ontario, at the
mouth of Oak Orchard Creek. Nothing further was
ever done towards opening this road.
The Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Rail-
road Co. was organized December 10, 1850. It passes
through the county near the Erie Canal on the south
side. This road has since been consolidated in the
New York Central Railroad, by which name it is
now known, its original corporate name being drop-
ped.
The construction of this Railroad has proved of im-
mense benefit to Orleans County.
CHAPTER XII.
STATE OF EDUCATION.
School Houses — Description — Gaines Academy — Other Academies and
Schools.
It. & ETTLERS on the Holland Purchase reverenced
the institutions existing in New England, from
which the majority of them came, and endeav
ored to engraft them upon their social organization in
their new homes in the woods. They believed the
safety and permanence of the free government of their
country was found in the intelligence of the people ;
and among their first labors, after providing shelter
and food for their children, was the building of school
houses and furnishing instruction there. Before
enough families had located in a neighborhood to
erect even a log school house and supply it with
scholars, it was not uncommon for a school to be
opened in some log cabin, where a family resided.—
All the children in the neighborhood came in, or were
brought upon the backs of their fathers through the
pathless forest, when the weather was bad, and at-
tended these schools. School houses were built, and
well patronized, before school districts were organized,
and parents did the best they could to give their
children the elements of a common education, at least.
Orleans County was not behind any part of the
country in its zeal for schools. The earlier school
houses were made of logs, much after the same pat-
tern as the dwelling places of the people, such struc-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 65
tures as would now be considered extremely uncom-
fortable, inconvenient and ill adapted to the purpose
for which they were made.
They were badly lighted, badly ventilated, small,
cold, cheerless and dismal places. Every internal ar-
rangement was uncomfortable compared with school
houses now. But nobody complained.
After a few years this state of things improved. Ae
population increased, and wealth began to accumu-
late, better accommodations were procured.
The people of the town of Gaines, living along their
beautiful natural Ridge Road, believed trade and
business for the county must center there ; and before
the county buildings were located at Albion, they be-
gan to devise projects for building up a village there,
which should insure to them the full benefit of the lo-
cation. They had several stores, and mechanic shops.
They established a printing press, and published the
first newspaper in the county, and proposed to found
an Academy. The location of the Court House at Al
bion was to them a sad disappointment, they did not
despair, however, but established their Academy,
which was incorporated in the year "1827. This was
the first incorporated literary institution in Orleans
County. A brick building, three stories high, was
erected by the joint efforts of the school district, and
the friends of the Academy and for some years it was
occupied by both schools. The Academy was well
patronized, while it was without a rival, but when.
Academies were erected in other towns in the neigh-
borhood, Gaines Academy began to languish, and fi-
nally ceased to exist as a school. The building was
fitted up as a dwelling house, and as such still re-
mains. Academies were established at Albion in
1837, at Millville in 1840, at Yates in 1842, at Medina
in 1849, at Holley in 1850. The Phipps Union Semi-
nary was established at Albion about 1833, and in-
66 PIONEEK HISTORY
corporated by the Regents of the University in 1840.
This Seminary is a boarding and day school for the
instrnction of girls only. Its course of study includes
all the solid and ornamental branches of education
usually taught in the best schools for females in this
country. It is one of the oldest institutions of the
kind in this part of the State, and has sustained a
high reputation.
CHAPTER XIII.
STATE OP RELIGION.
Religious Feeling among the People — Ministers and Missionaries
Meeting House in Gaines — First in County — Building.
ELIGION was not forgotten by the first set-
tlers of Orleans Comity, and amid all their
hardships and difficulties, they never omitted
attending to the public worship of God. For some
years they had no church organizations, or settled
ministers of the gospel, or houses built expressly for
places of public worship. They had religious meet-
ings however in their log cabins, sometimes conduct-
ed by a preacher, sometimes with none. As soon as
school houses were built, they held their meetings in
them. Though many of the settlers were members of
Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, or other denomina-
tions, in the old States, from which they came, here
they kept up no denominational distinction. If it
Was announced that a religions meeting was to be held
in some place, everybody for miles around attended
it, never stopping to inquire to what denomination
the preacher belonged. Many old people remember
with dee]) emotion some of those solemn seasons of
prayer and praise, enjoyed by them in company with
all those who loved God and his worship, in their
neighborhood, in some little log shanty in the woods.
As the first settlement of the comity began on the
lake shore in Carlton, and gradually extended along
the Ridge Road, so religions meetings were held first
in Carlton.
68 PIONEER HISTORY
About the year 1800, Rev. Mr. Steele, a Methodist
preacher, came over from Canada and visited as a
missionary those settlers, who had come into Carlton,
and preached to them whenever he could get a con-
gregation together. He is said to have been the first
preacher of any denomination. He was soon follow-
ed by Elders Irons, Dutcher. and Carpenter, Baptists;
and Puffer, Hall, Gregory, and others, Methodists.
Before 1820, a Baptist church was formed in Gaines,
a Congregational church in Barre, another in Ridge-
way, and from that time forward, the people united
in such church organizations as were agreeable to
their views of religious truth and duty, instead of
those common meetings of all, which prevailed at an
earlier day.
In the year 1824, a company of citizens of Gaines,
viz: Oliver Booth, 2d, Elisha Nichols, Elijah I).
Nichols, James Mather, VanRensselaer Hawkins,
Elijah Blount, Jonathan Blount, Jr.. Zelotes Sheldon,
John J. Walbridge, Romeyn Ostrander and Asahel
Lee, united together and built the meeting house now
standing in the west part of the village, " for the ben-
efit of the Congregational and Baptist Societies in the
town of Gaines, each society to use the same for one-
half of the time alternately. When not occupied by
said societies, to be free for public worship for any
other religious society." The proprietors sold the
slips in the house, and gave the purchase money, af-
ter paying for building the house, to aid in building
Gaines Academy.
This was the first church edifice erected in Orleans
County. For several years it was occupied according
to the intent of the founders. It has now been trans-
ferred to a Methodist society.
CHAPTER XIV.
BUSYING GROUNDS.
Mount Albion Cemetery — Boxwood Cemetery — Hillside Cemetery.
. URYING places for the dead were established
in convenient localities, in the early settlement
of Orleans County. One of the oldest of these
is at the village of Gaines, on the Ridge Road. Mr.
Oliver Booth, who owned the land, gave half an acre,
on condition that the neighboring inhabitants would
clear oft* the trees with which it was covered, which
they did.
Under the statute in such case made, many of these
rural old burying places have been put under the care
of Cemetery Associations, duly incorporated under
the general law. Others have been vested in the
towns in which they are situated, under an old law,
which provided that burying grounds, which before
then had been used a certain length of time by the
public, should be so vested.
In the vicinity of the large villages however, more
extensive grounds have been devoted as burial places.
The most considerable of these is " MOUNT ALBIOH
Cemetery," situate two miles south-east from the vil-
lage of Albion. This burying place, including about
twenty-live acres, was purchased by the village of Al-
bion, in May, 1843, for $1,000. it was then an un-
broken forest. The natural advantages of this Ceme-
tery, for the purpose designed, can scarcely be equal-
70 PIONEER HISTORY
ed by any similar grounds in the country. It was
dedicated Sept, 7, 1843.
Before Mount Albion was purchased, a burying
ground was used on the south side of the canal, easl
of the creek, in Albion. The bodies have all been re-
moved from that ground, and burying there discon-
tinued.
From the first, and until 1802, Mount Albion Cem-
etery was under the care of the Trustees of the village.
By an Act passed March 26, 1862, the control of the
Cemetery was vested in three commissioners, to be ap-
pointed by the village Trustees. Dr. Lemuel C. Paine,
Lorenzo Barrows and Henry J. Sickels, were appoint-
ed such commissioners, and they have been ever since
continued in office. Lots in this Cemetery arc sold to
whoever will buy, the purchasers not being confined
to inhabitants of the village of Albion, and owners of
lots reside in every town in the county.
The first persons dying in Medina . were buried
wherever their friends could find a place; but in the
fall of 1830, Mr. David E. Evans, by his agent Mr.
Grwynn, gave an acre of land for a burying ground, on
the cast side of Gwynn Street, south from the railroad
depot, on which t\w first corpse buried was the wife of
Edmund Fuller, in 1830.
These grounds have been used for burials ever since.
In I860, Mr. John Parsons interested himself in get-
ting the fences around these grounds repaired, with
contributions furnished him for the purpose ; and in
order suitably to mark the spot, by some fitting mem-
orial, winch at small expense would be likely to stand
many years ; he procured and planted, as near as
might be, in the center of the grounds, a, fir tree, un-
der the center of which, in a glass jar, inclosed in lead,
he deposited various articles, as mementos of the times
and people of Medina at present. This tree is now
growing vigorously.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 71
"Boxwood Cemetery" lies a little north of M< di-
na, on the east side of the gravel road leading to the
Ridge, and contains about six acres, and is owned by
the village of Medina. Messrs. S. M. Burroughs,
G-eo. Northrop, Caleb Hill and others, bought this
ground wliile a forest, of Mr. Gwynn, for a, Cemetery,
in 1848. They sold it to the village for $600, and
it was laid out in lots, and formally opened for
burial purposes, in 1850. David Card was the first
person buried here, in 1849.
Many bodies of the dead buried in the old ground
in Medina, have been removed to Boxwood Cemetery,
and this is now the principal burying place for the
village ami vicinity.
" Hillside Cemetery" is the name of a burying
place belonging to "The Holley Cemetery Associa-
tion," which was organized Bee 11, 1866. In Jan..
I8G7, the association purchased about seven and three-
fourths acres of land, lying about half a mile son:!; of
the business part of Holley village, and south of the
corporation limits, at a, cost of $1,100. .V. large
sum lias since then been expended by the Association
in improving these grounds, grading I . and
ornamenting and fitting up the premis
.V large part of this burying place has been laid oat
in lots, carefully numbered, mapped and the map tiled
in the County Clerk's office. These lots are sold by
the Trustees and deeded to purchasers.
August 17, 1867, tliis Cemetery was formally dedi-
cated by appropriate religious ceremonii ••.
The affairs of the Association are managed by nine
Trustees, who serve in classes, three years. Trustees
now in office, (1871,) are John Berry, Sargent Ensign.
Nelson Hatch, .Tames Gibson, Samuel Spear, Humph-
rey Ruggles, Simon Harwood, Ely 11. Cook and Or-
ange A. Eddy. John Berry, President, Orange A.
Eddy, Secretary.
72 PIONEER HISTORY
Shade trees have been set around the grounds and
many trees and ornamental shrubs planted.
The soil is well adapted to the purpose designed. —
The location is pleasant and commodious to the vil-
lage of Holley and surrounding country and the
good taste and liberality displayed by the people of
Holley and vicinity in founding and fostering this
Cemetery is creditable to their public spirit, refined
feelings and proper regard for their best interests.
CHAPTER XV.
THE TOWN OF BARKE.
First settled along Oak Orchard Itoad— Land Given by the Holland
Company to Congregational Society — Congregational Church — Pres-
byterian Church in Albion — First Tavern — First Store — First Law-
yer— First Doctor — First Deed of Land to Settler— Deeds of Land in
Albion — First House in Albion — Death of Mrs. McCallistcr — First
"Warehouse — First Saw Mill — First Grist Mill — Trade in Lumber —
First Ball— First Town Meeting— Fourth of July, 1821— First Wed-
ding in Albion — Story — Biographies of Early Settlers.
%
'■&k
p HIS town, so named by Judge John Lee, in
§[ honor of Barre, Mass., his native town, was
set oft* from Gaines, by Act of the Legislature.
Marcli 0, 181 S. At the time of the first settlement of
this town, the main road, by which people traveled to
and from the old States, whs the Ridge road. The
Ridge was always dry and comfortable for travel
when the streams, which cross it, could be forded, be-
fore the bridges were made ; but on leaving the Ridge
north or south, when the ground was not frozen, the
roads were terribly muddy, long tracts of lowland
requiring to be covered with logs laid transversely
side by side for a carriage track, called " corduroy."
As this was a work of considerable labor, the settlers
had to wallow through the mud as best they could,
until they were able to build their highways.
There were no sawmills, and even if there had been
mills, upon such roads lumber could not be moved to
market, and there was no market for lumber south of
the Ridge, before tin1 canal was dug.
The Indians had a trail, or Indian road, from their
74 PIONEER HISTORY
settlements in Livingston county, on the Genesee riv-
er, to an Indian village in Niagara county ; and an-
other trail from the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek, to
intersect the first mentioned trail, which was used by
white men and known as the Oak Orchard Road,
passing through Barre, from north to south. On this
trail or road, the travel to Batavia was conducted. —
It was not passable for carriages, as the Indians had
none, and the settlers had to clear the brush and re-
move the fallen trees, which obstructed, before they
could get their teams through. This was done by the
Holland Company at an early day.
Several families came into Barre before the war of
1812, but that event nearly suspended emigration
while it lasted.
Salt was made on the Oak Orchard Creek north of
Medina, before the canal was made ; and to accom-
modate the people and benefit themselves, the Holland
Company opened a road from the Salt Works, in a
south-easterly direction, to intersect the Oak Orchard
Road, about two miles south of Albion. This was
known as the " Salt Works Road" and was discon-
tinued man}' years ago.
Among the inducements offered by the Land Com-
pany to settlers on their lands, was an offer of a tract
of land, to the first religious society that should be
organized in each town on their Purchase. In pursu-,
ance of this custom, the Holland Company deeded,
March 8, 1822, to the Trustees of "The First Congre-
gational Society in the town of Barre," one hundred
acres of land, lying on the north pail of Lot nineteen,
town fifteen, range two ; being part of the farm after-
wards cleared and owned by Azariah Loveland. —
The deed conveys this land to said "Trustees and
their successors in office, for the benefit of the said
Congregational order, and those who preach the doc-
trines contained in the Assembly's Catechism, and no
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 75
other." Ho careful were our fathers in Bane, to pro-
vide for keeping their religions faith pure, and free
from heresy, as they regarded it. That religious so-
ciety was the first organized in Barre, and still exists,
now located at Barre Center. Its tirst hoard of Trus-
tees was Orange Stan-, Cyril Wilson, Ithamar Hib-
bard,John Bradner, Caleb C.Thurston and Oliver Ben-
ton. The church connected with this society, was or-
ganized Dec. 5, 1817.
"The First Presbyterian Society of Albion" was
incorporated March 20. 1826, and was the second re-
ligious society incorporated in the town of Barre, and
the tirst in the village of Albion. Its first Trustees
were Harvey Goodrich. Joseph Hart. Ebenezer Rogers,
William White, Hiram Sickels, and Milton W. Hop-
kins. Their first house of worship, the same now oc-
cupied by the Episcopalians, was erected in 1830. —
The whole number of communicants, in this church
at its organization, was sixteen. liev.Wm. Johnson,
their tirst pastor, commenced his labors here in 1824.
The tirst tavern in Barre was kept by Abram Mat-
tison, in 1815, on the west side of the Oak Orchard
Road, about two miles south of Albion. The first
tavern in Albion was kept by Churchill, on the
south corner of Main and Canal Streets. The tirst
school was taught by Mrs. Silas Benton, in the south
part of what is now the village of Albion.
The first store, for the sale of dry goods and grocer-
ies, is believed to have been kept by E. & A. Mix, at
Porter's Corners. Mr, AbiatharMix removed to that
place, and took an Article for a tract of land, in 1817.
Being a mason by trade, and having no mason work
to do, he went into the business of making potash,
and selling goods, his brother, Ebenezer Mix, of Ba-
tavia, furnishing a pari of the capital.
About the year L819, a store was opened by Orris
70 PIONEEE HISTORY
H. Gardner, near Benton's Corners, on the Oak Orch-
ard Road.
The Oak Orchard Road was the first public high-
way laid out in this town. About 1803, the Holland
Company caused a survey to be made of this road
from "The Five Corners," in Gaines, about a mile
north of Albion, to the forks of the road south of Bar-
re Center. This survey was due north and south, to
straighten the old trail. The highway was not open-
ed and worked precisely as laid.
Many of the earliest locations of land by settlers
were made along this road, and it was these locations,
this highway and the Erie Canal, which established
the village of Albion.
The first regular lawyer in this town was Theophi-
lus Capen, who came here about the time work on
the Canal was begun, and kept an office for a while
in Albion. William J. Moody came to Albion to
practice law, a short time before the county of Orleans
was organized, he was followed by Alexis Ward,
Henry R. Curtis, A. Hyde Cole, Geo. W. Fleming
and several others.
Dr. Orson Nichoson was the first physician. He
settled in Barre in 1819.
The first deed of land lying in the town of Barre,
from the Holland Land Company, was given to Jacob
Young, dated June 7, 1813, and conveyed one hun-
dred acres of lot thirty-three, town fifteen, range one.
This land is now owned by Stepheu N. W7hitney, and
lies about a mile and a half south from Albion, on
the east side of the Oak Orchard Road.
William Bradner took a deed from the Company,
of the land in Albion, on the east side of Main Street,
from Bailey Street, to the north bounds of Barre,
December 3, 1819, containing two hundred and sixty -
six acres. Roswell Burrows took a like deed of one
hundred and sixty-one acres, lying on the west side
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 77
of Main Street, bounded north by the town line of
Gaines, October 11, 1825. This tract, so deeded to
Burrows, was taken up by Article from the Company
by Jesse Bumpus, in August, 1815, and afterwards
sold by him to Mr. Burrows. The land so deeded to
William Bradner, was taken by Article from the Land
Company, by William McCollister, about the year
1811. Mr. McCollister made the first clearing in the
village of Albion, where the Court House now stands,
The first dwelling house erected in Albion was a log
cabin, built by McCollister, near where Phipps Union
Seminary now stands. In that he lived, and there his
wife died, about the year 1812 ; being the first white
woman who died in the town of Barre. No clergy-
man was then in town to conduct religious services
on the occasion and no boards could be obtained to
make her coffin. Her sorrowing husband, assisted by
two or three men, split and hewed some rough planks
from trees, pinned them together with wooden pins,
to make a box, in which the corpse was placed, and
buried, this little company, present at this first funer-
al, comprised almost the entire population of the
town.
The first warehouse in town was built by Nehemiah
Ingersoll, on the canal, about fifteen rods east of Main
Street, in Albion.
The first saw-mill in town was built by Dr. Wm.
White, on the creek south-east of Albion, about eighty
rods south of the railroad, in the year 1816. William
Bradner built a small grist-mill on this creek, farther
down, in 1819.
For several }rears after the Erie Canal was first
opened, a brisk trade in white-wood lumber was car-
ried on, from timber cut convenient to draw to the ca-
nal. Good whitewood boards sold on the bank of the
canal for $5 per thousand feet, and other lumber at
corresponding prices. AVhitewood was a common
78 PIONEER HISTOEY
tree in tliis town. The lumber was carried to Albany.
After buildings began to be constructed by carpenters
and joiners, the floors and finishing were principally
done with whitewood.
The first regular ball in Barre was at Mattison's
tavern, July 4, 1819. To fit the house for the party,
tin1}' took up the split basswood floor and laid down
boards in the bar-room to dance on.
The first town meetings, after this town was organ-
ized, were held at Mattison's tavern, the next after-
wards at Benton's tavern.
The 4th of July, 1821, was celebrated by the peo-
ple of Barre in a grove near where " the round school
house" was afterwards built, on Lee Street. A com-
mittee was appointed, who procured the necessary
gunpowder, liqu< >r and sugar, at Batavia. Provisi. >ns
for the tables were furnished by voluntary contribu-
tion, and a dinner gotten up which was partaken of
by everybody in pic-nic style. Dr. Orson Nichoson
delivered an oration and the customary patriotic
toasts were drank, to the sound of discharges of mus-
ketry, as they had no cannon. In the evening, the
remains from the tables and the bottles, were taken
to a neighboring log cabin, and there dispose^ of by
all who chose to take part; and music and dancing,
and festivity, were kept up till next morning, by a
company of old and young. This was the first public
celebration of our National Independence in Barre.
Among the first settlers in Barre were William Mc-
Collister, Lansing Bailey, Joseph Hart, Joseph Stod-
dard, Elijah Darrow, Reuben Clark and Silas Benton.
The first marriage, in what is now the village of Al-
bion, took place under the following circumstances.
An action was tried before Robert Anderson, a Justice
of the Peace, at the village of Gaines, to recover dam-
ages for a hog that had. been killed by the defendant
wrongfully. The plaintiff recovered a judgment. As
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 79
soon as the result was declared, the defendant took
the Justice aside, and asked him to go at once to a.
house mentioned and many him ; giving as his reason
for haste, that execution would soon be issued against
him on the judgment, which he was unable to pay ;
that he would be taken to Batavia to jail, and, if he
was a single man, he did not know when he should
get out, but if he was married he could swear out in
thirty days. The Justice objected, that it was then
midnight, the house named was three miles off, the
night was dark, and the road was through the woods
most of the way. He finally agreed to go after get-
ting supper. In the mean time the would-be bride-
groom hurried to the house to wake up the family,
and the bride, and put a light in the window to guide
the Esquire. The marriage took place according to
programme. The house stood on the west side of
Main Street, about a quarter of a mile north of the
canal.
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
LANSING BAILEY.
The following is Lansing Baihy's history, written
by himself, for the Pioneer Association :
" I was born in the town of Stephentown, Rensse-
laer County, New York, Nov. 11, 1787.
When I was seven years old, my father removed to
\\ nitestown, Oneida County, New York.
In 1800, being then in my twenty-second year, 1 was
married to Miss Loda Parmelee, and in Nov. 1811, I
stalled, in company with two others, for the Genesee
country, on foot, with knapsacks and provisions on
our backs.
On the evening of the fifth day, we arrived at Dan-
iel Pratt's, an old acquaintance and relative, then re-
80 PIONEER HISTORY
siding on the Ridge Road, in the town of Gaines, a
little west of Gaines Corners.
The best locations on the Ridge Road had been ta-
ken, and also the best lots on the Oak Orchard Road,
for several miles south of the Ridge Road, but they
were not settled south of the 'Five Corners,' in what
is now Gaines.
Mysell and brother, took an Article from the Hol-
land Land Company, of two hundred and sixty acres,
lying one mile west of where Albion now stands. —
Five days after making our location, we started for
home by the way of Batavia. We had but little mon-
ey, consequently we bought but one meal on our out-
ward and homeward trip, $3.50 being the entire
amount of our expenses, which consisted in lodging
and a little of ' the creature' to wash down our dry
meals.
In February, 1812, putting all on board an ox sled
covered with cloth, with two yoke of oxen attached,
after bidding farewell to friends, with wife and child
aboard, whip in hand, we set out for our wilderness
home, my brother driving two cows, and three young
cattle.
After a journey of nine days, we arrived at Daniel
Pratt's, where we unloaded our goods, and I soon
started to find some wheat, which I found in Riga,
and got it ground in Churchville.
Soon after my return, myself and brother set out
for our future home.
There was a track as far as the Five Corners. Thus
far we took a grind stone, and six pail kettle, with
some other articles, were then about a mile and a half
from our place, and no track. The snow was about
three feet deep, with a hard crust about two feet from
the ground, sufficient to bear a man, but not a beast.
We commenced breaking the crust in the direction
of our place, and drove the cattle as far as we could
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 81
break that day, fell some trees for them to browse,
and one across the path to keep them from returning,
and we went back to the Five Corners for our lodging.
In the morning, we took a straw bed and some oth-
er articles on our backs, and went and found the cat-
tle all safe. That day we got through just before
night, foddered our cattle on browse ; fell a dry stub
and made a good fire from it; shoveled away the
snow, made us a bush shanty with some boughs to
lay our bed on, took supper and went to bed.
Next morning the snow on our feet and limbs,
which were a little too long for our shanty, was two
or three inches deep. However, we had a good nights
rest. We staid there until some time in April, going
to the Ridge every Saturday night, and returning ev-
ery Monday morning, with a weeks' provisions.
On one occasion we found one of our cows cast—
We divided the loaf with her, put a bell on her, and
if we could not hear the tinkle of the bell in the night
we got up and looked after her. Thus we earned our
cattle all safe through the winter.
When we went to the Five Corners to fetch our ket-
tle, while the snow crust was hard, on our return, our
dog barked earnestly at a large hollow tree, that had
fallen down. On looking into the hollow, we saw
two eyes, but could not tell what animal it was with-
in. My brother went after an ax and gun, while T
watched the hole. After til ling the hollow with sticks,
we cut several holes in the log, to ascertain the char-
acter of the animal. Soon however she passed one of
the holes, and we knew it was a bear. We then re-
moved the sticks, and put in the dog. The bear
seized the dog, and my brother reached in his hand
and pulled the dog out badly hurt. The bear pre-
sented her head at the hole, and 1 killed her with the
ax.
On searching the log, we found a cub, which we
82 PIONEER HISTORY
took home with us. It could not bite, but would try.
A Mrs. Adams, who had recently lost a babe, took
it and nursed it, until it got to be quite a bear, and
rather harsh in its manners.
As soon as the snow settled, we made us a hovel
house, such as we could lay up ourselves of logs,
twelve by fourteen feet square, with split logs for floor
and roof, the roof projecting over, to afford a shelter
to put things under, outside the house.
When the snow was mostly gone, three of us with
ax in hand went through on a line as near as we could,
cutting out the under-brush for a road, coming out a
little west of where Gaines village now is, on the Ridge
road, which is now called ' the Gaines Basin road.'
This we accomplished in less than half a day.
In a few days we had the satisfaction of introducing
Mrs. Bailey, my wife, into our new house and were
happy to get home
Our next work was to clear a small patch and sow
some apple seeds, carrying dirt in a tray to cover
them ; from those seeds originated many of the orch-
ards in Orleans County.
In June following we peeled basswood bark for
our chamber floor and elm bark for a roof to our
house.
Harvesting came and we went to Mr. James Math-
er's in Gaines, to reap wheat. He would not give us
one bushel of wheat per day for our work, as he gave
his other hands, but would give us seven bushels for
cutting a certain piece, which wTe did in two days. —
On my return home at night I found Mrs. Bailey had
left home, where she had gone I knew not till next
morning I learned she had been sent for to attend
Mrs. Daniel Pratt, who was sick and died soon after.
We cleared fifteen acres the first season. It was a
task in time of logging to get up our oxen in the
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 83
morning-, especially on Mondays, as they would have
Sundays to stray away into the woods.
On one occasion I started after them and found
their tracks near where Jonathan Whitney now lives,
on the Oak Orchard road, a mile and a half south of
Albion. I followed the tracks eastward all day,
crossing the Transit Line several times. I could tell
that line by the timber having been cut on it by the
Holland Company.
After a hard da}7' s toil and travel, making a good
tire I camped by it for the night and had a good
night1 s rest. In the morning I heard a dog bark and
a bell tinkle, I followed in the direction of these
sounds, carefully noting where I left the cattle tracks
and came out on the Ridge road, at Huff's tavern, in
East Gaines and was right glad to get something to
eat.
Mr. Rosier was there returning from the dangers of
the Avar, driving some cattle and mine had got in
with them. I renewed my pursuit and found my ox-
en about two miles south of the marsh, which lies
south of the Ridge, in East Gaines and glad was I to
get them home again.
When it was time to sow our wheat, we went with-
out bread three days rather than leave our work to
go to mill. I have been to Churchville, Johnson's
Creek, Rochester and Salmon Creek, for milling, be-
fore there were mills built nearer.
In the fall, I built me a good, comfortable log
house, without a board, nail, or pane of glass in it,
using bark for roof and chamber floor, split stuff for
gable ends, lower floor and doors and oiled paper
for windows, being compelled to exercise strict econ-
omy and also to be quite independent in building my
house. I found it however a good shelter and a com-
fortable home for several years.
Soon after I moved into mv house, mv brother left
S4 PIONEER HISTORY
for the east, leaving me in care of seven head of cattle
to cany through the winter, with no fodder except a
few cornstalks. Winter set in early and by the time
I had killed my winter's supply of venison, the corn-
stalks were all gone and I found all I could do to
keep fires and/odder my cattle, Sundays not except-
ed.
Thus I labored, cutting trees for the cattle as best
I could, until my brother's return, the latter part of
winter. We should not have attempted to winter our
cattle, had not persons here assured us our cattle
would winter with little or no care.
In June, 1812, the town of Ridgeway was set off
from Batavia, which before then comprised the whole
present county of Orleans. In April, 1813, the first
town meeting was held on the Ridge road, west of
Oak Orchard Creek. At that time, the flats along
the creek were covered with water from bank to bank.
In going to the town meeting, we, who lived east,
crossed the creek as best we could, on rafts of felled
trees.
At that election I was chosen one of the assessors
for the east part of the town. On the day appointed
for holding the general election, I started for Mr.
Brown' s, on Johnson' s Creek, where we were to open
the polls. When I came to the Oak Orchard Creek,
I put off my clothes and went through. On opening
the polls, the board were challenged by Paul Brown,
as not being free-holders ; true we were not, but we
did not regard it. We adjourned at noon to Mr. El-
licott's, at Barnegat, in what is now the town of
Shelby and next day to Ridgeway Corners and from
thence to Gaines Corners, where we closed.
The above journey was performed by the Board of
Inspectors of the Election on foot. I do not think
there was a horse in town at that time.
Thus far all had passed off pleasantly, soon after,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 85
however, I was taken sick with the fever and ague,
which was so severe as to confine me to the house. —
Dr. Wm. White was called to attend me. He came,
said he could give me something that would stop it,
"but would not advise me .to take it. I replied I would
take it on my own responsibility. He gave me arse-
nic. I took it. It stopped the ague, but I did not
get well for a long time.
On the 3d of May, 1813, my wife was confined. M3-
brother went to Five Corners for assistance, and when
he returned with one of the neighboring women, they
found me on one bed, my wife and one babe on an-
other bed, and another babe on a pillow, on a chair,
all right and doing well. I thought the woods was a
fruitful place.
I made a cradle from a hollow log, long enough to
hold one baby in each end, and being round, it need-
ed no rockers, and served our purpose nicely.
In July after, I called upon my neighbors, some of
whom lived several miles from me, to help me put up
a log barn. Some fifteen came. We found we could
not get through in season for them to get home that
day and rather than come again, they finished it,
though it got to be late before it was done and they
all staid over night, on beds spread on the floor, pio
neer fashion.
About this time, in 1813, one morning while we
were at breakfast, a man came in from the Ridge and
said the British had landed from the lake at the mouth
of Oak Orchard Creek and would probably come up
to the Ridge, if not repulsed. We were well armed.
My brother took the rifle and started on quick time.
I could not go as fast as they, but followed on as fast
as my strength would admit. I soon reached the
Ridge road and was glad to learn there was no dan-
ger. The enemy only wanted to steal some of Mr.
Brown's cattle, from near the Two Bridges, in Carlton.
86 PIONEER HISTORY
After I left home on this military expedition Mr.
Farr and Mr. Holsenburgli came to chop for me. —
They left their homes before the news came. We re-
turned about 4 o'clock afternoon the same day. Mr.
Darrow came with us to get a pig. With some diffi-
culty the men chopping could see my cabin from
where they were at work. My brother, as we came
near, gave a loud whoop, like an Indian. I stopped
him. He then blew a blast on a tin horn he had. I
stopped him again, saying supper was not ready. I
then threw my frock over my shoulders and went to
the pen to catch the pig. Farr and Holsenburgli
heard the whoop and the horn and saw me going to
the pen and mistook my frock for the blanket of an
Indian ; and hearing the pig squeal soon after, they
concluded the Indians had come and killed my fam-
ily and were going to finish with a feast from the
pigs ; and they started for their homes to get their
guns to fight the Indians. Mr. Farr then lived at the
Five Corners in Gaines and Mr. Holsenburgli, on the
place afterwards owned by Ebenezer Rogers, a mile
south of Albion.
Mr. Farr hurried home, got his gun and was ready
for a fight, Mr. Chaffee, on hearing the story, told
Mr. Farr it could not be true, as there were no Indians
landed and he saw us when we started for home.
Holsenburgli went directly to Mr. Harrow' s, before
any of the party had got back, told what had happen-
ed at my house, said Mrs. Harrow and Mrs. Hart and
their families must hide in the woods, as the Indians
would soon be there and actually got them started.
The men returned however in time to stop them.
While the above was being performed, we could
hear no sound from the axos, and knew not the reason
until near sunset, when Mr. Fan* came and explained
the whole transaction.
About the first of August, my brother was taken
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 87
with fever and ague. Some one told him of a remedy.
He tried it. a violent fever ensued, which lasted but a
few days, and he died, August 8th. Before my broth-
er was buried, my wife was taken sick with the same
fever and died on the 13th of the same month. They
were both in succession carried by friends to the
burying ground in Gaines, and interred there. Some
friends living on the Ridge took my children home
with them, while I returned to my desolate house to
spend one of the loneliest nights I ever knew, as there
was no one to accompany me home.
I informed my father of what had transpired. He
soon came and took two of my children home with
him. I hired a Mrs. Adams, a cousin of mine, to take
care of the other.
I was now so lonely that as soon as I could secure
my crops, I left home and went to my father's.
In the fall before leaving, Mr. Parmelee, a brother-
in-law came with a wagon to help secure my corn,
which we had planted among the logs. I did but lit-
tle work that season, not logging one acre.
On going into my cornfield Ave found it badly torn
down. We got a dog, and lantern in hand went at
night to the field. The dog started off furiously and
soon treed some animal up a large hemlock. On
looking up I could at times see eyes shine. We con-
cluded it was a bear, and each one selecting a small
tree to climb, in case the bear should come down and
attack us, I went to try my skill in shooting in the
darkness. Soon as I fired there was a screeching np
the tree. The creature must have gone nearly to the
to]) of the tree. Directly there was a cracking heard
among the limbs, I scrambled up my tree, and the
bear came down from hers.
No sooner had she struck the ground than the dog-
grappled in with her, but soon cried out piteously.
We thought the don- Was being killed. T hastened
88 PIONEEE HISTORY
down from my tree, called for the light to see to load
my gun. We walked up to the combatants and found
the dog biting instead of being bitten. Parmelee said
he did not climb his tree. He had some sport after-
wards telling how he had saved my life by holding
the lantern so that I could see and not climb off at
the top of the tree.
Before my return to the east, Mr. Caleb C. Thurs-
ton came to view the country, said he would move in-
to my house, if I would drive my oxen down and help
him up, as he did not wish to buy another yoke, and
would hire me to clear live acres when he bought a
lot ; to this I consented.
In the winter of 1814, Mr. Thurston moved on with
oxen and wagon. While gone to my father s, Lewis-
ton and Buffalo were burned and Capt. McCarty,
with a part of the Company to which I belonged,
went as far as Molyneaux tavern, where they sur-
rounded the house, shooting one Indian through the
window. Finding another helpless on the floor drunk,
a Mr. Cass pinned him to the floor with his bayonet.
The British soldiers ran up stairs and were taken
prisoners. Mr. Molyneaux said he would find rails
as long as they would find Indians, and they burned
the bodies of the killed.
In the summer following, I took my oxen and wag-
on and seventeen bushels of wheat, with Mrs. Thurs-
ton on the load, for a visit to Mr. Pratt* s and went to
mill beyond Clarkson. I returned as far as Mr.
Pratt's the next night about dark. I asked Mrs.
Thurston if she would venture through the woods with
me. She said she would and if we had to lay out,
we would do the best we could.
"When we left the Ridge and turned into the woods,
it was so dark I could not see my oxen, although I
was sitting on the foreboard. We arrived safe home,
without accident.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 89
I think it would be difficult in these days to find
women of sufficient fortitude to endure such hard-
ships and privations, as did these early pioneer
women.
At this time there was no clearing between my
place and the Ridge road.
The war with Great Britain was now raging along
our frontiers, in all its horrors. More settlers were
then leaving the country than were coming in. There
were then but five families in what was then called
Freeman's settlement, west of Eagle Harbor. No
road had been opened. We had to follow marked
trees as our guide.
Mr. Thurston's eldest daughter, then about ten
years old, went to stay with our friends there a few
days. She was taken sick and not able to walk
home. Her father and myself went after her and car-
ried her back to her father' s house, the most of the
distance on our backs. It was a hard lift for us to get
her up the bank of Otter Creek.
The first of September, our militia company was or-
dered to Buffalo. On the fifth we reached Batavia.—
Mr. Thurston being infirm, was allowed to return to
his family in their solitude. I was kept with the
Company, until the first of October, when I was dis-
charged and returned home, having received seven
dollars and fifty cents pay for services and two dol-
lars for extra labor.
I lodged the first night on ray return with the Ton-
awanda Indians. I have never since turned an Indian
away, who desired to stay with me over night.
Before I left home to go to Buffalo, as a soldier, I
had baited some pigeons. After we were gone, Mrs.
Thurston took the net and caught them and in this
way herself and children were provided witharich
repast, although so far off in the wilderness alone.
In tlie winter of 1815, with my pack on my back, 1
90 PIONEER HISTORY
returned to Whitestown, and on the 8th day of Feb-
ruary, was married to Miss Sylvia Pratt, who return-
ed with me to share alike the toils and blessings of
life, where, by the blessing of Gfod, we still remain.
I have had twelve children ; three died young, I
had the pleasure of sitting down with all the others at
my own table, the present summer, (1861) although
some of them reside eight hundred miles away from
me.
At the close of the war, settlers came in rapidly
and soon I was out of the woods, having it cleared
and settled all around me.
In the early settlement of the country, it was diffi-
cult to raise pigs, as the bears would catch them in
the summer. Consequently, pork was high priced,
and scarce. With my rifle, I could take what veni-
son I needed, and therefore fared well for meat. The
oil of the raccoon was first rate for frying cakes. —
Thus we fared sumptuously.
At one time, I had a sow and pigs in the woods. —
One day I heard the sow squeal. Being nearer to
them than to the house, I ran, supposing I could save
her. As I came near and hallooed, bruin dropped his
prey and reared up on his hind legs, when he saw
me he ran oft', but he had killed the hog. I got my
rifle and pursued, but saw no more of him.
In the summer of 1816, I heard a man's voice hal-
looing in the woods south of my house. I went to see
what was going on. Saw several men there and in-
quired what they were about. One of them said
they were going to make us a canal. I laughed at
them, and told them they would hardly make water
run up hill between here and Albany. I added, it
would be as long as I would ask to live, to be able to
see such a canal as they talked of in operation. How
little did I then know of what men could perform,
aided by intellectual culture and public wealth, hav-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 91
ing up to that time spent most of my life in the woods.
Before this we had to go to Batavia for our merchants
goods and to the Post-office.
The foregoing comprises what I think of now of my
pioneer life.
I cannot look back upon the past of my life and
contemplate what the good Lord has in his loving
kindness done for me, without acknowledging his
preserving care, and that too when the most of my
days have been spent in rebellion against him, in not
obeying his commands and in neglecting to acknowl-
edge him under the sore afflictions he has seen tit to
bring upon me and to sustain me under them ; and
above all, that in after life, He by his good spirit
should call after me, until I was brought to see and
feel his goodness, in the forgiveness of my sins and
to thank and praise him for all his mercies and to
ask that I may be accepted by him through the
merits of his Son, and have the pleasure of meeting
in his kingdom above, with all the old pioneers, not
of the woods only, but all those that are seeking a
better and a heavenly country.
LANSING BAILEY."
Dated— Barre, August 1, 1861.
Mr. Lansing Bailey, the author of the foregoing
sketch, died at his residence in Barre, December 1866,
aged 71) years. Many years before his death he sold
out the land he took up from the Holland Company
and bought the north-east part of lot 10, town 15,
range 2, of the Holland Purchase, on which he ever
after resided, and which is now occupied and owned
by his son, Timothy C. Bailey.
Lansing Bailey was a man of strong, native good
sense, who always stood high in the estimation of all
who knew him, highest with those whoknew him best.
He used to say when he left his father's house, his
father gave him a hoe and three sheep, and he thought
92 PIONEER HISTORY
Ms father did as well by him as he was able, as he
not only gave him a hoe, but taught him to dig, for
which lie always felt grateful.
Mr. Bailey was always industrious and frugal and
by a life of economy and prudence, acquired a
handsome property. lie was liberal and public
spirited in his character, almost always holding some
public office or trust. He was for many years Super-
visor of the town of Barre and was relieved from that
office only after he had peremtorily declined being
a candidate, against the wishes of a large majority in
his town.
GIDEON HARD.
Hon. Gideon Hard was born in Arlington, Vermont,
April 29, 1797. His grand-mother was sister of Col.
Seth Warner, celebrated in the history of the Revo-
lutionary war for his services in taking Ticonderoga,
and in the battle of Bennington. In his youth lie
labored first upon a farm, afterwards with an older
brother at the trade of house joiner for two years.
About this time he resolved to obtain a college
education. Being poor and dependent mainly on his
own exertions, like many other New England boys,
he taught school in the winter seasons and studied the
remainder of the time, until lie succeeded in passing
through Union College at Schenectady, where he re-
ceived his first degree in July, 1822. In the autumn
of that year he commenced studying law with Hon.
John L. Wendell, then of Cambridge, Washington
county, since law reporter of the Supreme Court of
the State of New York.
The rules of the Supreme Court at that time re-
quired three years of law study previous to admission
to practice. By the aid of his friend and teacher, J.L.
Wendell, he was allowed to take his examination at
the Ma)' Term of the Court 1825, and was then ad-
mitted attorney in the Supreme Court.
^cc^Cr^c WayhtC
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 93
In March, 1826, lie settled to practice his profession
in Newport, now Albion, but did not move his wife to
his new home until July of the same year.
He opened his office and began his practice.
In 1827 he was elected Commissioner of Schools for
Barre and in the autumn of that year he was ap-
pointed County Treasurer, an office he held six years.
In 1832 he was elected a Representative in Congress
from the district comprising Orleans and Niagara
counties, and took his seat in Congress in Dec. 1833,
during the first year of President Jackson's adminis-
tration, in political classification being ranked as a
Whig. In 1834 he was re-elected to Congress, and dur-
ing the long session of 1836 he served on the committee
on elections. The case ot James Graham, a member
from North Carolina, whose seat was contested, came
before that committee, where after a lengthy examin-
ation a majority of the committee reported in favor of
the contestant, General Newland.
Mr. Hard drafted a counter report of the minority
in favor of Graham, which he presented aiid advo-
cated in a personal effort before the House. He was
sustained by the vote of the House. This result, in a
body where he was largely in the minority, on a
question which was decided mainly on party grounds
and by his political opponents, was highly gratifying
to his political friends and party and flattering to his
ambition.
On the 4th of March 1837, he left Congress and re-
turned to Albion to practice his profession.
In 1841 he was elected Senator in the State Senate
to represent the eighth district of New York, and was
the only Whig Senator elected in the State that year.
The Senate of the State at that time constituted the
Court for the Correction of Errors, of which Court he
thus became a member.
The business of the Court consisted in reviewing
94 PIONEER HISTORY
the decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of
Chancery, which might be brought before them on
appeal. The Court held three terms of four weeks
each annually.
As the Senate was composed largely of civilians,
who in the decision of cases which came before them
while sitting as a court of law, did little more then
vote upon the final questions, the main labor of the
Court fell upon the members who were lawyers, in
investigating the questions of law presented, and
writing out the opinions that were given.
Mr. Hard took his share of this labor, thoroughly
examining the causes in the Court and writing out
his opinions in support of the conclusions to which
he arrived, many of which are published in the Law
Reports of the State.
In 1845 he was re-elected to the State Senate and
appointed Chairman of the Committee on Railroads.
In 1848 his office as Senator having terminated by
the adoption of the new constitution of the State,
which abolished the old Senate and Court for Correc-
tion of Errors, Mr. Hard was appointed a Canal Ap-
praiser, which office he held two years, and in 1850
returned to the practice of his profession until the fall
of 1856, when he was elected County Judge and Sur-
rogate of Orleans county, which office he held four
years.
The year 1860 he was in ill health and did little
business. The next three years he spent mainly in
attendance upon his sick wife. She died, an event
which broke up his family, and since then he has re-
sided most of the time with his children engaged in
no business.
Mr. Hard married Adeline Burrell, of Hoosic Falls
New York, in August, 1824.
They had two children, Samuel B. Hard, a lawyer
and business man residing in the city of New York,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 9f>
and Helen B. who married Geo. H. Potts, and resides
in New York also.
Mrs. Hard died at Albion Sept. 15, 1864.
EBENEZEE ROGERS.
Dea. Ebenezer Rogers was born in Norwich Conn.,
October 3, 1769. He married Betsey Lyman of Leba-
non, Connecticut, who died August 28, 1849. Mr.
Rogers removed from New England to Onondaga Co.,
N. Y., in 1812, and in March, 1810, settled on the
farm on which he afterwards resided in the south part
of the village of Albion. When lie came, not more
than twenty families had settled in Barre and Ms
house was a home for many of the young men, who
came here to select a farm for themselves, or, who,
having a lot, were clearing it and building a cabin,
preparatory to occupying with their families.
Being a professor of religion and deeply impressed
with the importance of that subject, he was among
the most earnest of the settlers in introducing the
stated observance of the forms of public worship
among them ; and with his near neighbor, Joseph
Hart and others, he assisted to form the first Congre-
gational Church and Society in Barre, which finally
was established at Barre Center, and after Albion
became a village, he was conspicuous in organizing
the First Presbyterian Church and Society in Albion,
which was an oftshoot from the organization first de-
scribed. Of the latter church, Mr. Rogers was a long
time deacon, and a ruling elder.
He was by trade a tanner and shoemaker, but nev-
er followed that business.
Of a strong physical constitution, Mr. Rogers lived
to see his children settled around him in competence,
enjoying the abundance of the good things of this
good land, which he and his worthy compeers
had done so much to reclaim from the wilderness of
96 PIONEER HISTORY
nature. Mr. Rogers died January 28, 1865, aged
ninety-six years, three months and twenty-live days.
ASA SAN FORD.
"I was born in the town of Farmington, Hartford
Co., Conn., June 2, 1797. My parents were members
of the Presbyterian Church and gave their children a
strictly religions, as well as a common school educa-
tion, as was the custom in New England. In Febru-
ary, 1806, my father removed with his family, then
consisting of wife, four sons and two daughters, to
Candor, Tioga Co., N. Y., a journey of about three
hundred miles.
My father, oldest brother and myself, performed
this journey, with a pair of oxen and one horse, at-
tached to a sled, being twelve days on the road.
A hired man brought my mother and her other
children in a sleigh.
That country was then wild, with but few settlers
scattered along the Susquehanna and Chemung riv-
ers, with dense forests stretching back thirty miles
without a human being, inhabited by bears, wolves,
panthers, deer and smaller animals.
A road had been opened between Owego and Ithaca,
on which a few settlers had located.
In the fall of 1806, I went to Ithaca with my father,
with oxen and wagon, after a load of salt.
I think Ithaca was then the most loathsome and
desolate place I had ever seen. It stood on low,
black soil, surrounded north and west by a quagmire
swamp. It rained hard, and the black mud was so
deep, it was with difficulty our oxen could draw two
barrels of salt home.
My father and another man, built the first school
house in the town of Candor, and opened the first
school there. The school house stood three miles
from my father' s dwelling and I went there to school
OF OBLEANS COUNTY. !'7
through the woods, with no other shoes than such as
my mother made from woolen cloth from day to day.
In June, 1806, my father, his hired man. my broth
ers and myself, were hoeing corn, between ten ancl
eleven o'clock in the forenoon, when we noticed a sin
gular appearance in the atmosphere : the sky looked
sombre, the birds retired to the woods, the hens to
their roosts, and we went to the house. The sun was
all darkened, but a, rim around the edge ; the
gloom and chill of evening settled on all the earth
around. This lasted but a short time, when the sun
came out from its dark pall, everything assumed its
wonted activity and light and the 'great eclipse'
passed off.
I continued most of the time working with and for
my father, occasionally working for others, till one
day as I was chopping in the woods, a young man
came along and said to me, he was not going to live
longer in that hilly, sterile place ; that he had been
to the 'Genesee* and found a country far preferable
to that for beauty and farming purposes.
I heard his story and determined that at some turn
1 would see that famous ' Genesee country.'
In the spring of 1816, 1 bought my time of my
father, for $100. 1 was nineteen years old. 1 hired
out to work for £14 per month and in less than a
year earned enough to pay my father for my time,
and had money left. I continued working where I
could make it most profitable, got plenty of work and
good pay, until in the summer of 1819, feeling as if I
had worked for others long enough, having then ten
acres of land and several head of cattle, 1 felt a desire
to get a good wheat farm for myself.
I started with two young men, on foot, knapsacks
on our backs, Aug. ^7, 181'.). to go to the Genesee
country. We went through Ithaca, and took the
road to Geneva, traveling as far as ()\id the first day,
98 PIOSDOSB HISTORY
forty miles. Next day through Geneva and Canan-
daigua, we reached West Bloomfield. Next day
through Lima and Avon, we arrived at Batavia and
went, to the office of the Holland Company to set-
about land.
In the office the agent appeared rather sour, little
disposed to be sociable. We asked him if he had
land to sell. He said lie had. He was asked where
it lay and replied 'everywhere, all over, you cannot
go amiss/ 1 asked him if it was wild, or improved
farms? He answered 'go and look, when you run
your head into a great improvement you will know
it, won't you '.' I turned indignantly and walked out
of the office, saying 'Iliad a mind to hoot that fellow.*
The agent followed us out to close the blinds and
hearing our conversation, said rather pleasantly,
1 hoys keep a stiff upper lip.'
We stayed that night at the old ' Pioneer tavern. ■
The landlord tried hard to convince me that the agen'1
was a New England gentleman, one that I would be
pleased to do business with.
We were informed of the rapid growth of a new
town north from Batavia, called Barre, lying between
the Tonawanda Swamp and the Ridge road. Towards
this new town we set out next morning.
After examining various parts of Barre and Gaines,
we selected our locations in Barre, and returned to
the Land office to secure our Articles for our land ;
but rinding we lacked a few dollars required to pay
the first payment, the agent kindly offered to ' book'
the lots to us, until we got the money.
We made no farther complaint against the agent,
wiio 'booked' the land to us and we returned to
make preparations for felling the timber on our new
farms. Never before did we complain of the rapid
flight of time, but here, wlrile laboring for ourselves,
we thought these the shortest days we had ever seen.
OF ORLEANS COINTY. 1)W
On the 12th of October, 1819, having obtained the
money, we went to the office and took out our Articles
for our land, went bark to our work and after chop-
ping five or six acres apiece, we returned to OUT
friends in Tioga county.
During the next winter, we fitted out with teams,
tools, clothing and a quantity of pork, and in March,
1820, set out for our new homes and after a tedious
journey of twelve days, through snow, water and
mud, we arrived home April 1st.
Having no hay for our cattle, we cut browse to feed
them, giving a few ears of corn procured from our
neighbors, till vegetation grew so that they could live
in the woods.
We hired our board cooked at a neighbors and
cleared off what we had chopped the previous season
and planted the land with corn. 'Die season being
propitious, we had good crops of corn, with oats, po-
tatoes, beans and other vegetables and melons in
abundance We also cleared off and sowed several
acres with wheat.
In the autumn the bears were very troublesome in
our cornfields, committing their nightly depredations,
till it became necessary to put our veto upon them;
this we did in various ways by trapping, shooting,
night watching. &c, until we had captured four of
them and thus saved, our corn.
After securing our crops and preparing for winter,
Ave sold our teams and returned to our parental
homes.
During the next season we experienced much incon-
venience in getting our board dressed for us. The
woman who did it became quite tired of* doing the
work for the ' old bachelors," and 1 began to realize
the truth of the Divine declaration that ' it is not good
for man to be alone.'
After visiting among friends in Tioga County u few
100 PIONEER HISTORY'
days. I hired out for three months. March 1, 1821, I
was married. About the middle of the month, putting
all on board a covered wagon, with two yoke of oxen
attached, and in company with the two young men
previously referred to. we set out again for our new
wilderness home, in the Genesee country.
After two weeks hard labor, we arrived at our home
to the great joy of our neighbors, (specially th<
women. We moved into a small house with one of
our neighbors, until we could build us a house,
winch we built in a few weeks after.
While the early pioneers of a new country are
necessarily subject to many hardships and privations,
unknown to settlers of older countries, still there are
many enjoyments and pleasing reminiscences for
these pioneers, which they never forget. Aristocracy
is unknown in a new country. The people are all
friendly and kindly disposed towards each other. If
any are sick, they are at once cared for. If a farmer
was attacked with ague, that dread disease, so com-
mon among the pioneers of this county, before In1
could get his spring crops into the ground, his neigh-
bors would turn out and put them in for him and if
necessary, they would keep his work along until he
was able to do it himself. If there is any state of so-
ciety where men fulfil the Divine injunction * love thy
neighbor as thyself." it is found among the pioneers
of a new country.
If any one got lost in the woods, and did not return
at night, search was at once made by everybody and
no sleep was had until the lost one was found.
After we moved into our new house, I started out
to buy me a cow, bought one and we now commenced
housekeeping under circumstances quite favorable, at
least our neighbors thought so. My wife had a few-
necessary articles of furniture, so that w« were about
as well off as any of our neighbors.
OK ORLEANS COUNTY. 101
There were no pianos or melodeons in those days.
The little wheel for spinnmgflax and the great wheel
for spinning tow, furnished the music. A few years
later and we had other house music.
I plodded on for eight years, adding field to field of
my cleared, improved land and then found myself un-
able to pay even the interest due on my Article to the
Land Company.
I raised about $70, and with this went to Batavia
to see the agent. I determined this time to walk into
the office wit!) head up and meet any insult I might
receive with manly independence.
I found the agent alone in the office, went up to
him and laid down my Article and all the money 1
had, saying my Article lias expired and here is all
the money I have. I want to renew my contract,
as I have no idea of giving up my premises yet.
The agent walked up, took my Article, unfolded it
and said 'yon have not assigned it 1 see.' Then
taking up the money he said pleasantly, "walk into
the other room.' I did so and in less time than I
have been writing this, my new Article was made out,
my payment indorsed and I was ready to start for
home. But on returning to the contractor's room,
the agent said to me he had relinquished all the back
interest and si per acre of the principal, making an
entire new sale, with eight years' pay day, as at first,
and asked me if 1 was satisfied. My gratitude had
by this time become almost unbounded and 1 left
the office, thanking the old agent for his kindness and
thinking after all, beneath a rough exterior he bad a
generous heart.
1 mention this incident to show the kind and gener-
ons treatment extended towards the poor industrious
settlers upon the lands of the Holland Company.
Many incidents of a like character might be recorded
to the credit of the Company.
102 PIONKEB HISTORY
L came home inspired with Jiew energy and determi-
nation to struggle on and overcome every hardship
and difficulty in my way.
We had but little sickness compared with our
neighbors, as yet. In the spring of 1823, 1 had severe
iunamation of the lungs, and in the spring of 1828.
! was taken with fever and ague, which held me
tl i rough the season.
The next spring my wife was sick with fever and
ague and thrush, which kept her ill till the October
following.
Our children, then Four in number, had their full
shares of fever and ague. It was painful to see the-
little ones draw up to the fire while suffering their
chill, then see them retire to their beds, tormented
with the raging thirst and fever following the chills,
while their mother could do little for them, except to
supply their frequent calls for water.
In the fall of 1824 or 1825 two mew living near Barre
Center, named Selah Belden, and Nathan Angel,
started on Saturday morning to hunt deer west from
the ( 'enter . They parted in the afternoon, each after
separate game. At night Mr. Belden returned — Mr,
Angel did not. Next morning Belden, with some of
his neighbors, went out and spent the day looking for
Angel, but not finding him. the next morning a gene-
ral rally of all the men in town was made and the
woods thoroughly searched and the dead body of Mr.
Angel found, having apparently fallen and died from
exhaustion. The body was carried to Benton's Corn-
ers, -then the centre of the settlement, a jury called
by Itlianiar Hibbard. Esq., one of the first coro-
ners and it is believed this was the first coroner's in-
quest in Orleans county. As the county was cleared
up and the low lands drained of their surface water
the people suffered less from ague.
Tlic canal being now opened, farmers found a ready
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 103
market and better prices for their produce. Hume-
manufactures were protected from foreign compe-
tition and the price of domestic goods greatly
reduced. It was then the farmers began to thrive
and soon to pay up for their lands. The price of real
estate 'advanced and some even predicted the time
would come when the best farms would be worth one
hundred dollars per acre, hardly expecting to live to
see their predictions fulfilled as they have done.
The attention of the early pioneers was called to
the subject of common schools for their children and
the next building to go up after a log cabin for a.
dwelling was a log school house.
One of our own statesmen while a member o+' the
Legislature being asked where he graduated, replied :
* In a log school house up in Orleans county.' I have
often carried my eldest son to and from school on n y
back through the deep snows of winter.
Moie than forty years ago I united with the Meth-
odist Episcopal Church at West Barre and in 1843
withdrew from that church and united with theWes-
leyan Methodists.
Many years ago, convinced of the sin of intemper-
ance, I resolved to use no more intoxicating liquor as
a beverage, a resolution to which 1 have strictly ad-
hered ever since.
AHA SANFORD. '
January 28th, 1862.
A MM: I V\ ll. OREEX.
Andrew II. Green, of Byron, Genesee county, N.
V.. writes for theOrleans county Pioneer Association
records, his local history as follows:
"I was born in Johnstown, Montgomery Co., N.
V., Oct. 16th, 1797, and in June, 1809, came to Gene
see county from Koine. Oneida county, N. Y.
In 171)2, my father and .Judge Try on, of New Leb
anon, came to trondequoit, near Rochester and built
104 PI0NJ5KK EIISTORI
a storehouse : and in 1808, my father came to what is
now Bergen and Sweden and purchased something of
a farm and commenced on the north bounds of what
is now the Methodist cam}) ground, in Bergen, run-
ning north to the road running east to Sweden Centre,
twenty-five lots containing three thousand acres at
twenty-two shillings per acre.
Tt was a hard country to settle. There were but
few inhabitants and the roads were very bad. As
soon as they began to erect mill-dams there was a
great deal of sickness.
We went to Hanford's Landing, at the mouth of
Genesee River, to trade and sell potash. I found but
two houses between our house and Clarkson Corners,
and but two from there to Genesee river. For several
years I was as familiar in every family from my
father' s to Genesee river as [ am now with my near
neighbors.
The first time I passed through Rochester was in
Mie summer of J8<)S). The next I remember about it
was the bad roads and that I was very much fright-
ened crossing the Genesee river. The water was deep
and ran very swift, I expected to go down stream
and over the falls.
[ think there was one mill and two or three shanties
to be seen there then. There was a small clearing
where the Eagle tavern formerly stood, but I had as
ranch as I could do to get my load through the mud.
I little thought then that black ash swamp was ever
to be the place it now is. Late in the fall of 1809 my
father sent me to Sangersfield Huddle after a load of
merchandise. East of Canandaigua was a new turn-
pike where I got stuck in the mud and had to wait
until the next teamster came along to help me out.
i was then fourteen years old. My father had fifteen
workmen and the first summer cleared one hundred
OF ORLEANS CUT NT V. 105
In October Judge Findley from Genesee came on
with a company of men to survey township Dumber
twooftheone hundred thousand acre tract. They
also stopped with us, making a family of twenty-six
men, besides having two families in the house.
The 'latch-string' was always out and none ever
went away hungry as we had plenty of pork and wild
game to season it. Deer, bears and wolves were
plenty. I never heard of but one panther. The sur-
veyors had their tent near where the steam saw mill
now stands in Clarendon. Their cook came in on
Wednesday night for bread. One evening he had
got to where Col. Shubael Lewis afterwards lived
when he heard some one halloo, lie soon found it
was a panther on his track. It followed him to the
clearing. The man was much exhausted when he
came in. He was an old hunter and said he knew it
was a panther. The men all came in Saturday after-
noon. The Sabbath was as well kept in 1809 as in
1863. We were seldom without evangelical preach-
ing. We had one close communion Baptist Elder,
some Methodists and some Presbyterians. All could
sing the good old tunes and sing them with a will. The
year 1809 was productive and healthy. In 1810,
about .Inly 20th, we had a frost that killed most of the
wheat and corn. The fall of 1811 was very sickly.
There were several families settled at Sandy Creek
village. They were all sick. We made up a load of
some six or seven and went down to help them. I
never saw so happy a company. We carried two
loads of necessaries and staid two Lights and when
some of them got so they could take care of the
others we left for home.
I used to have many hard and lonesome rides
through the woods on horseback. One very dark
night I had been to Dr. Ward's after medicine. Com-
ing home I lost mv road and also mv hat. Before 1
106 PIONEKK HISTORY
found my hat tin- wolves began to howl. I took off
my shoes so that I might find the road, and by the
time T had mounted my horse to go on, the wolves
were within ''speaking distance J' and before I had
gone far they struck my barefoot tracks ; then they
made a terrific roaring. I thought I was a 'goner'
sure enough, but I presume if the wolves had seen
me then on the old white horse they would have been
as frightened as I was.
Our men had all kinds of musical instruments and
any time when the drum was beat the wolves were
almost sure to respond.
About the beginning of winter my father started
me off with an ox team and load of grain to find
Judge Far well's grist mill. After a tedious day's
travel I came in sight of water pouring over rocks.
It was no small stream. 1 thought it must be Niag-
ara Falls. I was glad to find I could get my grist
ground, so 1 chained my oxen to a tree and found a
comfortable night's lodging among the bags in the
mill. I got home the the next day with my grist.
Our folks thought 1 had done well and 1 thought so
too.
The first winter I walked seven miles to school every
day and back again.
A. H. GREEK"
Byron, G<>nese^ Co. X. Y., June 16, 1803.
In a letter written by the above named A. H. (jieen
to the Secretary of the Orleans County Pioneer Asso-
ciation, dated June 14th, 18H6, he says: ''I was
quite interested the other day, while hunting up the
old road records of our town, Byron, in 1809. It was
then the town of Murray, but now contains eight or
nine towns entire.
LINUS JONES PECK.
Mr. Peck furnished hislocal history lor the Orleans
»
0¥ ORLEANS COUNTY. 107
County Pioneer Association Records as follows:
" I was born October 27th, 1816, in a very cheap
log house on Onondaga Hill, in Onondaga Co., N. Y.,
about a mile and a half from the old Court House.
Up to eleven years of age I was engaged principally
in endeavoring to get something to eat. not always
however with much success, and in going to school
barefoot both summer and winter.
I never had anything made of leather to wear on
my feet until the spring of 1828.
My amusements consisted in listening to the howl-
ings of the wolves and in gymnastic exercises with
the musketoes.
In May. 1828, 1 had a pair of shoo and was sent
to Pike, Allegany county, to live with my brother
Luther. 1 stayed there until May 188:?. when I re-
turned to my parents with whom 1 lived until 1836,
when I went to Wyoming to attend the Middlebury
Academy.
In the spring of 1838 1 returned r<> Pike i<> read
law in my brothers office. In 1841 he removed to
Nunda, now in Livingston county and 1 stayed with
him in his office till 1848. In Jul} of that year I
commenced jobbing on the canals and continued in
that business until the summer of 1861. since which
time I have done little business < if any kind. 1 was
never married.
I left the town where I was born in lsi 7 and ar-
rived in Clarendon, or what is now Clarendon, Orleans
county, just forty years ago to-day (March 20, 1864. •
1 came to Holley tirst in the spring <>f 1856and stayed
until December. 1 then returned to Pendleton in
Niagara county and completed a large job 1 had on
the Erie Canal through the Mountain Ridge and
went back to Holley in the spring of 1867, since which
time Holley has been my residence.
Mv mother died March 4. 1848. aeed 71 vears. Mv
108 PIONEER HISTORY
father died June 2, 18f)2. aged $2 years. I am the
youngest of my brothers, all of whom are living.
There are, or were, no incidents in my earl}' history
or that of my brothers, not common to all the early
settlers in this vicinity, except I thought we managed
to be a little poorer than any body else. My father
had the misfortune of having two trades, that of a
farmer and carpenter and joiner. He worked his
hands altogether too much and his brains altogether
too little, and dividing the time between the two, nec-
essarily resulted in doing neither well. Consequently
neither prospered. This his sons turned all about in
1825, when my brothers became old enough to take
charge of affairs. Since which time there has been
an improvement.
LINUS JONES PECK."
Dated— Hoi ley, March 20, 1864.
HARVEY GOODRICH.
Harvey Goodrich was born in Herkimer county, N.
V., in Nov. 1791. His lather. Zenas Goodrich, re-
moved to that place from Berkshire, Mass. When a
young man Harvey Goodrich removed to Auburn, N.
Y., and worked for some time at the business of mak-
ing hats, and for several years he officiated as a
constable. Having been successful in accumulating
property, he with his brother-in-law, George W.
Standart, took a job of work in making the Erie
canal, and leaving Auburn after his canal work was
completed, he located permanently at Albion in the
year 1824, and engaged in selling dry goods and
groceries in company with George W. Standart.
After the death of Mr. Standart Mr. Goodrich soon
quit selling dry goods and for many years carried on
the business of manufacturing hats and dealing in
hats and furs- He was also engaged in buying pro-
duce. For a number of years he held the office of
postmaster in Albion.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 109
Being of an active, energetic temperment and by
education and inclination fitted to take a leading part
in public affairs, he was one of the prominent men in
the community where he lived, always conspicuous
and busy on public occasions, generally holding some
official position.
In politics he was a democrat of the straitest sect,
faithful and true to his party.
But perhaps the ardent and earnest character of
the man appeared clearest in his zeal in the cause of
religion.
While a resident in .Auburn and about the year
1S17, he made a public profession of religion and
united with the First Presbyterian Church in that
place, then under the pastoral care of Rev. Dr.
Lansing.
One of the first enterprises in which he became in-
terested after he came to Albion was in establishing
a Presbyterian church there. That denomination
had no church organization in Barre.
Through the agency of Mr. Goodrich, more especi-
ally, aided I)}7 several other Presbyterians who had
settled ill Albion and its vicinity, the services of a
young preacher from Auburn Theological Seminary,
Rev. William Johnson, were obtained and the Pres-
byterian Church in Albion was organized about Feb.
22, 1824 by Rev. Andrew Rawson, then laboring as a
missionary here, who was distinguished as a veteran
pioneer minister in Orleans county, the new church
consisting at the first of Harvey Goodrich, Jedediali
Phelps, Joseph Eart, Ebenezer Rogers. .lames Smith
and Franklin Cowdry and their wives, and Artemas
Thayer, Fay Clark. Lavinia Bassett and Betsey
Phelps, sixteen members in all.
.July 29, 1824, together with Messrs. Hart and
Phelps, Mr. Goodrich was elected a ruling elder in
j he Presbyterian Church, an office he continued to
110 PIONEER HISTORY
hold until his death. Althoughjjiever formally chosen
as a Deacon in the church to which he belonged, he
was always known and called "Deacon Goodrich"
by every body who spoke to him or of him.
It was a remarkable trait in Mr. Goodrich's charac-
ter, that seldom a ease of sickness and death of any
person in his neighborhood occured but what lie
attended, administering what he could to aid the suf-
ferers according to their needs and usually taking
charge of the funeral ceremonies over the dead.
Thus for over forty year*;, he was a leading and
useful man in the church and society at large, largely
identified with the business and growth of the vil
lage of Albion, a friend of the poor and needy,
and well known and respected by the people of the
county.
About two years before his death he suffered
a stroke of paralysis, completely disabling him in
the midst of Ins most active industry, from which he
lingered and languished until lie died August 4, L863,
aged 71 years.
rytsox ntchoson.
Dr. Orson Nichoson was born in Gfalway, Saratoga
county. New York. March 2, 1795. He was educated
as a physician. In the year 1822 he removed to the
village of Albion which was then beginning to be
settled. He entered ardently into every undertaking
of a public character connected with the organization
of the county of Orleans and the civil and social in-
stitutions which such an organization occasioned.
He was elected the first County Clerk of Orleans
county and by are-election to a second term, held
that office six years.
In August 1819, he settled about two miles south
of Albion. In 1 822 he moved to Albion and there,
formany. years had a large practice as a physician.
w*m
Q JcbsgS*
SCX-
>V
OF OlILKANS COUNTY. 1 1 I
His health failing, he went into business with Dr. L.
C Paine and dealt in drugs, medicines and books
until a few years before his death.
He was the first regular physician who settled in
Bane, he was also the first physician who settled in
Albion.
Dr. Nichoson married Lucy Morris in the year 1820.
They had three children, Adeline E., Caroline A.
and Helen .1. Adeline E. married Jonathan S. Stew
art, and Helen J. married Charles A. Stanton. She
died May 12, 1862. Mrs. Lucy Xichoson died Oc-
tober 8, 1804. Dr. ( )rson Nichoson died May 7, isTo.
TIMOTHY C. STKO^G.
Timothy ('. Strong was born in Southampton,
Mass., March 15, 1790. At the age of sixteen years
he entered as an apprentice to learn the art of prink
nig with .1. I). Huntington, at Middlebury, Vermont.
He married Aurelia Groodsell, daughter of Dr. Pen-
field Goodsell, of Litchfield, Ct, April J4, 1811. He
commenced business for himself at Middlebury, by
publishing a newspaper called the "Termont Mir-
ror," also a magazine edited by Samuel Swift, and a
literary work called the 4k Philosophical Repository,"
edited by Prof. Hall, of Middlebury College.
In Sept. L817, 1m- removed to Palmyra, N. V.,
where in* published a newspaper. In the fall of L823
he removed to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in February
1825, he removed to Newport, now Albion. Orleans
county, N. Y.. and purchased of Franklin Cowdry
a newspaper establishment called "TheNewport Pal
riot," which was started by Mr. Cowdry, Feb. 9th,
L824. Mr. Strong changed the name of this paper to
' T e Orleans Advocate.' in Febuary, L828, in the
ini<lst of the excitement following the abduction of
Morgan, Mr. Strong changed it to the 'The Orleans
1 12 PIONEER HISTORY
Advocate, and Anti-Masonic Telegraph,' and soon
after to ' The American Standard.' Under this name
it was published two years by Mr. J. Kempshall,
when it passed back into the hands of Mi-. Strong
who changed it to the "Orleans American.' and pub-
lished it till in April 1844, when he sold his paper
and printing establishment to .1. & J. FI. Denio, who
continued the paper till 1858, when they sold out :
and after passing through several hands it was bought
in January. 1801. by H. A. Bruner, its present pro-
prietor.
In November, 1834. Mr. Strong was elected County
Clerk of Orleans county, an office he continued to hold
by re-election for nine years.
Mr. Strong made a profession of religion in early
life and united with the Presbyterian Church. He
died at Albion of a cancel- August 0th, 1844, in the
fifty-fifth year of his age. leaving a wife and twelve
children surviving.
NATHAN WHITNEY .
Nathan YVhitne}^ was born in Conway, Massachu-
setts, .January 22d, 1791. He removed to Orleans
county, in February, 1814, and settled in what is now
Barre. He was at the taking of Fort Erie in Septem-
ber, 1814. When the town of Barre was organized
he was elected Justice of the Peace, an office he held
several years and when Orleans county was set off
he was elected Supervisor of Barre and served in the
year 1826. Being fond of military exercises, he held
various military offices from Lieutenant to Lieutenant-
Colonel. Being regarded as a capable, honest azid
efficient man by his fellow citizens, he was often put
forward by them to official positions and discharged
the duties of almost every town office. He removed
from Barre to Elba, Genesee county, in 1827, and at-
OF ORLEANS COL'NTY. 113
terwards removed to Lee county. Illinois, where Iip
was living in the fall of L869.
AVERY M. STARKWEATHER.
Avery M. Starkweather was horn in Preston. Con
necticut, October 3d, L790. He resided a time in Pal
myra, N. Y., and came to the town of Barreand took
an article for his farm in April, 1816. After the Erie
Canal was opened, for thirteen years he had charge
of the first State repairing scow boat on this section.
He was Superintendent of Canal Repairs one year.
His beat extended from Holley to Lockport and at a
salary of $500, without a clerk or any perquisites.
His instructions required him to travel over and per
sonallv inspect his section at least once each week in
the season of navigation, which he did.
For thirteen years he was an assessor of the town < t
Bane, and was Supervisor of the town for the years
1842 and 1843. He was an active, thorough business
man, honest and conscientious, much respected as far
as he was known. He died Oct. 3, 1865.
AMOS ROOT.
Amos Hool was born at Sand Lake, Rensselaei
county, N. Y.. July 12th, L803. He was apprenticed
to learn the trade of blacksmith and removed to Alle-
gany county, N. Y., in 1818. After serving his up
prenticeship he carried on business as a blacksmith
nearly thirty years, since which time he has been a
farmer.
About 1836, lie moved from Allegany county to
Michigan, and returned to the town of Barre in L838,
where he has since resided.
lie married Rhoda Ann Bennett July 11th, L824.
Being a Large and strong man in his youth he was
noted as a great wood chopper. While residing in
Allegany county he was engaged with a large compa
ny cutting out a new road. A bet of fifty dollars was
IJ4 PIONKKIi HISTORY
made by the company as to his power as a chopper.
A large white oak tree was felled and Mr. Root and
his antagonist stood on it to try which con! d first
chop off a log, Root taking the butt. Mr. Root won
the bet. It was a hot day in July. The man op-
posed to him overworked himself and died in a week
afterwards from the effects.
Mr. Israel Root, father of Amos, who was a soldier
of tin1 Revolution, removed from Allegany to Orleans
county in 1825, and. settled on the farm now owned
by his sou Amos, in Barre. He came across the
country in a wagon with his family, and Amos
brought tin* goods on two canoes made of huge pin<'
': >gs and lashed together. These he launched on the
Genesee river at Gardeau and pad died down to Roc h
ester and then put them in the canal and came to
Gaines' Basin, then a favorite landing place for emi-
grants who conic by canal to settle in this vicinity.
OZIAS s. CHURCH.
O/ias S. Church was born in Windham. Connecti-
cut, January 31st, 1785. By occupation he was a
fanner, though he labored with his father at the
blacksmithing business during his minority. Octo-
ber 13th, 1809, he married Parmelia Palmer, who
■v.'is born in Windham, Oct. 3d, 1780. They removed
to Otsego county, N". Y., in 1812. where he worked at
farming until 1817, when he removed to Henrietta.
Monroe Co.. N. Y.. and from thence to the town of
Barre in L834.
Mr. Church was a democrat in politics and took a
deep and active interest in his party. As United
States Marshal he took the census of Monroe county
in 1830, and of Orleans county in 1840. lie was
Post Master at South Barre for twenty years.
Mrs. Church died Dec. 7. 1801, and Mr. Church
Dec. 10th, 1863. They were parents of John P.
Church, who died while County Clerk of Orleans
n^
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. II.")
county, in December, 1858, and of Hon. Sanford E.
-Church, present Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals
of the State of New York.
WILLIAM BRADNER.
William Bradner removed to the town of Gaines
from Palmyra, N". Y. Soon after lie bought of Mr.
McCollister the article for lot thirty -five, on the East
side of Main street in Albion, and took a deed from
the Holland Company for 266 1-2 acres, December 3,
1819. His brother, Joel Bradner, took a deed from
the Company for ninety-two acres lying on the south-
west corner of said lot thirty-five. William Bradner
sold one hundred acres of the north-west part of his
tract April 22nd, 1822. to Ingersoll, Smith & Buck-
ley.
.\. HVDK COLE.
Hon. Almeron Hyde Cole was born at Lavanna,
•Cayuga county, N. Y., April 20th, 1798. His pa-
rents removed to Auburn in 1807, and there he pre-
pared for college and entered the Sophomore class in
Union College in 1815. Among his classmates were
<reorge AY. Doane, late Bishop of New Jersey, Alonzo
Potter, late Bishop of Pennsylvania, Dr. Hickok,
late President of Union College, and William II.
Seward, late Governor of New York, Senator. &c.
He remained in college two years and then left with-
out completing his college course, in consequence of
the death of his mother, and other changes in his
father's family.
In the fall of 1817, lie entered the law office of
Judge Joseph L. Richardson, then first Judge of
Cayuga county, as a student. He was admitted At-
torney in the Supreme Court in his twenty-first year
and formed a partnership with .Judge Richardson in
practice. A few months afterwards he dissolved with
.Judge Richardson and entered into partnership to
116 PIONKKK HISTORY
practice law with Mr. George W. Fleming. After
being at Seneca Falls for a time, they removed to-
Albion in the spring of 1825, where they practiced
law together till 18o2. After dissolving with Mr.
Fleming, Mr. Cole was for some years in practice of
law with his brother, Hon. Dan H. Cole.
Mr. Cole served seventeen years as a Justice of the
Peace of the town of Barre, and transacted an im-
mense amount of official business.
In November, 1847. he was elected member of the
Senate of the State of New York, where he served one
term of two years and declined a re-election. After
leaving the Senate he resinned his law practice in
Albion, but a large amount of business coming into
his hands as executor in the settlement of an estate
in Cayuga .county, he closed his law practice in Al-
bion and devoted his time exclusively to the duties of
his executorship, and to the management of a large
farm he owned 4n the town of Gaines.
Although a good advocate and a strong and logical
reasoner at the bar, Mr. Cole was not so fluent and
polished a speaker as his partner Mr. Fleming. In
their earlier years of practice together. Mr. Cole fur-
nished his quota of brains to the firm, while Mr. Flem-
ing furnished the tongue.
Mr. Cole was esteemed to be a well read and sound
lawyer whose opinions on legal questions were much
sought and relied on. His counsel and advice were
so much valued among the people that he early be-
came distinguished by way of eminence as the 'coun-
selor' <>r 'counselor Cole,' by which title or name
lie was always spoken of and well known.
In temperament he was ardent, impulsive and sen-
sitive, feeling quick and sharply the iritations of the
moment. Hut nothing like hatred ever had a place in
his bosom.
From the peculiarity of his character he sometimes
OF ORLEANS CtUNTT. 117
appeared brusque and rough to those who approached
him, but no man had a kinder heart. The sternness or
apparent harshness of manner which he possessed,
was more than balanced in his case by the
keen regret lie felt when lie knew lie had caused
pain to any and the hearty sympathy and generosity
he ever manifested to those in distress.
Mr. Colt- was never married. Coming to Orleans
■county when it Avas first organized, among the h'rst
lawyers- who settled here, he was a prominent man in
public affairs and well known to the people of the
county. He died Oct. 14, 1859.
BENJAMIN I.. BESSAC.
"I was J>orn in the town of New Baltimore, Greene
county. N. Y., March 12th. 1807. The death of my
mother which occurred when 1 was twelve years of
.age, threw me upon the family of my grand parents
where I remained until I was fourteen years old. My
father, who was a blacksmith by trade, and who re-
sided in the county of Chenango, having married a
second time and closed up his business in Chenango,
started for the State of Ohio with a view of commen-
cing business there as a farmer. This was in the fall
of 1821. When he arrived in the town of Clarence,
Erie county, a snow storm set in and prevented his
further progress that fall, and having with him some
tools and a small stock of iron he rented a shop and
began work as a blacksmith at Hansom's Grove, as it
is now called, at Clarence Hollow, lie soon after
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land
at the Great Rapids on the the Tonawanda Creek,
six miles south of Lockport.
In the summer of 1822, having obtained a scanty
common school education, and being large enough to
help my father in his shop and on his farm, he wrote
to me giving a glowing account of the country, of his
118 PIONEER HISTORY
farm, of tile fine fish in the creek and the fine sport
in taking them, and desiring me to come and help
him.
1 accordingly went to Albany and put my baggage
on board a seven horse wagon, then about to sail for
Buffalo, loaded with specie for the United States'
Hank at Erie, Pennsylvania. Thus equipped I
started for the Holland Purchase in .July, 1822, in
care of Mr. Hockins, the owner of the establishment.
We traveled slowly, not making over fifteen miles u
day. sleeping in our wagon nights and watching our
treasure. Getting tired of this slow mode of travel-
ing, when we arrived at Canandaigua I took the stage
and came on to Clarence, and arrived at my father's
July 22d. 1822. In a few days I went with my father
to explore his new farm, he carying a bag of provis-
ions and 1 a compass and chain with other articles
for our journey. My half-brother William, then
thirteen years old, accompanied us.
It was here, in .Inly, 1822. in what was then called
' the north woods ' that 1 commenced my pioneer life,
and for the next three years, and until October, 1825.
1 shared in the hardships, labors and privations of
the early settlers. During that time 1 assisted in
chopping and partly clearing forty acres of heavily
timbered land and erecting a comfortable log build-
ing. Being possessed of a strong, athletic frame, and
a good robust constitution, and never having been
sick a day in my life, I endured the hardships and
labors of the wilderness with cheerfulness and
pleasure, and I often look back to those days and
reckon them among the happiest of my life. And I
would not omit to record here with grateful heart
the kind care of my Heavenly Father in preserving
my life amid the dangers and accidents through
which 1 passed in my youthful days.
Not possessing at my fathers the advantages foi
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 1 l'.J
mental improvement which I desired,I concluded in the
fall of 182r> to abandon my pioneer lit"'', return to the
east, obtain an education and study a profession.
Accordingly October 2d, 1825, I left my ax and band-
spike and went to Lockport, got on board the can;,'
boat 'DeWitt Clinton1 and sailed for the east.
Stopping in Albion for the boat to rake on loading 1
took an excursion through that low, muddy, and as
[thought unsightly yToung village, [little thoughl
then that "Newport.' as it was called was destined
to be my future home. 1 then pronounced Newport
a queerplace on which to build a town.
I returned to the boat and passed on through Ho!
Icy. Brockport, Adams' and Spencer's Basins, all
little straggling hamlets, as I thought them, ar-
riving in Rochester in the night. Here I expected to
meet a gentleman from Tompkins county by appoint-
ment, with whom 1 was intending to travel to visit my
relatives in this vicinity and then go by boat with
some relatives to Albany. Hut the gentleman did
not come as I expected. My little stock of money
was exhausted on Tuesday night in paying for my
supper. [ was now a stranger in a strange land. 1
knew not what to do or how 1 should be provided
for. 1 wandered about Rochester until Saturday
morning, eating nothing except a few apples which !
picked up in an orchard in the town of Brighton. I
slept nights on the piazza of the Exchange Hotel, on
the corner at the intersection of the canal with the
basin, where the packet boats used to lay up. Every
morning when a fire was made up in the old bakery
at the wesl end of the aqueduct, I went into the front
room and warmed myself, tantalized by the smell oi
the bread which was piled up on the counter, steam
ing hot, and for which i was starving. 1 was too
proud t<> beg, and 1 thank God for it, too honest to
Steal.
120 PIONXKK HISTORY
Thus the week passed until Saturday morning when
T had a pressing invitation to join a circus company
then performing there. J was then young, active and
strong, but my good quaker training, and above all
the hand of Providence shaping my ways, kept my
youthful feet from that path.
On Saturday morning 1 met a man who asked me
if 1 would work, and I gladly hired to him for a part
of the day. He led the way to the barn back of
the canal, between Fitzhugh and Sophia streets,
where the ground was literally strewn with heavy
cannon, and 1 worked until the middle of the after-
noon assisting to put them on a scow boat for
distribution along the canal, to be used in tiring a
grand salute at the meeting of the waters of Lake
Brie with the Hudson river, November 2d. 182."), a
day never to be forgotten in Western New York. 1
received half a dollar for my work and went to a
humble tavern for supper and had lodging in a bed.
A. better meal or sweeter sleep 1 never enjoyed. The
next morning I went out on the street and almost the
first man I met was the friend for whom 1 was wait-
ing. .
After writing to my relatives in Tompkins county I
Loft for Albany and entered the city with the fleet of
canal boats in the canal celebration November 2d,
1325, amid the roar of artillery and the sound of mar-
tial music.
The Erie and Champlain canals were now finished.
Navigation between the ocean and lake was now
opened, and a new era of unparalleled prosperity had
commenced, and the exultant people were duly cele-
brating the auspicious event. 'Peace hath her victo-
ries.1
After mingling with the throng that crowded the
streets a few hours, 1 started on foot for the home of
lay childhood, where loved ones 1 had not seen for
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 121
more than three years were daily expecting me. It
was night-fall when I ascended the last hill and the
well-known trees were standing like sentinels around
the old homestead in the fading twilight. My truant
feet once more passed the threshold. The old watch-
dog kn*nv my step. With a fluttering heart 1 looked
in at the window, and for a moment surveyed the
group as they sat around the cheerful fireside. Grod
in his goodness had kept them all and the wandering
child had got home.
I was past eighteen years of age when I returned
from Western New York. J had seen something of
the world and had some experience in pioneer life.
My education was not such as the district schools of
this day afford. My mind had been somewhat im-
proved by reading in a desultory ami aimless man-
ner. I taught a winter school in my native town, and
in the spring of 1826 hired out as farm laborer at nine
dollars per month in the comity of Albany.
1 taught school in the same county the winter of
1826-7, and in the spring entered the Greenville Acad-
emy, in Greene county, where 1 remained until the
coming fall, and by this time I had succeded in pre-
paring myself to enter the sophomore class at Union
College ; in}' friends however prefered that I should
follow a mercantile life, and procured me a situation
in a wholesale dry goods house in the city of
New York, where 1 remained until the termination
of fall business. 1 then returned to my native town
intending to go back to New York the foil owing-
spring.
I taught school at Marbletown, lister county, N.
Y., the winter of 1827-8, with great success, forming
many pleasant acquaintances that have been cher-
ished through subsequent life.
Early in the spring I was attacked with Pleurisy,
and lay at the point of death for a number of days.
12*2 PIONEER HISTORY
On recovering the spring had so far advanced I did
not go to New York as I intended, but continued nn
school until the spring of 1829. when laying down
the ferule 1 commenced business on my own account
in the village of West Troy, Albany county, being
nearly twenty-two years old.
April 11, 1880, I was married to Deborah, daughter
of Rev. Simeon Dickinson, of East Haddam, Conn,
She was at that time a teacher in Mrs. Willard's Fe-
male Seminary at Troy.
I continued my business at West Troy, until the
fall of that year, when I sold out and removed with
my wife to the city of Mobile. Alabama, where she
opened the Mobile Female Seminary, under the most
favorable auspices.
1 was clerk in the United States Bank in that city.
In the month of Dec. 1831 my wife died suddenly.
and 1 was left alone in a strange city without a rela
tive nearer than the State of New York.
I transferred the Seminary to other hands, resigned
my clerkship in the Bank, closed up my business
matters, and in March 1832 returned to my old home.
I spent that summer and the following winter in
traveling for recreation, and in the spring of 1833,
being twenty-six years old, I entered upon the study
of the law with Amasa Mattison Esq., then a promis-
ing lawyer of Cairo, in the county of Greene, where i
remained until fall, when 1 entered the'ofhee of Judge
Hiram Gfardner of Lockport and remained with him
until April 1835, when 1 came to Albion where 1 have
ever since resided.
June 18, 1835, 1 was married to Caroline (x., daugh-
ter of Samuel Baker of Coeymans, in the county of
Albany and in August following purchased the prop-
erty on which 1 have since resided.
1 am now (1862) nearly fifty -four years of age. and
must soon, in all human probability, lay aside the
ol ORLEANS COUNTY. 123
active duties of my profession. and yield my place t<>
those younger and better fitted for the responsibilities
of the station.
In reviewing the pathway of my life I behold it
plentifully strewn with incidents, always overshadow-
ed by the watchful care of my Heavenly Father,
whose unnumbered mercies lam called upon to record.
When fourteen years of age I united with the Re-
formed Dutch Church in Greene county, upon a con-
fession of my faith, and in 1842 I united witli the
Presbyterian church in .Albion, my wife coining with
me to the same altar.
B. L. BESSAC."
Albion, January 8, 1862.
II KNKV K. CURTIS.
Hon. Henry K. Curtis was born in Hoosic, Rensse-
laer county New York, in the year 1800. After pass-
ing his youth at labor on a farm, and in acquiring
such elementary education as his own exertions and
the limited means of his widowed mother could sup-
ply, he commenced the study of law with Daniel
Kellogg nf Skaneateles, and pursued it afterwards
with Hon. Hiram Mather in Elbridge, New York.
In the fall of 1824 he settled in Albion. Orleans
county before he was admitted to the Bar, going into
partnership with Alexis Ward, who was here before
him, and who had been admitted to the Supreme
Court.
In 1831 lie was appointed District Attorney for
Orleans county, in which office lie was continued by
subsequent appointments, (excepting the year 1 h:;*2. >
until June 1847. when he was elected County Judge
and Surrogate, being the first County Judge chosen
under the constitution of L846. lie was re-elected to
the same office in Nov. 1850, and died before the ex-
piration of his second term.
Before he was a judge he had held tin- offices of
124 PIONEER HISTORY
Examiner and Master in Chancery, and many civil
offices in town and village.
He was a hard student devoting himself to the
labors <>i' liis profession with untiring assiduity, never
engaging in other business speculations.
For twenty-five years lie was a ruling Elder in the
Presbyterian Church and much of that time a faith-
ful teacher in the Sunday School in his church.
As an advocate he was cool, clear and persuasive,
and the known honesty of his character and the sin-
cerity of his manner and language, commonly carried
conviction in his favor to the courts and juries he
addressed.
As a counselor he was a peacemaker, judicious,
cautious and sound. Never encouraging litigation
when it could be avoided. He was a man with few
enemies and many friends, an honest lawyer and good
man. He died September 20, 18o.r).
'wl was born in Scroon, Essex county, New York,
April 4, 1804. My ancestors were of Scotch descent,
and were among those who lied to this country from
the oppressions of the old world, to enjoy civil and
religious liberty in the new world.
My father afterwards removed from Scroon to Bran-
don, Vermont, and from Brandon he moved in the
summer of 1816, to what is now Barre, New York,
July 12, 1816, on lot 10. township 15, range 2, of the
Holland Purchase, one mile west of Albion where he
lived sixteen years. He then removed to Barre Center
where he resided until his death, which occurred
February 5, 1853.
I attended the first school taught in Barre, in a log-
school house, which stood on the west side of Oak
Orchard road, in what is now the village of Albion,
al so attended tlie first town meeting: in Barre after
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 125
the town was organized, at the house of Abraham
Mattison, about two miles south of Albion. 1 also
attended the great celebration of the opening <>f the
Erie Canal, when the waters of Lake Erie mingled
with those of the Hudson River. I was also present
when the site for the county buildings was located at.
Albion, which was the most exciting time, perhaps,
ever known in this count}'.
1 was present when the first Congregational church
in the town of Barre was formed, at the house of
Joseph Hart. This church then consisted of the fol-
lowing named persons, viz : Joseph Hart and wife.
Ebenezer Rogers and wife, Ithamar Hibbard and wife.
Artemas Thayer and wife, Artemas Houghton and
Thankful Thurston.
1 was married to Amanda Wrisley, in Barre, June
19, L828. She was horn in (rill. Mass., Nov. 18, 1809.
Z. P. HIBBARD."
Dated— Barre Center, April 4th, 1865.
Letter from William Tanner, formerly of Orleans
county, N. Y., written to the Pioneer Association :
"To the officers and members of the Orleans County
Pioneer Association :
Gentlemen: As fond memory often sharpens old
ears to catch some word of the old home of our youth,
so now at three score years and one I have heard of
your society. What you do or what you say, I do
not know, but 1 do know if you are the real pioneers
1 should be glad indeed to meel with you at your
annual gathering.
Tell me, dear sirs, are you together to speak of tin-
days when Albion was a mud hole, and Jesse Bum-
pus and Dea. Hart and a lew others owned the whole
ofitl And when the old log school house half a
mile north oflAlbioD was built, where Francis Tanner
first declared martial law among the little folks : and
when Mr. Jakeway so well adapted to the business by
126 PIONEER HISTORY
Ids six feet four inches of body and legs, used to break
the road through four feet of snow, with three yoke of
oxen, from the Ridge Road to father Crandall's near
one Angel's, not Gabriel, but 'Cabin Angel,' as he
was called by way of distinction.
And there was Dea. Daniels, and Esq. Babbitt a
little east, the workings of whose face denoted wis-
dom ;is he sat in judgment to decide weighty matters
between neighb< >rs.-
Never shall 1 forget envying that man his high
office as justice of the peace when I was a small
boy.
Then there was John Proctor and his tall and ami-
able wife and large farm.
Then again at Gaines Corners, the corpulent land-
lord Booth, together with Dr. Anderson, with his
mild and pleasant way of telling people it wouldn't
hurt much to pull teeth, and then almost taking their
heads off with his strong arm.
Later, there was good Jeptha Wood, who first
taught me that hot and cold iron would not weld
together.
But 1 must not name others lest I have not room to
say a word to the old Pioneers.
How simple was I in my boyhood days to envy
the honored Esq. Babbitt, or the rich farmer Proctor
of those early times. I have since been "Esq." my-
self. I have been rich also ; but neither the honor of
the one nor the gold of the other, brings happiness
while here on this mundane sphere. When
I turn my thoughts to the spot of all others most
dear to me, Samuel N. Tanners old farm, and the * city
of the dead.' Mount Albion, opposite to his once
earthly habitation, where I once chased the deer, and
see the monumental slabs erected over heads many of
whom were my friends in youth, lam ready to ex-
claim — 'Where are the pioneers 1 once knew V
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 127
But sirs, some of you still live, and allow me to
speak of what you have done. Sou are among the
greatest men of the nation. Yon have leveled the
sturdy forest, planted fruitful lields. orchards and
gardens, built railroads and canals, set up talking
wires by which we carry our freight and travel
cheaply over three hundred miles a day and converse
with lightning speed with far distant friends.
1 imagine 1 see I)e Witt Clinton standing in his
beautiful garden in the city of New York, listening.
us it were, to hear the sound of the axes of Dea.
Hart, Bumpus, Proctor. Babbitt, and a long list of
names I have no room to refer to. And I see him
turn to give the Commissions to the Chief Engineer
and Surveyor; and what do I hear him say I "The
pioneers are there at work ; you can accomplish your
work now.'
Teach it to your children and grand-children, that
they are indebted to you for all the vast improve-
ments made in the great west, as the result of hard
toil and labor. Labor, which always precedes the
development of everything great and good; labor,
that God ordained, sanctioned and approved ; labor
that is so conducive to health and comfort and that
brings it> sure reward. I love labor, even in deepest
old age. 1 would obey God and benefit myself by
laboring when able, seeing it is the only sure road
leading to individual and national wealth and great-
ness, as well as to personal happiness and com-
fort.
Had oui- statesmen spent money without stint and
built your railroads and canals, unless preceded and
accompanied by the pioneers, it would have availed
but little.
Education is a priceless acquisition ; give it to the
voung by all means, but do not forget to teach them
128 PIONEER HISTORY
tlie great value and benefit of intelligent and well di-
rected labor.
And now, gentlemen, I ask your patience in deci-
phering my trembling writing, and excuse bad spell-
ing, for I see much of it. 1 have labored too long
and ha I'd to be able now to write elegantly.
Respectfully, vour obedient servant,
WILLIAM TANNER"
East Liberty. Allen Co., Intl., March 13, 1865.
ROSWELL S. BURROWS.
Kosweli S. Burrows was born in Groton, Conn.,
Feb. 22, 1798. He was fitted for college at Bacon
Academy. Conn., entered the Sophomore Class in
Yale College in 1819. and took a dismission in the
fall of 18'2<>. in consequence of protracted ill health.
He never returned to college, but in the year 1867, the
honorary degree of A. M. was conferred on him by
Vale ( College.
He received some capital by devise from his grand*
father with which he purchased a cotton factory in
Rhode Island, and there carried on business for some
time for himself. His factory not proving as profita-
ble an investment as he expected, he sold out, receiv-
ing a small payment down and a mortgage for the
balance, which, through the fraud of another party,
proved a total loss.
In July, 1824, he came to Orleans county and lo-
cated at Albion, and in Sept. next after, he borrowed
two thousand dollars of his father, and a like sum of
his father-in-law, laid it out in a stock of goods, and
with this capital, increased by a small sum saved
from the ruin of his factory speculation, commenced
business as a merchant, in a little wooden building,
standing \^vy near the site of the First National Bank
of Albion.
In November 1824, his younger brother. Lorenzo
Burrows, came to Albion to assist him as his clerk.
t
I
^
■•-:
Y/AAMTVi
-)
OF ORKKA SS COUNTY. 129
This arrangHinent continued until in 1826 the firr <*
K. S. & L. Burrows was formed, which existed in
business as dry goods merchants, produce deal* is.
and in warehousing and forwarding on the Erie Canal
for ten or eleven years, when they sold out their entir
stock of goods.
When Mr. Burrows settled in Albion the canal wan
made navigable as far west as Loekport, and one in
ducement he had to stop here was the promise oi
Canal Commissioner, Win. ('. Bouck, that he should
receive the appointment of Collector of ('anal revenue
an office then about to be established at Albion.
This office of Collector was given To him in 182r»,
and was continued by re-appointment until L832,
when he was succeeded by C. S. McConnell.
Mr. Burrows built the warehouse now standing n< '
east from Main street on the canal, in 1827. After tl •
sale of their goods in store, as above stated, Messrs.
R. S. &L. Burrows continued their warehouse busi
ness and dealt in produce until the general banking-
law went into operation, under which they estab-
lished the Bank of Albion, which commenced biu
ness under that law duly 15th, L839. This bank con
tinned in operation about twenty-seven years, and
was finally closed under the new policy which sub
stituted National Banks. Its first officers were Ros
well S. Burrows, President : Lorenzo Burrows, Cash-
ier; and Andrew J. Chester, Teller.
Mr. Burrows organized a new bank in Albion. De-
cember 23, 1863, called 'The First National Bank < S
Albion.' This was the first National Bank which wenl
into operation in the State of New York west of v
racuse. Koswell S. Burrows. President ; Alexandei
Stewart, Cashier: and Albert s. Warner, Teller.
Mr. R. S. Burrows owned a majority of the capital
stock of both these banks, was always their President
and a Director and the principal manager.
130 PIONEER HISTORY
Within the last forty years Mr. Burrows has been
Director and Trustee of many corporations and com-
panies, such as railroad companies, telegraph com-
panies, the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge compa-
ny, and one mining company. He has been Trustee
of several religious, benevolent and literary institu-
tions. He lias frequently been proposed by his
friends as a candidate for various civil offices but al-
ways declined a nomination.
Several years since the extensive and very valuable
library of Professor Neander, of Germany, was of-
fered for sale by reason of the death of its owner.
Mr. Burrows purchased this library and presented it
bo the Rochester Theological Seminary, connected with
the Baptist denomination. This library, consisting of
several thousand volumes of rare and valuable books
collected through many years by one of the beet
scholars of his time in Europe, is valued at from fif-
teen to twenty thousand dollars.
In addition to this library, a few years ago Mr. Bur-
rows offered to give this Theological Seminary the mu-
nificent gift of one hundred thousand dollars to add
to its endowments, with the promise of more if pros-
pered in business as he hoped to be. The Trustees
of the Seminary proposed to Mr. Burrows if he
would increase his proposed endowment of that insti-
tution to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars they
would give it the name of k The Burrows Theological
Seminary of Rochester, N. Y.'
These proposals it is understood have never been
formally withdrawn or acted on.
A.S a business man Mr. Burrows is cool, shrewd.
clear-headed and sagacious ; never disturbed by
] )a.nics. or deceived by false appearances. He has
accumulate^ a great fortune by indefatigable indus-
try, and prudently and safely investing his accumu-
lations. Although advanced in years, he was
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 131
never perhaps more busy than now, and never found
his great experience and capital yielding him a larger
profit.
WILLIAM PENNIMAN.
Judge Penniman was born in Peterborough, Hills-
borough County, IS". H., August 5, 1793. After ob-
taining a good common school and academic educa-
tion in his native State, he emigrated to Ontario Co.,
New York, in Sept., 1816, and from thence to Shelby,
Orleans County, in October, 1820. He took up land
in that town on which he resided about eight j'ears ;
he then removed to Albion, remaining there more
than two years, finally settling on a farm in Banc,
near Eagle Harbor, where he has ever since resided.
In 1825, Mr. Penniman was appointed a Judge of
the Court of Common Pleas, for Orleans County, then
lately organized, and was one of the first bench of
Judges, which composed that Court, which office he
held five years. In 1831, he was elected Justice of
the Peace of Barre and served in that office until he
removed to Eagle Harbor, when he resigned.
In 184(3, he represented Orleans County, as a mem-
ber of the Convention to revise the Constitution of the
State of New York.
Judge Penniman was a celebrated school teacher
for many years after he came to Orleans County,
having taught school fourteen winters and seven sum-
mers. He al ways took a lively interest in the sub] ect of
common schools, was Commissioner of schools and
town inspector each of the eight years he resided in
Shelby, and served as town superintendent of schools
in Barre three years, while that system was the law.
He was a popular Justice of the Peace, while act-
ing in that capacity. He used to say, he once issued
108 summons in one day, in all of which Dr. William
White was plaintiff. As a .Judge he was firm, up-
132 PIONEEB HISTORY
right and impartial, aiming to sustain the right in his"
decisions, and in all his official and social relations he
lias sustained a character marked for sound views of
men and things, honest, faithful, sagacious and true ::
and now in his old age and retirement enjoys the re-
spect of all who know him.
JESSE MASON.
.lesse Mason was horn in Cheshire, Mass., July 24...
1770. By occupation he was a farmer. He removed
to Phelps. Ontario County N. Y., about the year
1810, where he resided six years, then removed to-
Barre, Orleans County, and settled on lot 17, in town?
ship 15, range 2. now owned by Wm. 11. Pendry.
In the year 1837, he sold his property in Barre and!
removed to Ohio, where he resided until his death, in
Nov., 1854.
Mr. Mason served one campaign in the war of 1812,..
was one of the last American soldiers to leave Buffa-
lo when it was burned by the British.
Mr. Mason was a man of positive convictions in all
matters of his belief, political, moral or religious..
Energetic, enterprising and liberal in all that pertain
ed to public affairs in his neighborhood, he bore even i
more than his share in all the labors.' expense and:
trouble in opening roads, founding schools and
churches and organizing society in the new country...
All such duties and burthens were performed and
borne by Mm as labors of love in which he seemed^
to delight,
Mrs. Hannah Mason, wife of Jesse Mason, daugh-
ter of Rev. .John Leland, a Baptist minister, residing
in Orange county, \r a. was born Dec. 18,1778. Mr..
Leland was originally from Mass. While living in
Virginia he became the intimate friend of President
Jefferson, and it is said Mi-. Jefferson derived his first
clear idea of genuine democracy from what he saw. of
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 133
the working of that principle inachuroh, of which Mr.
Leland was pastor. Miss Leland married Mr. Mason.
in Cheshire, about the year 1800, moved with him to the
west, and as long as he lived, proved herself a help-
meet indeed, fully sharing and sympathizing with
him in all the toils, hardships and anxieties through
which he passed in a long and active life. . She died
■January 21, L867.
STEPHEN I!. THURSTON'.
" I was born in Westmoreland, Oneida Co., X. Y.,
-January 3, 1808, and removed with my father. Caleb
O. Thurston, to Barre to reside, in the spring of 1814.
My father being a farmer, brought me up to labor in
that honorable (•ailing. I resided with my father, at-
tending school occasionally winters, until I was twen-
ty-two year? old, when I bought seventy-six acres of
land, part of lot 19, township 15, range 2, in Barre,
•on which I resided until April, I860, when I removed
into the village of Albion, where I now reside.
I was married to Miss Julianna Williams, daughter
-of Samuel Williams, of Barre, January 11, 18: $2.-
She was born in Burlington, Otsego Co., N. Y., April
■5, 1812.
S. B. THURSTON."
Albion, July, 1807.
RUFUS HALLOCK.
Rufus Eiallock was born in Richmond, Chittenden
'Co., \'t.. Nov. 7, 1802. His lather was a fanner, and
young Rufus labored on his father's farm summers
and attended school winters.
In February, 1815, with his father's family, he re-
moved to Murray, Orleans Co., X. Y. In L823, he
removed with his father's family to Louisville, St.
Lawrence Co., where he resided two years, and then
•came to Dane, Orleans Co.. and settled on lot 43,
•township 14. range 2, of the Holland Purchase, where
134 PIONEER HISTORY
he resided till his death in 1870. He was married July
3, 1820, to Susan Tucker, of Shelby, who was born in
New Hampshire, May 9, 1804.
Mrs. Hallock died at her home in Barre, May 18th.
1868, aged 64 years.
Mr. Hallock by his industry and economy ac-
cumulated a competence of property.
In religious belief a Baptist, Mr. Hallock was regard-
ed as an exemplary christian man, respected by all
who knew him. Resolute and prompt in his charac-
ter and conduct, he generally met and overcome
or removed every obstacle and adversity which he
has encountered in his path in life.
He told a story of his father which illustrates what
sort of a. man his father was, and exhibits a dash
and courage which has been transmitted to his de-
scendants.
Traveling alone through the woods one day after he
came to this county, he saw a bear and two cubs
asleep under the roots of a fallen tree. Resolving to
capture {i cub, Mr. Hallock stealthily crept up to the
spot where they lay and seized a cub by its hind legs
and backed away dragging his prize and keeping his
eyes fixed on the mother bear who followed after him
growling and gnashing her teeth. He kept on in this
way several rods until he backed and fell over a fal-
len tree, when the old bear attracted by the cries of
the cub left behind returned to that and came after
him no more. Mr. Hallock carried the cub home
tamed and raised it. He died .Tan. 16, 1871.
JONATHAN CLARK.
" I was born in Londonderry, Rockingham county,
New Hampshire, July 3d. 1790. My father died
when I was quite young. I lived with my grandfath-
er. John Clark, until T was fifteen years of age : I
then went to live with my Uncle. John ('lark. Jr., in
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 135
Salem, Massachusetts, where ! remained until 1 was
twenty-one years of age.
March,1812,I went aboard tin- schooner Talbot, Capt.
Ofeorge Burchmore, headed for the East Indies, with
:i miscellaneous cargo in the capacity of a common
seaman.
Nothing worth}' of note happened to us until we
reached the equinoctial line, when the Captain said
" Old Neptune must come aboard that afternoon and
the green ones must be shaved and sworn." The
oath which we were required To take in connection
with the other raw hands, was us follows:
k- I promise to never eat brown bread when! can
get white ; never to leave the pump until 1 call for a
spell ; and never to ki'ss the maid when T can kiss
the mistress."
The shaving process consisted, in brief, in placing
the subject on the windlass, brushing his face with
tilth and scraping it off with an iron hoop, as a sub-
stitute for a razor, the subject in the meantime being
in great danger of having the unsavory lather thrusl
into his mouth while taking the oath. Luckily he.
me I passed the ordeal more happily than my com
rades having, in advance, circulated a bottle of sailors
' O be joyful.'
Crossing the .line is a great occasion for jokes and
fun in general among sailors.
In dm- time, and without barm, we reached the
vicinity of the capes, when we encountered heavy
weather.
We ran twenty-three days under close reefed top
sails, shipped a heavy sea on our starboard quarter
which washed the whole length of the deck and cai
ried away our bulwarks. We doubled the Cape <*
Good Hope and reached the Isle of Prance one hue
died and thirteen days out from Salem. We lay there
two months, discharged cargo, took in ballast and
1.86 PIOJSTEEK HISTORY
sailed for the Island of Sumatra. We were running
into Lemonarger when we were met by an armed boat
commanded by a man claiming- to be king of Ar-
heen, who demanded of ns a duty on the pepper
we might purchase. We regarded him and his crew
is savages and pirates, and declining to trade with
them put to sea again. We ran to Soo-Soo and saw
a sail approaching. That excited our apprehensions
of danger.
The Captain inquired if we would fight should the
occasion demand it. Our unanimous response was
'■ we will."
We were then stationed where we could do the best
execution in self defence.
My station was on the side of the ship with an ax
to cut off their hands should they attempt to board
us. All the men were armed with deadly weapons,
and we had a six-pounder ready for any emer-
gency.
The strange vessel sent a boat to us with a letter
written in English, requesting u- to trade with the king
of Archeen, or in case of our refusal he would seize
ua and our vessel.
The night following being very dark we weighed
anchor and put to sea, bidding his suspicious majes-
ty good-bye.
We then sailed to an English port, Topanooley,
where we took in a cargo of pepper and sailed for
home.
We were to touch the Brazils to receive the orders
>'' the owners. Here we were hailed by what we re-
garded as a hostile vessel and chased and tired at
astern; and when forced to yield, to our great joy
w i found the strange vessel to be a man-of-war from
our own Salem, named 'The Grand Turk,' a priva-
>er sent out to re-take our ship, which the owners
supposed to be in the hands of the British.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. loT
The mutual congratulations between the crews of
the 'Talbot' and 'The Grand Turk' were veiy
pleasant to us all. Bere we first learned of the war
between the United States and Great Britain, which
had then been doing its work of destruction ten
months.
We entered the port of Pernambuco, March 18th.
1813. having been absent just one year. The cargo
was put in Portuguese bottoms and sent to Europe.
The second mate and myself remained to take care
of the ship until November, 1815, when 1 left for Gib-
raltar on board the Rebecca, with a cargo of hides
and sugar. We stopped at Gibraltar a few days,
then ran down to Naples and discharged cargo and
took in a miscellaneous loading and returned home-
wards, landing in New York where 1 was discharged,
and started for Salem where I arrived January 1st,
1816.
I give the names of the places in the East Indies as
I heard them pronounced. J may have spelled them
wrong. Thus ends my seafaring life.
July 5th, 1810, I left Boston for Western New
York. J traveled through Albany, taking the Great
Western Turnpike, walking on foot all the way, until
near Auburn when a traveler kindly permitted me to
ride with him, saying he would take me to where 1
could find good land.
We passed through Rochester, and taking the
Ridge Road came to Sheldon's Corners, now Wesl
(faines. We then turned south, and traveling about
a mile reached a school house just as the school was
out for noon. A little sunny-faced girl ran up to us
and said to the man who had so kindly assisted me:
* Well dad. we are glad you have come for we are
about half starved out/
That man was Gideon Freeman and the little girl
was Sally Freeman.
138 PIONEER HISTORY
1 looked around a little and finally bought the
farm on which T have ever since resided, part of lot
fifty, in township fifteen, range two, of the Holland
Purchase, lying in the north-western part of Barre,
then Gaines, near the south end of what is now
known as ' The Long Bridge,'' over the Erie canal.
My land cost me five dollars per acre. T took an ar-
ticle for it and was able to pay in full in about eight
years.
I underbrushed five acres, built a log house and
went back to Salem.
1 was married November 25th, 1816, to Abigail
Simonds, who was born in Salem. Massachusetts.
.July Oth, 1790.
While 1 was preparing to start on our journey
west 1 was accosted by an old sailor friend
who inquired where I was going? 1 said "to the
Holland Purchase.5 Said lie. 'where can that be?
1 never heard of that place before.' 1 told him kit
was a fine country in Western New York ;' that M
had bought a farm there, built a log house and was
going to live there." Said he, * I would not give the
gold 1 could scrape from a card of gingerbread for
the entire Holland Purchase.' But he did not know
everything.
My wife and I left Salem for our new western home
with a span of horses and a wagon. We were twen-
ty one days on the road. We arrived at my place
and began house-keeping January 1st. 1817, without
a table, a. chair or a bedstead, all of which articles 1
soon made in true Genesee pioneer style.
For many years in the settlement I was called
' Sailor (Mark * to distinguish me from another Clark
who was. 1 am happy to say, a very decent man.
Money being very hard to be got, we made black
salts, which became practically a legal tender or sub
stitute for money.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. . 139
T and my neighbor, Mr. Benjamin Foot, worked
together in the manufacture, but alter a time he sold
to a Mr. Elijah Shaw, who conducted the business
with me until that necessary calling was 'played
out.'
Mr. Shaw arid myself are the only persons living in
this school district who came in as early as 1816.
My wife having been reared in the city knew noth-
ing of spinning wheels, though she was a good house-
keeper; but under the influence of her neighbor's
example, she urged me to raise flax and purchase
her a Pioneer Piano, which I did, bringing home
one of the largest size on my shoulder from a dis-
tance of several miles : and before long she could
discourse as melodious music as any in the settle-
ment.
In the early part of my pioneer life, like others, 1
had to cut browse for my cow. One evening I went
out and felled a tree, thinking it would certainly fall
west, but alas for my sagacity, it fell east striking
our house, breaking down about half the roof and
alarming me greatly for the safety of my family.
However no one was hurt except by being badly
frightened. The roof was easily repaired, but a fine
mirror, ;i very elegant one for a new country, which
my wife's father, who was a seaman, had brought
from Hamburgh, in Europe, was broken into frag-
ments, and could not be repaired.
During the cold seasons many of the settlers suf-
fered for the necessaries of life, but happily for me
and mine we did not suffer. I went east with my
team far enough to find all the provisions we needed
and brought home a full supply for all our necessi-
ties.
The fall of 1824 was a sad period to me, My wife
died October 20th of this year.
1 desire here to record my grateful sense of the kind-
140 PU0NEEK HISTORY
ness of our neighbors during her sickness. Their at-
tentions were timely, cordial and continued. All
those kind women then living in the district are dead
except Mrs. Ben]. Foot.
I married my present wife, Elizabeth Stephens, in
(faines, March 20th, 1825. She was born in Middle-
town. Rutland county, Vt.. June 20th, 1806.
We left our pioneer log house and moved into our
present dwelling in 182;"). About this time the boats
were seen passing along in 'Grov. Clinton's big-
ditch. * the Erie canal, on the north border of my
farm, connecting the great commercial and agricultu-
ral interests of our country. And I trust that our nat-
ural and artificial channels of trade may remain
open, and the love of freedom among our people con-
tinue to aid. with the blessing of Mod, to preserve and
perpetuate our nationality, restore the Vnion of these
States and the free institutions of our country.
In 1825 I experienced religion, and about 1829 my
wife and myself connected ourselves with the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, in whose communion we still
remain.
JONATHAN CLARK."
Barre, April rth, 1864.
OLIVER KENTON.
Oliver Benton was born in AshhVld, Mass.. April
10th, 1701. He came to Barre to reside in 1812. He
married Elvira Starr, May 15th, 1817. Mr. Benton
took up a large tract of land two miles south oi Al-
bion, on which he resided.
After the. town of Barre was organized, and about
1818 or '19 the first postoffice in the town was estab-
lished and called Barre, and Mr. Benton was ap-
pointed postmaster, an office he held many years.
For many years he was a noted tavern keeper on
the Oak Orchard Koad, and as he had a large and
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 141
r-ommodious house for the times, town meetings, bulls
and gatherings of the people were held at liis house.
On the death of William Lewis, who was the first
Sheriff. Mr. Benton was elected Sheriff of Orleans co.
Nov. 1825, and held the office three years. He died
Feb. 12th, 1848.
MOSES SMITH.
Moses Smith was born in Newburg, New York,
February 6th, ITS.". He married Chloe Dickinson, of
Phelps, New York, April lltli. 1811, and moved to
Barre, Orleans county. Nov. 16th, 1824, and took a
deed from the Holland Company of a part of lot two,
township fifteen, range one, on which lie continued to
reside until his death May 16th, 1869. He had four-
teen children, eight of whom survived him. lie was
a carpenter and joiner by trade, but the main occu-
pation of his life was farming.
lie was of Scotch descent. Bis grandmother emi-
grated from Scotland and settled on what is known
in history as the Hasbrouck place, in the South part
of the city of Newburgh, on two hundred and fifty
acres. On this faun Mr. Moses Smith was born, and
on this farm stands the celebrated building known as
•• Washington's Headquarters.' '
ANTHONY TRIPP.
Anthony Tripp was born in Providence, Rhode Is-
land. In his childhood he removed with his lather's
famih to Columbia county, N. Y., where he grew
up to manhood, was married and settled. He after-
terwards removed to Delaware county, when- he re-
sided until he moved to Barre.
In 181 1 he came to Bane and took up one hundred
acres of land about two miles South of Albion. It
is claimed this was the first article for land issued by
142 PIONEER HISTORY
the Holland Company in Barre. The war breaking
out next year he did not settle on his land.
In 1817 his eldest son, Samuel, commenced clear-
ing this land and Tmilt a log house there, into
which Mr. Tripp moved with his family in 1824, and
where he continued to reside until his death.
He married Mary Brown. Their children were
Samuel; Talitha, who married Sylvester Patterson;
Stephen R., who married Ruth Mott ; Anthony ; Al-
vah, who married Jane H. Blakely. She was killed
January, 1800, by a chimney and battlement from an
adjoining building falling through the roof of a store
in Albion, in which she was trading, crushing her to
death. Mary, who married Psalter S. Mason. Al-
meron, who married Sylvia Burns.
ALLEN PORTER.
Allen Porter was born in Franklin county, Mass.,
Aug. 24th, 1795. He married Electa Scott, Dec. 22d,
1819. In the tall of 1815 he located for himself a
farm in the town of Barre, upon which, he removed
in March, 1810, and commenced felling the trees, and
on which he has ever since resided.
At the time Mr. Porter came in, not more than fif-
teen families had settled in the present limits of
Barre.
Previous to this time the Holland Company had
cut out the road from the Oak Orchard Road to Shel-
by Center, which now passes the County Poor House.
A few lots had been taken but no dwelling had been
erected on the road so cut out in Barre and no set-
tlement had been made in this town south of the Poor
House Road and west of the Oak Orchard Road.
Mr. Porter remembers hauling wheat raised on his
farm, to Rochester, and selling it there for thirty-one
cents a bushel, and paying five dollars per barrel for
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 143
salt, seventeen cents per pound for nails, and other
goods in like proportion.
While Mr. Porter wasa boy his father removed to
Seneca county, X. Y. Allen being yet in his minori-
ty was drafted in the war of 181:2 and sent .to the
frontier. He volunteered at Buffalo to go over into
Canada to reinforce our troops in Fort Erie, and was
present in the sortie from that Fort in Sept. 1814. Mr.
Porter has held various offices, civil and? military, and
is a well known and much respected citizen.
ELIZUK HART.
Elizur Hart was horn in Durham, Greene county,
N. Y., May 23d, 1803. His father, Dea. .Joseph Hart,
removed to Seneca county, N. Y., in 1800, and to
Barre, Orleans county, in October, 1812. It was aev
era! years after he came to Barre, before any school
was opened in his father's neighborhood, and he
never had the benefit of much instruction in school.
While residing with his father he was employed
mainly in dealing up land and in labor on the farm.
and grew up to manhood as other hoys did in that
new country, without much knowledge of hooks or
business, or of the world beyond the community
where he lived.
About the year 1827 he was elected constable, an
office he held two years. 3 lis business now called
him to spend much of his time in Albion. He had
about five hundred dollars in money. His brother
William had a like sum which he put into Elizur s
hands to use for their joint benefit. Elizur began to
buy small promissory notes and to lend small sums
to such customers as applied, and sometimes to re-
lieve debtors in executions which were put in his
hands to collect as constable.
About this time his father deeded to his sons Wil-
liam and Elizur one hundred acres of tiis farm for
144 PIONEER HISTORY
which they paid him five hundred dollars. They con-
tinued joint owners several years when William gave
Elizur the five hundred dollars he had put into his
hands and all the profit he had made on it for a deed
of the whole one hundred acres to himself. This
hind lies in the village of Albion : is still owned and
occupied by Win. Hart, and the rise in its value has
made him a wealthy man.
As Mr. Hart found his means increase he began to
invest in bonds and mortgages, and in articles for
land issued by the Holland Company. He seldom
lost but generally made money in all his trades, and
continued this business for man}' years.
In 1852 he was made an assignee, and in a year or
two after receiver of the property of the Orleans
Insurance Company. And on the failure of the old
Bank of Orleans he was appointed receiver of that
institution.
On February loth. 1860, in company with Mr. Jos.
M. Cornell he established -The Oilcans County
Hank" at Albion, with a capital of $100,000. Of this
Bank he was President as long as it existed. When
all State Banks were superseded by National Banks,
he changed his institution and organized ' The Or-
leans County National Bank ' in its stead Aug. 9th,
1865, of which he was President the remainper of
of his life.
Mr. Hait was not a speculator in business, advan-
cing money in uncertain ventures and taking the
chances on their success. His investments were the
results of careful calculations, and usually returned
the profit he had computed before hand.
Always attentive to his business, but never dilatory
or impulsive, correct and exemplary in all his habits.
beginning with comparatively nothing, without the
aid or influence of wealthy connections, he became
one of the opulent country bankers in the State, and
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 145
at his death was master of a fortune amounting
to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In his will he gave the Presbyterian Church in Al-
bion, of which he was a member, fifty thousand dol-
lars to build a house of worship, and an endowment
of five thousand dollars to the Sunday School con-
nected with his church.
Mr. Hart married Miss Loraine Field in May. 1835.
She died Feb. 11th, 1847. He married Miss Cornelia
King, Oct. 16th, 1849.
His surviving children are Frances E., who married
Oliver C. Day, and resides in Adrian. Michigan.
Jennie K. and E. Kirk ; the last named married Lou-
isa Sanderson and resides in Albion, is Cashier and
principal owner of the Orleans County National Bank.
Elizur Hart died August 13th, 1870.
JARVIS M. SKINNER.
'•I was born in Providence, Saratoga Co., N. Y.,
June 3, 1799. I married Mary Delano, Feb. 14. 1822.
She was born in Providence, Dec. 25, 1800.
I labored on a farm, of which my father had a lease
in the summer season, and with my father in the win-
ter, a part of the time, in his shop, making saddles
and harness, he being a saddler by trade.
When I became of age, I hired out to work on ;;
farm for Earl Stimson, then a huge farmer inGalway,
first eight months, at $11 a month, then a year for
8110. My wages for this work, deducting my cloth-
ing bills, constituted all my capital.
On the 1st h (lay of March, 1822, 1 started for the
Holland Purchase, and came alone to Durfee Delano's.
a little west of Eagle Harbor, in Gaines.
1 bought fifty-five acres of land ofWinsoi Paine,
for which I agreed to give him $250— $100 down, my
horse, saddle and bridle, for $80, and $70 worth of
saddles, to be delivered in a year.
140 PIONEER HISTORY
I worked on my place until the next fall ; Mrs.
Paine did my washing and cooking and I furnished a
portion of the provisions. I chopped and cleared and
sowed with wheat, six acres ; raised one acre of spring
wheat, one hundred bushels of corn. I returned to
Saratoga in the fall, made the saddles in the winter,
to pay for my farm, and in January 1823, moved my
wife to our new home in Barre, where we have since
resided, on lot 33, township 15, range 2.
Dated, Dec. 1, 1863. JAR VIS M. SKINNER."
NATHANIEL ERALEY.
Was born in Savoy, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts,
Dec. 14, 1796. He has always followed farming. He
came to Palmyra in 1801, settled in Gaines, Orleans
Co., K Y., in 1819, married Sarah Wickham in 1821.
She was born in Chatham, Columbia Co., July 15,
1799, and removed to Gaines in 1810.
Mr. Braley removed to Barre, where he now re-
sides, in 1838.
LUCIUS STREET.
"I was bom in West Springfield, Massachusetts,
Dec. 19, 1795. My father gave me a good common
school education for those times and brought me up
in his occupation, as a farmer.
I followed the business of teaching school for sever-
al winters, when I was a young man.
May 5, 1818, my brother Chapin and myself started
from my father's house in Hinsdale, Mass., on foot,
with knapsacks on our backs, for the 'Genesee"
country.
After going to Batavia and looking over the towns
of Orangeville and China, we came to Barre and set-
tled on lot 3, township 14, range 2, of the Holland
Purchase, about two miles south of Barre Center
where we still reside, (1804.)
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 147
We took our article for our laud, May 18, 1818, and
immediately began chopping, boarding with a family
named Cuthbret.
I taught a district school, in all, seven winters, and
singing school two terms.
One of our neighbors, Henry Edgerton, a strong,
athletic man, carried a bushel and a half of wheat on
his back, to Farwell's mill, in Clarendon, eight miles,
got it ground and brought it home.
In the fall of 1820, my brother and myself, having
partially recovered from fever and ague, from which
we had suffered, and getting somewhat homesick,
went on foot back to Mass., being quite discouraged
at the prospect of ever paying for our land, as the
price of produce was so low. We wanted to sell out.
Finding no opportunity to sell our articles, we
worked out for farmers in Massachusetts the next
season, at §8 a month, then the common wages, and
returned to Barre, in the fall of 1821, to sell our im-
provements, but found no buyers.
We had agreed to give six dollars an acre for our
land, on ten years' time — the first two years without
interest. At this time, wheat was worth in Rochester
from thirty-one to thirty-seven cents a bushel.
While I was teaching school in Springfield, Mass.,
in 1821, I saw Esq. Brewster of Riga, Monroe Co., N.
Y., who, with one of his neighbors, had come there
from Riga, with two large loads of flour, drawn by
four yoke of oxen. The flour sold for $5 a barrel. —
They sold their oxen and Genesee sleds, bought a
span of horses and an old sleigh and returned to Riga.
In the summer of 1822, I boarded with Mr. Edger-
ton, and worked two days of every nine for him, to
pay my hoard. That season I cleared, fenced and
sowed ten acres with wheat, from which nexl season
I harvested 255 bushels of good wheat. The canal
148 PIONEER HISTORY
being then navigable west as far as Brockport, 1
could sell my wheat there for $1 a bushel.
My brother and myself divided our land, giving me -
109 acres. I then abandoned the intention of selling,
and Nov. 16, 1823, was married to Miss Martha M.
Buckland, daughter of John A. Buckland, of South
Barre.
In those days we were required by law to 'train'
as soldiers, two days in each year, viz : on the first
Monday in June and September, company training,
and one day for a general muster, which was often
held at Oak Orchard Creek. We were often called
to meet at Oak Orchard and made the journey, 16
miles, on foot, carrying our gun and equipments and
paying our own expenses. We would drill until
near night, then on being dismissed, return home the
same day, if indeed we were able to reach home be-
fore the next morning.
In the early times in this country, inspectors of
Common Schools were allowed no compensation for
their services, the honor of the office being deemed
sufficient remuneration. After serving the town in
that office several years gratis, Dr. J. K. Brown and
I agreed and declared to the electors, that if ap-
pointed to that office again we would pay our fines of
$10 and thus relieve ourselves of the service, where-
upon the town voted to give us seventy-five cents each
per day, for the time we might be on duty.
Under circumstances like these, not as many were
seeking the small town offices then as now.
Bears, wrolves, wild cats, deer, raccoons, hedge
hogs and other wild animals, were plenty here then.
In the summer of 1818, my brother and I be-
ing at work chopping on our farm, heard a hog
squeal, and saw a bear walking off very deliberately
carrying the hog in his paws. We gave chase and as
we came near, the bear dropped his prey and ran off:
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 149
lie had killed tlie hog. We then made 'a dead fall,'
-as it was called, in which to entrap the bear, which
was a pen made by driving stakes into the ground,
and interweaving them with brush horizontally, in
which the hog was placed. Into this pen we expect-
ed the bear would come and spring a trap, which
would let a weight fall upon him. It proved a suc-
cess, for in the morning we found the bear in the pen ;
he had sprung the trap, and a spike of the dead fall
through his leg held him fast.
Religious meetings were early established and
maintained at South Barre and Barre Center. Dea-
con Orange Starr was among the foremost in these
meetings.
Man}* pleasant reminiscences of pioneer life might
be mentioned, for though we endured many hard-
ships and privations, we had plenty of sport mingled
with them, giving us a pleasant variety of mirthful
enjoyment. Major Daniel Bigelow, being a good
horseman, and having no horse, broke one of his ox-
en to the saddle, and was accustomed to ride him
through the settlement.
Hiding out one day, his ox being very thirsty and
coming near a large puddle of water, started forward
to the drink on double-quick time, and plunging into
the water, stopped so suddenly as to throw his good-
natured rider over his head, sprawling into the mud.
much to the amusement of those looking on.
I am a descendant, on my mother's side, of the
seventh generation, from Samuel Chapin, an early pi-
oneer of Springtield, Mass., who settled there when
only three families were in the place. At a gathering
of his descendants at Springfield, on Sept. 17, 1802,
fifteen hundred such descendants were present. Dr.
J. (I. Holland, known as 'Timothy Titcomb,' deliver
ed a poem on the occasion, which he said he was re-
150 PIONEER HISTORY
quested to do because lie had married into the Chapin
family.
I am also descended in the sixth generation on my
father's side, from Rev. Nicholas Street, who came
from England and was ordained pastor over the first
church in New Haven, in 1659.
LUCIUS STREET."
Dated, Barre, Feb. 25, 1864.
THOMAS W. ALLIS.
Extracts from the local history of Thomas W. Allis,
written by himself for the Pioneer Association.
l<fL was born in Gorham, Ontario Co., 1ST. Y., Nov.
1, 1798. My father died in the year 1805, and I was
brought up from that time until I attained my major-
ity, in the family of an uncle, in Hampshire, Mass.
In March, 1820, in company with a younger broth-
er, I moved to Murray, in Orleans County, to what is
now the town of Kendall.
We brought with us four barrels of flour, one bar-
rel of pork, one barrel of whisky and a bed.
We located three and one-fourth miles north of the
Ridge road, and one mile east of the Transit Line.
In going from the Ridge to our place, we passed
but one family and they lived in a log house, in the
woods, with no plastering between the logs, with only
part of the ground covered by a floor, a bark roof, no
chimney.
We hired our provisions cooked, and lived with a
family near by, in a log cabin similar to the one
above described.
We bought a contract for one hundred acres of
land, by the terms of which we agreed to pay §300'
for the improvements, and 8000 for the soil.
We kept bachelor s hall there most of the time for
four years.
I soon bought fifty acres more of land, with six
acres improvement on it, for which I agreed to pay
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 151
8450. But few families were then north of the Ridge,
in that section of country.
I worked at clearing land and raising crops.
Wheat was worth only three shillings per bushel, de-
livered in Rochester.
The first plow in our settlement, I bought in com-
pany with two neighbors. We walked to Gaines
village, bought one of Wood's patent plows and car-
ried it on our backs from the Ridge road three and
one-fourth miles to our home.
I was married Nov. 18, 1824, to Miss Elizabeth
Clements, of Queensbury, Warren Co. N. Y.
On the 9th of January, 182G, my house was bun: 1
with all my furniture and clothing and one years'
provision. Our neighbors turned out and drew logs
and rolled up part of a house, but a snow storm came
on and stopped the work before it was finished. My
brother and myself afterwards built a log house, com-
mencing on Thursday at noon, built a stone chimney.
finished and moved, into it the next Saturday. Size
of the house was sixteen by thirteen feet. We lived
in this small house about two years and then I finish-
ed the house which had been begun by my neighbors
soon after the lire.
I resided in the house last built about fourteen
years.
I paid interest on the purchase money, for the first
hundred acres 1 bought, to about the amount of the
principal before I took a deed.
I afterwards bought fifty-three acres for $450,
which i paid with the avails of one crop of wheat.'
In 1837 1 bought a, timber lot of -18 acres.
In 184<) I built a frame house, thirty by seventy
feet, which cost me $2,000.
In March, 1860, I sold my farm in Kendall, part oi
which 1 had held for forty years, and bought a house
152 PIONEER HISTORY
and fifteen acres of land in Albion, on which I now
reside.
THOMAS W. ALLIS."
Albion, January, I860.
Mr. T. W. Allis, above referred to, was for many
years one of the solid men of the town of Kendall,
Honored and respected by all who knew him. He
was a Justice of the Peace and held various other
town offices. Having acquired a competenc}", by
many years' steady toil and economy, he retired from
hard labor on a farm, to a village residence, where he
is now (1871) spending a quiet old age, in the enjoy-
ment of The fruits of his labors.
JOSEPH BARKER.
Extracts from the local history of Col. Joseph Bar-
ker, written by himself.
" I was born in Tadmorden, Lancashire, England,
September 21st, 1802, and emigrated with my father s
family to America in the spring of 1816. I arrived in
the town of Seneca, Ontario county, in July of that
year, and resided there until I bought the farm in
Barre, in November, 1825, on winch I now reside. I
was married in October, 1822, to Miss Submit Cowles,
who was born in Heath, Franklin county, Massachu-
setts, by whom I had nine children. My wife died
February loth, 1851. I lived a widower two and a
half 3'ears, and then married widow Elizabeth Guern-
sey, who was born in Middleburgh, Schoharrie Co..
IS''. Y., March 19th, 1810.
In the fall of 1819, I started with another man from
Seneca, X. Y., to go to Lundy's Lane, in Canada.
We traveled on foot with knapsacks on our backs.
Passing through Rochester, then a small town and
very muddy, we took the Ridge Road, then thinly
settled. Before we arrived at Hartland Corners our
provisions gave out ; we tried to buy some bread ;
could get none; then tried begging, with no better
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 153
success. We went on to Bock's tavern in the Eleven
Mile Woods. It was very dark when we got there
and rained very hard. We had not a dry thread in
our clothes, and our shoes and stockings were full of
mud and water. Buck's tavern was a log house w itli
a Dutch fire place, and had a good rousing fire. Af-
ter taking some rum and supper, we hung our outer
garments up to dry and went to bed. The next morn-
ing we started early, and after getting through the
woods, I went into a house and bought six pence
worth of bread which lasted us through to Lundy's
Lane. We stayed there three1 weeks and returned
home.
In September, 1823, 1 set out to look me up a farm;
came by way of Batavia, and through the Indian
Reservation to a place now called Alabama Center,
and took up sixty acres of land lying about three-
fourths of a mile north of that place. I chopped the
trees on about one acre, when finding half of my lot
was swamp I felt sick of it and left for home, where 1
stayed, working out until the fall of 1825, then start-
ed again and bought the place on which I have ever
since resided in Barre, lot fifty-four, township fourteen,
range two.
I moved to my place in January, 1820. There was
a shanty on my land with a shingled roof. I got
ready to begin work about February 1st, and meas-
ured off ten acres of woods for my next year's work
to chop, clear, fence and sow with wheat ; all of
which 1 did, sowing the last of my wheat in October.
The reason of my being so late sowing wheat was.
my wife was taken sick soon after harvest. 1 could
get no girl to work and 1 was obliged to take care of
my sick wife and do all my work indoors, and out of
doors. 1 had to milk, churn, work butter, wash and
iron clothes, mix and bake bread, and in fact do all
there was to be done. I worked on niv fallow days
154 PKTNEEK HISTORY
and nights whenever I could leave my sick wife. At
last I hired a girl, but she stayed with us only four or
Jive days, and I then had to do housework again.
My wife recovered so as to be about, the forepart of
October.
I worked out some the next winter to get potatoes to
eat and to plant and to pay my doctor1 s bill. I bought
four small pigs in the summer, and beachnuts being
plenty they grew finely and when killed weighed
about one hundred and twenty pounds apiece. The
pork was rather soft but tasted good.
The second winter I chopped about seven acres.
The weather was fine, but on the night of April 13th,
the wind blowing a fearful gale while we were snugly
in bed, took the roof off our shanty leaving us in bed,
but with neither roof or chamber floor in our house.
I got up and put out the fire; we put on our clothes
and taking our little girl went to Mr. Russell s, our
nearest neighbor, about forty rods, where we stayed
until, with the help of our kind neighbors, we got up
the body of another log house. In two or three
weeks we had our house so far made that we moved
into it and lived in it all summer without a chimney.
In the fall I built a Dutch lire place and a stick chim-
ney.
It was about two years after I moved on my lot be-
fore the highway was chopped out either wa}T, north
or south from me. The logs and underbrush were
cut so that we could drive a team through. I
was poor when I came here and I lived according to
my means. One-fourth pound of tea lasted us over
seven months. I bought a barrel of pork and half a
barrel of beef, when I got the tea, and they were all
gone in about the same time together.
We had plenty of flour and some potatoes. My
cow was not used to the woods, and sometimes I could
find her and again I could not, so sometimes we were
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 155
obliged to eat our bread and potatoes for a meal. I
thought it rather dry living to work hard on, but we
lived through it, always hoping for "the hotter time
coming."
The next year I fatted three fine hogs and put them
all down for home use. The third summer I had over
20 acres cleared and had got to living pretty oomforta
bly. In .July of this year I was elected Second Ser-
geant in Capt. Gates Infantry Company rather against
my wishes. I however accepted.
In August following I was taken sick with fever
and ague which lasted me three months. I could hire
no men to work for me for love or money. Almost
everybody was sick this }'ear. The neighbors turned
out however, late in the fall and sowed about six
acres with wheat for me, and I hired a boy a month
to husk corn and dig potatdes. About the time the
boy got through work the ague left me and I was
pretty well all the next winter. The next spring I
had three tits of ague, then sores came all over my
face. I had no more ague shakes for the next three
or four years.
About this time my wife was taken sick with in-
flammation in the bowels just at the commencement
of the wheat harvest. I had fourteen acres to
harvest and no one to help me. I got a
physician to attend my wife, and my little girl and
myself nursed her as well as we could ; and when 1
could be spared I went to my harvest field and
worked, whether by day or night. Thus I harvested
my fourteen acres and took care of my wife, .lust
before 1 finished cutting my wheat however. 1 was
again taken with "chills" and began to shake, and
kept on shaking about an hour, did not stop cradling
but when the fever came on I had to quit and steer
for the house and had a hard time to get there. I
had two more fits, when ray face broke out in sores
156 PIONEER HISTORY
as formerly and I had no more fever and ague. My
wife getting no better, I went to find a girl to take
care of her, feeling I was not able to take proper care
of myself, much less of her. I traveled all da}-,
found plenty of girls that wanted to go out to spin,
but would not do housework. I went a second and
third day with like results, and came home sick
both in body and mind, and found my wife some bet-
ter. I iinally succeeded in getting a woman to help
until my wife got able to be about.
I kept chopping and clearing my land as fast as I
could alone, for I was not able to hire. I changed
work occasionally with my neighbors, and sometimes
hired a day's work. My crops were sometimes good,
sometimes poor ; but I got along and made
money.
In July, 1883, I was elected Captain over the Com-
paii}- in which I had served as Sergeant over four
years, and I was afterwards elected Colonel. This
military office, as every body knows, was not a money
making business in those days ; but I had got into it
and determined to carry it through to the best of my
ability. It cost me much time and money, for which
I received nothing back. I had the honor of com-
manding as good a regiment as there was in the coun-
ty, and felt proud of it. I did military duty nineteen
years ; eleven years as an officer, serving as a Cap-
tain before I was naturalized, or a voter in town
or State. I resigned all military office April 20th,
1839.
I have labored steadily as a farmer, enjoying good
health, except having the ague, as I have stated, and
had a good degree of prosperity attend my labors.
JOSEPH "BARKER."
March 9th, 18G3.
ENDS KICK.
Enosliice was born in Conway, Hampshire county,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 157
Massachusetts, in 1790, and came with his father's
family in 1804, to Madison county, N. Y.
In June, 1816, with a pack on his back, he came to
Barre, Orleans county, and located on lot eighteen, in
township fifteen, range two, where he cleared about
twenty acres. He next lived a few years in Shelby,
and in 1831 bought a farm near Porter's Corners,
where he has ever since resided.
Mr. Rice began in the world poor, but by persever-
ing industry and frugality he has acquired a fair
amount of property to make his old age comfort-
able.
LUTHEK PORTER.
" My lather, Stephen Porter, was born in Lebanon.
Connecticut. About the year 1812 or '13 he started
with his wife and five children on an ox sled, with one
yoke of small oxen to come to 'York State.' He
had but few articles "of furniture and but $65 in
money. After a journey of twenty-two days, with
extraordinary good luck, he landed in Smyrna, Che
nango county, N. Y., with cash reduced to $18.
Here he hired an old log house in which he resided
one year. Then he hitched his oxen to the old sled,
and with his traps and family aboard, started for
Ontario county. After traveling seven days, he ar-
rived at his place of destination and hired a house
and twenty-five acres of laud.
In the fall of 1815, he took an article from the Hol-
land Land Company, of the west hundred acres of
lot 40, township 14. range 2, in Barre, the same on
which I now reside, about three-fourths of a mile
west of Porter's Corners. In March following, in
company with Allen Porter, Samuel Porter and Jo-
seph lloekwood, he started with provisions for live
weeks, to make a beginning on their lands. They es-
tablished their depot of provisions at the house of
158 PI02OEEK HISTORY
Dea. Ebenezer Rogers, in the south part of what is
now the village of Albion.
They took what provisions they wanted for a week
on their backs, with their axes and started through
the woods to their lands, about five miles away, the
snow being about knee deep.
The first thing in order was to select a place to
build their cabin. The site was fixed on the farm
now owned by J. W. Stocking, about twenty rods
east of where Stocking s house stands. They cut such
poles as they could carry and built their first cabin
ten by twelve feet square, covered it with split bass-
wood troughs, got it tenable, and the colony moved
in and took possession the same day. They cut hem-
lock boughs and spread them on the ground, covering
them with blankets, which made a good bed. The
room not occupied by the bed served for culinary and
dining purposes. After thus preparing their house
they commenced chopping in earnest, working through
the week until Saturday afternoon, when they all re-
turned to Mr. Rogers' to spend the Sabbath and get
another weeks' provisions. In this way they worked
until they had chopped about five acres each, when
they all returned to Ontario Co., to spend the sum-
mer.
In January, 1820, my father moved his family to
his new home in Barre, where he made a comfortable
residence the remainder of his life, and died in the
fall of 1831, aged 53 years.
My father paid little more than the interest on the
purchase money for his land, while he lived. It was
paid for I)}- his sons and has been a home for the
family ever since.
In the spring of 1816 there was no house occupied
by a family in Barre, west of the Oak Orchard Road,
on the line on which my father located, although sev-
eral were in process of erection. My mother died on
f*§*H^.
*jte~?*% , ^
fcfr^
■k-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 159
the homestead, August 1857, aged 77 years. I was
my father's second son, and now own and. reside on
the old premises, to which I have made additions by
purchase.
I was horn in Ashfield, Mass., in 1805, and came to
this county with my father, in 1820, being then about
fifteen years old.
I have had abundant experience in pioneer life. I
have chopped and logged and cleared land. I boiled
black salts three or four years, a part of the time
barefoot, because my father was too poor to furnish
me shoes, with little other damage than the occasion-
al loss of a toe nail, or a small wound in the foot from
sharp stubs.
I have lived through it all. and by dint of economy
and industry have advanced from poverty to compe-
tence.
I have held various offices in the gift of my fellow-
citizens. I was Supervisor of the town of Barre from
1857 to 1862, five successive years.
There was no school in my neighborhood for sever-
al years after 1820. The first district school house
built there was erected at Sheldon's Corners. The
district was afterwards divided and a log school
house built about a mile north of Ferguson's Cor-
ners. Again the district was divided and now stands
as district IS"o. 12, with a good school house.
I married for my first wife, Lydia Scoot, daughter
of Capt. Justin Scoot, of Ontario County, Oct. 20.
1830. She died Dec. 3, 1842. I married for my sec-
ond wife, Caroline Culver, daughter of Orange Culver
of South Barre. June 27, 1844, with whom 1 am stiU
living.
LUTHEE PORTER."
Barre, May 27, 1863.
NEIIEMIAH INGERSOLL.
Nehemiah Ingersoll was bom in Stanford, Dutchess
160 PIONEER HISTORY
Co., N. Y., in 1786. In 1816, he removed to Batavia,
where he remained a year or two, then bought a farm
in Elba, five miles north of Batavia, to which he re-
moved and where he kept a public house several
years. In April, 1822, in company with James P.
Smith and Chillian F. Buckley, he bought of William
Bradner one hundred acres of land in Albion, bound-
ed north by the town of Gaines ; west by the Oak
Orchard road ; south by Joel Bradner1 s farm, and ex
tending east one hundred rods from the Oak Orchard
Road. For this tract they paid $4,000. Mr. Inger-
soll soon bought of Smith and Buckley, all their in-
terest in this land.
Soon after purchasing this tract Mr. Ingersoll had
a large part of it surveyed and laid out into village
lots, believing a town would soon grow up. He
did not immediately remove to Albion but did com-
mence improving his property there.
He and his associates built the large warehouse
standing on the canal at the foot of Piatt street and
a framed building for a store on the corner of Main
and Canal streets, where the Empire block now
stands.
Ingersoll & Wells (Dudley Wells) traded some
years in this store, and business was carried on in
the warehouse by Ingersoll and Lewis P. Buckley.
In the struggle for the location of the County build-
ings, Mr. Ingersoll engaged with spirit. In competing
with the village of Gaines, he offered the commission-
ers appointed to locate the Court House, the grounds
on which the Court House now stands as a free gift,
which offer was finally accepted and the location thus
secured here.
Early in 1826 he removed to Ablion to reside. He
was prominent among those engaged in effecting the
organization of the county of Orleans from the county
of Genesee, and in establishing all those institutions
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 101
required and consequent upon beginning a new
county.
In 1835. having sold ov contracted for the sale of most
of his land in Albion, he removed to Detroit and en-
gaged in large business there, in which he sustained
severe loss ; and in 1845 he went to Lee, Oneida county.
N. Y., at which place he resided until his death.
Mr. Ingersoll married in his youth Miss Polly Hal-
sey, daughter of Col. Nathan Halsey, of Columbia
county. She died in 1831.
For a second wife he married Miss Elizabeth C.
Brown, of Lee who survived him.
Mr. Ingersoll died February 21, 1868, aged eighty-
two years. He was naturally of a strong constitu-
tion and of an active temperament and ap-
peared twenty years younger than he was. Although
the later years of his life were spent away from Albion,
he was often here and always manifested the deepest
interest in the prosperity of the village and county of
Orleans. At his request his remains were brought to
Albion after his decease and deposited beside his first
wife in Mount Albion Cemetery.
His second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Ingersoll, died
August 17th, 1869. After her marriage, she resided
several years in Albion and shared with her hus-
band in a feeling of attachment to the place and peo-
ple, which proved itself in a generous gift of ten
thousand dollars, which she made in her will to the
Prostestant Episcopal Church in Albion. Both Mr.
Ingersoll and his wife were members of that com-
munion.
JUSTUS INGERSOLL.
Hon. Justus Ingersoll was born in Stanford, Dutch-
ess county, N. Y., in 1794. He learned the trade of
tanner.
Od the breaking out of war with Great Britain, in
163 PIONEER HISTORY
1812, he entered the United States army as ensign in
the twenty-third regiment of infantry. He served on
the northern frontier in several engagements, and was
in the celebrated charge on Qneenstown Heights. He
was promoted to the rank of Captain for meritorious
service.
In one of the battles in Canada, in which he served
as Captain of Infantry, he was wonnded in the foot.
Refusing to leave his Company, and being unable to
walk, he mounted a horse and continued with his
men. In another engagement he was shot through
the body, the ball lodging in a rib. He refused to
have it removed, as he was informed a portion of
rib would have to be cut away, which would proba-
bly cause him to stoop ever after in his gait.
He was a favorite with his company and much es-
teemed by Gen. Scott under whom he served.
In 1818 he came to Elba, Genesee county, N. Y.,
and soon after settled at Shelby Center, in Orleans
county, where he carried on tanning and shoe-mak-
ing, and held the office of Justice of the Peace.
After the canal was made navigable, and Medina
began to be settled as a village, he removed there,
built a large tannery and transfered his business
to that place.
He was appointed Indian Agent and postmaster at
Medina, by President Jackson ; he was also Judge
of Orleans County Courts.
His tannery being accidentally burned and sus-
taining other misfortunes in business, lie removed to
Detroit with his brother Nehemiah, in 1835, where
they went into the leather business on a large scale,
in which they were not finally successful.
Mr. ingersoll was a man of firm and persistent
character, active and enterprising — esteemed among
his acquaintances for the uprightness of his conduct
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 163
.and the courtesy of his manners. He died in 1S45.
LORENZO BURROWS.
Lorenzo Burrows was born in Groton, Conn.,
March 15th, 1805. In his boyhood he attended the
Academy at Plainfield, Conn., and Westerly, Rhode
Island. In Nov., 1824, he came to Albion, N. Y., to
assist his brother, Roswell S. Burrows, as his clerk.
He continued to act in that capacity until in 182C,
after he attained his majority, he went in company
with his brother in business under the firm name of
R. S. & L. Burrows.
He assisted his brother in establishing the Bank of
Albion in 1839, and after it went into operation he
was appointed Cashier and devoted himself mainly
to the business of the bank and to the duties of Re-
ceiver of the Farmer s Bank of Orleans, until in No-
vember, 1848, he was elected a Member of the House
■ of Representatives in Congress, for the District which
comprised Niagara and Orleans counties. He was
re-elected to Congress in Nov., 1850, and served in
that office, in all, four years.
Since his election to Congress he has done no busi-
ness as an officer of this bank.
He was elected Comptroller of the State of New
York in Nov. 1855, which office he held one term of
two years.
In Feb., 1858, he was chosen a Regent of the Uni-
versity of the State of New York, an office he has
held ever since.
He was County Treasurer of Orleans county in the
year 1840, and Supervisor of the town of Barre for
the year 1845. He was Assignee in Bankruptcy for
the county of Orleans, under the law of 1841. In
the year 18G2 he was appointed one of the Commis-
sioners of Mount Albion Cemetery — an office to
which no salary or pecuniary compensation is
1G4 PIONEER HISTORY
attached, but which is attended with considerable-
labor. To this labor he has devoted all the time neces-
sary, discharging the principal part of the duties
of the Commission, with what success let the beauti-
ful terraces, trees, paths, walks, avenues, roads, and
improvements which adorn this "city of the dead,"
and which remain the creations of his taste and skill,
bear witness.
Since leaving Congress Mr. Barrows has emploj^ed
himself principally in discharging the duties of the
offices above mentioned in taking care of consider-
able real estate he owns in connection with his broth-
er, and in his own right, in, or near Albion, and else-
where ; and in the enjoyment of such leisure as an
ample fortune which he has secured in ea-iliei
life affords, in social intercourse with his family
and friends.
GEORGE E. MIX.
" I was born in Greenfield, Saratoga county, N. Y. -
My father s name was Abiathar Mix. In May, 1817,
when I was less than one year old, my father re-
moved with his family to what is now Barre, Orleans
county, N. Y. There I had my bringing up and have
ever since resided. My Genesee cradle was a sap-
trough. Genesee school rooms were log houses, log
barns, and other like accommodations.
I stayed at home and worked on the farm summers,
and went to schools winters when I could, until I was :
eighteen years of age. My father then gave me my
time, saying he had nothing else he could give me
then, but that 1 could make his house my home.
After that I worked by the day and month summers,,
and attended school winters — went several terms to*
an Academy.
At the age of twenty-three I commenced teaching
district school and taueht five winters in succession.-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 1G5
During those five years I traveled considerably in the
western and southern States, and became quite a rad-
ical reformer in sentiment.
I was nominated County Clerk by the Libert}' Par-
ty but was not elected.
I married Miss Ellen De Bow, of Batavia, N. Y..
in 1852.
I have alwaysMnade a living, and got it honestly 1
think, and have laid by a little every year for myself
H and others I have to care for. I never sued a person
and never was sued. I never lost a debt of any great
amount, for if a person who owed me could not pay
it, I forgave the debt.
I made a public profession of religion when I was
eleven years old, and several years afterwards united
with the Free Congregational Church in Gaines and re-
i mained a member of that Church as long as it was in
■ being.
I never held any civil office of profit. My politieal
principles were not formerly popular with the major-
ity of the people.
I held military office in the 214th regiment N. Y.
State militia, from 1837 to 1844, and served as ensign,
lieutenant and captain.
I have lived to see slavery abolished in this coun-
try. The landless can now have land if the}' will.
Now let us drive liquor and tobacco from the conn-
try.
GEORGE E. MIX."
Barre, February 18G9.
"THINGS I CAN REMEMBER."
BY GKOUGE K. MIX.
"I can remember the dark and heavy forest that
once covered this land, with only now and then a lit-
tle ' clearing ' that made a little hole to let in the
.sunshine ; the large creeks that seemed to flow and
166 PIONEER HISTORY
flood the whole country during a freshet ; the large ■
swamps and marshes, in almost every valley ; the
wild deer that roamed the woods almost undisturbed
"by men ; the bear that plodded his way through the
swamps and the wolf that made night hideous with
his howling.
I remember when the roads ran crooking around
on the high grounds, and when roads on the low
lands were mostly causeways of logs. When almost
all the houses were made of logs, and almost all the
chimneys were made of sticks and mud, and the lire-
places were of Dutch pattern.
But the sound of the axman was heard at his toil
through the forest, hurling the old trees headlong.
The woods and the heavens were lit up with the lurid
glare of fire by night, and the heavy forest soon
melted away. Those little holes in the old woods,
soon became enlarged to broad fields of waving
grain, that glistened in the sun light.
The foaming creeks soon became rivulets, or dried
up. The swamps disappeared and nothing remains
to show where many of the great marshes 'of the old
time were. The deer, bear and wolf have departed.
The crooked roads have been straightened, and the
log causeways have been buried out of sight. The
log houses, stick chimneys, and Dutch fireplaces,
are reckoned among the things that were and are not
now.
I can remember when my mother spun flax on a
little wheel and carded wool and tow by hand and
spun them on a great wheel ; when she colored her
yarn with the bark and leaves of trees and had a
loom, and wove cloth and made it up into clothing
for her family.
I can remember when my father plowed with a
wooden plow with an iron share and reaped his grain
with a sickle and threshed it with a flail ; when he
0¥ ORLEANS COUNTY. 167
mowed his grass with a scythe and raked it with a
hand rake. I remember when no fruit grew here but
wild fruit, but we soon had peaches in profusion,
bushels of them rotting under the trees.
At the first settlement of this county, fruits, such
as grapes, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries,
gooseberries, raspberries and mandrakes, were to be
found growing wild. We had nuts from the trees,
such as butternuts, chestnuts, beaclmuts and wal-
nuts.
Pumpkins, squashes and melons, were largely
raised and of great value to the people. Pumpkins
were cut in strips and dried on poles in the log
cabins and kept for use the year round. Maple trees
furnished us nearly all our sugar. At our fall par-
ties and our husking and logging bees we had pump-
kin pies. At our winter parties we had nuts and
popped corn and in the summer, berries and
cream.
I can remember when the common vehicle for trav-
eling about was an ox 'sled with wooden shoes and
the only wheel carriages were lumber wagons and
they were few, when the Ridge Road was the main
thoroughfare by which to reach the old settlements
and stage coaches were the fastest means of convey-
ance.
It was considered an impossibility to make the
Erie Canal. People said possibly water might be
made to run up hill, but canal boats, never.
Some said they would be willing to die, having
lived long enough when boats in a canal should float
through their farms; but afterwards when they saw
Hie boats passing by, they wanted to live more than
ever to see what would be done next.
Next after the canal came the railroad. I heard
the cars were running at Batavia and I went out there
to see the great wonder of the age, and saw them.
168 PI0NEKK HISTORY
We were next told of the telegraph. Knowing ones
said that was a humbug, sure. I remember even
some members of Congress ridiculed Professor Morse
and his telegraph as a delusion. But in spite of rid-
icule, and doubt, and incredulity, the telegraph be-
came a success, and by it the ends of the earth have
been brought together. These things I have seen and
remembered while living here in Orleans count}*.
GEORGE E. MIX."
MRS. LYDIA MIX.
*' I was born in Brantford, Connecticut, in 1788. At
the age of eighteen I married Abiathar Mix, and re-
moved to Dutchess count}', N. Y., where my hus-
band owned a farm, on which we lived, working it
chiefly by hired men, my husband being a mason by
trade, labored at that business in the summer and
winters he made nails and buttons.
We resided there until May, 1817, when we sold
our farm and removed to Barre, Orleans Co., and lo-
cated on lot 32, township 14, range 2. Very little
land was then cleared in that neighborhood, and even
that was covered with stumps of trees. Mr. Mix had
been here the year before and engaged a man to build
a log house for him. When we came on we found our
house with walls up and roof on. My husband split
some basswood logs and hewed them to plank, with
which he laid a iioor, and we began housekeeping in
our new house.
My husband had ten or fifteen hundred dollars in
money, when he moved here. He took an article for
a large tract of land and went to making potash and
selling goods and merchandise, in company with his
brother, Ebenezer Mix, who was then a clerk in the
land office of the Holland Company, at Batavia.
The settlers, building their houses of logs and their
chimneys of sticks and mud, my husband found noth-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 169
ing to do at his trade, until the}' began making brick
and making their chimneys of stone, with brick ovens.
He then closed out his mercantile business and
went to work at his trade and being something of a
lawyer, he used to do that kind of business consider-
ably for the settlers.
We had pretty hard times occasionally but managed
to get along with what we had and raised our seven
children to be men and women.
My husband died in 1856. Three of my children
have died. I shall be 86 years old in a few days, if I
live.
LYDIA MIX."
Barre, February, 1869.
JOSEPH HART.
Joseph Hart was born in Berlin, Hartford Co..
Conn., in Nov., 1775, and died in Barre, Orleans Co..
N. Y., July, 1855.
Mr. Hart moved to Seneca, Ontario County, N. Y.,
in the year 1806. In the fall of 1811, he came to Bar-
re and took an article from the Holland Land Co., of
lot 34, township 15, range 1, containing 360 acres, the
principal part of which is still owned by his sons,
William and Joseph.
In April, 1812, in company with Elijah Harrow.
Frederick Holsenburgh and Silas Benton, then young
unmarried men, he returned and built a log house on
his lot and moved his family into it in October follow-
ing.
Elijah Harrow took an article of part of lot 1, town-
ship 15, range 2, held the land and worked on it about
two years, then sold it to Mr. Hart, who sold it to Eb-
enezer Rogers, about the year 1816.
Silas Benton took an article of part of a lot lying
next north of Darrow's land, which was for man)
years afterwards owned by Samuel Fitch. Benton
made a clearing on his land, built a log house on it,
170 PIONEER HISTORY
in which he lived several years and in which his wife,
Mrs. Silas Benton, taught a school, probably the first
school in the town of Barre, boarded several men and
did her house work at the same time, all in one room.
A log school house was afterwards built on Benton's
land, to which Mrs. Benton moved her school, which
was said to have been the first school house built in
town.
Frederick Holsenburgh took an article of part of
the lot lying next north of Benton1 s. in the village of
Albion, on the west side of the Oak Orchard Road. —
The Depot of the N. Y. Central Railroad stands on
the Holsenburgh tract.
Joseph Hart married Lucy Kirtland, who was born
in Saybrook, Conn., and who died at Adrian, Mich.,
January, 1868, aged 89 years.
He was here during the war of 1812, and was sever-
al times called out to do military service in that war.
He was a prominent and active man in all matters
pertaining to the organization of society in the new
country. He assisted in forming the Presbyterian
Church, in Albion, in which he was a ruling elder
while he lived, and from his office in that church Iip
was always known as Dea. Hart.
He almost always held some town office, and for
many of his later years he was overseer of the poor of
the town of Barre, a position the kindness of his na-
ture well qualified him to fill. His fortunate location
near the thriving village of Albion, which has been
extended over a part of his farm, made him a wealthy
man. Through a long life, he maintained a high
character for probity and good judgment, and died
respected by all who knew him.
ADEX FOSTER
Was born in Sudbury, Vermont, July 20, 1791 ;
married Sarah Hall, of Brandon, Vt., Jan. 23, 1817 ;
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 171
came to Bane in the winter of 1817 and settled on lot
36, township 14, range 1, half a mile south of Barre
Center. He cleared up his farm and resided on it un-
til his death, Feb. 18, 1838. Mr. Foster was an active
business man, a leading man among the early settlers.
He was for several years Capt. of a militia company.
and for some years a Justice of the Peace.
ALEXIS WARD.
Alexis Ward was born in the town of Addi-
son, Vermont, May 18, 1802. His parents removed
to Ca}^uga county, New York, when he was quite a
lad. He studied law with Judge Wilson of Auburn,
and was admitted to the bar in 1823. In 1824 he rej
moved to Albion, where he was soon appointed a Jus-
tice of the Peace.
On the retirement of Judge Foot, who was the first
Judge of Orleans county, Mr. Ward was appointed
First Judge in his place Feb. 10, 1830. an office he
held by re-appointment until January 27, 1840.
In 1834-5 he was mainly instrumental in procuring
the charter incorporating the Bank of Orleans, which
was the first bank incorporated in Orleans county,
and in 1836 was elected its President and held that
office until his death.
He was one of the movers in founding the Phipps
Union Seminary and the Albion Academy, and was
always liberal in sustaining our public schools.
It was mainly owing to his exertions that the Roch-
ester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad was built,
and if it has proved a beneiit the thanks for its con-
struction are chiefly due to Judge Ward.
The Suspension Bridge across Niagara River made
a part of his original plan in connexion with this rail
road, and his arguments and exertions were mainly
effectual in inducing American capitalists to take
stock in this Bridge.
172 PIONEER HISTORY
He projected the plank roads from the Ridge through
Albion to Barre Center and took a large pecuniary
interest in them.
He, with Roswell and Freeman Clarke, built the
large stone flouring mill in Albion. He also built
several dwelling houses.
He was a large hearted, public spirited man, always
ready to do anything he thought might benefit Albion.
In all his business relations he was just, honorable
and upright, every man received his due ; his purse
was always open to the calls of charity. A man of
untiring energy and perseverance, — to start a project
was with him a certainty of its completion.
In his intercourse with those about him he was
kind, affable and generous. His reserve might be
construed by those who did not know him well, as
haughtiness, but few men were freer from this than
he.
As a Christian, he was an exemplary member of
the Presbyterian Church of Albion, with which he
connected himself in 1831. He always gave greater
pecuniary contributions to sustain that church and
its ministers than any other man. He did much by
his prayers, counsel, charities and example to sustain
the cause of religion generally.
In November, 1854, he was elected Member of As-
sembly for Orleans county, but his death prevented
his taking his seat in the Legislature.
He married Miss Laura Goodrich of Auburn in
1826. He died November 28th. 1854.
THE LEE FAMILY.
Judge John Lee, the ancestor of this family and the
man after whom the Lee Settlement in Barre was
named, was born in Barre, Massachusetts, June 25thT
1763. In an early day he emigrated to Madison
county, New York, where he resided fourteen years,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 1.73
and came to Bane, Orleans county in 1816, and took
up a tract of land. He returned home, but his sons,
Charles and Ora, then young men, came " on and
cleared up several acres of their fathers purchase,
and built a log house into which Mr. John Lee and
his family moved in February, 1817.
Mr. Lee was an intelligent, energetic man, benevo-
lent and patriotic in his character, always among the
first to engage in any work tending to premote the
good of his neighbors or the prosperity of the country.
With the hospitality common to all the pioneers, he
kept open house to all comers and frequently half a
dozen men looking after land or waiting till their log
houses could be put up, would be quartered with him
though his own family was large.
He was always conspicuous in aiding to lay out
and open roads, build school houses and induce set-
tlers to come in and stay. He was appointed a
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Genesee
county and his opinions and counsel in all matters
of local interest were much sought by his neighbors.
He died in October 1823.
His children were Dencey, wife of Benj. Godard,
who died in Bane in 1831. Submit, wife of Judge
Eldridge Farwell, who is still living. Charles, Ora
and Asa. Sally wife of Andrew Stevens. She taught
the first school kept in the settlement in a log school
house in which the family of a Mr. Pierce then re-
sided, in 1818-19. She died at Knowlesville in 1828.
Esther wife of Gen. Wm. C. Tanner, died in 1835.
John B. who died in September 1860. Clarissa wife
of John Proctor, who died in 1832. Cynthia married
William Mudgett of Yates, in 1837, she is now living
the widow of John Proctor. Charles has always
resided on a part of the land originally taken up by
his father. He has always been a prominent man in
174 PIONEER HISTORY
public affairs in town and county, and was for a
number of years a Justice of the Peace.
Ora Lee also has resided on a part of the land so
taken up by his father. It is said he cut the first tree
that was felled between the village of Millville in
Shelby and the Oak Orchard Road in Barre. Gen.
John B. Lee removed to Albion about the year 1832.
and engaged in warehousing and forwarding on the
canal. Shortly after this he purchased of the Hol-
land Company a large number of outstanding con-
tracts made b}' the Company with settlers on the sale
of their lands in the north part of this county. He
conve}^ed these lands to the purchasers as the}' were
paid for.
A few years afterwards he engaged in selling dry
goods in Albion. In a short time he left this and
devoted himself mainly to buying and selling flour
and grain, and in manufacturing flour during the re-
mainder of his life. He took delight in military
affairs, held various offices in the State militia, rising
gradually to the rank of Brigadier-General.
ABRAHAM CANTINE.
Abraham Cantine was born in Marbletown,
Ulster county. He volunteered as a soldier in the
United States Army in the war with Great Britain, in
1812, and served as a Captain in the stirring scenes
of that war on the Canadian frontier. He was
wounded in the sortie at the battle of Fort Erie.
After the war he was discharged from the army
and returned to Ulster county, of which he was ap-
pointed Sheriff* by the old Council of Appointment,
in Feb. 1819. Soon after the expiration of his office
as Sheriff, he removed to the town of Murray, in Or-
leans county. He was employed about the year 1829,
to re-survey that portion of the 100,000 acre tract ly-
ing mainly in the town of Murray, which belonged to
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 175
the Pultney estate, part of township number three, a
labor he carefully and faithfully performed.
He represented the county of Orleans in the State
Legislature in 1827. He served five years as an As-
sociate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Or-
leans county. He was Collector of Tolls on the Erie
Canal at Albion in 1835.
Several years befor his death lie removed to Albion
to reside, and died there about Aug. 1, 1840, aged
fifty years.
Judge Cantine was a clear headed man, of sound
judgment, well informed and always sustained
a high reputation for ability wherever he was known.
He was a warm personal and political friend of Pres-
ident VanBureii.
CAROLINE P. ACHILLKS,
Daughter of Mr. Joseph Phipps, was born in Rome.
New York. She was one in a numerous family of
daughters, whose early education was superintended
by her father with more than ordinary care at home,
though she had the advantages of the best private
schools and of the district schools in the vicinity.—
While she was quite young her father settled in Bar-
re, and at an early age she was permitted to gratify
the ambition she then manifested and which has been
a ruling passion of her life, to become a teacher, by
taking a small district school, at a salary of one dol-
lar per week 'and board around,' as was then cus-
tomary in such schools. The salary, however, was
no object to her, she wished to teach a school, not to
make money. After teaching this school two or three
terms, she attended the Gaines Academy then in the
zenith of its prosperity. Having spent some time
here she was sent to a ' finishing' Ladies School kept
by Mrs. and Miss Nicholas, in Whitesboro, N. Y.
On leaving Whitesboro she determined to engage in
176 PTONEER HISTORY
teaching permanently and accepted a situation to in-
struct as assistant, in a classical school which had
been opened by two ladies in Albion.
Finally an arrangement was made between the two
principals and their assistant, under which they trans-
ferred their lease of premises, and all their interests
in the school to Miss Phipps.
She now associated with an elder sister and the
two commenced their labors as teachers on their own
account, in a building then standing on the site of the
present Phipps Union Seminary, in April, 1833.
Acting on a favorite theory with her, that it is bet-
ter to teach boys and girls in separate schools, she di-
vided her scholars accordingly, and after a time she
declined to receive boys as pupils and devoted all
her energies to her school for young ladies.
This proved a success. So many pupils had come
in that in August of her first year, she had been join-
ed by another and younger sister as teacher, besides
a teacher in music and all found themselves fully
employed.
She thus became convinced a Female Seminary
could be supported in Albion and that she was ca-
pable of superintending it, and encouraged by the
counsel and influence of some of the best citizens of
the village, she issued a circular to the public, an-
nouncing the founding of such an institution of learn-
ing here.
After near a year's trial the new Seminary was
proved to require additional buildings, to accommo-
date the large school. Miss Phipps invited some of
the most wealthy and influential men of Albion, to
meet and hear her proposition to erect a new Semi-
nary Building, which was in substance, that they
should loan to her four thousand dollars, with which,
and funds she could otherwise procure, she would
erect a building and repay the loan to the subscribers
^
fp
p
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 177
in installments, and thus establish permanently the
Seminary she proposed.
Such proceedings were had upon this proposal that
a paper was circulated, and the required sum sub-
scribed, with a condition added that the avails of this
loan to be repaid by Miss Phipps, should be used to
found an Academy for boys in Albion. This plan
was eventually carried into effect, and the brick edi-
fice still used as a Seminary, built in the year 1830,
and Phipps Union Seminary duly incorporated in
1840.
Miss Phipps was thus instrumental in four. ding two
incorporated schools in Albion, which have proved of
great public benefit.
Miss Phipps was married to Col. II. L. Achilles, oi
Rochester, IST. Y., in February, 1839, and soon after
resigning the care of the Seminary to her younger sis-
ter, she removed to Boston, Mass., where she resided
the succeeding ten 3-ears. During this time this
younger sister married, when the Seminary was trans-
ferred to others, less competent to manage its affairs,
in whose hands it lost the large patronage it had r< -
ceived, and was well nigh ruined.
This compelled Mr. and Mis. Achilles to return to
Albion, in 1849, and resume charge of the Seminary,
or lose a large pecuniary interest they had invested
there.
The tact and energy of Mrs. Achilles, well sustain-
ed by her husband, gave new vigor to the institution,
and soon brought the Seminary back to the high
standing it had under her former administration.
Tired and worn down by the harrassing cares, anx-
ieties and labor of superintending so large an estab-
lishment and school, so many years, in 1866 Mrs.
Achilles reluctantly consented to transfer her dearly
cherished Seminary again to strangers.
After three years' trial by these parties however, it
178 PIONEER HISTOKY
was thought best that Mrs. Achilles should again
take charge of Phipps Union Seminary, which she
did, bringing with her to her duties the skill, experience
and practical ability which have given her such emi-
nent success as a teacher.
Mrs. Achilles has devoted the best years of her life
to the cause of female education. She has labored in
her chosen vocation, with the zeal and enthusiasm of
genius, and may enjoy her reward in the good she
knows she has done, and in the success with which
she sees her work has been crowned.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE VILLAGE OF ALBION.
First Inhabitants — First Business Men — Strife with Gaines for Court
House — Strategy used by Albion men to get Court House — First
Court House — Second Court House — County Jail — First Hotel —
First Warehouse — Stone Flouring Mill — Lawyers — Drs. Nichoson
and White — First Tanyard — First Blacksmiths— Name of the Yil-
AK Orchard Road intersects this village and
^ now forms Main Street, north and south, in
the center of the place. It was this road and
the Erie Canal that fixed a village here.
When the canal was commenced Albion was used
for farms, but by the time the canal became naviga-
ble considerable of a town had sprung up.
William McCollister cleared the first land on what
is now in the corporation, where the Court House and
Female Seminary stand, and built his log house on
the Seminary lot in 1812. He took up lot thirty -five,
township fifteen, range one, on the east side of Main
street, under article from the Holland Company,
which he sold to William Bradner, who took the deed
from the company of two hundred and sixty -six and
one-half acres of the north part, his brother Joel
taking a deed of ninety-two acres on the south part,
on the west side of Main street.
Jesse Bumpus took up by article from the compa-
ny, the land from the town line of Gaines on the north,
to near State street on the south. John Holtzbarger,
or Holsenburgh, as he was sometimes called, took up
180 PIONEER HISTORY
the next land south of Bumpus, and Elijah Darrow
took the next.
Before the canal was made Mr. William Bradner
sold one hundred acres of the north-west part of his
tract to Nehemiah Ingersoll and others. Mr. Inger-
soll employed Orange Risden to lay out his land bor-
dering on the Oak Orchard Road and canal, into vil-
lage lots, and to make a plat of the same. From this
Mr. Ingersoll sold lots and opened the streets, he hav-
ing bought out his partners.
The Bumpus tract, on the west side of Main street,,
at this time was owned by Mr. Roswell Burrows, the
father of Messrs. R. S. & L. Burrows. He did not
lay out his land into village lots by any general sur-
vey and plan, but laid off lots and opened streets •
from time to time as the wants of the public required.
The land fronting on Main street,, through the village,
was taken up and mostly occupied by purchasers
from the original proprietors, about the time the canal
was made navigable.
The location of the County Seat in Albion, about
this time, and the bustle and business of erecting
county buildings, establishing the courts and public of-
fices and organizing the affairs of a new county, town
and village, brought in an influx of inhabitants at
once, representing the different callings and employ-
ments pursued by those who settled in villages along
the canal.
The south side of the canal — the north being the
towing path — was soon occupied by buildings put
up for the canal trade, such as warehouses and gro-
cery stores. The large number of passengers who ■»
filled the canal boats, made the grocery stores, from
which they and the boatmen procured their supplies. -
places of lively trade, by night and day. Variety
stores, each filled with goods of every name, class and>
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 181
description demanded by the customers, were numer-
ous, though small.
Among the first merchants were Goodrich & Stan-
dart, John Tucker, O. H. Gardner, R. S. & L. Bur-
rows, Alderman Butts, and Freeman Clarke, of late
years a prominent banker in Rochester, N. Y.
When the Commissioners appointed to select the
site for the Court House came on to fix the spot, their
choice lay between Gaines and Albion. Gaines had
the advantage of being the largest village, being on
the Ridge Road, and being well supplied with me-
chanics and merchants, and of having many of the
institutions of old and well organized communities es-
tablished there. Albion was nearest the geographical
center of the county, and was intersected by the Erie
Canal and Oak Orchard Road. The west branch of
Sandy Creek runs through the east part of the vil-
lage. Rising in some swamps in the south pari of
the town, it afforded sufficient water after the melting
of the snow in spring, and after rains to turn ma-
chinery a part of the year, but in summer was nearly
dry. On this stream two saw mills had been built,
one in the village, the other south of it.
The Commissioners came to consider the claims of
the rival villages about the middle of the dry season.
Mr. Nehemiah Ingersoll, Philetus Bumpus, Henry
Henderson, and a few other Albion men, determined
to use a little strategy to help Albion. Knowing
when the Commissioners would be here the creek
would be too low to move the sawmills, and foresee-
ing the advantage a good mill stream would give
them, they patched the two dams and flumes and
closed the gates to hold all the water some days be-
fore the Commissioners would arrive ; sent some
teams to haul logs and lumber about the saw mill
and mill yard, in the village to mark the ground and
give the appearance of business there.
182 PIONEER HISTORY
When the Commissioners came to see Albion,,
having been generously dined and wined by its hospi-
table people, they were taken in a carriage to see the
place, and in the course of the ride driven along the
creek and by the sawmill, then in full operation, with
men and teams at work among the lumber, with a
good supply of water from the ponds thus made for
the occasion. The Commissioners were impressed
with the importance of this fine water power and
gave the county buildings to Albion before the ponds
ran out.
Mr. Ingersoll donated to the county the grounds
now occupied by the court house and jail and public
park.
The first court house was built in 1827, of brick,
with the County Clerk's office in the lower story.
Gilbert Howell, Calvin Smith and Elihu Mather were
building committee.
This Court House was pulled down and a new one
erected in its place in 1857-8, at a cost of $20,000.
W. V. N. Barlow was the architect, and Lyman Bates,
Henry A. King and Charles Baker, building com-
mittee.
The present jail was built in 1838, and the clerk's
office in 1836.
The first hotel was kept on the south-west corner
of Main and Canal streets, by Churchill. The
next hotel, called Albion Hotel, was built by Philetus
Bumpus about twenty rods south of the canal on the
west side of Main street, and kept several years by
Bumpus & Howland, succeeded by Hiram Sickles.
Mr. Bumpus then built the Mansion House, a hotel
standing on the north side of the canal, on Main St.,
which, he kept several years.
Mr. Philetus Bumpus, and his father, Jesse Bum-
pus, built the first framed dwelling house in Albion,
on the lot on which Mr. L. Burrows now resides.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 183
The first warehouse was built by Nehemiah Inger-
soll, on the canal about twenty rods east of Main St.
The next by Cary & Tilden, on the west side of Main
street, on the canal.
The first sawmill in the corporation of Albion was
built in 1819, by William Bradner.
Mr. William Bradner built the first grist mill, the
mill stones for which he cut in person from a rock in
Palmyra. One of these stones is now used for a
cornel- guard stone on the corner of State and Claren-
don streets. These mills were cheap structures and
were taken away after a few years.
The stone flouring mill on the canal was built by
Ward & Clarks in 1833.
The first lawyer in Albion was Theophilus Capen.
He remained here but a short time. The next law-
yers were William J. Moody, Alexis Ward, Henry R.
Curtis, Gideon Hard, William W. Ruggles, and
others came about the time the county was or
ganized.
Dr. Orson Nichoson was the first physician. He
located two miles south of the village in 1819, and
removed to Albion about 1822. Dr. William White,
who had been in practice at Oak Orchard in Ridge-
way, came here about the time the county was organ-
ized, and opened a drug store and went into partner-
ship with Dr. Nichoson in the practice of medicine.
Dr. Stephen M. Potter was one of the early physi-
cians who settled in Albion. He was born in West-
port, Mass., removed to Cazenovia, N. Y., and from
thence to Albion. About the year 1837 he removed
to Cazenovia again. He represented Madison county
in the State Legislature in 184G.
The first lanyard was located on the south side
of the canal on the lot now occupied by the gas works,
by Jacob Ingersoll, about th'> year 1825. Tanning
184 PIONEER HISTORY
was continued here until the gas works were built in
1858.
The first blacksmiths were John Moe, Rodney A.
Torrey, and Phineas Phillips.
Albion was at first for some years called Newport,
but on account of trouble with the mails, there being
another post office in this state by the name of New-
port, at a meeting of the inhabitants to take meas-
ures to get the village incorporated, on motion of
Gideon Hard, the name was changed to Albion in the
first Act of incorporation passed April 21st, 1828.
The first company of fireman was organized in 1831.
John Henderson settled in Albion in Sept. 1825 and
established the first shop for making carriages. He
kept the first livery stable in 1834, and started the
first horse and cart for public accommodation in 1S37.
He has been an active man. an ingenious mechanic,
and has built ten or twelve dwelling houses and nu-
merous shops, barns and other buildings here.
CHAPTER XVII.
TOWN OF CARLTOX.
Name— Lumber Trade— First Settlement of White Men in County-
James Walsworth — Yilla-ge of Manilla — Names of Persons who took
Articles of Land in Carlton in 1803, 1804 and 1805— Matthew Dun-
ham— Curious Mill to Pound Corn — Dunham's Saw Mill and Grist
Mill — First in County— First Frame Barn — The Union Company-
Death of Elijah Brown— First Children Born in Town— First Store
—Biographies of Early Settler?.
tif ARLTON was set off from Gaines and Ridge
\{ way April 13, 1822, by the name of Oak
Orchard. The name was changed to Carlton
in 1825.
The region of land lying north of the Ridge Road
in this vicinity was called the "north woods" in early
times. It was heavily timbered land, containing large
numbers of immense whitewood trees and white and
red oaks of the largest kind. Some pine grew near
the Oak Orchard Creek. Hemlock was abundant in
some localities, and basswood, elm, beech and some
maple comprised the principal kinds of trees.
The settlers in their haste to clear their lands, gen-
erally burned up all of this tine timber that they did
not want for fencing, in the first few years of their
settlement. After sawmills were built, white wood
was sawed and the boards hauled to the canal for sale,
and large quantities of oak trees were squared to the
top and sent down the Lake to Europe for ship timber.
The prices obtained were barely sufficient to pay the
expense of the labor required to move the lumber,
186 PIONEER HISTORY
but the destructive work was kept up till most of
the timber trees of every kind have been cut down
through this town.
The first settlement of white men in Orleans county
mas made in this town in the year 1803 by William
and James Walsworth, who came from Canada.
James settled near the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek,
and William near the mouth of Johnson's Creek.
James Walsworth was the pioneer settler of this
county. He came across from Canada in May 1803,
in an open boat with his family, and built a log cabin
for his residence, which at that time was the only
house near the shore of Lake Ontario, between Fort
Niagara and Braddock' s Bay. His nearest neighbor
at first, resided near Lockport, Niagara county. Mr.
Walsworth was very poor then. The only provisions
they had when they landed were a few potatoes ; these
and lish from Oak Orchard Creek, in which there was
then an abundance, supplied their sustenance, ex-
cept an occasional barter with boatmen, who, coast-
ing along the south shore of the lake, would put into
the mouth of the Oak Orchard for shelter. Wals-
worth hunted and fished mainly for a living, and
when he collected any store of peltries he took them
east along the shore of the lake to a market. After
two or three years he removed to what used to be
called "The LewistonEoad," between Lockport and
Batavia, where he was afterwards well known as a
tavern keeper.
The Walsworths and the few other settlers who came
in and stopped along the Lake Shore in Carlton, com-
prised all the settlers in Orleans county before the
year 1809, with one or two exceptions.
About the year 1803, Joseph Ellicott concluded
that eventually a village must grow up at the mouth
of Oak Orchard Creek. In anticipation of that event
he made a plat for a town there and called it Manilla,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 1S7
a name which is now found on some maps for the
place more commonly known as Oak Orchard Harbor.
It was supposed in those days that most of the trade
to and from the Holland Purchase, would take the
lake route, and Manilla would be the depot. At that
time the sand bar, at the mouth of Oak Orchard
Creek was less then in later years, and the small
schooners then on the lake could come over it with-
out difficulty. It was in furtherance of this thought
that the Holland Company did what they did towards
opening the Oak Orchard road to travel. The Erie
Canal, however, effectually stifled this project, and
turned trade and commerce in another direction.
John G. Brown took up two and one-half acres of
land from the Company, on the west side of Oak
Orchard Creek near the mouth and held it on specu-
lation for a time, but nothing was done in the way of
founding a village. This land was deeded to him by
the Holland Company Dec. 2, 1806, and was described
in the deed as lot No. 15, on a plan of the village of
Manilla. This was the first deed of land in the town
of Carlton given by the Company. Brown combed
the land to Silas Joy, ISTov. 28, 1815. The following
named persons took Articles of the Holland Company
for land lying in the present town of Carlton, in the
years following, viz :
in 18 0 3.
John Farrin, James DeGraw, Cornelius DeGraw,
James Walsworth, Elijah Brown, John G. Brown,
James McKinney, Elijah Hunt, James Dunham,
David Musleman, Samuel Utter, Ray Marsh, Henry
Lovewell, John Parmeter, William Carter, Martin
Grifhit. Eli Griffith, William Griffith and Stephen
Hoyt.
in 18 0 4.
John Jason, Henry Lovewell,
188 PIONEER HISTORY
William Cartel', Job Sliipman and Ephraim Waldo.
in 18 0 5.
Paul Brown, Job Johnson, Ephraim Waldo, David
Miller, and Thaddeus Moore.
Matthew Dunham and his sons Matthew, James
and Charles, came from Berkshire count}', Mass., to
Wayne county, New York, about 1795. They re-
moved to Carlton in 1804. They were chair makers,
and began working at their trade soon as they could
get settled after they came in.
Henry Lovewell from New Hampshire, and Moses
Root and his family from Cooperstown, N. Y., came
to Carlton with Mr. Dunham and his family.
Matthew Dunham, Jr. married Rachel Lovewell,
daughter of Henry Lovewell, in the year 1814. Mr.
Dunham died in 1854, but Mrs. Rachel Dunham is
yet living, 1871, aged about eighty-six years.
In the summer of 1804, Matthew Dunham and his
sons built a dam across Johnson's Creek where the
dam now stands at Kuckville, and erected a small
building on it, with machinery for turning wood.
The Dunham family carried on the business of turn-
ing in a small way in this building several years.
They did not find much sale for their goods near
home, but sold some chairs and wooden bowls to the
new settlers. The most of their work they took across
the lake and disposed of in Canada. They continued
this commerce until the embargo was declared in
1808, and after that they smuggled their chair stuff
over to considerable extent on a sail boat which they
owned.
It is related by some of the first settlers that in this
turning shop the Dunhams fixed an apparatus for
pounding corn, by making a tub or box in which the
corn was placed, and a heavy pestle was made to fall
at each turn of the water wheel. Into this box they
OF ORLEANS COUNTY". 189
would put about a bushel of corn, occasionally stir-
ring it up to bring it under the pestle, and thus pound
it until it was reduced to meal. It took considerable
time to turn a bushel of corn into meal by this pro-
cess, and aid could be afforded to but few families
in this way.
Several families coining in to settle in the neighbor-
hood, the want of a sawmill and a gristmill was great-
ly felt. Three or four years after the Dunhams built
their turning shop, the Holland Land Company of-
fered to furnish the irons for a sawmill, and the irons
and a pair of mill stones for a grist mill if they
would erect such mills on their dam. A saw mill
and a grist mill were built accordingly.
These were the first saw and grist mills built in
Carlton. They were small, coarse affairs, but
they were very useful to those living near them.
They remained the property of the Dunhams until
about 1816, they were purchased by George Ruck,
and rebuilt on a much larger pattern than the old
mills.
Mr. Reuben Root owned a small sail boat of a few
tons burthen which he used to run across the lake.
On this, pine lumber was brought from Canada before
sawmills were built here, and it was the principal
conveyance by which passengers and property were
carried across the lake either way for a number of
years.
Mr. Moses Root built a framed bain before Dun-
ham's sawmill was erected, bringing the board* from
Canada. This is supposed to have been the first
frame barn built in Orleans county.
Reuben Puller and .John Fuller came from Brad-
ford county, in Pennsylvania, and settled near Kuck-
villein 1811.
THE UNION COMPANY.
In December, 1810, eight young men in Stock-
190 PIONEER HISTORY
bridge, Massachusetts, formed a company, which
they named "The Union Company," and agreed
each to contribute an equal share of stock, and go
together and form a settlement on the Holland Pur-
chase, where each partner should bay for himself a
farm with his own means, and the company would
help him clear a certain portion of land and build a
house and barn. The buildings to be alike on each
man's farm.
They limited the company to two years, during
which they would all live and work together and
share the avails of their labor equally.
Before leaving Stockbridge they drew up and
signed their agreement in writing.
Thus organized they came to Carlton and took up
land west of Oak Orchard Creek, each a farm, which
was worked according to contract.
Fitch Chamberlain was married but left his wife at
home until he could get a home for her made ready.
They brought no women with them and kept bache-
lor' s hall the first year when Giles Slater, Jr. , went back
to Stockbridge and married a wife and brought her
to his new home, and soon after his example was
followed by the remainder of the company.
The company made judicious selections of land ;
its affairs were well managed and successful. All of
the partners were fortunate in accumulating proper-
ty, the sure reward of honest, persevering industry.
Their families have ever been among the most respec-
ted and influential in town.
Fitch Chamberlain was a physician and practiced
medicine in the later years of his life. The members
of the company are all dead except Anthony Miles,
now aged 84 years, in 1871.
The Union Company consisted of Minoris Day,
Fitch Chamberlain, Charles Webster, Anthony Miles,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 191
Selah Bardslee, Moses Barnum, Jr., Russell Smith,
and Giles Slater, Jr.
The first death among the settlers was that of
Elijah Brown. The first birth was a pair of twins,
children of James Walsworth, in 1800. At their
birth no physician or person of her own sex
was present with the mother. The first marriage was
that of William Carter and Amy Hunt, in 1804. Pe-
1 eg Helms taught the first school in 1810-11. And
George Kuck kept the first store in 1816.
The first public religious services in Carlton were
lield about the year 1810, and were conducted by
Bev. Mr. Steele, a Methodist preacher who came
from Canada.
Elder Simeon Dutcher, of the Baptist denomina-
tion, settled in Carlton in 1817. He was the only
preacher residing in town for several years.
Among the first settlers were Elijah Hunt, Moses
Root, Henry Lovewell. Paul Brown, Elijah Brown,
Job Shipman, Matthew Dunham.
Dr. Richard W. Gates was the first regular phy-
sician who settled in the practice of his profession in
Carlton. After a few years he moved to Barre, and
thence to Yates. He represented Orleans county in
the State Legislature in 1841, and was Supervisor of
Carlton in 1820.
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
GEORGE KICK.
Rev. George Kuck was born in the city of London.
England, December 23, 1791, and educated at King's
College, London. He came to New York city in
1806, and removed to Toronto, Canada A\T<^st, in 1807.
In the war between England and the United States in
1812, he served as Lieutenant in the Canada militia.
192 PIONEER HISTORY
After the war, and until 1815, lie was clerk in the
employ of the Canadian Government, at Toronto,
until October, when he removed to Carlton and pur-
chased the farm on which he resided ever afterwards,
now known as Kuckville.
He erected a frame gristmill on the site of the log
mill built by M. Dunham on Johnson's Creek.
In 1816 he opened a store near his residence, at that
time the only store north of the Ridge in this part of
the country, where he kept a large store of goods
and carried on a great trade.
He soon after built a warehouse at the mouth of
Johnson's Creek. At one time he had a store,
gristmill, sawmill, asheiy, warehouse and farm, all
under his personal supervision and in successful ope-
ration. His investments were judicious and safe, his
affairs all managed with economy and skill, which
resulted in making him a wealthy man.
He married Miss Electa Fuller March 25th, 1819.
In March 1821, he joined the Methodist Episcopal
Church, in which he was ever after a prominent mem-
1 >er. He helped to form the first religious class in his
church in the town of Carlton, and was its leader.
In 1825 he organized and taught the first Sunday
School in the county north of the -Ridge. In April,
1829, he was licensed to exhort, in 1833 he was
licensed to preach, and in 1837 he was ordained
Deacon by Bishop Hedding, and in 1849 he was or-
dained Elder by Bishop Morris, at Albion.
He was appointed Postmaster at West Carlton,
since Kuckville, an office he held, in all, about 30
years.
He was a man of good education and fine natural
ability and his life was filled with usefulness. He
was among the first and foremost in all matters of re-
form and advancement, active in the cause of temper-
ance, morality and religion, always a leading man in
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 19}
the counsels of the church. He died March 16,
1868, aged 76 years.
DANIEL GATES.
Daniel Gates was born in Rutland county, Vermont,
March 11th, 1780. He married Ann Anderson, March
12th, 1808.
About November, 1811, he removed to Orleans
county, and bought an article of part of lot twenty-
nine, township fifteen, range two, on the south side of
the Ridge. A former owner had cleared a small spot
and built a log bouse there. On this farm Mr. Gates
resided several years. He afterwards bought a farm
in Carlton, where he resided at the time of his death,
January :51st, 1858.
Mrs. Ann Gates died January 1st, 1866. They were
parents of John and Nehemiah P. Gate.;, of Carlton,
Lewis W. Gates, residing in Michigan, and Matthew
A. Gates, of Yates.
Mr. Gates moved his family in with a yoke of ox< n
and wagon. No bridge had been built across Gene-
see River, and lie forded the stream at Rochester, a
man riding a horse hitched before the oxen, to guide
Them through the river.
Fewsettlers along the Ridge Road can:- in advance
of Mr. Gates, or braved the hardships and difficulties
of pioneer life with better courage. They had very
tew of the conveniences and comforts of civilized life,
and sometimes were in want of food. Once about
the last year of the war a scarcity prevailed among
the four families then comprising all the inhabitants
in the vicinity of Mr. Gates. Rut one pan full of
Hour remained among them all and that they kept
to feed the children, the older folks expecting to sub-
stitute boiled green wheat in place of bread. Mr.
Gates cut a few bundles of his wheat then in the
194 PIONEER HISTORY
milk, and dried it in the sun. They rubbed the soft
grain out of the straw and boiled it. This was eaten
with milk and relished very much by the family, and
it supplied them until wheat ripened and dried fit to
grind.
For several years no settler located between Mr.
Gates1 place on the Ridge, and Shelby. Along the
line of the canal was then a solid forest. Mr. Gates'
cattle^were suffered to range the woods to browse in
summer. They usually returned to the clearing at
night. Once his oxen, one of which wore a bell, with
his cow failed to come in at night. Mr. Gates armed
himself with a bayonet on the end of a staff to repel
a bear or wolf if he chanced to be attacked, and went
out to hunt for them, his old English musket being
too heavy to carry. After several days hunting he
found his cattle where Knowlesville now stands — at-
tracted there by some wild grass growing along the
brook.
ELIJAH HUNT.
Elijah Hunt was born in Pennsylvania. He was a
soldier in the Revolutionary War. While in the ser-
vice, being in a scouting party in Pennsylvania, lie,
with his party, was taken prisoner by the Indians.
He with the other prisoners was made to run the
gauntlet from one point to another, fixed for the pur-
pose. The Indians — men, women and children —
posted themselves on each side of the track to be
run over by their prisoners, and assaulted them as
they passed with clubs, hatchets, knives, stones, &c.
If the prisoners were fortunate enough tiny might
get through and live, anil they might be severely
wounded, or even killed by the way. Mr. Hunt got
through without serious damage. After reaching
their village on the Genesee River, the Indians con-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 19;*)
•eluded to sacrifice Mr. Hunt after their terrible
fashion. He was stripped and painted black prepar-
atory to his suffering ; but before they began to tor-
ture him, an old squaw, whose son had been killed
in the fight when Hunt was taken, came forward and
claimed her right by Indian custom to adopt him as
her son, in place of the one that was killed. He was
released to her and adopted as she proposed, and re-
mained with the Indians near the Genesee river, in
Livingston county, about three years, when the war
having ended, he was permitted to return to his
friends in Pennsylvania.
He was always treated kindly after his adoption by
the Indians, especially b}~ his new mother. Many
years after his settlement in Carlton, the Indians
found him out and visited him with many demonstra-
tions of their friendship.
In the depth of winter, after the cold summer of
1816, fearing he might be in want with his family, on
account of the loss of crops that year, two Indians,
-one of whom claimed to be his brother, being a son
of the squaw who adopted Mr. Hunt, came to Carlton
to visit him and afford relief if he needed it.
He came to Carlton in the summer of 1804 and
took up a farm about a mile west of the mouth
of Johnsons Creek, on the Lake shore. After a year
or two he went back to Pennsylvania with his family
and remained until October, 1800, when lie returned
and settled permanently on his farm, where he ever
afterwards resided, and died in 1830, aged seventy-
nine years.
The long residence of Mr. Hunt among the Indians
qualified him to become a pioneer in this new settle-
ment, and fitted him to endure the pi i rations and
difficulties he had to encounter.
The daughter of Mr. Hunt, Amy Hunt, married
William Carter in 1804, which was the first marriage
196 PIONEER HISTORY
in that town, and probably the first marriage in Or-
leans county.
HAY MARSH.
Ray Marsh was born in Connecticut. About the
year 1800 he went to Canada West and was employed
in teaching school. In 1803 he married Martha Shaw,
who was born in Nova Scotia. In that }^ear, he left
Canada at Queenstown, in a small boat, and coasted
along the south shore of Lake Ontario to Oak Or-
chard Creek, in Carlton, and took an article for land
lying near the lake in Carlton.
In 1805, on account of sickness in the neighborhood
of his home in Carlton, he removed to Cambria, in
Niagara county, and located on the Ridge, about five
miles from Lewiston. He was driven away from here
by the British and Indians when Lewiston was burned,
by them in the war with England, losing almost ev-
ery thing he had in the world, except the lives of him-
self and family. They lied to Ontario county, but;
returned the next year to near Ridgeway Corners and
stopped there. He had now a large family of chil-
dren ; to maintain them he had to sell his interest in
his farm in Cambria ; and in the cold seasons of
1816-17 they suffered for necessary food ; and few
families suffered more from the prevailing sickness of
the country, aggravated as it was by their poverty
and want of means to afford relief.
Mr. Marsh died about 1852. His widow, now
(1870) eighty six years old, is living. She had seven
grand-sons soldiers in the Union army in the war of
the great rebellion. During the war she spent a
large portion of her time knitting stockings for the
soldiers. Such women are worthy the name of
'; Revolutionary Mothers/ ' and are an honor to the
American name.
.1015 SIIIPMAX.
Job Shipman was born in Saybrook, Connecticut,
OK ORLEANS COUNTY. 197
. June 2d, 1772. After lie arrived at manhood he re-
sided for a time in Greene county, N. Y., and at
length came to Wayne county, where he joined the
family of Mr. Elijah Brown, and removed by way of
Lake Ontario, to the town of Carlton, in the summer
of 1804.
While coming up the lake Mr. Elijah Brown died,
and his body was brought to Carlton and buried
there. His sons were James, John Gardner, Paul.
Elijah, Jr., and Robert M.
Mr. Shipman took an article of part of lot twelve,
section two, range two, of which his son Israel after-
wards took a deed from the land company, and on
which he resides.
He married widow Ann Tomblin in May, 1815.
Israel Shipman was his only child.
Job Shipman died January 12th, 1833. His wife
died February 8th, 1858.
The first town meetings in Carlton for two or three
years were held at his dwelling, because it was one
of the best log houses in town ; had a shingled roof,
board floor, and stood near the middle of the town ;
but it was so small that few of the voters assembled
could get in the house at once. They compromised
the matter by allowing the Inspectors to sit in the
house while the voters handed in their ballots to them
through the window from without.
As it was in cold weather, even the liberal potations
of whisky in which they indulged would not warm
the crowd sufficiently, so they made a large log heap
near the house which being set on fire answered the
purpose.
I A. MAN FULLER.
Lyman Fuller was born in Pennsylvania. August
16th, 1808. In February 1811, his father, Keuben
198 PIONEER HISTORY
Fuller, moved with his family to near the lake shore
in West Carlton.
In the fall of 1811, Capt. John Fuller, a brother of
Reuben, settled in Carlton. Mr. Reuben Fuller died
July 4th, 1837. Mr. Lyman Fuller succeeded to the
possession of his father' s homestead, on which he re.
sided and where he died March 22d, I860. He was a
much respected man among all who knew him.
CHAPTER XVIII.
TOWN OF CLARENDON.
Difficulty in getting Titles from Pultney Estate — Ehlredge Farwell —
Farwell's Mills — First School — First Merchants — J. and D. Sturges
— First Postmaster — First Physician — Presbyterian Church — First
Town Meeting — Biographies of Early Settlers.
/
|H LAPEXDOX comprises a portion of the one
uindred thousand acre tract, and was formed
from Sweden February 23d, 1821.
Owing in part to the difficulty of getting a good
title to the laud, which up to about 1811, was owned
for several years by the State of Connecticut and the
Pultney Estate jointly, settlers came in slowly at
first.
The land was divided between the State of Connec-
ticut and the Pultney Estate, in 1811 ; but the lots
which fell to the Pultney Estate, were not surveyed
and put in the market for sale until about the year
1821. Settlers were allowed to take posses-
sion of land and make improvements with the expec-
tation that when the lands came in market they
would retain what they had so taken and then get a
title. Some settlers located on these lands under
these circumstances and cleared them up and built
houses. When they finally came in market the set-
tlers was charged $8 or $10 per acre, — a much higher
price than he expected when lie came in, and a higher
price than the Holland Company charged for their
lands of like quality ; but he was compelled to
pay it or leave and lose his labor.
200 PIONEER HISTORY
Among the first settlers in Clarendon were Eldridge
Farwell, John Cone, Bradstreet Spafford, Elisha
Huntley, David Church, and Chauncey Robinson.
Eldridge Farwell erected the 'first sawmill on Sandy
Creekin 1811, and the first gristmill at the same place
in 1813. A village grew up in the vicinity of these
mills which, in honor of Mr. Farwell, was called and
known as Farwell' s Mills. Situated a little north-
west of the center of the town, it lias been the jn'inci-
pal place of trade and business.
Judge Eldridge Farwell was the pioneer settler.
The next sealer was Alanson Dudley, in 1812.
The first store was kept at Farwell' s Mills by Fris-
bie & Pierpont, in 1821 .
The first school was taught by Mrs. Amanda Bills.
The first school house built in Clarendon stood a
little south of Farwell" s Mills, or Clarendon, as the
place is now being called, was built in 1813 of logs,
and was fourteen by eighteen feet square.
Frisbie & Pierpont traded in the little red store
building in which after the}' left, David Sturges sold
goods for many }^ears.
In addition to his business as a merchant with Mr.
Frisbie, William Pierpont kept a tavern. After two
or three years he moved away and Mr. Hiram Frisbie,
his partner, succeeded to the store and tavern to
which had been added an asheiy, all three of which
Mr. Frisbie carried on two or three years, and until
he removed to Holley about the year 1828.
In 1815. Joseph Sturges built a distillery at Far-
well's Mills, which he carried on with his brother
David, eight or ten years, when Mi-. Frisbie having
moved away, and Joseph Sturges having died in
March, 1828, David Sturges began to sell dry goods
and groceries here. He was a sharp business man
and drove a large trade. He was the next merchant
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 201
in town after Pierpont & Frisbie. He died in Septem-
ber, J 848.
Judge Eldridge Parwell was the first postmaster in
town, and Dr. Buss}* the first physician.
On the 4tli of February, 1823, a Presbyterian
Church was organized in Clarendon. For several
years it maintained a feeble existence, until in 1831, it
united with the Presbyterian Church in Holley, and
became extinct as an organization in Clarendon.
The first town meeting held in and for the town of
Clarendon was at the school house at Farwell' s Mills,
April 4th, 1821.
Eldridge Farwell was a candidate for Supervisor
on the Clinton ticket, and AVilliam Lewis on the
Tompkins ticket. The Meeting was opened with
prayer by Elder Stedman. The election of Supervi-
sor was concluded to be first in order. No chairman
had been formally appointed, but on suggestion of
somebody the entire meeting went (fat of doors in
front of the school house. Some one held his hat and
half a dozen voters stood by to see that nobody voted
twice, or cast more than one ballot, and ballots for
Supervisor were thrown into the hat by all the voters
present. Eldridge Farwell was elected the first Su-
pervisor, and Joseph M. Hamilton, Town Clerk.
Jonas Davis made spinning wheels, and Alanson
Dudley carried on tanning and shoemaking at Far-
weir s Mills, at an early day.
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
HORACE PECK.
" 1 was born in Farmington, Hartford Co., Conn.,
April 15, 1802. In the spring of 1817, I hired out to
drive cattle, sheep and hogs to Buffalo, and went on
with a drove. The mud was deep and 1 had a hard
202 PIONEER HISTORY
time wading through it after my drove. I went through
however, and come back to Farwell's Mil7 s in Clar-
endon, expecting to meet my father and his family
there, as they had made arrangements to move when
I left them.
On my journey hack from Buffalo, all I had to eat
was six crackers, and I drank one glass of cider.
I found my father had not come on. I was alone,
but fourteen years of age, had but four dollars in
money, my pay for driving the drove, and had no
acquaintances there. This was the next spring after
the cold season. It was difficult for me to find a
place to stay for the reason no one had anything to
eat or to spare. I found friends, however, in Mr. and
Mrs. Leonard Foster. They said I might stay with
them till my folks came on. After that I fared well.
They divided their best fare with me, which consisted
of hoe cake and maple molasses, and we had to be
sparing of that.
I stayed with my benefactors three weeks, when
my parents and their family arrived. My father had
prepared a small log cabin shingled with bark the
summer before. We moved into it. All the provis-
ion we had on hand to eat was half a barrel of very
lean pork.
My father had no money left, owned no living crea-
ture except his family. We had no table and only
two chairs. We had an acre of cleared land on our
lot sown with wheat. These were gloomy times to me.
The first thing was to procure something to eat. I
paid my four dollars to David Church for two bushels
of wheat. The next thing was to get some straw to
sleep on. This we got of our neighbor, Chauncey
Robinson, for two cents a bundle.
We had hard fare until the next harvest. We ate
bran bread and had not enough of that. After har-
vest we had enough to eat, and I thought at this time5
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 203
could I be sure of enough to eat hereafter I should be
content.
The next year my father bought a two-year old
cow, which helped us very much.
In the winter of 1818-19, my eldest brother, Luther
C. Peck, taught a district school near where Holley
now stands, for three months, for which he was to
have thirty bushels of wheat after the next harvest.
When father received the wheat the price had fal-
len. Father drew the wheat to Rochester, and re-
ceived after deducting expenses, thirt}*-one cents per
bushel.
In 1820 we bought a yoke of oxen. We then con-
sidered ourselves well off. Previous to this I went to
school winters. I went one winter to Farwell's Mills,
three miles from my fathers. I worked summers
chopping and logging with my father, working out
for others when I could get an opportunity.
In the winter of 1819-20, I taught school on the
fourth section road tor ten dollars per month. I fol-
lowed that business for ten winters — had higher wages
as I advanced in experience.
During this time and up to my majority I began to
consider myself a man, used to attend parties, would
yoke the oxen and hitch them to a sled, go after the
young ladies and wait on them very politely. And I
enjoyed it as well and even better than in after limes
riding in a fashionable carriage.
I once thought it quite smart to visit a young lady
who resided in Le Roy. On one occasion I had been
to see her, had a very pleasant visit, time passed very
agreeably, and before I was aware it was getting
rather late. Sometime before daylight, however, 1
started for home on foot through the woods near three
miles. When I came to about the middle of the
woods, a wolf appeared in the road before me. 1
halloed right lustily, the wolf left the road rather
204 PIONEER HISTORY
leisurely, and I passed on rapidly. Soon a howling
commenced, which was answered by other wolves at
a distance, and before I got through the woods, a
pack of these animals was on my track, and near to
me judging by their cries. The}- made all sorts of
noises but pleasant ones to me. I saved myself from
them by the energetic use of my locomotive powers.
I came readily to the conclusion that this business
of being out so late nights 'would not pay/
I married Miss Anna White January 22, 1829. She
was born June 19, 1802, and died January 15, 1834.
I married Miss Adaline Nichols January 31, 1836.
/She was born February 6, 1809.
HORACE PECK."
Clarendon, 1871.
BENJAMIN G. PETTINOILL.
"I was born in Lewiston, Lincoln county, in the
State of Maine. In 1817, I started for the Genesee
country with my pack on my back and walked to
Portland, thirty- five miles, where I went on board a
vessel and sailed to Boston. I left Boston on foot
witli my pack on my back for the place of my des-
tination. My pack was not very heavy, but I had
in it, among other things, forty silver dollars. After
a hard journey I arrived at Ogden, Monroe county,
on the first day of April. I stopped there a while
with an uncle of mine, was very homesick, wished
myself back in Maine many times.
I worked out that summer by the month, and in
the fall bought some land in what is now Clarendon,
Orleans county, then a part of Sweden.
I settled on my land, cleared it up, and in due time
raised excellent crops, and in a few years found my-
self out of debt and considered myself rather ' fore-
handed."
I labored hard in the commencement, had consider-
<>F ORLEANS COUNTY. 205
able sickness in my family, but a good Providence
has been mindful of me and mine, and in all 1113' law-
ful undertakings I have been blest, for which I feel
truly grateful.
BENJAMIN G. PETTINGILL."
Clarendon, 18G4.
BKADSTUKET SPA FFORD.
Mrs. Harriet S. Merrill, a daughter of Mi-. Spafford,
gives the following account of him :
"My father came from Connecticut about the year
1811, and purchased a farm about a mile south of
Holley, on which he resided until his death in 1828.
He was twice married — my mother, Mrs. Eunice Dar-
rovv, being his second wife. My father had but one
child by his first wife, a daughter named Hester, who
in after years became Mrs. Daniels, and is now Mrs.
Blonden.
When this sister was four years old her mother
died of consumption. At that time my father's house
was the only one between Holley and Farwell' s Mills.
In other directions it was a mile to the nearest neigh-
bors. During her last illness my father was her prin-
cipal physician and nurse. He used frequently to
say to his friends he feared she would die suddenly
while .alone with him.
It was arranged between my father and his nearest
neighbors, that if anything more alarming occurred
in her case, lie should blow the horn as a signal for
them to come.
Not long after, at midnight of a dark winter night,
death knocked at his door; he took the tin horn and
blew the warning notes ; but the winds were adverse.
and nobody heard. Again and again lie blew, lon-
ger and louder, but no one heard or came. His wile
soon expired. My father closed her eyes, placed a
napkin about her head and covered her lifeless form
206 PIONEER HISTORY
more closely, fearing it would become rigid before he
could obtain assistance to habit it in the winding sheet
preparatory for the tomb, for such were the habili-
ments used in those days.
He dressed his little daughter, placed her in her lit-
tle chair by the fire, gave her her kitten to play with,
and told her to sit there until he came back. He then
went a mile to his nearest neighbors and roused
them to come to his aid, and returned finding his
little daughter as he had left her, alone with her dead
mother.
I was one of the first children born in the town of
Clarendon, being now 46 years of age.
HARRIET S. MERRILL."
Clarendon, June 186:5.
NICHOLAS E. DARIIOW.
"I was born in the town of Chatham, Columbia
county, N. Y., April 1st, 1808 ; have been a farmer
by occupation. My father, John Darrow, came to
Wheatland, Monroe county, N. Y., in 1811, and
worked there two seasons, then returned to Columbia
county, sold his farm and was nearly ready to move
his family to the Genesee country when he was taken
sick and died March 22d. 1813. '
In June, 1815, my fathers family removed to the
farm he had bought two years previous. My mother,
then a widow, married Mr. Bradstreet Spafford, who
had settled in Clarendon, about the year 1811 or "12.
I grew up among the hardships of the new country,
and December 30th, 1830, was married to Sarah A.
Sweet, daughter of Noah Sweet, who came to Claren-
don from Saratoga county, in 1815. My wife was
born in Saratoga county in 1812.
My father was a blacksmith by trade, but owned
and worked a farm. He was one of the leading me-
chanics who made the great chain which was put
OF ORLEANS COUNT! . 20?
across the Hudson River to prevent the British fleet
from coming up in the Revolutionary War, links of
which are now in the State Library at Albany.
I have resided most of the time since 1815, in Clar-
endon ; and for the last twenty-four years on the same
farm. I lived a short time in Murray and a short
time in Ohio.
I attended school in the first school house built in
Clarendon. It stood a little south of Clarendon vil-
lage, and was built in 1813, of logs, and in size was
about fourteen by eighteen feet square, with slab floor
and benches. The writing desks were made by bor-
ing holes in the logs in the wall, driving in pins and
putting boards on these.
We have ten children, nine of whom are living.
My second son is now serving in the army of the Po-
tomac in the war of the great rebellion.
I should have said in connection with my father's
history, that himself and three of his brothers served
in the Revolutionary War.
NICHOLAS E. D ARROW."
Clarendon, April 1SIJ4.
ELDRIDGE FARWELL.
Eldridge Farwell was born in Vermont in 1770.
Sometime previous to 1811, Mr. Farwell located
near Clarkson village on the Ridge road, but removed
in that year to the town of Clarendon, then an un-
broken wilderness, where he built the first saw mill
in that town on Sandy Creek. This sawmill made
the first boards had in all this region. In 1813, he
built a grist mill on the same stream, which was the
pioneer gristmill in that town.
On the organization of Orleans county, Mr. Farwell
was appointed in 182.*) one of the Judges of the Court
of Common Pleas, which office he held live years.
The village sometimes called Harwell's Mills in the
20S PIONEER HISTORY
town of Clarendon, was so named in his honor he
being the first to settle there.
He married a daughter of Judge John Lee, of Bar re,
■ Judge Farwell died October 15, 1843.
WILLIAM LEWIS.
William Lewis was a Deputy Sheriff of Genesee
county. He was the first Sheriff of Orleans county.
He had held the office of Supervisor and Justice of
the Peace in Clarendon. He was a prompt and effi-
cient officer, and a worthy man. He died July 23d,
1824, aged about 43 years.
MART LIST EVA IMS.
Martin Evarts was born in Riga, Monroe county,
N. Y., July 21st, 1812. He removed with his father's
family to Clarendon in 1817. Until within a few years
he resided on the farm originally taken up by his
father. Mr. Evarts was Supervisor of Clarendon in
1863. He married Charlotte Burnham, August 1 9th,
1835. She died June 20th, 1862.
LEMUEL COOK.
Lemuel Cook was born in New Haven county, Ct.,
September 10th, 1763. His father died while Lemuel
was a child, leaving his widow and children in desti-
tute circumstances.
In the revolutionary war he with his two brothers
entered the army, Lemuel enlisting November 1st,
1779, being then in his 17th year. He was honorably
discharged June 11th, 1783. After leaving the army
his poll tax was remitted to him by the Select Men of
his town, on account of wounds he had received in
battle while serving in the armies of his country. In
1792, he settled in Pompey, Onondaga county. In
1838, he removed to Bergen, Genesee county, and from
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 209
thence to Clarendon, where lie died May 20th, 1866,
of old age, being 102 years, 8 months and 10 days old.
He was probably the oldest man that has lived in
Orleans county. He was a revolutionary pensioner.
ISAAC CADY.
Isaac Cady was born in Alstead, New Hampshire,
July 26, 1793. He married Betsey Pierce, October
26th, 1810. He came to Clarendon in 1815, on foot,
from Kingston, Vt., and located the land on which
he afterwards settled and has since resided.
14
CHAPTER XIX.
TOWN OF GAINES.
First Settlers— Case of Getting Fire— Noah Burgess— Mrs. Burgess-
Cutting Logs for a House— First Orchard— First School House-
Drake's Mill Dam and Saw Mill— Organization of McCarty's Mil-
itia Company— Their Scout after British and Indians— Dr. Jesse-
Beach— Orange Butler— First Marriage— First Birth— First News-
paper in Orleans County— First Tavern— Store— Grist Mdl— First
Merchants— James Mather Dealing in Black Salts, &c— Business at
Gaines Basin— Village of Gaines— Gaines Academy — Efforts to Lo-
cate Court House Here— Trade in Other Localities— Biographies of
Early Settlers.
^ AINES was formed from Ridgeway, Februa-
ry 14th, 1816, and included the town of Barre,
* and the principal part of Carlton, within its
original limits. William J. Babbitt was prominently
active in getting this town organized, and on his sug-
gestion it was named Gaines, in honor of Gen. E. P.
Gaines, of the U. S. Army.
A number of families had located along the Ridge
Road before the war with England in 1812. One of
the first settlers, if not the first, within the present
bounds of the town of Gaines, was a Mr. Gilbert,
who was living about two miles east of Gaines vil-
lage, in 1809. He died in or about that year and was
buried in Murray. A man who accompanied the
widow and her niece home from the funeral, they being-
all the famity, found their fire had gone out, and they
had no means to kindle it, until this man, on his way
home called and notified Mr. Elijah Downer, and he
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 211
•.sent his son several miles to carry them fire, they
"being the nearest neighbors.
The records of the Holland Land Company show
that articles for land in the town of Gaines, parts of
township fifteen, range two, were taken in the year
1809, by the following named persons : Andrew Ja-
cox, Whitfield Rathbun, William Sibley, Cotton M.
Leach, Noah Burgess, James Mather, and Henry
Luce.
Turner1 s History of the Holland Purchase says:
"Whitfield Rathbun was the pioneer upon all that
part of the Ridge Road, in Orleans county, embraced
in the Holland Purchase."
Noah Burgess came from Canada in a boat with
his family and effects and landed at the head of Still-
water, in Carlton. He located on the south side of
the Ridge, on the farm now occupied by Hon. Robert
Anderson and his son Nahum.
Mr. Burgess was sick and unable to work when he-
first arrived, and the widow Gilbert, above referred to,
took her oxen and moved the family and effects of
Mr. Burgess from Stillwater to his place on the Ridge,
a distance of about four miles. Mrs. Burgess, who
•was a strong, athletic woman, then chopped down
trees and cut logs for a log house, and Mrs. Gilbert
•drew them to the spot with her oxen, and the walls
of the house were rolled up from these logs by men
who came along to look for land. The house so built
was occupied for a time by Mr. Burgess, and stood
where the Ridge Road is now laid in front of the
dwelling house of Nahum Anderson. Mrs. Burgess
set out a small orchard of apple trees near her house.
which is supposed to be the first orchard set in
Gaines.
Mr. Burgess sold his land to William Bradner, and
located a mile farther east, where he died seme twen-
212 PIONEER HISTORY
ty years ago, and Mrs. Burgess, referred to, died in
the summer of 1SG9.
The widow Gilbert was a hardy pioneer. The
next winter after the death of her husband, aided by
her niece, Amy Scott, she cut down trees to furnish
browse for a yoke of oxen and some other cattle
through the winter. She removed to Canandaigua in
1811.
Rowley, Wilcox, Leach, Adams, Rosier, Sprague,
and Daniel Pratt were some of the settlers along the
Ridge in 1810.
Daniel Gates came in 1811 and bought an article
of a farm, about two miles west of the village of
Gaines, on the south side of the Ridge, since known as
the Palmer farm.
A former proprietor had chopped down the trees on.
a small spot and built a cabin of logs, twelve feet
square, with a single roof.
The Holland Company agreed with their settlers if
they would make a clearing and build a log house,
they might have the land two j^ears without paying
interest on the purchase money.
' This cabin was built to save such interest, and ac-
quired additional notoriety from the fact that in this
building Orrin Gleason taught the first school in
Gaines, in the winter of 1813.
Henry Drake came to Gaines in 1811. In 1812
he built a dam and sawmill on Otter Creek, a few
rods north of the Ridge — the first sawmill in this
town.
When war with Great Britain was declared in 1812,
the settlers in this vicinity apprehending danger from
their proximity to the frontier, assembled together
and elected Eleazer McCarty, one of their number,
Captain, to lead them in their defence if the settle-
ment was attacked by the enemy.
In December 1813, the British burned Lewistony
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 213
and news was brought to Capt. McCarty by the fleeing
inhabitants, that British and Indians were coming-
east on the Ridge. He sent a messenger in the night
.to John Proctor, the only man who had a horse in
■the settlement, to carry the news to Murray, and call
the men together to resist them. The next morning
the company was en route towards the foe. The next
night they came in sight of Molyneaux tavern, ten or
12 miles east of Lewiston, and saw a light in the house.
Captain McCarty halted his men and advanced him-
self to reconnoiter. Approaching the place lie saw
British and Indians in the house, their guns standing
in a corner. He returned to his men and brought them
cautiously forward ; selected a few to follow him into
the house, and ordered the remainder to surround it
and prevent the enemy from escaping. McCarty and
his party rushed in at the door and sprang between
the men and their guns and ordered them to surren-
der.
The British soldiers and the Indians had been help-
ing themselves to liquor in the tavern, and some were
drunk and asleep on the tloor. The surprise was
complete. Most of the party surrendered ; a few In-
dians showed tight with their knives and hatchets and
tried to recover their guns, and several of them were
killed in the melee. One soldier made a dash to get
his gun and was killed by McCarty at a blow. The
remainder surrendered and were put upon their march
towards Lewiston, near which our army had then ar-
rived. One prisoner would not walk. The soldiers
dragged him forward on the ground awhile, and get-
ting tired of that, Henry Luce, one of McCarty* s men,
declared with an oath, lie would kill him, and was
preparing for the act, when McCarty interfered and
saved his life.
McCarty encamped a few miles east of Lewiston.
While there he went out with a number of his men
214 PIONEEE HISTORY
and captured a scouting party of British soldiers re-
turning to Fort Niagara laden with plunder they
had taken from the neighboring inhabitants. Mc-
Carty compelled them to carry the plunder back to
its owners, and then sent them prisoners of war to
Batavia.
After fifteen or twenty days service, McCarty's
company was discharged and returned home. Most
of his men resided in Gaines, and comprised nearly
all the men in town.
The first regular practicing physician in Gaines was
Dr. Jesse Beach.
The first licensed attorney was Orange Butler, who
settled here before it was determined whether the
county seat would be Gaines or Albion. Judge Eli-
jah Foot and W. W. Ruggles followed soon after.
The first marriage in Gaines was that of Andrew
Jacobs to Sally Wing, in the fall of 1810 or '11.
The first child born in Gaines was Samuel Crippen,
Jr., in 1809.
The first printing press in Orleans county was lo-
cated in Gaines, by Seymour Tracy, who published
the first newspaper there. Tracy was succeeded by
John Fisk.
The publication of this paper commenced about
1824, and continued about four years.
The first gristmill was built on Otter Creek, about
the year 1822, by Jonathan Gates.
The first tavern was kept by William Sibley in
1811. The first store was kept by William Perry in
1815.
Among the early merchants were E. &. E. D. Nich-
ols, V. R. Hawkins, and J. J. Walbridge.
James Mather, though he never kept a store of
goods, was an active trader in "black salts," potash,
and staves, which he purchased from the settlers and
took to the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek, or Gene-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 215
see River, and shipped to Montreal, for which lie paid
in iron, salt fish, leather, and some kinds of coarse
goods most needed, and some money.
Money to pay taxes, and to meet the pressing wants
of the pioneers in this vicinity, was for some time
mainly derived from this source.
The merchants of Gaines built a warehouse at
Gaines' Basin, on the canal, soon after the canal was
navigable, where the goods for Gaines and other
towns north were mainly landed from the boats and
where the produce from the same region was princi-
pally shipped.
A brisk business was done here for some years,
and until the improvement in the highways, and the
growth and competition of neighboring villages had
drawn the trade elsewhere, when this warehouse was
removed.
About the time the canal was completed, the vil-
lage of Gaines was a place of more trade and busi-
ness than any other in the county.
E. &. E. D. Nichols, V. R. Hawkins, Bushnell &
Guernsey, and John J. Walbfidge were thriving mer-
chants, doing a lively business in the dry goods
trade.
A full line of mechanics shops was established.
The only academy, meeting house and printing press
in Orleans county were located here.
Two hotels wen' well patronized ; stage coaches
were plenty on the famous Ridge Road, and every-
thing considered the good people of Gaines, and most
of the county in fact, excepting Newport, since
named Albion, thought the court house would be
built in Gaines surely, and they put up the price of
village lots accordingly, while the people of New-
port, or Mii<//>(>rt. as Gaines men called it, when con-
trasting places as sites for a Court House, offered to
216 PIONEER HISTORY
give away lots, and do many other generous acts if*
the Court House was located there.
But the court house went to Albion, and the stream
of travel which once went on the Ridge, took to
the boats on the canal, and the post coaches hauled
oft'; villages grew up along -the canal and trade
went there.
The resolute business men of Gaines tried hard, to
retain their high position, they got their academy and
their village and a bank (The Farmer1 s Bank of Or-
leans) incorporated by the Legislature, and lowered
the price of building lots. But their glory had de-
parted ; their academy stopped, village franchises
were lost by non-user ; their bank went to the bad ;
but their fine farms, choice garden spots, and un-
rivaled Ridge Road remain good as ever.
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
RICHARD TREADWELL.
-i I was born in Weston, Fairfield county, Connect-
icut, May 15th, 1783. In the winter of 1796, my
father, in company with a neighbor set out to move
his family to the Genesee country. He had a covered
sled drawn by a yoke of oxen and a span of horses.
I well recollect as we were about to start, our friends
around us thought my parents very cruel to take their
children away to the Genesee to be murdered by the
Indians.
My father and all his children had the measles while
on the journey. My father never fully recovered and
died the next August. My mother was then left a
widow with seven children, of whom I was the eldest,
being then thirteen years old.
When I was about fifteen years old I revisited my
native town and took along some bear skins and
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 217
other skins, to exhibit as trophies of 1113* skill as a
hunter.
I attended school some and worked out the remain-
der of the time till fall, then returned to my mother
on foot, and then went to work to help her support
her family.
After my father' s death, my mother sold her oxen
for one hundred dollars and took a note in payment.
The maker of the note failed and mother never re-
ceived five dollars on the debt. One of her horses
died, and the other was so ugly she gave him away,
and thus lost her team, and the bears killed all her
hogs.
When I was eighteen or twenty years old I resolved
to build a log house for mother on the land my father
took up. It was usual then to raise such buildings
at a 'bee,' and that could not be done without
whisky.
I went to a distillery in Bloomiield on horseback,
with two wooden bottles in a bag to get the liquor.
Following the Indian trail through the woods on my
way back, I saw a cub climbing a tree and the
mother bear coming towards me with hair erect and
about two rods off. I put whip and spur to my
hoise and did not stop to look back until I was out
of her reach. 1 had a small flock of sheep about
that time. Neglecting to yard them one night, the
wolves killed nearly all of them.
A year or two after I first came into the country, a
man hired me to take a horse to the Genesee River.
where Rochester now stands. There was but one
house on that road then. I forded the liver with my
horse.
I was married January 17th, 1809, to Miss Temper-
ance Smith, of Palmyra. She died in May follow-
ing.
For several years after 1 came into the county, the
218 PIONEEE HISTORY
Indians were numerous here, hundreds of Indians to
one white man. They were very friendly. I used to
go to their wigwams and have sport with them wrest-
ling and pulling stick, at which I was an expert, ire-
.qently throwing their smartest young men at ' back
hold,' or what we called 'Indian hug.'
Bears, wolves and raccoons were plenty, and I
caught them frequently.
In March, 1810, I married Frances Bennett, and
commenced house-keeping again, and went to work
clearing my land. I think I have chopped and log-
ged off as much as one hundred and fifty acres in my
day.
I have had the fever and ague several times, but
generally let it work itself off. I used to work hard all
day in my fallow, and frequently worked evenings
there when it was good weather.
My wife would often come out when I was at work
and sometimes help me pile brush.
During the war with England I was several times
called out to do military duty.
I moved into the town of Shelby in 1827, and after
a few years sold out and moved to Gaines, on the
farm on which I now reside.
RICHARD TREAD WELL."
Gaines, 1863.
Mr. Treadwell died June 9th. 1866 aged 83 years.
WALTER FAIRFIELD.
kiI was born in Pittsford, Vermont, September 10,
1788. I married Polly Harwood, in Pittsford, in 1 809,
In August, 1810, I bought the farm I now own, in the
town of Gaines, of the Land Company, for $2,50
cents per acre, part of lot live, town fifteen, range
two, on the Oak Orchard Road, about a mile south
of the Ridge.
In February, 1811, I moved my wife from Vermont
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 219
to Gaines, and in April of that year we moved into a
log cabin, in which James Mather was then keeping
bachelors hall, and lived with him. In June after-
wards I put up a log house 18 by 20 feet square and
covered it with bark, with split basswood logs for a
floor sufficient to set a bed on, and then we moved in.
Our nearest neighbors south following the Oak Or-
chard Road, were south of the Tonawanda Swamp.
In August following my wife was taken sick. I
could get no one to help about house, for such help
was not in the country, and I was compelled to leave
my work and attend to my wife for six weeks, during
which time I did not take off my clothes except to
change them.
I was poor and had to work out for all I had. I
came very near being homesick then, but I stood it
through. The next winter I chopped two or three
acres on my land, and in the spring burnedthe brush
and planted it witli corn among the logs, but squir-
rels and birds got the greater part of it, so we got but
little corn that year.
In the spring of 1812, some families located south of
where Albion now is. Of those families I had stop-
ping at my house at one time, while they were building
their cabins, William McCollister, Joseph Hart, Silas
Benton, Elijah Barrow, Frederick Holsenburgh,
and John Holsenburgh, and the families of some of
them.
The war of 1812 put a stop to the settlement for
a while. We were troubled some with British desert-
ers.
Up to 1813, our provisions were mainly fish, pota-
toes, and turnips, — that is among the poorer class of
settlers like myself. Sometimes we would have hulled
wheat and hulled corn. Sometimes I went to Parma
or Rochester to mill, and when 1 get back my grist
would not pay my expenses.
220 PIONEER HISTORY
After the war and the cold seasons, the county
filled up with settlers very fast. Roads and improve-
ments were made, and the land cleared up and culti-
vated, and the conveniences and comforts of life pro-
cured, thus relieving the wants of the people and
supplying their needs.
WALTER FAIRFIELD."
Gaines, 18G3.
Mr. Walter Fairfield died January 9th, 1865.
JOHN PROCTOR.
"I was was born in the town of Dunstable, Mid-
dlesex county, Massachusetts, January 22d, 1787.
In March, 1810, I arrived in Batavia, since changed
to Gaines, on the Holland Purchase, and purchased
a lot of land near the Transit Line. I chopped over
five acres of land and built a log cabin in what was
then called the 'Nine Mile Woods/ My cabin was
situated seven miles from any cabin going east, and
two miles west. There were no inhabitants going-
south nearer than Batavia village. Here I kept bache-
lor's hall, sleeping in the open air on hemlock boughs
until I had completed the roof of my cabin, which I
covered with bark. I had to travel seven miles to
get bread baked.
I went to Massachusetts in the summer and re-
turned to my cabin in January. In the spring of
1811, I cleared off and planted three acres to corn.
and in the fall sowed live acres to wheat.
In December I went back to Massachusetts on foot.
February 11th, 1812, I was married to Miss Polly
Cummings, of Dunstable, and started on the 12th
with my wife for my home in the woods, in a sleigh
drawn by two horses.
When we arrived at our new home, at what has since
been called Fair Haven, in the town of Gaines, there
were but three families in Gaines, viz.: Elijah Dow-
OF OKLEANS COUNTY. 221
ner, Amy Gribert, and Elliott. The nearest
grist mill was at Black Creek, twenty miles distant,
and on account of bad roads it was as easy for ns to
go to Rochester to mill, a distance of thirty miles.
In the fall of 1812, 1 harvested a good crop of wheat
and corn.
In the winter of 1813-14, the British and Indians
came over from Canada and massacred several of
the inhabitants on the frontier, and many of the set-
tlers fled out of the country for safety. The people
throughout this region were in great consternation.
The news of the approach of the savages spread rap-
idly.
William Burlingame, who resided about four miles-
west of my place on the Ridge, called me out of bed
and requested me to go immediately and arouse the
people east. I immediately mounted my horse, the
only horse then owned in the vicinity, and before next
day light visited all the inhabitants as far east as
Clarkson.
The effect of the notice was almost electric, for
quite a regiment of men in number were on the move
early the next morning, to check the advance of the
enemy. We marched west to a place called Hard-
scrabble, near Lewiston, and there performed a sort
of garrison duty for two weeks, when I with some
others returned, for, having been elected collector of
of taxes, it became necessary for me to attend to the
duties of my office.
Again in September, while the war was in progress
at and near Fort Erie, in Canada, news came to us
that the British were about to attack the Fort and
our troops there must be reinforced. In company
with several others I volunteered to go to their relief.
On arriving at the Fort, via. Buffalo, we made several
attacks on the enemy near the1 Fort, and in the woods
opposite Black Rock.
222 PIONEER HISTORY
A sortie was made from the Fort September 17th,
in which we routed the enemy. In these actions sev-
eral bullets passed through my clothes, and one
grazed my ringer.
A man of our company named Howard was killed,
another named Sheldon was wounded in the shoul-
der, and Moses Bacon was taken prisoner and carried
to Halifax.
In that sortie General Davis, of Le Roy, was
killed, and Gen. Peter B. Porter was taken prisoner,
and rescued again the same day. We came home
after an absence of twenty-four days.
About February 1st, 1815, I was notified to attend
the sitting of the court in Batavia as constable. Ow-
ing to the situation of my family I could not be long-
absent from home ; and in order to get released from
court, it was necessary for me to appear before the
judge; so taking a rather early start I reached Batavia
before the court had opened in the morning. After
the court had organized for business I presented my
excuse and was discharged.
After that I collected over one hundred dollars
taxes, made my returns as town collector, on half a
a sheet of paper, took a deed of one hundred acres of
land of the Holland Company, and an article for
another hundred acres and started for home, where I
arrived in the evening of the same da}', having
traveled a distance of not less than forty-four miles.
In December, 1818, I made arrangements to visit
my friends in Massachusetts, on horseback. Several
of my neighbors were in to see me off. As I was
about to mount my horse a deer came down the creek
from the south. I ran into the house and got my
gun and some cartridges I brought from the war,
loaded my gun as I ran out, and as the deer was
passing leveled my gun and snapped it, but it missed
tire. I took up a stone and struck the flint, and snaj)-
OF ORLEANS COUNT!. 223
ped the gun again before the deer got out of range.
This time it discharged killing the deer instantly. I
remained now and helped dress the deer and divided
it with our neighbors, and then went on my journey.
I rode to Vermont, there exchanged my horse and
saddle for a cutter and another horse, and drove
to my destination, near Boston. After an ab-
sence of about sixty days I returned home in time to
dine off a piece of the venison I killed just before
starting, which had been kept by my wife.
Our associations in our wilderness home undergo-
ing fatigue and hardships together, sharing alike in
gratitude for every success, and in sympathy for
every adversity, bound the early settlers together as
aljand of brothers.
For many years our religious worship was held in
common together, with no denominational distinc-
tions.
JOHN PROCTOR."
Oaincs, June 1863.
Mr. John Proctor died in 1868.
SAMUEL HILL.
"I was born in Barrington, Rockingham county,
N. 11., November 18th, 1793. I was married Febru-
ary 28th, 1815, to Miss Olive Knight.
In the winter of 1823 we moved to (iaines, with
means little more than enough to defray the expense of
the journey, and settled on part of the farm on which
I now reside. We began by building a log house, the
crevices between the logs serving for windows. The
children would sit on the tire sill in front of where
was to be a chimney. Thus we lived from May loth,
to fall, when we made our house comfortable for
winter.
My father was a practical farmer, and my first rec-
224 PIONEER HISTORY
ollections of work were of helping clear land. He
with the help of his bo}^, of whom I was eldest but
one, cleared one hundred and fifty acres.
Begining with little, we have by hard labor, strict
economy and the blessing of God, succeeded in se-
curing a comfortable home and a competence of this
world's goods.
SAMUEL HILL."
Gaines, March 18G4.
SAMUEL SALSBURY.
" I was born in Newport, Herkimer county, N". Y.,
July 24, 1804. In January, 1817, 1 removed with my
brother Stephen to the Holland Purchase and settled
in Ridgeway. The country with few exceptions was
a wilderness. Provisions were scarce and dear,
wheat worth three dollars a bushel, corn two dollars,
potatoes one dollar, and other things in proportion.
Before harvest nearly every family was destitute of
bread. Their resort for a substitute was to the grow-
ing, wheat, which was boiled and eaten with milk ; or
by adding a little cream and maple sugar together, to
make a kind of dessert after a meal of potatoes and
butter, and possibly a little deer, squirrel and raccoon
meat.
Our milk was strongly flavored with leeks occas-
ionally, with which our native ' pastures ' abounded,
but we used to correct this by eating a fresh leak
before eating the milk. AVe had plenty of maple
sugar.
School houses were scarce, and of churches there
were none. I attended school in a log house two miles
from home, south of what is now Lyndonville, and
this school house was for many years used as a place
.for worship. Here I used to hear Elder Irons and
Elder Dutcher, Baptists, and Elders Paddock,
Boardman, Hall, and Puffer, Methodists.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 225
Among my early school teachers were Gen. W. C,
Tanner and Mrs. Mastin.
Chopping, clearing and fencing land was the prin-
cipal business in those days.
My last feat in chopping was in 1832, when I walked
three miles morning and evening, and chopped over
three acres, leaving it fitted for logging in ten and a
half days.
In February, 1825, I crossed Niagara river on the
ice which had wedged in near the month of the river.
It was a warm day, the water was on the ice and
large openings were freqnent. In one place a seam
of open water three feet across was passed on aboard
which served as a bridge. I crossed in safety.
In the winter of 1826-7, 1 united with the Methodist
Episcopal Church.. I had never, to this time, heard a
temperance lecture or known anything of temperance
societies, but from that time I believed it wicked to
use intoxicating drinks as a beverage, and I have
never used them since.
I was married to Miss Electa Beal, February 23d.,
1829.
I was licensed to preached the gospel in July, 1832,
by the Conference sitting in Penn Yan. Till then
I had been a farmer and school teacher. Fron?
that time till 1844, I labored in that vicinity in the
Methodist Episcopal Church. In May. 1843, i
withdrew from that chinch and joined in organizing
the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion of America, and
from then since, I have labored as a minister in that
Connexion.
SAMUEL SALISBURY."
Eagle Harbor, March 18'54.
PERK'S DAVIS.
Perry Davis was born in Westport Massachusetts,
January 1st, 1773.
15
226 PIQNKKK L1IST0KY
In 1793, he married Rebecca Potter. She died May
12th, 1825.
, After his marriage, lie resided about thirteen years
in Galway, Saratoga county. He then resided about
eighteen years in Palmyra, N. V.; and in 1828, re-
moved to Gaines, and took up land near the mouth
of Otter Creek ; and in 1825. removed to the village of
•Gaines and bought the farm next north of the Ridge,
.and west of the Oak Orchard Road. He was an ac-
tive business man, being engaged at different times
.as a merchant, farmer, school teacher, and manufac-
turer: and while residing in Gaines, superintending
at the same time three farms, a sawmill, a gristmill,
and a small iron foundry, all in operation. He was
deacon, and a prominent member of the Baptist
Church in Gaines.
He had eight daughters, viz.: Barbara, who died in
childhood ; Rowena. married William Ilayden ; C311-
thia married Daniel Ball : Cinderilla married Samuel
Parker : Mary married Richard Workman ; Ann
married William W.Ruggles; Eliza married Elonzo G.
Hewitt : and Laura married Dr. Alfred Babcock. In
1827, he married Sarah Toby, of Stockton, iS\ Y.
She died November 4th. 1850. Mr. Davis died April
3d, 1841.
LEVI ATWKl.L.
Levi Atwell was born in Canaan. Columbia county,
N. Y.
He married Mabel Stoddard, and moved from Cay-
uga county to Gaines in February, 1812, and took an
article of part of lot forty-four, township fifteen,
range two, and resided on the same land until he
died, February, 1847.
He took up his land in April, 1811, and in June
after he came on, chopped down the trees on a few
OK CHILEANS COUNTY. 227
uteres, and that season put up a log house, into which
he moved his family when they came.
His brothers-in-law, Gideon Freeman and Joseph
Stoddard, came on and took up land at the same
time. He remained on his land during the war with
England.
The house into which he moved had no door, or
window or floor except the earth, and not a board
.about it. The logs had been merely rolled up for the
walls, without stopping the crevices between them.
The roof was covered with "shakes" split from oak
trees like stave bolts, about three feet long, laid on
in courses like shingles, without nails, and held on
by poles laid on transversely, with no chimney, but a
large hole in the roof left for the smoke, and which
admitted the light.
The snow was about three feet deep. A huge fire
was kept up in one end of the cabin ; this heated the
roof and melted the snow, which dripped most un-
comfortably upon everything in the house. A blan-
ket hung at the doorway closed that, and chips
■driven into the crevices between the logs stopped
them in part till spring, when stones were laid for a
hearth, and a stick chimne}T put in.
Mr. At well had a yoke of oxen and several other
cattle that arrived a few days after he brought his
family. He brought several bushels of ears of corn
when he moved in, which he dealt out sparingly to
his stock. They had no other food except the trees
he cut down for them to browse, until they could get
their living in the woods in the spring.
His family consisted of himself, wife and four chil-
dren, the youngest about two years old. His chil-
dren's names were Ira. Abbey, Roxy, Joseph and
Martin.
In the fall of 1812. a man by the name of Crofoot
•died in the neighborhood. No boards to make his
228 PIONEER HISTORY
coffin could be found, not in use in the settlement,.
When Mr. Atwell moved in his family, lie brought
a board for a side-board, on his sled. This he had put
up for a shelf in his house for dishes, &c, and this
shelf, and a board from some other house were taker?
for the coffin, in which the corpse Avas buried.
SAMUEL C. LEWIS.
Samuel C. Lewis was born in Poultney, Vermont,
June 8th, 1796. At the age of seventeen, he enlisted'
in the United States Army as a soldier in the war of
1 81 2, and served in a company commanded by Captain
Mil lei1, who was founder of the sect since known as
Millerites, or Second Adventists. He was in the bat-
tle of Plattsburgh, and at French Mills. He served
in the army about two years.
In February, 1816, in company with his brother
Gideon, Koswell and Amos Clift, Elias Clift, and
their sister Esther Clift, who afterwards married Guy
C. Merrill, he came in a lumber wagon drawn by two-
yoke of Oxen, from Poultney, Vermont, to Gaines,
being twenty -five days on the road, arriving in Gaines
March 19th,' 1816.
Aiba Chubb, a brother-in-law of the Lewises, with
his wife and child, arrived in Gaines the day before
Mr. Lewis and company, and moved into the log-
house built by Mrs. Burgess, near where Judge An-
derson now resides. The house had not been occu-
pied for some time previous, and was not in good con-
dition to inhabit : but it was the best they could get,
and the three Lewis brothers went there to stay with
Mr. Chubb. They had cleared away the snow and
got a good supply of fuel for their fire heaped up
against the stoned up end of the house, which served
as a chimney the night after their arrival, as the
weather was stormy and cold, and the house had
large crevices open between the logs.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 229
Mr. Chubb and his family had a bed in a corner of
'ihe room, while the three young men lay on the floor
with their feet to the fire. In the night the great fire
thawed out the old chimney, and the whole pile fell
forward into the room, luckily, however, without
crushing any of the persons sleeping there. Next
morning they piled the stones back in their places,
and made a chimney that answered their purpose.
Mr. Lewis and his brother bought of Lansing-
Bailey, an article for one hundred and twenty-five
.ticres of land, lying at Gaines Basin, on which Mr.
Baile}^ had built a log house, which had not a shingle
or nail in it, all pieces being fastened with wooden
pins.
On this lot they labored clearing land the next
summer, occupying their house, and getting their
cooking and washing done in Mr. Bailey's family, on an
adjoining lot, for which they worked for Mr. Bailey
-every seventh day that season to pay him.
Samuel C. Lewis married Anna Frisbie, in March
1819. She died the next year.
January 30th, 1824, he married Anna Warner, of
Cornwall, Vt. She died April 10th, 1841.
Mr. Lewis retains and resides on the lot of land on
which lie first settled.
He has walked and carried his knapsack on his
back, twelve times the whole distance between Gaines
and Poultney, Vt. Once he performed the journey
in October, in six days, walking on an average nearly
fifty miles a day.
In the year 1819, he had a tax to pay and wanted
a dollar to make the sum required. To raise the
money, he cut four cords of body maple wood and
drew it a mile and sold it to Oliver Booth for twenty-
Jive cents a cord, and so paid his tax.
GIDEON s. LEWIS.
Gideon S. Lewis was burn iii Poultney, Vermont^
230 PIONEER HISTORY
September, 1792. He married Betsey Mason, daugh-
ter of the late Jesse Mason, of Barre, N. Y., in the
fall of 1820. She died in September, 1842. He then
married Betsey Shelley, of Gaines. He had four chil-
dren, Lestina, who married Henry Cox ; Homer, who
studied medicine, and died some years ago ; Augus-
tus and Augusta, twins. Augustus is dead. Au-
gusta married Alonzo Morgan. Gideon S. Lewis died
October 6th, 1865.
Roswell Lewis, brother of Samuel and Gideon,
resided in Gaines about three years, then returned to-*
Vermont.
NATHAN SHKLl.Ei.
Nathan Shelley was born in Hartford, Washington'
county, N. Y., March 17th, 1798. In May. 1812,
witli his father? s family lie removed to Gaines. His
father settled on the Ridge Road, two miles west of
the village of Gaines.
War with Great Britain was declared soon after he
arrived. After the defeat of the Americans at
Queenstown, in October, 1812, many of the inhabi-
tants on the frontier retired eastward, and Mr. Shelley
took his family and went with them, but returned in
December after.
Nathan Shelley married Dorcas Tallman, May 21st,.
1820. She was born in Washington county, N. Y.,.
August 4th, 1795.
In 1821, lie took up and settled part of lot forty-
five, township lifteen, range two, on which he has ever
since resided.
His first log house had but one room, only four
lights of glass, and a bedquilt for an outside door,
when he moved into it to reside in the the winter
of 1821-2.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 231
Beginning poor, by a life of steady industry and
prudence he became a wealthy fanner.
Till: BULLARD FAMILY.
This somewhat numerous family in Gaines, are de-
scendants of David Bullard, who was born in Decl-
ham, Massachusetts, in 1761. He removed to Ver-
mont, where he resided until September, 1814, when
lie removed to Gaines, N. Y., bringing with him as
many of his children as had not gone there before.
He first settled upon lot twenty-three, a little west of
the village1 of Gaines, north of the Ridge, on a farm
which had been taken up by his son William.
After a year or two he removed south of the Ridge,
upon lot twenty-one — a farm now owned by his son
Brigadier, where he resided until his death in June,
1831.
He married Elizabeth Hadley. His children were
William, who married Nellie Loveland. Polly mar
ried William Woolman. They settled in 1811, in
Gaines, on the farm afterwards owned by Phin^as
Rowley. Judith married John Witherell. They set-
tled north of the Ridge, next east of Oliver Booth.
Olive married James Bartlett. Betsey married Fred-
erick Holsenburgh. Nancy married Samuel Scovill.
Sally married Arba Chubb, David married Elvira
Murwin. Brigadier married Lovina Parker. Ran-
som married Lydia Buck.
William, Judith and Brigadier settled in Gaines iii
February, 1812. William Bullard died in September,
1861.
THE BILLINGS FAMILY.
Joseph Hillings, Sr., the ancestor of this family,
was born in Somers, Connecticut, and settled in Che-
nango county, New York, where he resided until
Ids death.
232 PIONEER HISTORY
lie purchased of Isaac Bennett a large quantity of
land, in Gaines, which Mr. Bennett had taken by
article from the Land Company, which he afterwards
divided among his sons, Joseph, Timothy, and Lau-
ren. Joseph and Timothy settled on this land in
1817, and Lauren in 1822. '
Joseph Billings married Charlotte Drake. His chil-
dren, aif J. Drake Billings, who married Melinda
Shaw. Myron married Phebe Bement. Clinton
married Esther Murdock. Harlow married Adeline
King. William H. married Sarah Everett. Clarissa
married Elijah B. Lattin: Helen married John
Lattin.
Timothy Billings married Betsey Bidwell. His
children were Newton and Sanford, who died in early
manhood, and Pomeroy, who died in childhood.
Lauren Billings married Roxana C. Rexford. His
children are, Karthalo R.. who married Catharine
Murdock. Pomeroy O., who married Harriet Thomp-
son. Loverna C. married Norman A. Beecher. L.
Dwight. Simeon R. married Carrie E. Gray. Joseph
F. married Josephine Eldridge.
Joseph, Timothy, and Lauren Billings, occupied
adjoining farms, which they cleared and improved.
Joseph and Lauren were each Justices of the Peace
in Gaines for a number of years.
Lauren was a Colonel in the State Militia. Joseph
was Supervisor of Gaines from 1837, to 1841, inclu-
sive.
Joseph Billings died December 10, 1866. Timothy
Billings died May 10th, 1837.
A.RBA CHUBB.
Arba Chubb was born in Poultney, Vt., Septem-
ber 18th, 1701.
He married Emily Frisbie, October 17, 1813. Feb-
ruary 2"rh, 1816, they started to move to Gaines, N.
OIi* ORLEANS COUNTY. 23o
Y., on a wagon, and arrived there after being twenty
days on the road.
He bought a farm lying between the Ridge and
Gaines Basin, and resided there until 18.32, when he
moved to Gaines Basin and bought a warehouse there
and carried on business as a dealer in produce, and
sold goods until 1840, when he moved to Gaines vil-
lage, and from thence to Michigan, in 1850.
His first wife died in 1820. For a second wife he
married Sally, daughter of David Bullard, of
Gaines.
In 1821, Mr. Chubb was appointed by the Council
Justice of the Peace. He was after that elected Jus-
tice by the people of Gaines, and held the office
thirty-three years, a vacation of one year only occur-
ring daring that time.
After moving to Michigan he was elected Justice of
the Peace from time to time, until in the whole he
served in that office 47 years. jNto man has held the
office of Justice of the Peace in Orleans county as
long as Esquire Chubb. He also held every other
town office but constable, and every office in the
militia, from Corporal to Major, inclusive. He was
for some time postmaster in Gaines, and Member of
Assembly from Orleans county, for the year 1848.
Esquire Chubb describes a lawsuit tried before
him soon after he was elected Justice, winch occa-
sioned him great trouble at the time. He gave the
following account of it :
'•Orange Butler was on one side, and a young
lawyer named Capen, from Albion, on the other. 1
think they planned to give me a sweat. The plaintiff
put in his declaration. The defendant demurred.
Plaintiff put in a rejoinder. The defendant a surre-
joinder, The plaintiff a rebutter. The defendant a
surrebutter.
About all this special pleading 1 knew nothing. 1
234 PIONEER HISTORY
supposed, however, they would ask me to make a
special decision ; but what the decision should be, I
knew no more than the biggest fool alive. There I
sat, the sweat rolling down my face, inwardly cursing
the day I was appointed Justice, and my folly in
accepting an office I knew nothing about.
I think the lawyers saw my trouble, had pity on
me and helped me out as well as they could, and went
on and tried the case."
Esquire Chubb resides at Ionia, Michigan, and is
now (1871) serving in his old office of Justice of the
Peace.
THE ANDERSON FAMILY.
The ancestors of this family originally emigrated
from Scotland to Ireland, and thence to Londonderry,
New Hampshire, at an early day.
.John Anderson, the ancestor of most of the families
of his name in Gaines, was born in Londonderry, Aug.
31, 1757. He was a soldier in the Revolution, fought
at Bunker Hill, and was at the taking of Ticonderoga
under Ethan Allen. He married Jane Archibald in
Londonderry, Feb. 7, 1782, and settled in Ira, Rut-
land county Vermont, in the same year. He repre-
sented this town in the State Legislature eight or ten
years in succession. His children were : Ann, Jane,
John, Robert, Matthew, Betsey, Thomas A., Marga-
ret, Nancy, Eli B. and Samuel F., all of whom were
early settlers in Gaines, except Betsey, who died in
Malone, N. Y. January 11, 1813.
John Anderson, senior, moved with his family to
Gaines in 1821, and located on lot twenty-nine, town-
ship fifteen, range two, on the north side of the Ridge
road, where he died October 22, 1827. He was a man
of very great physical strength, of good intellect,
energetic and persistent in his character. One of his
rules of action was : Do what duty requires and
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 236
Conscience approves as right, without fear. Indeed
lie never showed fear of anything. Many instances
are recollected of his cool and determined courage in
cases of danger. In several conflicts he had with
bears, he performed exploits as hazardous and full of
daring, as Gen. Putnam's battle with the wolf.
One evening while he lived in Ira, dogs treed a bear
not far from his residence. A number of men were
present, but they had no gun. Mr. Anderson told
them to build a fire around the tree and keep the bear
up it until morning, and then he would go up and
drive him down. The fire was made. Next morning
Anderson armed with a club, climbed the tree to the
bear thirty feet from the ground, and crept out on the
limb on which he had retreated.
Disregarding the growds and bristling of the feroci-
ous creature, Mr. Anderson went within reach and
aimed a blow at its head with his club which the bear
warded off and knocked the club to the ground.
Nothing daunted, Mr. Anderson descended, got two
clubs, and again went up the tree to the bear. Taking
a club in each hand, he made motions to strike with
his left hand, and when the bears attention was at-
tracted to these, he struck him a terrible blow on the
head with the other club, which knocked the body of
the beast off the limb, leaving him hanging by his
fore paws. A blow or two on his claws loosened
their hold, and the bear was killed b}r the men be-
low when he struck the ground.
Another time while he lived in Vermont, being in
the woods, he saw a bear coming towards him. Con-
cealing himself in bushes on a steep place, he lay ir
ambush, and the bear passed him so near that with
a spring he rushed upon him, and armed only with a
stone, pounded his head until he killed him.
Ann Anderson married Daniel Grates of Rutland,
Vermont, moved to Gaines in 1811, and settled
236 PION'EKK HISTORY
on lot twenty-nine, township fifteen, range two. After
a few years lie sold this farm and removed to a farm
in Carlton, where he died January 31, 1858. Mrs.
Ann Gates died January 1, 1866. Two of her sons,
John and N. F. Gates, now reside in Carlton, and
another Matthew A. Gates, resides in Yates.
Jane Anderson married Phineas Rowley, of Rut-
land, Arermont. moved to Gaines in 1817, and settled
on lot thirty, township fifteen, range one. They both
died several years since. Two of their sons, John
and Andrew J. Rowley, are yet living in Gaines.
Margaret Anderson married John Farnham Jan. 22,
1818 . They removed to Gaines, Oct. , 1824, and settled
on lot forty, township fifteen, range two. John Farn-
ham was born in Poultney, Vt., February 26. 1795,
and died November 3, 1841. Margaret Farnham died
in May, 1868.
Nancy Anderson married Solomon Kingsley in Ver-
mont and moved to Orleans county about 1819. They
removed to Michigan in 1835 and died there.
John Anderson, Jr., was born in Ira, Vermont,
Sept. 12, 1785. He settled in Gaines on lot twenty-
two, township fifteen, range two, in 1810.
At the first town meeting held in Ridge way, April
6, 1813, he was elected Overseer of the Poor. He
was a man of positive character, a great lover of truth,
withdrawing his confidence from the man who failed
to keep his promises.
A neighbor owed him twelve shillings, which he
promised to pay in a few days. Mr. Anderson re-
plied he hoped he would, that it was worth a shilling
to dun a man any time. In a few days the neighbor
met him, spoke of his debt and renewed his promise,
to pay.
As they met occasionally afterwards, the debtor
would dun himself, but paid nothing, till one day
having repeated his acknowledgement and promise.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 237
Mr. Anderson took out a shilling and handed him,
saying, " Here is a shilling for you, we are now even.
I have given you credit on account one shilling each
time you have dunned yourself for me and broken
your promise. Your credits balance your debt and
one shilling over, which I have paid you. It is settled,
don't speak to me about it again.*'
Eli B. Anderson was married in Poultney, Vermont,
removed to Gaines with his father, and resided with
him until his death, and occupied the same place six
or eight years after his death, when he removed to
Michigan.
Samuel F. Anderson moved to Gaines with his fath-
er, being then about eighteen years old. In 1836 he
married Miss Mahala Phipps of Albion, and removed
to Cassopolis, Michigan where he still resides. He
has represented his county several years in the State
Legislature and been Judge of County Courts.
Matthew Anderson moved to Gaines in 1816 and
took an article of part of lot twenty-seven, township
fifteen, range two, since known as the ' ' H unter Farm* '
a little north of Eagle Harbor, now owned by C. A.
Danolds and S. W. Kneeland. He cleared some land
and built a log house on his farm. He died Septem-
ber 30, 1816. In 1814 or 181o, he represented the
town of Ira in the Vermont Legislature. He was
Captain of a company of militia, which under his
command volunteered and went to m<jet the British
at Pittsburgh in the war of 1812.
Hon. Robert Anderson was born in the town of
ha, Vermont, April 21, 1787.
In June, 1807, he was elected Lieutenant in the
militia. In October 1812 he was appointed Justice
of the Peace in Rutland. He went with a company
of volunteers to light the British at Plattsburgh in
the war of 1812.
In November 1812, he came to Gaines and bought
238 PIOBTKEE HISTORY
an article for 150 acres, part of lot 22, township fifteen,
range two, to which he moved his family in 1810, and
where he has ever since resided. Two younger broth-
ers, Matthew and Dr. Thomas A. Anderson and their
families came on at the same time from Vermont.
The Dr. drove a two horse lumber wagon, which
carried the women and children of the party, the
other two men drove each a team of two yoke of oxen
^drawing a wagon laden with their goods, with a cow
led behind each team.
They arrived in Gaines March 25th, having been
twenty- five days on the road.
On arriving in Gaines, Robert Anderson moved
into the log house the logs for which were cut by
Mrs. Noah Burgess in 1809. It was roofed with elm
bark and had a floor of split basswood in most ap-
proved pioneer style. The next year he built a small
framed house and lived in that.
In the summer of 1821, David Whipple and wife,
parents of Mrs. Robert Anderson, came to Gaines
from Vermont to visit their children. They rode in a
one horse wagon with bolsters and box lumber style,
oovered with cloth over hoops. The seat was a chair
wide as the box, splint bottomed, the posts standing
on the steel springs of a wolf trap. This was prob-
ably the first wheel carriage rigged with steel springs
that run in Orleans county, and was much admired
for its novelty ond convenience.
Mr. Anderson and his wife started with her parents
on their return to Vermont, to visit friends on the way.
They went as far as Brighton, where she was taken
sick and died. The death of his wife and the sick-
ness prevailing in the country, with which he was
attacked, so disheartened him he offered his farm for
sale, and would have sold at almost any price, but
no purchaser appearing and his health having im-
proved, he concluded to stay. In August 1822, he
OF OKLEAJfS COUNTY. 239
married his second wife, Miss Roxana Lamb, of
Bridgewater, Vermont, who died March 27, 1837.
In 1840, he rented his farm to his eldest son and
only surviving child, Nahum Anderson, to whom in a
few years after he sold it, reserving the right to live
in his family during life.
In 1817, he was elected Lieutenant of a militia
company in Gaines, and resigned at the end of a year.
The same year he was appointed a Justice of the
Peace, which office he held until the winter of 1822.
In that winter, he was appointed Judge of the Court
of Common Pleas of Genesee county, an office he
held over two years and resigned. In the spring of
1818, he was elected Supervisor of the town of Gaines,
an office to which he was annually elected as long as
the town of Gaines belonged to Genesee count}'.
After Orleans county was organized, he was elected
the tirst Supervisor from that town, to serve in the
first Board sitting in the new county, in 182G, by
whom he was appointed Chairman, in consequence
of his experience as a Supervisor.
In the session of 1822, he served as a member of
the State Legislature, being one of three representa-
tives sent from the county of Genesee.
Judge Anderson was never ambitious to hold public
offices, generally taking office only when it was of-
fered him without his asking, and resigning the first
proper opportunity. He was regarded as a man of
sound judgment, honest and faithful, and shared
largely in the confidence of all who knew him.
For some years past he has lived quietly, retired
from the cares of business, possessing a competence
of property acquired by his own exertions, happy in
the society of his many friends, enjoying a pleasant
home.
Dr. Thomas A. Anderson, son of John Anderson,
senior, was born in Ira. Yt., May 14th, 1792. He
240 PIONEER HISTORY
married Sarah Whipple of Malone, N.,Y., and moved
to Gaines, as above stated, in 1816, and located at
Fair Haven, or Proctor's Corners, in the town of
Gaines, where he practiced his profession for some
time in company with Dr. Truman S. Shaw, who af-
terwards practiced in Knowlesville, and Yates, and
died a few years since in Medina, Orleans county,
N. Y.
Dr. Anderson had practiced medicine several years
in Rutland, Vermont, before coming to Gaines. He
was esteemed a skillful physician, and had as much
business as he could do. He was constitutionally
feeble, never had good health, and died September
2d, 1829, leaving one child only, a daughter, now
wife of S. Dewey Walbridge, of Rochester, N. Y.
His wife died April 22d, 1829.
MOSES BACON.
Moses Bacon was born April 5, 1787, in Burlington,
Hartford county, Conn. He was a farmer.
About the year 1809, he came to Gaines and took
an article from the Holland Land Company of two
hundred acres of land on the south part of lot thirty-
seven, township fifteen, range one. He worked for
the Land Company opening the Oak Orchard road
the summer of that year, to apply towards paying
for his land, and returned to Connecticut in the fall.
The next spring lie came back and commenced work
upon his land as a permanent settler.
In December, 1813, he went in Captain McCarty's
company to the defence of the frontier, and in his
charge upon the British and Indians at Molyneaux
tavern, in Cambria, on that occasion Mr. Bacon was
present and did good execution.
In January, 1814, he married Miss Sarah Downer.
In September of that year he was called out with the
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 241
men on this frontier generally, to aid in repelling- the
British and Indians in the war with Great Britain.
He was in the battle of Fort Erie, in which he was
shot through the neck and taken prisoner by the
British, who carried him to Halifax, where lie suffered
greatly under the cruel treatment of the officers who
had the American prisoners under their charge. Tin;
next year he was discharged, the war having closed,
and returned home broken in constitution from the
hardships of his wound and imprisonment, and with
a cough contracted in Halifax from which he never
recovered, and for which he drew a pension from the
United States ever afterwards.
Mr. Bacon sold the east part of his farm to his
brother Hosea, and the north part to his brother
Elias, reserving one hundred acres for himself. Upon
this place he lived until his death, which occurred
June 28th, 1848.
SAMUEL BIDELMAN.
Samuel Bidelman was horn in Manheim, Herkimt i
county. X. Y.. June 29th, 1806. His grandparents
both came to America from Germany, before the
revolutionary war, and settled on the Mohawk river.
In that war his grandfather's buildings were burned
by the Indians, and his family narrowly escaped
massacre by flying to the block house fort for pro-
tection.
His father, Henry Bidelman, came to Shelby in
181G, and bought an article for one hundred acres of
laud of John Timmerman. In January, 1817, lie.
came to Shelby with a part of his children, leaving
liis wife and other children in Herkimer county until
'lie could prepare a place for them. He was eleven
days on the journey.
In July, 1817, John Grarlock, brother-in-law of
16
242 PIONEER HISTORY
Henry Bidelman, brought on Mrs. Bidelman and the
remainder of her children, and with their other load-
ing he "brought three bags of flour. This was the
next year after the cold season, and the neighborhood
was destitute of flour ; some of the inhabitants had
not even seen wheat bread for weeks, having lived in
that time, as far as bread was concerned, on bran
bread and some sea biscuit— "hard tack,-' which
they procured from the Arsenal at Batavia, which
had been stored there to feed the soldiers in the war
of 1812.
It was a custom then when a new family arrived,
for all the settlers for miles around to come together
and give them a greeting. Such a surprise party
waited on the Bidelmans, and after they had broken
up and gone home, Mr. Bidelman found he had
only a part of one bag of his flour left out of the
three brought on by Garlock, as each family of the
visitors must of course take home a little. Part of
one bag of flour only for a family of twelve hungry
persons to live on under the circumstances, looked as
if the end was near.
These sea biscuit furnished material for much talk,
as well as some food for the people. Mr. Joseph
Snell, who was something of a wag, reported that a
Mr. Simons, who resided a little south from Mr. Bid-
elman, got some of the biscuit and ate too freely of
them ; that they had swelled in his stomach and had
burst him. He said his attendants tied hankerchiefs
and straps around him, and did the best they could
to make him contain himself, but without success ;
he burst and died, and was to be buried at a time
specified. Several persons went to attend the funeral
before they understood the hoax.
The first year after he came to Shelby, Mr. H. Bid- '
elman took some land of D. Timmerman which lay
about a mile from his house, to plant with corn on
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 243
shares. In hoeing time, in the long days in June, lie
would get his boys together, Samuel being then about
twelve years old, get them a breakfast of bran
bread and milk and say to them, " now boys you can
go and hoe corn, and when you get so tired and hun-
gry you can't stand it any longer, come home and we
will try and get you something to eat again. This
was the way they fared before uncle Garlock came
with flour.
The cold season of 1816 cut off the crops, and there
»was but little to be had to eat. Flour was worth
fifteen dollars a barrel in Rochester, wheat three dol-
lars a bushel here, and no money to buy it with.
But crops were good in 1817, and as soon as the
farmers began to raise wheat, and about 1820 and
1821, as there was no way to get wheat to market, the
price fell to twenty-five cents a bushel. Articles of
wearing apparel were enormously dear. Cotton cloth
was worth fifty cents a yard.
In 1818, Mr. H. Bidelman chopped and cleared off
six acres of land for A. A. Ellicott, for which he ob-
tained Hour for his family for that season. He cleared
■five acres for Elijah Bent, a little South of Medina
village, for which he received in payment one-third of
the pork of a hog that weighed three hundred pounds
in all ; that is, about one hundred jDounds of pork cost
twenty dollars, paid for in such hard work. So they
managed to live along until they could raise something
of their own to live on.
About this time young Samuel, being then twelve
or thirteen years old, and Lis brother William two
years older, got disgusted with Western New York
and agreed to run away back to the Mohawk country,
fearing they would starve to death if they remained
here. They did not go however.
In the year 1820, May 20th, barefoot, with an old
straw hat, a pair of tow cloth pantaloons and a
244 PIONEER HISTORY
second hand coat on, Samuel Bidelman started on foot
and alone for Ridgeway Corners, to learn the trade of
tanning and currying leather, and shoemaking, of
Isaac A. Bnllard, who carried on that ' business
there.
Before that time he had lived in Dutch settlements,
and could but imperfectly speak, or understand the
English language.
Mr. Ballard's tanning then amounted to about fifty
hides a year, but gradually increased to about one
hundred hides a year while Samuel lived with him.
When lie had been about three and a half years with
Mr. Bullard, they had some difficulty and Samuel left
him and went to his father. The difficulty was set-
tled and Samuel was bound as apprentice to stay
with Mr. Bnllard until he was of age, and he went
back and remained.
Bullard was addicted to strong drink, which made
him rather a hard master to his apprentice. He died
April 9th, 1827.
After Mr. Bullard' s death his wife carried on the
business he had left, and Mr. Bidelman worked for her
by the month six months, and then bought out the
tanyard and dwelling house and carried on the busi-
ness on his own account.
May 17th, 1829, he married Eliza Prussia. She was
born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, of German
parentage.
At Ridgeway Mr. Bidelman tanned about seventy-
five hides a year. He kept two journeymen, made
leather and carried on shoemaking. Stoga boots
were worth four dollars a pair, coarse shoes two dol-
lars. Boots were not so generally worn as now.
Tanner' s bark, hemlock, was worth one dollar and
fifty cents a cord.
In the spring of 1835, Mr. Bidelman sold his place
in Ridgeway, retaining possession until the next Oc-
OP ORLEANS COUNTY. 245
ber, intending to move to Michigan. He was now
worth about fifteen hundred dollars and was twenty -
nine years old.
He finally "bought a tanyard at Gaines village of
James Mather, and moved there Oct. second, eighteen
hundred and thirty-five. Gaines was then quite a place
of "business. It had in active operation one academy,
five dry goods stores, three groceries, one steam grist
mill and furnace, three taverns, two churches, two
tannerys, one cabinet shop, one large wagon factory,
three law offices, three blacksmith shops, one milline-
ry shop, one ashery, besides harness, shoe, and tailor
shops, &c.
At Gaines Mr. Bidelman employed four or five
men in his tannery, and five or six men in his shoe-
shop generally.
In 1838, the Patriot AVar, as it was called, in Cana-
da, closed. This part of the country had been in a
high state of excitment for two years, the people de-
siring to furnish aid to the Canadian rebels. Hunter' s
lodges, as they were called, were formed along the
frontier for this purpose. Such a lodge used to meet
in the upper room in Mr. Bidelman' s Tannery, which
was formerly occupied by the Five Mason's. Mr.
Bidelman took great interest in this movement and
gave an old cast iron bark mill to be cast into can-
non balls. He gave the last gun he ever owned and
a pair of boots, to fit out a soldier who went to Can-
ada to join the insurgents.
A cannon, which had belonged to an artillery com-
pany in Yates, in which Mr. Bidelman had held a
commission as Lieutenant, was sent to the Patriots.
General "VVinfield Scott passed through on the Ridge
Road with some United States troops to maintain
peace on our borders, and in a short time order was
amiin restored.
246 PIONEER HISTOKY
The Ridge Road was then a great traveled thor-
oughfare ; six to eight stage coaches passed through
Gaines each way daily.
In eighteen hundred and forty-one Mr. Robert Ran-
ney went in company with Mr. Bidelman in business
as tanners, in Gaines, for a term of five years. They
put in a large stock and worked it, hut the business
was not profitable for the partners. They had
difficulty in settling their partnership matters,
and on the whole, these five years were the most un-
pleasant and unprosperous in business to Mr. Bidel-
man of any like time in his life. Since closing with
Mr. Ranney, he has been connected with his sons in
business. He was Supervisor of Gaines in the years
1842, 1845, 1846, 1853, 1854, and 1857.
DR. JESSE BEECH AND DK. JOHN HENRY BEECH.
The following extracts are taken from a memoir by
Dr. John H. Beech, of Coldwater, Michigan, of him-
self and his father, Dr. Jesse Beech, who was the pi-
oneer physician of the town of Gaines :
"Dr. Jesse Beech was born March 20th, 1787, at
Ames, Montgomery county, New York. He studied
medicine with Dr. Lathrop, of Charleston, and with
Dr. Sheldon, of Florida, N. Y. In those days medi-
cal colleges were not accessible to students of ordi-
nary means. There was a public prejudice against
dissections, and the students of the two doctors named
occupied a room in a steeple on a church in Charles-
ton, where they dissected bodies. One of the class
would stay in the steeple all day Sundays with their
cadavers to keep the hatch fastened down to exclude
intruding boys.
Dr. Jesse Beech commenced practice at Esperance,
N. Y., in the year 1813, and in February of that
year married Susannah, a daughter of John Brown,
of that place.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 247
In the fall of 1815 he came to Gaines, where he met
James Mather, with whom he was acquainted, and
was persuaded to stop there, accepting a theory then
believed in by settlers in that region, which was this :
k Batavia must be the Gotham of the Holland Purchase
Oak Orchard Harbor must be the commercial port.
The great commercial highway of the country would
be from the head of navigation on Oak Orchard Creek
to Batavia. The country north of the Ridge was too
flat and poor to be of any account, and the town
second to Batavia must be on the Ridge where the
road from Batavia to the lake crossed it. A kind of
half shire town for Genesee county was then at Oak
Orchard Creek on the Ridge. Genesee county would
be divided at Tonawanda Swamp, and the new coun-
ty seat would be Gaines.' Philetus Bumpus was then
hunting bears where Albion now is, and the future
greatness of Gaines was not dimmed by prospects of
Clinton's Erie Canal.
Such was the theory. The canal made dough of
the whole o± that cake, and caused the whole country
about here to change front.
James Mather, and Oliver Booth, the tavern keep-
er, were active men in Gaines, when my father came
in, both being very attentive to new comers, and Esq.
Arba Chubb came in soon after. He was the best
wit and story teller of the times, full of talk and re-
partee, a most social and agreeable man.
My father bought some land near the 'Corners,'
and brought my mother there the next spring. She
found the 'house' only half floored and not all
' chinked.' The fire was built against the logs on the
side which had no floor, over which the roof was
open for the escape of smoke.
She was told that the rule of the settlement was
that new comers must burn out three logs in the
house walls before they could be allowed to build a
248 PIONEER HISTORY
stone back for a chimney ; and they must have had
at least three 'shakes' of ague before they could be
admitted to citizenship.
The records are silent as to when she burned out her
three logs ; but it is said that she soon attained to the
rank of full citizenship, having her first shake of
ague on the fourth day after arriving in town. My
father must have found the people much in need of a
doctor, for I find on page seventy- one of his day book,
previous pages being lost, a large amount of busi-
ness charged for so small a population. The prices
charged would now be deemed quite moderate, to
wit.: Leonard Frisbie is charged 'To visit and setting-
leg for self $2.50.' Subsequent visits and dressings
from thirty- seven and a half to seventy-five cents
each, and so in other cases.
In 1817, 1818, and 1819, it took him three or four
days to make a circular visit to his patients. They
resided in Murray, east of Sandy Creek, at Farwell's
Mills, in Clarendon, in different parts of Eidgeway,
Barre, &c.
On these circuits the kind people treated him to
their best, which was often corn cake and whisky, or
Evans' root coffee, with sorrel jue for dessert, for the
doctor and basswood browse for his horse.
I find a bill rendered in pounds, shillings and pence
to my father by George Kuck, for general merchan-
dise had at his store in West Carlton, in 1818. Ira
Webb was at the same time in trade at Oak Orchard
Creek, on the Ridge, but the principal merchants were
located at Gaines.
In the spring of 1810, my father had about half
an acre of corn 'dug in' among the logs near his
house. When it was a lew inches high a frost blight-
ed the tops so that every leaf was held in a tight
dead envelope. My mother cut off the tops with her
scissors and a fair crop was harvested.
OK ORLEANS COUNTY. 249
In order to save the pig from the "bears, its pen was
made close to the house, and a piece of chinking
left out to halloo 'shoo' through.
One day mother's attention was attracted by an
unusual hackling of the pig. Looking through the
crevice she saw a large rattlesnake coiled up in the
hog-trough, with head erect, buzzing like a nest of
bees. Fearing to attack the old fellow, she ran to
the neighbors for help and when she returned the
snake had gone.
In 1816 they had a patch of oats near the house
from which the deer had to be driven frequently.
Their first child, and only daughter, Elizabeth, was
born June 22d, 1817. She married Ezbon Gr. Fuller,
and settled at Coldwater, Michigan, where she died in
1853. Their only son, your humble servant, was born
September 24th, 1819. I think I must have been one
of the first draymen in the county, as I remember
when a very small bo}" seizing the reins and backing
my father s horse and cart loaded with merchandise,
part of which was a demijohn of aquafortis, down a
cellar gangway. Some smoke and some hurrying
were among the consequences.
A lew years later a young clerk and myself sent a
hogshead of molasses from a wagon down the same
gangway at one ' pop/ The ' pop ' carried away
the heads of the cask and poured the sweet out to
the rats.
At the age of fourteen I tried clerking in a dry
goods store for Fanning & Orton, in Albion. After
six months probation I felt no further inspiration or
aspiration in that line and resigned, I presume with
the hearty consent of my employers, though they flat-
tered me by expressing their regret, which I thought
was proof of their politeness rather than my ability.
! then attended Graines Academy until 1 was eighteen
years old, when 1 commenced studying medicine witli
250 PIONEER HISTORY
Drs. Mchoson & Paine, in Albion ; afterwards with
Dr. Pinkney, at Esperance, and graduating at the
Albany Medical College in 1841.
I practiced my profession from the old homestead
until 1850, then removed to Coldwater, Michigan,
where I have been engaged in the same business
since, except during the rebellion, in the greater part
of which I served in the army as surgeon, first of
Battery D. First Michigan Artillery; afterwards of
Twenty-Fourth Michigan Volunteers, in the Army of
the Potomac. The greater part of the time, besides
performing my regimental duties, acting as Surgeon-
in-Chief of the First Brigade, First Division, First
Army Corps.
In January, 1S42, I married Mary Jane Perry, of
Clarkson, N. Y. * * * *
We have mentioned the anticipations of the people
of securing the location of the county buildings at
Gaines. The brick building standing on the hill south
of the village, was built by contributions started with
the intent to donate it to the county for a court house.
It was originally three stories high, about forty by
seventy feet on the ground. These anticipations of
the contributors being blasted, they converted their
building into an academy.
At the organization of Orleans county, the village
of Gaines contained three stores, three asheries, , three
tanneries, two taverns, one chair factory, one carriage
factory, one cabinet shop, three blacksmith shops,
one distillery, one cloth-dressing and wool-carding
establishment, two brick yards, one printing office
where a newspaper was published, one hat factory,
and one saddle and harness shop. Works requiring
motive power were driven by horses. * * *
The first chapter of royal arch masons in the county
Eo. 82, was [organized at Gaines. Dr. Jesse Beech
was H. P. in 1826.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 251
Previous to 1825, Col. Boardman's Cavalry was a
marvel in the eyes of us youngsters. Dr. Jesse Beech
was its surgeon.
I find "by an old receipt among my father's papers,
that Gaines Basin, in the canal, was excavated by a
subscription fund, subscribed mainly by Guernsey,
Bushnell & Co., E. & E. D. Nichols, and James
Mather.
Dr. Jesse Beech was a temperance man even to total
abstinence, enforcing his principles by banishing de-
canters and wine glasses from his sideboard — a jDro-
ceeding rather unusual in those times.
He was a fine horseman and occasionally officiated
as marshal on public occasions. He was always ex-
ceedingly particular in his dress and personal appear-
ance, and always wore an elaborate ruffle shirt. His
dress never was allowed to interfere with business re-
quiring his attention, and sometimes, when off pro-
fessional duty, he would go into his field where his
men were clearing land, and though he was small in
stature, he would show by his agility and energy in
working with his men that he was a match for their
stoutest.
A few of the last years of my fathers life, he kept
a store of drugs and medicines on sale in connexion
with his practice as a physician and surgeon.
In February or March, 1820, he was hurt by a
vicious horse from which he suffered greatly as long
as he lived. He died March 4th, 1829. His widow
afterwards married Captain Elihu Mather, and re-
moved to Coldwater, Michigan, where she died March
16th, 1800.
J. IT. BEECH."
OLIVEE BOOTH.
Oliver Booth was a well-known tavern keeper on
the Ridge Road in Gaines. He cam;1 here from
252 PIOXEEll HISTORY
Wayne county in the spring of 1811, and settled on
the farm north of the Eidge and east of the Oak Or-
chard Road in the village of Gaines. He cleared Ms
farm and built a double log house, with a huge chim-
ney in the middle. Here he kept tavern a number
of years.
His house was alwa}rs full of company. Travelers
on the Ridge Road stopped here because it was a
tavern and there was no other. Here he dispensed a
vast amount of whisky, — for everybody was thirsty in
those days, — and some victuals to such strangers as
were not acquainted witli the proverbial tilthiness of
the kitchen.
After Gaines had become a village, and laid claims
to the county seat, and people had come in who
wanted more style, and whose stomachs could not
stand such fare as Booth" s tavern supplied, another
tavern was opened and Booth sold out and moved
away. He finally settled in Michigan where he
died.
]STo description of Booth or his tavern would be
complete without including Sam. Wooster. Sam's
father lived in the neighborhood, and he (Sam.) then a
great lazy boy, strayed up to Booth' s tavern, where
by hanging about he occasionally got a taste of
Booth's whisky in consideration of bringing in wood
for the fire and doing a few other chores. For these
services and the pleasure of Ins company, Booth gave
him what he ate and drank, with a place to sleep on
the bar-room floor. His clothes did not cost much.
He never wore a hat of any sort, seldom had on
stockings or shoes. Nobody can remember that he
wore a shirt, and his coats and pants were such as
came to him, nobody could tell how or from whence.
Sam. never washed his face and hands, or combed his
head, and his general appearance, shirtless and shoe-
less, with his great black, frowsy head bare, his pants
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 253
ragged and torn, and his coat, if he had any, minus
one sleeve, or half the skirt, to one who did know him
might befit a crazy prisoner jnst escaped from Bed-
lam. Yet Sam. was not a fool or crazy. His wit was
keen and ready, and his jokes timety and sharp. He
would not work, or do anything which required much
effort any way. He was a good fisher however, and
with his old friend Booth, he would sit patiently by
the hour and angle in the Oak Orchard, or any other
stream that had fish, perfectly content, if lie had an
occasional nibble at Ills hook.
One year while he lived in Gaines, some wag for
the fun of the thing nominated him for overseer of
highways in the Gaines village district, and he was
elected. He told the people the}' had elected him
thinking he was too lazy to attend to the business,
and would let them satisfy their assessments by mere
nominal labor on the road: but they would find them-
selves much mistaken, and they did. Sam. warned
them to work as the law directed. He superintended
everything vigorously, and every man and team and
tool on tlie highway within his beat had to do its
whole duty promptly that year at least.
Although Sam. loved whisky and drank it whenever
it was given to him, for he never had money to buy
anything' he never got drunk. He never quarreled
or stole or did any other mischief. Bad as he looked,
and lazy and dirty as he was. he was harmless.
When Mr. Booth sold out and moved to Michigan,
Sam. went with him and lived in his family after-
wards.
A few months after landlord Booth got his double
log tavern going, a man rode up to the west front
door, each half of the house had a front door, and
asked Mrs. Booth if he could get dinner and feed
his horse there. She sent her daughter, then ten years
old, to show the man where he could get feed for his
254 PIONEER HISTORY
horse in the stable, and she went to work getting
his dinner.
Having taken care of his horse, the stranger came
and took a seat by the front door of the room where
Mrs. Booth was getting dinner and commenced talk
by saying :
"Well, Mrs. Booth, how do 3ron like the Holland
Purchase?"
" O, pretty well," she replied, " I think it will "be
a good country when it is cleared up."
"What place did you come from Mrs. Booth ?"
" We came from down in the Jarseys."
"Is the country settling about here very fast ?"
" Yes, quite a good many settlers have come in."
" How is it about the mouth of Oak Orchard, are
they settling there much V '
" No they are not, that cussed old Joe Ellicott has
reserved all the land there and wont sell it."
Just then Mr. James Mather passed by, and seeing
the stranger sitting in the door, whom he recognized
as Mr. Joseph Ellicott, the agent of the Holland Land
Company, he turned to speak to him. As he came
up, Ellicott motioned him to be silent, fearing he would
pronounce his name in hearing of Mrs. Booth and end
the fun. After a salutation to Mr. Mather, Mr. El-
licott said to Mrs. Booth :
" Has old Joe Ellicott then really reserved the land
round the mouth of the Creek."
"Yes, the devilish old scamp has reserved one or
two thousand acres there as a harbor for bears and
wolves to kill the sheep and hogs of the settlers."
Ellicott asked " What can induce uncle Joe to re-
serve that land?"
She replied, "Oh, the old scamp thinks he will make
his Jack out of it. He thinks some day there will be
a citv there, and he will survey the land into city
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 255
lots and sell them. Ah, lie is a long-headed old
chap.''
Ellicott walked into the road and talked with Mr.
Mather a few minutes till "being called to his dinner
lie said to Mather : "Don't tell Mrs. Booth who I
am until I am out of sight."
After Ellicott was gone, Mr. Mather went over and
Mrs. Booth asked him who that old fellow was who
got dinner there ?
He replied, "it was Mr. Joseph Ellicott, from Ba-
tavia."
"Good,', says she, " didn't I give it to him \ Glad
of it! Glad of it!"
Mr. Booth was unable to read or write, and he was
accustomed to keep his tavern accounts in chalk
marks on the walls. Thus, for an account of six
pence, he made a mark of a certain length ; for a
shilling, a mark longer ; two shillings, longer still,
and so on. He distinguished drinks, dinners, horse
feed, &c, "by peculiar hieroglyphics of his own inven-
tion.
Booth, the tavern keeper, must not "be confounded
with Oliver Booth, 2d, better known to the old pio-
neers as "JSsq. Booth,' ' who owned and resided on the
next farm west, which lay on the west side of Oak
Orchard Eoad, and north side of the Ridge. Esquire
Booth was among the very first settlers of Gaines vil-
lage. He was not related to the tavern keeper. He
was born in Granby, Connecticut, in 1779, and set-
tled in Graines, in 1810. He removed to Michigan in
1833 and died there.
Esq. Bootli was the first Supervisor elected north of
Tonawanda swamp to represent the town of Ridge-
way, then the whole of Orleans county, in 1813. lie
served several years as a Justice of the Peace. He
250 PIONEER HISTORY
was an odd man in appearance and manners, but
upright and honest.
JAMES MATHER.
James Mather was born in Marlborough, Vt, July
23d, 1784. His family are said to be descendants
from Rev. Increase Mather, President of Harvard
University, who received the first degree of Doctor of
Divinity, that was conferred by that college. Mr.
Mather came to Gaines in the summer or fall of 1810,
to look out a place for his settlement. There was
then some travel on the Ridge Road, with a prospect
of more when the country was settled. The Holland
Company had establised their land office at Batavia,
and it seemed to him sure that in time a village or
city would grow up at the mouth of Oak Orchard
Creek. The Oak Orchard trail was then marked from
Batavia to the lake, and Mr. Mather shrewdly pre-
dicting a village would be founded where that trail
crossed the Ridge, took up some four hundred acres
of land lying on each side of the Oak Orchard Road
and south of the Ridge, on which he afterwards set-
tied and resided while he lived.
Before removing to Gaines, Mr. Mather had resided
for some time in the town of Russia, Herkimer coun-
ty, where he manufactured potash which he sent to
the Canada market by way of Ogdensburg. He was
in this business when the embargo declaring nom
intercourse with Great Britain was proclaimed. He
continued his trade however, and by the skillful dis-
tribution of a few dollars among the government offi-
cials, his ashes were allowed to pass the lines and his
profits were large.
In the winter of 1811, he broke up his establish-
ment in Herkimer county and removed to his land in
Gaines. A younger brother, Rufus Mather, assisted
by driving a team of two yoke of oxen before a sled
s*S
/
M /s/nfit^y
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 257
which was loaded, among other tilings, with three
potash kettles. There was no bridge over Genesee
River, at Rochester, and Riifus attempted to cross on
the ice near where the canal now is. In the middle
of the river the ice broke? and let the loaded sled into
the water. Rufus succeeded with great difficulty in
getting out without loss, and followed the Ridge to
his destination, and stopped at the house of Cotton
Leach, west of the present village of Gaines. Rufus
remained and labored for James the next summer.
James Mather had cut down the trees on a small spot
south of the Ridge, on the Oak Orchard Road, near
win 'iv his son George Mather now resides; but no
clearing within the bounds of the village on the Ridge
had then been made
Rufus Mather says he felled the first tree in the vil-
lage of Gaines, on the Ridge Road. That tree stood
on the west side of Oak Orchard Road. A piece of
land was soon cleared there and James Mather built
his log house on that corner in the spring of 1811.
He married Fanny Bryant February 15th, 1813.
She was born in Marlborough, Vermont, October 28th,
1788.
In the winter of 1813, they commenced house keep-
ing in the log house Mr. Mather had built on his lot,
and remained there during the war, when so many
went away.
Mr. Mather always kept open house, according to
the custom of the country there, though he never
professed to keep tavern; entertaining every one who
applied to him for accommodation as well as he could,
and his house was generally full of newly arriving
emigrants who were waiting till their own cabins could
be built, or of such casual strangers as came
along.
Oliver Booth, afterwards the tavern keeper, stop-
17
258 PIONEER HISTORY
ped with Mr. Mather wlien he first came in, until he
got his own house "built and fitted up.
Soon after Mr. Mather settled in Gaines, he set the
potash kettles he brought with him and commenced
buying salts of lye, or "black salts,'' of the settlers
as soon as settlers came in and made them. These
salts he boiled down into potash and took them to
the mouth of Genesee River, or the mouth of Oak
Orchard Creek, and sent them to Montreal to a mar-
ket. He paid for these salts in salt fish, iron, leather,
coarse hardware, and a few axes, chains, and such
tools as farmers must have, which he obtained in ex-
change for his potash, and took care to sell at a fail-
profit, and with these things he paid some money,
lie was in fact almost the only source from which
those who did not bring money with them got any to
supply their wants.
Early in the spring of 1811, Mr. Mather finding his
provisions getting low, went to the Oak Orchard
Creek, at the head of Stillwater, from the lake, with
two men and a seine and caught three barrels of fish
in a few hours. These he drew to the Eidge with his
oxen and took them to Black Creek Mill, a few miles
south of Rochester, and with these fish and money, he
bought wheat and pork, got his wheat ground and
took it home, and so he was well supplied the first
year with these proyisions. About the time Orleans
county was organized, he built a large brick build-
ing for a tannery, in which with his brothers and
others he carried on tanning a number of years,
though he never worked at that business himself. He
dealt considerably in land, at one time owning a
large farm where Eagle Harbor village and flouring
mills are now built, and several large farms in other
places. Prom the rise of value in these lands, and
the profits of his speculations, he became wealthy.
He died August 29th, 1854.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 259
Mr. Mather had seven children.
Louisa, who married Wheeler M. Dewey. She
died many years since.
D wight, who died in youth.
Adeline married Paul H. Stewart.
Eunice married Daniel F. Walbridge.
George married Mary Ann Crane. He resides on
his paternal homestead.
Ellen married Hon. Noah Davis, of Albion, late a
Justice of the Supreme Court.
Mary married Howard Abeel, a merchant of
Albion.
KLTIIl" MATHER.
Eliliu Mather was born in Marlborough, Vt., July
26th, 1782. He was a tanner by trade. He came to
Gaines to reside in 1825, and went into business
with his brother James in his tannery and working
his farm.
In the great antimasonic excitement arising from
the abduction of William Morgan, Mr. Eliliu Mather
was indicted as an accessory to the crime, and tried
at Albion and acquitted. The trial occupied ten
days. Mr. Mather continued to reside in Gaines
until 1851, when he removed to Coldwater, in Michi-
gan, where he died JanuaiyT 29th, 1866.
IIKNltY DRAKE.
Henry Drake was born in New Jersey, April 6th,
1770. He settled in Gaines in March, 1811. In 1812,
he built a dam on Otter Creek, a few rods north of
the Ridge, in Gaines, on which he erected a sawmill,
which was the first sawmill built within the presenl
town of Gaines.
Mr. Drake learned the clothier's trade in his youth.
but followed farming as his business in lift'. He
married Betsey Parks, in New Jersey. She died
260 PIONEER HISTORY
April 16th, 1843. Mr. Drake died December 25th.
1863, at the age of almost 94 years.
SIMEON DUTCHER,
Simeon Dutcher was born in Dover, Dutchess Co.,
N. Y., April 21st, 1772. For fifteen years after ar-
riving at manhood he labored as a millwright, a trade
he assumed without serving any regular apprentice-
ship. He then commenced preaching and was or-
dained an Elder in the Baptist denomination. In the
year 1817, Elder Dutcher removed with his family to
Carlton, New York, and in 1820 he removed to the
town of Games, where he resided until he died. The
primary object he had in coining to the Holland Pur-
chase was to preach and serve as a missionary among
the people, the Baptists having no church organiza-
tion in Orleans county.
The people were few, poor and scattered, and Elder
Dutcher never received much pay for his ministerial
labors, but supported his family mostly by working
a farm. He used to preach in several neighboring
towns in the log cabins of settlers, or in the school
houses after such were erected. And for several
y<jars he officiated at nearly all the marriages and fu-
nerals in this part of the country.
The first framed meeting house erected in Orleans
county was built in the village of Gaines by a stock
company, who sold the slips to whom they could,
on the condition that the house should be used by
different denominations, and it was so used.
A Baptist church was organized at Gaines in 1816,
under the pastoral care of Elder Dutcher, to whom
he preached until 1827, when the anti-masonic excite-
ment prevailed in his church. Elder Dutcher, who
was a Free Mason, was required to renounce Freema-
sonry. He declined to do so and was excommunica-
ted, and dismissed from his church.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 201
In the later years of his life Elder Dutcher professed
to "be a universalist in religious sentiment. He was
always regarded as a good man and was much be-
loved by the early settlers. He died January 22d,
1860.
HON. WILLIAM J. BABBITT.
William J. Babbitt was born in Providence, Rhode
Island, September 178G. He learned the blacksmiths
trade of his father and worked at that business main-
ly until he came to reside in Gaines, where he had a
small shop and occasionally worked at his trade for
several years. In the year 1812, he took up the farm
on which he ever afterwards resided, part of lot thirty,
township fifteen, range one, and moved his family
there in 1813.
For many years after Mr. Babbitt settled in
Gaines no professional lawyer had come into what is
now Orleans county. The people however would in-
dulge occasionally in a lawsuit, and Mr. Babbitt be-
ing a good talker, and a man of more than common
shrewdness, they frequently employed him to try
their cases in their justices' courts. He improved
under his practice until he became the most noted
"pettifogger" north of the Tonawanda Swamp,
and whichever of the litigants secured the services of
Esq. Babbitt, was quite sure to win his case. He
was active in getting the town of Gaines set oft* from
Ridgeway in the winter of 1810, and July 1st of the
same year, on his application a postoffice was estab-
lished in Gaines and he was appointed postmaster,
which office he held five years. This was the first
postoffice and he was the first postmaster in Gaines.
In 1831-2 he represented Orleans county in the As-
sembly of the State. He was appointed a Justice of
the Peace 1)}' the council of appointment in L815, and
reappointed from time to time until the elections to
262 PIONEER HISTORY
that office were given to the people under the consti-
tution, when he was elected by the people holding
the office of Justice of the Peace in Gaines, in all 23
years.
He was several times Supervisor of his town, and
held various other town offices from time to time.
He took pleasure in serving in official and fiduciary
positions, and was largely gratified in this particular
by his fellow citizens.
He was remarkable for promptness in keeping en-
gagements. Late in life he was heard to say he was
never behind set time in being present in any legal
proceeding to be had before him. He acquired a
character for uncompromising fidelity in business
matters, and by a life of industry and economy laid
up a large property.
He died July 20th, 1863.
He married Eunice Losey, June 27th 1810. She
died April 4th, 1867.
GIDEON FREEMAN.
Gideon Freeman was born in Stillwater, Saratoga
county, January 11th, 1787. About 1799, he moved
with his father to Ledyard, Cayuga county, and in
March 1812, he settled northwest of what is called
Long Bridge, and took up the southwest section of
land now in the town of Gaines. He was the first
settler in this locality south of the Ridge, and founder
of what was for many years known as "Freeman
Settlement,"
He cleared up a large farm and carried on a large
business as a farmer. His son, Chester Freeman,
now of Barre, relates that in the cold season of 1816,
his father planted forty acres to corn, which wras a
total failure. He had a large stock of hogs that year
which he expected to fatten on his corn, from the loss
of which, having nothing to feed them, many of them
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 263
starved to death in the next fall and winter. He had
a large stock of rattle at that time and but little food
for them.
Mr. Freeman chopped over nearly fifty acres of
woods to browse his cattle in the winter of 1810-17,
cutting down all trees suitable for that purpose, and
losing only about six of his cattle from starvation.
Mr. Freeman owned a part of the section lying next
oast of his home farm. On that land one year he
sowed forty acres to wheat, which grew very large.
At harvest time he measured off one acre of his field
and cut and cleaned the wheat on it, getting tifty-rive
bushels of wheat on that acre.
Mr. Freeman was a liberal, generous man, and la-
bored hard to induce settlers to come in and to open
the country to inhabitants. He sustained some large
losses in his business and became insolvent, finally
losing all his land. He removed to Ypsilanti, Michi-
gan, where he died in 1832.
Mr. Levi Atwell, Joseph Stoddard and Reuben
Clark were among those who moved into the Freeman
settlemen soon after it was commenced.
CHESTER FREEMAN.
Chester Freeman, son of Gideon Freeman, was
born in Scipio, Cayuga county, August 18th, 1807.
He married Eliza Chidester in 183,"). She died in
March, 1848, and October 30th, 1849, he married
Amanda Morris. He has resided on lot thirty-one,
in township fourteen range two, in Barre, since
1842. He came into Oilcans county with his father
in 1812.
DANIEL PRATT.
Daniel Pratt was born in Westmoreland, Oneida
county, N. Y., March 25th, 1788. He married Polly
Bailey, August, 1809, and moved to Gaines and set-
264 PIONEER HISTORY
tied on the Ridge in the spring of 1810. His wife,
Polly, died August 30th, 1812. He married Caroline
Smith, January Stli, 1815.
He went east during the war of 1812 and remained
two years, then returned to his farm, on which he
labored until his death, October 7th, 1845. Mrs.
Caroline Pratt, died September 18th, 1831.
The first wheat sold by Mr. Pratt was taken on
an ox sled by him to Rochester, and sold for twenty-
live cents a bushel.
Mr. Pratt was a man of quiet habits, trusty and
faithful. He was much respected by his acquaintan-
ces.
He was Town Clerk of Gaines for many years and
held the office of Overseer of the Poor a long time.
DANIEL BROWN.
Daniel Brown was born in Columbia county, TSr. Y.,
June 15th, 1787. He removed with his father's fami-
ly to Upper Canada, in the 3-ear 1800. He resided in
Canada during the war 1812. He experienced much
trouble in consequence of his refusal to bear arms
in that war against his native country. He was in-
dicted and tried for treason and acquitted. In Janu-
ary, 1816, he removed to the town of Gaines and set-
tled one mile north-east from Albion.
Mr. Brown has established an enviable character
for integrity among his acquaintances, and has been
honored and respected.
He was Supervisor of the town of Gaines in 1844,
and has held various other town offices.
He married Mary Willsea, in Canada, in the year
1807.
Mr. Brown is still living.
WILLIAM W. RUGGLES.
Wm. VV. Ruggles was born in Hardwick, Massa-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 2Q5
chusetts, January 1st, 1800. His father, Seth Re-
gies, removed with his family in 1804 to Poultney,
Vermont, where Win. W. labored on a farm until he
was eighteen years old. He then entered the office of
Judge "Williams, at Salem, N. Y., as a student at
law. Here he studied law eight months in the year,
teaching school winters. He closed his preparatory
law study with Chief Justice Savage, at Albany.
Having been admitted to the bar, he came to Albion
and formed a partnership with Judge Moody, which
was soon dissolved.
He removed to Gaines in 1824, and began the prac-
tice of his profession there.
In the contest between Gaines and Albion for the
county buildings, he took an active part for his vil-
lage.
He aided in founding Gaines Academy and the
Farmers Bank of Orleans, at Gaines.
He exerted himself to have the New York Central
Railroad located along the Ridge, and used his influ-
ence in favor of the building of Niagara Suspension
Bridge, and was a stockholder in that company.
In his profession as a law}rer he was diligent and
successful, lie held the offices of Master in Chancey,
Supreme Court Commissioner, Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace and various
other town offices. He was several times the candi-
date of the Democratic party for the State Legisla-
ture, but failed ol* an election as his party was large-
ly in the minority.
Judge Haggles had a cultivated mind, enriched by
studious habits of life, lie was particularly fond of
Astronomy, on which he 1(41 some lectures in manu-
script, written by him.
In the autumn of 1849 he went to Chicago, intend-
ing to reside and practice law there, but having taken
cold while on his voyage around the lake, he was
266 PIONEER HISTORY
compelled to return to Gaines sick, and never re-
covered, dying at Gaines, April 22d, 1850.
He spent a year surveying government land in
Michigan, when General Cass was Governor, where
he contracted fever and ague, from which he suffered
ever afterwards.
He married Miss Ann Davis, daughter of Dea. Perry
Davis, of Gaines, in 1827. She died Aug. 20th, 1846,
He left three children, William Oakley, now a broker
in New York ; Henry C, a Civil Engineer in Cincin-
natti, Ohio; and Helen, who married Mr. Fred
Boott, and resides in Gaines.
EAGLE HARBOR.
Eagle Harbor, a thriving village on the Erie Canal,
in the town of Gaines, is said to have been so named
because a large bird's nest was found in a tree grow-
ing there about the time the canal was surveyed, sup-
posed to have been built by an eagle.
The land on which the village is built was for a
number of years at first held under articles from the
Holland Company.
Harvey Smith took a deed of eighty acres on the
south-east corner of lot thirty-six, November 1, 1819.
Stephen N. Chubb took a deed of fifty-three acres
next north, September 6th, 1834, and Macy Pratt, of
one hundred and thirty-eight acres north of Chubb,
November 29th, 1819.
On the East side, Asahel Pitch took a deed of
one hundred twenty-live acres, part of lot twenty-
six, February 20th. 1821. James Mather took a
deed of' two hundred acres next north of Fitch, No-
vember 27th, 1829 ; and Robert Hunter, one hun-
dred and seventy-six acres next north of Mather,
January 31st, 1828.
South side of Canal, fifty acres of lot thirty-live
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 267
were deeded to Amos S. Samson, December 22d,
1836.
Stephen Abbott took up the land afterwards deeded
to Harvey Smith, and commenced cutting down tim-
ber on it in the winter of 1812. Tins was probably
the first clearing done in Eagle Harbor.
Little improvement was made until work was
begun on the canal. The high embankment over Otter
Creek was constructed by a man named Richardson.
He opened a store here to accommodate his workmen,
which was the first store.
Hicks and Sherman bought Richardson's store and
continued it after him.
A Mr. Hicks built the old red warehouse, the first
in the village, south side of the canal, where Collins'
warehouse now stands. This was owned and occu-
pied by A. S. Samson afterwards.
In 1882, this warehouse was sold to Willis P. Col-
lins who opened a dry goods store in it and continued
it about six years, then built a store and warehouse
on the east side of the street and moved there.
David Smith built the first sawmill about forty
rods north of the canal, on Otter Creek.
.lames Mather built a sawmill on the south side of
the canal in 1820.
N. Pratt, J. Delano and L. Northrop, built the
lower dam and sawmill in 1825.
James Leaton bought the Hunter farm, and he in
company with W. P. Collins, built the north flouring
mill in 1837. This mill was burned in the tall of ] 839,
and re-built immediately.
A large flouring mill on the south side of the canal
Avas built by General E. S. Beach, in 1847. This mill
has since been burned.
The brick church was built in 1827 by the united
means of Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists,
268 PIONEER HISTORY
and owned half by Methodists, and one-fourth each
"by the other denominations.
The first meetinghouse was taken down and rebuilt
in 1845, the same parties building and owning the
new house, as they did the old one.
The Wesleyan Methodists erected their church ed-
ifice in 1845-6.
Eagle Harbor postoffiee was established about the
year 1837, with W. P. Collins iirst postmaster.
The first school house was built in 1822, on the
west side of the street.
The second school house was built on the lot now
owned by the district, in 1841 : and the third school
house in 1846.
Col. Jonathan Delano was the first carpenter and
joiner.
Samuel Robinson was the first shoemaker, and Da-
vid Smith the first tavern keeper.
Col. Delano and Sam. Robinson the first grocers.
Mr. Hurd the first blacksmith, and Dr. James Brown
the first physician.
The growth of Eagle Harbor has been greatly pro-
moted by the large capital employed there by Gen.
Beach in erecting mills and manufacturing flour, and
by the active business energy of Mr. AVillis P. Col-
lins, for many years a resident in the village, and the
foremost man in every enterprise tending to add wealth
and importance to the place.
CHAPTER XX.
TOWN OF KENDALL.
Partitioned between State of Connecticut and Pultney Estate — First
Settler— First Marriage— First, Birth— First Tavern— First Death —
First Store— First School— First Saw Mill— First Public Religious
Service — First Physician — First Highway from Kendall Corners to
Kiclge — Biographies of Early Settlers.
ALL was named in honor of Amos Ken-
dall, Postmaster General at the time it was
formed from Murray, April 7th, 1837. From
its location, being off the line of travel, and because
the land was not surveyed into lots, and formally put
in market to sell to settlers as soon as lands on the
Holland Purchase, settlements were not made as early
or as numerous as in towns on the Purchase. The
State of Connecticut and the Pultney Estate had
owned these hinds under a joint title, and for consid-
erable time they remained undivided.
In July, 1810, Dr. Levi Ward became agent for the
State of Connecticut to sell their lands on the 100,000
acre tract, of which Kendall forms a part. And in
1811 a formal partition of land between the State of
Connecticut and the Pultney Estate was made, and
Mr. Joseph Fellows was appointed agent of the Pult-
ney Estate.
Land others were opened by these agents, and set-
tlers were invited to come in and take lands. But few
came into Kendall until after the cold season of 181(5,
and for some time after that they had difficulty in ac-
270 PIONEER HISTORY
quiring a good title to farms bought of the Pultney
Estate.
Samuel Bates, from Vermont, is said to have been
the first white man who settled in this town, locating
on lot 111, in East Kendall, in 1812. He cleared some
land and sowed wheat, but did not move his family
in until 1814.
David Jones, Adin Manley, Amos Randall, John
Farnsworth, Zebulon Rice, Benjamin Morse, and
Nathaniel Brown, settled in 1815.
Felix Augur, Rev. Stephen Randall, Ansel Bal-
com, George Balcom, Stephen Bliss, James Weed,
in 181G.
Ethan Graham, William Clark and his son Robert
Clark, came in 1817.
The first marriage in town was that of James Aiken
to Esther A. Bates, March 2d, 1817.
The first birth was that of Bartlett B. Morse, in
November, 1815.
The first death was that of a son of Geo. Balcom,
in 1810.
Hiram Thompson kept the first store in 1823. The
first inn was kept by Lyman Spicer in 1823.
The first sawmill was built by Augur and Boyden,
in 1819, and Gurdon Balcom taught the first school
in 1819.
The first gristmill was built by Ose Webster, on the
■site on Sand}' Creek, now occupied by the mills of
his son Ebenezer K. Webster, forming a nucleus for
the settlement now known as Webster's Mills. Pre-
vious to the erection of this gristmill, the people of
Kendall took their grain to Rochester, or to Farwell' s
mill in Clarendon, to be ground.
FarwelF s mill was much nearest, but the road to it
was almost impassable with a load, and the little mill
had not capacity to do all the work in that part of the
countiy.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 271
The iirst religious service in Kendall was conducted
by Elder Stephen Randall, a Methodist preacher.
The first physician who practiced in town was Dr.
Theophilus Randall, though Dr. Howell, of Clarkson,
was frequently called.
When Mr. Bates settled in Kendall there was no
public highway in town. Settlers and others coming
there usually left the Ridge a little east of Kendall
and traveled a road which had been opened into what
is now Hamlin ; thence west to Kendall. The first high-
way leading south from Kendall to the Ridge, was
located and cut out by the early inhabitants without
any public authority, from Kendall Mills following-
up the west side of Sandy Creek to the Ridge road.
This road is yet traveled a part of the way.
The first settlers of Kendall were chiefly from Ver-
mont, bred among the Green Mountains, and the
change of climate, air, water, food and occupation
they experienced in this new and comparatively level
country, was attended with the usual consequences.
They were almost all sick at times, and although the
utmost kindness prevailed, and every one did all they
could to help themselves and others to alleviate suf-
fering, yet so ^pw were well, and in their little rude
huts furnished only with a most scanty stock of con-
veniences, short of provisions, and no place near
where the common necessaries for the sick could be
obtained, some of these people suffered great misery.
If they sometimes felt discouraged and wished them-
selves away, when they were sick they could not go.
and when they got better they would not go, for they
came heir to make them homes, and with the stub-
born resolution of their race the}- persisted in the
work they had begun, till their fondest hopes were
more than realized in the beautiful country their toils
and sacrifices made out of the wilderness.
The principal settlement in town for several years
272 PIONEER HISTORY
at first, was in the east part, near the center. The
Randalls, Bates, Clarks, Manle}-, and other lead-
ing men there were intelligent, and wanted the lights
of civilization to shine into their settlement, if it was
away in the woods. Accordingly they met together
about the year 1820, and formed a Public Library
Association. Among the names or prominent actors
in this movement were H. W. Bates, Adin Manley,
Dr. Theophilns Randall, Amos Randall, David Jones,
Calvin Freeman, Orrin Doty, James M. Clark, Benj.
Morse, Nathaniel Brown, Caleb Clark and Noah
Priest,
They raised by contribution among themselves in
various ways, about seventy-five volumes of books,
organized themselves into a society, elected their offi-
cers, and kept up their organization about ten years.
Mr. Amos Randall was librarian, and these books
were well read in that neighborhood, and the habit of
thought and study thus implanted has borne its
proper fruit in after years, in the numbers of intelli-
gent and influential men who have grown up there.
They were too poor to each take a newspaper, and
the nearest post office was at Clarkson. Several men
united in taking a paper. When it came to the post
office whoever of the company happened there first
took out the paper, and the neighbors would come
together to hear it read — those who did not contribute
to pay the expense as well as those who did — and the
paper was then passed to some other family and read
over and over until it was worn out.
Bait water was early discovered in Kendall, and
salt made there to supply the people.
In 1821, Mr. II. W. Bates and Caleb Clark dug a
well and planked it up to obtain brine on Mr. Bates'
farm and there they made about one thousand bush-
els of salt. They sold their kettles to a Mr. Owen,
who made salt in them in the southwest part of the
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 273
town. Salt making in Kendall was discontinued
when the Erie canal opened.
About the year 1825, a company of Norwegians,
about fifty-two in number, settled on the lake shore,
in the north-east part of the town. They came from
Norway together and took up land in a body. They
were an industrious, prudent and worthy people held
in good repute by people in that vicinty. After a few
years they began to move away to join their country-
men who had settled in Illinois, and but few of that
colony are still in Kendall.
They thought it very important that every family
should have land and a home of their own. A neigh-
bor once asked a little Norwegian bo}- whose father
happened to be too poor to own land, where his
father lived? and was answered, " O, we don't live
nowhere, we hain't got no land.*'
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
AD IX .MAN LEY.
"I was born in Taunton. Mass.. March 19, 1793;
I was brought up among the boys of New England,
never having belonged to the ' upper ten.' 1 roughed
wTith the hardy sporting ones, always ready for ath-
letic games, and could commonly act well my part.
When about twenty-four years old I was taken with
the western fever, and having laid up two or three
hundred dollars, in time saved while sowing my 'wild
oats,' I bought a horse and wagon and started with
three others for the Genesee country. Not knowing
Or thinking of any trouble ahead, we dashed away.
One of my traveling companions was Stephen Ran-
dall, Jr., son of Rev. Stephen Randall, who had
previously gone west, and then resided at Avon.
18
274 PIONEER HISTORY
The son now resides in the town of Union, Monroe
county, and has got to be an old man and wealthy.
We arrived in Avon in September, 1815. From thence
we made our way into Murray, and to what is now
Kendall, by way of Rochester. At Rochester we
were glad to get into the barn with the horses for a
night' s lodging, there being about thirty men, and
how many horses I cannot tell. Which made most
noise would be difficult to tell ; one thing I do know,
the men swore most and drank the most whisky.
That was an awful company. It . seemed as if they
were the filth and offscouring of the whole country.
In the morning I proposed to sell my horse for I was
short of funds and had no farther use for him. A
gentlemanly appearing man by the name of Gilvreed
offered to buy him. He said he had good notes
against a responsible man, but the notes amounted
to more than the price of the horse, and I might give
my note for the balance, and as to the value of the
notes,- 1 might enquire of gentlemen who knew, at the
same time referring to some standing by, who said
they were good and no mistake. So the exchange
was made in due form and both parties were highly
gratified.
But the result was that the maker of the notes was
not worth a straw, and the man, Gilvreed, was worse.
This was my first financial operation in the west.
What added to my humiliation was, I thought I had
such a vast knowledge of men and things as to be
proof against being outwitted hy anybody; and that
I knew more than 'old folks/' I wonder if boys
think so of themselves now-a-days?
I then made my way west along the Ridge Road to
Murray Corners, now Clarkson, where Dr. Baldwin
had located and kept a tavern, which at that time was
a very lucrative business, as i^eople were flocking
from the east rapidly.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 275
From Murray Corners we struck off north-west
what was then called ' Black North,' a region where
the probability was, what the musketoes did not eat
up, the fever and ague would kill. On we went,
nothing fearing, until we came to what was called
'Yanty Creek,' where we found three families loca-
ted, who I believe were the only white inhabitants
in what is now the town of Kendall. They were H.
W. Bates, Amos Randall, and Benjamin Morse and
their families. I concluded to make a ' pitch ' here.
I now had to learn the customs and employments of
the people among whom I was going to reside, which
consisted mainly of chopping, rolling logs, raising
log houses, drinking whisky to keep off the fever
and ague, hunting deer, bear, raccoons, bees and
catching fish.
After working hard at a log raising, and taking-
cold after it, I was awakened in the night by an aw-
ful 'shaking' and could not tell what it meant, but
found out sure enough afterward.
In the spring of 1816, I went to work in good
earnest to clear a patch of land on which to raise a
little ol the needful, and behold in June there came a
frost and spoiled all our labor and made our corn-
fields in the wilderness, instead of 'blossoming like
the rose,' look as though the fire had run through
them.
The next fall I was taken down with the ague
'proper,' and in attempting to break it up I made it
worse, until it became awful. I then made up my
mind to make my way back to Massachusetts. But
how was I to do it 3 I was so weak I could not walk
a mile. Finally I found some men going to Vermont.
and agreed with them to take me along with them
and let me ride part of the time. If I could remem-
ber their names 1 would record them with gratitude
for their kindness.
276 PIONEER HISTORY
I found my unconquerable will had a wonderful effect
upon my body. I had no more ague on my journey,
though I had it every day before I set out. I went
to Massachusetts, and remained till I got well re-
cruited, and nothing daunted by what I had suffered,
I determined to return again to the west, and Janua-
ry 17th, 1817, I was married to Miss Miriam Deming,
and in February following, with my wife, my brother
and his wife and one child, Eri Twitchell and wife,
and Nathaniel Brown, we started with three yoke of
oxen hitched to a huge covered wragon. The perils of
that journey were neither few nor small in pass-
ing over mountains covered with snow and ice,
sidling roads witli yawning gulfs below, and crossing
streams on ice, and floundering through snow drifts,
with a constant headwind blowing in our faces for
twenty-two days together.
When we arrived in the neighborhood of our new
home, our neighbors hailed our coming with joy, and
wanted a little flour just to make a cake. I suppose
they had gathered some sticks and had baked their
last meal.
We moved into a small log hut with only one room
the iireplace against the logs at one end, with a stick
chimney, bark roof and floor. Taking it altogether
we thought it a terrible place to live in.
We had three yoke of oxen and nothing for them
to eat, this was the worst of all. We turned them
into the woods and cut browse for them, but the poor
cattle suffered much.
In the next spring we had to pay one dollar a
bushel for potatoes, and a like price for oats, and no
money to buy witli at that. We got some potatoes to
plant and they came up twice, once by natural growth
and once rooted up by the hogs. We set them out
again, my wife helping me, for she was a true ' yoke
fellow.'
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 277
So we plodded on through the summer, with wheat
costing $2.50 a bushel, pork twenty-five cents a pound.
Our first child was "born Sept. 24th of this year. It
was very feeble, and remained so for a long time, its
mother having the fever and ague every day for nearly
seven months, and taking care of her child the most of
the time. At six months old the child weighed only
four pounds ! Thus we toiled on for three years.
The third year we raised wheat and other crops
enough for our comfort, and had built a framed ad-
dition to our house. Our prospects now seemed fav-
orable for going ahead, but in March following, our
house took fire and was consumed, together with all
our provisions, and nearly all our household furniture.
Under the circumstances, this was a sore trial to us.
We then had three children, and no where to lay our
heads. We had nothing to eat except what came from
charity. Our neighbors were poor but exceedingly
good.
After a while we got another house and toiled on,
getting together some of this world's goods. We had
ten children, all of whom lived to grow up to be men
and women. We have sent nine of them to school at
once.
My wife died July 30, 1857, aged 04 years. I have
never experienced any calamity in my life that afflicted
me like her death, with such severity.
For several years after I came into this country, 1
spent considerable time going far and near to assist
in raising log buildings. Sometimes going several
miles and carrying my dinner in my hand.
Mr. H. W. Bates and myself were accustomed to
labor much together, changing works. In the winter
of 1810, we went a mile into the woods to chop ; there
by accident a tree fell on him crushing him badly.
Had he been alone lie would have perished. On an-
other occasion Mr. Bates and another man with my-
278 PIONEER HISTORY
self, went two miles into the woods one day in June,
and felled the timber on two acres. I think the like
was never done in that neighborhood before or since.
In the early settlement of the Genesee country, in-
temperance prevailed to an alarming extent. Almost
everybody drank whisky free as water when they
could get it, and I am surprised so many escaped
total and eternal ruin. Many years ago I saw the
evil and totally abandoned the use of every thing that
intoxicates as a beverage and labored faithfully as I
could to save others. For my zeal and persistence in
opposing the traffic in liquor, I have suffered much
from rumsellers. At an early day I have seen Justi-
ces Courts in session with a bottle of whisky on the
table before them, thus polluting the fountains of
justice with the vile abomination, and if the
Honorable Court happened to become too much ab-
sorbed with the creature, they would adjourn over to
cool off.
I have had a large experience in hunting bears,
deer, raccoons and wolves, and camping out in the
woods in cold and storm, without fire or food, working
out in the dead of winter, eating frozen dinners in the
woods, sharing fully my part in all sorts of hardships
which fell to the lot of the first settlers here. I have
endured it all, and lived to a good old age, thankful
to that good Providence which has carried me through
so far and so safely.
ADIN MANLEY."
Albion, February 26th, 1861.
Mr. Manley died in Albion, July 29th, 1867, aged
74 years.
ROBERT CLARK.
" I was born in Lisbon, Connecticut, October 25th,
1801. My ancestors came to America from England
sume time in the sixteenth century. My father re-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 279
moved to Columbus, Chenango county, N. Y. in 1805.
In 1810 lie removed to Utica, and in 1817 he settled
with his family on what was then called the Triangle
Tract, near the county line, and between the towns of
Kendall and Hamlin, about three miles from Lake
Ontario. The place was then called Clark's settle-
ment, because three brothers of the name of Clark
settled there. My uncles, Caleb and James settled
there one year before my father, whose name was
William Clark, came on, which was quite a help to
us, for they had a little wheat sown, and some corn
and potatoes planted.
When my fattier arrived there was not a pound of
pork or flour in the settlement, except what he brought
with him ; and the next day the pork, flour and whis-
ky were divided among the neighbors.
One reason for the entire destitution among the set-
tlers was the anticipation of my father's arrival, for
they all knew he would bring a supply for a time,
and so neglected to provide for themselves otherwise.
The names of the families then in the settlement
were Bates, Priest, Randall, Balcom, Ross, Clark
and two by name of Manley.
The settlers, in anticipation of our coming had
peeled elm bark in the month of June previous,
enough to form a roof to a house, and on our arrival
they commenced cutting logs for a house, and to clear
a spot of ground large enough to set it on, and in a
few days it was raised and covered with bark, in true
pioneer style. They also split basswood and hewed
slabs for a floor, which covered about two-thirds of
the surface of the room, the remainder being left for
the fire place and hearth.
We now moved into our new house and commenced
our pioneer labors.
The dopr of our house was a bed blanket, and win-
dows were hardly necessary, for our house was not
280 PIO^EEE HISTORY
'chinked* and sufficient light came in through crevi-
ces between the logs, and a large space was left open
in the roof for the smoke to pass through. Our fire
place was the entire end of the house, and our hearth
thf solid earth.
My father soon obtained some boards and made a
door and temporary windows. The next thing to be
done was to chink the cracks between the logs. This
being done, we dug up the soil and wet it and made
mud with which we plastered the outside over the
chinks, which made our house quite warm and com-
fortable.
About this time our stock of provisions began to
get short, and the entire settlement was getting hard
up for something to eat ; but as potatoes were about
ripe we had plenty of them, and as we had a cow we
lived quite well until we could get wheat ground,
which at that time was very difficult. Before our
wheat was hard enough to grind, our mother hulled
and boiled it and we ate it with milk, and we thought
it very good eating.
This state of things did not. last long, for my broth-
er James had a great propensity for hunting, my
father having bought him a gun ; he very soon sup-
plied us with venison which proved a luxury in the
way of meat.
At length our wheat crop having matured, a grist
for each neighbor was prepared, and I started with an
ox team and about twelve bushels of wheat, which
with fodder for the oxen by the way, was about as
much as the team could draw. I staid at Murray
Corners, now Clarkson, the first night, and the next
day, a little before night, I got to the mill at Roches-
ter, chained the oxen to the wagon and fed them for
the night. I slept that night on the bags in the mill
until my grist was ground, which was completed
about daylight. After feeding my team and eating
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 281
my venison, I started for home and got there about
sundown the third day out. The next morning, 1
guess, all the neighbors had short cake for breakfast.
I will now give a description of what was called an
Indian Mill which was used to some extent hy the
early settlers. We selected a solid stump of a tree
in a suitable place near the house, cut a hole in the
top with an axe, deep as we could, and then built a
fire in the hole burning it, and putting in hot stones
until it was sufficiently deep for a mortar. We then
made a pestle of hard wood, took a strip of elm bark
tied one end to the pestle and the other to the top of
a limber sapling tree that would bend directly over
the mortar, making a spring pole, which completed
the machine. Put a quart of corn into this mortar.
and a man could soon convert it into samp — coarse
meal — which when well boiled, made very good eat-
ing in milk. The Indians used it almost exclusively
for bread.
I had never chopped down a tree or cut off a log
when I first came into the forest. The next morning
after arriving in the woods, I took an ax and went
to where my father was preparing to build his house.
and commenced chopping down a tree perhaps six
inches through. I chopped all around the tree till it
fell. When the tree started to fall, I started to run,
and if the tree had not lodged on another, I know not
but I should have been killed, for I ran in the same
direction the tree was falling. I was so scared at this
my first attempt at falling timber, that I picked up
my ax which T had thrown away in my fright, and
made tracks for the house, concluding to chop no
more until I had learned how to do it.
The first school in the settlement was taught by
Grurdon Balcom, the next by Wesley Randall. The
first minister of the gospel who preached in this set-
tlement was Elder Randall, a Methodist and a very
282 PIONEER HISTORY
good man. Dr. Theophilus Randall was the first
physician.
In the fall of 1818 I went to Oneida comity, and
learned the art of distilling whisky, which at this
time was a very popular business. My mother died
while I was there, which nearly broke up our home
circle, and which was to me particularly, a cause of
great sorrow.
I returned home in June following and found my
father's family, as I expected, in a very lonely con-
dition. I went to work with my father and brothers,
clearing land and securing our crops. When that
was done, I went back to Verona and worked in a
distillery another winter. Next spring I returned
and worked in Whitney' s distillery in Rochester, and
the fall after I went to Toronto, in Canada, and erect-
ed the first steam distillery ever erected in Canada,
which at that time was one of the curiosities of the
age.
I worked thousands of bushels of the finest wheat
I ever saw into whisky. The wheat was bought for
two and six pence per bushel.
The next June I returned home, my father in
the meantime had married again and moved to
Le Roy, having let out his farm in Murray. I worked
in Le Roy and Clarendon. I became 21 years old
October 25th, 1822. I took a job clearing land in
Le Roy, for which I received $600. My father' s fam-
ily and myself then moved back to Murray, and I
paid up the balance for his farm.
I married Anna Augur, daughter of Felix Augur,
of Murray, now Kendall, Feb. 18, 1824. Mr. Augur
had come in from Vermont the year previous, and
bought his land of the State of Connecticut for S3. 00
an acre, Dr. Levi Ward was the land agent. Mr.
Augur was a Soulier in the Revolutionary War.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 283
Gen. C. C. Augur, now of the United States army, is
Ms grandson.
The next spring after I was married, I Ibonght a
piece of land in Clark's settlement, which had some
work done on it, and went to keeping house there.
I chopped over twenty acres with my own hands,
all Ibut four days help of a man. I then sold out my
chance on this lot, and "bought fifty acres in another
place ; which is a part of my present farm. It was
then entirely wild, so that I commenced again in the
woods.
I bought it second-handed, and agreed to pay eight
dollars per acre. I worked some on my land, work-
ed out some "by the day and by the job ; but as grain
brought but a small price, I concluded that was a
pretty hard way to get a living, and built a distillery
near my farm. At this time settlers had come in in
numbers. Grain was raised in plenty, with no cash
market for it. Money was scarce, and the little we
had was what we received for ashes. We cut and
burned our timber and made black salts from the
ashes, which brought cash. I have carried ashes on
my back to market, until my shoulders were blister-
ed, to get a little money to buy necessaries for my
family. I built my distillery because grain was
plenty and cheap. I could distill it, take it to mar-
ket at Rochester and sell it for cash, at a good profit
to me and to the settler, who sold me his grain, which
he could not take to another market and make as
much from it ; and he could raise grain easier than
he could make and market black salts.
I sold my distillery in 1830, and determined to
make farming the business of my life after that.
The year 1828 is well remembered and distinguish-
ed, as being ' the sickly season,' through this country.
The sickness began in .Inly, and in August there were
not well persons enough in town to take care of the
284 pioneer history
sick. And in this neighborhood there was but one
well man, Amnion Augur, and not one well woman,
that could get out of the house. Many families suf-
fered much for lack of help. My family was all sick.
One day Dr. Robert Nichoson was the only person
who entered my house. He called, prepared our
medicine and left it at the head of our beds, and went
on to other scenes of suffering. That was the most
gloomy day I ever saw. My wife crept from her bed
to mine, holding up by the door post, to see if I was
alive, and then got back to her bed, where lay our
little daughter, equally helpless. We all spent a
dreary night. My hired man was down sick at the
same time. The next day we got help. The years
1826 and 1827 were also sickly years. I could give
many cases of suffering in those times, but amid it all
we had our pleasures, for we were all brethren .and
loved one another.
ROBERT CLARK."
Kendall, March, 18G4.
SAMUEL BATES
Was the first white man who settled in what is now
Kendall. He was born in Haddam, Conn., Aug. 9,
1760. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War,
during the last three and a half years of its continu-
ance, serving in a New Hampshire regiment. He win-
tered with Gen. Washington at Valley Forge, and
participated in several important battles. He served
under Gen. Sullivan in his memorable expedition
against the Indians in Western New York. He had
a fondness for military life and service : a trait of
character transmitted to his descendants, and honor-
ably exemplified in his grandson, Lieut. Col. Willard
W. Bates, who was killed while leading his regiment,
the 8th Heavy Artillery, N. Y. Vols., in a bloody
battle before Petersburg, Va., in the war of the Re-
bellion.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 285
From what Mr. Bates saw while with Gen. Sullivan
he early formed a desire to settle in the Genesee coun-
try, a wish he was afterwards enabled to gratify.
After leaving the army, Mr. Samuel Bates resided
several years in Randolph, Yt., removing from thence
to Burlington, Vt. Leaving his family in Burlington,
he came to Kendall, and took up lot 111, town 4, of
the 100,000 acre tract, having the land 'booked' to
him, as they called it, that is, having the agent of the
State of Conn, note on his books that he had gone in-
to possession, with a view of securing his right to the
land when it should come in market for sale. Of this
land, in due time he got a title and it is now owned
by his son, Capt, H. W. Bates.
The first year he was in Kendall, he cleared sever-
al acres of land in the summer of 1813, he sowed two
acres to wheat, built a log cabin, and returned to
Burlington after his family, and brought them to
Kendall in June 1814. His eldest son, Capt. H. AY.
Bates, then about twenty-one years old, accompanied
him.
On arriving at his new log house he found his wheat
held in full head, looking tine. The crop so raised
furnishing bread for the family the next year.
Mr. Bates and his family, coming as they did from
the Green Mountains of Vermont, suffered severly
from fever and ague, some of the first years after they
came to Kendall. They were all sick, Mr. Bates himself
never fully recovering from his acclimating fever. He
died August 21, 1822^
AMOS RANDALL.
Amos Randall was born in Ashburnham, Mass.
January 3, 1788. He married Fanny Tabor in 1814.
She was born in Shelburne, Yt., Feb. 11, 1793.
In 1814, they removed to Avon, and in the spring of
286 PIONEEIl IIISTOEY
1815, settled in Kendall, on the farm now occupied
by his son, Hon. Gideon Randall, where he after-
wards resided, and died Aug. 28, 1.830. Mr. Randall
was a public spirited man, and entered zealously
into every undertaking for the benefit of his neighbor-
hood. He acted frequently as counselor and arbitra-
tor among the settlers, to aid in arranging business
matters, in which his neighbors needed such help.
The first school house was erected on his land where
the stone school house now stands.
The first cemetery in town was located on his farm
and the first burials of the dead were there.
He was a Supervisor of the town of Murray before
the county of Orleans was organized, or Murray had
been divided into the several towns which now include
its original territory. He left six children, viz:
Charles T., Gideon, who resides on his paternal home-
stead, Dr. James W. now a practicing physician in
Albion, Fanny E. wife of O. M. Green, George W.
and Amos S.
DAVID JONES.
David Jones was born in Pembrokeshire in Wales,
July 17, 1792. He removed to America with his
father' s family in the year 1801. His father settled
in New Jersey and his son David remained with him
until he was eighteen years old, then came to Ontario
county, New York, where he resided four years, and
then settled in Kendall in 1815.
He married Miss Catharine Whitney February 24,
1824. Their children are Claudius, who married
Harriet Weed and resides in Illinois ; Thomas, un-
married ; Almiretta S. J. married C. G. Root ; Seth
married Sylvia Shelly ; Cynthia Ann married James
R. Whitney, and David who married Lucy A. Chase
all of whom reside in Kendall.
Mr. Jones was poor when he settled in Kendall and
A
,i't>'<- r/t?-yt€J
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 287
Douglit his laud on credit. He was a large strong-
man able and willing to labor. He cleared and im-
proved a large farm and became a wealthy man.
Sickness in his family and the want of a market
for farm produce made it very difficult for him to ob-
tain means to pay for his land improvements for some
years at first. He said he agreed to pay four hundred
dollars for his first hundred acres, and it was fifteen
years before it was all paid.
He was a man of strong native intellect and of
sound judgment in matters that come within his ob-
servation or experience, but he never had the benefit
of much instruction in school.
He died January 26, 1869.
CHAPTER XXI.
TOWN OP MURKAY.
Towns Set Off— First Tavern— First Marriage — First Birth — First
Death— First Store— First Grist Mill— First School— First Church
—Sandy Creek— McCall & Perry's Mill— Sickness at Sandy Creek
—Biographies of Early Settlers.
fCJ|F LARGE part of the western portion of Monroe
b comity was at first incorporated by the Leg-
islature in March 1802, as Northampton.
The town of Murray was formed from Northampton in
June, 1812. It received its name in honor of John
Murray, a merchant of the city of New York, who
was a large proprietor.
Murray, at its formation, included what now com-
prises the town of Murray, Kendall, Clarendon, "Union
or Hamlin, Clarkson and Sweden.
Sweden, which included Clarendon, was formed
from Murray in 1813, and Clarkson, which included
Hamlin, in 1819.
Kendall was set off in 1837, leaving the town of
Murray of its present dimensions.
The first inn was kept in 1809, by Epaphras Mat-
tison.
Messrs. Wait, Wright, Sisson, Farnsworth, and
Rockwood, were among the earliest settlers.
The first marriage was that of Solomon C. Wright
and Tryphena Farnsworth.
The first birth was that of Betsey Mattison.
The first store was at Sandy Creek, by Isaac
Leach, in 1815.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 280
The first gristmill was built by Perry and Luce
in 1817.
The first school was kept by Fanny Ferguson, in
1814.
The first town meeting in the old town of Murray,
before it was divided, was hold in the barn of John-
son Bedell, about lour miles south of Brockport.
The first church formed in this town was the Con-
gregational by Rev. John E. Bliss, January 5th,
1819.
The hist settlements in what is now included in the
town of Murray were made on the Ridge at and near-
Sandy Creek.
Epaphras Mattisonfirst settled here in 1809. In the-
year 1817. some fifteen or twenty families had located
at Sandy Creek, and in that year Henry McCall and
Robert Perry built mills on the creek, their dam
raising the water so as to overflow eighteen or twenty
acres then covered with heavy trees, which were left
standing. The water killed the timber, and a terrible
sickness followed among the inhabitants, about one-
quarter of whom died in on*- season. The well per-
sons were not numerous enough to take care of the
sick and bury the dead, and settlers from other neigh-
borhoods came there and helped the needy ones.
The mill dam was taken down and the sickness dig-
appeared.
Mr. Andrew H. Green, of Byron, Genesee county,
relates that several families were settled at Sandy
Creek, in 1811. In the iali of that year settlers in
Byron heard that these people at Sandy Creek were
nearly all sick and in great suffering, and they made
up a company of six or eight and went over to help
them, carrying a load of necessaries. Mr. Green
says : %l 1 never saw so helpless a company." Sandy
Creek Was regarded as an unhealthy Location for
19
290 PIONEER HISTORY
some years after its first settlement, occasioned in
great part by building mills there in the woods.
The first settlements in what is now Murray were
made along the Ridge Road. Mills having been built
in early times on Sandy Creek, near where that stream
crosses the Ridge, mechanics and business men loca-
ted there, and at the time the Erie Canal was first
navigable here was a lively village known as Sandy
Creek, a name by which it has ever since been dis-
tinguished.
The first post office in town was established here,
called Murray.
Though the people suffered terribly from sickness
about the time mill dams were first built in the
Creek here, and while neighboring lands were being-
opened to cultivation, yet Sandy Creek was the prin-
cipal place of business in the town until Holley and
Hulberton, on the canal, were settled and gradually
drew away most of the trade and business to these
new villages.
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
HARLEY N. BUSHNELL.
Harley IS . Bushnell was born in Starksborough, Vt.,
the youngest of thirteen children in his father's fami-
ly, Feb. 18th, 1790. When he was fifteen years old
he went to Connecticut to learn the trade of a clothier
of his brother. lie served as an apprentice in that
business five years, and received thirty days school-
ing in the time. In February, 1817, he came to Ba-
tavia, Genesee county, and went to work at his trade.
In August afterwards his employer ran away, owing-
Mr. Bushnell one hundred dollars, and the Sheriff
came and seized all his empl oyer's property, turning
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 20 J
Bushnell out of business. He finally bought the es-
tablishment and run it on his own account, and with
a partner ; but in the end found it a losing business.
After a time lie gave up his trade and was elected
constable. In this business he was not successful in
laying up money, and in the end found himself about
even with flic world.
He did some business as a justice, and labored
some at his trade until February, 1823, he removed
to Holley, north of where the canal now is. which was
then covered with felled timber, not cleared off;
bought two acres of ground and leased two acres
more for a mill pond. He commenced getting oul
timber for a house eighteen by twenty-four feet
square, hewing and framing it at the stump. There
was considerable snow on the ground, and on the
snow crust mornings, he drew all the timber for his
house to the spot with a rope over his shoulder. Af-
ter getting his famil}' settled in his new liouse.hr
cleared off part of his land, and with the help of his
neighbors at one or two "bees," he built a log dam.
got out timber and built a sawmill, and began sawing
about May 1st, 1824. In 1825, in company with
Samuel Clark he built works for wool carding and
cloth dressing at Holley.
In October, 1820, his house burned with all its con-
tents. In two weeks he had another house up. in
June, 1828, he bought the interest of his partner in
the wool carding and cloth dressing works, which lie
carried on alone until 18:}:>, when he sold out and
bought a farm. After a Few years he sold his farm,
moved to Holley, and ever after did business as an
insurance agent.
For many years he was Superintendent ofthePres-
byterian Sunday School in Holley.
He was one of the rounders of the Orleans County
Pioneer Association, and many years its President.
202 PIONEER HISTORY
He was a kind hearted, genial man, "benevolent and
philanthropic, earnest and zealous in support of
every good cause, and died lamented by all who
knew him, October 28th, 1868.
ARETAS PIERCE.
Aretas Pierce was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont
March 27th, 1799. He came with his father s family
to settle in Clarendon, where he arrived April 7th,
1815. The family moved into a house built for a
school house, until they could build a house for
themselves.
They built a house and moved into it April 24th,
1815. The first year they lived on provisions they
brought in with them. The next year being the cold
season, they bought rye at one dollar and twenty -five
cents a bushel, and pork at twenty-five dollars a bar-
rel, in Palmyra. The next .year they were out of
bread stuff before harvest, and ate green wheat boiled
in milk as a substitute, and what is strange none of
the family had dyspepsia !
He married Matilda Stedman, May 8th, 1823, and
has always resided on the lot originally taken by his
father.
When his father came in it was an unbroken wil-
derness on the west, from his place to the Oak Or-
chard Road, eight miles ; north to Sandy Creek, four
miles ; east two miles ; south to Farwell' s Mills.
Eldridge Farwell, A. Dudley, John Cone, Win. Aus-
tin and Mr. West, had settled in Clarendon, and
other settlers towards Sandy Creek came in the same
year with Mr. Pierce. A few came before them.
In the years 1817-18, the inhabitants in this settle-
ment suffered for want of food.
Samuel Miller worked for Artemas Daggett chop-
ping wood for one dollar a day and board himself.
All he had to eat, most of the time, was corn meal
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. ^X>
and water; hut he did not complain or tell of it
then.
Ebenezer Fox settled a mile and a half east of
Murray depot, and all they had to eat for a number
of weeks was what they could pick up in the woods.
The "best they could find was the inner hark of the
beech tree.
Mrs. Fox had a young babe, and her next oldest
child was in feeble health, and she had to nurse them
both to keep them from starving.
Almost all the money the settlers had was obtained
by leaching ashes and boiling the \y^ to black salts,
and taking these to Gaines or Clarkson and selling
them for about three dollars a hundred pounds.
After 1818 the country tilled up rapidly with set-
tlers and more produce began to be raised than was
wanted for home consumption. The price of wheat
fell to twenty-live cents a bushel, and only thirty-one
cents after hauling to Rochester, and so remained un-
til the Erie Canal was opened.
Mr. Pierce settled on lands owned by the Pultnev
estate, and these did not come into market, for sale
until 1821, though settlers were allowed to locate
themselves with the expectation of buying their land
when it came into market. The price of his lot was
fixed at eight dollars per acre, but having expended
so much in building and clearing, he was compelled
to pay the price or suffer loss by abandoning all he
had done.
The reason given by the company for not bringing
their lands into market was, they had " so much bus-
iness on hand they could not attend to it." but the
settlers thought they were waiting to have the canal
located before establishing their price.
HUBBARD RICK.
Hubbard Rice was born in Ponipey, ( )nondaga coun-
294 PIONEER HISTORY
ty, July 28th, 1795. He removed with his father to
the town of Murray, and settled on a lot adjoining
the village of Holley, in May 1812. His father, Mr.
William Rice, continued to reside on this place until
about the year 1830, he went to Ohio to reside with
his children, and died there.
Hubbard Rice lived with his father until 1825, then
he moved to the south part of Clarendon, where he
remained until he removed to Holley in 1864, where
he still resides, 1871.
After Lewiston was burned in the late war with
England, Mr. Hubbard Rice, then a boy of eighteen
years, volunteered as a soldier and served a campaign
on the Niagara Frontier.
Coming to Holley when a boy, he grew up to man-
hood there, seeing and sharing in all the toils, dan-
gers, hardships and privations which the settlers en-
dured.
He has been spared to a ripe old age to witness the
founding, growth and development of a beautiful vil-
lage on a spot he has seen when it was a native forest
covered with mighty hemlocks, through which now
by canal, railroad and telegraph, the commerce and
intelligence of the world are ilowing.
CHAUNCEY ROBINSON.
Chauncey Robinson was born in Durham, Connect-
icut, January 5th, 1792. When he was two years
old he was carried with his father's family to Sauquoit,
Oneida county, N. Y., where, to use his own words,
k' I was educated in a district school, and graduated,
at twelve years of age, between the plow han-
dles."
He removed to Clarendon, Orleans county, and set-
tled about two miles south of Farwell's Mills, July
1818; cleared a farm and carried it on until May, 1851,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 29/)
he removed to Holley, where he resided until his
death, which took place May 8th, 1866.
In the war with England in 1814. he was called out
with the other inhabitants of the frontier generally to
aid in repelling the British who were then besieging
Fort Erie.
He was several months in this service ; was in the
battle and sortie at Fort Erie, September 17th, 1814,
which was the last battle of tin1 war fought on this
frontier.
Very few families had located in Clarendon when
Mr. Robinson went there. lie began in the woods,
built a log house, and all its fixtures, furniture and
surroundings, were in the primitive style of those
times.
He was a man of ardent temperament, a fluent and
earnest talker in private conversation or public de-
bate, noted for his intense hatred of slavery and op-
pression, and his love of freedom and free govern-
ment, and for his zeal in the cause of temperance.
Upon this and kindred topics he frequently wrote ar-
ticles for the newspapers.
II<; was an active man in organizing the town o!
Clarendon, laying out and opening highways, and loca-
ting school districts, frequently holding public office
as the gift of his fellow townsmen. He was Supervisor
of Clarendon four years in succession. He was an
original and free thinker on those subjects of public
policy which excited his attention, enforcing his doc-
trines with a zeal which some of his opponents thought
fanatical.
In his personal habits lie was industrious, frugal
and temperate. When he was an old man he said :
"I have never used one pound of tea, coffee, or to-
bacco, and comparatively little liquor; none for the
last thirty years; not even cider. My constant drink
at home and abroad is cold water."
296 PIONEKI! HISTORY
HIRAM FRISBIE.
Hiram Frisbie was born in Granville, N. Y., Aug.,
1791. He first came to Orleans county with a view of
taking the job of building the embankment for the
Erie Canal, at Holley. Failing in this he went with
his brother-in-law, William Pierpont, to Far-well's
Mills in the town of Clarendon, and opened a store
there in 1821. They sold goods and made pot and
pearl ashes there, Pierpont also keeping tavern seve-
ral years, when Pierpont sold out the whole business
to Mr. Prisbie, who managed it ail alone several
years, until the insolvency of some leading merchants
in Holley made an opening for his business there,
he then closed out in Clarendon and moved to Holley
to reside about the year 182S or 1829.
In connexion with Mr. James Seymour of Clarkson,
he bought all the unsold land in Holley, of a one
hundred acre tract, which had been taken up origi-
nally by Mr. Areovester Hamlin.
At Holley he sold goods as a merchant, built hous-
es, sold village lots, bought produce, opened streets,
and became wealthy from the rise in price of his
lands and the profits of his trade.
He was appointed postmaster soon after he came
to Holley, an office he held fifteen years.
Borne years ago he was thrown from his carriage
while driving some high spirited horses, several of his
bones broken, and was so badly injured as to render
him incapable of active bodily labor, as before. He
still resides in Holley, one of the few old men yet re-
maining who settled here before the canal was made,
enjoying in quiet the avails of a long life of busy in-
dustry and sagacious investment.
JACOB HINDS.
Jacob Hinds was born in the town of Arlington,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 207
Bennington county, Vt. He settled in the town of
Murray in 1829, and "bought a farm which had been
taken up by article from the State of Connecticut by
.Tared Luttenton.
The Erie Canal passes through this faun. Boating
on the canal was then brisk, and no station between
Albion andllulberton was established at which boat-
men could get their supplies.
Mr. Hinds built a grocery store and began that
business.
It was a good location from which to ship wheat,
which began to be produced in considerable quanti-
ties, and Mr. Hinds built a warehouse in 1830.
About this time his brothers Joel, Darius, and Frank-
lin, came on and joined him in business, and being-
active, energetic business men, a little settlement
sprang up around them, which was named Hinds-
burgh.
Jacob Hinds had been engaged in boating on the
canal and became acquainted with the canal and its
boatmen and men engaged in trafic through it; in 1830
he was appointed Superintendent of Repairs on the
western section, an office he held three years.
After an interval of ten years, in 1840 lie was elec-
ted one of the State Canal Commissioners and served
three years in that capacity.
Since retiring from these offices, Mr. Hinds has
followed farming as his principal occupation.
AUSTIN DAY.
Austin Day was born in Winhall, Vermont, April
10th, 1780.
He married Polly Chapman, July 23d, 1810. lb-
moved to the town of Murray in the winter of
1815.
For some years after he came to Murray he served
as a constable, and being a good talker he practiced
298 PIONEER HISTORY
pettifogging, or acted as counsel in Justice's courts;,
and for a number of years, and until professional
lawyers came in, lie did a large business.
After the Erie Canal was made navigable lie en-
gaged in buying wheat, which he followed some-
years, shipping large quantities chiefly from Holley.
He was appointed Judge in the Old Court of Com-
mon Pleas, of Orleans county, an office he held five
years.
He was elected Sheriff of Orleans county in No-
vember, 1847, and held the office three years. In
January, 1848, he removed to Albion, where until
within a few years he has resided. He was Supervi-
sor of Barre in 1852.
His w;fe died October loth, 1858, which broke up
his family, and since then -he has resided in the fami-
ly of his son, F. A. Day, in Albion, and lately with
his daughter, Mrs. Buell, in Holley, relieved from the
cares and anxieties of business.
ELIJAH W. WOOD.
Elijah W. Wood was born in Pelham, Mass.T
April 22d, 1782. He removed to the town of Murray
at an early day, where for many years he served as
Constable and Justice of the Peace, and during one
term of five years he was Judge in the Old Court of
Common Pleas of Orleans county.
He was a shrewd and successful pettifogger in jus-
tices' courts, where he made up in wit and natural
sagacity any lack he may have suffered in legal at-
tainments. He died in Murray at the age of eighty
years.
RECOLLECTIONS OF MRS. SALLY SMITH.
41 I was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, in 1795.
My father removed with his family, including myself,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 299
to Leroy, New York, in 1810. We were twenty-one
days on the journey.
I came to Murray in 1817. and taught school in
district No. 8, in a log house in which a family re-
sided at the time. My wages was nine shillings a
week and "boarded among my patrons. I taught
eight months during which time I was .happy and
fared well.
While I was boarding at the house of David Gould,
in the winter time, his stock of fodder for his cattle
gave out and he was obliged to feed them with
'browse,' and to save them from starving on such
fare he went to Victor, Ontario County, and bought a
load of corn for his cattle. His brother-in-law brought
the corn to Murray on a sleigh with two horses,
and arrived at Mr. Gould's house late in the evening
of a cold and stormy night.
There was no stable nearer than Sandy Creek, three
miles, where the horses could be sheltered. Mr.
Gould's house had but one room, but it was conclud-
ed to keep the horses there over night. Mr. Gould
and wife1 occupied a bed in a corner of the room, two
girls and myself had our bed with its foot at the side
of Mr. Gould' s bed, and the horses stood in the other
corner and ate their corn, and thus we all slept that
night as we could.
I married Artemas Daggett, February 14th, 1819,
and commenced house-keeping on the farm where I
nowreside, September, 1870.
Mr. Daggett died in 1831 and left me with three
small children and one hundred acres of land, owing
about nine hundred dollars. In two years I raised
the money and paid our debts and took a deed of the
land.
About this time 1 married Isaac Smith, with whom
I lived in peace and plenty until his death in Au-
gust, 1866.
BOO PIONEER HISTORY
During a great sickness at Sandy Creek. Mr. Brace,
his wife, and six children resided there. One of his
daughters fell sick and went to the house of a doc-
tress in town to be treated. Others of the children
were taken ill. Mr. Brace was notified that his
daughter under the doctress' care was much worse
and lie went to see her. She died and he was taken
down sick and could not go home. In the mean
time a son at home died. Mrs. Brace had taken sole
care of him in his sickness, and while watching his
corpse the dead bod}' of Mr. Brace was brought
home and father and son buried at the same time.
The other sick ones recovered.
At this time Mr. Aretas Pierce, Sr., who lived four
miles away, came and found the Brace family misera-
bly poor, and destitute of all the comforts and most
of the necessaries of life, lie went about and got a
contribution, and next day the pressing wants of the
family were supplied by the benevolent settlers
around.
SALLY SMITH.-'
Murray, September, 1870.
A!. ANSON MANSFIELD.
Alanson Mansfield was horn in Vrermont, March
0th, 1793.
With an ax which constituted his whole personal es-
tate, he came into the town of Murray in the year
1814, and hired out to work, chopping until he earned
enough to take an article of lot number two hundred
and nineteen, a little north of Hindsburgh. He then
returned to Vermont to bring his fathers family to
settle on his land. They stalled from Vermont, his
father and mother and six children, — Alanson be-
mg oldest of the children, — with a pair of horses
and a sleigh, in which was a barrel of pork
and some meal, a few household goods and the fami-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 301
ly. A milch cow was led behind. The pork and
meal and milk of the cow supplied most of their pro-
visions on the road, and helped sustain them after
arriving in Murray, until they could otherwise be
supplied.
They arrived in the winter of 1815, put up a log
house for a dwelling, and began clearing the timber
from a piece of land, and the first season planted
the corn from four ears among the logs, from which
they raised a good crop.
He married Polly Hart, in Murray, October 14th,
1817. Her father settled near where Murray depot
now stands, in 1816.
He united with the Baptist church in Holky, in
1831 . The next year the Gaines and Murray Baptist
church on the Transit was formed, and Mr. Mansfield
united with them and was chosen deacon. He was a
worthy, honored and good man, and died respected
by all who knew him, September 30th, 1850.
ABNER BALCOM.
Abner Balcom was born in Richfield, Otsego Co.,
X. Y., September 15, 1796, and brought up in Hope-
well, Ontario county.
He married Ruth Williams, of Hopewell, March,
1816. She died in March, 1822.
In the fall of 1822, he married Philotheta Baker-
She died February 7th, 1865, and for his third wife
he married Mrs. Philena Waring.
In the fall of 1812. in compaii}- with his older
brother, Horace, and two other men, he chopped over
twenty -two acres on lot one hundred and ninety-two,
which Horace had purchased, and on which he set-
tled in the spring of 1816, and where he died. This
was the first clearing in Murray, on this line between
the Ridge and Clarendon.
Mr. Abner Balcom first settled in the town of
302 PIONEER HISTORY
Ridgeway, on the farm now or lately owned by Gros-
venor Daniels, to whom he sold it and removed to
Murray before the canal was made.
In company with Mr. Hiel Brockway he built the
dam and mills on the west branch of Sandy Creek,
on lot one hundred and ninety-five, near which lie
has ever since resided.
These mills, a sawmill and gristmill, are known
as "Balcom's Mills,1' and in them Mr. Balcom has
always retained an interest.
Mr. Balcom lias always been much respected
among his fellow townsmen. He has held all the
town offices except clerk. He served as Supervisor
of Murray in 1847-8. He is an influential and consis-
tent member of the Transit Baptist church, in which
he has been deacon.
His son, Francis Balcom, was among the volunteers
who went into the Union Army in the first years of
the great rebellion, and was killed in battle while
gallantly fighting to save the country which the in-
structions of his father and the instincts of his own
nature had taught him to love.
REUBEN BRYANT.
Reuben Bryant was born at Templeton, Worces-
ter county, Massachusetts, July 13th, 1792. He
graduated at Brown University, Rhode Island, about
the year 1815.
After some time spent in teaching, he removed to
Livingston county, N. Y., and studied law in the of-
fice of the late Judge Smith, in Caledonia. Having
been admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court, he
settled to practice his profession in Holley about
the year 1823, in which village he was the pioneer
lawyer.
In the fall of 1849 he removed to Albion, and in
1855 he removed to Buffalo to aid his only son, Wil-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 303
liara C. Bryant, a rising young lawyer jusi getting
into practice in that city.
He was appointed Master in Chancery by Governor
Silas Wright, an office he held when the Court of
Chancery was abolished under the Constitution of
1846.
He was a thorough classical scholar, and had his
mind well stored with Greek and Latin lore, which he
delighted to quote in social moments with his friends
when circumstances made it proper.
As a lawyer he had a clear perception of the law
and the facts, and of their bearing in his cases ; but
lie was too exact, cautious, and diffident of himself
to be an advocate. All his life he suffered from a
malady which was a perpetual burden and cross to
him, and annoyed him in his business. He died in
Buffalo in January, 1863.
CHAPTER XXII.
VILLAGE OF HOLLEY.
Areovester Hamlin— First Store— Post Office— Frisbie & Seymour-
Early Merchants— First Sawmill— Lawyer— Tavern— Justice of
the Peace— Salt Brine— Mammoth Tooth— Salt Port— Presbyterian
Church— Salt Spring.
OLLEY, situate in the town of Murray, is
v a village which owes its existence to the Erie
Canal. The site of this village was originally
covered with a heavy growth of hemlock trees. These
were mostly standing when the canal was surveyed
through, but it being apparent a town must grow up
here, a vigorous settlement had been begun when
work on the great embankment was commenced.
Areovester Hamlin took up one hundred acres of
land of the State of Connecticut, which included most
of the present village of Holley, about the the year
1820, and immediately commenced clearing off the
timber and laid out a village.
Col. Ezra Brainard was the contractor who built
the embankment for the canal over Sandy Creek, and
while that work was progressing settlers came in and
began to build up the place.
Mr. Hamlin erected a store in which he traded. He
built an ashery and carried on that business ; he also
built the first warehouse on the canal.
To help his village, and accommodate the settlers
who were coming in, he got a post office established
here of which he was first postmaster. He was an
OK ORLEANS COUNTY. 30fi
active business man, but attempted to
do more business than his means would permit, and
failed. All his propertywas sold out by the Sherifi
about the year 1828 or 1829.
Mr. John \V. Strong opened a stoic here a little af-
ter Mr. Hamlin, and he also failedabout the time Mr.
Hamlin did, when Hiram Frisbie and James Seymour
purchased all the real estate that Hamlin had not
sold to other settlers.
Mr. Frisbie came here in 1828 and opened a store
and commenced selling goods, a business in which lie
iias more or less been engaged ever since.
Mr. Frisbie bought out (lie interest of Mr. Seymour
many years ago, and Ik- has sold out the greater part
of his tract of land into village lots.
Among the early merchants, alter those named,
woe Mower and Wardwell, and Selby & Newell.
Alva, Hamlin, Geo. A. Porter, S. Stedman, and E.
Taylor were carpenters and joiners, who settled here
in an early day. John Avery and brother were the
first blacksmiths. Samuel Cone was the first shoe-1
maker. Dr. McClough first physician.
Harley N. Bushnell built a sawmill on the creek
north of tic canal, in 1824.
Reuben Bryant settled as a lawyer in Holley about
the time the canal was made and was The firsl lawyer.
John Onderdonk was the first tailor.
A man by the name of Samuel Cone built and kept
a tavern where the Mansion House now stands ; and
a Mr. Barr built and kept another tavern house, a
little west of the Mansion House. Both of these
taverns were before the Canal was navigable.
Turner was the first Justice of the Peace,
The Presbyterian and Baptist meeting houses were
built in 1831.
Major William Allis came here as a clerk in the
store of John \Y. Strong. After the closing out of
20
:>06 PIONEER HISTOEY
Mr. Strong's business Maj. Allis carried on business
as a produce dealer and served a term as Sheriff of
Orleans County.
Salt was found in the ravine on the bank of the
creek south of the canal. A brine spring was located
near where the railroad crosses the creek. In its nat-
ural state this was known as a ; deer lick.' AVhen
the State of Connecticut sold the land on which this
spring was found, in the deed given they reserved all
mines, minerals and salt springs. The State after-
wards agreed with Mr. John Reed that he should
open the spring and test the water and share half the
avails with the State. Mr. Reed dug out the spring,
set two kettles near the creek in the ravine and com-
menced boiling the water for salt. AVhen the water
was pumped from the well it appeared limpid and
clear, after boiling it became red colored, and if then
boiled down to salt it remained red colored salt. To
remedy this he boiled the water, then drew it oft' in
vats to settle, the coloring matter ft -11 to the bottom,
the clear brine was then returned to the kettles, and
made white salt.
Heed commenced boiling in 1814. After a time six-
teen kettles were set here to make salt and used un-
til navigation was opened in the canal, when Onon-
daga salt could be furnished here so cheap these
works were abandoned. Indeed, they never afforded
a profit to those working them.
The wood for the fires was cut on the west side of
the creek mainly, and drawn upon the top of the
bank, of proper length to put under the kettles, and
thrown down the bank through a spout made of tim-
ber. A load of wood was sold at the works for a
bushel of salt, or one dollar. Although the brine so
obtained was comparatively weak, they made hun-
dreds of bushels of salt, which was sold to settlers in
this vicinity, and carried awav in bags.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 307
Some years after the canal was dug-, Erastus Cone
bored for stronger brine to a depth of nearly one
hundred feet, near the old spring, but the result did
not warrant his making salt there and none has been
made since.
The first school house in the village of Holley was
made of logs, about the year 1815, and stood not far
from the present railroad depot. It had no arrange-
ments for making a fire in it, and was used for a
school only in the summer, for several years. The
first teacher in this school was Lydia Thomas, after-
wards Mrs. Henry Hill.
When laborers were excavating and building the
canal embankment, a tooth of some huge animal, a
mammoth, perhaps, was dug up. The tooth was a
grinder, and weighed two pounds and two ounces.
No other bones of such a creature have been found,
and it has been conjectured this tooth must have been
shed there by the animal to which it belonged, when
it came after salt. It is now in the State collection in
Albany.
Holley was sometimes called 'Salt Port,' by the
boatmen; but that name was soon dropped for Hol-
ley, a name given to the village in honor of Myron
Holley, one of the Canal Commissioners, when the
canal was dug.
On the 5th of January. 1819, a Congregational
Church was organized at the village of Sandy Creek,
in Murray, which was distinguished as the 'Congre-
gational Church of Sand}' Creek." .Inly 13, 1831, l>\
act of the Presbytery of Rochester, this Church was
united with the Presbyterian Church in Clarendon,
and removed to Holley, where the new organization
was thereafter known as the ' Church of Murray.'
The village of Holley was incorporated under the
general Act of the Legislature, July 1, 1850.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE VILLAGE OB' ITCTLBERTON.
Joseph Budd — Canal Basin — First Warehouse — First Grocery— First
Tavern— I. II. S. Hulbert— First Named Scio— Methodist Society—
Abijah Reed and Sons.
HE village of Hulberton is a canal village
in the town of Murray. Joseph Budd, from
the county of Rensselaer, New York, settled
here in May, 1826, and purchased of a former proprietor
about one hundred acres of land lying on both sides
of the canal. At first Mr. Budd resided in a log
house standing a little south of the Methodist Meeting
house. He afterwards erected a substantial stone
dwelling in which he resided, now occupied by Mr-
Marcus H. Phillips.
Mr. Budd was a large hearted, generous and public
spirited man, with sagacity enough to see here must
be a village if the advantages were properly improved,
and he set to work accordingly.
In 1828 he dug a basin in the south bank of the
canal west of the bridge, large enough for canal boats
to turn about in, and commenced to sell village lots to
such as he could induce to purchase of him. Settlers
soon located here.
In 1830, Dr. Frisbie built a warehouse on the basin
Budd had dug out. This was the first ware-
house.
Isaac H. S. Hulburt opened a grocery on the
tow path east of the bridge in 1830, being the first
grocery.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 309
Orsamus Squire built and occupied a store on the
lot now used for a hotel, in 1828. This was the first
store.
This store was altered over and fitted up for a
tavern, and the first tavern kept here by Timothy
Tuttle, in 1S32. '
In 1833 Mr. Budd caused his land next to the high-
way and canal to be laid out into village lots by A.
Cantine, surveyor, and the village has been built on
this plan.
I. H. S. Hulburt was an active businessman, who
sold goods, bought farm produce, staves and lumber.
and drove a brisk trade with the boatmen, and served
as justice of the peace
Finding it inconvenient to go over to Sandy < Ireek,
on the Ridge for all their mail business, he applied
for a post office here.
The village was named Scio at an early day by Mr.
George Squire.
On examining for a nam*' for the new post office, it
was found there was one post office named Scio in
New York already, and the village name of Scio was
changed to Hulberton, in honor of Mr. Hulburt, by
which name the village and the post office have ever
since been called.
The post office was established in 1835, 1. 11. S. Hul-
burt, first postmaster.
Mr. Joseph Budd was a religious man, and desiring
lo promote the cause of religion and good morals
among the people in his settlement, he invited Elders
Wooster and Hemenway of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, to make this one of their preaching stations.
and through those instrumentalities, a society and
church of Methodists was organized. This society
erected their meeting house in 1835. its trustees
at that time were ]. 11. s. Bulburt, Samuel Cope-
810 PIOJTEEE HISTORY
land, Hiram Hibbard, Joseph Budd, and George
Squire.
Among the prominent business men whose wealth
and industry aided largely to build up Hulberton,
were the Reed family, consisting of Abijah Reed
and his sons Epenetus, Hercules and Jacob, and his
son-in-law Edward Mulford.
They were merchants, upright, honorable, and fair,
who came here from Greene county, N. Y. They en-
joyed the confidence of the community, and carried
on a large business while they lived.
(filbert Turner was the first blacksmith, and Win.
Perrigo was the first shoemaker.
Among the early settlers in and near Hulberton
were Remember S. Wheeler, George Squire, and
Hanford Phillips, who bought the farm on which Mr.
Budd formerly resided and on which he set out the
apple orchard, which has since become justly cele-
brated, now owned by Mr. Phillips.
Mr. Joseph Budd, who is worthy to be called the
Pioneer of Hulberton, died in May, 1856.
CHAPTER XXIV.
VILLAGE OP HHJDSBURGH.
Jacob Luttenton — Jacob Hinds ami Brothers— First Warehouse— Jabex
Allison— First Hotel.
[NDSBURGH, a little village in the town of
Murray, is situated on land which was first
settled by Jacob Luttenton, who built the firsl
house here. Mr L. sold out to Jacob Hinds in 182'.).
and Mr. Hinds commenced building up a village.
Mr. Hinds built the first warehouse in 1830, and the
first tavern in 1835.
lie, in connexion with his brother Joel, built the
first store for selling- dry goods and groceries, in 1835,
opened it for trade in 1836.
In the year 1832, considerable trade having been
established here, and the emigration to Kendall and
other places north generally, making this its point of
debarkation from the canal, the Hinds Brothers and
their neighbors in public meeting resolved to call
their place Hindsburgh, believing a small village
would he here located.
The trade in produce proving good at Hindsburgh.
Mr. W. Whitney, of Rochester, built another ware-
house here in 1830.
Eindsburgh has always been a good place from
which to ship the abundant crops of grain, apples,
and farm produce raised in this neighborhood. As
long as travel by passengers went by the canal, boats
stopping here, with the help of local trade, made busi
ness livelv.
312 PI02TEEE HISTORY
Several grocery stores have been kept here, a num-
ber of mechanics maintained, and a large trade in
dry goods sustained by the Hinds Brothers and
others.
The death of Joel and Darius Hinds, the removal
of their younger brother Franklin to Iowa, and the
death of Jabez Allison, who was an early settler
here, and who had dealt largely in produce, seemed to
cheek the transaction of business, and for some time
Hindsburgh has not increased in trade or popula-
tion.
Mr. Allison was for many years a justice of the
peace, and Supervisor of the town.
OHAPTEK XXV
THE TOWN OF RIDGEWAY.
Formed from Batkvia— First Town Meeting— Turner,- White & Hook-
er's Grist Mill— First Saw Mill— Dr. Win. White— Salt Works-
Seymour Murdock — Eli Moore First Tavern Keeper and Merch-
ant—School Districts— First School— Universalist Society— First
Stage— Isaac Bennett— Biographies of Early Settlers.
IDGfEWAY was formed from the town of Ba-
tavia, June 8th, 1812, and included in its
original limits what now comprises Ridgeway,
Gaines, Barre. Shelby, Yates and Carlton.
In 1830 the west tier of lots in the town of Gaines,
and three lots lying next south of them in Barre, be-
ing part of the most western tier of lots in the 15th town-
ship, second range of the Holland purchase, were
added to the east side of Ridgeway, in order to in-
clude the whole village of Knowlesville in one
town.
This town was named from the Ridge Road, or
natural embankment railed "The Ridge," which runs
through the county, parallel with the shore of I
Ontario, and was the first town incorporated in Or-
leans county.
The first town meeting in this county was held at
Oak Orchard, in Ridgeway, April 6th, L813. At
this meeting Oliver Booth, of Gaines Corners, was
elected Supervisor.
A bounty of five dollars on each wolf killed in
town was voted. yearly nl several town meetings.
Judge Otis Turner removed with his family from
314 PIONEER HISTORY
Palmyra, N. Y., and settled at Oak Orchard in No-
vember, 1811. His brother-in-law, Dr. AVm. White,
came from Palmyra shortly after and settled near
Mr. Turner.
Turner, White & Hooker built a grist mill on Oak
Orchard Creek, between the Ridge and Medina in
1812.
The Holland Company built a sawmill on the same
creek, near Medina, in 1805.
Dr. William White was the first physician who
settled in Orleans Co. After a tew years he removed
to Albion and built a sawmill there on Sandy Creek,
a, little south of the village.
As settlers came in Dr. White gave more attention
to the practice of his profession, and did a large busi-
ness. And about the time of the digging and open-
ing of the canal, he kept a small drug store in con-
nexion with his other business, practicing medicine in
partnership with Dr. O. Nichoson.
When Orleans county was organized he was ap-
pointed the first Surrogate.
lie was afterwards engaged in boating on the canal',
then carried on a farm in Carlton, and about 1842 he
returned to Albion and resumed the practice of med-
icine, adopting the homeopathic system. Not getting
much practice he removed to Holley, where he served
several years as justice of the peace of Murray, and
died a few years after.
The Holland Company cut out roads to the brine
springs north of Medina, and built works for making
salt. But little salt was made until the works passed
into possession of Isaac Bennett, in 1818. He bored
about one hundred and fifty feet and obtained brine
which he boiled into salt, having at onetime as many
as seventy kettles in use. furnishing a large portion
of all the salt used in this portion of the country.
At the time of opening the canal these salt works
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 31fi
were superseded by Onondaga salt, and discontinued.
Mr. James H. Perry, of Ridgeway, lias furnished
the following additional history of this town :
"The first permanent settlement in this town was
made by Seymour Murdock. In the spring of 1810,
he started with his family to remove to western New
York to settle where he might find a place to suit.
Arriving at Avon, he left his family there, which con-
sisted of twelve besides himself, and with his oldest
son went to the land office at Batavia. He there learned
that the Ridge Road had been opened, and a few set-
tlements made on it.
From Batavia he went to Buffalo, followed down
the river to Lewiston. then went east along the Ridge
Road, and when about two miles east of the western
boundary of Orleans comity, he came to two men by
the name of Lampson, eating their dinner by a tree
they had just cut down.
These men had contracted with the Holland Com-
pany to buy part of lot twenty-four, township fif-
teen, range four, and Mr. Murdock purchased of
them their rights to the land they had selected. This
done he returned to Avon after his family, going by
way of Batavia, while his son went east on the Ridge
to find the best route to get through.
His eldest daughter declared she would go no far-
ther into the woods and was left at Avon. Taking
the remainder of the family he started for Ridgeway,
traveling through a dense forest to Glarkson, thence
west on the Ridge Road, they reached their new
home June 1st, 1810.
A Mr. William Davis began to build a log house
on the lot next west of Murdock' s about This time,
but did not move his family there till September,
1810.
Soon after this two men located at the Salt Works
one and one-half miles south of the Ridge on the bank
316 PIONEER HISTORY
of Oak Orchard Creek, in a log house erected by the
Land Company.
Erza I). Barnes came the same summer and boarded
atMurdocks while he was building his house two and
a half miles east, and working two days in each
week for Mr. Murdock to pay for his board. At that
time there was in the present town of Ridgeway five
horses, two yoke of oxen, and three cows, all the an-
imals of the kind in town. These were brought in
by Seym oar Murdock.
Eli Moon 'moved to Ridgeway Corners in the spring
of 1811, and built a block house which he opened as a
tavern the same season, and which still comprises a
part of the large hotel standing there.
The same season he opened a small store for the
sale of dry goods and groceries, which makes him no
doubt the pioneer landlord and merchant of Ridge-
way, if not of Orleans county.
Shell's and Cheeney were the first blacksmiths,
[saac A. Bullard the first tanner and currier and
shoemaker, Dr. Wm. White the first physician, Israel
Douglass the first justice of the peace, Cyrus Har-
vvood tiie first lawyer, and Elijah Hawley the first
postma
In 1814, the town was divided into school districts,
by William White, Micah Harrington and Gideon
Freeman, three Commissioners of Common Schools.
District No. 2 extended on the Ridge from the
County Line on the west to Oak Orchard Creek on
the cast, a distance of about seven miles, the bounda-
ries north and south were unlimited.
The first school house was built of logs, in 1815, on
the north-west corner of lot number twenty-four, on
the south side of the Ridge Road.
The first school in town was taught by Betsey
.Murdock in 1814, in a barn built by her father,
Seymour Murdock. This barn is still standing.
0¥ ORLEANS COUNTY. 317
A daughter of William Davis was the firsl person
who died in town. She was buried about a mile west
of the Corners, in what is probably the oldest bury-
ing ground in town, and by sonic said to be the old-
est in the County.
The first birth in town was a daughter of John
Miardock.
The first Universalisl Society was organized Dec,
14,1833. Mrs. Julia A. Perry gave them a site on
which their present church edifice was erected and
dedicated in June, 1835. Rev. Charles Hammond
was the first pastor of that church.
Mr. Hildreth, of Vienna, drove the first public con-
veyance forcarrying ers, and the mail between
Rochester and Lewiston, being a covered wagon
drawn by two horses.
When Isaac Bennett commenced salt boiling atOal?
Orchard, Israel and Seymour B. Murdock, contract-
ed to furnish him sixty -five cauldron kettles by a day
set. They bought the kettles near Utica, sent them
by lake to the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek, where
they did not arrive until the day before the contract
expired. They raised teams enough to transport all
the kettles to the Salt Works, at one trip in time to
perform their contract and get Their pay in gold."
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
[SRAEL DOUGLASS.
Mr. Douglass was born in New Milford, Connecti-
cut, November 20, 1???. He moved to Scottsville,
Monroe County, N. Y., in 1800. In 1810, he removed
to the town of Batavia, now Ridgeway, Orleans Co.
He was the first Justice of the Peace in Orleans Co.
318 PIONEER HISTORY
having been appointed previous to 1812, for the town
of Batavia.
At the first town meeting held in and for the town
of Ridgeway, after that town was set off from Bata-
via, at the house of John G. Brown, at Oak Orchard,
April (3, 1813, he was elected town Clerk. This was
the first town officer elected by the people residing in
what is now Orleans County.
There being no magistrate to preside at town meet-
ing in the new town of Ridgeway, a Justice by the
name of Smith was sent from Batavia for that pur-
pose. The other town officers were elected afterwards
at the same meeting.
Mr. Douglass held the office of Justice of the Peace
for three terms in Ridgeway ; he also held various
other town offices, and at one time was Justice, Over-
seer of the Poor and Supervisor.
He was generally and justly regarded as an
honest, fair minded man, and one of the best
business men in the county. He always resided on
the Ridge Road, near Oak Orchard Creek. Mi-.
Douglass died January 2, 1864, aged 80 years.
WM. (". TANNER.
"I was born in Clarendon, Rutland County, Ver-
mont, April 30, 1793. My father gave me a good
common school education, with a few months study
at an academy.
On the first day of May, 18 15, 1 left home with a
friend, and spent most of the next summer exploring
the western country. We bought land in the town of
Ridgeway, then nearly three miles away from any set-
tlement. I returned to Vermont to prepare for perma-
nent settlement on my land the next spring.
When the time came to go back, my friend was
sick and could not go, and my father permitted my
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 319
younger brother Josias, not then twenty-one years of
age, to accompany me.
We began our journey February 14, 1816, with a
good yoke of oxen and wagon, and in company with
another team we went on our weary way.
We bought two barrels of pork at Skaneatelas,
which completed our outfit. We arrived at our new
home March 0, 1810, being twenty-one days on tin-
road. I cut the first tree that was cut on the farm on
which I now live, lot seventeen, township fifteen,
range three. We, my brother and I, kept * bachelor 3
hall * on my land two years.
In October, 1810. my brother went to Vermont,
leaving me in the woods alone, out of sight and hear-
ing of my neighbors. I suffered many hardships that
winter, principally for want of proper food. I cut all
the trees I could and fed our oxen on the tops, for we
had raised little in that cold season for the sustenance
of man or beast. I enjoyed my work well, but the
nights were long and lonesome.
On leaving home, my mother gave me her bible and
I read it through that winter by fire light.
My brother returned in Februaiy. The next win-
ter I left him to 'keep house,' but in comparative
comfort, for we had plenty of provisions.
I went to Vermont in the fall of 1817, and returned
in March following, bringing with me my younger
sister lor a housekeeper. She still resides near me,
as the wife of Avery V. Andrews, is the mother of a
large family, and in good circumstances.
My sister and myself left my father's the last daj
of February, in a cutter, and arrived in Kidgeway,
March 12, 1818. Her bed, bedding and clothing we
brought packed in a box, which contained all her
worldly effects, with which she commenced life as an
independent lion sek< >* 'per.
She was a tall, slim girl, active and cheerful, car-
320 PIONEER HISTORY
tying sunshine in her countenance and manners
wherever she was. She left a large circle of young
friends and associates, the pleasures of a father's
house and a mother's care, to obscure herself in the
woods, for the benefit of her brothers. She found a
respectable circle of young people here, although
rather widely scattered.
We brought with us at that time a favorite dog,
concluding our sister would feel greater security in
her wilderness home, when we were absent at our
work ; and he fully justified our conclusions, for he
soon learned to consider himself as her special pro-
tector in our absence, and nothing could induce him
to leave her when we were away from home.
If slit1 went for an afternoon's visit through the
woods to a neighbor' s, the dog was sure to accom-
pany lie]\ lie down by the door, and be ready to at-
tend her home. She always felt secure in his pres-
ence.
As cold weather aprjroached, our season for eve-
ning parties commenced. Most of the houses in town
were cheerfully opened for our accommodation, and
the young folks, with a few couple of young married
people, formed a company quite respectable in point
of numbers. We were quite democratic, there were
no exclusions. Many a time did we spend our eve-
nings dancing on a split plank floor, traveling several
miles to the place appointed, walking on logs, over
brooks and wet grounds, some of the company car-
rying a torch to light the way.
We sometimes went four or five miles to an evening
party, on an ox sled, drawn by two yoke of oxen,
with as many passengers as could ' pile on ;' and as
tar as appearances would prove, all enjoyed both the
ride and the dance first rate.
The first regular ball we attended was held at what
is now Millville, in Shelby, July 4. 1819, and as it
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. '-^\
was quite a primitive one, and perhaps the first one
ever held in this county, it may justify an imperfect
description.
There were no carriages, and but few horses in the
country. The young men would bring their girls be-
hind them, both riding the same horse. Others
would be in waiting to take the horse and go after
their girls, and so on until the company had assem-
bled. The same course was pursued on their return
home.
At the time of which I write, we met in the upper
room of a new building made for a store. The floor
was good, but the ceiling over head was low at the
sides where the seats were placed, and it caused much
polite bowing, to prevent our heads from coming in
contact with the rafters.
Our table was spread in the street in front of the
store, and it was well supplied with substantial fare.
We had a fine, social time, formed many pleasant ac-
quaintances and friendships, which were destined to
endure through life. It is presumed there are few
persons to whom it does not give pleasure, when the
thought of such gatherings, in which they have par-
ticipated, recurs to mind. Of more than twenty
young ladies, who attended that party, but three are
known to be living at this time (1863.)
As bear stories are sometimes entertaining to pio-
neers, I will relate one with which my sister was
somewhat connected :
A respectable young man of the neighborhood
called to visit her one evening, and continued his stay
into the small hours of the night. His way home lay
for a mile and a half through the woods. He reported
next day that as he was returning through these
woods, he treed a bear; but men who were
alarmed by his outcries, were so uncharitable as to
report that the bear treed him. He was never very
21
322 PIONEEE HISTORY
communicative on the subject, and it was generally
believed the latter was the fact.
Our first religious meetings were held in a log-
school house, half a mile west of Millville. The peo-
ple would assemble from quite a distance and the
house would be well filled.
Elder Gregory, a Methodist, was our preacher.
He resided near by, was a good man and practiced
what he taught.
A Mr. Fairbanks preached occasionally. He or-
ganized the first Presbyterian Church in Shelby, at
that school house, in 1820.
Judge William Penniman, a popular school teacher
in thcfee days, taught a school in that school house
several terms.
My sister Anna was a pupil in his school out
there in the winter of 1820. The old school house
has long since disappeared. An academy and fine
church buildings have arisen in Millville in its stead.
There are, however, associations connected with that
old school house that will cause it to be remembered
by the old settlers.
I received a lieutenant' s commission in the militia
service, dated March 4th, 1817, which I believe to be
the oldest commission granted to any one now a resi-
dent of Orleans county. I was promoted in regular
gradation to other military offices, and was finally
elected Brigadier General, my commission being da-
ted April 30th, 1826. I was the first officer of that
rank ever commissioned in this county. I discharged
its duties as well as I was able for two years, and
then resigned my commission.
[ appointed the following named gentlemen my
brigade staff officers, viz. : William Allis, Brigade
Inspector ; Samuel B. Ayers, Paymaster ; John Fish,
Aid-de-Camp; Harmon Goodrich, Quartermaster ; Or-
OF OKLEANS COUNTY. 323
son Nichoson, Surgeon ; Alexis Ward, Judge Advo-
cate.
I was married March 15th, 1821, to Esther Lee,
daughter of Judge John Lee, of Barre. My wife
died in August, 1835.
I married for my second wife Julia A. Flagler,
fdaughter of Rev. J. S. Flagler, of Genesee county,
N. Y.
WILLIAM C. TANNER."
Ridgeway, Dec. 5th, 1863.
Gen. Wm. C. Tanner died July 8th, 1869.
LEVI DAVIS.
"I was born in Wards borough, Vermont, in 1793.
My father was a revolutionary soldier. My father
afterwards removed with his family to New Salem,
Mass., at which place I was married in November,
1816, to Miss Lorana Hunt.
In 1814 I served a short time as soldier in the war
with England.
Soon after I was married, in company with two
other families, I moved my wife and a few articles
of furniture with a yoke of oxen and wagon, to El-
licott, Chautauqua county, N. Y., a journey it took
us thirty- five days to perform, during which snow
fell almost every day.
After passing Canandaigua, we entered a forest
with few settlers, and even these residing from three
to ten miles apart ; and in one case we traveled four-
teen miles without passing a single house. The road
most of the way was only marked trees, with the un-
derbrush cutout, and no bridges over the streams ex-
cept the ice.
On our way we exchanged our wagons for sleds,
and how any of us lived through the last perilous day
of fourteen miles travel through the woods, God only
Jknows.
324 PIONEER HISTORY
We started as early as possible in the morning,
overturned one load of goods, and fearing we should all
perish in the woods, we unhitched our teams from the
sleds some time in the night, putting our oxen before
us, the women being supported by holding fast to
the tails of the oxen, and thus pursuing our way
through the trackless forest four miles, we arrived at
a log house about four o'clock in the morning. The
house had been partially chinked but not plastered.
Here we tarried the next day and night, during which
time we went back, shod our sleds and got them out
of the forest.
We had to pay one dollar each for a yoke of oxen
one night at hay, and one dollar a bushel for oats.
So in about forty days, like the Israelites of old, we
reached the promised land.
In October, before this time, I had been to Chautau-
qua county and contracted for a piece of land there,
to do which 1 traveled out there from Massachusetts,
and back again with my knapsack on my back, on
foot, averaging fifty miles travel per day on the
journey.
The third day after arriving on my land, I pro-
cured some boards and built a shanty twelve feet
square, nailing two of the corners to two standing
trees, making a board roof, with not a tree cut
down near it.
The year 181G was the 'cold season;" corn was
cut off by frost and it was almost impossible to get
bread. For three weeks before harvest we had
nothing to eat but some very small new potatoes, but-
ter and milk. By changing the order of having these
dishes, we made quite a variety, lived high, with
hopes buoyant, and worked hard. Here we cleared
up a new farm, raised an orchard from apple seeds
brought out from Massachusetts, and also raised
fight children.
Ill
JC^ie+^ocasJi vSrOyVp
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 325
I went into lumbering business in 1882 ; tools: my
lumber to Cincinnati to sell, but the stagnation in
trade, and scarcity of money, owing to the course
taken by the Old United States Bank, after its re-
newed charter was vetoed by President Jackson,
made it impossible for me to dispose of my lumber
without great loss, which obliged me to sell my prop-
erty in Chautauqua county to pay my debts, and I
found even then I had not enough by 8500 to pay up.
That deficiency I afterwards earned by work at mason
business and paid up in full.
I removed to Orleans county in 1888, and worked
as a mason several years.
Previous to the opening of the Erie canal, I have
paid seventy-five cents per yard for sheeting, and
seventy-five cents per yard for calico for my wife a
dress. I have also paid fifteen dollars a barrel for
salt.
I have laid the corners of over fifty log buildings,
and have helped raise as many frames. I have spent
more than six months of my labor gratuitously, in
opening new public highways, and building cause-
ways.
LEVI DAVIS."
Ridgcvray, February, 1862.
JEEEMIAH BROWN.
" I was born in Cheshire, Massachusetts, .July 7,
1780. My father, who was an officer in the revolu-
tionary war, died when 1 was seven years old. 1
lived with my eldest brother until Iwas sixteen years
old, and then ran away from him and worked out
by the month the next seven years.
When I was nineteen years old I traveled with my
knapsack on my back, on foot from Massachusetts to
Farming-ton, Ontario county, N. V., spent a shorl
time there, then returned as 1 came, most of the
way alone.
32G PIONEER HISTORY
Again in 1807, I traveled the same ground over iw
the same way.
In 1809 I was married to Abigail Davis, daughter
of the Rev. Paul Davis, of New Salem, Massachu-
setts.
The winter after I was married I came on horse-
back to Farmington, to seek a home in the wilder-
ness of Western New York, and located a piece of
land for that purpose. I went back to Massachu-
setts and worked by the month to earn the means
to move my family to my new farm.
I arrived in Farmington in February, 1811, and
built me a log house in the woods one mile from
any inhabitant. I was then the happy possessor of
a wife and one child, six dollars' in money, a dog
and a gun. I exchanged my gun for a cow, which
was the best trade I ever made except when I got
my wife. The next spring I cleared my land, and
raised over one hundred bushels of corn the same
season.
In 1812 the war broke out. I was called to the
lines to defend my country. I received notice on
Friday night, about nine o'clock, to be in Can-
andaigua on the next Monday morning at ten
o'clock, to march to Buffalo. I hired a man and
woman to take care of my sick wife and child du-
ring my absence, while I responded to the call. I
was then an officer in the militia, and I marched
on foot with the rest of the officers and men to Buffalo,
where we arrived the second day after the battle.
Our company was the first that arrived and assisted
in collecting the dead. On receiving an honorable
discharge I returned home.
The two summers next following, myself and wife
were sick with the ague and fever, almost con-
stantly.
In the winter of 1815, the ague having left me, and
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 327
having regained my health enough to move, I sold
my land and returned to Massachusetts. The next
spring I came to Rldgeway, in Orleans county, and
bought me some land, and in May "brought on my
family.
About the first of the next September, myself and
wife and one child were taken sick, and until Decem-
ber following, we suffered every thing but death.
Often during that time while myself and wife were
confined to our beds, our children were crying for
food, and neither of us had strength sufficient to ena-
ble us to get to the cupboard to help them.
In the month of June next, Israel Murdock in-
formed me of several families who were destitute ol
bread, and asked if I thought it could be had for
them at Farmington. I told him I thought it could,
and taking his horse and wagon, I went there and got
a load of corn for which I paid one dollar a bushel.
This, together with some rye, which Israel Murdock
had then growing, and which the neighbors com-
menced cutting as soon as it was out of the milk,
sufficed for all of us to live on until after the har-
vest.
The favorite, because the only way to replenish our
meat barrels, was to hunt raccoons, using their flesh
in place of pork, and their fat to fry doughnuts in.
The next winter (1816) I went to Farmington. and
bought two tons of pork, paying ten dollars per hun-
dred for it, and one dollar and fifty cents each for
barrels, and three dollars per barrel for salt. I
brought my pork to Ridgeway with my oxen, and
sold it to the inhabitants for from twenty-six to thirty
dollars per barrel, trusting it out to such as could not
then pay, and some of those old pork accounts re-
maining unsettled, [ am beginning to consider them
rather </<>nh/J'u/ demands.
In the spring of 1816, we held our first town meet-
328 PIONEER HISTORY
ing, and elected our first town officers. There not be-
ing freeholders enough in town to fill the offices to
which we had chosen our candidates, Mr. Joseph El-
licott sent Andrew Ellieott to our town to notify the
town officers elect, to go to Batavia and take deeds of
their lands and give their mortgages, in order to
become legal town officers, and the}' went and did so.
I having been chosen commissioner of highways went
with the others.
In my official capacity I assisted in laying out five
highways from the Ridge to the lake. We would lay
a road, following the lines between lots to the lake,
keeping us busy all day. At night we would make
a fire, cut some hemlock boughs for a bed, and sleep
on them before our fire soundly till morning. Then
making our breakfast, we would take another line
back to th^ Ridge, and by the time we could get back
to the settlement it would be afternoon, and when we
could get something to eat we generally had excellent
appetit< s.
We were, however, amply compensated, our pay be-
ing two dollars for every twenty-four hours we spent
in this kind of labor, to apply on our taxes. Who
would not desire to be a commissioner of highways
under such circumstances !
Since then I have held all the town offices in the
gift of the people except clerk, collector, and consta-
ble. I was once a candidate for the last named office,
but to my great grief and mortification I was de-
feated.
Our county was very unhealthy until 1828. That
1 think was the last sickly season, and during that
season my health was good, and for eight weeks in
that summer I never undressed my self to go to bed
at night, being constantly watching with, and taking
care of the sick, either in my own family or among
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 32'.)
my neighbors. Since that time this county lias been
as healthy as any other section I ever knew.
In 1S22 I built the first furnace and cast the first
plough ever made in this State west of Rochester.
"When I first settled in Ridgeway, the town of
Ridgeway extended from Niagara county eastward to
the Transit Line, having originally been the north
part of Batavia, from which it was taken
Such is some of my experience as a pioneer of
Western New York. T have lived to see 'the
wilderness blossom like the rose,' and to see many
of my early companions in the hardships of this new
county, depart before me to 'that bourne from whence
no traveler returns.'
JEREMIAH BROWN."
Ridgeway, July, 18G2. '
Mr. Jeremiah Brown died Nov. 17, 1863. He was
a man of large frame, strong and vigorous constitu-
tion, a farmer by occupation, but sometimes varied
his employment by buying cattle, and driving them
to Philadelphia to market, and in other speculations
in trade.
Albert F. Brown, late Mayor of Lockport, and Col.
Edwin F. Brown, late of the Union Army, are his
sons.
JOSEPH L. PERRY.
Joseph L. Perry was born in Huntington, Connect-
icut, November 30th, 1794. In L804, his father re-
moved his family toAurelius, Cayuga county, N. Y.,
to a farm near Auburn.
Joseph L. Perry married Julia Ann Heed, daugh-
ter of Jesse Reed, of Aurelius, July loth, 1819, and
in March, L820, removed to Ridgeway, Orleans coun-
ty, and located hall' a mile west of Ridgeway Coi-
ners, on the Ridge Road, on lot twenty-four.
Be was town collector and clerk of Ridgeway,
330 PIONEER HISTORY
and deputy sheriff Avhile this county was part of Gresr-
esee county, also deputy sheriff of Orleans county
afterwards.
In 1825 he purchased the store and hotel at Ridge-
way Corners, and carried on the mercantile business
for a number of years, then moved into the hotel and
kept tavern there many years. He also carried on
the ashery business, and at one time run ten miles of
the old pioneer line of stages, on the Ridge Road, in.
company with Champion, Bissell and Walbridge.
Ife was postmaster a number of years, and mail con-
tractor between Ridgeway and Shelby, several years.
He was extensively engaged in buying and shipping
grain on the Erie canal, running two boats of his
own, which he sometimes commanded in person. He
was a shrewd, sharp, quick witted man, a good judge
of human nature, always jovial and abounding in
fun.
He never lacked for expedients to extricate himself
from any perplexity, and his sagacity and energy al-
ways carried him safely through, or over, every imped-
iment which interfered with his purposes. He died
September 17th, 1845, at his residence in the town of
Ridgeway.
CHARLES J>. BURLE5TGHAM.
"I was born in Greenfield, Saratoga Co., N". Y.,
February 8th, ±810, being the fifth of my father's
eleven children.
In 1818 my father removed with his family to Per-
ry, now in Wyoming county, on what is known as,
'The Cotringer Tract/ The western line of our
farm was the eastern bounds of the Holland Purchase,
The farm contained one hundred acres, fifteen of
which had been cleared and a log house and barn
erected when we came on. .
In clearing our land we were accustomed to make
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 331
' black salts ' for sale, as these, with pot and pearlash
were the principal articles of export that "brought
money into the settlement.
In common with our neighbors, we sometimes suf-
fered some hardships for lack of the necessaries of
life. My father at one time went to the Genesee Flats,
twelve or fifteen miles distant, and bought corn that
was nearly spoiled by the flood of the previous sea-
son, paying one dollar and twenty-five cents a bushel,
to help us along in the spring.
I remember one pleasant incident of our pioneer
history. After getting along as best we could at one
time, without any bread for several weeks, we sat
down to a meal of boiled new unground wheat, and
maple molasses, all the product of our own farm, the
most delicious dinner, it seemed to me, I ever ate.
Ah, that was a dinner a little boy c.ould not easily
forget, and that was the crisis, the turning point in
the pinch.
Not long after this we had grain to sell, wheat at
the nominal price of thirty-one cents, and corn at
eighteen cents per bushel, with very limited sales at
those prices.
Our house stood, as I then thought, in about the
center of the world, and having joined to it an addi-
tion of another house of about the like size, we were
frequently favored with social gatherings of people
there of all classes during the winter evenings. Those
were occasions never to be forgotten by me. The
children and young people would amuse themselves
in harmless play and gossip, and the parents enjoy
themselves in planning and story telling, while a few
of the venerable mothers were intent on preparing
the invariable accompaniment of every gathering, a
good supper.
Starch, prim, and upper ten. were unknown there.
Liberty, equality and fraternity reigned supreme in
332 PIONEER HISTORY
those halcyon days. Ah me, but those were days of
^Auld Lang Syne/ the memory of which is exceeding
pleasant.
In those times our religious meetings were held in
a private house about half a mile from ours. Elder
Luther, a man of more than ordinary ability, was the
preacher who visited the place occasionally. He was
a little eccentric in his manners and language, but
quite well adapted to the times, and character of his
congregations.
As a specimen of pioneer preaching, it is remem-
bered of Elder Luther, as he was in the midst of a
sermon, urging some topic, and wishing to adduce
authority to sustain some point, he stopped a mo-
ment, then said, 'John, what do you say?" Then
ehanging his tone of voice to imitate a fancied reply,
he repeated what the apostle says on that subject.
And then he called out, 'Paul, what are your views V
Giving a reply as before, in like manner thus interro-
gating other apostles and our Savior, and giving their
answers, closing up with — "And now, old Ben. Luther,
what have you to say to all this V and then he gave
his own conclusions, making the point deeply impres-
sive upon his hearers.
Our chorister was the blacksmith of the settlement,
•Uncle Seava,' as he was called by everybody ; a
white haired, tali, slim, straight and solemn old gen-
tleman. He would rise and give the pitch for New
Durham, Exhortati6n, Northfield or Majesty, or
some such tune in which the whole congregation who
could sing would join, taking their style from the
chorister, giving to the words and the music that pe-
culiar ' nasal twang ' common in those days, which
was designed to be especially impressive Upon the
hearers, and it had its intended effect, at least upon
me, for I have not forgotten those auspicious occa-
sions I witnessed when I was a little boy. Although
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 333
some of the young people seemed to he amused "by
the queer preaching and nasal singing, and some who
attended failed to be profited, apparently, by the ser-
vices, yet those religious meetings were really the
'green spots' in our early pioneer life, and were
doubtless of great moral value to the settlement.
Though district schools were established at an early
da}' around us, my early advantages for attending
school were quite limited. However, at the the age
of eighteen years, I went before the board of inspec-
tors for examination, and being found by them of
sufficient capacity, I was installed into office as a
school master in a district school, which calling I al-
ternated with mercantile business, until I was thirty
years old.
I embraced religion while teaching school in Por-
tageville, Wyoming county, in April 1831, and soon
after became a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
I married Adeline C. Miller, in Xew Berlin, N. Y.,
in September, 1834.
In 1840 I was received as a member of the Genesee
Conference of the M. E. Church, and began preach-
ing, in which service I have ever since been engaged,
removing to Knowlesville in 1862.
CHARLES D. BURLINGHAM."
Knowk'svillc. April, 1864.
.IOSIAS TANN'KK.
" I was born in Clarendon, Vermont, August 17th,
1795.
I received a fair common school education like
other farmers' sons in that neighborhood.
I came to the town of Ridge way, N. Y., with my
brother, William C. Tanner, in March, 181G, where T
have resided ever since.
I was married November 28th, L825, to Miss Lucy
Baldwin.
334 PIONEER HISTORY
I have lived on my farm forty-eight years. I have
had four children. My youngest son, Benj. B. Tanner,
was a Lieutenant in the 151st Regiment N. Y. Volun-
teers, and died in the service of his country in the
war of the rebellion.
JOSIAS TANNER."
Ridge way, April, 1864.
LUCIUS BARRETT.
"I was born in Fabius, N. Y., April 13th, 1807.
I was son of Amos Barrett. My father removed with
his family to Ridgeway, N. Y., in March, 1812, and
settled on the Ridge Road, one mile west of Ridge-
way Corners. We moved into the house ol Jona-
than Cobb, and resided with his family until my
father got his house ready for his family. Mr. Cobb
was an old neighbor of my father, and had moved
to Ridgeway the year before we came.
I well remember the house my father first built
with the help of the settlers in that vicinity. The
walls were logs, the floor basswood logs split, and
hewed, the roof covered with long shingles .split from
black ash, not a door about the premises, nor a board.
A blanket hung at the entrance served as a door, and
kept out the cold and wild beasts. The fireplace was
some stones against the logs at one end of the house,
and the eliimney was a hole through the roof. This
sheltered us from the rain, but the snow sifted in
plentifully.
Farming has been my business. I bought the
farm on which I have since resided, in 1831.
I was married to Electa B. Chase, of Clarkson, N.
Y., April 23d, 1833.
I have lived to see the various changes through
which this section of country has passed. I have
known by experience the pinching pains of poverty,
and I have enjoyed the comforts of competence. I
OK ORLEANS COUNTY. 335
liave seen broad fields, smiling with harvests of plen-
ty, emerge from the wild forests. I have not only
seen this but I have realized it. I have lived it, and
I trust my claim will not be disallowed when I assert
that, in a humble manner perhaps, I have contribu-
ted my part to bring about these happy results.
LUCIUS BARRETT."
Ridgeway, 18G4.
SEYMOUR H. MURDOCK.
"I was born in Dutchess county, N. Y., April 8th,
1796.
My father, Seymour Murdock, emigrated to Or-
leans county in 1810, when I was fourteen years of
age, and located on a part of the farm now owned
and occupied by me on the Ridge, in Ridgeway.
In the transit from Dutchess county, we had a hard
lime, traveling with an ox team, with a family of twelve
persons. We were a little over a month on the way,
.and reached our place of destination June 1st, 1810,
and dwelt in our wagons nearly six weeks, and until
we had time to erect a house in which we could
reside.
From the Genesee River to Clarkson Corners was
one dense wilderness, with only an occasional com-
mencement of clearing made by a few settlers. At
Clarkson was a log tavern at which we stopped.
JVom Clarkson to our first stopping place there was
then, I think, but three houses, and they were cheap-
ly erected log cabins.
We were two days in journeying from Clarkson to
Ridgeway. The roads, if roads they could properly
be called, were almost impassable.
At the crossing of Otter Creek, in Gaines, fire had
consumed the logs, which had been thrown into the
bank to form a sort of dugway up the ascent from
the stream, which left an almost perpendicular ascent
386 PIONEER HISTORY
for us to rise. To accomplish this, we took off our
oxen and drove them up the old road, and then with
teams on the hill, and chains extending from them to
the tongues of the wagon below, we drew our wagon
up. In doing this, at one time the draft appeared too
much for the team, the oxen fell and were drawn back
by the load, and the horn of one of the oxen catching
under a root, was torn entirely off.
The next difficulty we encountered was at a slash-
ing about two miles east of Oak Orchard Creek,
where a man by the name of Sibley had cut down
timber along the track, and just then had set it on
fire, which rendered our path both difficult and dan-
gerous, as we were obliged to go through the midst
of the fire.
The next difficulty was at Oak Orchard Creek. A
dugway had been made down the bank only to ac-
commodate the Yankee wagons, and ours being a
Pennsylvania wagon, with longer axle, it was serious-
ly endangered by its liability to be thrown down the
bank.
On ascending the bank out of the creek on the west
side, one of my brothers, then a little fellow, fell off
the wagon and might have been left if he had not
screamed lustily for help.
On arriving at our journey's end, our first business
was to eat from the stock of prepared provisions we
brought with us. The food was laid out in order
around a large stump which stood conveniently by,
and I well remember the relish with which we all
partook of this our first meal, at our new home in the
woods.
The scenery here, as I now remember it, was truly
magnificent, one dense forest, composed of large, stur-
dy oaks, extended as far as the eye could see, east and
west, and on the south side of the Eidge Road. On
the north side the forest was more dense, and com-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 337
posed of a greater variety of timber. The nearest
opening east of us, was the one alluded to above,
where we encountered the fire, two miles east of Oak
Orchard Creek. The nearest one west was at John-
son's Creek, although Mr. Dunn had erected the body
of a log house, but had made no clearing at the place
on which lie has since resided, two miles east from
Johnson's Creek.
At Johnson's Creek, which was about five miles
west from our then home, there was one log house
built, and a small clearing. This was our nearest
neighbor, as north of us was an unbroken forest ex-
tending to Lake Ontario, with no mark of human
habitation west of Oak Orchard Creek.
At the head of Stillwater, in Carlton, lived a widow
Brown, and I have heard of residents at the mouth of
Johnson's Creek, but of this we knew nothing then.
South of us were no families, so far as we knew, ex-
cept two families by the name of Coon, who I think
came in the same season we did, and one family by
the name of Walsworth, residing near Tonawanda
Swamp, which was our only stopping place between
our place and Batavia, on this side the swamp. We
had no necessity then for the law we now have called
the 'cattle law."
The store nearest to us then was at Batavia, thirty
miles distant.
Our nearest post office was also at Batavia, and
there also was the nearest church, and so far as 1
know, that was the nearestplace tons where religious
meetings were held.
There was also the nearest school house known to
me, unless there was one at what is called Slater's
Settlement, near Lockport.
The nearest gristmill was at Niagara Falls, forty
miles distant.
The health of our family continued good during the
22
:!:{8 PIONEER HISTORY
first year, and yet the season was so far advanced be-
fore we could be prepared to put in seed, that we
raised nothing the first year except some potatoes
and a few turnips.
I remember a man called at our house that sum-
mer, and knowing the family he kindly offered to
make my mother a garden gate, there being then no
f<mce around the garden, or within five miles of it.
The general health of our family, and of those who
became our neighbors, continued good, with trifling
exceptions in the form of ague and fevers, &c, until
after the war of 1812.
During this war much suffering prevailed, as no
provisions had been laid by, and the war necessarily
took the time of many who would have otherwise
been raising all necessary food, thus ceasing to be
producers, and yet remaining consumers. This pro-
duced a great dearth of provisions, and much suffer-
ing, consequently in some instances whole families
left the county, some on foot ; in some instances wo-
men went away carrying their children in their arms,
in hopes of reaching a land of plenty and safety.
At the taking of Fort Niagara, I and most of our
family, and our neighbors of sufficient age and size to
bear arms, went to the defence of our country. Du-
ring our absence a band of Tuscarora Indians on a
retreat passed through our neighborhood and greatly
frightened our women and children before they could
be made to understand that these Indians were our
friends.
Up to this time the settlers were sparse and illy
prepared to encounter the horrors of war in our
midst, and were in constant preparation for immedate
flight.
The hardships and privations and sufferings of our
people consequent upon the war, were speedily fol-
lowed by fearful sickness.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 339
About this time emigrants coming to this region
■y, ere many and frequent, and as the population in-
creased so the sickness increased. Great and almost
universal suffering among the inhabitants followed. If
any were so fortunate as to escape sickness themselves,
their physical abilities were overtaxed with care of
those who were sick, and still the improvement of the
county continued ; perfect harmony abounded among
the people, and contentment, founded on hope, was
universal.
On June 1st, 1825, just fifteen years after dining
off that stump above referred to, I was married to
Miss Eliza Reed, of Cayuga county, N. Y., and we
took up our residence within a stones throw of the
log hut first erected by my father. I have resided on
the place ever since, and am happy and contented in
the realization of the hopes entertained when a boy
fighting musketoes and felling trees in the then wil-
derness, where is now a good flourishing neighbor-
hood of inhabitants.
SEYMOUR B. MURDOCK."
Hidgeway, June, 1864.
LYMAN
BATES.
Lyman Bates was born
in Palmyra, N. Y., Janu-
ary 16th, 1798.
In November, 1819, he
came to Ridgeway and
commenced clearing a new
farm.
In January, 1.821, he
married Miss Abinerva
Kingman, who was born in Palmyra in June. 1790.
When not employed in discharging the duties of
public office, in which much of his life has been spent.
he has labored on his farm. He has served nine
years as Supervisor of the town of Ridgeway, been
several terms justice of the peace, and held other
town offices. He served one term of five years as a
.Judge of the Old Court of Common Pleas of Orleans
340 PIONEER HISTORY
county. He was a member of Assembly for Orleans
county in 1828. He was President of the Farmer's
Bank of Orleans, and has always been deeply en-
gaged in business.
Coming here when everything was new and unset-
tled, he identified himself with every movement
made to develop the resources ot the country, and
to establish and maintain good order and prosperity.
Of a plausible address and sound mind, honorable,
fair, impartial and honest in all he did, his party, his
friends and all who knew him, have ever made him
the prominent man in his town and neighborhood,
whose opinions have been sought, whose counsel has
been followed, and whose influence for good has been
seen and felt.
J)AVIJ) HOOKER.
David Hooker was born in Connecticut, Jul}7 9th,
1771. He married Betsey Saunders in 1795.
Mr. Hooker settled in Ridgeway, on lot thirty-
seven, township fifteen, range three, in February,
1812.
Soon afterwards in company with Dr. William
White and Otis Turner, he was engaged in building
the mills on Oak Orchard Creek, since known as
Morris Mills, which are now destroyed. He served
in the war against Great Britain, and was at the
taking of Fort Erie.
His wife died in March, 1813. He married his sec-
ond wife, Polly Pixie}7, February, 1814.
He built the framed house now occupied by his
son, Perley H. Hooker, in 181 G.
Besides his son Perley, he left one daughter, wrho
still survives him as widow of the late Harvey Fran-
cis, of Middleport, N. Y. David Hooker died Au-
gust 6th, 1847.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 341
OTrS TURNER.
Otis Turner removed from Wayne county, and
settled on the Ridge, east of Ridgeway Corners, in the
year 1811. He was a farmer "by occupation, but pos-
sessing intelligence and aptitude for business, he was
frequently employed in public, official stations. With
his brother-in-law, Dr. White, and David Hooker, he
built a sawmill on the Oak Orchard Creek, between
Medina and the Ridge, the second in town.
He was a Judge of the Old Court of Common
Pleas of Genesee county, before Orleans was set off,
.and he represented Genesee county as one of her
Members of Assembly in 1823.
He was for many years a prominent member of the
Baptist Church at Medina, being one of the few who
took part in its organization. He died in Rochester,
.K Y., August 14th, 1865.
THOMAS WELD.
Thomas Weld, father of a large family who bear
his name, was born in Connecticut in 1771. He mar-
ried Lorana Levins.
They first settled in Vermont, and moved to North
Ridgeway in 1817.
Mrs. Weld died in 1820, and Mr. Weld, November.
18th, 1852.
They had live sons and two daughters. The sons
were Elisha, Jacob, Andrew, Elias, and Marston.
They all settled near their father. Elias now lives
where his father did. They were industrious and
thrifty farmers.
SAMUEL CHURCH.
Samuel Church was born in Brookfield, Massachu-
setts, in 1781. He married Ann Daniels. They set
tied in North Ridgeway, in 1810. Mrs. Church died
in 1855. They had four sons.
342 PIONEER HISTORY
WILLIAM N. PRESTON.
William N. Preston was born in Lyme, IS". EL, in1
1781. His wife, Sarah Daniels, was born in Pem-
broke, K H., in 1785.
They settled in North Ridge way, a mile and a half
north of the Ridge, in 1819.
His wife died October 3d, 1831. He died Decem-
ber 29th, 1841. He had three sons, Isaac Samuel,
and Williston.
JAMES DANIELS.
James Daniels was born in Pembroke, N. H., mj
1783. He settled in North Ridgeway, on the town
line. A few years since lie moved to Michigan. He
was brother of Grosvenor Daniels. He had four
sons.
WILLIAM COCHRANE.
William Cochrane was born in Pembroke,. N. H.,
in 1781. He married Rhoda Mudgett, of Pembroke.
They settled in Ridgeway in 1819. They had four
sons and three daughters. William Cochrane, of
Waterport, is eldest of the sons.
WILLIAM CORI?.
William Cobb was born in Massachusetts. He-
married Hannah Hemenway. They settled in Ridge-
way in 1817. They had four sons and one daugh-
ter. He died on the farm where he settled, April 1 st; •
1855, aged sixty-six years.
SEYMOUR MURDOCH.
Seymour Murdoch was born in Dutchess county,
N. Y., in 1764.
He married Catharine Buck of Amenia. She was
born in 1768.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 343
They moved from Greene county to Ridgeway in
1810, and located on the Ridge Road, about live
miles east of Johnson's Creek. At that time there
was no settler between Mr. Murdock's settlement and
lake Ontario on the aorth ; none south to the swam])
but Coon and Walsworth in Shelby, and east and
west on the Ridge it was several miles to any neigh-
bors.
The nearest postoffice, store or church, was at Ba-
tavia. thirty miles distant.
The nearest gristmill was at Niagara Falls, forty
miles distant.
Mr. Murdock was one of the first settlers on the
Ridge, in Ridgeway.
He had eight sons and four daughters. His sons
names were Israel, John, Seymour B., Henry, Zimri,
Jasper, Hiram, and William.
Israel kept public house some iifteen years on the
Ridge Road. He was one of the best business men
in town. He died in 1831.
John died in Gaines, September 19th, 1860. Mr.
Seymour Murdock died April 14th, 1833. His wife
died September 7th, 1823.
GROSVENOK DANIELS.
Grosvenor Daniels was born in Pembroke. Rocking-
ham county, N. H., May 3(1. 1793.
He married Sally Palmer, of Vermont, in April,
1813. She died in July, 1854, and he married Florinda
Hicks, in 1 800.
Leaving his family in Vermont, Mr. Daniels came
to Ridgeway in the spring of 1815 and took an article
of part of lot forty-seven, township Iifteen, range
three.
Robert Simpson came with Mr. Daniels and took
one hundred acres adjoining his land. At that time
344 PIONEER HISTORY
there was no settlement between Ridgeway Corners
and Lyndonville, in Yates.
Simpson and Daniels built for themselves a camp
and began cutting the trees on their lands, getting
their washing done and bread baked at Eli Moore' s,
on the Ridge. After cutting the trees on five or six
acres, Mr. Daniels went over to Canada to work a
few weeks to get money, as he could get none in
Ridgeway. After a few days he was taken sick with
fever and ague, of which he did not get cured until
the next spring. Being unable to work, he returned
to Vermont, where he arrived in December, 1815.
The next winter he started to move his family to
his western home, on an ox sled. He had sixty dol-
lars in money and thirty dollars worth of leather.
On arriving at Rome, N.Y., the snow went off and he
bought a wagon, on which he made the remainder of
his journey, and on arriving at his log cabin home
he had spent all his leather and money but six cents,
and owed six dollars for money he borrowed of a
friend on the journey.
The next summer, 181(5, was the cold season. He
had not got his land fitted for crops ; produce through
the country was cut off by the frost, and Mr. Daniels
found great difficulty in getting food for his family,
but having recovered from his long sickness of the
former 37ear, and being strong and resolute, he worked
with a will and got through until he had raised some-
thing on his land.
Being among the first settlers in his neighborhood,
he had raised produce and had it to sell to settlers,
who came in abundantly for several years next after,
and soon found himself in affluence, a condition in
which he has ever since remained.
After a few years on the lot he first took up, he
bought of Abner Balcom the farm he now lives on.
Having taste and ability for military service, he was
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 34»
commissioned Ensign not many years after he came
here, and rose by regular promotions to Brigadier
General in the militia.
He has been a prominent man in public affairs,
and though he has never sought official distinction in
civil life, lie has been honored with various town
and local offices.
LAURA BAKER.
Mrs. Laura Baker was born in Bristol, Vermont,
March 10th, 1799, and married Samuel Bostwick.
December 4th, 1816.
In January, 1817, the}' emigrated from Fairfield,
Vermont, in a wagon drawn by a yoke of three year
old steers, to Shelby, N". Y.
While at Whitesboro, on their journey, their
trunks were broken by thieves and robbed of every-
thing valuable. This obliged them to sell part of their
clothing to pay expenses by the way. They traveled
in company with another ox team with another family
of emigrants, averaging from eight to nineteen miles
a day.
They remained the last night on the road, at Gaines.
The snow fell that night a foot deep. The road was
so bad and the steers so exhausted by travel and
hard work, that Mrs. Bostwick was obliged to walk
the last six miles of the way on foot, as she had done
half the way from Vermont.
The house into which they, with the other wagon
load of emigrants, moved, was a nice log building
with one door, no window or light except what came
down chimney or between the logs. It was then
occupied by another family from Vermont, former
acquaintances.
A few weeks later another family of acquaintances
came on from Vermont and moved into the same
house, where they all resided until other houses could
be built.
346 PIONEER HISTORY
The inmates of this cabin now numbered twenty-
five persons. Their furniture was two chairs, a spin-
ning wheel and a few pieces of iron ware. Their
table was a chest, their bedsteads were round poles
bottomed with bark, one on each side of the room,
the other beds were made on the floor. Holes bored
in the logs, in which pins were driven, supported
shelves against the walls.
The next spring, while making sap-troughs, Mr.
Bostwick cut his foot and was disabled from work
four weeks. Mrs. Bostwick hired a few trees tapped,
gathered the sap herself, boiled it in the house in a
twelve quart kettle, a six quart pot, and a small tea
kettle, and made one hundred and sixty pounds of
sugar.
When the snow went oft" she made a garden in
which she set gooseberry, raspberry and blackberry
roots which she found in the woods. She never
feared wild animals that roamed in the forest, but she
used to admit her fear of the Indians who frequently
came along and remained all night, and she would
watch and tremble with fear while they slept like
logs on the floor, with their feet to the fire.
Having worn out the clothing they brought from
the east, Mrs. B. bought a loom and made cloth for
her family and others. She took in weaving of her
neighbors, and received pay in wheat at six shillings
a bushel, though the best she could do with it was to
take it to Kidgeway Corners and sell it for four shil-
lings a bushel, paid for in goods at a high price.
Mr. Samuel Bostwick died many years ago, and in
the year 1833 his widow married Mr. Otis Baker, a
thriving farmer of Shelby.
In 1853 he disposed of his farm and moved to Me-
dina, where they yet reside.
Married at the age of seventeen years, Mrs. Baker
lias passed a stirring and eventful life in things which
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 347
belong to the settlement of a new country. She has
passed through it all in triumph. From pinching
poverty to the possession of abundance, she has
traveled every step, and surrounded by kind friends
and present plenty, she yet remains one of the best
specimens of the noble women who did their part in
bringing this county out of the woods.
1STAHUM BAEEETT.
Nahum Barrett was born in Hinsdale, X. II. He
married Sally Bennett of Westmoreland, N. H., in
1805.
In March, 1815, he removed with his family to Ti-
oga county. His wife died there in 1820. In Janua-
ry, 1828, he removed to Ridge way, and died there
April 13th, following, aged fifty-one years. He had
nine children, of whom the eldest is
LUTHEE BAEEETT.
Luther Barrett was born in Windham county, Vt.,
in 1800. While living in his father s family in Tioga
Co., for three years of the time it was five miles from
his father s to any school, and when a school was
opened nearer, young Luther never had much op-
portunity to attend it.
In May, 1825, lie left his father's family and came
to Ridgeway and labored for his uncle, Amos Bar-
rett, on his farm. He continued to work out by the
month, until the year 1831 he purchased the farm
three-fourths of a mile west from Ridgeway Corners,
on which he has since resided.
lie married Miss Almira flood. February 18th,
1835. She was born in Londonderry, Vermont, Jan-
uary 2d, 1807.
They have four children. Sylvester F., Elsie A..
married Henry Tanner : Medora P., and Lodema A.
348 PIONEER HISTORY
Lodema married Andrew Weld, and resides in Pax-
ton, Illinois.
Mr. Barrett is a farmer, who by a life of persistent
industry and prudence, lias accumulated a fair prop-
erty, and by a lite of honesty and integrity has se-
cured a fair character. He enjoys the confidence of
his townsmen and represented them as Supervisor of
Ridgeway in the years 1857-8.
CHRISTOPHER W1IALEY.
Christopher Whaley was born in Montville, Con-
necticut, June 16th, 1798. With his parents he re-
moved to Verona, IST. Y., in 1803.
He was educated as a physician at the medical in-
stitution at Fairfield, Herkimer comity, and gradua-
ted as Doctor of Medicine, June 18th,*] 819. In Sep-
tember, 1819, he settled in the practice of his profes-
sion at Shelby Center.
In February, 1832, he removed to Medina, where
he resided until his death, October 26th, 1807.
Dr. Whale}r married Mary Ann S. Coffin, March
20th 1824. After her death he married Soph-
ronia Martin in 1841. After her death he married
Carrie E. Perry, July 16th, 1863. His widow and
three children survived him.
Dr. AVhaley devoted his life zealously to the prac-
tice of his profession, in which he had a large ride
and eminent success. It is truly said of him "he
never refused his services to any one in need of them,
whether they were rich or poor, and without taking
into consideration the possibility of losing his fee."'
ANDREW WKI.lt.
Andrew Weld was born in Reading, Vermont, Au-
gust 6th, 1804. He came to Ridgeway in the fall of
1817, in the family of his father, Thomas Weld.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 349
They came in a wagon drawn by three yoke of
oxen, being twenty-seven days on their journey. Mr.
Weld settled on lot nine, township fifteen, range
four.
Andrew resided with his father until he was twen-
ty years old, then labored one year for his brother,
Elisha, on a farm for one hundred dollars.
In February, 1828, he married Eoxy Stockwell.
She died May 9th, 1839. He married Clarissa Root
for his second wife. She died December 22d, 1866,
and for his third wile he married Mrs. Susan
Downs.
Mr. Weld is a farmer, industrious and frugal who,
in the honest pursuit of his chosen calling, has laid
up a competence for his support and comfort while
he lives.
WILLIAM JACKSON.
William Jackson was born in Duahesburg, N. Y.,
October 21st, 1799.
He bought an article for one hundred acres of
land in Ridgeway, part of lot twenty-one, township
fifteen, range four, in September, 1826. After build-
ing a log house on his lot, he returned to Onondaga
county after his family and brought them to
their new home the next February. His
house was without a door or window or floor when
he moved into it, but blankets for a few days were
good substitutes for doors and windows, when he
made a floor, and doors and lived comfortably.
Prosperity attended his labor. In a short time he
bought more land, which he has fitted and cultivated
into one of the finest farms in the county.
Mr. Jackson married Martha Comstock, January
20th 1822. They have had eleven children, seven of
whom are living:.
350 PIONEER HISTORY
His father, James Jackson, was born in London,
England, and emigrated to America in earl}^ life.
ELIJAH HAWLEY.
Elijah Hawley was born in Bridgeport, Connecti-
cut, June 2d, 1792.
He married Rhoda Spencer in May, 1805. In May,
1815, he settled near Ridgeway Corners.
Mr. Hawley was a practical surveyor, and many lines
of lands in Ridgeway and Shelb}^ were traced and
settled by his surveys.
From memoranda found among Mr. Hawley' s pa-
pers after his death, made by himself, in 1814 the
town of Ridgeway, which then comprised the present
county of Orleans, contained six hundred and eighty-
one inhabitants, one hundred and thirty electors, and
but five freeholders worth two hundred and fifty
dollars each.
He was appointed justice of the peace by the coun-
cil in March, 1816, and Judge of Genesee County
Common Pleas, May 23d, 1818, which office he held
until his death.
He was Supervisor of Ridgeway iu 1818. He was
appointed postmaster at Ridgeway Corners in
1816.
He died April 29th, 1820, leaving his widow and
six children surviving. Merwin S. Hawley of Buffa-
lo is his son.
JAMES JACKSON.
James Jackson, eldest son of James Jackson, was
born in Duanesburg, N. Y., March 29th, 1798. He
married Maria Marlatte, February 21st, 1819. He
settled on part of lot twenty, township fifteen, range
four, in Ridgeway, in February, 1823, where he has
since resided.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 351
He has been a successful farmer, overcoming by
sturdy industry the obstacles of sickness, hardships
and the privations of a new country, by which he
has "been beset.
He lias had ten children, nine of whom survive.
His wife died December 13th, 1870.
JOHN LE VALLEY.
John Le Valley was born at Paris Hill, N. Y., May
31st, 1810.
His parents removed to Holland, Niagara county,
when he was nine years old. His father died poor,
leaving a widow and five minor children, of whom
John was eldest.
At the age of eighteen he commenced the battle of
life on his own account, with a resolute will his only
capital, and his father's family on his hands to
provide for.
He first bought seventy rods of land adjoining the
place on which his father had resided, and paid for
it in work at seventy-five cents a day and boarded
himself. On this he built a small house, into which
he moved his mother and her children. He then
bought on credit one hundred acres of land. On this
he cleared and fenced seventy acres, built a house
and barn, dug wells and made other improvements,
and at the end of three years sold his farm for three
thousand six hundred dollars. This he accomplished
though to begin with he had not a dollar in money,
no team, or stock or seed ; but he did have good
health, a strong will, and a noble mothers wise
counsel and encouragement, to which he was ready
to listen and follow, in whose welfare he has always
felt the most tender solicitude, who has always shared
his house and home, and still survives at the age of
eighty years, enjoying in the family of her son all
352 PIONEER HISTORY
that filial affection and abundant means can supply
to make her old age happy.
In 1835 he purchased the farm lie now occupies,
parts of lots twenty-nine and thirty, township fifteen,
range four, in Ridgeway, containing one hundred and
ninety-two acres.
He has "built mills, worked a stone quarry, and
cultivated his large farm with eminent success and
become wealthy.
In 1852 he was appointed one of the Commissioners
by the Legislature to re-survey the Ridge Road.
He has held various civil offices in the gift of his
fellow citizens.
He. has been three times married, and is now living
with his third wife, Seraphine M., daughter of the
late Joseph Davis, of Ridgeway, to whom he was
married January 13th, 1856.
AMOS BARRETT.
Amos Barrett was born in Chesterfield, jNt. IT., May
10th, 1778.
In 1802 he married Lucy Thayer, and soon after
settled in Fabius, Onondaga county, K Y. His wife
having died, he married Huldah Winegar, December
20th, 1807.
In 1811 he bought fifty acres of land, part of lot
fifteen, lying one mile west of Ridgeway Corners, on
the Ridge Road.
He started to move his family to their new home
with a sleigh and horses and an ox team. One of
his oxen broke his leg while being shod. He made a
single yoke for his remaining ox, hitched him in the
team beside a horse, and thus performed his journey,
his team attracting much notice in passing. The
yoke is preserved as a valued relic by his chil-
dren.
He crossed Genesee river on the ice, and arrived at
' OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 353
his lot in Ridgeway, March 14th, 1812, and stopped
with his neighbor, Jonathan Cobb, in his log house,
eighteen by twenty-four feet square, which on tins
occasion contained twenty-six inmates.
Mr. Barrett soon built a Log house on his lot and
moved into that. Snow was deep that spring. He
had no hay ; as a substitute he dug up a few brakes
on low land near and felled trees, on which his ani-
mals browsed, the poor horses hardly surviving on
such diet.
In June, 1813, war with Great Britain was declared
and Mr. Barrett went with his neighbors under Capt.
McCarty, to the defense of the frontier.
During this war, Mr. Barrett's family remained,
while many others tied from the country.
Beginning in the woods, with fields to be cleared of
timber before tiny could be made productive, with
fever and ague to contend with, and privations of so
many of the necessaries and comforts of civilized life
to be born, it was sometimes hard for Mr. Barrett to
meet the wants of his somewhat numerous family
with the needed supplies. Food sometimes ran short,
and but for the fish in the streams, and game from
the forest, they might have had more suffering.
Mr. Barrett had a fowling piece with which he wus
a dead shot. He never had a rifle ; and a trusty steel
trap, which did good service on occasion, once de-
tained a wolf who happened li to put his foot in it."
Numerous deer, and occasionally a bear yielded to
his prowess as a hunter, and furnished meat for the
family.
Mr. Barrett paid three dollars per acre for the lirsl
fifty acres of land he bought He had the sagacity to
foresee that the price of lands would rise as settle-
ments increased, and lie secured to himself titles to a
number of other parcels of land, and realized the
rise in value as he had expected.
23
<i04 PIONEER IIISTOKY
Mr. Barrett had seven sons and one daughter, ait
of whom lie lived to see married and settled around
him, with twenty -two grand children to perpetuate
the family.
He took pleasure in the last years of his life visi-
ting the homes of his children. His social qualities
made him a welcome guest always among all his ac-
quaintances, by whom he was familiarly known and
addressed as " Uncle Amos/ '
He was generous and kind to worthy objects of his
bounty, but the profligate, dishonest and idle, found
no favor at his hands.
He was a pioneer in introducing improved modes
and implements in agriculture. He was the first in
his vicinity to use cast iron plows in place of the old
Dutch plow. A threshing machine took the place of
the flail in his barn at an early day, a rude im-
perfect machine, but it was an advance in the right
direction, and his neighbors were induced to draw
their grain to his machine, and thus taught its labor
saving power.
Mr. Barrett died in 1860, in the eighty-second year
of his age.
SIDNEY S. BARRETT.
Sidnej' S. Barrett, eldest son of Amos Barrett, was
born in Fabius, X. Y., May 8th, 1804. He came to
Ridgeway with his father1 s family in March, 1812,
and resided in that family until he was twenty-four
years old, then with two younger brothers he bought
part of lot twenty -four, township fifteen, range four,
in Ridgeway. He worked his land in company with
these brothers for five or six years, when it was di-
vided and he took a part to himself, on which he has
ever since resided.
He married Lydia H. Fox, February 23d, 1832, by
^ m
m* *
y«-
^^Clf^lp,^?
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 355
whom lie had two sons and two daughters, all of
whom lived to adult age.
WILLIAM KNOWLES.
Mr. Knowles was born in Sandersfield, Berkshire
county, Massachusetts, July 19, 1790. His ancestors,
for several generations, had been residents of Cape
Cod, and were of the true New England, Puritan
stock.
They were God-fearing people, of deep religious sen-
timent, and strict in their habits. His parents brought
up their family of nine children according to the no-
tions prevalent in those days among the descendants
of the old Puritans.
The school house and the church were prominent
institutions in New England civilization, and Mr.
Knowles had the advantages of both, as they were
enjoyed seventy years ago. His schooling was re-
stricted to the district school of that time.
In December, 1813, Mr. Knowles collected his ef-
fects together, purchased a span of horses and wagon.
and a quantity of iron and steel for loading, and
started to go to the Genesee country, where three of
his brothers had already located.
On his way west he stopped at Schenectady and
bought eight kegs of oysters to add to his load. He
arrived safely at the house of his brother in Riga,
January 5th, 1814.
In January, 1815, he came to Ridgeway and stop-
ped at the house of an old friend, Eleazer Slater.
He took an article of lot three, township fifteen, range
three, on which the village of Knowlesville, so named
in his honor, now stands, on the Erie canal, contain-
ing 341 acres.
In March, 1815, he began to cut down the trees'
upon his land so purchased, to build a house, then
356 PIONEER HISTORY
more than a mile from any house, or highway or foot
path.
The spot on which he cut the first tree is where the
residence of Mr. R. P. Wood now stands. In due
time his cabin was raised, with sides of logs, roof of
staves, or shakes, as they were called, fastened to
their places by poles bound crosswise, with a floor
of basswood logs roughly hewed on one side.
Mr. John Canifee, having a wife and one child and
no house, moved into the new house of Mr. Knowles
before it was completed, while the floor was only half
laid down and a blanket was used for a door, and
lived in it in that condition for two weeks.
Mr. Knowles hired two men to work for him, one of
whom had a wife, who was their housekeeper. Du-
ring the first summer this woman, Mrs. Hill, was
taken sick and died.
At that time there were no roads, no barns, no pas-
tures, and none of the modern conveniences for living
in the settlement. Mr. Knowles had . obtained some
cows which he hired kept two miles from his house.
He would work hard in his clearing all day, then go
two miles to milk his cows and bring the milk home
in pails through the woods.
The death of Mrs. Hill was a sad event in the
wilderness. It rendered the log cabin desolate.
The men Mr. Knowles had hired soon left him.
In November, 1815, he went back to Massachu-
setts, and in January, 181G, was married to Miss
Mary Baldwin. They came on to the house Mr.
Knowles had built. Mrs. Knowles soon accustomed
herself to the inconveniences and difficulties of her
new situation, went cheerfully to work and became a
model housekeeper. The inconveniences of house-
keeping were not a few.
Mr. Knowles, on his way .home with his wife, had
purchased a set of chairs with splint seats. These
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 357
were regarded at first by the neighbors as a great luxu-
ry, and frequent comments were made by them upon
the extravagance, as they regarded it of the Knowles
family. But if they did indulge a little in the matter
of chairs, their other furniture of the house at first was
sufficiently primitive to satisfy the most fastidious
of their friends, for they had at first no table but a
board put on the top of a barrel. Their first bed-
stead was made by boring holes in the logs in the
side of the house, and putting in rods fastened to
pole bedposts, with side pieces of like material.
In the cold summer of 1816, frost in June killed
the corn, rendering the prospect gloomy and sad for
the new settlers, but the wheat crop proved good in
quality, though less than an average yield in quan-
tity.
In the summer of 1816, the engineers surveying for
the Erie Canal, came along and pitched their tent on
Mr. Knowles farm, on the spot where Abell & Brace
now have a store, stopping there a week, and finally
established the line for the canal through the center
of his farm.
The canal was completed to Lockport from the
east in 1824,
Mr. KnowLis built one section of the canal a little
east of Holley.
In 1825 he built the first framed house in Knowles-
ville, on the south side of the canal, in which he kept
a hotel for several years. Afterwards he built the
brick house near the canal on the west side of the
Main street, in which he kept a temperance hotel for
several years, until he finally closed the house as a
tavern.
Mr. Knowles built the firsl warehouse in Knowles-
ville, in 1825.
He bought and shipped the first boat load of wheal
.ever shipped from Oilcans count}-.
358 PIONEER HISTORY
Mr. Knowles was always among the first engaged
in all public enterprises for the benefit of the commu-
nity in which he lived.
He helped build the first school house in his dis-
trict, which was made of logs. This served also as a
place of public worship. Here ministers of various
denominations preached the gospel, and the people
nocked to hear them without regard to sectarian pre-
j udiee or partiality.
In 1838 Mr. Knowles built his late place of res-
idence on the beautiful eminence in the west part of
the village, and north of the canal.
In 1830 the brick church in Knowlesville was erec-
ted, Mr. K. furnishing one-half or more of the funds
for that purpose.
Mr. and Mrs. Knowles united with the Presbyte-
rian church in 1820, which was the first religious so-
ciety organized in Ridgeway. For nearly forty years
lie has been a ruling elder in that church.
lie never had children of his own, yet he has taken
into his family and brought up and educated seven
or eight children of others. To one of these Rev. I.
O. Fillmore, he gave a liberal education, sending him
to college and theological schools to fit for the gospel
ministry, besides granting him a generous allowance
of means to establish himself with comfort in life,
in grateful remembrance of which favors, so bounti-
fully and disinterestedly bestowed by Mr. Knowles
and his family, Mr. Fillmore acknowledges his obli-
gation, and devotes himself with filial duty to
make the last days of his kind benefactor as happy
as possible.
Mr. Knowles has been twice married. His first
wife died April 2d, 1861. He married Mrs. Mary
( Vippen for his second wife.
He has sold his large farm and other real estate, re-
serving only a house and lot. in Knowlesville, where
OK ORLEANS COUNTY. 359
he resides, relieved from the cares and perplexities of
business, calmly awaiting the approach of death, en-
joying the full assurance of the good man's hope.
The foregoing is the substance of a sketch of Mr.
Knowles, furnished for th<> Orleans County Pioneer
Association by his adopted son. Rev. 1. 0. Fill-
more.
AVERY V. ANDREWS.
" I was born in Claremont, New Hampshire, .Inly
25th, 1798.
In 1802 my father removed to Waterbury, Ver-
mont.
Tn October. 1817, he started with two yoke of oxen
and a wagon to move his family to western New York,
and after traveling thirty days arrived at Gra'ines,
then Genesee county, N. Y. T was then eighteen
years of age.
hi the fall of 1819, I bought an article for fifty acres
of land in Ridgeway, and in 1821, I bought an arti-
cle for sixty-two acres with a small log house on it.
All my personal estate then consisted of one yoke < ■
steers a*nd a cow.
T lived in my log house seventeen years, then built
a dwelling house of stone in which I now reside.
AVERY V. ANDREWS."
Ridgeway, June, 1 Hf.it;.
.NANCY G. HASTEN.
" I was born in Warwick, Massachusetts, Septem
ber 20th, L796.
I was married to Ephraim (t. Masten, at Albany,
N . Y . , N ovember 15th, 1 815.
We settled in Bethlehem, Albany comity, N. Y.
In 1810 my husband came to Ridgeway, Orleans Co . .
and bought an article for one hundred and thirty
acres of land on lot seventeen, township fifteen,
360 PIONEER HISTORY
range three, then in a wild state, cleared three acres
and sowed it with wheat, and in November, 1819,
moved upon his land with his family.
We lived in a log house until in 1831 we built a
dwelling of stone on the site of the old log house.
Mr. Hasten died March 20th, 1840.
NANCY G. MASTEN."
Ridgeway, September, 186(5.
LYSANDER ('. GROYER.
"I was born in Deerfield. Massachusetts, Jan-
uary, 22d, 1802.
In the fall of 1807, my father moved to Phelps, On-
tario county, I being then in my sixth year. II ere
I spent my boyhood working on a farm summers
and attending district school winters. When I was
twelve years old ni}^ father sent me With his hired
man a mile and a half into the woods to chop cord
wood, and on my twelfth birth day I chopped and
piled one cord of wood, and well do I remember of
bragging of my exploit when I returned home. But
strategy, of which we hear occasionally, had some-
thing to do with it, for I got the hired man to fall an
old basswood tree with a dead top for me, and this
helped materially to make out my pile.
My father being of Green Mountain origin, where
men were born with iron constitutions, required more '
work of me than my constitution could endure, con-
sequently when I was about nineteen years old, I be-
came physically unable to labor.
In 1823 I went to school at an academy in Geneva,
and in the fall of that year I obtained a teacher' s cer-
tificate. Thus accoutered, and with little knowledge
of the world, and still less of its lucre, I emerged as
a pedagogue which occupation I followed with an in-
crease both of success and wages.
Finding this business irksome and by no means de-
OF OliLEANS COUNTY. 361
sirable for life, I resolved upon a profession. When
consulting with friends for a choice it was thought
my piety did not come up to the ministerial standard,
and I had neither the confidence nor impudence to
warrant success as a lawyer, therefore the only al-
ternative was I must be a physician, which I resolved
to be.
I studied medicine with Dr. James Carter, of Gene-
va, and attended medical lectures in the city of New
York in the winter of 1827-8, and returned in the
spring to Geneva, with just six cents capital in my
pocket with which to start in business.
In Januaiy, 1820, I located for practice in the vil-
lage of Alloway, in the town of Lyons. There, with
a capital all borrowed, except the aforesaid six cents
which I had not encroached upon, did I start out
with saddle bags well filled, full of confidence of
success. I stuck up my tin and was ready for
business.
It was in the healthy season of the year, and no-
body would get sick to accommodate- me, or test the
efficiency of my drugs, or my ability in prescribing
them. And it was even more than hinted that the
blues were lurking about me.
But at length by patient industry I eventually ac-
quired a good and lucrative practice as a physician,
and how well I have acquitted myself in my profes-
sion, and in such other business as I have been en-
gaged in, I leave for others to decide.
I had not physical stamina sufficient to enable me
to enter the wilderness and lay low its primeval for-
ests, supplant the ferocious bears, and prowling and
howling wolves, — or to build log houses, ami occupy
them,— therefore I am scarcely entitled to have my
name enrolled among the real settlers and early pio-
neers of Orleans county fifty years ago. my onl\
claim being that 1 swung the ax in my boyhood days
362 PIONEER HISTORY
in Ontario county, and also that I have cleared som<
land by proxy in Orleans count}-.
October 3d, 1831, I married a daughter of Henry
Howard, of Alloway, Wayne county, N. Y. I car-
ried on my professional business in connexion with
merchandising, until in 1844, I removed to Alexander,
Genesee county, and in February, 1845, I moved to
Knowlesville, on the farm on which I now reside.
Here I have practiced medicine but little, keeping a
drug and book store, and superintending my farm.
My wife died April 8th, 1847, and I married for a
second wife. Mrs. Eliza Ann Brown, August 12th,
1858.
I have failed to get rich, being too timid to make
airy bold and great business strikes, having too great
a development of the organ of cautiousness to
secure the avails of any great far-reaching enter
prise.
To sum up the events of 1113* history in short, in my
boyhood I was a farmer, then a teacher, then a clerk.
m'xt a student of medicine, after that a doctor, then
a merchant.
T have run an ashery and a distillery, for which lat-
ter business I trust I am now sufficiently penitent. I
have kept a drug and book store, and am now living
quietly on my farm in Knowlesville.
LYSANDER C. GROVER."
Knowlesville, January 21, 1867.
EDWIN 1'. 1IEALY.
,v My father moved from Massachusetts to Mareei-
lns, N. Y. in 1805.
T was born in Marcellus, Onondaga county, N". Y.,
April 14th, 1812, and was brought up at labor on my
fathers farm until I became a man.
I taught school four years, then studied med-
icine, and graduated in my profession in 1887,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 3b3
and settled to practice in Cortlandville, N. Y. In
1838 I was married to Miss Maria Thomas, of Skane-
atelas, and began housekeeping immediately.
I practiced my profession eighteen years, then from
failing health was compelled to abandon the practice
of medicine and removed to Medina, N. Y., in I80G,
and engaged in the business of selling drugs and
medicines, which I still follow.
EDWIN P. HEALY."
Medina, April, 1867.
MILO COON.
Milo Coon was born in DeRuyter, X. Y., Novem-
ber 4th, 1799.
His father, Hezekiah Coon, was a native of Rhode
Island. He came to Ridgeway in 1809, and took an
article for one hundred acres of land one mile east of
Ridgeway Corners, upon which he moved with his
family September 29th, 1811.
When he settled here his neighbors were Ezra I >.
Barnes, Israel Douglass and Seymour Murdock.
Milo Coon married Edith L. AVillets. August Hist.
1823.
PETER HOAG.
Peter Hoag was born at Independence, New Jer-
sey, December 3d, 1794.
In 1804 he came with his family to Farmington.
Ontario county, 1ST. Y. From that time until Octo-
ber, 1815, he labored on a farm, or went to school, or
kepi school. In October, 1815, he took up a lot of
land in Ridgeway and built a log house on it, into
which he moved his family in March, 181G.
About the year 1838 he disposed of his lot, bought
part of lot nineteen, township fifteen, range three, on
which he resides with his son Lewis.
Mr. Hoag married Hannah Vanduser, March 15th,
1815. She' died August 18th, 1831.
364 PIONEER HISTORY
He married Maria Douglass, January 5th, 1832.
She died March 20th, 1866.
His children are Mary, who died in infancy. Zach-
ariah married Maria Temple, and resides in Michi-
gan. James, who married Elizabeth Slade, resides
in Kendall. Ransom, who married Melvina Porter,
resides in Medina. Mary, who married Sylvester
Gillett, resides in Bergen. Lyman died in infancy.
William L., who married Clara Bigford, resides in
Wisconsin. Charles Henry, who married Minerva
Powers, resides in Wayne county, N. Y., and Lewis
II., who married Sarah Hoag, and resides on his pa-
ternal homestead.
DAVID HOOD.
"I was born in the town of Tarbot, Pennsjdvania,
August 2d, 1794.
In 1797 my parents removed to Seneca, K". Y., town
of Romulus. We had many hardships and priva-
tions to endure, the country being new and we so far
from school and religious meetings. Our land was
heavily timbered and required a great deal of hard
work to get it in a condition to till. We had to go
ten miles to mill.
I went to school after I was nine or ten years
old, what I could, and worked on the farm summers
until in September, 1813, I was drafted for a soldier,
being then nineteen years old, and went to Fort
George, in Canada, which had been taken by our for-
ces in the spring before.
I was three months in the army, and was then dis-
charged.
I continued with my parents until 1 816, when I came
to the town of Ridgeway and worked one summer for
a brother of mine who had located one mile south of
Knowlesville. The next spring I bought an article
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 365
for one hundred and nineteen acres of land, upon
which I went to work clearing.
The title to the farm on which my father had re-
sided and labored for twenty years in Seneca county
proved bad and he was compelled to abandon it,
leaving him almost penniless, and he came to the town
of Shelby and began again anew.
I built a house on my land in Ridgeway, in Octo-
ber, 1818.
In May, 1810, I was married to Miss Elizabeth
Burroughs, daughter of David Burroughs, of Shelby,
and in June alter, we moved into my house upon my
farm, on which farm I have resided now forty-seven
years.
I worked my farm and my wife took good care of
things about the house, and so we prospered as well
as any of our neighbors. I built my first barn in
1820.
Presbyterian churches were organized at Oak Or-
chard Creek, and at Millville at an early day. In
the year 1831 a Church ediiice was erected by the
Presbyterians at Knowlesville.
During these years so long ago, although our labor
was hard and fatiguing, yet we performed it with
cheerfulness and in hope. Our neighbors knew no
broils, families were all peaceful and friendly with
each other, kind and attentive in sickness, even unto
death.
Thus we toiled on from year to year, th< ' f< >r< 'st gradu-
ally retiring before us, and giving place to fruitful
fields, and gardens, and orchards, yielding a gene-
rous reward for our labors.
I built a new house which I finished in 1835, but
our old log house was like a sacred spot, cherished
in our memories.
Since occupying my present residence 1 have seen
the present wilderness exchanged for cultivated
366 PIONEER HI8TOEY
land, filled with the habitations of industry. I have
witnessed the introduction into onr county of those
great works of improvement, the Erie Canal, the
Railroad, and the Electric Telegraph, and now, in
the evening of my days, I am enjoying a competence
of this world' s goods for my comfort, expecting soon
to pass over the ' river,' where I hope to meet not
only the pioneers of the woods here, but all who are
here 'seeking a better country,'
DAVID HOOD."
Rklgeway, January, 180o.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE VILLAGE OK MEDINA.
Saw Mill by Land Company— Evan's Grist Mill— Canal Feeder— Nix-
on's Brewery — Coan's Store — First Tavern — First Merchants — Phy-
sician— Attorney — Quarries — Justus Ingersoll — Baptist Meeting
House.
r HE territory included in the village of Medi-
' irl&k na was mamly covered with forest trees when
W#p work was begun here on the Erie canal.
Mr. Joseph Ellicott had, at an early day, located a
large tract of land here of the Holland Land Compa-
ny, including the rapids in the Oak Orchard Creek,
but settlement was commenced at Shelby Center, no-
body at that time expecting a village would grow np
here.
Mr. Samuel F. Gear built a sawmill for the Hol-
land Company or Mr. Ellicott, on the falls in the Oak
Orchard Creek, in Medina, about the year 1805, and
about the same time the Salt Works were established
at the brine springs, north of the village. This mill
was a cheaply constructed affair. No roads leading
to it were made, and before the war of 1812, few set-
tlers located here. They could not get their logs
to the mill for the distance and bad roads. The mill
was hot kept in repair and soon tumbled into
ruins.
Mr. Ellicott rented out the salt works, but working
them was impracticable, and not much salt was made
there until the springs came into possession of Isaac
Bennett in 1818.
308 PIONEEK IIIST0KY
Mr. Sylvanus Coan opened the first store in 1824,
before the canal was finished, and some small estab-
lishments for selling goods to those working on the
canal soon followed, but the opening of navigation
was the signal for commencing the improvement of
the water power on the Creek and building np the
town.
In May. 1825, David E. Evans laid the foundations
of his large flouring mill, afterwards owned by Wil-
liam R. Grwynn, standing on the race near the rail-
road.
This mill was built of stone, John Ryan master
mason, and finished in 1826. It was finally burned
in December, 1859.
The State of New York built a dam in the creek
at the time the canal was dug, and made a raceway
to carry the creek water into the canal, as a feeder.
This race proved too low for the purpose and was
abandoned.
In 1825 Mr. Evans made an arrangement with the
State, under which he raised a dam higher up the
stream, and connected this by a raceway to the
canal. Evans drew water from this raceway to turn
his mill, and sold water power to others to be drawn
from his race.
Joseph Nixon built a brewery here about the year
1827. After a few years it was turned into a distille-
ry, and malt liquors or whisky were made there for
several years.
This brewery was burned three times, and the site
is now occupied by Bignall & Co. as a foundry.
Uri D. Moore kept the first hotel, on Shelby St.,
in 1824.
Ashael Wooodruff and brother were merchants
here in 182G.
John Ryan, mason, settled here in 1827 ; Simeon
Downs, blacksmith, in 1825 ; Dr. Rumsey,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 369
the first regular physician, in 1827. Dr. Lathrop fol-
lowed soon after.
The first attorney was Nathan Sawyer. The first
carpenter, Samuel P. (rear. The first iron founder
was Simeon Bathgate.
The postofiice was established in Medina in -1829,
and Justus Ingersol] was the first postmaster.
David Ford and John Parsons were tinsmiths.
Otis Turner,and Chase and Britt were grocers. Clark
and Fairman were early merchants.
The first fire company was organized August 16th,
1832.
The first bell in a steeple was raised on the Presby
terian Church in 1836.
This was the first bell in the village, and the only
church bell between Albion and Lockport for several
years. It was rung a number of times every day to
regulate the hours of labor and rest of the inhabi-
tants.
A town clock was afterwards procured and placed
in the steeple of the Methodist Church, to serve in the
place of so much bell ringing. The clock proving a
poor machine was soon given up.
Justus Ingersoll, who had been a tanner in Shelby,
moved to Medina in 1826, and built a large brick
building for a tannery west of the creek, near the
the canal.
This was afterwards converted into a flouring mill,
and burned December, 1858.
Mr. Ingersoll was justice of the peace, postmaster,
Indian agent and Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas of the county, and an active man in village
affairs.
The first religions society organized in Medina w;^
the Episcopalian.
"St. John's Church in Medina," tiled a certificate
24
370 PIONEEK HISTORY
of incorporation in the county clerk's office under
that name November 12th, 1827.
Rev. Richard Salmon, missionary, was then in
charge.
Bishop Hobart held the first Episcopal service by a
Bishop in Orleans county, in this church Septem-
ber 7th, 1828.
The corporate officers of the church for its first
.year were Justus Ingersoll and Richard Yan Dyke,
Wardens.
Christopher Whaley, Elijah Beech, John B. Elli-
cott, Joseph Nixon, Henry Yerrington, Benjamin W.
Van Dyke, Jonas S. Billings and Hezekiah R. War-
ner, Vestrymen.
Mr. David E. Evans gave the church a piece of
land on which to erect their church edifice, the foun-
dations of which were laid in 1801.
The first religious services were held in this build-
ing, in the basement, on Christmas Eve, 1832.
Joshua M. Rogers was the minister.
The house was finished, and consecrated by Bishop
Onderdonk, September 30th, 1836, where it now
stands, on Center street.
The Methodists hied a certificate to incorporate a
society 1>3~ name of "The first Methodist Episcopal
Society in Medina," October 1st, 1830.
They hied another certificate altering their name,
among other things, April 7th, 1834.
They commenced building their house of worshij)
of stone, in 1833. In raising the roof the timbers
gave way and eleven men fell in the ruins. No one
was killed, some bones were broken.
The basement of this house was finished and used
in 1834, but it was several years before the whole
house was completed.
This house was taken down and rebuilt in 1850,
and thoroughly repaired in 1809.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 371
The Baptists tiled a certificate to incorporate "The
First Baptist Church and Society in Medina," March
14th, 1831.
Their first house of worship was a building put up
for a "barn in the rear of the brick hotel, on the south-
west comer of Center and Shelby streets. This wa -
lathed and plastered and seated, and used for reli-
gious meetings until their first meeting house was
dedicated in the winter of 1832.
Their new church on the corner of West and Cen-
ter streets was commenced in the fall of 1870.
The Presbyterians built the first building desi
for religious worship in Medina, on the north side of
Cross, near the corner of West street.
Deacon Theophilus Cook commenced, alone and
unaided, getting out the timber fortius house. See
ing his zeal showing itself in faith and works, Mr.
Ephraim Scovill joined him in the work. Others fol-
lowed with their labor and contributions, till
a building about thirty by forty-live feet was
erected, in which the Presbyterians worshipped from
about 1830, to February 17th, 1836, when their new
church edifice was dedicated.
The first house was then used for school purposes
several years, when it was sold to the Roman Catho-
lics, who moved it upon the same lot with their
church, built an addition to it, and it is now their
school house.
The Presbyterian Church was organized with sev-
enteen members, March 19th, 1829.
The Presbyterian Society was incorporated Augusl
27th, 1831, by name of "The Trustees of the first
Society of the Congregational Church at Medina."
The first printing press in Medina was set up in
the fall of 1832, and the first newspaper called " Me-
dina Herald," published by D. P. Adams.
After the Erie canal was located and surveyed
372 PIONKKK HISTORY
through Medina, attention was called to this place as
the probable site of a village, and about the year
1823, Mr. Ebenezer Mix surveyed and laid out the
village for the proprietors and named it Medina.
Mr. John B. Ellicott, a relative of Joseph Ellicott,
was scut here by the proprietors to superintend then-
interests, as local agent.
Mr. Artemas Allen came to Medina in 1822, and
was the first mason who settled in the village. He
had charge as master mason in building the aqueduct
for the Erie canal on Oak Orchard Creek.
The stone for this work were mainly obtained from
the bank of the creek north of the canal. The re-
maining stone were from Shelby Center, or Claren-
don, and a few from Lockport.
Mr. Allen built a large brick tannery and dwelling
house for Justus Ingersoll, and a large stone build-
ing called the Eagle Hotel, which was burned some
years ago.
Mr. Allen claims he first discovered the quarry of
ilaging stone at Medina, got out the first flags, and
laid a number of rods of sidewalk in front of the
residence of David E. Evans in Batavia.
The stone from which the water lime used
on the aqueduct was made were obtained be-
tween Medina and Shelby Center, burned on log
heaps, and ground with an upright revolving
stone.
Mr. Artemas Allen removed to Coldwater, Michi-
gan, where he is now living.
The village of Medina was incorporated March 3dr
1832.
CHAPTER XXVI J.
THE VILLAGE OP KNOWLKSVILLE.
\Vm. Knowles, Founder and First Settler — First Clearing — First
Framed House— First Tavern — First "Warehouse — First Boat Load
of Wheat — First Ashery — First School House — Post Offict — First
Religious Society.
NOWLESVILLE, situate on the eastern
hounds of the town of Ridgeway, as at pres-
ent "bounded, owes its existence to the Erie
canal. When work was begun on the canal, but
two or three families had located on the ground now-
covered by the village.
Mr. William Knowles, the pioneer and founder of
the village, was the first settler. He took up from
the Land Company and settled upon lot three, town-
ship fifteen, range three, in the winter of 18lo.
Shortly after John Caniff took up one hundred
acres of the north part of Lot fifty-nine, in town-
ship fifteen, range three, adjoining Mr. Knowles' land
and east of it.
The first tree cut <»n the site of Knowlesville stood
where t lie residence of \l. P. Wood now stands, and
was felled in March, 1815. There Mr. Knowles built
the first log cabin, in which lie resided. He hired a
Mr. Hill to work for him in clearing land, and his
wife was their house-keeper. In course of that sea
son, L815, Mrs. Bill died, being the first person who
died in what is now Knowlesville.
The Erie canal was finished from Lockport to Roch-
ester a year or two before it was completed from
374 PIOKEEE HISTORY
Lockport to Buffalo ; but as this long level had to "be
fed mainly by water let into it from Genesee River,
it was impossible to raise the water in the western
part more than two or three feet deep : but even then
some little flat-bottomed boats were run through to
Rochester regularly to carry passengers and light
parcels, before the water was let in from lake Erie to
fill the canal.
In 1825 Mr. Knowles built the first framed house,
on the south side of the canal, and west side of Main
street, yet standing, in which he kept the first tavern
everal years. Afterwards he built the first brick
house erected, near the canal, and north from his old
tavern house, and kept a tavern some time there.
Mr. Knowles built the first warehouse in 1825, and
Mr. AVm. Van Dorn kept the first store in Knowles'
warehouse.
Nathan S. Wood opened the second store in
1825-6.
In 1827 Mr. Knowles bought twenty thousand
bushels of wheat at Knowlesville. The first boat he
loaded with this wheat is said to have been the first
boat load of grain shipped from Orleans county by
canal.
Moses Huxley kept the first grocery store on the
canal in 1825. Philo Dewey kept a grocery here in
L830.
The first tanner and shoemaker was Andrew
Betts.
The first blacksmith was Daniel Batty. The first
carpenter and joiner was Andrew Ryan.
Mr. Knowles built an ashery in 1816. He manu-
factured a little potash; afterwards, for about four
years, he used his works solely for making black
salts, which he sold to James Mather and others at
Gaines.
The first school house was built of logs in 1817,
OF CHILEANS COUNTY. 375
and stood a little north of where a "brick school house
was afterwards built, on the west side of the street,
north of the canal.
The post office was established here in 1826. It
became necessary to give the village and post office a •
name. The inhabitants met together and requested
Mr. Knowles to give the name, and he called it Port-
ville. It was afterwards ascertained that there was
already a postoffice in New York named Portville,
and the name was then changed to Knowlesville.
The Presbyterian Church was first organized after
the Congregational form, by Rev. Eleazer Fairbanks,
with eleven members, Aug. 27, 1817. In June, 1820,
it united with the Presbytery of Rochester, and
since then has been Presbyterian in its form of Gov-
ernment;
This was the first religious society organized in the
present town of Ridgeway, and as such received the
deed of the " Gospel Lot," so called, of one hundred
acres given by the Holland Land Company. The
first fourteen years of its existence its meetings for
worship were held in the school houses, and some-
times in the dwellings of its members in this part of
the town.
Their first public house of worship, now standing
in Knowlesville. was built of brick, and dedicated
in 1832.
The first Baptist me< ling house, and the first Meth-
odist meeting house, which was afterwards burned,
were erected in 1833.
The village of Oak Orchard, on the Ridge Road,
in Ridgeway, was the principal village in town be-
fore the Erie Canal was made. After the canal was
completed Oak Orchard began to decline, and
Knowlesville took the trade, population and busi-
ness.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE TOWN OF SHELBY.
Jo. Ellicott Locating Land — Ellicott'a Mills — Road from Oak Orchard
Road to Shelby — Salt Works Road — Anecdote of Luther Porter —
Col. A. A. Ellicott— Ball in Ellicott's Mill— Abner Hunt— Fiddler
llackett — First Physician — Post Office — Iron Foundry — Tannery —
Biographies of Early Settlers.
HELBY was set off from Ridgeway, March
6th, 1818, and was named in honor of Gover-
nor Shelby, of Kentucky.
In surveying the Holland Purchase for the propri-
etors, Mr. Joseph Ellicott noticed those tracts of land
that seemed to possess peculiar advantages, and lo-
cated some of the best for himself. The falls on the
Oak Orchard Creek attracted his attention as afford-
ing a good site for mills, and he laid off for himself
and purchased seven hundred acres of land here in
ft body, including this water power. At an early
day he located some of his relations here and fur-
nished means to begin a settlement and improve the
water power, and in the year 1812 he built a sawmill,
and in 1813 a gristmill, under the supervision of his
nephew, Col. Andrew A. Ellicott.
To facilitate the growth of this settlement, the Elli-
cotts, with the aid of the Holland Company, opened
the first highway from Shelby Center east to intersect
the Oak Orchard Road in Barre, and the Holland
Company built the Salt Works Road from the Brine
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 377
Springs. North of Medina, one branch of which led
south-west through Shelby, to the Lewiston Road.
The mills first built at Shelby Center were small,
coarse and clumsy affairs, which, when driven to
their utmost capacity for work, could not supply all
the wants of the settlers.
The little grist mill was generally crowded with
customers at all seasons of the year, some coming
many miles. And at seasons when the water was
low it could not do half the grinding required, and
grists sometimes lay weeks at the mill before they
were ground.
Late in the summer one year when the water was
Lowest in the creek, Luther Porter, of Barre, then a
boy fifteen years of age, was sent there, some ten
miles, to mill with two bags of grain, on horseback,
and told by his father to stay till he got his grist.
Arriving at the mill, Luther hitched his horse and
went in. He saw the mill full of bags, unground,
and a number of men waiting their turns, and con-
cluding at the rate things moved it was likely to be
several days before his turn would come, he resolved
to try a little strategy to get his meal sooner. Say-
ing nothing to anybody he unloaded his bags on
some lumber, and watching his oportunity when the
miller had put in a fresh grist and gone out to wait
upon his customers at a little grocery he carried on
near by in connexion with his mill, he carried his
bags into the mill, nobody seeing him, and set them
back in a retired place among the most dusty bags in
the mill, collected some mill dust and sifted it care-
fully over and about his bags and the place where
h" set them. This done, he waited the return of the
miller, and going to him asked very innocently if his
grist was ground i " When did you bring it here '"
said the miller. " Oh, a great while ago," Bays Lu-
ther.
878 PIONEER HISTORY
The miller had forgotten, said he would look. Lu
ther went and helped find the hags. The miller see-
ing the dust, said they had accidentally been over-
looked, but if he would put out his horse and stop
at his house he would try and put them through be-
fore the next morning.
Luther staid of course, the work was done, and by
daylight next morning lie started for home with his
meal.
' " Col. Andrew A. Ellicott was the patroon of Shelby
village. He is remembered for his many acts of
kindness to the new settlers, and especially for the in-
terest he took in the welfare of the Indians at Tona-
wanda. He was adopted into their nation, under the
Indian name of k'Kiawana," which means "a good
man." He often helped them to bread in seasons of
scarcity.
Col. Ellicott removed from Batavia with his fam-
ily to reside in Shelby, in 1817. He had been em-
ployed with his uncle, Joseph Ellicott, in surveying
the Holland Purchase.
He built a second grist mill at Shelby Center, or
Barnegat, as it was then called, about the year 1819.
Tt was afterwards burned. When this mill was fin-
ished it contained the largest and best floor for dan-
cing then in town, and the young people of Shelby
and vicinity used it for the first hall in town. It wae
several times afterwards used by dancing parties, a
man hy name of Hackett, who resided in Shell)}',
furnishing the music on a violin.
The young people' were very fond of dancing, and
got up parties to enjoy that amusement frequently
whenever they could find a floor, and whenever they
could secure the services of Hackett with his violin.
If he was not to be had they managed with such
other music as they could <^vi. and some of the old
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 379
people yet remember attending parties at an early
day in this neighborhood, and dancing right merrily
to the music of a Jewsharp.
Col. ■Ellicott died in September, 1830.
The first birth in Shelby was that of Asa Coon>
son of Alexander Coon, senior, February 14th,
j 811.
The first death was that of William Bennett. Oc-
tober 4th, 1812.
The first tavern was kept by Daniel Timmerman,
in 1816, and the first store by Christian Groff in
1818.
The first school was taught by Cornelius Ashton in
the winter of 1815-10.
In the winter of 1819, in order to get money to pay
his taxes, Abner Hunt threshed wheat for John Burt,
for every tenth bushel.
The work was done on the floor of a log barn ten by
eighteen feet and the chaff was separated
from the wheat with a hand fan made of boards.
Mr. Hunt carried his share of the wheat on his back
two miles, and sold it to Micah Harrington for twen-
ty-five cents a bushel.
The first regular physician who serried in Shelby
was Dr. Christopher Whaley, who came in 1819. Dr.
George Norton came soon after.
The first postoflice in town was at Shelby Center,
and the first postmaster was Colonel Andrew A. El-
licott.
John Van Brocklin built and carried on a small
iron foundry at Shelby Center, about 1821-2 which is
said to be the first iron foundry established in the
county of Orleans.
Justus EngersoU built and carried on a tannery in
Shelby about 1821.
380 PIONEER HISTORY
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
THE GREGORY FAMILY.
Among the old families in Orleans county, none are
better known or more favorably considered than the
Gregory family, of Shelby. Of Scotch descent,
Ralph Gregory removed from Fairfield, Vermont, to
Shelby, in 1816, where he followed the occupation of
a farmer and brought up his six sons to the same
calling.
Mr. Gregory, the father, died in 1837. His six sons
still survive and live in or near Shelby, except Philo,
who moved to Michigan ten 3rears ago.
Brought up in habits of industry and strict econo-
my, they have each acquired a competence of prop-
erty, and air enjoying a serene and quiet old age,
honored and respected by all who know them. It is
rare that so large a family of brothers live together
so long, and the Gregory Brothers may be referred
to for proof that in this good land of ours, perseve-
rance and - energy will achieve success, and health
and long life made happy will very surely be attained
by those who live worthy of such rewards. Ex-
tracts from the local history of two of the brothers
are as follows :
AMOS GREGORY.
"I am fourth son of 'Ralph Gregory, i was born
in Fairfield, Franklin county, Vermont, April 18th,
1796.
In the winter of 1817, my father with his family re-
moved to what is now Shelby, Orleans county, N. Y.
On that journey it fell to my lot to drive the team of
two yoke of Oxen attached to a wooden shod sled.
We were on the road from February 5th to April 3d,
making some stops, waiting for snow and to recruit.
The greatest distance traveled in any one day was
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 381
twenty miles, and that was on the ice on Lake Cham-
plain.
But in the closing up of our journey we were three
days getting from four or rive miles north of Batavia
to our stopping place. 1 married Betsey Wyman,
April 5th, 1818.
A.MOS GREGORY."
MATTHEW GREGORY.
"I was horn in Fairfield, Vermont. April 10, 1805.
being the youngest of seven sons." I was a cripple
in my feet and ankles from birth. 1 did not walk
until I was tour years old. My crippled condition
and my extraordinary birth, being a ' seventh son,'
occasioned my being called while a boy, 'doctor.'
This title was peculiarly annoying to me. This and
the drunkenness, profanity and infidelity which char-
acterized some of 'the faculty with whom I was early
acquainted, prejudiced my mind strongly against the
medical profession. I have lived to find honorable ex-
ceptions to this character among some of the profes-
sion I have since, known.
My only sister died before she was quite five years
old.
In the early part of September, 1815, there were
severe frosts destroying the crops before they had
matured. This so discouraged my two oldest broth-
ers, who then had families living a few miles distant
from each other, that they told 1113' father they were
done with Vermont, and had determined to seek their
fortunes in the west.
At their suggestion, and in order to keep his family
together, my father, then fifty years old, consented
to go with them, patriarch like, to seek for himself
and family 'a better country.' He accordingly took a
saddle horse and visited the Genesee country, and
spent some nix weeks in vewing the entire region,
882 PIONEER HISTORY
when lie returned home bringing in a favorable report
of the land.
This was hailed with joy by us all except my
mother, who was much attached to her old home.
Houses and lands, and everything else too cumber-
some to cany were disposed of, so that by the
first of February, 1S1G, we were on our way to the
far famed (ienessee.
Our caravan consisted of two four ox teams, each
attached to heavy wooden shod sleds, starting on the
nth, and a two horse team starting on the 6th. We
had good teams, but we had a tedious journey. The
most of the way the sleighing was bad. From White-
hall to near Auburn, our sleds had to be newly shod
every other morning, and from Auburn west we had
to mount our sleds on wheels.
After refreshing ourselves awhile with friends in
Grorham, Ontario county, we came on to Batavia and
there made another stop. It was now about the mid-
dle of March, and the younger boys went to work,
while my father and the two eldest of his sons went
out to look for land. The place where we stopped
was about four miles north from Batavia, and is now
called Dawes Corners.
My father located a farm for himself on Maple
Hidge, in Shelby, paying one hundred dollars for
his ' chance * on one hundred acres, and buying ar-
ticles of land in the vicinity for his sons.
On the third of April we again started'on our jour-
ney, and arrived at our new home near the close of
the third day, a short journey this last, but a very
wearisome one. I was then about thirteen years
old.
When we arrived at our future residence, we had
no shelter for men or beast. Orange Wells and Sam:
uel Wyman had located in that neighborhood in the
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 383
spring previous and made small improvements, and
built log houses.
Through the hospitality of Mr. Wells, we were
kindly sheltered for a week, by which time we had
built a cabin for ourselves.
Our oxen could very well live on browse, but our
liorses after standing one night tied to a brush
heap, looked so sorry that my father took them back
to Batavia.
We were all hap})}' when we got into our new
house, not a costly edifice like those dwellings of
some of our rich neighbors of the present day, but
made of rough unhewn logs, notched down together
at the corners, shingled with rough hemlock boards,
with joints broken and battened with slabs round
side up, the floor made of split basswood logs spotted
upon the sleepers, and flattened on the top, leaving
an open space at one end for the fire place on the
ground, the end of the floor planks affording a con-
venient seat for the children around the fire, in the
absence of chairs and sofas.
Our first work was to fell tree ; around our dwell-
ing, burn off the brush and logs, and enclose a patch
of land for a garden and a fruit nursery, my father
having brought a small bag of* apple seeds from Ver-
mont.
"We procured peach stones in Ontario county.
This was in the spring of 1816. Pour families had
wintered near our location, but on the opening of
spring neighbors came in frequently, and the forest
resounded with the sound of the woodman's ax and
the crash of falling lives.
Among the names of settlers who had located in
our neighborhood about the lime of which I have
spoken, I remember Elijah Bent, Alexander Coon,
Oliver R. Bennett, .lames Mason, Leonard Dresser,
Andrew Stevens, William Knowles, William 0. Tan-
384 PIONEEK HISTORY
ner, Josias Tanner, Elijah Foot, Peter Hoag, Stephen
Hill, Franklin Bennett, Micah Harrington, Daniel
Fuller, Daniel Timmenuan. William Dunlap and
Elizur Frary.
There was a will and indomitable courage enter-
tained on the part of the settlers, but it was exceed-
ingly difficult for them to obtain money for the com-
mon necessaries of life.
Mr. Hiel Brockway bought. a lot in this vicinity,
and sent on Mr. Calvin C. Phelps (now of Barre) to
chop, clear, and sow with wheat ten acres of land.
He boarded with Mr. Wells. To him Mr. Brockway
would send barrels of pork, Hour, and whisky, the
last of which was considered in those days about as
much of a necessary as pork or Hour, for him to sell
to the inhabitants.
This was a relief to many, and saved the buyers
much time in looking up their supplies and trans-
porting them home.
At oik1 time my father paid Mr. Phelps eleven dol-
lars for as much pork as he could carry away in a
peck measure. I don't recollect the number of
pounds.
At another time he paid Elijah Bent twenty-five
cents a pound for pork.
By the first of June in the year we came, we had driv-
en the woods back from the house in one direction
thirty or forty rods. The brush was burned oft* and
the ground planted with corn among the logs. This
was in 1816, known as ' the cold season,' when snow
fell in every month in the year but two, with frost
every month. Consequently we raised but little
corn, and even that was saved in an unmatured
condition. We were, however, with much care, able
to make passable meal from some of it.
The little wheat sown the fall before yielded boun-
OK ORLEANS < 0UNTY. 380
tifully, but the supply not being equal to the demand,
owing to the large emigration of people into the
country, scarcity and high prices prevailed before
the next harvest.
With so small a supply to be obtained, roads ho
new and rough, prices high, settlers poor, and their
best and almost: only means of conveyance an ox
team, it is no wonder much suffering and want pre-
vailed.
My father had one hbrse,and he assumed theoffice
of commissary of subsistence in part, for the whole
settlement, and acted as mill boy \'<>v the family.
He would ride about the country to find grain, some-
times getting a grist near Bata via, the next on the
Ridge Road, between home and Rochester. Not-
withstanding my father's faithful efforts, we would
sometimes come short for food, then our good mother
would put us on • hall' rations.'
At one time our supplies were completely exhaus-
ted. We had been expecting our father home all day,
with his bushel grist perhaps, but he did not come
and we went nearly supperless to bed, expecting he
would arrive before morning.
Morning came but father did not. We hoped he
would come soon, and took our axes and went to
work, but our axes were unusually heavy. Faint
and slow were the blows we struck that morning.
While we boys were trying to chop, mother sifted a
bag of bran we had and made a cake of the finest,
which she brought out to us during the forenoon.
"We ate this which stayed us up till noon, when lath. ;
came and brought us plenty to eat. such as \\ wan.
Variety was not to be had in those times.
In course of this season most of the lands near my
fathers were located by a hardy and energetic popu-
lation, mostly from New England.
By the fall most of the occupied farms had their
25
386 PIONEEE HISTORY
fallows, of from three to twenty acres in extent, ready
for sowing. This crop, though sowed among roots
and stumps of trees, produced a yield of from thirty
to fifty bushels per acre.
This bountiful return, together with a fair corn
crop, placed us above want and fully satisfied us
with the country we had adopted as our home. Pen-
ding this harvest there was great scarcity of provi-
sions, but neighbor lent to neighbor ; the half layer
of meat and loaf of bread was divided, while for
weeks many families subsisted on boiled potatoes
and milk, and such vegetables as the forest af-
forded.
When the earliest patches of wheat were cut and
threshed, there was no mill to grind nearer than
. There were mills on the Oak Orchard
Creek, bur they were of such construction there was
not water at that season sufficient to turn them.
Neighbors would join together and send a team to
Rochester to carry grists to mill for them all at
once.
[n many instances green wheat was boiled whole
and eaten with milk. I ate of it and thought it good.
The products of this harvest exceeded the wants of
the producers for their bread, and as we had no high-
ways on which we could send our grain to market,
we were restricted in our sales mainly to new comers
who had not time to raise a crop. A bushel of wheat
was the price of a day's work of a man, and he was
considered lucky who had an opportunity to sell
wheat for money, at even a low price.
On the first day of July, 1817, wheat was worth
two dollars and fifty cents a bushel in Orleans coun-
ty, and in the winter next after farmers drew their
wheat to Rochester with ox teams, a journey round
taking three daya or more, and sold it for from twen-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 387
ty-five to thirty-one cents a bushel in money, and we
felt that was better than to go home hungry.
In consequence of my lameness my parents did
not design that I should be a farmer, but Providence
seemed to order otherwise. My privileges and means
for obtaining an education wen1 limited, and to the
business of felling the forest, clearing land, and reap-
ing the harvest I became much attached, so that even
to the present day, the ax and the sickle are my fa-
vorite tools.
At one time I came near entering as clerk in a drug
store, but the proprietor proved to be a worthless
character, broke down and ran away. No other
business appearing to offer for me, I accepted the
occupation of a farmer, which I have followed ever
since, now residing on the homestead of ray father.
The first school taught in our neighborhood was
by Miss Caroline Puller, of Batavia, in the summer
of 1817. The next winter we had a full school taught
by Mr. J. N. Frost, of Riga. I taught school myself
two terms before I was twenty-one years old. When
I was twenty-one years old I was elected constable,
which office I held three years in succession. Since
then I have held a few offices both in town and
county, but never depended upon the fees of office
for my support.
I was married April 20th, 1828. to Mary A Potter,
daughter of Wm. C. Potter, of Shelby.
My mother died April 4th, 1832, aged G.~> years,
and my father died April 20th, 1837, aged seventy
two years.
My father was a local preacher of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and in connexion with Rev. .las.
Carpenter, of the Baptist denomination, he labored
faithfully to plant and foster the principles of evan-
gelical truth in the minds of a people otherwise most-
ly destitute of religious instruction.
388 PIONEER HISTORY
I have been connected with the temperance ♦organi-
zations of all sorts that have been established here ii>
the last thirty years.
At the age of eighteen years I was led to embrace
the Savior of the world as my Savior, and from that
time through much un worthiness, I have "been en-
deavoring to hold on my way, trusting that the merits
<>f Christ will avail for my short comings.
.MATTHEW GREGORY."
Millville, January, 1863.
DAVID DEMARA.
David Demara was born in Albany county, Octo
ber 26th, 1808, and removed with his father's family
to Shelby, in 1811. His father first located in the
woods two miles from any house, built a log house
fourteen by sixteen feet, covered it with bark and
moved into it, without floors, doors, or windows,,
lie left the county in 1813, on account of the war,
and returned in 1815.
David Demara married Maria Upham, April 12th,
18:57. She was born in Ward, Massachusetts, March*
29th, 1814.
ABRAM niOELMAN.
" 1 was born March 10th, 1800, in Manheim, Mont-
gomery county, N. Y.
In January, 1817, I removed with my father's fam-
ily to Ridge way, Orleans county. We built a log
house and moved into it in the month of March,
While building our house, and just previous to put-
ting on the roof, a large tree fell upon the building,
and cost us much labor to remove it and repair
damages.
Cornelius Ashton and John Timmerman had set-
tled within half a mile of my father's location when-
we came in.
OF ORLKAXS COUNTY. 889
My fathers family consisted of ray father and
mother and ten children. When he moved here, he
was to all intents and purposes, poor. 1 do not
think, besides a pair of old ordinary horses and a
■ cow, my father could boast he was worth other prop-
erty worth fifty dollars. I worked out to hoi]) sup-
port the family until I was twenty-one years of
:age.
I married Miss Lncinda Michael in 1824. My
father, Henry Bidelman, died in 1860, aged eighty -
two years.
In March, 1818, snow fell about two feet deep; next
day it thawed, and a frost following made a hard
crust on the snow. On this James Woodward and
sinyself resolved to have a day hunting deer. We made
snow shoes from a seasoned board, which enabled us
»to walk on the crust with ease. We were attended by
a small dog, and armed each with a common pocket
knife. We soon started a line buck from his browse
in a fallen tree top, the dog gave chase, and after a
few bounds, in which the deer broke through the crust
to the ground, he stood at bay. We rushed upon
the deer with our knives and cut his throat. We
.soon started another deer, which we killed in the
same manner. So we brought in two deer in about
an hour. Our success so animated George Holsen
burgh, a neighbor, that he joined us in another hunt.
In our second hunt we had not gone far into the woods
before we started as large a buck as I ever saw. The
•dog soon brought him to a, bay. Holsenburgh, who
was a quick, athletic man. rushed up to the head of
the deer with intent to seize his horns, when he re-
ceived a blow from the fore foot of the animal which
laid open his clothing from his chin down, as if cut
by a knife. The hoof took the skin off upon his
breast, and left a visible mark down his body. Hol-
senburgh was terribly alarmed at this change in at-
390 PIONEER HISTORY
lairs. He turned pale, and retired from the contest
he was so prompt to commence. Woodward and
myself went to the rescue, and quickly despatched
the deer as we had done the others. Our friend Hol-
senburgh had had sufficient experience of that kind
of deer hunting to satisfy him, and we went in with
our game. Woodward and myself went out again
the third time and brought in two more deer, making
live in all killed by us in one day.
In March, 1822, I helped the contractor who had
taken a section of canal to dig where Medina now
stands, build a log cabin. We cut our trees for the
building on the ground now the site of the village.
We finished our cabin in live and a half days. I
then engaged to work for the contractor half a month
for six dollars and fifty cents and be boarded. Our
work was, digging forth*1 canal. The first two days
we had fifteen hands, and the third day about.
fifty. We were allowed a liquor ration. Mr. Eggles-
ton, the contractor, brought in on an ox cart from
Rochester, three barrels of whisky among other
stores to use on his job. Of this each man was al-
lowed one gill a da}-.
At this time I was unacquainted with the nature of
whisky, and I with the others, drank my first al-
lowance. I will not here attempt to de-
scribe its effects. Suffice it to say, it was the first
and last liquor ration I ever drank. I sold the re-
mainder of my whisky rations to those who were fa-
miliar with their use, at three cents each.
In the year 1828 I built for myself a log house
twenty feet square, into which I moved my family,
having but one room which Ave used for kitchen and
parlor, dining room, bedroom, &c. Our furniture
was such as pioneer farmers in this country usually
posssessrd, viz.: a loom, quill wheel and swifts,
great wheel and little wheel for spinning, necessary
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 391
bedding, seven chairs, a. tabic and a cradle, with a
few exceedingly plain culinary utensils, which
indispensible to our comfort.
For many years my wife manufactured our i l< th-
ing, both woolen and linen, wove our own <
lets and blankets, and hundreds of 3 ; our
neighbors.
Shelby, October, "
Mr. Abram Bidelman died June 8th, U
JOTHAM MORSE.
lt I was born in Providenc y, N.
Y., Juno 14th, 1793.
I was married to Dorcas Ferris, Augn
I hired a man to move me to Ridgeway, agreein :
pay him forty dollars for it. Our outfit con:
good team of horses and wagon,
snow then. My family consisted 1 i\ my
\. :. and two children.
After we n two or three days on the road,
a 'thaw' came that compelled as to stop a
The earth then became frozen and we went to Palmy-
ra, when one horse gave out. I bought ano
Hat :;• watch, .
a pair of boots, for thirty -two dollars, and
note for Vac thirteen dollars, and s\
leans went on to Rochester, which then < 1I3
of a few log buildings, one of which w • tavern
where we stopped. On examining here ! found our
only Led had been stolen. 1 a found it
pawn Imyra by the thief and h
dollars and a half to gel It again. We
Ridge Road to Wesi G-aines, where we found an
<Mii])t and moved into it. 1 went to Batavia
throu, y and procured an article of a pi< ce of
land west of Eagle Harbor, and returned in one day
392 PIOKTEEE HISTORY
as far as Millville. It. snowed hard all that day, and
I think I did a good day's work, traveling so far
through the woods on foot. I acknowledge my steps
were some hurried by seeing tracks of wolves in the
snow, and seeing some evidences of a bloody encoun-
ter they had had.
i bought a three year old heifer and paid for her
chopping three acres of timber, and fitting it for log-
ging, going three miles to the place where I did my
work.
In time of haying and harvest 1 walked to Palmyra
and worked there three weeks to buy pork and
wheat for m\ family. The next fall I moved into a
log house 1 had built, and felt at home. The next
year I had a little trial such as was common to pio-
neer settlers in those days. It was before harvest.
My cow had lost her bell, and had been gone in the
woods eight days. We were destitute of provisions,
except a small piece of bread, some sugar, and some
vinegar. 1 went to the nearest place where Hour was
sold and could get none. On my return we gave the
last morsel of bread to our children. I picked some
potato tops which my wife boiled and we ate, dress-
ing them with vinegar. Our empty stomachs would
not retain this diet. We speedily vomited them up
and retired supperless to bed. Early next morning
I arose and went to my neighbors a .mile away, and
they divided their small store of Hour with me. I
carried it home and my wife speedily salted some
water and made some pudding, which we ate with
maple sugar, and this seemed to me to be truly the
best meal of victuals I ever ate. I felt, even in this
straight, the words of Solomon to be true: "Better
is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox
and contention therewith.11
Another incident. Myself and immediate neigh-
bors were destitute i >f Hour. I had money which I had
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 393
taken in exchange of land, so a neighbor took me
with his team and wagon to Hanford's Landing, al
the month of Genesee river, to purchase flour. I bought
six barrels of flour and one barrel of salt and took
out my money to pay for it. Mr. Banford, the man
of whom I had made my purchase, divided the money
I handed him into piles of about thirty-six dollars
in each pile, after doing which L was astonished to
hear him accuse me, in an angry tone, of being a
dealer in counterfeit money, and to learn that lie had
condemned about one-half of what I had paid him.
lie ordered a man in his employ to go immediaterj
to Rochester and procure a precept for my arrest. I
felt alarmed, and that i was in trouble, i knew noi
what to do, but God, who is ever watchful over those
who put their trust in Him, was with me. While
things were growing more threatening, a gentleman
whom I had never seen but once before came up, and
after learning the facts, strongly condemned Mr. Han-
ford's course. The money was again examined, and
only about nineteen dollars found bad. This was re-
placed by current funds, and we were then allowed
to return to our homes in peace.
This supply carried the settlement through until
harvest, and by the blessing of Heaven and our own
industry and economy, we have been saved from
such destitution until the present time.
1 have seen the wilderness disappear, and beauty
and civilization spring up in its place around me. I
have, in common with mankind, drank of the cup of
affliction, perhaps more deeply than many others.
I have been called to mourn over the graves of two
loved companions and four children, from a family of
fourteen.
1 now reside with mv third wife, in West Shelby,
and preach every Sunday at tin.' Christian Church in
394 PIONEER HISTORY
Barre, N. Y., where I have labored in the ministry,
more or less, for fifty years.
JOTHAM MORSE."
West Shelby, May. 1868.
DAVID BURROUGHS.
David Burroughs was born near Trenton, New Jer-
sey, and died in the town of Shelby, Orleans Co.,
N. Y., in 1822, aged 40 years.
Mr. Burroughs removed to Ovid, Seneca county,
about the. year 1798, where he resided, working a
farm and keeping hotel until the year 1818, when he
removed to Shelby, and settled on a farm about two
miles south-west from Shelby Center.
Mr. Burroughs took first rank among his towns-
men for his capacity and intelligence. He was the
first Supervisor of Shelby, while it belonged to Gen-
esee county, and was appointed justice of the peace
about the year 1820, an office lie held till his death.
He was a member of the Convention that framed the
Constitution for the State in the year 1821 . He took
an article of his farm from' the Holland Company a
year or two before he moved his family to Shelby.
He had a few acres cleared and a log hoes;1 built,
ready for his family when they came in. He left
two sons, I. K. Burroughs, formerly a merchant and
business man in Medina, where he now resides,
and Hon. Silas M. Burroughs, who began life for
himself as a merchant. He afterwards abandoned
merchandise for the practice of law. He represented
the county of Orleans four years in the lower House,
in the legislature of the State, and was twice elected
member of Congress, and died before the end of his
second term. He also resided in Medina.
DARIUS SOUTHWORTH.
Darms Southworth was born in Palmyra, N". Y.,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 395
March 18th, 1800. He worked some at the trade of a
carpenter while a minor, "but since the year 1825, he
has made that his principal business.
He married Mercy Mason, daughter of James
Mason, of Millville, in Shelby, where he lias ev,er
since resided. They have four children, Elvira A.,
Albert, Dexter L., and George J. IT., all now liv-
m:\vmax CURTIS.
Newman Curtis was born in Dalton, Massachu-
setts, September 9th, 1797.
He married Maria Van Bergen, ofKattskill, N. Y.,
June 9th, 1818. In September, 1824, he settled on a
farm in Shelby, one mile south of Millville. Mr.
Curtis had fourteen children, eight sons and six
daughters, all of whom lived to become men and wo-
men, and all of whom : (heir education at
Millville Academy.
In 1854 Mr. Curtis sold his farm in Shelby and re
d to the town of Independence, in Iowa, where
he purchased two hundred and fifty acres for his own
farm, and located a large quantity of wild land of
the Government, for his children. Mr. Curtis became
wealthy from the rise in the value of these !.
and the practice of industry and economy, lie died
in the year 1858. His widow and twelve children
survived him.
[IORATIO ■■-. ii :.V. E8.
Horatio N. Hewe b Lby in the year
1825, as ;: partner in business with L. A. (<'. B.
Grant. He was engaged in sellii Is, running
mills, and dealing in produce with Mr. Granl
some y*'ars. and after thai became a large contractor
to do public work, and had large jobs of work on
the Erie canal, lie removed to Medina to reside
396 PI0OT3EE niSTORY
about the year 1854, where he died June 17th,
1862.
He was an energetic business man, and was exten-
sively known in this part of the State. He married
a daughter of Col. A. A. Ellicott.
LATH ROP A. <;. B. GRANT.
Lathrop A. G. B. Grant settled in Shelby about
the year 1824, as a merchant. He married a daugh-
ter of Col. A. A. Ellicott.
Mr. Grant gradually extended his business opera-
tions, and at length became a large dealer in farmer's
produce
About the year 18ol he built the large stone mills
at Shelby Center, and run them for a time. He was
an active and influential man in public affairs of his
town and county, and was the representative of Or-
leans county in the State legislature in 1826, being
the first member elected after the county was organ-
ized.
Twelve or fifteen years ago he sold out his property
in Shelby, and removed to Oswego, N. Y., where lie
has since resided engaged in extensive business.
ANDKKW A. ELLICOTT.
Andrew A. Ellicott was born in Lancaster, Penn-
sylvania.
He married Sarah A. Williams, of Elizabethtown,
New Jersey. He came to Batavia in May, 1803.
In July, 1817, he removed to Shelby, Orleans coun-
ty, where his uncle, Joseph Ellicott, had given him
eight hundred acres of land, which included the
water power at Shelby Center. He settled at Shelby
Center, where he built mills, officiated as justice of
the peace, and postmaster, lb' Avas the first post-
master in that town.
His influence with his wealthy and numerous fani-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 397
ly connexions, his own benevolence and disposition
to aid such as needed help, which he always be-
stowed liberally when he had opportunity, en-
deared him to the pioneers in Shelby, and contribu-
ted much towards inducing settlements to be made
there.
He died September 7th, L839. Eis wife died Au
gust 20th, 1850. His daughter Sarah, widow of the
late Horatio N". Hewes, resides in Medina.
ALEXANDER COON.
Alexander Coon was the first, or among the first
settlers in Shelby. He came from Rensselaer county,
1ST. Y., and located about two miles west of Shelby
Center, in 1810.
In a statement furnished by Mr. Alexander Coon,
Jr., for Turner's History of the Holland Purchase,
he says :
"My father's family left tin* Lewiston Road at
Walsworths, and arriving upon our land, four crotch-
es were set in the ground, sticks laid across, the whole
covered with elm bark, making a, sleeping place.
The cooking was done in the open air. A very com-
fortable log house was then built in rive days, with-
out boards, nails, or shingles. Our cattle were fed
the first winter on browse, the next winter on brow\se
and cornstalks.
Our nearest neighbor south, was Walsworth ; west,
the nearest was in Hartland ; north, one family on
the Ridge Road."
Mr. Alexander Coon, senior, left several sons, and
the family became among the most respectable in the
community.
Alexander Coon, Jr., was afterward a prominent
public man, well and favorably known in the affairs
of his town and county. For eleven years he rep-
resented the town of Shelby in the Board of Super-
398 PIONEEK HISTORY
visors of Orleans county, — a longer time than any
other man ever served as a member of that Board.
He also held many other town offices. He said when
he was collector of taxes in Shelby, he had a tax of
less' than a dollar against a man who, to pay it,
made black salts, drew them to Gaines on a hand-
sled, and sold them for the money.
JACOB A. ZIMMERMAN.
Jacob A. Zimmerman was born inManheim, 1ST. Y.,
August 23d, 1795.
In 1817 he came to Shelby with John B. Snell, who
moved from the same town.
In the summer of 1817, he married Nancy Snell.
hi the spring of 1819, they commenced keeping-
house in Shelby, on the farm the}" ever afterwards
occupied.
Mr. Zimmerman says :
"I made a table. We had no chairs. I made
three stools, two for ourselves and one for company.
Our window lights were white paper ; no window
glass could be had here then. Our cooking utensils
were a four quart kettle, and a black earthen teapot,
I gave a dollar for six cast iron knives and forks and
six cups and saucers, which completed our eating
tools.
Times were very hard. I was eleven months with-
out a sixpence in money ; two months without any
shoes. When we saw shoes tied up with bark we
called them half worn out. I gave live bushels of
wheat for a pair of pooi\, coarse shoes, made of flank
leather.
In 1821 my log house was burned. The neighbors
halpad ma build aaDbli3r liDUSi, arid in two
weeks after the lire we moved to the new house. In
November, 1826, I had bought and paid for eighty-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 399
seven acres of land. I afterwards increased my farm
to one hundred sixteen acres."
Mr. Zimmerman's children are Morris, married
Phebe Bent ; Eleanor, unmarried; Gilbert, married
Janette Sanderson ; John A., married, Mary Powers;
Ai -villa, married Egbert B. Simonds ; and Andrew L.,
married Jennie Bartsom. Jacob A. Zimmerman, died
December 6th, 1864.
JOHN GBINNELL.
John Grrinnell was born in Edinburgh, Saratoga
Count}-, December 4th, 1796.
His father, Josiah Grinnell, was a native of Rhode
Island. J If settled in Saratoga county and removed
from there to Oneida county, where he died.
John Grrinnell purchased a farm in Barre, in 1820,
on which in the fall of that year he built a log
house into which he moved in April, 1821. He cleared
his farm and resided there till 1854, when he moved
to Shelb}-.
He was three times married. First, to Roxana
Kirkham; second, to Lucy Babcock ; she died Janu-
ary 25th, 1846 ; third, to Mrs. Julia Ann Abbott, Oo-
tober 27th, 18-17.
His children, Gyrene and Daniel, are dead. Paul,
married Sarah Butler ; Peter, married Eliza Berry ;
Lyman, married Leonora Hooker; Andrew J., mar-
ried Mary Hodman ; J. Wesley, married Alice
Haines ; Mahala, married William J. Caldwell ;
Harley, married Maria Kelsey ; John Jr., married
Margaret Hoot ; Ella J., married Frederick Hop-
kins.
His brothers, Ezra, Major and Amos, and his sis-
ters, Betsey, wife of Alanson Tinkham; Eliza, wife
of William Tyler; Chloe, wife of Kelly Tinkham,
and Anna, wife of Weston Wetherby, all settled
400 PIONEER HISTORY
in Orleans county soon after Mr. John Grinneli
came in.
These families so early settled here, have been
prosperous in business. Being upright in purpose,
and honorable in character, they have become
among the most respected families in the county.
CHAPTER XXIX.
I ill. mv. \ Ol S \Ti.S.
Formerly called Northton— George Houseman — Discouragement to
Early Settlement— First Deed — Tappan's Tavern — Liquor Sold—
First .Marriage — First Death — First Store — First Sawmill — Bear
Story — Preserved Greenman — Anecdotes of lirst Justice — Yates?
Center— First Post Office— Peter Saxe— Names of First Settler"
along Range Line Road— Village of Lyndonville — Biographies Gi
Early Settlers.
^'•)
ATES was formed from Ridgeway, Aprj L7,
1822, by the name of Nortliton. The next
year the name was changed to Yates, in
honor <>1* Governor Yates.
George Eouseman, from .Adams, Jefferson county,
came into this town and settled in 1809. John Eaton
came in 1810.
Very few settlers cam.' in before or during the wai
of L812. The extreme difficulty of getting farm pro-
duce to a market, and the prospect that such a diffi
culty would long exist, from the locality, discouraged
emigrants from stopping here, and little land was
taken before L817.
Persons coming to this County to look for a plac<
for their home, generally sought a locality in the vi
cinity of neighbors, where roads wrere opened, and
where the social enjoyments <W human life could in
some degree !>•• realized. Ir required considerable
heroism for a man to .no back five or eight miles from
any settlement into the thick, heavy forest, and begin
with the intention there to clear for himself a
farm.
402 PIONEER illSTOKY
A few hardy resolute men located in Yates, re-
gardless of every discouragement, but no considera-
ble settlement was effected until after the cold season
of 1816-17, when the country rapidly filled up with
settlers.
The first deed of land given by the Holland Land
Company, in this town, was to Preserved Greenman,
June 18th, 1810. Almost the whole of this town was
deeded by the Holland Company between the years
1831 and 1835.
The first tavern was kept by Samuel Tap pan, at
Yates Center, in the year 1825. The population of
the town at that time was less than eight hundred,
yet Judge Tappan, in a biographical sketch of him-
self, says :
"In the thirteen months in which 1 kept this
tavern, T retailed fifty -three barrels of spiritous li-
quors."
The first marriage in town was that of George
Houseman, Jr., and Sally Covert, in 1817. The first
death that of Mrs. George Houseman, senior, De-
cember, 1813.
The first store was kept by Moore & Hughes, at
Yates Center, in 1824.
The first school was taught by Josiah Ferry, in
the year 1819, in the district including Yates Cen-
ter. *
A sawmill was built on Johnson's Creek, below
Lyndonville, by Gardner and Irons, about the year
1819, and a gristmill on the same dam in 1821.
These mills, at a later day, have been known as Bul-
lock's Mills, named from a subsequent owner. The
mills and dam are now gone.
Chamberlain & Simpson built the warehouse on
the Lake shore, north from Yates Center.
A family by the name of Wilkeson lived in the east
part of the town in 1811 or '12. In the summer sea-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 403
son of that year, Miss Eliza Wilkeson saw a young
cub bear near the house, among some vines they had
planted. She was alone in the house, but seizing the
old-fashioned (ire shovel, she went and killed the bear
with it.
Mr. Preserved Greenman took up about six hun-
dred acres of land lying east from Lyndonville, be-
fore the war of 1812. Mr. Greenman did not occupy
his land himself, but settled his sons Daniel and
Enos there, giving the neighborhood the name of the
" Greenman Settlement.1'
Some years after, Mr. P. Greenman removed from
Montgomery county to Yates, to reside. After a
few years he removed to Genesee county, and died
there.
Mr. P. Greenman was noted for being "set in his
way," and having made up his mind, it was hard to
turn him. Having sold his farm in Montgomery Co,,
while preparing to move to Yates, he had a valuable
ox-cart to dispose of. He named a price for his cart.
A man offered him a less price and would give no
more. Greenman declared he would not abate a
cent, and would burn his cart before he would sell
for less. No better offer was made, and when he
came away he piled his cart in a heap and burnt
it.
A rule he made was, that a pail of water must be
left standing in his house every night, and the last
person who retired must see that it was done, under
the penalty of being horse-whipped by Mr. Green-
man next morning, in case of neglect. It happened
once his daughter had a beau who made her a rather
long evening visit, and she was the last in the family
to retire for the night, and forgot the pail of water.
Her father rose first, as usual, in the morning, and
finding the waterpail empty, called up his daughter
404 PIONEER HISTORY
and gave her a sound thrashing to maintain the rule
he had established.
Amos Spencer was the first justice of the peace
within the territory now called Yates. He was ap-
pointed by the Council in 1810.
The first school house in town stood three-fourths
of a mile north of Yates Center, and was built in
1818. Mr. Josiah Perry kept the first school there
in 1819.
YATES CENTER.
Yates Center at first seemed to be the point where
the village would be built. A hotel was opened here
by Samuel Tappan, and a store by Moore &
Hughes, the first in town, and several dwelling
houses were built.
Here the first postoffice was located. Wm. Hughes
first postmaster.
When population and trade began to settle at
Lyndonville, Yates Center ceased to enlarge, but its
inhabitants were not discouraged. About this time
Peter Saxe, from Vermont, a brother of John Gr.
Saxe, the poet, located here as a merchant. He may
be considered the founder of Yates Academy, for
through his influence and energy it was planned, the
stock subscribed, and the institution incorporated.
Mr. Saxe traded here a few years, then removed
to Troy, N. Y.
After the canal was made navigable, much of the
produce of the town of Yates found a market that
way ; this trade, and the mills at Lyndonville, opera-
ted in favor of that place, and against the Center.
The Methodist Chapel at Lyndonville, which was
the first house of worship built in town, was soon
followed by the building of the Baptist and Presby-
terian churches at that place.
Considerable oak timber grew in Yates. This was
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 40.')
cut down long since, squared for ship building, or
riven into staves, and sent down the lake to
market.
The following is a list of names of persons who, it*
not first the first, were among the first who settled on
the road in the center of the town from the lake to
Ridgeway, beginning on the Jake :
On the west side of the highway.— Amos Spencer
settled here on the lake shore in 1818. Next south.
Simeon Gilbert, in 1818. Next, Baruch H. Gilbert,
in 1S1.7. Next, Luther St. John. Xext, Isaiah Lew-
is, in 1818. Next a man by the name of Wing sold
to Br. ElishaBowen, who resided there many years.
$fext, Zenas Conger. Next.- — Nellis. Next.
Thomas Stafford. Next. Moses Wheeler. Xext.
Nichols. Next. Rowley, Next,
Samuel and O. Whipple. Next. Peck.
Next, — — Collins. Next, Josiah Campbell.
Next, Elisha Sawyer.
On the east side of the highway, beginning at the
lake. First, Robert Simpson. Next, Elisha Gilbert.
Next Nathan Skellinger. Next Zachens Swift.
Next, Comfort Joy, in 1817. Next Lemuel L. Downs.
Next, Isaac Kurd took two hundred acres. Next,
Stephen Austin. Next. Benjamin Drake. Next,
Truman .Austin. Next, Jacob Winegar. Next,
Stephen B. Johnson, in 1817.
The next two hundred acres were owned by several
different parties under article, l>ut the deed from the
Land Company was taken by Samuel Clark, Esq.
Next, was — Peck. Xext. Abner Balcom.
Next, Harvey Clark. Next, Elisha Sawyer. These
settlement.- were chiefly made between the years
1816 and 1819.
\ [LLAGE OF I.VM)ON\ Il.I.K.
Mr. Stephen W. Mudgett, who had carried on tan-
406 PIONEER HISTORY
ning and shoemaking in Ridgeway, purchased fifty
acres of land, part of lot two, section seven, on the
cast side of the north and south road in Lyndonville,
and removed there and set up tanning and shoe-
making.
Samuel Clark took a deed of two hundred acres
next north of S. W. Mudgett, on the east side of the
road.
About the year 1817, a man by the name of Peck
took up one hundred acres on the west side where
William Mudgett afterwards resided. Samuel and
Oliver Whipple took up land next north of
Peck.
Soon after the county of Orleans was organized,
settlers began to gather here. Mechanics and trades-
men came in and a village began to be formed. Sam-
uel Tappan, who was postmaster, and kept his office
at Yates Center, removed it here, much to the dis-
gust of those living at the Center.
L. & ~N. Martin, from Peacham, Vermont, kept the
first store in 1830. Smith & Babcock soon followed,
and Royal Chamberlain was an early merchant. C.
Peabody was first blacksmith.
Blanchard and Chamberlain built the tavern
which stands there yet, which was kept by Miner
Sherwin, in 1830.
To settle the postolfice satisfactorily to the people,
Yates postofiice was transfered to the Center, and
application was made to the department for a new
postoffice, to be called Lyndon, that being the name
that had been agreed on at a public meeting of the
inhabitants, several of whom came from Lyndon,
Vermont. The postoffice department established the
postofiice ~\yy name ot Lyndonville, to distinguish it
from Linden, in Genesee county.
S. W. Mudgett, Samuel Tappan, Richard Barry
and others, built the first flouring Mills at Lyndon-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 407
vjlle, in 1836. The Union School house was built in
1843.
Royal Chamberlain, from Vermont, settled here as
a merchant about the time the village began to "be
established.
As there was no lawyer by profession in town, Mr
Chamberlain being a ready talker and possessed oi
some education'and sufficient self assurance, engaged
in trying suits] in justice's courts, and continued the
practice several years, until he became a noted
"pettifogger" through several towns around. He
was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas one term.
He removed from Yates several years ago, and now
resides in Lockport,* where he has edited a news
paper. He did considerable to build up a village at
Lyndonville.
Br. Horace Phippany was the first regular physi-
cian who settled in Lyndonville.
Rev. Jeremiah Irons was the first Baptist minister
who resided in Yates.
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
REUBEN ROOT.
"1 was bom in Cooperstown, Otsego county, W.
Y., December 28th, 1792. My father removed with
his family, then consisting of his wife and five sons,
to Big Sodus Bay, in 1801 or '2. [n April, L804, we
moved by way of Irondequoit Bay and lake Ontari i
to the mouth of Johnson's Creek, in Carlton, near
which place my father took an article of laud from
the Holland Land Company, and located on i: to
make him a farm.
The party that came consisted of my father's I
ly and the Dunham family, <>(' si\ or seven personH,
408 PIOXEEB HI3TOBY
and these constituted tlie whole white population
north of the Ridge, between the Niagara and Gene-
see rivers, except a family by the name of Wals-
worth, who had settled at the mouth of Oak Or-
chard Creek.
My father built a house of such poles a^- we could
carry, as we had no team to draw logs, and covered
it with elm bark, in which we lived without a floor
for one or two years, then a floor was made of split
bass wood logs.
After building a shelter for the family, the nexl
thing in order was to get supplied with food and
clothing, the stock we brought with us getting low.
We cleared a small piece of land and planted it with
corn ; from this we made our bread. Our meat con-
sisted of fish, venison, bear, raccoon and hedgehog.
We pounded our corn for meal two or three years,
by which time we begun to raise wheat, which we
took to Norton's mill, in Lima, to be ground. It
was about seventy miles by way of Irondequoit Bay
and the lake. The country was so infested with
bears and wolves at that time we could not keep do-
mestic animals.
hi Uw summer of 1806 or 7, my lather got a cow
from Canada, but the following fall she was killed
by wolves.
Our clothing was made from hemp of our own rais-
ing. "Wo could not raise flax on account of the rust
that destroyed the fibre.
For several year> we had no boots or shoes for
want of material to make them.
'My father built the first frame barn in what is now
Orleans county. The lumber and nails he brought
from Canada.
Tinner, in his history of the Holland Purchase, is
in error when he says that tk James Mather built the
first frame barn, and got part of his lumber from
OF <>i:l. KAN- COUNTY. 409
Dunham's mill." Our barn was built before Dun-
ham's sawmill was built. The barn was torn down
by Daniel Gates twenty-two or twenty-three years
since, who then owned the place, and sonic of the
flooring can now be seen on the premises. Tins
were split and hewn from whitewood logs. The nails
used were all wrought nails.
In September, L814, my lather and myself being
the only ours in oar family liable to do military
duty, were ordered to meet at Batavia, and go
from there to Buffalo to serve in the United States
arm}', in the war then being carried on against Great
Britain.
On our arrival at Buffalo, there was a call made
lor volunteers to go to Fort Erie, under General Por-
ter, to take the British batteries >that were then be-
seiging Fort Erie. My father and myself volunteered
and went over and assisted in taking the batteries
and capturing some live hundred prisoners. This
was on tin- i?tli of September, 1814. After this we
were discharged, recefr ing at the rate <>f $8 per month
for our services.
In 1814, I took an article from the Holland Land
Company of the land on which 1 now reside, on lot
one, section three, township sixteen, range three.
In April, 181.*), 1 went to Canada and worked on a
farm there during the summer. The winter following
I returned and chopped over twenty-live acres on my
farm, and in March. isjt'». I went to Toronto and
took command of a vessel and sailed on lake
Ontario during the season of navigation until the
year 1820.
In January 28th, L819, 1 was married to Miss Eliz-
abeth Hastings, of Toronto. We moved upon my
farm in Yates, in December, L820, where we still re-
Bide. We have raised a family of ten children, live
^ons and live daughters. My eldest and veungesl
410 PI0NEE& HISTORY
sons are now serving in the armies of their country
in the war of the great rebellion.
REUBEN ROOT."
Yates, June, 1864.
SAMUEL TAI'PAN.
Samuel Tappan was born in Saco, Maine, Novem-
ber 19, 1781. When nine years old he went to reside
with an uncle in Massachusetts. His father was a
Quaker in religious opinion, a zealous advocate of
their peculiar principles until his death. On the death
of his father Samuel was placed with a man in Saco, to
1 earn the tailor'' s trade. D i slikiug this business he was
soon after bound as an apprentice to a shoemaker,
and commenced his " servitude," as lie called it,
August, 179'3. His master belonged to the sect of
Quakers, hard and exacting, lie made no allow-
ance for the faults and failings, or the weakness or
feelings of others. He obliged his apprentice to as-
sume the dress, and conform to the mode of worship
of the Quakers, both of which were repugnant to the
feelings of the young man. His master had no
books but the Bible, and a few religious works on
subjects connected with the Quakers. Samuel was
inclined to read whatever came in his way. His incli-
nations, however, were strictly restrained by his mas-
ter, by whom all books of poetry and romance were
absolutely forbidden, and the range of other books
to which he was admitted, was exceedingly limited.
After several years spent in this manner, a friendly
Congregational minister kindly supplied him with
books, and gave him discreet counsel, which
rendered his servitude more tolerable, and happy.
He had no benefit of schooling, never having
attended school as a scholar but three days in his
life.
In 1801, with the help of friends lie purchased his
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 411
freedom from his apprenticeship, and returned to
Saco and worked at his trade about two years,
studying what he could in the mean time to fit him-
self for a school teacher.
In 1803 he taught his first school, in which occupa-
tion he was mainly employed for a number of years,
occasionally working at his trade, and studying when
he could without a teacher.
For several years he supplied the poets corner in a
village newspaper, and became considerably inter-
ested in politics, on the Republican side, under the
lead of Mr. Jefferson.
In 1809 he was appointed deputy sheriff for York
and Oxford counties, which office he held for two
years.
In 1811 he removed to Pittstown, Rensselaer coun-
ty, N. Y. The troubles between the United States
and Great Britain thickening at this time, on his ap-
plication he was appointed an Ensign in the Infantry in
the United States Army, and assigned to duty in the
18th Regiment, and stationed in the recruiting service
at Hoosic, N. Y.
Alter war was declared in 1812, he was transferred
to the 23d regiment. .
In May, 1813, he was ordered with his company to
the Niagara frontier. Fort George, at the mouth of
Niagara river, on the Canada side, was taken by our
forces, and Ensign Tappan was sent with forty men
to plant the American Hag on the fort, which was the
first time that flag was raised over conquered British
territory in that war. Ensign Tappan was now ap-
pointed adjutant. In September he was sent with a
convoy of prisoners to Greenbush, being twenty-one
days on the road. He remained in Greenbush the
uext autumn and winter, teaching school in the mean
time.
412 PIONEER histoby
In June, 1814, he was again ordered to the fron-
tier and assigned to the eomraand of a company, and
served at the capture of Fort Erie. He was engaged
in the battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane. In
this last battle his company lost seventeen out of
forty-five in killed and wounded. In this battle
Lieutenant Tappan, at the head of his company, cap-
tured Capt. Frazier, of the Royal Sootts, with twenty
of his men. The American army afterwards retired
to Fort Erie, and was besieged there by the British,
but they were finally compelled to raise the siege.
Afterwards, by the bursting of a shell in our camp
which had been thrown there by the British, his knee
was broken, which confined him in hospital a long-
time, and on account of which he received a pension
the remainder of his life. After he became suffi-
ciently recovered to return to duty, he was retained
on the peace establishment, war with England being
ended, but resigned his commission in February,
1810. He then returned to Pittstown, and there
taught school the next seven years, serving in the
mean time as inspector and commissioner of schools,
commissioner of deeds, auctioneer and coroner. In
1823 he moved to Ridgeway, moving in October, his
family consisting of a wife and live children, with all
his effects on two Dutch Wagons, reaching Ridge-
way, November 10th. After fitting a log cabin for
his family he took a school for the winter. In the
spring he went to work clearing land, but as he said
his farming was not a success. "My fruit trees
would fall down and my forest trees would stand up;
my crops were light but my bills were heavy, and
one year's experience taught me 1 was not born to
be a farmer."
In the spring of 1825 he moved to Yates and opened
a tavern at Yates Center, keeping the first tavern
opened in that town. After keeping tavern one
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 413
year- and retailing fifty-three barrels of liquor in thai
time, he sold out his tavern, was elected constable
and inspector of schools and commissioner of deedSj
which last named office he held twenty years. He
was elected justiceof the peace in 1828. In the win-
ter of 1827 he taught school for the last time, conclu-
ding his nineteen years service in that capacity. In
1829 he was appointed postmaster, which office he
held thirteen years. In L832 he was appointed one of
the Judges of the Orleans County Court of Common
Pleas, which office tie held live years. In 1S4G he
was elected town superintendent of common schools.
The later years of his life were spent in quiet at home
with his hooks, and enjoying the society of family
and friends. He was constitutionally frail in body,
bu1 energetic and active in his habits of life. Being
ready with his pen, and having considerable expe-
rience in business, he was frequently employed to
draft deeds, wills and contracts for his neighbors,
ami had some practice in trying suits in justices'
courts, as counsel for parties. Of a cheerful and
lively turn of mind and easy Mow of language, and
having an inexhaustible fund of anecdotes and sto-
ries at his command, he would make himself exceed-
ingly interesting in conversation, and give zest and
enjoyment to society wherever he was. His charac-
ter as a man is aptly described by his daughter in a
memoir of him prepared by her, from which we ex-
tract as follows :
"Judge Tappan maybe described as a man of
more than ordinary intellect, well acquainted with
the leading events of the day. Of the strictest integ-
rity in his business relations, noted for punctuality,
a public spirited citizen, ready to bear his full share
of responsibility. In his social relations, his keen
perceptions and ready wit made him an instructive
companion. .Although many excentricities mingled
414 PIONEER HISTORY
in hiy character, yet those who knew him best over-
looked these, knowing his heart was right, though
his words might sometimes wound."
He was married four times and had nineteen chil-
dren.
Many anecdotes might be told of him illustrative
of his different traits of character. He posssessed
no mechanical ability and often related one of his
experiments in this department. After he moved to
Ridgeway and became a farmer he found a well curb
needed and concluded to make one without assis-
tance. He ascertained the size required, collected
the materials together and made it in the house du-
ring the evenings, being engaged in teaching in the
day time, but after its completion, when he at-
tempted to take it through the doorway he found it
several inches wider than the door. He was a great
pedestrian, often making excursions on foot, showing
greater powers of endurance than many younger and
stronger men.
In the spring of 1844, when starting on one of his
eastern journeys, he tells us in his journal that ar-
riving in Albion and not finding the water let into the
canal as he expected, he managed to get as far as
Rochester, and walked most of the distance to Ge-
neva. After he was seventy years old he walked
from Medina to Daw's Corners, near Batavia, at one
time.
While postmaster, he often left two horses in his
stable and walked from Yates to Ridgeway with the
mail bag on his arm.
He died February 8th, 1868, aged eighty-six
years.
JOHN H. TYLER.
John H. Tyler was born in Randolph, Orange Co.,
Vermont, November 30th, 1793. He attended the
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 415
academy in Randolph, a short time and removed to
Massena, N. V.. in 1810. On war with Great Britain
being declared in 1812, he volunteered as a soldier
and served near Ogdenslbnrgh six months. In 1817
lie removed to the Holland Purchase, and March 22d
took an article for one hundred seventy-six acres of
land in Yates, part of lot two, section two, range
three, on Johnson's Creek, on which he afterwards
resided and labored as a farmer. He was Supervisor
of the town of Yates nine years, justice of the peace
a number of years, and represented the county of
Orleans in the Assembly of the State in 1830 and. '31.
He was a man of vigorous intellect and good judg-
ment, and enjoyed the confidence of all who knew
him.
He married Selina Gilbert, daughter of Simeon Gil-
bert, of Yates, in 1819. She died October 7th, 1842.
He married Saloma Gates, daughter of Daniel Gates,
of Carlton, in 1843.
He died in August, 1856.
HORACE 0. GOOLD.
Horace (). Goold was born in Lyme, New Lon-
don county, Connecticut, August 12th, 1800. In
March, 1818, in company with two other men in a
one horse wagon, he came to Bloomlield, N. Y., after
a journey of fifteen days. He labored on a farm the
next summer, taught school the next winter, and in
the spring of 1819, removed to Carlton, N. Y., and
located about two miles west of the head of Still-
water.
The first year of his settlement here he raised
thirty bushels of corn and as many bushels of pota-
toes.
Mr. Goold said: k* During the first season we
were sometimes rather short of food, especially meat,
but some of the boys would often kill some wild an-
410 PIONEER HISTORY
imal, and we were not very particular what name it
bore, as hunger had driven us ' to esteem nothing un-
clean, but to receive it with thanksgiving.""
Mr. Goold married Laurenda Fuller, of Carlton,
November 15th, 1820.
Several years before his death, Mr. Goold removed
to Lyndonville, in Yates, where he died October 5th,
I860. His wife died October 24th, 1865.
JOSIAE PERRY.
Josiah Perry was born in Shaftsbury, Vermont.
September 6th, 1787. He removed to Yates in April,
1817, and commenced clearing a form, and planted
and raised corn and potatoes among the logs and
s< wed some wheat, all the first year.
The people in Yates, in those days, generally went
to Dunham's gristmill, at Kuckville, in Carlton, to
get grain ground, and Mr. Perry relates of his carry-
ing a bushel of wheat on his back a half dozen miles
to that mill to be ground, going through the woods
by marked trees, no road being cut out.
Mr. Perry taught the first school that was kept in
town. He held office as justice of the peace a short
time. He is yet living in Yates.
ALFRED BULLARD.
Alfred Bullard was born in Barre, Massachusetts,
February 19th, 1793.
He removed with his parents to Shrewsbury, Ver-
mont, and there received a fair common school edu-
cation, with the addition of a knowledge of field sur-
veying.
In 1817 he came to Batavia, Genesee county, and
in 1818 he removed to Barre, Orleans county, and he
finally settled in Yates in 1824, where he has ever
since resided.
For many years after coming into this county, his
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 417
principal employmenl consisted in surveying laud.
and he was known to almost everybody in Orleans
county as " Surveyor Bullard.' When he was not
surveying he worked on a farm. He married Cynthia
Peck in 1821. She died and he married Sally Smith.
who is dead also.
Mr. Bullard has not engaged in surveying for a
number of years on account of lameness, which com-
pelled him to use one, and sometimes two canes in
walking. Ee may beconsidered the pioneer surveyor
located in Orleans county.
HENRY MC NEAL.
Henry McNeal was born in Pittstown, Rensselaer
county, X. Y., in 1792.
He married Lucy Sternberg in L814. They moved
to Yates in 1817.
Mr. McNeal was the first Captain of a militia com
pany in Yates.
AMOS SPENCER.
Amos Spencer was born in Connecticut in 1787
He married Jerusha Murdoch, September 10th,
1811. They moved to Yates and settled on the lake
shore in 1818.
After a few years they removed to Hartland, Ni
agara county, where he was living in 1870. The first
year he resided in Yates, he cleared the land and sowed
ten acres with winter wheat. On this the next year
he harvested three hundred and thirty bushels ol
wheat, lie drew forty bushels to Ridgeway Corners.
hired Amos Barrett to cany it to Rochester with his
team, gave him live dollars for drawing and paid hie
expenses on the road. Resold his wheat for fifty
four cents per bushel. They were gone four day*-*,
and on getting home found th.iy had only five dollars
418 PIONEER HISTORY
of the money received for their wheat left, all the re-
mainder having- been spent in paying necessary ex-
penses.
ELISIIA SAWYER,
Elisha Sawyer was born in Reading, Vermont,
September 30th, 1785. He settled in Yates in 1816.
He took up four hundred acres of land on the south
line of the town. After some years he removed to
Lyndonville on a small place. He removed to Pax-
Ion, Illinois, and died there December 8th, 1868.
BARUOH II. GILBERT.
Baruch H. Gilbert was born in the town of North-
east, Dutchess county, New York, August 24th,
1795.
His father, Simeon Gilbert, came to Yates in the
fall of 1816, and took an article of land on the west
side of the line between ranges three and fonr, about
a mile and a half south from lake Ontario, and re-
turned to his eastern home without making any im-
provement on his lands, to which he did not return
until the spring of 1818.
Baruch H. Gilbert settled on the south part of the
land so taken by his father in the spring of 1817, and
cleared a farm there on which he resided about fifty
years..
Mr. Gilbert was of fair education, of considerable
spirit and energy, of character, and settling in this
town among the very first, he interested himself in
every movement made to improve the country, intro-
duce and maintain the institutions of civilized society
and induce people to. settle in Yates. He soon took a
prominent position in the business of his town and
neighborhood, and as long as he resided here he
was one of the leading men in all public aifairs. He
officiated as justice of the peace for thirty years.
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 419
He married Miss Fanny Skellenger in 1821. His
-children are Simeon, who married Olive Skellinger,
and resides in Illinois; Stephen B., married Ann
Watkins, resides in California ; Nathan S., married
Mary E. Lane, resides in Lockport ; and Cordelia,
who is unmarried.
ELISHA BOWEN.
Dr. Elisha Bowen was horn in Reading, Windsor
county, Vermont, in the year 1791.
He received a diploma from Dartmouth College.
He was first married and removed to Palmyra, X. Y.,
in 1817, where his wife died.
In the year 1820 he removed to the town of Yates,
and settled on a farm between Yates Center and the
lake.
He was the first, and for several years the only
regular physician residing and practicing in the town
of Yates.
He married for his second wife Miss Adeline Raw-
son. After her death he married for his third wife
Miss Mary Ann Clark. She died in 1801.
Dr. Bowen had twelve children, of whom nine are
living, viz.: Francis W., married a daughter of Dr.
Whaley, resides in Sacramento, California ; Samuel
C, married Kate, daughter of James Jackson, of
Ridgeway, resides in Medina ; Adeline, unmarried,
resides in Wisconson; Charles C, married Julia Hard,
resides in Detroit ; Edgar J., married Man' Winn,
resides in Chicago ; Susan, married H. L. Achilles,
Jr., resides in Rochester; Cornelia, married Samuel
Boyd, resides in Appleton, Wisconsin ; Mary, un-
married resides at Appleton, Wisconsin ; Theodore
E., married Mary Loomis, resides in Chicago.
Dr. Bowen was one of thirteen persons who united
to form the Baptist Church in Yates, in 1822, ot
which church he continued an active member until
420 PIONEER HISTORY
his death. He was a strong advocate of temperancer
and among the first who united in the town of Yates
to form a society to promote that cause.
Dr. Bowen wTas conscientious and correct in all the
habits of his life, and had the confidence and respect
of all who knew him. In the later years of his life
lie did not practice his profession. He died April 6.
1863, aged 72 years.
CHAPTER XXX.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF JOSEPH ELLICOTT AND
EBENEZEI! MIX.
JOSEPH ELLICOTT.
Although Mr. Ellicott was never a resident of Or-
leans county, and consequently not strictly included
among its pioneers, whose history it is the main ob-
ject of this work to record, yet, as the agent of the
Holland Land Company for so many years- no man
had more to do in organizing and settling this county,
and in planning and bringing into action the means by
which the varied resources of Western New York
have been developed.
The ancestors of Mr. Ellicott came from Wales to
America at an early day, and were among the early
pioneers of Buck's county, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Joseph Ellicott was thoroughly educated as a
surveyor, by lessons given him by his elder brother
Andrew. His first practical lessons were taken while
assisting his brother in surveying the city of Wash-
ington, after that place had been selected for the Na-
tional Capitol.
In 1791 he was appointed to run the line between
Georgia and the Creek Indians. He was then en-
gaged in surveying the lands of the Holland Company
lying in the State of Pennsylvania. When this was
completed he was sent to survey the Company's lands
in Western New York.
He spent many years in the woods, in the arduous
labors of a surveyor, and when lie left the woods to
422 PIONEER HISTORY
engage in the business of local agent of the Company,.
his toil was scarcely lessened. During this time he
carried on an immense correspondence with the gene-
ral office, at Philadelphia, in reference to the business
entrusted to him, and also with the prominent men
of his time and country in relation to public affairs
generally, in which he manifested great interest. He
is especially remembered aside from his connexion
with the Holland Land Company, for the part he
took in promoting that great work of internal im-
provement, the Erie Canal. With the schemes for
the origin and prosecution of that work, and its pro-
gress to success, he was conspicuously identified;
and among the great men whose comprehensive
minds devised that canal, and urged it forward to-
completion, his name will ever rank among the
first.
By a life of activity and enterprise, he was enabled
to accumulate a large property without being
charged with peculation in office, or mal-admin-
istration of the vast business entrusted to his
care.
A spirit of discontent had begun to be manifested
among the settlers on the Holland Purchase, growing
out of their enormous indebtedness to the Company
for their lands which they had been permitted to
buy on credit, and while the leniency of the agents
had not enforced payment on their contracts, accu-
mlating interest had largely swelled the original
debts.
Worried and worn by the load of labor he had
sustained, and aware of the discontent which pre-
vailed, and which he hoped might be allayed if direc-
ted by other counsels, Mr. E. resigned his agency, and
thus closed a busy life. From that time he was afflic-
ted with a monomania upon real or imaginary diseases
with which he believed himself to suffer. He was-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 428
taken by his friends to New York and placed in the
hospital at Bellevue, where about August, 1826, he
committed suicide.
Joseph Ellicott was never married. Imt for his mi
merous family of relatives he made most ample pro-
vision, some of the choicest lands on the Holland Pur-
chase being selected and secured by title to the Elli-
cotts.
His remains were brought to Batavia and interred
in the village cemetery, a beautiful monument being-
erected under the superintence of David E. Evans.
his nephew, and successor as local agent of the Hoi-
land Company, marks the spot,
From his intimate acquaintance as surveyor with
the Holland Purchase lands in Western New York,
he was enabled to make some judicious selections of
lands for himself.
In the original survey of Buffalo, he laid
oft* for himself one hundred acres, now included in
the best part of that city.
In the county of Orleans he bought seven hundred
acres, including the water power at Shelby Center,
and afterwards fourteen hundred acres farther down
the Oak Orchard Creek, which included the vil-
lage <»f Medina, and the best water power on that
creek.
About the year 1824 he made his will, in which he
devised a large part of his great landed estate in
special gifts to his favorite relatives. The residue
was devised to others of his kindred, nearly one hun-
dred in number, share and share alike, with a few
exceptions.
His property at the time of his death, even at the
low price lands then bore, was estimated at six-
hundred thousand dollars. Prom the great advance
in value at this time, this property is worth many
millions of dollars.
424 PIONEER HISTORY
He was the first Judge appointed in and for Gena-
see county courts.
EBENEZER MIX.
Ebenezer Mix is a name familial- as household
words to the old settlers on the Holland Purchase,
and no history of the pioneers, or of the early settle-
ment, could be made complete without a reference to
him.
Mr. Mix was born at New Haven, Connecticut. He
died at Cleveland, Ohio, January 12th, 1869, aged
81 years.
In his native New England he learned and worked
at the trade of a mason.
He came to Batavia, Genesee county, to seek his
fortune, in the year 1809. There lie worked first at
his trade as a mason. He afterwards taught school ;
was for a time a student in a law office, and finally
went into the service of the Holland Land Company
as a clerk in their office at Batavia, in 1811, where Iih
remained twenty-seven years.
Being a good theoretical and practical surveyor,
and a clear headed and competent business man, in
a short time he was made contracting clerk in the
Batavia office, in which capacity it was his duty
to make, renew and modify contracts for the sale of
land, calculate quantities of land, make sub-divisions
of tracts of land, and act as salesman generally. In
this way he became intimately connected with every
transaction of the Company relating to gifts of land
to churches and school districts, and took part in all
business matters between the company and the people
who settled on their lands. And few men could be
found who would have done the business as well.
He excelled as a mathematician, was a practical sur-
veyor and possessed a remarkable memory of boun-
daries, localities, dates and distances. Indeed the
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 42.1
whole transactions of the Land Company, and the
map of their territory seemed to be pictured on his
mind with singular fidelity, making it a treasury of
facts, exceedingly convenient for reference in settling
conflicting questions concerning highways, bounda-
ries and original surveys, which arise among the
people.
Naturally of a somewhat irritable temperament,
when aroused by the perplexities of business, lie
was sometimes rather sour and rough in manner to-
wards persons by whom he was annoyed, but his
wish and aim was to do right and justice, and how-
ever austere and crabbed his manner, his conclusions
and final settlement of matters he had in hand was
kind and benevolent to those with whom he had to
do.
Full many a time has the unfortunate settler who
had been unable to make the payments on his article,
and whom sickness and calamity had driven almost
to despair of ever paying for his land, had reason to
be grateful for the humanity and generous treatment
he received from Mr. Mix in extending his payments,
renewing his article, and abating his interest
money.
In the war of 1812 he served for a time as volun-
teer aid to Gen. P. B. Porter, and was at the sortie
at Fort Erie.
For twenty years in succession he was the Surro-
gate of Genesee county.
ORLEANS COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION,
This Association was organized June, 1859. Its
members are persons wlio at any time previous to
January, 182G, were residents of Western New York,
who sign its Constitution. The objects of the Asso-
ciation, as contained in its constitution, are to pro-
mote social intercourse by meeting together statedly,
in order to preserve and perpetuate the remembrance
of interesting facts connected with the early history
of the settlement of Orleans county and its vicini-
ty. The annual meetings are held at the Court
House, in Albion, on the third Saturday in June.
It has been an object of the Association to collect
and preserve as much of the history of the early set-
tlement of Orleans county as possible. The local
histoiy of many of the early pioneers has been ob-
tained and written out in books kept for that pur-
pose, and several photograph albums have been
tilled with the pictures of the men and women who
came here at an early day.
At these yearly gatherings, and at occasional spe-
cial meetings held from time to time in various places
in the county, the old people are accustomed to meet
together and recount their adventures while subduing
the wilderness, and have a good time generally.
It is intended to obtain as much of such history of
' "ye olden time " as possible, and when the actors
in these old scenes are no more, and the last of the
log houses shall exist only in the memory and rec-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 427
ords of the'tiines gone by, then these old manuscripts
and relics, laid up in some public depository, shall
remain for the information of posterity of the things
that were here, memories of the hardships, labors,
and privations of the pioneers of Orleans county.
ADDRESS
DELIVERED BEFORE THE ORLEANS COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIA-
TION, SEPT. 10th, 1859,
By A R A © THOMAS.
Mr. President, and Members of the Orleans County Pioneer Association :—
In discharging the pleasant duty of addressing you
on the present occasion, I am desirous to devote my
thoughts to the consideration of topics kindred to the
sentiments which led to the formation of this associ-
ation.
This seems no lit time to indulge in abstruse spec-
ulations, or idle rhetoric. I address a practical com-
pany,— men who have been- trained to meet the stern
realities of life, and accomplish their destiny with un-
flinching labor ; and having achieved a good work,
well may they enjoy the triumph it affords. Let us
then contemplate the past, and learn wisdom for the
future.
A stranger, who now for the firs;t time should come
into our county, judging from appearances, would
be apt to think this an old settlement, where genera-
tion after generation of men had lived and died, and
where their accumulated labor had been expended
upon those works of enlightened civilization which
cover the land. But we know scarce fifty years
since the first acre of this territory was cleared of its
native forest, and the men are now living who recol-
lect when here was nothing but a dark, unbroken
wilderness.
Many of the first settlers of this county have
passed away from among the living. Others follow-
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 429
ing in the tide of emigration are now inhabitants of
some Western States. A few survivors and represen-
tatives of a generation rapidly passing away, remain
quiet ] k >ss< sss< »rs of the soil their hands iirst subjected to
cultivati< m, and t< iday they have assembled to talk over
tin1 trials and privations, the hardships and the suf-
ferings, the varied events of fortune, prosperous and
adverse, which have fallen to their lot since lirst they
came into this county.
The occasion is replete with interest to us all. To
the aged veterans, it brings up memories of events,
which in passing thrilled their hearts with intensest
• 'motion.
To the more youthful spectator it affords encour-
agement to labor, in view of these examples of suc-
cess over every opposition, obtained by resolute and
continued exertion. And to us all, it shows convin-
cing proofs that honest and laudable industry will
reap its rewards in due time.
Our theme embraces the consideration of subjects
connected with the early sett lenient of Orleans county.
In tracing the history of mankind in their migrations
since their memorable dispersion on the plains of
Shinar, we find a variety of causes which have impelled
men to remove from the places of their nativity. The
venerable founder of the Jewish nation went down to
Egypt to save his family from death by famine, and
his descendents came out of Egypt to save themselves
from a terrible bondage.
The builders of ancient Koine were the scattered
fragments of various nations who assembled there as
to a common asylum of outcasts from everywhere,
and raised their walls for mutual protection and sup-
port ; and by encouraging immigration frombroad,and
the gradual accretion of power by treaty, and con-
quest of foreign nations, in time they became the
mightiest empire on earth, in their turn to be overrun
430 PIONEER HISTORY
by swarms from the northern hive, who, deserting their
inhospitable homes, came down with all their move-
able possessions, by tire and sword, to drive out the
inhabitants of the fair provinces of Italy, and give
themselves a better land.
The Spaniards who first settled in America, were
attracted there by their cupidity for gold. And
the ranks of the settlers in most new countries have
been swelled by adventurers who had been obliged
to leave their native land to escape the consequences
of their crimes.
A nobler impulse prompted our ancestors in their
migrations from Europe.
The discovery of America, the invention of print-
ing, and the Protestant Reformation had roused the
minds of the most intelligent nations of the world to a
more exalted sense of the value of liberty, and a keen
perception of those natural and inalienable rights of
conscience which form the richest possession of a free
people. Persecuted for conscience sake in their na-
tive country, England, they had borne for years the
cruel oppression which religious intolerance and po-
litical tyranny forced upon them there, with christian
endurance, till overcome by suffering too grievous to
be'borne, and hopeless of relief, they solemnly with-
drew from their national church and from the land
of their birth, to Holland, where, some years after
they formed and carried out the resolution to emi-
grate to America, there, under the protection of the
King of England, they thought to worship God in
peace, as they believed to be right.
Piety and love of liberty furnished them sufficient
motives for removal, and armed them with fortitude
required to meet the perils and hardships of their
aew home.
With all proper admiration which Ve ought to feel
for the early New England Puritans, the^ancestors
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 431
of so many of those who hear me, we may admit
they had their failings. In the austerity of their
faith they often forgot the mild spirit of charity
which pervades the gospel they revered, and in the
ardor of their zeal they made and sought to en-
force laws of great severity against those professing
religious belief at variance with the dogmas of their
stern creed, and punished and persecuted with a
strange infatuation, those charged with the crime of
witchcraft.
But in reviewing this portion of the history of our
forefathers, we should remember not to judge them
by the lights of the present age. Toleration to faith
and worship, contrary to the forms declared by the
civil government for a thousand years, had then not
been known in Europe, and the opinion of good men
had before then always been, that such religious free-
dom would destroy the best institutions of society.
A belief in witchcraft was as old as history itself,
and was a common superstition of the times. The
excellent and pious Baxter held the existence of
witches as certain as the punishment of the wicked,
and the great and good Sir Matthew Hale, that able
judge, and profound luminary of the law, believed in
witchcraft as sincerely as did Cotton Mather.
The superstitions of the dark ages were then enter-
tained by the most enlightened and liberal minded men
every where, and it would be requiring too much, to
expect our forefathers to have freed themselves from
opinions we may deem absurd, but which up to that
time, and by all other men then, were held worthy of
acceptation.
I know we are sometimes charged with using ex-
travagant eulogium in speaking of the New England
Puritans of the olden time. But making due allow-
ance for their eccentricities of character and conduct,
resulting from circumstances with which the}- stood
482 PIONEER HISTORY
connected, we may look in vain to find in the early
history of any other people, such noble patriotism.
fervent piety, sound wisdom, and incorruptible hon-
esty as in the case before us.
They had all been trained in the same school of
adversity, and possessed in a wonderful degree iden-
tity of sentiment, sympathy and character in all their
conduct and opinions which, impressed itself upon all
their laws, their individual and social arrangements,
and upon every institution and action which found
place among them.
Inflexible and steadfast in their cherished princi-
ples, they trained their children in the faith and prac-
tices of their fathers, and the combined influence of
such faith and works, we may see in their effects
upon the energy and enterprise, the love of liberty,
the respect for law and order, good morals, religion,
learning and true patriotism, which, inspired by such
examples, has ever distingushed their descendants
down through the period of more than two hundred
years.
We need not sounding eulogy or words of windy
panegyric to prove the value of New England intelli-
gence, integrity and power, in moulding and guiding
the rising destinies of our country. The wisdom of
her statesmen, the heroism of her soldiers, and the
spirit and conduct of her people, secured our nation-
al independence, and established our national federa-
tion of independent States upon the broad basis of
constitutional liberty. And even up to now this ele-
ment has always been prominent, I had almost said
controlling, in the legislation of most of the States,
and at Washington.
A few years since some curious individual ascer-
tained on enquiry, that thirty- six of the members of
the two Houses of Congress, then in session, were
born in the single State of Connecticut.
OK ORLEAN8 COUNTY. 483
In the language of Mr. Mai thus, man coming up
to take upon himself his place, and the responsibili-
ties of life, finds no cover laid for him on nature's
table, and he goes out to spread a table for himself
where he deems the prospect most inviting. The rich
treasures of experince and wisdom, and the abundant
stores of material good tilings the past has garnered
up, afford him capital with which to work out the
fulfilment of his own and his country's hopes.
These magnificent results of the skill and enter-
prise of the present day. arc only oilier phases and
demonstrations of the same spirit which led to the
first settlement ie America, and which has attended
every step of our progress since, as well exemplified in
the resolution of the solitary emigrant who sets his
stake in the wilderness and determines there to dig
up for himself a rami, as in that mightier work of a
statesman, or a nation, which makes a' canal or a
railroad across ;t continent, lavs a telegraph wire
across an ocean, or solves the deepest prol^ni of
state policy for the world.
Soon after the revolutionary war had ended, the
settlements in New England were extended over the
the principal part of those Stat"s suitable for tillage*,
and multitudes of their active and adventurous young
men went out to seek their fortunes among the bor-
derers who were1 pushing the bounds of civilization
and improvement back into the new territories; skirt-
ing the old Atlantic States upon the West.
A large majority of the first settlers of Orleans
county wer< either emigrants from New England,
or descended from the Puritan stock, who traced their
origin back to those who, in. December, L620, landed
from the May Flown- upon Plymouth Rock. It is
admitted that as a class they were poor but honest,
possessing strong moral convictions, of effective fores
of intellect and will, they determined t<> plant and
434 , PIONEER HISTORY
grow up the institutions of religion, order and
civilization in this wilderness, such as prevailed in
their New England homes. Such views, habits and
purposes, characterized the emigrants who first set-
tled Western New York. Here was not the hiding-
place of a population of whom it might justly be
paid they had left the homes of their youth as a
measure of prudent care for their personal safety,
or from a kind regard for the good of the place they
had left. Neither did the}' come here to buy choice
lots and leave them till the toil of others on adjoin-
ing farms should add value to their purchases. Here
were few non-resident land holders at an early
day.
The Holland Land Company had purchased the
Western part of the State of New York, bounded on
the east by a line extending north from Penn-
sylvania to Lake Ontario, known as the Transit
Line.
Before the last war with Great Britain, a portion of
this tract which has been distinguished as the Hol-
land Purchase, had been surveyed by the Company
and offered for sale to settlers. The wonderful fertil-
ity of the Genesee country had been reported abroad,
and before the war a few emigrants had begun to
make their homes among the heavy forests which
covered this country, some of whom had located
themselves in what is now Orleans county.
The possibility of such a work as the Erie Canal
had not then entered the great mind of Dewitt Clin-
ton, or been dreamed of even by the great men of
that day.
The most favorable means in prospect, then far in
the future, for communicating with the old settle-
ments at the east, was by wagons on the highways,
oi' boats down the Mohawk or Si. Lawrence. But
the pioneer settlers of the Holland Purchase belonged
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 436
to a bold and fearless race, who did not stop to en-
quire whether the trail of civilization had extended
to the new country, by which they could retreat with
ease and safety to the homes of their fathers, if life
in the woods should happen to prove uncongenial to
their tastes. They expected to overcome the formi-
dable obstacles before them by their own strong-
arms and stout hearts. They knew that wealth was
in their farms, not perhaps in the shape of golden
nuggets, such as fire the imagination of emigrants
to Pike' s Peak, or the other El Dorados of the West,
but in the golden produce of well tilled fields, which
honest hard work was sure to raise in abundance
in time to come, and they meant to have it.
It is really not as great an undertaking for the em-
igrant, who at this day goes from the Atlantic States
to settle in Kansas or California, as it was fifty years
ago to make a settlement in AVestern New York.
Railroads and telegraphs have made communication
easy and rapid between places most distant, and
modern improvements in the economy and arts of do-
mestic life are such, that most of the necessaries and
comforts enjoyed by residents in older towns can
readily be procured everywhere.
The farmer who locates on a prairie at the West, be-
gins his work by plowing the primitive sod, and the
next year he reaps his crop and finds his field as
clean and mellow as plow land along the Connecticut
river, and he can sell his products for almost New
York prices. But beginning a farm on the Holland
Purchase, firty years ago, was quite a different busi-
ness.
Indeed, we who have not learned by experience,
can hardly imagine the obstacles and difficulties to
be surmounted by the first settlers of Orleans county.
Roads from Albany, westward, were bad : merchants
and mechanics had not vet arrived. A dense and
436 PIONEER HISTORY
heavy forest of hard, huge. trees covered the land, to
be felled and cleared away before the plow of the
farmer could turn up the genial soil. Pestilential fe-
vers racked the nerves and prostrated the vigor of
the stoutest, as, well as the weakest among them.
The ague, that pest indigenous to all new countries,
came up from every clearing, usually in the best
days of summer, to seize upon the settler, his wife
and children, some or all of them, and shake out all
their strength and energy.
Though the noblest timber trees for their buildings
existed in troublesome abundance, sawmills had not
then been erected.
Though their lands produced the finest of wheat
whenever it could be sown, it cost more than its mar-
ket price to take it to the distant grist mills to be
ground. Sales of farm produce were limited to
home consumption.
Before the War of 1812 but few settlers Lad loca-
ted in Orleans county.
From Canandaigua to Lewiston, along the Ridge
Road, and from the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek,
along an Indian Trail to Batavia, the trees had prin-
cipally been cut wide enough for a highway. A few
log cabins had been erected, and the sturdy emigrants
had begun by felling the trees to open little patches
of cleared land around their dwellings to form the
nucleus of their farms.
War was declared. The regular pursuits of peace-
ful industry were broken up. The settler was sum-
moned to become a soldier, and at the call of his
country, at times almost every able-bodied man in
the settlement was away in the ranks of the army,
leaving their scattered, unprotected families, to risk
the chances of hostile forays of the enemy, often
threatened from the west along the lake. The cour-
age and spirit of the women of those days was equal
OF ORLEANS COUNT*. 437
to the best examples to be found in American border
warfare. Neither the frightful rumors of the massa-
cre of their husbands and brothers in the fight, or the
terrible announcements that the Indians, with mur-
der and pillage, were sweeping down the Ridge Road
or coming up the Creek, could drive them to abandon
the homes they had chosen in the woods, or make
them turn a point from the performance of what their
duty required.
Perhaps the gloomiest time in the experieiuv of thu
pioneers was during and after the war, before the com-
mencement of work on the Erie canal. Considerable
wheat was annually grown, but beyond what the
farmer wanted for his own consumption it was of lit-
tle value, bearing a nominal price of about twenty-
five cents a bushel.
A kind of crude potash, made by leaching wood
ashes, and known as " black salts,'' was almost the
only product which brought money, and became, in
fact, almost a lawful tender for value in trade, and
this had to be taken to market for miles upon ox
sleds or hand sleds, or on the backs of the makers,
through woods and swamps, following a line of marked
trees. After the war, came the memorable cold seasons
of 1816-17. About these years, a cotemporary says,
" from half to two-thirds of all the people were down
sick in the summer time."
Without a supply of physicians or nurses, or med-
icines, or even bread, how were such sick men to se-
cure their crops or clear their land, endure storm,
and want, and trouble and distress, which beset
them at every turn '( Surely nothing but an iron will
which no impediment could break or bend, an abid-
ing faith and hope which no disasters or discourage-
ments could overcome or crush out, sustained them
through these dark days. Like heroes of another time,
"through the thick gloom of the present, they beheld
438 PIONEER HISTORY
the brightness of the future," and they struggled
on.
It has been playfully said that you may place a
Yankee in the woods with an ax, an augur and a knife,
his only tools, and with the trees his only material
for use, and he will build a palace, if need be, want-
ing perhaps in the finish which other tools, and the
aid of iron trimmings, nails and glass would afford,
but possessing the substantial requisites of conve-
nience, and fitness and strength.
The first log houses built in this county, proved al-
most literally the truth of this remark. They were
the dwelling places of the best families in the land,
made by their owners, where the latch string was al-
ways out at the call of the stranger, and the best of
their plain and scanty store was always generously
shared with the weary and destitute, whoever he
might be.
The builders and occupants of those rude tene-
ments were then probably poor, as can well be im-
agined, sick and suffering, with none of the luxuries,
and few even of the necessaries of their former expe-
rience, but withal contented and happy.
How often do we hear these persons, now occupy-
ing their noble mansions, fitted and furnished and
adorned with all the elegance and profusion which
the abundant means of their owners, and the taste and
fashion of the times command, refer to the little, old
log cabin first built upon their farm, and count their
residence there the happiest in their lives. These
buildings belong to the time gone by, and the last of
the log houses will soon have gone down with their
builders to that destruction which awaits all things
earthly.
For some years none new have been erected in this
county, and but rarely now can the traveler see one
left standing in dilapidated humility behind the great
OF OKLKAN8 COUNTY. 439
e last its character fox
usefulness, as a shelter for the grind stone, the salt
barrel, the swill tub, the work bench, and all the
hand tools there carefully treasured up for use on
the extensive domain of their wealthy owner.
Among these primitive settlers, the advent of a new
family to locate among them, was an occasion of
joy through the town. The acquaintance of the stran-
gers was promptly sought, a coidial welcome ex-
tended, and the more material aid of all the force in
the neighborhood, kindly volunteered to help the new
comer roll, the logs to begin his clearing, or pile them
into the walls of his cabin home. Such friendly
feeling prevailed in all their social affairs. Relations
of acquaintance and friendship were sustained be-
tween all the families for miles around, and no dis-
tinctions of wealth or party, sect or condition were
known.
It is true no such visionary scheme of community
of goods, as was attempted by the old Plymouth
Colony, or by the Fourierites of a later da}*, with all
its attendant idleness and discontent obtained among
them, but a most generous spirit to lend to and help
the. needy was a prominent trait in their character.
They were not speculators who entered upon the
lands to secure a title, trusting by a fortunate sale,
or by the rise in the market price to derive large prof-
its on their investment. The fever for land specula-
tion had not then set in.
The policy ot the Holland Company was to get
their lands taken up and occupied as fast as possible.
With this in view tiny gave contracts for deeds of
conveyance <>n payment, of a small portion of the
purchase money, giving the purchaser some years of
credit in which to pay the residue. This policy broH
in Settlers, and the liberality of the company in ex-
440 PIONEER HISTORY
tending contracts where prompt payment could not
be made, kept them on their lots.
A portion, however, of the first inhabitants of this
county, like a portion of the first inhabitants in every
new settlement, became charmed with their life of
vicissitude and hardship, and the varied advantages
of pioneer settlement, and soon as the farms were
mostly taken up and occupied, and the progress of
Cultivation had driven awaj the game and introduced
in some degree the order of civilized society, they be-
came uneasy and discontented, and longed for the
freedom and excitments of wilder life on the border.
Like Cooper's hero, "Leather Stocking," they would
"get lost among the clearings," and moved to the
West to begin again in the forests of Michigan or
Ohio.
To those who remained and labored on through
every affliction and discouragement, using such means
as their own sagacity and industry afforded them to
assist their efforts, we are indebted for such success-
ful results as we now see.
And I may repeat, what but an intelligent
and confiding hope in " the good time coming" could
have sustained these men under all discouragements
they endured '. What but that indomitable spirit of
the race, which never falters at perils or hindrances
in the way when a desirable object is to be gained,
under the wise ordering of a mysterious good Provi-
dence, nerved them for their work, and cheered them
on to its succesful accomplishment?
In ardent imagination the young emigrant, who
had selected and contracted for his farm, looked over
his future abode and traced the boundaries of orchard
and meadow, and pasture, and plain, and saw the
shadowy outlines of his houses and his barns, his
fences and his fields, looming into being where
then the gray old trees stood in solemn grandeur,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 441
the sturdy sentinels of nature for centuries keeping
watch over the primitive wilderness. He saw in
vision of the future his crops of waving corn and his
granaries bursting out with plenty, and himself the
happy possessor of a home blessed with comforts and
luxuries of life in abundance, and seizing his ax,
then perhaps his only chattel, he went to work
with a will, to prove the scenes his fancy had por-
trayed.
It is a remarkable fact that the English settlements
in America were in the main first made at points the
most inhospitable and uninviting, thusbringing everj
part of our country to be settled and improved. The
Puritans, who came over in the May Flower, intended
to have gone to Virginia, but through the treachery
of the captain of their ship, as some assert, they
were landed at Plymouth.
The first emigrants westward from New England,
located in the forests of New York, Michigan and
Ohio, because they came from a forest country and
were not afraid of the woods, and because they could
not get to the fertile prairies of the West. There
were no roads by land, and no communication by water
to these beautiful territories. They were compelled
by necessity to clear up and setth- the country as
they went through it.
Had the Puritans readied their intended destina-
tion in the sunny South, and located along those
noble rivers and fertile plains, they would never have
removed to the hard, cold, ironbound hills of New
England. When then would New England have
been settled '. Never by emigrants from the West.
And had the southern and middle States been first
settled, and the application of steam to motive ma
ohinery been made, and the railroad and the telegraph
and the knowledge of the useful arts we now possess
been known 200 years ago, Maine, New Hampshire
442 PIONEEH HISTORY
and Vermont, would be to-day like parts of Lower
Canada, a vast and dreary wilderness, and as such to
remain until the more inviting regions of the West
had all been settled. And had railroads and tele-
graphs, and steam power, as now used, been known
even fifty years ago, I fancy some of these venerable
pioneers would be now rejoicing in homes made happy
upon the banks of the Missouri, or perhaps west of
the Rocky Mountains.
The interesting details of border settlement in this
country have so often been the theme of remark that
they have become trite matters of history. The
solemn and deepening shade of antiquity is begin-
ning to clothe them with its mysterious interest, and
as the immediate actors leave us, slowly and silently
fading away from among the living, their memory is
cherished as the pride of their kindred, and they come
to be regarded as the benefactors of their country.
The Pioneers of Orleans county are not all dead,
but the times of their trouble have gone by. The Hol-
land Purchase is settled, subdued, and made the
cheerful home of an industrious and thriving popu-
lation, now in their turn sending out their caravans of
emigrants, with the fervent spirit of their fathers,
carrying the arts and institutions of our favored
country to those new States so rapidly growing up in
the regions of the West. All the improvements in
science and the arts are brought to aid the swift pro-
gress of our people in spreading themselves over our
entire national territory.
If the earlier march of emigration and settlement,
from the Atlantic westward has been toilsome and
slow, and two hundred years scarce brought settlers
to the great lakes and the slopes of the Alleghanies,
what shall we say of the advances of the last fifty
years, and which are now going forward !
Since the first tree fell here under the ax of the white
OF OBLEANS COUNTY. 44:i
man, the triumphs of steam power have appeared. —
By the help of this tremendous agent, a voyage across
the Atlantic, which took the May Flower months to ac-
complish, is now made in a week. A trip to Boston,
which once cost these pioneers a month to perform, is
now the business of a day. Steam drives our mills,
carries our burdens, plows our fields, warms our
houses, digs our canals, and furnishes a motive pow-
er, to effect the mightiest and minutest work attempt
ed by the ingenuity of man.
But steam, though admitted to be strong is voted
slow, in this fast age, and electricity is sent out to run
the errands of our ordinary business.
Excelsior ! Higher ! is the motto of our noble Em-
pire State, and Forward is the cry of encouragement
with which Young America stimulates its ardor in the
race for victory.
My friends, we who are the juniors of these noble
men, whose praise we have, thus faintly endeavored
to celebrate, should never forget that we are building
upon foundations they have laid for us. That we in-
herit the lands their hands have cleared ; that we en
joy the liberties they have achieved.
We shall ever admire their enterprise, patience ana
fortitude. We shall justly feel proud to claim ac-
quaintance, perhaps relationship with such worthy
predecessors.
We shall teach our children the story of their la-
bors and success, as examples to be imitated; uvs
from every memorial they have left us of strenuotts
effort ifi a good cause, take courage and gain strength
to help our resolution in the performance of all the
duties, which have fallen to our lot. And when w«
look about us upon the broad patrimony we have de-
rived from them, ami take an inventory of the abun-
dant good things they have bequeathed to us, a> the
fruits of their labors, let us not forgel our duty of
444 PIONEElt HISTORY
gratitude to the memory of these our benefactors, to
whom we owe so much, nor fail to improve as we
ought, the rich inheritance we enjoy.
Venerable Pioneers — You have not met on the
present occasion to gratify your vanity by publishing
to the world the exploits you have performed, or
boasting for the wonder of others of the marvelous
adventures you may have achieved ; but, like a com-
pany of weary travelers, life's toilsome journey al-
most done, — you are here to spend an evening hour
in social converse, on scenes you have witnessed by
the way, to bring to mind again the stirring events in
wdiich you have been called to mingle ; and to soothe
your spirits by a grateful recollection of that kind
Providence which has sustained you in all your toils
and brought you in old age to the abundant enjoy-
ment and realization of the most ardent hopes of your
youth.
You have seen the country of your choice a gloomy
wilderness. You now behold it, by your exertions
changed to cultivated fields, and dotted over with
noble houses, interspersed with thriving villages and
connected by public highways.
Where a few years ago you hunted the savage
bear, your splendid herds and numerous flocks now
roam and feed in safety. Where but lately you was
compelled to grope your way from town to town
through pathless woods, by marked trees, or Indian
trails, the railroad or telegraph afford you means of
communication, in which time and distance are
scarcely items in the account of delay.
The rich produce of your fields, instead of rot-
ting on your hands, valueless because no buyer
could be found, commands at all times the highest
price in the markets of the world.
The howl of the wolf is exchanged for the scream
at* the steam whistle, and though vou live so far in-
OF OKLEAJVS COUNTY. 445
land, the gallant steam vessel is made to float by
your very doors.
How astonishing, how stupendous the change!
We have road of the Wonderful Lamp of Aladdm
and stories' of Oriental Necromancy, where by the
superhuman power of magic, and the agency of
demons, the loftiest works of art, and the noblest
productions of industry and skill were made to
appear or vanish at a word, — but the magic which
wrought the works we celebrate, was the power of in-
domitable energy, applied with strong hands and
stubborn perseverence. The mighty improvements
which excite our admiration are only the happy re-
sults of your steady, well directed industry over*
ing its earl}" discouragements and trials, — the honor-
able testimonial:- of the sternest conflict and most
complete success.
Fortunate men and women! Long, long may you
live, enjoying the rich fruits of your early toils.
And may you be permitted to witness the return of
many anniversaries of your present association, hap-
py in the consciousness that you have accomplished
the objects of yonr youthful ambition, and leaving,
when at last you shall be called to your rest, a noble
history, and a worthy example embalmed in the
memory of your grateful posterity.
APPENDIX.
Towns in Orleans County — Their Organization — Villages in Orleans
County — Table of Elevations— Members of Assembly Elected from
Orleans County since its Organization— County Clerks of Orleans
County — County Treasurers — County Superintendents of Common
Schools — First Judges of Orleans County Courts— District Attorneys
of Orleans County— Sheriffs of Orleans County — Surrogates oi Or-
leans County — First Courts of Record — Supervisors of the Different
Towns in Orleans County since their Organization.
ORLEANS COUNTY.
FROM WHAT TAKEN.
Batavia is now divided into other
towns, and not known by that
name in Orleans county.
from Gaines.
from Gaines and Ridgeway.
from Sweden.
from Ridgeway.
from Murray.
from Northampton.
from Batavia.
from Ridgeway.
from Ridgeway.
* The town of Carlton was originally named " Oak Orchard," and was
changed to " Carlton " in 1825.
+ The town of Yates was originally named "Northton," and was changed
so Yates, January 21st, 1823.
VILLAGES IN ORLEANS COUNTY.
WHEN INCORPORATED.
April 21st, 1828. Incorporated by special act.
April 26th, 1832.
July 1st, 18E0. " " general *'
March 2d, 1832. " " special "
* Albion was originally named "Newport," and the name changed to Al-
bion when it was incorporated as a village.
t The village of Gaines has ceased to use its corporate franchises.
TOWNS IN 01
TOWNS.
WHEN .FORMED.
batavia.
March 30th
, 1802.
Barre,
March 6th,
1818,
Carlton*
April 13th,
1822,
Clarendon,
Feb'y 23rd,
1821,
Gaines,
Feb'y 14th,
1816,
Kendall,
April 7th,
1837,
Murray,
April 8th,
1803,
Ridgeway,
June 8th,
1812,
Shelby,
March 6th,
1818,
Yates,f
April 17th,
1822,
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 447
The following list of Elevations is taken from O'Reily's
History of Rochester and Western New York:
FEET.
Lake Erie above level of tide water is. .570
Top of Niagara Falls is below Lake Erie 66
Bottom of Niagara Falls below Lake Erie 226
Lake Ontario below Lake Erie, 330
Canal at Albion below Lake Erie 64
Erie Canal at Albion above Lake Ontario is 266
Middle Falls, Genesee River at Rochester, perpendicular pitch, 96
Canal in Orleans county, level above tide water 509
miles.
Distance from Albion by canal to Albany 293
From Albion to Buffalo, 59
From Albion to Rochester 34.
The descent given to cause a flow of water between locks in the Erie
Canal does not vary much from one inch in a mile.
MILES.
Distance from Albion by railroad to Suspension Bridge 44J
From Albion to Rochester 30|
Members of Assembly elected from Orleans County since
its Organization :
Lathrop A. G. B. Grant, from Shelby 1326
Abraham Cantine, from Murray 1827
Lyman Bates, from Ridgeway 1828
Ereorge YV. Flemming. from Barre 1829
John H. Tyler, from Yates, , 1830
John H. Tyler, from Yates 1831
William J. Babbitt, from Gaines 1832
Asahel Byington, lrom Carlton 1 833
Asa Clark, J r., from Murray 1834
Asa Clark, Jr., from Murray 1835
John Chamberlain, from Barre .1836
Silas M. Burroughs, from Ridgeway 1837
Horatio Reed, from Clarendon 1838
Horatio Reed, from Clarendon 1839
John J. Walbridge, from Gaines 1840
Richard W. Gates, from Yates __1841
Sanford E. Church, from Barre 1842
Elisba Wright, from Barre.... is;::
Hands Cole, from Ridgeway 1841
i Jardner Goold, from Carlton 1st.";
Dexter Kingman, from Ridgeway, 184(5
Abner Hubbard, from Murray 1847
Arba Chubb, from Gaines 1848
448 PIONEER niSTOEY
Reuben Roblee, from Kendall 1849
Silas M. Burroughs, from Ridgeway .1850
Silas M. Burroughs, from Ridgeway 1851
George M. Copeland, from Clarendon 1852
Silas M. Burroughs, from Ridgeway . . 1853
Jeremiah Freeman, from Shelby 1854
Elisha S. Whalen, from Ridgeway 1855
Dan. II. Cole, from Barre_.__.__ ..1856
Almanzor Hutchinson, from Gaines 1857
Almanzor Hutchinson, from Gaines. 1858
Almanzor Hutchinson, from Gaines 1859
Abel Stilson, from Barre 1860
Gideon Randall, from Kendall 1861
Nicholas E. Darrow, from Clarendon. 1862
John Parks, from Ridgeway 1863
Edmund L. Pitts, from Ridgeway 1864
Edmund L. Pitts, from Ridgeway 1865
Edmund L. Pitts, from Ridgeway 1866
Edmund L. Pitts, from Ridgeway 1867
Edmund L. Pitts, from Ridgeway 1868
Marvin Harris, from Kendall 1869
John Berry, from Murray 1870
John Berry, from Murray 1871
Turn?. — Alexis Ward was elected in November, 1854, and died be-
fore the session began, and E. S. Whalen was elected in his place.
' lUNTY Clerks of Orleans County f:;o-i its Organization:
NAMES. WHEN ELECTED OR APPOINTED.
Orson N iclioson, 1 November, 1825
Abraham B. Mills November, 1831
Timothy G. Strong November, 1834
Elijah Dana. - - -November, 1843
Harmon Goodrich* March, 1848
Dan. II. Cole November, 1848
Willard F. Warren November, 1854
John P. Church 7. November, 1857
G.orge A. Porterf Dec'r 30th, 1858
James M. Palmer November, 1859
Edwin F. Brown November, 1862
George A. Porter. November, 1865
George D. Church November, 1868
* Appointed in place of E. Dana, deceased, under Act passed March 20th,
1S.8.
t Appointed in place of J. P. Church, deceased.
K ORLEANS COUNTY.
440
i 01 \n I i.! i*i ai rs oi Orleans Coi mv pkosi its Organi;
TION :
1st. Appointed by the Board of Supervisors to bold during n<
pleasure of the Board-
William Pern 1825 Lorenzo Burrows 1840
.lames Mather. . 1826 Codington W. Swan .1841
( Jideon Hard 1827 Joseph M. Cornell 1843
Truxton Burred . . 1835 Lemuel C. Paine 1843
Hugh McCurdy 1837 John H.Denio .-1847
2d. Elected under the Constitution of 1846, t'<.r a term of three
years-
John H. Denio ........ November, i*-»s
Ambrose W< >od . . . . . " 1851
Joseph M. Cornell " 1857
Ezra T. Coann 1 863
Samuel C. Bowen " i860
Alberi S. Warner ". " 1869
COUNT'S Si ri.niN i i:\ih s i - 01 COMMON SCHOOLS i -"oi: OllLl
COI NT'I '
Edwin R. Reynolds, Jonathan O. Wilsea, John G. Smith, Olivei
Morehouse, Marcus II. Phillips, Abel Stilson, and James M. Alan;
Bon.
PlKSX Jldges 0]
■• Orleans Coi \p
TIOH OF THE (
iOUNTY:
\ UKKS.
w HBN Vl'l'oivi t .1..
Elijah Fool.
April 22d, L825.
Alexis Ward,
I'el.. 10th. 1830.
Henry Angcvine,
Jan. 27th, L840.
Benj.'L. Bessac,
Feb'y 7th, L844.
James Gilson,
Jan. 10th, 1846.
DlSTRK I Attoh
•y V> oi ()KI.'A>
(. \\iy..\Tlo\ :
\ (Mlv
\\ Mi.N VPPOINTEI).
Orange Butler,
L825.
George W. felemi
og 1828.
Henry R. Curtis,
1831.
Ocorge W. Plena
ing, 1832
Henry R. Curtis,
183*3.
I: l:
-!N<
KLECTED UNDEB CONSTITUTION
OF 1846, COUNTY JITDGI
\mi SURKOG \ti:.
Henry I!. Curtis, June, 18 .".
Dan II. Cole, app. in place i '
1 1. 1 £.( !urtis,deceased,Sept.24,r55
I lideon Hard, November, 1855
A.rad Thomas, November, L859
Edwin R. Reynolds, Nov., 1863
John G. Sawyer, Nov'r, 181 ~
\\s Cm v
Fnwi
Sanford E. Church, June
Win. K. McAllister, Nov.
Benjamin L. Bessac, Nov.
Henry I >. Tucker, Nov.
John W. Graves, Nov.
John G. Sawyer, Nov.
rrving M. Thompson, Nov.
Henry A' Childs, Nov.
L84'3
1850
L85:
1856
185!
i-i a
L865
18G£
29
450 PIONEER HISTORY
Sheriffs of Orleans Coi vr\ since its Organization.
.NAMES. WHEN APPOINTED OR ELECTED.
William Lewis On organizing County.
Oliver Benton November, 1826
Win. Allis " 1829
Harmon Goodrich " 1 832
Asahel Woodrufl " 1835
John Boardnian ,; 1838
Horace B. Perry " 1841
Aram Beebe " 1844
Austin Day " 184?
Rums E. Hill " 1850
Ferdinand A. Hay " 1853
George W. Bedell " 1856
Danly D. Spragne " 1859
RobertP. Bordwell - 1862
! '.rast us 31. Spaulding " 1865
RobertP. Bordwell - L868
Si RROGATES OF ORLEANS COUNTY SINCE CTS ORGANIZATION.
NAMES. WHEN APPOINTED OK ELECTED.
V.: illiam While April 1 9, 1825
Alexis Ward April 3, L829
John Chamberlain March 8, 1833
Thomas S. Clark January 21,1 836
Han H. Cole January 21. 1 840
•i nomas S. Clark lanuary 21. 1844
Since 1847 the duties of Surrogate have been performed by the
Countv Judge.
Supervisors of Towns, as Elected prom the Organization of
« • leans County.
SUPERVISORS OF BAERE.
I ; athan Whitney 1826 Lansing Bailey 1839
Lansing Bailey 1827 Alvah Mattison. 1840
1 .ansing Bailey 1828 Alvah Mattison 1841
Lansing Bailey 1829 Avery M. Starkweather 1842
f casing Bailey- .. < 1830 Avery M. Starkweather 1843
I ,ansmg Bailey 1831 Elisha Wright 1844
! jansing Bailey 1832 Lorenzo Burrows 1845
A. Hyde Cole 1833 Warren Parker 1846
/vlvaii Mattison 1834 William Love 1847
Alvah Mattison 1835 William Love 1848
i <ansing Bailey 1836 Anthony Brown 1849
i iansing Bailey 1837 Anthony Brown 1850
I iansing Bailey .1838 Anthony Brown 1851
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. -I--)!
Austin Day 1852 Luther Porter L862
Henry M. Gibson 1853 John D. Buckland is:;:;
Henry M. Gibson 1854 John I). Buckland 1 86 I
Henry M. Gibson is:,:, Norman S. Field 1 865
John D. Buckland 1856 ( >rpheus A. Root ISO*;
John D. Buckland 1857 Orpheus A.Root 1867
Luther Porter 1858 < >rpheus A.Root 1868
Luther Porter 1859 Charles II. Mattison 1869
Luther Porter 1860 Charles H. Mattison .1870
Luther Porter 1801 Charles II. Matt; is?l
SUPERVISORS OP CARLTON.
Richard W. Gales .1826 Jasper M. Grow ls4'.i
Minoris Day 1827 Willard F. Warren 1 850
Minoris Day 1828 Gardner Goold 1851
John M. Randall 1829 John Dunham 1852
John M. Randal] 1830 Nelson Shattuck is:,:;
.Minoris Day 18:11 Reuben N. "Warren. 1 85 I
tlsaac Mason 1832 Marvin C. Lacey 1 855
Isaac Mason. 1833 Gardner Goold 1 856
Chester Bidwell 1834 Joseph D. Billings 1857
Joshua E.Hall . 1835 Joseph D. Billings L858
Horace O. Gookl . .1836 Joseph D. Billings . 1859
Hiram Merrick 18:)7 Daniel Howe I860
Hiram Merric'k 1838 I >anie! I [owe 1801
Alfred Bidwell 1839 Joseph I). Billings 1862
Gardner Goold 1840 John II. Harris 1863
Gardner Gookl 1841 John II. Harris 1864
Alfred Bidwell 1842 George L. Baker 1 SO.",
( Gardner Gookl 184:; ( ; eorge I. Baker 1 866
Asahel Byington, 2d 1844 Dennis Bickford---. 1-:;;
Epenetus A. Reed 1845 Dennis Bickford 1868
Asahel Byington, 2d.... - .. 1846 Benjamin P. Van Camp L869
Alfred Bidwell.. lsl? Benjamin P. Van Camp... 1870
Dalphon V. Simpson 1848 John Gates is?]
SUPERVISORS OF ( ILARENDON.
Eldridge Farwell 1821 Elizur Warren. 1832
Eldridge Farwell 1822 Elizur Warren. is:;:;
Jeremiah Glidden ... 1823 ^ardius Tousley . is:;|
Jeremiah Glidden 1824 ".-ratio Reed is:;:,
Henry Bill.. 1825 Horatio Reed 1830
Hiram Frisbie 1826 Horatio Reed 1837
Chauncey Robitson 1827 Horatio Reed L838
.Chauncey Robinson ...1828 Benjamin G. Pettingill 1839
Chauncey Robinson ..1829 Johu .Millard 1840
Chauncey Robinson. L830 Jason A. Sheldon isn
John Millard. 1s;;i Jason A. Sheldon 1842
452 PI0NEE1! HISTORY
Jason A. Sheldon. 1843 Thomas Turner 1858
Benjamin (I. Pettengill 1844 George M. Copeland 1859
Benjamin G. Pettengill 1845 Dan Martin 1860-
Ira B. Keeler 1846 Mortimer D. MUlifcen 1861
Tra B. Keeler 1847 Mortimer D. Millken 1862
Orson Tousley 1848 Martin Evarts 1863
( J <;-< >rg< ■ M. Copeland 1849 Nicholas E. Darrow 1864
( teorge M. Copeland 1850 Nicholas E. Darrow 1865
Nicholas E. Darrow 1851 Henry C. Martin 1866
Nicholas E. Darrow 1853 Henry ('.Martin 1867
Daniel P. St. John 1853 Henry C. Martin 1868
Nicholas E. Darrow 1854 David N. Pettengill 1869
1 )an Martin 1855 David N. Pettengill 1870
Lucius B. Coy 1856 Darwin 31. Inman 1871
Amasa Patterson 1857
SUPERVISORS OF GAINES.
Samuel ( Hart 1816 Daniel Brown .1844
Samuel ( 'lark 1817 Samuel Bidelman. 1845
Roberl Anderson 1818 Samuel Bidelman 1846
I U »1 iert Anderson 1819 Arba Chubb 1847
1 tol >ert Anderson 1820 1 lenry Miller 1848
Robei i Anderson 1821 Benj. Chester 1849
Roberl Anderson 1822 Aram Beebe 1850
Robert Anderson 1823 Aram Beebe 1851
Roberl Anderson 1824 Aram Beebe 1852
Robert Anderson 1825 Samuel Bidelman 1853
Roberl Anderson 1826 Samuel Bidelman 1854
Daniel Pratt 1827 Gershom R. Cady 1855
Arba Chubb 1828 Jonas Sawens 1856
Arba Chubb 1829 Samuel Bidelman 1857
Arba Chubb 1830 Nahum Anderson 1858
Win. .1. Babbitt 1831 Nahum Anderson 1859
John J. Walbridge 1832 Nahum Anderson 1860
Russel Gillett 1833 Almanzor Hutchinson 1861
Win. J. Babbitt 1834 Nahum Anderson 1862
Arba. ( !hubb 1835 Charles T. Richards 1863
William W. Ruggles 1836 Charles T. Richards 1864
Joseph Billings 1837 Nahum Anderson 1865
Joseph Billings 1838 Matthew T. Anderson 1866
Joseph Billings 1839 Matthew T. Anderson 1867
Joseph Billings 1840 Samuel W. Smith .1868
Palmer Cady 1841 Samuel W. Smith 1869
Samuel Bidelman 1842 Elijah B. Lattin 1870
Wm. W. Ruggles 1843 Elijah B. Lattin 1871
SUPERVISORS OP KENDALL.
Ryan Barber 1840 Ryan Barber 1843-
OF ORLEANS inr.N'TY. 453
Henry Higgins. _ . . 1842 Philo P. Prosser . . L857
Joseph Mann 1848 Philo F. Prosser 1 858
Joseph Mann 1844 Philo P. Prosser 1859
Levi Hard 1845 Marvin Harris I860
Levi Hard 1846 Marvin Harris r 1861
AbramOdell 1847 Pierre A. Simkins---. .. L862
Abram Odell ....1848 William K. Townsend... 1863
Wm. R. Bassett 1849 Nathaniel S. Bennett 1864
Wm. R. Bassett 1850 Nathaniel S. Bennett. . . 1 865
Alanson Whitney 1851 Gideon Randall 1866
Reuben Rbblee... 1852 Gideon Randall 1867
William R. Bassett 1853 Oscar Munn . ....1868
William R. Bassett 1854 Oscar Munn 1869
Pierre A. Simkins 1855 Oscai Munn 1870
Philo P. Prosser 1856 Wm. O. Hardenbrook 1871
SUPERVISORS OF MURRAY.
Asahel Balcom 1826 Harrison Hatch L849
William Allis... . . . .1827 Benj. P. Van Dake. 1850
Amos Randall .1828 Jabez Allison .1851
Hiram Frisbie 1829 Jabez Allison 1852
Hiram Frisbie 1830 Ezra N. Hill 1853
William .lames 1831 Danly D. Sprague 1854
Asa Clark, Jr 1832 1 )anly D. Sprague 1855
Asa Clark, Jr 1833 Benj. F. Van Dake 1856
Asa Clark, Jr 1834 Jabez Allison. - 1857
Robert N ichoson 1 835 Jabez Allison L858
Robert Nichoson 1836 Jabez Allison 1859
George Squires 1837 Ezra X. Hill I860
George Squires .1838 Jabez Allison 1861
Joshua. Garrison 1839 Linus Jones Peck 1862
Joshua Garrison.. 1840 Roland Farnsworth 186;;
Cornelius Thomas .. 1S41 Roland Farnsworth 1864
Cornelius Thomas. . . .1842 Roland Farnsworth 1865
John Berry 1843 Roland Farnsworth. - ism;
George Squises .1844 Roland Farnsworth L867
Abijah Reed . . 1845 Roland Farnsworth L868
Hercules Reed 1846 Roland Farnsworth 1869
Abner Balcoro L847 Roland Farnsworth 1870
Abner Balcom L848 Roland Farnsworth 1871
SUPERVISORS OF RIDGEWAV PROM ORGANIZATION OF
THE TOWN.
Oliver Booth .... L813 Elijah Hawlej 1818
Samuel Clark L814 Jeremiah Brown 1819
Samuel Clark 1815 Israel Douglass 1820
Israel Douglass 1816 Israel Douglass 1821
Israel Douglass L817 Jeremiab Brown 1822
454 PIONEER HISTORY
Jeremiah Brown 1823 William C. Tanner 184S
Jeremiah Brown 1824 John F. Sawyer ..__1849
Lyman Bates 1825 John F. Sawyer 1850-
Lyman Bates 182G Christopher Whaley 1851
Lyman Bates 1827 Allen Bacon 1852
Lyman Bates 1828 Marson Weld 1853
Lyman Bates ...1829 Borden H. Mills 1854
Lyman Bates 1830 John R. Weld 1855
Lyman Bates 1831 Lyman Bates 1856
William C. Tanner 1832 Alexander II. Jameson 1857
William C. Tanner 1833 Luther Barrett 1858
William ('.Tanner 1834 Luther Barrett 1859
Seymour B.Murdock... 1835 Dy.n- B. Abell 1800
Lyman Bates 1830 Dyer B. Abell 1861
William V.Wilson 1837 Hezekiah Bowen, Jr 1862^
Nathan S.Wood 1838 Henry A. Glidden 1863
Nathan S. Wood 1839 Henry A. Glidden 1864
Josias Tanner 1840 Samuel C. Bowen 1865
Josias Tanner 1841 William W. Potter 1866
Job Fish ...1842 William W.Potter 1867
William V. Wilson 1843 Allen P. Scott 1868
Dexter Kingman 1844 Allen P. Scott 1869
1 )exter K ingrnan 1845 Henry A. Glidden 1870
I toswell Starr 1840 Elisha S. Whalen 1871
Allen Bacon 1 847
SUPERVISORS OF SHELBY.
Lathrop A. G. B. Grant 1826 Lathrop A. G. B. Grant 1846
Christopher Whaley 1827 Alexander Coon 1847
Christopher Whaley 1828 Alexander Coon 1848
Andrew Ellicott 1829 Lathrop A. G. B. Grant 1849
Joseph Rickey 1830 Lathrop A. G. B. Grant 1850-
Joseph Rickey 1831 Jeremiah Freeman 1851
William Cunningham 1832 Elisha. Whalen 1852
William Cunningham 1833 John M. Culver 1853 -
Adam Garter 1834 John M. Culver 1854
Horatio X. Hewes 1835 Alexander Coon 1855
Adam Garter 1836 Philip Winegar 1856
John M. Culver 1837 Philip Winegar 1857
Alexander Coen 1838 Philip Winegar 1858
Alexander Coon 1839 Philip Winegar 1859-
Alexander Coon 1*40 Alexander Coon 1860
Alexander Coon 1841 John T. Gillett 1861
Alexander Coon 1842 John T. Gillett 1862
Alexander Coon 1*43 John T. Gillett 1863
Alexander Coon 1*44 John T. Gillett 1864
Lathrop A. G. B. Grant 1845 John T. Gillett 1805
<>F ORLEANS COUNTY. 453
Joseph W. Ross 1866 John P. Gates L869
Joseph W. Ross L867 David G. Deuel 1870
David G.Deuel 1868 Ela C. Bardwell 187!
SUPERVISORS OF VAXES.
Samuel Warner 1826 Reuben Hungerford
Grindal Davis 1827 Asahel Johnson 1850
John H. Tyler 1828 Asahel Johnson
John II. Tyler 1 829 John J. Sawyer 1852
John II. Tyler 1830 John Gates L853
John IT. Tyler 1831 Charles Lum 1854
Luther St. John 1832 Charles Lum 1855
John II Tyler 1833 David I. Henion L856
John II. Tyler 1834 David I. Henion 1857
John II. Tyler 1835 Daniel Clark 1858
John II. Tyler L836 Chauncey II. Lum 1859
John II. Tyler 1837 Chauncey H. Lum L860
John L. Lewis 18:iK Daniel Clark 1SC.J
A.sahel Johnson 1839 Tunis II. Coe 1862
John L. Lewi- L840 Tunis II. Coe 1863
John L. Lewis 1841 Tunis II. Coe 1864
Samuel Taylor 1842 George Clark 1 865
John L. Lewis 1S4M Jonathan A. Johnson 1866
Daniel Starr 1*44 Jonathan A. Johnson 1867
John L.Lewis 1845 Jonathan A. Johnson 1868
Daniel Starr 1S4<> Henry Spalding. . . ISC)
Horace Phippany 1*47 Henry Spalding 1870
Horace Pbippany 1848 U. Jackson Blood 1871
COURTS OF KECORD.
fiic Courts for Orleans County before the County Seat was located
at Albion, were held at Bronson's Hotel, in the town of Gaines. The
record of the opening of the first Circuit Court is as follows :
"At a Circuit Court held at the House of Selah Bronson, in the
town of Gaines, in and for the County of Orleans, on Thursday, the
L3th day of October, 1825, present, His Honor William B. Rochester,
Judge 8th Circuit. DAVID STRICKLAND,
WILLIAM GATES,
ABEL TRACY,
MONTGOMERY PERCIVAL,
E. PERRIGO,
/.AUDITS TOUSLEY,
Constables.
The following persons appeared and were sworn a^ traversejurors,
i wit:
Martin Hobart, Oliver Brown, Samuel Norton, Joshua RaymOnd,
Nathan Whitney, Curtis Tomlinson, Zebulon Packard, Thomas Annis,
Zardius Tousley, Dudley Watson, Seymour B. Murdoch, Ephraim Mas-
ten, Oliver Booth, 2nd., Daniel Gates, Archibald L. Daniels, Richard
M'Omber, Timothy Ruggles, Daniel [ieed, Ethan Graham, John Hall.
Philo Elmer, Joseph Davis. John Sherwood.
Four causes were tried by jury, viz.: Moses Bacon vs. Ger-
sbom Proctor. Samuel Finch vs. diaries Sayres. Berjamin Bab-
•< \ vs. Curtis Tomlinson and Sophia Kingsbury. Irene I. each vs.
Henry Drake.
The first Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions, held in and
for Orleans county, was al the House of Selah Bronson, in Gaines,
June22d, 1825. Present, Hon. Elijah Foot, Firsl Judge, Eldridge Far-
well, Wm. J. Moody, Wm. Penniman and Cyrus Harwood, Judges.
The members of the Grand Jury at this Court were Ralph H. Brown.
William Love. Harvey Goodrich, Hiram Sickels, Henry Carter, Hiram
Frisbie, David Sturges, Joseph Hamilton, Levi Preston, John Proctor,
llobert Anderson, Zelotes Sheldon, Silas Benton, Ebenezer M. Pease,
L. A. (LB. Grant, Benjamin Howe. Elijah Bent. Abraham Cantine
Eri Wood and Oliver Bennett.
William Lewis, Sheriff. Orange Butler. District Attorney. Orson
: ehoson. Clerk.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Articles of Land, given by Holland Co., 24
Animals, wild, 29.
Anecdote of John Anderson, 230.
Academy, First in County, at Gaines, 215, 250, 65.
Albion, Village of, 179.
Anecdote of locating Court House, 181.
Address before Pioneer Association, by Arad Thomas, 128
Appendix, 440.
Assembly, Members of. from Orleans County, 44 7.
Attorneys, District of Orleans County, 449.
Busti, Mr., Anecdote of, 26.
Beaver and beaver dam-. 32.
Black Salts, 51.
Burying Grounds. Mount Albion Cemetery, 69. Boxwood Cemetery,
71. Hillside Cemetery, 71.
Barre, Town of, 7:;. Land to Religious Society, 74. ( !ondition in deed
to Congregational Society, 74. First Presbyterian Society, 7.L
Store, Tavern, 25. Survey of Oak Orchard Road, 76. First
Lawyer. Doctor, Deed of Land, 76. Death of Mrs. McCollister,
;;. Warehouse, Sawmill, 77. Price of Lumber, 77. First Ball,
78. Fourth of July, 1821, 77. First Marriage in Albion, 7s.
First Deed of Land in, 70.
Bear Stories, 81, 87, 235, 134,402.
Burgess, Mrs. X. Cut logs for House, 211.
Hall at Millville, 320.
Barn, first in Orleans County, 408.
British at mouth of Oak Orchard Creek, alarm from, 84.
Counties in New York 100 years ago, 22.
clemency of Holland Co., 25.
( Hearing land, manner of, 43. First crops raised, 1 1.
Credit system, 52.
Canal, Erie, when begun. 55, effeel of, 56.
Courl House, locating of, 181.
Clarendon, town ot, L99. First town meeting in, 201.
Carlton, town of, 185. Firsl town meeting in, 197. First settlement in
ihe Comity l.y Walsworth, lso. .Manilla. L86. Mil! for pound-
ing corn, 188. Onion ( tompany, 189.
458 [Mux.
Carriage seat on springs of wolf trap, 238.
Cemeterys, 69. Mount Albion, 69. Boxwood,;!. Hillsid
( iongregational Society in Barre, deed of lam1, to. 74
Cradle, Pioneer, description of, 85.
County Clerk's list of 448.
Courts of Record in Orleans County, first, 456.
County Treasurers, list of, 449.
Common Schools, County Superintendents of, 449.
Domestic manufactures, ."32. Clothing, how made, 53.
Doctors bill, specimen of, 248.
Deer hunting, 389.
District Attorneys, list of, 449.
Ellicott, Jo., agent, 23. Anecdote of, 253.
Eagle Harbor, village of, 266.
Erie Canal, when and where first work on, 55. 1 ts benefits, 56.
Education, state of, 64. Gaines Academy, 65.
Fortifications, ancient, 14.
Fish, 29.
Friendship among settlers, 19.
Fire, loss of, anecdote. 210.
Gospel Lots, 26.
<5enesee ( 'dimly. 28.
Gospel Lot in Barre, 74.
Gauntlet run by E. Hunt, 194.
Gaines, business in, when County organized, 250.
Gaines, town of, 210. Mrs. Burgess' log house, 211. Capt. McCarty's
Company in war of 1812, 213. First printing press there, 214.
Booth's tavern. 252. Sam Wooster, 253. Mrs. Booth and Jo.
Ellicott, 254.
Greenman, Preserved, anecdotes of, 403.
Hundred Thousand Acre Tract, 1!.'.
Holland Purchase, 2 1 .
Hackett, violin player, 378.
Hedgehogs, 31.
Hardships of settlers. Domestic mill, 46. Fever am! Ague, 46. Brows-
ing cattle, 47. Keeping fire, 47.
Highways, public, 58. Ridge road, 58. Osk Orchard road, 59. State
road, 61. Salt Works roads, 60.
Holland Land Company, names of, 21. Generosity of agent, 101. Do-
nations to School Districts, 25. Donations of
land to religious societies, 20. Anecdote of
Rev. Mr. Rawson and Mr. Busii, 26.
Holley,village of, 305. Salt found there, 306. Mammoth tooth, 307.
First school house in. 307.
Hunters lodges, 245.
Hulbcrton, village of, 308.
INDEX. 459
Hindsburgli, village of, 311.
Indian mill, description of, 278.
Indians, false alarm, 86, 338.
.Judges of County Courts, 449.
July 4, 1821, celebration, Banc. 78.
Knowlesville, village ot, 373.
Kendall, town of, 269. Public library, 272. Salt making, 272. Nor-
wegians in, 2?:!.
Land office ol Holland Company, 24.
Log bouse, description of, 36.
Furniture of, 40.
Lawsuit before Esq. Chubb, 233.
Library in Kendall, 272.
Luther, Eld. Ben., style of preaching, 332.
Lyndonville, village of, 40.").
Lumber, price of, 2 "t .
Millyard tract, 18.
Manufactures, domestic, 52.
Merchants, early, and their stores, 51.
Mails and post offices, 53.
Manilla, 18(3.
Mill to pound corn, L86, 278.
McCarty, Capt, Company in war of 1812, 212, 88.
Meeting house, firstframed in County, 200.
Mammoth tooth found at Holley, 307.
Medina, village of, 367. Stone quarry, 372.
Murray, town of, 288.
Orleans County, first white man settled in, 186.
Phelps and Gorham's Purchase. 16.
Pre-emption line, 1 7.
Pultney. Sir Wm, 19.
Peaches and apples, :{:!.
Patriot war, 24S.
Post office, first, 261.
Porter, Luther, strategy to get his grist, 377.
Pioneer Association of Orleans ( 'ounty, 426.
Quails, 81.
Rawson, Rev. A., anecdote of, 28.
Rattlesnakes, 30.
Ridge Road, when traced out, 59. Surveyed, 58, 60.
Railroads in Orleans County. 63.
Religion, state of, 67. First meetings in Carlton, 67. Rev. Mr. Steele
68. Baptisl Church in Gaines, 68. Building Meeting Hous<
in Gaines, 68. Specimen preaching, 332.
Ridge road, 58. When laid out, 58. Judge Porters account of, 59.
Ridgeway. town of, 318. Firsl town election in. 84.
460 INDEX.
Railroads, 63.
Sullivan's Expedition, 12.
School House sites, 25.
Salmon and other fish, 30.
Schools and school houses, 64. Description of, 65. Gaines Academy,
65. Academies at Albion, Yates, Millville,
Holley and Medina, 65.
Salt Works roads, 60, 74.
State Road, 61.
Sandy Creek, sickness at, 103, 289.
Salt at Holley, 306, at Medina, 314.
Sawmill at Medina first, 367.
Shelby, town ot, 376. Deer hunting, 389. Dancing in a gristmill, 378.
How Luther Porter got his grist ,377.
Supervisors of towns in Orleans county, 450.
Sheriffs of Orleans county, 450.
Surrogates of Orleans county, 450.
Triangle Tract, 18
Transit Line, 20, 83.
Trees, kinds of in Orleans county, 29,
Tonawanda Sw amp, 33.
Threshing grain, manner of, 44.
Taxes, raising money to pay, by S. ('. Lewis. 220.
Town meeting, first in county, 314.
" Things I can remember," by G. E. Mix, 165.
Towns in the county, when organized, 446.
Treasurers of Orleans county ,449.
Union company in Carlton, LOO.
Villages in county, 446.
Ward Levi & Levi A., agents, 19.
Wood, per acre, 29.
Wrestling, ring for, 50.
Wagons, one horse, 57.
Wedding in Albion, story of, 7S.
Yates, town of, 401 .
Yates Center, 404. Academy. 401.
INDEX OF NAMES.
NAMES OF PERSONS
AND NUMBERS OF THE PAGES < IN WHICH
THEY OCCUR.
Achilles, Caroline, P., 175.
Allis, Thomas W., L50.
Allison, Jabez, 312.
Anderson Family, 334
Angel, Nathan, 102.
Allis, Maj. William, 305.
Allen, Artemas, 372.
Anderson, Robert, 78.
Andrews, Avery V. 359.
Atwell, Levi, 226.
Busti, Paul, 26.
Bailey, Lansing, 79.
Bacon, Moses, 240.
Balcom, Abner, 301,405.
Barrett, Amos. 334, 352.
Barrett, Nahnm,347.
Barrett, Sidney S., 354.
Baker, Mrs. Laura 345.
Benton, Oliver 140.
Beech, Dr. J. H., 246.
Bessac, Benja in L., 1 IT.
Bidelman, Samu< 1, 24.
Booth, Oliver, 69,251.
Bowen, Dr. Elisha,255, U9.
Brown, .lame-, 54.
Brown, Jeremiah, 825.
Bryant, Reuben, 302,305.
Burrows, Roswell S., 76.
Bumpus, Philetus, 182.
Billiard Family, 231.
Bumpus, Jesse, r6, 178.
Budd, Joseph, 308.
Burroughs, David. 394.
Bullard, Alfred, 416.
Babbitt, William J., 54,58, 261,
Barker, Joseph. 152.
Bates, Samuel, 284.
Barnes, Ezra D., 316.
Barrett, Lucius o'.'A.
Barrett, Luther, 347.
Bates, Lyman, 339.
Benton, Mrs. Silas, 75, 1 <U
Beech, Dr. Jesse, 24(1.
Bennett, Isaac, 314.
Billings Family, 231.
Bidelman, Abram, 388.
Booth, Oliver, 2nd., 2.>">.
Bradner, Wm, 76, 115, 183.
Brown, John G-., 187.
Brown, Daniel, 264.
Bradley, Nathaniel, 14G.
Burrows, Lorenzo, 157.
Burgess, Noah, 211.
Butler, Orange, 233.
Bushnell, Harley N., 290.
Burlingham, Charles D., 330.
Burroughs, Silas M. 394.
Clark, Jonathan, 134.
Clark, Robert, 278.
Cantine, Abram, 174.
Cole, Parius W., 59
Cook, Lemuel, 208.
Cobb, William 342.
Coon, Alexander, 397.
Capen, Theophilus, 76.
Gady, Isaac, 209.
Cole, A. Hyde, 76, 115.
Cochrane, William, 342
Coon, Milo, :;7;!.
Coan Sylvanus, 368,
162
IXDKX.
Curtis, Henry R., 123, 76.
Chubb, Arba, 232,
Curtis, Newman, 395.
Chamberlain, Fitch, 190.
Church, Ozias S. 114.
Church, Samuel, 341.
Chamberlain, Royal, 407.
Daniels, Grosvenor, 58, 343.
Davis, Levi, 323.
Day, Austin, 297.
Demara, David, 388.
Dutcher, Elder Simeon, 2G0.
Drake, Henry, 259.
Daniels, .lames, 342.
Davis, Perry, 225.
Darrow, Nicholas E., 203.
Douglass, Israel, 317.
Dunham, .Matthew, 188.
Ellicott, Andrew A., 59. 376, 396.
Evans, David E., 70, 378.
Ellicott, Joseph, 23, 253, 376.
Evarts, Martin, 208.
Farwell, Eldridge, 200, 207.
Fellows, Joseph, 20.
Freeman, Chester. 2G3.
Foster, Aden, 170.
Fuller, Lyman, 197.
Farnham, John, 236.
Fairfield, Walter, 218.
Freeman, Gideon, 202.
Frisbie, Hiram, 29G.
Fuller, Edmund, 70.
Gates, Daniel, 193, 212.
Green, Andrew H, 103.
Gregory Family, 380.
Gregory Matthew, 381.
Grinnell, John, 399. ~
Goold, Horace O., 415.
Goodrich, Harvey, 108.
Grant, L. A. G. B., 396.
Gates, Dr. Richard W., 191.
Greenman, Preserved, 403.
Gregory, Amos, 380.
Gilbert, Baruch H, 418.
Gilbert, Widow, 212, 47.
iirover, Dr. L. C, 360.
Gwynn, William R., 70, 71.
Hawley, Hon. Elijah 350, 53.
Haines, Jesse P., 61.
Hallock, Rums, 133.
Hart, Eli/.ur. 143.
Henderson, John, 184.
Hewes, Horatio IS'., 395.
Hill, Samuel, 223.
Hopkins, Caleb, 58.
Hoag, Peter, 363.
Hunter, Robert, 51.
Hulbert, Isaac H.'S., 309.
lluwley, Merwin S., 53.
Hard, Hon. Gideon, 92.
Hart. Joseph, 169.
Hamlin, Arcovesk-r, 304.
Healer, Dr. E. P., 362.
Hibbard, Zenas F. 124.
Hinds, Jacob, 296, 311.
Hooker, David, 340.
Hood, David, 364.
Hunt, Elijah, 194.
Houseman, George, 501.
Ingersoll, Nehcmiah, 77, 159.
Ingersoll, Justus, 101.
Jackson, William, 349.
Johnson, Rev. Wm., 75.
Jackson, James, 350.
Jones, David, 286.
Knowles, William, 355, 372.
Kuck, Rev. George, 191.
Lee, Hon. John, 7.'!.
Lewis, William, 208.
Lewis, Gideon, 229.
Lee Family, 172,
Lewis, Samuel C, 228.
LeValley, John, 351.
Mattison, Abram 75. 78.
Marsh, Ray, 190.
Mather, Elihu, 259.
Mauley, Adin, 273.
Masten, Mrs. Nancy, 359.
Mason, Jesse, 132.
Mather, James, 256, 266, 214.
Mather, Rums, 256.
Mansfield, Abnson,300.
INDKX.
463
MeCarty, Captain B., 212.
Mix, Abiathar, 75.
Mix, Ebenezer, 75; Memoir of 124.
Monell, Henry 34.
Moore, Eli, 316.
Mnrdock, Seymour, 342, 315.
Mudgett, Stephen W. 405.
McCollister William, ; ;.
Mix, Mrs. Lydia, 168.
Mix, George C, 104, 165.
Moody, William J., ;•;.
Morse, Jotham, 391.
Murdock, Seymour B., 335.
Morris, Eobert, 1 7.
Nichoson,Dr.Orson,76,78, 1 tO, L83
Paine, Dr. L. ('., 70.
Peck, Linus Jones, 10i>.
Perry, Joseph L., 329.
Preston, William X. 842.
Pettengill, Benjamin <;.,'20-l.
Pierci . Aretas, 292.
Porter, Allen, 142.
I 'otter, Dr. Stephen M., L83.
Phelps & ( rorham, Hi.
Rawson, Rev. Andrew, 26, L09.
Parsons, John, 70.
Peck, Eorace, 201.
Terry, Josiah, 416.
Pratt. Daniel, 263.
Penniman, William, 131.
Porter, Augustus, 59.
Porter, Luther, 157.
Proctor, John, 220.
Randall, Amos, 285.
Ree 1 Family, 310.
Rice, Hubbard, 293.
Rogers, Ebenezer, 95.
Pool, Reuben 107.
Rice, Enos, L56.
Roo . A.inos, 32, 34, it:!.
Robinson, Chauncey, 294.
Ruggles, William W., 264.
Salsbury, Samuel, 22 I
Sawyer, Elisha, 418.
Starkweather, A. M., 113.
Street, Lucius. 146.
Spencer, Amos, 417.
Swift, Philetus, 58.
-smith, Mrs. Sally. 298.
Stone, Enos '■'■').
Strong, John W., 305.
Sftnford, Asa, 96.
Saxe, Peter, 404.
Spafford, Bradstreet, 205.
Steele, Rev. Mr. 68.
Shelly, Nathan, 230.
Smith, Moses, Ml.
Shipman, Job. 196.
Skinner, Jarvis M. 145.
Strong. Timothy C. ill.
Southworth, Darius, :"»!.
Tanner, Gen. William C.,318.
Tappan, Hon. Samuel. I Mi
Tripp, Anthony, 141.
Thurston, Stephen B. 133.
Tyler, John H., memoir of. i I i.
Tanner, Josias, :;:!:!.
Treadwell, Richard, '-Mi;.
Thurston, Caleb C, 88.
Tanner, Y\'illiam, 125.
Turner, Otis, 314, 341.
Van Brocklin, John. :!;:•.
Ward, Dr. Levi, 10.
Ward, Hon. Alexis, 171.
Walsworth, James L86.
Weld, Andrew, 348.
Whitney, Nathan, I Pi.
Whaley, Dr. Christopher, 348, 379
Ward, 'Levi A. P.).
Walsworth. William, L86.
Weld, Thomas, 341.
White, Dr. William, IT. :!l I. J5.
Wood. Elijah W.. 298.
Yates, town of, 41)1.
Zimmerman. Jacob A.. 398.
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