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PIONEERS OF ROCHESTEE
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BLOSSOM HALL,
SEPTEMBER 30, 1847, AND OCTOBER 12, 1848.
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ROCHESTER, N. Y.:
STEAM PRESS OF BUTTS & MERRELL, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS.
1848.
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PROCEEDINGS
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ANNUAL FESTIVALS
OF THE
PIONEERS OF EOCHESTER,
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BLOSSOM HALlT
SEPTEMBER 30, 1847, AND OCTOBER 13, 1848.
ROCHESTER, N. Y.:
STEAM PRESS OF BUTTS & MERRELL, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS.
1848.
FIfiST ANNUAL PIONEEE FESTIVAL
It having pleased a kind Providence to spare
the lives of many of the first settlers, or Pioneers,
of this our flourishing and beautiful city, it was
suggested that the hardships and privations endur-
ed by them, should be commemorated in an appro-
priate manner by the survivors.
In accordance with this suggestion, several pre-
liminary meetings were held by them, which re-
sulted in the adoption of a series of resolutions,
designed to control their future proceedings.
It was determined in the first place, to convene
a Social Meeting, to be composed of Pioneers
who had settled at, or who were born in Rochester,
prior to the first of January, 1816, and who were
then residents of the city or its vicinity.
After the adoption of resolutions expressive of
their gratitude to God, for having preserved the
lives and the health of so many of them, and also
of their determination to conduct the proposed cel-
ebration on principles of Temperance, a Commit-
tee of Arrangements, composed of the following
gentlemen, was appointed, viz. :
Ends Stone, Aaron Newton,
Harvey Montgomery, Moses Chapin,
Samubl G. Andrews, Jonathan Packard,
Ghari.es J. Hill.
At a meeting of the Committee of Arrange-
ments, held at the office of the Chairman, Sept.
18, 1847, Col. A. Newton was chosen Secretary,
and it was decided that the Pioneer Jubilee be held
at the Blossom Hotel, on the 30th of that month.
At a subsequent meeting of the Committee,
Messrs. Silas 0. Smith and Hervey Ely, were ad-
ded thereto. It was also resolved, that in the event
of the death of a Pioneer, whose name should be
enrolled as a member thereof, it shall be the duty
of the survivors to attend the funeral of the de-
ceased, in a body.
FIRST PIONEERS' FESTIVAL.
The first meeting of the Pioneers, called for the
purpose of commemorating the early settlement of
Rochester, was held at Blossom Hofel, on Thurs-
day, the 31st day of September, 1847.
The following gentlemen were chosen officers :
President— ENOS STONE.
Vice-Presidents—Hon. Ashi-ey Sampson, Ralph
Parker, and Oliver Culver, Esqrs.
Prayer, by R^v. A. G. Hall.
A sumptuous dinner was prepared by the Messrs.
Blossom — themselves Pioneers and proprietors of
one of the oldest Hotels in the city — which was
partaken of by the following gentleman:
Name. Age.
Enos Stone, 72
Hamlet Scrantom,....75
Oliver Culver, 69
Jehiel Barnard, 59
Silas O. Smith, 63
Jonah Brown, 58
Hervey Ely, 56
H. Montgomery, 58
Ralph Parker, 75
Levi Brown, 62
Gideon Cobb, 57
Jonathan Packard, 54
George C. Latta, 51
Adonijah Green, 57
Ashley Sampson, 57
Abner Wakelee, 57
Ruluff D.Hannahs,... 63
Nathaniel Draper,... .57
Anson House, 55
Samuel G. Andrews,.49
Moses Chapin, 56
Everard Peck 56
William Buell 56
Aaron Newton, 55
Jacob Graves, 60
Dr. H. Carver, 55
Wm. Brewster, 60
I Enos Pomeroy, 56
i Seth C. Jones, 47
{ Ebenezer Watts, 65
Wm. W. Mumford,*,51
Joab Britton, 67
John Veazie, 72
ElishaB. Strong, 58
Wm. B. Alexander,.. 59
EhStillson, 74
S. H. Packard, 51
R. K. Lothridge, 38
L. A. Ward, 46
James H. Watts, 39
Fisher BuUard, 53
Daniel Graves, 50
Ephraim Moore, 53
Eiisha D.Ely 34
Henry Barnard, 31
Josiah W. Bissell.....29
Where born. Arrival.
Lenox, Mass., 1810
Durham, <ionn.,....1812
Hartiord, Conn. ,....1805
9 Partners, N.Y.,... 1812
New Marlbro', Ms.,1809
Green River, N.Y. .1813
W. Springfield, Ms.1813
Philadelphia, 1816
Salsbury, Conn.,.. ..1816
Green River, N.Y..1814
Paulet, Vt., 1812
Massachusetts, 1816
Seneca, N.Y., 1811
Kiskitom,N.Y 1811
Corn well, Vt., 1818
Greenville,N.Y....1815
Bethlehem, Ct. 1816
Washington, N. H.1818
Glastenbury, Conn. ,1816
Derby, Conn., 1815
W. Springfield, Ms.1816
Berlin, Conn.., 1816
Canada, 1818
Cheshire, Conn.,.. ..1817
Westown, Mass.,... 1816
Providence, R.I.,. ..1816
Prtston, Conn., 1816
Buckland, Mass.,. ..1815
Madison, N. Y.,....1816
Boston, Mass., 1817
Aurora, N.Y., 1818
W'stmoreland,N.H.1815
Boston, Mass., 1816
Windsor, Conn.,... .1817
Galway.N.Y 1817
Newtown , . Conn. ,.1816
Charlemont, Mass. .1818
Springfield, N. Y.,1817
•Haddam, Conn 1818
Nantucket, Ms 1817
Uxbridge, Mass.,. .1816
Swansey, N. H 1818
Hollis, N.H., 1817
Hadley, Mass., 1814
Rochester, 1816
Rochester, 1818
I * Died in Rochester, on the 9th of January, 1848, of aa
] apoplectic fit.
Name. Age. Where born. Arrival.
Tho. Kempshall, 52 England, 1813
Horatio N.Fenn, 49 Pivmouth, Conn.,. .1817
EraslusCook, 53 Clinton, N. Y, 1815
Enos Blossom, 35 Onondaga Co. NY. 1816
N.H. Blossom, 33 Onondaga Co. N.Y. 1816
Wm. Miller, 56 Saratoga, N.Y.,. ...1815
Alexander Ely,» 85 W. Springfield,Ms.,1817
Alexander Britton,.... 1817
Charles J. Hill, 50 Woodbury, Conn. ..1816
Mitchael Loder, 49 Santhsalem.N. Y..1817
Edward Barnard, 58 Hartford, Conn 1814
Matthew Brown, 83 Brookfield, Mass.,..1818
Charles C. Lunt,t. . .79 Newburyport, Mass.1819
Preston Smith, 62 West Sprinafield,... 1813
Thomas Barnard... .52 Pittstown, N. Y.,...18I9
Reuben Bardwell...... 83 Deeifield, Ma£S.,...1818
*Died in Rochestpr, June 15th, 1848, of apoplexy,
t Died in Rochester, March '2d, 1848, of old uge.
On the return of the company from the dining-
room to the spacious saloon, the Pr'jsident deliver-
ed the followin4 address :
Gentlemen and Brother Pioneers :
Through a partiality, most grateful to me, and
for which I beg to return to you my warmest ac-
knowledgemenis, I have been honored with the
highest seat at a festive board, prepared and fur-
nished by those, yet remaining of the Pioneers of
Rochester and its vicinity. But in assuming the
post assigned me, I must be allowed to express a
full consciousness of my inaptitude for the proper
performance of its duties, as well as a regret that
the duties of the chair had not been assigned to
other and more competent hands. Regrets on
this score are, however, now vain, and while I
can promise my best exertions to meet your wishes
on this truly interesting occasion, I am too deeply
conscious of my deficiencies not to know that I
shall be under the necessity of making large drafts
on your kind forbearance.
On an occasion like this — one especially intend-
ed to brighten the chain of friendship by calling
up memories of the past — a past, much of which,
was but a war with the inl'eii iiies incidental to
the settlement of a new countrj' — it may be
expected that something of pert-onal experience
and recollection will be furnished by each of the
participators in this festival. This expectation, it
is hoped, will be more than realized through the
relations of many of whom I am thankful to have
met on this occasion ; yet so far as it relates to
myself, you will be compelled to take the will for
the deed. A long acquaintance with you all,
will supercede the neces^ity of stating my entiie
deficiency as a narrator, even of things personal
to myself; hence, I am cheered by the reflection
that httle will be expected of me, beyond an hon-
est endeavor to make this meeting conducive to
the pkasure of the participants in its fe,-tivities.
The changes, gentlemen, which we -have seen
in the face of the Genesee country, and which
we have aided to produce, since our fir.-t visits to
it, have been mO'fstnking and important — such
as/ew could have imaginf-d possible within ev^n
the lapse of a century, much less in half of that
period. In illustration of this, you will have the
goodaees to escucie a little egutijin. I came into
this « breathing world" on the 13th of May, 1776,
in the town of Lenox, Massachusetts, and in 1790,
was sent by my father hitherward, to look after
a land-purchase which he had made in township
No. 13, called Brighton — including, then, a part
of- what is now Rochester, as is very well known.
Charged with a supply of cattle and hogs, I, in
company with others, started for the Genesee
country, May 17th, 1790, and reached it m 27
days — finding my brother Orange, who had previ-
ously emigrated to this place. My father surveyed
out what is now called Brighton and Port of
Rochester, in 1809. After leaving Herkimer,
there were but few traces of settlement westward
— even Uiiea being unable to boast of any regular-
ly built dwflling. * We, on this occasion, put up
at a " Block House," more familiarly known as
the " Post House," and far behind the one in
which we are at present assembled in all that per-
tained to creature comforts, as will readily be im-
agined. From Utica, a family had preceded us
west, whom we found at what is now called
Whitestovvn — White being the name of the Pio-
neer family. No road thence onward to Oneida
but an Indian trail, and from there to Cayuga
Lake, there was not a house to be found. At the
latter point, the hardest draft was made upon our
patience and stomachs — especially the last, as we
were there from Thursday morning until Sunday
evening, without having had the pleasure of tasting
food. On the night of the last day named, we
got to Geneva, having lain upon the ground the
preceding twelve nights. But to be brief, my
presence here to day is pretty good evidence that
my first wooda journey was safely performed,
whatever may have been the privations and hard-
ships attending it. At the time of which I speak,
if my memory is not at fault, Ontario county ex-
tended from Herkimer til the western boundary of
the State— a tract of country now presenting
nearly a million of people. At the first organiza-
tion of the county, some of which are denomi-
nated Town Ofhc(-rs, were residents at Utica,
some at Canandaigua, particularly the " Ti/wn
Clerk," a Mr. Bates — and some at Buffalo !
Strange as it may appear to us now, then it was a
fact that the British were joint occupants with us,
holding the forts both at 0-wego and Young.-town.
Moved here in March, 1810. On May 4ih, Jas.
S. Stiine was born — the first child born in the now
chy of Rochester.
Gn^at changes have been wrought since the
day of the Pioneers — chang-^s not only as regards
them, but the country they were the first to at-
tempt to reclaim from the solitude of the wilderne,<s.
Gentlemen, we are permitted to assemble to-
day in a splendul and ta.^teful mansion, situated
in a City of 30,000 inhabitants ; yet it is within
the personal knowledge of some of us when there
was not a dwelling here — when the site of the
city, or a large portion of it, was deemed an irre-
claimable swamp, proper only as s resort for frogs
and mufkrats. No longer ago than 1789, the
country known as the Genesee, belonged to Mont-
gomery County, and it may well be doubted
whethet, at that time, there were men enough
west of Rome, to have made up a company as nu-
merous as the present ! What do we see now—
or, la'her, whatdoes the census of 1840 showns?
It shows Ontario County with, in round niimber?,
43,000 inhabitants ; Yates with 20,000 : Steuben
wiih 4tJ,000 ; Wayne with 42,000; Livingston
with 35.000 ; Alleghany with 41,000; Monroe
with 63,000 ; Orleans with 25,000 ; Genesee with
30,000; Wyoming with 3O,0U0 ; Caitaraugus
with 29,000 ; Chauiauque with 48,000 ; Erie with
62,000, and iSiagara wuh 32,000 — ni lining an ag-
gregate of over 500,000 pe<iple ! This astonish-
ing change lias grown up under our ovn observa-
tion, yet how hard is it fully to realize its extent,
or grasp its probable consequences !
Yet the change is here — palpable and unmis-
takable, in vi ibie nature, and if we consult no
flattering minor, we shall be cumpelled, willingly
or not, to own that we too are changing — have
changed. It is bt-fictiug, then, bieihreii of the
" Pioneer Corps," ihut ere we cease to compose a
portion of the half million of human beings now
dwelling iu Western New-Yoik, that we irhould
prepare soine memorial of ourselves and tiines for
po^terity — bomtthing which thaU not only pre-
serve our names lr"m obliviun, but shall presrnt
them auiographically to those who inay come af-
ter us, while we call up such personal reminis-
cences as shall interest the present and the future.
For the accomplishment oi this puipose, a book
has been procured, in which each Pioneer will
please wriie his name, birth, and birtliplacc ; be-
sides, i'urnishing for insertion in another portion of
the record, such pergonal iiarraiives of ihe eai'y
settl ment oi thi country as his niemoiy can rtcah.
By doing this, we ^hall coid'er present pleasure,
as well as a great fa\or on the reading future.
Brethren, my task is done — poorly, I am con-
scious, but too sensibly .'■o ; but my consolation is
that, howfever insipid I may have been, there is
plenty of txcellint wine — to spe;ik figuratively —
with which to carry on and close the feast. T<>
the en)oymeni (.f this I invite ycu, one and all,
with my whole heart — the heart of an humble but
tiue Pioneer.
After which, the following correspondence was
read by Mr. AND<^EWs:
Col. A. Newton:
D.ar Sir— Y< ur note is received. I am too ill
to expose myself to the public. I regret I cannot
be with you ; I have little hope of ever going
abroad again. May God bless each and f verv one
of you. Mathew Brown.
New- York, Sept. 27, 1847.
To the Chairman presiding at ike Pioneer Fes-
tival :
Dear Sir : — Finding that I shall not reach
home in time to attend ycur Festival on 'he 3()th
inst., I Htsire to express to you, and through you
to ihe Pioneers who may be assembled, my un-
feigned regret that I cannot be pre^ent, as I had
1 'oked forward to the occasion wiih hiii;h antici-
pations of plea-ure and pre fir. Tlie ieelings I
entertain towa'd>my early a'-sociates in the varied
toils and e,\nHi-ience incid nt to settling a new
town in the d 'sert — overcoming such nb-taclesa-
wood^, swamp=, fever and ague, bearf, rattle.
snakes, mosquitoes, and most other of the win^^ed
tribe, added to all the privations — I say the feeU
ings [ entertain, are interesting and enduring.
With the following sentiment or thought, I
close, in haste. Most respectfully yours,
Chas. J. Hill.
The latter Pioveers of Rochester —Tho^e en-
terprising and worthy citizens " who came to the
retcue" after 1818, and the sons of the Pioneers,
men qualifi. d for the task of rearing the Super-
structure of our thriving city.
RocHiESTER, Sept. 20, 1847.
To the President of the Pioneer Meeting :
Dear Hir — Unforeseen circunistunces have pre-
vented me from joining in the festivities of this
first public dinner of the Pioneers of Rochester.
I well remember the 1st day of May, 1812, when
I arri\jed in this now city of Rochester, and that it
■nowed all day, and that the city then looked
dreary, having not a single house or family on the
west side of the Genesee.
I will now offer a sentiment, and am
Yours, truly, Edwin Scrantom.
Our old "Tid absent friend, Preston Smith —
The man who, in 1813, for want of a looking-
glass, hung up his black coat on the outside of the
wiiid.iw, and went inside and looked into it, and
bhaved himself.
Mr. President :
Sir— In the year 1806, 1 left the State of Con-
necticut, with my father, and came to Canandai-
gua, Ontario County. I returned to the same
Sate in 1813. I came into this State, and on the
26. h day of March, 1817, I removed my family to
ihi- place, where I have ever since resided.
In May, 1817, on motion oi Sa u 1 G. An-
drews, now present, I was appointed 4ui Coiporal
in an Infantry company, and subsequently to the
cotnmand of the regiment.
In the year 1818, I rented the then 'vooden
builditig, on the same ground wh.ch we now are,
of Benjamin Blos-om, father of our now ho-t, and
kept an inn ; in 1819, was appointed Con table in
the town of Brighton, whii h I held for seven years,
and two years D puty Sheriff, and for the lastsev-
enteen years have been Crier of the Monroe County
Courts. A. Newton.
To the President of the Pioneer Society of
R'lche^ter :
Sir : — I have been inuch gratified at the propo-
sal for a mef-iing of the early Pioneers of Roch-
ester, and think thai the occa-ion may be very
p'cjfitable in gathering tog thT incidents connect-
ed with the early history of your city.
I wish to submit for your consideration, the pro-
priety of forming an association for the purpose of
gathering inioimaiion, and publishing such tacts
as may he connected with the early hi.'.oy of the
Genesee country. And, as one of the old Pio-
neers, I would respectlully submit the following
p an, for the pu-po^e of ensuring the accomplish-
ment of the object of vuch organization.
A meeting of the early pioneers of the Genesee
District, (-ay west of Cayuga Lake.) for the pur-
po^e of forming a Pioneer Society lor Western
6
New- York, and that a President be chosen at
such meeting : also a Vice-President for each
county included ih said district ; and that such of-
ficers be chosen annually ; and that no person be
eligible who shall not have been, since the age of
21 years, for 40 years a resident of this county.
And that each Vice-President have power to form
a county society, subject to such regulation as may
be deemed expedient by the original society.
And all papers containing the early reminis-
ences of the early history of each county, and all
the contributions, manuscripts, &,c., &c., be the
property of each county society.
Various other plans might answer as well or
better for such organization.
The main object is to rescue from oblivion the
memory of those who have done so much to con-
vert the howling wilderness into a residence fit for
the occupation of Man, and have by their toils and
privations left to their descendants such a goodly
heritage as they now enjoy.
The above I submit for your consideration.
With respect, I remain yours..
D. McKexzie.
Caledonia, Livingston Co., Sept. 29, 1847.
O. CuLVEK, Esq., said he first visited the spot
where Rochester now stands in 1796. That year
and the two following, he was iu the employ of
the new Connecticut Company, and assisted the
survey of their land in Ohio. They left one fam-
ily at Cleveland, and one at Coneaut Creek, 70
miles apart. The company's boats were built at
Schenectady, taken up the Mohawk to Oswego,
up Lake Ontario, drawn round the Niagara Falls,
thence to Cleveland I In '97, made a small clear-
ing of G acres on the hill where Cleveland now
stands, and built the second log house, which was
the company's quarters. In the year "96, there
were two log hf^uses at Buffalo. In 1800, he left
his father's, at Mount Independence, Vermont, for
the purpose of settHng at Cleveland. On his
way he bought the farm he now lives on. In 1801,
'2 and '3, he was in the employ of Augustus
Griswold, at Irondequoit Landing, then the city
of the west. The Tryon farm, 3000 acres, was
laid out in city lots, and an extensive ware-house,
store, ashery and distillery, having been erected
by Try«n, and a very extensive business being
done there, no store nearer than Cauandaigua.
About this time, three persons established a store
at Charleston, near Lima. In 1804, he went to
Schenectady and Salt Point, for goods and salt,
which ware taken to Oswego, thence to Lewis-
ton, teamed to Schlosser, thence in boats to Black
Ro«k, thence to the first vessel built on our side
Lake Erie, the Good Intent, to Cleveland ; paid
$3 per barrel for salt from Black Rock to Cleve-
land. Most of it was conveyed on pack-horses,
and exchanged at Cleveland, Maumee, Huron and
Detroit, with the French and Indians for furs. In
1805, he established the first express in the west-
em country. He earned the mail on skates from
Cleveland to Huron, 40 miles in 4 hours, which
can hardly be beaten now, except by telegraph.
He bought 15 yoke of oxen, for which he paid 4^
barrels of salt a yoke. They were driven to Iron-
dequoit. He returned by way of the Lakes in
1795, in a bark canoe, with 4500 pounds of furs.
It was the sixth time he had traversed the lake in
an open boat, and once by land in '98, when there
was no house between Buffalo and Ganson's at Le
Roy. In 1800, he put in 7 acres of wheat on his
farm, in the fall of 1805, he assisted in cutting
out the road where Main street now is, from the
Genesee river, to intersect the old landing road
two miles, and was paid by the town of North-
field, 50 dollars. There was no dwelling here ex-
cept a small log house, built by Col. Fisk, in con-
nection with the " Indian Allen Mill," which stood
where the City Mills now stand. The first bridge
was built over the Genesee where Main street
bridge now stands in 1811-12; before that time we
forded the river above the rapids, in low water ;
and he has had hairbreadth escapes there in being
washed over the falls with a load of grain which
he had been to Braddock's Bay to procure with a
sled and two yokes of oxen.
Mr. Culver related an incident of his narrow
escape at this ford on a tempestuous night, when
he had volunteered to carry medicine which was
procured from Dr. Ray, of Pittsford, the then only
Doctor nearer than Palmyra — to William Hinchu
the first settler at the mouth of the Genesee, who
had been bitten by a rattlesnake. He was carried
down the river from this ford in the darkness, and
saved himself by clasping the alder branches on
the bank.
You, Mr. President, said Mr. C, built the first
house on the east side of the river, and in 1813,
wa ha^ not given up the belief that the Ironde-
quoit Landing would be the port of Entry ; every
thing here was so forbidding and inaccessible. It
was in that year that I built a vessel of 47 tons,
on the farm owned by Roswell Hart, Esq., in
Brighton, and drew it with 26 oxen to the Land-
ing. It was a fine little craft — and I at the helm
made the port of Oswego with her, where two
heavy vessels manned by 24 men were both lost,
and all on board found a watery grave.
You and I, continued Mr. C, did not expect to
have seen a city of 30,000 inhabitants where we
had so recently hunted bears successfully.
[The above is an imperfect sketch of Mr. Cul-
ver's very interesting details.]
Hamlet Scrantom, senior, one of the oldest
Pioneers present, being called upon, mentioned a
few incidents of the early settlement of Roches-
ter. He came here in 1813, built a house where
the Eagle Hotel now stand?, and helped clear a
road for some distance up Buffalo street. He had
some encounters with snakes, and on one occasion
decapitated a number that intruded into his new
house .
iMr. Hannahs followed with another snake sto-
ry, and gave an amusing account of the slaughter
of 20 of the '• varmints," belonging to a den dis-
covered by himself in 1816. They did not " hiss."
Mr. Barnard came here in 1812, put up a build-
ing 18 by 26 feet, which subsequently became the
first tailor shop, the first shoemaker shop, and
the first school and meeting-house. The first
meetings were well attended. The Pioneers were
all good singers, and they did their singing after
the old congregational fashion, as it should be
now. The whole country round was a wilderness,
and he often felt when wandering about on the
Sabbath, like Alexander Selkirk, in his solitude. — •
Mr. B. related a snake story in which six " rat-
tlers" suffered death under the Falls one Sunday,
for which exploit he received six shillings bounty
money from Squire House, He also related an
adventure with a deer, in which the animal came
off best, and suffered a captivity of three days.
Dr. Jonah Brown came here and commenced
the practice of medicine in 1813. He located his
office where the Bank of Rochester now stands.
While visiting a patient near the Rapids, he barely
escaped falhng into the claws of a panther, which
paid his respects to him as he was riding in the
woods a couple of miles south of the city. Hav-
ing heard that vocal music would keep the " crit-
ters" at a distance, he tuned up his pipes, but he
would not vouch for the character of the music
made on that occasion. He gave a vivid sketch
of the sufferings of the sick, and stated that he
has frequently been called upon to act as nurse,
cook and doctor— whole families being down at
the same time.
Mr. Culver, at the request of Mr. Ely, related
his adventure with the Indians at Twelve Mile
Creek, in which he received a blow with a toma-
hawk on the head, the scar of which, can still be
seen ; and also the particulars of the bonfire, he
and Mr. Ely made of six thousand votes sent from
Canandaigua during the struggle for the division
of the county.
Mr. Hervey Ely, who came here in 1813, gave
a full account of the attack of the British upon
the American works at the mouth of the river. —
He was one of the party who marched to the de-
fence of the place. As our readers are familiar
with this action, we must for want of space omit
ihe particulars. Judge Sampson called upon all
who were present at that engagement to rise. —
Messrs. Ely, Kempshall, Scrantom, Smith, Graves
and Green, arose.
Mr. S. O. Smith came here m 1809, forded ihe
Genesee by Major Stoue's directions at the place
where the ne%v aqueduct now stands, got safely
over, but fell into Indian Allen's mill race, and got
out v/ith difHculty. Mr. S. described the appear-
ance of the " irreclaimable swamp" on the west
side of the river, and spoke of the difficulty of
improving the land and making it habitable. The
mud was so deep in front of the Mansion House, i
that years after, when the f^tage from Canandaigua \
, did not appear at the regi;lar hour, the citizens |
used to inquire if it had sunk in the slough in front j
of the hotel. - .
Mr. Anton House, kept the audience iu a roar
by an amusing account of his early adventures. — '
He commenced digging and has been digging ever I
since, the street where his property (the Minerva j
building) is located, having been dug down the i
depth of one story in front and almost as much j
in rear. His first pettifoggin g excursion wae mad*
on foot to Phelpstowu. When appointed Justic*
of the Peace he had no coat, and was obliged to„ /
be " qualified" in Canandaigua in his shirt slpeves. ,
He walked to that place and took the oath early
in the morning before the people were stirring.
Mr. Pomeroy spoke briefly and earnestly in favor
of a Pioneer Association which should collect the
materials of the early history of Western NewYork.*
— » • , *
Mr. Donald McKenzie, of Caledonia, an invi-
ted guest, followed in a few pertinent remarks on
the same subject.
Mr. S. G. Andrews, said this occasion brought to
his mind as a present reahty, the incidents and act-
ors in the stirring events which had been crowded
into the brief period since he first saw Rochester,
which was in the winter of 1815. He found
here then about 25 houses, stores and shops ; Ely's
old red grist-mill ; three saw-mills and a tannery :
all the rest of Rochester was a native forest. —
The Genesee was not then diverted to feed Erie
Canals, or to turn mill-wheels ; but a broad, d6ep
river rolled its unbroken volume down the falls,
sounding its solemn bass through the woods for
miles — sending up clouds of spray through a well
defined bow of promise to Rochester ; and lodg-
ing its congealed particles upon the shrubs and
trees, and hanging boughs on its bank, forming in
frost work domes, grottoes, and grained arches,
decorated wth pendant lustres, and crusted all
over with diamonds, which reflected the sun rays
and sent them off in lines of hght into the deep,
dark wilderness. It was a scene magnificent be-
yond description — such as no modern eye can b«-
hold ; for the Genesee river is devoted to other
purposes. — Such was Rochester in 1815, with it*
300 inhabitants. Now a beautiful city of over
30,000 population : over 30 churches and edifices
for religious worship ; as many public schools and
institutions of education : over 4,000 houses ; 100
mills and manufactories ; and not only " the larg-
est but the best manufactory of flour in the world."
Mr. A. related several incidents illustrative of
the generous sympathy which prompted the ready
helping hand among early settlers ; and spoke of
the influence and example of the original settlers
of the Genesee country and this city. They were
plain men ; plaui and unaffected in their inter-
course, style of living, and manners, and that in-
fluence is acknowledged in the common and just
saying, that " no species of dandyism can exist la
Rochester.'" They were men regardful of reh-
gion and its institutions ; their first work was to
set up an altar in the wilderness, and to provide a
place of rehgious worship, and their controlling in-
fluence is strikingly visible upon Rochester at this
day.
Those men, said Mr. A., inscribed their own
epitaph more durably than upon crumbling marble;
for they impressed it upon the institutions, and in-
terwove it with the manuers, customs and fashions
of a great community to be " seen and read of all
men" — and if it might be deemed proper to name
individuals among those, all so worthy of remem-
brance, with respect and gratitude, he would inen>
8
t'm thwe of Oliver Gibbs, EUsba Ely, Fr-^derielc
Clark.and Natli. Rocliester. whope labor? and ex-
ample, njt less than the otheri, contributed to ihi
moral prosperity of Rochesttr.
Mr. Pec'i gave a very laughable account of onf
of the early militia trainings, in which there werf
•bout thirty men and two muskets, Mr. Barnard.
tie commanding officer, carri d a ramrn 1 for h
Bvord. The music consisted of a r^-al fife and
half of a tobacco barrel for a drum. The speakei
half insinuated that Mr. Era=tus Cook, one ot the
Pioneers p-'esent, was the filer on that occasion,
but the gentleman, though he could not put in a
positive denial, did not recollect the occasion di.-
tinctly.
Mr. P. went on to say : Although Rochester
was at the tim; he had spoken of, uninviting in
its appearance, presenting more thf aspect of a
village of stumps and trees than of houses and
people, yet the inhabitants were kind and cour-
teous to each other, and hospitable to strangers.
They seemed bound together by ties of friend-
ship and of common interest, and were united in
all their efforts to give character and respecta-
bility to the infant village. The foundation of
its future pro=perity had been well laid — the in-
stitutions of religion and morality had been firmly
established, and the whole community, con.<isting
of members of different sects and denominations,
met and worshipped harmoniously in one -ongre-
gation, while all contributed cheerfully to the sup-
port of the minister, a most worthy and excellent
man who had been sett'ed a few months previous.
The moral and leligious influence thus early put
forth, doubtless contributed much to the rapid
growth and enduring prosperity of our new flour-
ishing city, and it is not too much to hope that the
same influence may continue to be felt in the rich
blessings it has secured, when those who were en-
gaged in these efforts shall be forgotten.
Mr. Gideon Cobb gave a very interesting ac-
count of the early settlement of the country. He
passed here in 1812, and took up his abode in
what is now Aurora, Erie county, where he was
appointed an officer and erected defences to pro-
tect the settlement from an anticipated attaf^k of
the Indians. He returned to Rochester in 1813,
and establi'-hed the first public conveyance, a four
ox team, which he ran to the mouth of river for
two years. Used to get his provisions cooked
once a week at Mrs. Culver's, except in warm
weather when his beans and pork would become
80ur. Then he was obliged to supply himself
twice a week. He finally got board with Willis
Kempshall, at ^3 per week, and slept under the
work bench. He cleared up North and Monroe
etreets. Once fell into the river where the market
now stands, and struggled an hour before he re-
ceived assistance, the inhabitants were so few.
Mr. Graves had but littl" to offer. He had fi4
ague fits the first season of his residence her^, and
when he began to recover he could not nrocure a
pound of pork in the whole country. Had never
b«en confined but one day by sickness since.
Mr. J. Packard described the appe'tiree of
various portions of t.ie city when he fi.st settled
lere.
Judge Chapin regretted his inability to con*
lense tacts and incidents within his reco lection so
13 to present them in an interesting manner. We
lad brought before our memories the name of
i'irly settlers, since deceased. He thought it high-
y proper, also, on this occa-ion to advert to oth«
rs tuen re.-ident here, and acting an important
,)art i n our then Hule community, but who had
ince removed. Ainonz them w^-re Capt. E Ely,
H. K. Bend^'r, J. A. G-anger, J. G. Bond, Dauby
■fe Sh -Won. G. G. & H. L. §ill, A. Hamlin, J.
OJell, W. W. Job^on. E. Beach, D. D. Barnard,
D. S.bley. M. P. Belknap, S. Close, A. P.umb,
Bates & Tehb, B Tinker, and many others whose
names we have not written.
He proceeded to describe Rochester as it was in
I8l6. The principal settlement on Buffalo street
was between the Eagle tavern and the bridge over
Genesee river. The hu Idings were rows of small
-hops «n each side of thp street, mostly one story
and a half high. Here and there wa? a building
farther west on that s:reet, and in that year the
brush was burned to clear the street alons in front
of where the Court Hou^e and the Methodist
Chapel nosv stand. A frog pond occupied a part
of the Court House yard at the base of a high
stone ledge. From the bathing house on west
was a log causeway over a deep swamp, in which
tjie forest trees were then standing ; and on west
of Wa-hington street, there was an unbroken for-
est. State street had been cleared of trees, but
the stumps were remaining. The forest came al-
most to the west line of the street, between Ann
and Brown streets.
On the west side of Exchange street, a small
framed building stood perched on a high ledge of
stone about where Ailing & Seymour's book-store
now is ; farther west was a dwelling-house on the
site of the Bank of RocheMer ; then tarther south,
occasionally a siiall building. On the west side
of this street were no buildingrs. A yard for saw
logs occupied the ground of Child's basin.
On North Fitzhugh street, there was no settle-
ment north of the site of the Baptist meeting-
house. A cart track then led north to adjacent
woods. From North Sophia street, on west be-
yond Washington street was an ash swamp filled
with water the most of the year. The long pend-
ent moss from the boughs of the trees in this
swamp presented a picturesque appearance. The
land south of Troup street was a forest.
On the west side of the river was a small clus-
ter of houses on Main and South St. Paul streets.
From Mortimer street north, and from Clinton
street east, and from Jackson street was mostly a
forest. A black walnut tree, magnificent for its
size, stood on the north part of Dublin, not far
northeast from the Falls, and attracted many visi-
tors.
In 1817, he purchased and soon cleared the
land of his present homestead. After he com-
menced living on this lot, his house was accessi-
ble only by a cross path leading through the woods
from the present pump on Spring street. He has
seen wild deer come on to his premises, after he
commenced residing there. In 1818, he cut and
cleared a path from his house down Troup street
to Sophia street.
He proceeded at some length to speak of the
accommodations then furnished, and to contrast
them with the present improved state of things.
He alluded to the good fortune of those who were
eavly enough on the Sabbath to get a seat in the
small school-house in which the whole village met
for public worship-^called to mind the two taverns
with their floors covered with beds to accommo-
date travelers, and the slab side walks occasion-
ally laid by contribution, when the mud rendered
the streets impassable. He referred to a memora-
ble volunteer night watch, so noisy and riotous
as to annoy more than they protected the village.
He told anecdotes to illustrate the mode of living
and the privation of the comforts of life. He spoke
of the state of the arts and manufactures, and anms-
ed the company by producing a pair of dividers
^ made from a beach chip with a penknife, by a set-
tler in 1816, when a pair of brass dividers could
not be found nor purchased nearer than at Canan-
daigua.
Mr. Seth C. Jones sketched his early adventures
as follows :
Mr. President, those who have preceded me,
have related so jiiany hardships and privations,
far exceeding any that I can relate, that I do not
know that what I can say will be very interesting:
however, I will venture to trespass a few moments
on your patience, while I compare the past with
the present. In the spring of 1816, I started
from Madison to seek my fortune in the far West.
I was 15 years old, a foot and alone, with my
sack on my back. I wandered through woods
and mud to Pittsford, where I arrived the 20th
day of May, with a capital of two dollars, which,
with two suits of clothes, composed all my stock
in trade. At this time the only currency was
shin plasters, which a man could travel out of
credit in half a day. There I stopped and work-
ed about two years. It was very hard work to
get any money for labor a* this time. In the fall
of 1818, I came to Rochester to see what I could
get to do. At last I made an agreement with
Roswell Hart to cut a quantity of steamboat
wood. I went into the hemlock woods about 2^
miles this side of the* mouth of the river, built a
ahanty, pulled off my coat and went to work. —
Pork being two shillings per pound, I thought I
would commence by catching some fish, so I
bought me a hook and line and set it. At night
there was a large white looking fish, fast to the
hook. 1 pulled him in and thought I had a fine
prize. I dressed him and put him on the fire and
cooked it until I thought it was done, but it was so
tough I could not eat it. I put it on again, and
the more I cooked it the tougher it was. I thought
tills was a poor speculation.
The next day there happened to be one of the
Pioneers passing through the woods, and I told
my fish story to him. Why, says he, it is a
sheep's head ! We never think of more than half
cooking them, they are much better only part
boiled. I thought I had better buy pork at 23.
per lb. At this time there was no clearing be-
tween Carthage and the mouth of the river on
the east side. After I got through with the' job, I
came up to the village, and went to cutting and
selling cord wood, and getting building timber. —
The best price I could get, was from five to six
shillings per cord, handsomely piled up in the
yards of the wealthiest citizens. The best price
that I could obtain for the timber of the Court
House, was 2| cents per foot. So you see I had
to do a good deal of hard work for little money.
A kind Providence has changed the condition of
many of us, as well as the country in which we
live, and this change can only be realized by
comparing the past with the present, and it may
not be amiss in us to recount the trials and hard-
ships we have endured, and the humble part we
have borne in producing this from a howling
wilderness to a flourishing city of about 30,000
inhabitants. May it be our part to help on this
good work so well begun, and if we improve the
advantages we possess, Rochester has but just
began to be what she will be in thirty years
more if she maintains her integrity. With her
churches and pubhc schools, mills and machinery,
and vast water power, all properly brought to bear,
her course must be onward. I might relate many
other incidents, but I will not trespass further at
this time.
Mr. Alexander spoke of the character of the
early settlers in the following style :
A stranger sitting here and hearing the history
of the first settlers of this place, as related by
yourself, Mr. Culver, Esq. House and others,
who told some of the privations of this settlement,
would immediately imagine to himself what was
the appearance of this people ; he would say that
in the countenance of each would be depicted a
tale of woe — sorrowful, haggard and abstracted
people, all lamenting thair unhappy fate, and beg-
ging that some kind providence would take them
away. '
But, sir, how different was the picture. I never
met with so pleasant, cheerful, agreeable and ap-
parently happy people, always ready to do each
other a good turn, give and receive a good joke,
no matter how tight the fit. A stranger would
suppose that- they fared sumptuously every day,
and lay on beds of down. No murmuring in
those days. As there was no place of amusement
here, the lively and active dispositions of the peo-
ple could always invent some way to pass ofT a
dull hour agreeably — such as hopping, jumping,
pulling at the sticks, running footcraces, &c. His
Honor the Mayor, Dr. John, was famous for a foot-
race. The only place for a race cotirse that could
be obtained without running over logs or around
stumps, was the old bridge ; several heals were
taken by His honor the Mayor, on that course.
Esq. House did not look as doleful as one would
suppose from the situation he was in when I saw
him on a wintry evening in 1817, in company with
others, pulling at the sticks in the bar-room near
where the present bar-room of this house now is.
It commenced by the boasting of a man named
Freeman, who had a roll of butter in Ms hat on his
head ; it was discovered by some of the company.
10
Immediately a match was made ; two sat down,
one with his back before a large bar-room fire,
the puliing commenced, the one near the fire was
pulled up, he brought in his man, he choose Free-
man, the butter man; he was carefully placed be-
fore thckfire ; he pulled up his first man, another
sat down — up he came after some struggle ; the
next came up, and the next, till each had had his
turn ; Freeman was always the conqueror. In
the mean time, our much esteemed friend, now
present, Col. A. Newton, who understood the joke,
paid good attention to the fire. Freemen then got
up, took the fore finger of the one hand and the
thumb of the other, and wiping the butter ofi' from
his forehead, exclaimed, '■ hoio I sweat .'"
In those days, there were no assaults and batter-
ries ; nor wranghng or fighting here, nor had we
any till they began to work on the canal.
Mr. J. H. Watts, said, a migration from the
Eastern States 30 years ago, was more of an event
with our American people than at present.
Now families leave and traverse thousands ot
miles, and it is an every day occurrence. Ot the
times from 1800 to the period 1818, friends fre-
quently took a farewell never expecting to meet,
as it was thought a new country, wild beasts and
natives were sure to embargo a return to the left
homes of the east. The difficulties of travel were
not easily overcome, and when my father wished
to meet his family as he did at Cayuga Bridge,
there was ro stage or Railroad to convey him
there. He wanted to see us and he came on loot.
It was an adventure to come west more perilous
than a voyage around the world is considered at
the present day. No one thing conduced more to
make the people one in feeling than the fact that
here sociability was necessary, and the Pioneers
all knew each other, worshiped God under one
roof, schooled their children at the same school-^
house, and took an interest in each other's v/elfare.
Mr. President and gentlemen present, let me
mention one circumstance to the lasting credit
of one I wish was here present, who I will al-
ways honor. When my father reached Rochester,
there were not as many stores or places of business
as at present and there was but one place he could
find to cover his head. You may all remember
the Leavitt or stone building which has been torn
down to make place for the Munger Block.*
There my father found a convenient room to
commence his business and live as best he could
without his family for some time. In those days
it was thought quite a place ; there he continued
until he found better quarters. What rent, think
you, he was charged a week when he lel't it, af-
ter occupying it some time ? Why, says John G.
Bond, its owner, a good mechanic is of much use
to our village. T shall make no charge for it,
and neither would he take it. There were many
such good hearted men. Who forgets Ira West,
always respected in his day ; and will not Dr.
Mathew Brown be remombered here, who could
not come from ill iiealth, who would no doubt be
* Mr. R. Watts Is believed to have heen the first
vvorker of tin this side ui Cayuga Lake, say in 1S17, the
first located at Rochester at any rate.
glad to join you and very many more who can-
not be here ? I tell you gentlemen, (and I may
be said to be speaking praises to your faces,) I look
upon the early Fathers of this city as Benefactors.
You have given a character to it for morals and
good order and laid out a city, and paid the taxes
to improve it, and carved a foundation npon
which succeeding generations may build and profit
thereby.
My parents brought me here, and here would I
always live with my family and be satisfied with
its progress.
Like many of the older portions of the com-
munity, its younger branches have gone from us,
and death has taken his share. When my mother
with two children came here, we had no small
difficulties in reaching our dwelling on South F'itz-
hugli street. Huge stumps of newly leveled trees
stood in the way, and it was a long time befoie
th^y disappeared in and about the corner of Fitz-
hugh and Spring streets. All the way up above
the now Ladies' Academy, on Fitzhugh street, I,
with many of the early boys of Rochester, went
for chestnuts, and we liad to go through the woods
to get up to Cornhill, that now densely settled
part of the town. I was amongst those who went
to school in the " old school-house" that stood on
the same site of the present No. 1 School-house.
I remember it was said in those days that we had
good teachers, who were more strict than are al-
lowed at the present time, and furthermore that
good scholars, proficient in the first rudiments,
(the useful ones I mean,) were always reported
by all visitors and examiners at our school.
I am pleased to join on this festive occasion with
so many of the old men Pioneers — they who have
given it a character for enterpriee, good morals and
order ; and who have done as much in reclaim-
ing Rochester from a forest and a solitude as all
after generations shall be able to do. In follow-
ing out the schemes to extend i's limits and im-
prove its many superior advantages of an inland
town, may it never be known to retrogade, but
let centuries to come but add memorials to its
greatness, in all that ennobles man.
Allow me to touch a topic in which I have ta-
ken an interest. In the many improvements,
none stand more prominent than our culture of
fi-uits. Many will hardly credit the fact that an
apple was much desired by one sick in ouri'amily in
those early times, and not oi^p was to be found in
the spring of the year — now I need not tell you
that our city fih-nishes (by the great attention
paid to its culture) all fruits in abundance in their
season. I undertake to say that in no clime can
you find Tjetter and more of them, and the fame
of Rochester is coupled with her fruits and flowers.
In conclusion, allow me to ofTer a sentiment.
May the sons both absent and present, those who
were born here and came here anterior to and
within the year 1818, children of tlie early Fath-
ers of this city, to so regulate their lives, that after
generations may say, how near akin were Fath-
ers and Sons of the early settlers of Rochester.
Before tlie separation of the Pioneers, on mo-
tion of Mr. Andrews, the following resolutions
were unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting are
11
due to oui Pioneer bretiiren, the Messrs. Blossom,
for tiic Buinptuous entertainment they have pro-
vxled on this occasion.
Resolved, That this meeting is greatly indebted
to Col. A. Newton, for his activity and perseve-
rance, and for the deep interest he has taken in all
matters pertaining to the festival.
The meeting then adjourned.
SECOND ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
Pcrsaant to publiBiJcd notice, the Pioneers of
Rochester and its vicinity assembled at the Blos-
som House, on Thnraday, the 12th Oct. 1848.
The mooting was c.-?l!ed to order by the Han.
Enos Stone, President.
O.T motion of Jndge Sampson, a committep,
(l^onsi3ting of the rriover, Jcdjse Brown, ofOg-
den, and 1). IVIcKENziE,of Ciihdonia,) was ap-
poiiiif-d !i) report vfficjra for the organization of
tho mpetinpr Mr. Sampson reported, viz:
hi.isHA Ely, rresisrcnc.
.1. H. HoTCHKIN, ) ,r. n J^ .
„ ' > Vice Ires dents,
Ralph Pahker, 5
Chas. J. Hill, } o, . ■
. G. Andrews, )
Pray or was offered by Rev. F/Ir. Kotchkin.
The minutes of the pvevjons meeting were read
by Mr. Hill.
The following communica'ion from the Hon.
Ends Stone was heard, and on motion of Mr.
Andrews, ordered printed with the proceedings.
Brothkr Pioneers — In leaving the chiir
as presiding officer of this rrieoting, an honor you
had conferred upon me, probably becausa I sm
one of the oldest of the Pioncera of Rochester and
Western New York, now living, permit ma to
es;)res-! in a plain manner my high sense of tho
compliment, and most sincerely to thank yoa for
this miinifestation of kindness. We havt: met on
this occasion to spea!. of things thai are past, and
call to mind for each (Uher the scenes and men
of other days, that, Vi us who survive, are hal-
lowed, and will become more inteiestirg as the
years ;i?i(i months nnmbcr upon «s.
1 need not epeak of the trials and privati nis ex-
perienced by many of us in the settiementof this
wa^lt-rn country, and this city in pariicnlar, nor
p M!it oat tojon the benefits that may have rosull-
o I from the humble means used by us in bring-
inc about the great changes that f:ro mfiuifest in
this neighborhood. A few years since, this was
a itowlinjj wilderness, and woo and sorrow wore
iho lot of muny •who pitched tlinir tents he.'C-
abouls. Now. far and wide, the elements of so
cial comfort abound. Whore tho scream of the
wild beast, and the whoop of tiie savage wore
the tenor of early si-ttlors, tho voice of peace and
content is heard, and every yoar adiia to the stock
of permanent good to be derived from steady per-
severance in improvement. Tho country has be-
come populous, healthy, and to a grjat extent
happy : and God forbid, that our course of pros-
[ perity and social enjoyment may ever be long or
seriously iatorrnpted.
On a similar cccasioa above alluded to, I dwelt
i nr'oro minately upon statistical and other facts to
I contrast oar present with our former condition,
and shall be p;lnd to communicate to this meeting
I any information that may be desired of mo on the
I subject of tho present gathering.
j In conclasion allow mo to say, — let us who
claim to be Pioneers, live in the bonds of good
I wiH and friendship towards one another, while
j for me there can be no greater source of happi
I nesg than to see you all prosper.
The following additional names were recorded:
Name. Ajf. Where born. Arrival.
Russell Greeu, 71 Norwich. Conn . . 1817
Eenj. B. Blossom,. , 58 Lenox, Mass, 1SI8
Jas. R. Hotchkin, . . 67Cornwan, Conn... 1801
R. A. Wilsoi , 36 Cooper8town,.N.Y
Lyman Granger,... 55 Suffield, Conn,.. . 1797
Wm. B. Brown,,.. 64 Connecticut, 1804
H;!r/ey Prindlo,... 63 New Fairfield, Ct. 1799
Moses King 53 Sufiield, Conn 181$
Bradford King, 55Suf{ield, Conn 1802
Geo. W. Willey,... 81 East Haddam,... . 18f4
Horace Hcudder, ... 52 Brighton, N. Y. . . 1797
.facob See, 68 Greenwiclv.Conn . 1813
P. B. Wilder, 47 Rushford, Vt 1807
Jcstin Gates, 51 Sprincfield, N. Y. 1805
Albert C. Way, 47 Sprii gfield, N. Y. 1801
Donald McKenzio,. 64 Inverness, Scotla'd 1806
Powell Carpenter, . . 78 Nev/ York, 1794
Zachariah I.,owis,.. 57 Connecticut, 1812
Elish.^- Moses, 86 (Connecticut, 1810
Schuyler .Moses,... 49 Conneoticnt 1817
William Wood, 72 Banker Hill, Mass 1809
Micah Brooks, 72 Cheshire, Conn. . , 1797
Francis Brown, 28 Rochester, N. Y.. 1819
Henry F.Smith,.... 28 Rochester, N. Y.. 1819
Mr Feck presented the following comrannica-
tion:
Esteemed sir: I shall be proud to be enrolled
in the list of pioneers. I came from Bunker's
Hill to (.'anandaigua in 1809. My grandfather
and father owned about one-third of that cele-
braied soil. I was cradlod there in 1777.
God preserve us in union and good-fellowship,
imen. William Wood
■ To Mr. Peck, &c.
And Mr. Wood was invited to participate and
lecord hia n^me among the Pioneers.
12
Mr. Harvey Ely said: Some incidents con-
nected with the first establishment of the public
worship of God on the Sabbath day by the first
settlers of this city, iliustrale important princi-
ples and render their review of interest to this
and other connmanitiea.
The public worship of God on the Sabbath
day, wa3 first comtni'nccd ia this place in the
spring or summer of 1813, at the instance of two
married ladies, women of faiih and prayer. —
Mrs. Scrantom and Mrs. Whelock, when there
were but eight or ten families in a district now
containing more than thirty thousand persons, ap-
plied to Mr. Jehiel Birnard and Mr. Warren
Brown to conduct the meetings; these were
first, and for some months after, held in
an upper room of a one and a half story build-
ing on BnfTalo st., about 22 feet long and 14 feel
wide, owned by Mr. Barnard, the lower part be
ing occupied by him as a tailor shop. The ex-
ercises of the meeting were extempore prayer,
singing and reading a sermon.
After some months, the Rev. Daniel Brown,
Baptist Minister at Pittsford, and Rev. Mr Par-
melee, a Congregational or Presbyterian minister
of Victor, came occasionally and preached to the
people.
It was in the autumn or this year that the last
acta of Heathen worship in this place by the
Indians were celebrated.
When my brother and myself came here to re-
side in the autumn of 1813, we found fifteen or
twenty families. They were then worshiping in
the lower room of Mr. Barnard's building We
continued there till the next sumtrjer, when a
school house was erected and our meetings held
in it. Soon our numbers increased so as to fill it
to overiowing, when a temporary linter was ad-
ded to the South side.
The summer or autmmnof 1814, Rev. C. Wil-
liams was employed to preach for us a few
months. This was followed by the formation of
the First Presbyterian church in the autumn of
1815 and the settlement of Mr. Williams as its
Pastor. From this date the records of the differ-
ent churches contain their history, I need not de-
tail it nor give their numbers.
It is perhaps well to observe that till sufficient
strength was gathered to successfally accomplish
new organizations, christians of all denominations
regularly met together for the worship of God,
and all contributed from their scanty means (for
wo were all poor,) to I's support, and matnally
aided each olhet in the erection of the first houses
of worship and thosnpp(<rt of a preached gospel.
A consequent spirit of harmony, peace and char-
ity has ever been a distinguishing characteiistic
of the churches and congregations organized in
this city.
Important principles are employed in this ex-
hibition worthy of consideration and example.
The great encouragement it offers to all who
commence, or go to dwell in new settlements, to
begin with establishing the public worship of
God on the Sabbath — it was done hero and it was
well done — truly of them it can be said in the
words of our Savior " she did what she could,"
and He has most wonderfully blessed those early
efforts. They did not no abroad to ask for help
to build a plane to worship God, or to defray the
expenses of sapporliDg Ministers. They were
content to assemble ia such plajces as their scan-
ty means would enable them to provide, and
from their poverty they contributed to support
thoir ministry.
I have no ksowledge of any religious society
in this place ever having received one dollar
from abroad towards defraying the expenses of
building churches or supporting Ministers.
Mr. Brown, of f.>gden, was happy in the order
of Divine Providence, to meet so many Pioneer
friends on this occasion. IIo congratulated the
meeting, on the continued growth and prosperity
of the country, and related incidents of former
days of interest He said in attempting to ford
the Genesee above the Rapids when he first came
to the country, he was carried down the stream
and miracalously preserved within a short dis-
tance of the greet falls. He was one of the first
settlers of Ogden, and his father preached the
first seimon ever liolivered at Rochester. Ho
cut a road through the woods from his settlement
to Braddock's Bay and gave descriptions of the
great difficulties of that day.
We have found, said Rlr. Brown, a pleasant
land. Comforts and blessings are profusely scat-
tered on every hand — the country has not chang-
ed — the obstacles to its enjoyments only are re-
moved by enterprising hands. His neighbor, Mr.
WillOy, now present, and 82 years, Qf age, cut
the first tree as a settler in Ogden, and indited tho
first p letry. It is desci ipti ve of the country then
and now; and seems to have been addressed lo
the inhabitants of the town of East Haddam,
Conn., whence Mr. Willey emigrated. It went
to the
TUNE OF DELIGHT.
Oome and go along with me,
And 1 will show you land,
Th<it lies in Genesee
Thai aim all rocks and sand.
That pUaeant toil,
Ol (iertile sround,
Lies all around.
That is worlh awhile.
Mr. Andrews, said the following statistical facts
of the olden days of Rochester, compared with
its present condition, would, he believed, present
a case of the growth and improvement of a city,
unparalleled ginco those days when the wealth
and labor of a kingdom were brought into requi-
sition lo enact them.
In 1814, Elisha Ely, Hervey Ely, and Josiah
Bissoll erected a merchant's mill at Rochester
with 4 run of stones— the first mill erected ex-
clusively for that business. Thase gentlemen
also built a small 1 story building for a store, on
the corner of Buffalo and State streets. Mr. H.
Ely came on to Rochester with his goods, and
finding the building unglazed, he proceeded to
Canandaigua 30 miles to procure a box of 50 feet
of glass; being unable to find the article nearer.
Id 1815, Samuel Hildreth, of Pittsford, com-
menced running a two horse stage between Roch-
ester and Canandaigua twice a week, and private
enterprise continued it once a week on the Ridge
Road to Lewiston. The first religious society
(Presbyterian) was organized this year under
the charge of the Rev. Coinfort Willianas. Th«
13
montion of the name of oar first Pastor — eaidl
Mr. A , will bring op to your memoriea that man
of meoknoss and humility, as he went about doing
good in the new settlemont; one can almost see
his quick step and active manner, on hia walk to
his clearing, at what is now the junction of the
feeder and canal. The influence of his indus-
trious example was every wher* felt. He was a
I'lialor upon the Apostolic plan, scarcely charge-
able to any, for hif own hands ministered mainly
to his nocossities In his day no religious dis-
sentions marred the harmony of religion. His
works remain and follow him. Honored be the
memory of the Rev. Comfort Williams.
In 1816, .1 post route was established " by
authority" between Canandaigua and Lewiston,
"by way of Rochester." A tavern was opened
where the Arcade buildings now stands, by A.
Reynolds, Esq. The first newspaper was pnb-
lished by Danbey & Sheldon, the •' Rochester
(Jazeite" The business of purchasing produce
from the country was commenced, and about
7000 barrels of Flour were exported. The pop-
niatioh of the village was 331. The quarterly
receipts of the post office were about fi/teen dollais.
In 1817, the lands on the east side of the
River wore laid out in building lots. The vil-
lage of Rochcsterville was incorporated, and the
first officers under its charter, were Francip
Brown, William Cobb, Everard Peck, Daniel
Mack, aud Jehiel Barnard. Hastings R. Ben-
den, Clerk, F. F. Bachns, Treasurer.
There are now at Rochester twenty Flouring
Mills, with over one hundred runs of Stones.
Forty daily, weekly, and semi-weekly mails ar-
rive and depart. Forty churches and religious sa-
cieties. The quarterly receipts of the P. O., are
$5000 ; the third laigest in the State. Four daily
and eight weekly newspapers. There were man-
nfactnred here in 1847, over 700,000 barrels of
Flour. And the present population is believed
to be between 35 and 40,000.
R. A. Wilson would speak as a representative of
pioneers. His grandfather on his mother's side
was a member of the Legislature of New York
during the revolution — for the County of Mont-
gomery, which then comprised all of the State of
New York north and west of the County of Sche-
nectady. Mr. William Clark an uncle of his mo-
ther, visited us at Rochester in 1825, and talked
familiarly of events he had witnessed in the old
French war, was a soldier nnder Gen. Braddock
and shared in his defeat. In 1809 his fa-
ther, who had been employed by Brandt to erect
ii Council House, crossed the Niagara River,
forded the Genesee River at the Rapids, and after
wandering through the western and northern
States eotiled at Rochester, invested his property
in village lots, and carried on the business of
bouse building to the close of his Ijfe. The only
<hing he recollected of the olden time, was the
system of revolving between the two sides of the
River between Brighton and Rochester, and the
races ihit almost daily occurred between unfortu-
nate debtors and constables ; the Genesee River
being the boundary of two Counties, Batavia
being his destiny on one aide, and Canandaigua
the other.
Mr. Jacob Graves related his early eipe-
rience, in coming to Rochester in 1816, when he
purchased the site of his present extensive tan-
nery with |1000 in silver, which he brought all
the way from the Southern State line, across the
mou'itains, to Schenectady, Canandaigua, aad
this city, /n his saddle-bags.
Mr. Raphael Beach spoke in his turn. —
Considering himself one of the youngest Pioneers
in the Company, he had no experience to tell that
would compare with what others had to say.
Capt. Miner told of bringing to^ochesler
from Albany, in 1812, the first Mill Irons that
wore ever put up here, for Francis Brown. Tho
mud was so deep at the present site of tho Eagle
Tavern, that the irons in the bottom of his wagon
got wet and rusted. He also told of the practice
m that day of sending convicts to the Salt Works
to work out their time, instead of to the County
Jail, tho prisoners having the choice of punish-
ment.
Messrs. 'H. Prindle, Francis Brown,
Simeon Lewis, S. C. Jones, and Natha-
niel Draper, also spoke as called upon.
Mr. Lkvi a. Ward, after a very complimen-
tary notice of John Maude, Esq., an intelligent
English traveler, who visited what is now Roch-
ester, in 1800, related at some length incidents
of his early life, when living with his father,
(from 1807, when he came from Connecticut,)
in the present town of Bergen, then called
Northampton. We would be glad to give a full
report of tho interesting remarks of Mr. W. but
find ourselves overrun with the great amount of
matter upon our hands. All listened to what ho
said with great interest.
Gen. MicAH Brooks also occupied the full
time allowed to each speakt r, in recounting the
legislative history of the settlement in the Gene-
see Country. Gen. B. Game to this Country aa
early as 1796, and in '99 became a freeholder. —
In 1808, after the divisionof Genesee County, ho
was elected a representative in the Legislature.
He related the action taken in laying out roads at
that period, and the incipient steps taken in build-
ing the Erie Canal. Gen. B.'s remarks were
highly interesting, and duly appreciated by bis
brother Pioneers.
[Letter from John G. Bond, Esq.]
NiLEs, Berrien Co., Mich., Oct. 7, 1848.
Dear Sir : I have just received your kind note
of Sept. 26th, communicating to me the special
invitation of the Committee of Arrangements of
the Rochester " Pioneers," to attend their annu-
al meeting at the Blossom Hotel, on the 12th of
October next. I feel extremely grateful for this
polite and kind remembrance. I have ever felt
proud of having been one, — although a humble
one indeed, of the early pioneers of the now beau-
tiful city of Rochester. My affections even early
enlisted in her growth and interests — there has
not been a place since my removal from the Gran-
ite State, New Hampshire ; (in 1815) which I
have more loved, and whose people I have held
in greater esteem, than the good people of Roch-
ester. The beauty of its locality — the pretty riv-
er — river of cascades, — good soil, and climate, —
14
general fine scenery, and every thing connected
with its site, — afforded me pleasure and happi-
ness — and my heart is ever filled with sorrow,
when I reflect that circumstances or fate rendered,
it necepsary for me to remove away farther west
— but it was so decreed by Heaven,, and Him
who never errs, that I might exert my h nnble ef-
forts to assist in founding and building up other
villages — Lockport, and Niles, in the Peninsular
State — the latter place will, I predict, be my last
pioneering, and my tenement of clay will rest
shortly on the romantic and beautiful bank of
the St. Joseph. I am claimed,! believe, as one
of the early pioneers of these very important and
beautiful settlement^-— one fine city and two pret-
ty villages. — Rochester city, Lockport and Niles.
I sometunes smile when reflecting of past
scenes, and what has happened in olden times
About the commencement of your place, and
when I was a citizen — I occasionally heard re-
marks which had been made about nie, and my
character — this was as early as 1815,'16,'17, and
1818 — they would remark, as I was afterwards
informed, that on most matters Mr. Bond was
reasonable and sane, — but when the subject of
the future growth and improvement of Rochester
were introduced, he was prone to predict that in a
quarter of a century, or less, — the City of Roch-
ester would contain a population of some 20,000
inhabitants — that in fact I was a monomaniac
and insane on that particular subject — now you
have some 30,000, perhaps more. Alas ! how !
blind we often are, as to the future, whether for
good or evil. I have often reflected how fortu-
nate and blessed you were in the first settlement
of your place by having some dozen or more of
rehgious, moral, highly civiUzed, and enterprising
families — the descendants of the Pilgrims of
New England — mixed with some equally excel-
lent families from the middle and southern
States of our happy Union. The seed then sown,
God has greatly blessed — and you are now be-
come great in population and wealth — highly re-
spectable for learning, also in the arts and enter-
prising — and will still go on, in progressing, per-
haps in a compound ratio. That this may be,
you have my best wishes. Rochester is now one
of the best built cities in the West, and perhaps,
in America.
I extremely regret that circumstances will not
permit me to join you in your celebration, of
Rochester Pioneers, this year, but if God should
spare my life for a few more years, and I have
health and strength — I shall hope, and may be so
fortunate as to be with you in some future celebra-
tion of the Pioneers.
You will please present my aflfectionate regards,
and high respects to those citizens — " Pioneers,"
who may be present at the festive board, and all
others, who may not be able to do so — who are
still residing in your midsi and neighborhood. —
They are all well remembered by me with great
esteem and afiection. Also present my be^t re-
gard to y our family ; and to yourself, believe me
when I say, that I still remain, as ever.
Your sincere friend, and hianble servant,
JOHN G. ]X)ND.
Ends Stone, Esq., Chairman of Commiuee.
[Remarlis jrom James H. Watts.]
Mr. President : The happy effects of the iirst
meeting of the " Early Pioneers of Rochester"
have exhibited themselves frequently smce that
time. Many have been the pleasant greetings
and communications with those I have met who
were amongst the early settlers.
Letters and papers have been sent me from old
friends in which they have alluded to our meet-
ing and organization, and you may depend that
the procee dings of this day will be sought for by
thousands of the American people, and others,
who have lived in our goodly city and known the
body of men so truly termed Pioneers.
I venture to assert that a stronger attachment
for any one place does not e,x.ist than is had by
almost all persons who have lived in Rochester
and I pride myself in the thought that we have,
a good name in the land.
Progress is so engrafted upon every thing that
has existence here that we cannot fail to be known
in our enterprizes, and many have been the won-
ders experienced that so many circumstances of
an interesting character could have been con-
nected with the early settlement of a new coun-
tiy. I need not say that the " Pioneers" immor-
talized themselves in their first meeting — congrat-
ulations that so many are spared to " meet again"
certainly will prevail — no doubt my seniors will al-
lude to those who have gone from us the past year
— " Pioneers" to a land to which we are fast
hastening.
The younger portions of the association will
undoubtedly feel the lesson that the elder branches
are dropping off, and with them ere long our old
men will be dead, and their places can never be
filled. May we, the young men, ever keep up
this yearly gathering so long as we shall last, and
be the last to forsake the way of our Fathers.
I for one shall be a listener at this celebration
— preferring reminiscejices from others, especially
Elders in the cause.
Mr. Watts was necessarily absent from the
meeting — but he says his heart and best wishes
were for the welfare of the Pioneers.
[Letter from Augustus Porter, Esq.]
Niagara Falls, Sep. 28th, 1848.
Enos Stone, Esq. —
Bear Sir 5 Your letter of the 26th instant, aa
Chairman of the Committee of x\rrangements of
the Pioneers of Rochester, is received, in which
you invite me to attend your Annual Celebration
j at the Blossom Hotel, on the I2th of October
next.
For this mark of kindness and respect I tender
j them my sincere thanks. Nothing would afford
' me more pleasure, than to' attend this celebration,
as it would give mc an opportunity of seeing the
early settlers in and about Rochester, among
whom I might see many of my old acquaiulan-
ces — but the state of my health and the infirma-
tiee of age forbid it. My age, should I live until
the 18th of January next, will be eighty years. —
You say at the close of your letter, that should I
be unable to attend, some incidents of early set-
tlements to be read on that occasion, are requested.
In conformity wilh this request, I will, so far as
my memory serves me, give you some account of
the first personal knowledge I had of the country
in and about Rochester, and of the first settlers.
I first came into the Genesee country in the
year 1789, from Salisbury, Connecticut, in the
capacity of a surveyor, at twenty-one years of
age. I came from Schenectady on a batteaux up
the Mohawk river to Fort Stanwix, from thence
by Wood Creek, tlie Oneida Lake and Seneca
River, to Geneva ; from thence to Canandaigua
on toothy an Indian trail, and thence by an Indi-
an path to East Bloomfield (Township No. 10 —
4th range). Here I found Mr. Jonathan Adam?,
i'rom Massachusetts, with a large iamily of sons
and daughters who had just arrived and were en-
gaged in erecting log houses. I then commen-
ced my labors as surveyor, and lotted this town,
and spent the whole of the season in lotting three
other towns, and running the outlines of a num-
ber of other townships in what is now Steuben
County, and returned to Connecticut in the Fall.
The next Spring I again came to Bloomfield,
where 1 built a Saw Mill on Mud Creek. The
latter part of the season I was employed by Jon-
athan Fasset to survey Township No. 13 : 4th
Range (now the Town of Penfield). This I ran
into large i'arm lots, except some 20 or .30 acres
lying on Irondequoit Creek, which was run into
about twelve hundred lots, called City lots.
At this time there were living Simon Stone
and Israel Stone, at the place where the Village of
Pittsford now stands. They were the original
proprietors of the Townsliip, having purchased it
of Messrs. Phelps &. Gorham, and selected this
spot to commence their settlement from its being
directly on the Indian path leading both from the
Irondequoit Landing and Falls to Canawagus,
(now Avon,) and from there being at the place a
very fine spring. There were, also, several other
persons living in the town — among them I recol-
lect a Mr. Nie and Paul Richardson, who a few
years aiter became the husband of Mrs. Israel
Stone, whose husband had died.
In No. 13: 4th Range, (Penfield) there was a
Mr. Lusk, i'rom Riclimond, Massachusetts, living
near the Irondequoit Landing, and a Mr. Allen
living on the north side of the West branch of the
Creek where the road leading from Rochester to
Pittsford, crosses. Mr. Orange Stone hved in
Township No. 13 : 7th Range, (novV Brighton,)
at the same place where he died a few years ago,
by the handsome Elm Tree and Big Rock. Mr.
Chauncey Hyde lived a short distance west of
him.
This town was purchased by a company from
Lenox, Massachusetts, in the year 1789 — '90. —
Among the names of the first purchasers I recol-
lect Capt. John Gilbert, WiUiam Walker, Caleb
Walker, old Mr. Stone, Faflier of Orange and
Enos Stone, Mr. Northrop, Col. Chauncey Hyde,
Prosper PoUey, A. Egleston, and perhaps some
others. Old Capt. Gilbert was the surveyor who
lotted the town in 1789, with whom I became
acquainted that year (an excellent, worthy man).
He told me at that time that those of the proprie-
tors who had seen the town, were disappointed
and dissatisfied with tlie quality of the land gen-
erally, and with the great Marsh of the Ironde-
quoit, and a large Swamp at the south-west cor-
ner, and that they intended to sell out as soon,
and in the best way they could — and most of them
a few years after, did sell to Mr. Phelps.
This year, l(789,)Capt. Caleb Walker surveyed
Township No. 12 : 4th Range, (now Perrinton,)
into lots. He and his brother. Col. Wm. Walker,
purchased this town, and Glover Perrin with his
family settbd there, where they lived for several
years before any other settler came in, and until
Mrs. Perrin became partially deranged, when they
removed to Pittsford, where he resided until his
death. Caleb Walker died at Canandaigua in
1790. This Township Colonel Walker sold to
Daniel Penfield, and in 1797 Mr. Penfield sold to
Doctor Duncan, a Scotch gentleman, who lei't it to
his son, wlio lately lived at Canandaigua.
In 1789, Ebenezer Allen, (then known as Indi-
an AUen, from his having two squaw wives,) had
agreed to purchase a Mill site at the Genesee
Falls, and that year erected a small Grist Mill on
or near the place now known as Child's Basin —
the site was to contain one hundred acres. In
the year 1790, Ebenezer Hunt and others purchas-
ed of Phelps & Gorhain 20,060 acres of land in
Township number one, short Range west of Gen-
esee River, which was bounded west and nortii
by the north and west lines of the township, east
by Genesee River, and south by a line parallel
with said north line, and so far distant therefrom
as to contain said quantity, excepting, however,
and reserving one hundred ^cres which had been
previously sold to Ebenezer Allen. The recogni-
tiorrof this sale to Allen, in the deed by Phelps
& Gorham to Ebenezer Hunt and others, is, as
far as I know, the only evidence of title that Allen
ever had to that 100 acres. In 1791 I was at Al-
len's Mill, and the only person that I found living
at or near that place, was a Mr. Dugan, a brother-
in-law to Allen, who was attending the Mill.
* At this time there was hving at the mouth of
Allen's Creek, old Mr. Sheffer, who had purchased
the farm on which he lived of Ebenezer Allen in
1789 — and came there the next year. This was a
farm which Oliver Phelps gave to Allen for his
services while Mr. Phelps was negotiating with
the Indians for the purchase he made of them in
1788. Allen then lived on the farm, and from
him the Creek took its name.
The first settler between Shefl^r's and the Falls
as' far as I recollect, was Col. Josiah Fish, who set-
tled at the mouth of Black Creek, and tor several
years was the Supervisor of the town of North
Hampton, which embraced the whole of that part
of the State of New York, which lies west of
Genesee River.
In 1789, Hugh Maxwell, wlule employed by
Phelps & Gorham, surveyed the tract known
as the Mill site Tract, into townships, aiid in do-
ing so, he committed an error by running the west
line due ncrth and south, and the outlines of the
townships within the tract, in conformity with
that. It was afterwards corrected by running the
west line on a course corresponding with the gen-
eral course of Genesee River. This I ran in 1792.
This corrected line, which is N. 22 E., accounts
for the obliquity of some of the townsliip lines.
1^
In 1797 1 surveyed the 20,000 acre tract above
referred to, into lots, and laid out the village lots at
Hanford's Landing. At this time a settlement
commenced at that place by Gideon King, Zadock
Granger and others. At the same time I laid
out the Allen hundred acres, conformable to the
description given in Phelps & Gorham's deed to
E. Hunt and others. This directed tha,. the cen-
tre of the tract, up and down stream, should be
the centre of Allen's Mill, and laid out in as near
a square form as the windings of the river would
permit. Old Mr. Hinshor at this time lived at the
mouth of the river, on the west side, andCol. J. Fish
lived at and attended the old Allen Milh In 1798
Eli Granger built a small schooner, at Hanibrd's
Landing. I was at that tune one of the propri-
etors of the 20,000 acres, and E. Granger came
to me and told me of the ridge of land now known
as the Ridge Road, and proposed to go and explore
it through to the Niagara River, provided I would
employ a man to go with him and furnish them
with provisions^ — which I did, and on his return he
gave what has since proved a correct account of
this remarkable road.
Yours respec'y, AUG'S PORTER.
[lieinarks of Mosts King, Esq.]
Mr. President : My Father came herein 1796,
and I think manifested more energy than his sons
— for he sent his goods by water, down the Con-
necticut River, up the Hudson and Mohawk into
Oneida Lake, then Lake Ontario and up the Gen-
esee to the Landing-^now called Hanford's, then
King's — and by their arrival had constructed the
dug way, so that his goods were delivered at his
residence. He made the road down the deep
Hollow — opened the road to the Lewiston Ridge,
and lived but 10 months in 1815. George Hill
and I spent evenings piling and burning brush in
front of the Court House, and during the summer
the brush and stumps got on iire on the north of*
Buffalo Street and corner of Fitzhugh, and raged
with such fury that it called out all the inhabitants
to preserve the few dwelhngs then erected and
erecting along State Street.
[Re?7iarks of C. J. Hill, Esq.]
Mr. Hill said : He came to this place quite
young in 1816 — came alone, having then no rel-
atives in this part of the country — he came sole-
ly as an adventurer. He would detain the meet-
ing but a very short time, especially as he saw be-
fore him so many Fathers — more remarkable Pi-
oneers, who had experienced so much more of in-
terest to the meeting — he would say, however, as
the privations of a new settlement were very fre-
quently and justly alluded to, that there were lux-
uries, also, incident to that state of society, at
any rate, it was so in the early days of Rochester.
He would speak of the fact, that the early Pio-
neers came here with very little property, having
in that respect, little or "nothing to lose, but every
thing to gain," hence the scope for hope and san-
guine expectations in an eminent degree — that was
a luxury.
Again, who that was here does not remember
the kindly sympatiiy, the feeling of mutual accom-
modation which was a leading characteristic of
our early settlers — was not that a luxury ? and
one which has sadly decreased with our growth —
as is found to be the fact in every place, as it pass-
es from infancy to manhood.
He would also allude to the luxury which was
enjoyed thirty-two years since in this City, now
containing between thirty and forty thousand in-
habitants, of the entire population then worship-
ing God, from Sabbath to Sabbath, in a one-story
building, about 15 feet by 24 — there being but one
congregation and place of worship, and that the
only school house.
For New-Englandtrs, there was another luxury
— I allude to the fact that the "heat and burden of
the day," in subduing the forest and rearing up
this new city, was, to a great extent, borne by ad-
venturers from their Father Land, and not only
so, but happily for the future moral character of
the place, these sons of New England very gene-
rally brought with them the principles and habits
which have always so favorably distinguished the
land of the Puritans. I
Finally he would mention but one other among
the luxuries peculiar to our infantile state, viz: —
that notwithstanding the large participation of New
Englanders in the enterprizes and vicissitudes of
our early forming State, other States, and even
Foreign lands were well represented — and what
he had here to note as of peculiar interest, was
the fact that, notwithstanding this seemingly hete-
rogeneous collection, they were in a remarkable
degree of one heart and mind regarding the essen-
Itial elements of society. They readily united in a
practicable demonstration of the importance of
morality and intelligence, as well as enterprize
and untiring industry, in laying the foundation
for after generations to build upon.
Mr. R. D. Hannahs, said he built and run the
first Boat on the Genesee River in 1818 — and
gave interesting details of early settlements.
Mr. JoAB Britton, gave an interesting ac-
count of his life and adventures in the Genesee
country, a hfe full of vicissitudes by land and
water.
Mr. J. Packard, stated the fact that Rochester
in its early day whatever else it might have of
troubles — never had musquetoes — gave interesting
details of early times. He made the first stove
pipe manufactured in Rochester, and assisted in
making the first Iron Castings.
Mr. Andrews, Mr. Sampson, Mr. Ward, and
Mr. McKenzie, were appointed a Committee to
prepare and revise the proceedings for publication.
On motion of Col. Newton, the Executive
Committee of the former year were re-appointed-
After eloquent remarks by Judge Sampson in
regard to the importance of giving a substantial
and useful form to the acts and doings of the so-
ciety, Mr. Ward moved that the Executive Com-
mittee report a plan at the next meeting of the Pi-
oneers, for the permanent organization of a His-
torical Society of Western New York, which was
adopted, and Messrs. Sampson and Ward were
added to the Committee — the Committee consist-
ing of Enos Stone, Harvey Montgomery, Sam'l
G, Andrews, Moses Chapin, Aaron Newton, Jno
lY
Packard, Cha's J. Hill, Atihley Sampson, L. A.
Ward, Silas 0. Smith and Hervey Ely.
Donald McKenzik, Esq., of Caledonia, Liv-
ingston county, (who will excuse ua for giving
him the cognomen of the "Laurie Todd," of Wes-
tern New York,) presented a mu nber of very val-
uable documents.
First — Mr. McK. says :
I submit for your consideration some extracts
from my Daily Memorandum Book in 1841 , which
may not be uninteresting to you.
The httle, hard, stony, swatnpy Town of Cal-
edonia is now reduced from its emp ire magnitude in
the year 1791, when the first town meeting was
held at Canawaugus, where the heroic revolution-
ary Capt. John Ganson was supervisor of all the
best part of our Empire State, I say the old town
of Caledonia is now reduced to an extent of a lit-
tle over 4 by 8 miles. Seeing that we homely
Caledonians, never get any of the great or hon-
orable premiums from the Agricultural or Horti-
cultural Societies, for the reason that we have got
work enough at home, I have concluded to lay
before you the following table of produce, com-
pared with the number of consumers^, which I had
long ago prepared for our scholars to work out as
a, sum in arithmetic, and to exhibit to our rising
generation the comparison between the value of
the actual producers, and the actual consumers in
our town of Caledonia, as compared with any oth-
er town in any country in the world, and I hereby
submit it to the minds, heads and luands of young
and old, to draw useful comparisons therefrom.
If we look at the census and statistics of Liv-
ingston County for 1840, as also a statement of
the votes given in the town of Caledonia, at the
Fall election in the same year, we will find that the
total population in Caledonia was 1983, of which
number 3.S3 were voters, and that the amount of
produce raised in our town for that year was aa
follows :
Bushekof Wheat, 118,610
or CO bush, to each inhabitant,
and 3.56 bush, for every voter re-
siding in the town.
Whole No. Horses in town in 1.S4U, ^04
" Sheep •• " 9,934
" Swine 3,556
Bushels of Barlev, 3,040
Corn, 15,450
Cords of Wood, 35,851
Bushels of Potatoes -31,880
Tons' of Hay, 2,405
Bushels of Oats, 24,415
Dairy Produce !^3,943
Orchard " il,901
Domestic Goods ,$2,025
Compare the above statistics, with those of
any other township, (the population being equal,)
either in Uncle Sam's land, or Aunt Victoria's,
and 1 will bet a big apple that you will not find
any better wheat producers than we Caledoni-
ans are, in ail the broad dominions of the above
named potentates. And 1 will furthermore
bet two big apples, that if you bring the little
County of Livjpgeton, and compare it in the same
way, that our countv will come off victorious
as to the amount ol produce compared with th«
consumers. Figures will not lie if you use them
right.
Considerable of the cannie Scot leaks out in
this glorification of his own little town, but hip
brother Pioneers were all in too good humor to
take up the glove which friend Laurie threw
down.
Tfte a.\!^}iid document is, as described by Mr.
McK.:
Copy of the. New- York State Tax Roll for
ths totcn of North- Hampton, County of Ontario,
(famiharly known by the name of the Town of
the Two Rivers, from the fact that it wasboimded
on the east by the Genesee River, and on the west
by the Niagara River, north by Lake Ontario, and
south by Pennsylvania. )
By a Legislative act in the year 1797, no State
tax was to be collected in any part of the Genesee
country until the year 1800 ; and this, the first
State tax roll is dated Oct. 6, 1600.
The warrant is directed to Peter Sheffer, as Col-
lector, who resided in Wheatland since 1789 until
now, and signed fey Augustus Porter and Amos
Hall, Commissioners of Taxes for the county of
Ontario.
Cyrus Douglass, Michael Beach, Eli GrifSth
and Philip Beach, were made the Assessors.
Donald McKenzie, of Caledonia, has copied said
warrant and given his guessing recollections, re-
marks &,c.,onsome of the individuals, (except
si.xteen names which were torn from the first page,
together with the total valuation of Real and
Personal estate,) and the tax of each person as-
sessed.
The Roll contains the names of the persons as-
I sessed, value of real estate — ditto personal, and
! amount of Tax. Mr. McK. has added — emigra-
ted from— emigrated to — pohtics in 1800 — and
j other remarks. We notice that,
I Peter Shaffer has assessed to him 4,000 acres of
i land at one dollar per acre — personal property.
: $260— total $44i60— Tax !$5,36. That samt
4,000 acres \s probably now worth bet%veen $200,-
j 000 and if 300,000. The land was all valued at
j $1 per acre.
This is a very valuable rehc of olden time, and
is placed on the files of the society for future ref-
■ erence.
Third, Mr. McK. gives "a list of Supervisors
, and Town Clerks of the town of Genesee, (i. e.,
all west of Kanadarkqua,) (first town meeting
held at Canawagus, April 5, 1791) as collected
by D. McK."
This list gives the year of the election — name
of Supervisor — name of Town Clerk — political
; principles — and price of Wheat.
The remainmg document presented by Mr.
McK., is a collection of facts and incidents con-
nected with the early Indian history of this coun-
try, together with a valuable e.ssay upon our treat-
ment of the Aborigines. We think our paper.«
would find this a most interesting article for their
columns.
Mr. B£Nj. B. BtossoM, said that he cam* here
to-day to mingle his congratulations with the pio
neers of this city and the to\mi around us; sntf
18
#M happy to lee >a theChair »a old friend, whose
pre3ence reminded him of days gone by, when 40
fears ago he was a corporal under his command,
in old Berkshire, Mass. His native place wa?
Cape Cod, within 40 miles of old Plymouth Rock
In the year 1778, his father, with a large family,
took a vessel on the south side of the cape and
sailed for Hudson, now a city on the North Riv-r
in this State. He there hired wagp^.s to carry
his little effects to the town of Lenos, Berkshire
Co., Mass. In the year 1811, said Mr, B., Ends
Stone, and he that was Col. Stone, of this place,
came to the blacksmith shop of my boss with
whom I then was serving an apprenticeship to the
trade of Vulcan, and with him made for them the
second set of saw-mill irons that were put in use
for this city of Rochester. Enos Stone then
offered to give me any spot I should choose on this
side of the river, if I would come when my term
of service expired.
In the year 1817, my father and I came here
and upon this ground where we now are, occupied
by the children of a deceased father, B. Blossom.
Sir, I here stand to-day, by the good providence
of God, as the representative of the Blossom fam-
ily, now the elder. In 1818, my father with his
numerous family started for Brighton with his car-
riage, and in it ten persons, and I with two teams,
a 6 cattle and 4 cattle team, drove by two hired
snen for the fer west as then called. I walked all
t' e way on foot save 5 miles before I arrived ai
Palmyra. I was 16 days on the road, and travel-
ed the last day from old Tkodp's tavern, 5 miles
«a8t of Palmyra. My lither wished to know of
me how the teams traveled the last day. I told
him better than any one day. Well, said he, !
supposed they would ; for, said he, Mr. Allkn
was praying for you all the d;iy. This was tht
Rev. Solomon Allen, who was the first minister
of Brighton and who first organized a church in
this town.
My father purchased what was then called the
Spafibrd property, in Brighton, and on it dug up
the stumps and built the house which goes by the
name of the old Blossom House.
I am now living upon the same place where we
firet settled, with the same old shop, in it the same
tools that I bouoht when I was 21 years of age.
the same old bellows with as good lungs as when
new and blows as good a blast as she did 37 years
ago in old Massachusetts. I am now able to per-
form as good day's work over the old anvil, save a
little eye sight, as when I was a boy of 21 years
of age. I am now, sir, 58.
Brighton, Oct. II, 1848.
Enos Stone, Esq., Chairman of the honorable
body of Pioneers of the City of Rochester and its
vicinity — Sir: As my health at present is suth
that I am unable to attend your annual meeting,
which I regret very much, I take this method to
inform you and your honorable body, that 1 came
in company with my father from the town ol
Phelps, near the east part of Ontario county, to
the town of Brighton, near the west part of said
county, in the fall of 1815. We chopped aboui
an acre and built a log house on the farm now
owned by Mr. Schans. We then returned to
Phelps to winter, and on the 3d day of May, 1816,
t we arrived in the eeid town of Brighton, and I
j have not been absent from said town one month
I at a time since. 1 savv several beers and frequent-
ly heard the wolves howl ^nd bark on the Pinna-
cle. I had several batti s with raitle-snakes, but
the hardest battle I ever had was with Mr- Ague-
and-fever, vviiich lasted about three months every
day ; and through the assistance of a kind Provi-
dence I conquered all.
Yours respectiuliy,
ABNLR BUCKLAND.
Ls Roy, (Fort Hill,) Oct. 10, 1848.
Col. A. Newton — Sir: 1 am too old to attend
the Pioneer J\v ilee and too illiterate to write any
thing that will amuse or instruct. Being no* 70
years old, I cannot expect to make much improve-
ment. I offer a few lines, which are at your dis-
posal, of course.
I came into this town in Nov., 1806, (42 years
ago,) — started frpm Connecticut 20lh October.
At Whitestown, (now Utica,) were three log
houses, one of which was a public house and kept
by a Mr. Backs. From Whitestown to Cana-
darqua, 112 miles, was a new turnpike, much of
the way through the woods and very muddy. —
Crossed Gene.-ee river in a wretched scow at Ca-
iiawagusand plunged into the woods 5 miles north
of Ganson's settlement, (now Le Roy.) We
were advised not to go into that dense forest of
heavy timber and a putrid atmosphere, for it would
never be settled and we would have the ague ;
but finding a brother there, who came on the .lune
before, concluded we would try it. Found our
brotherdown with iheagueandhome-sickenough;
but hearing that the ague never killed any one,
and that their health would be better when they
gi't overil, concluded to risque it. And now then
ten thousand wants rushed to our astonished vis-
ion. We wanted the trees cut down and burnt
up, and fences made ; we wanted log houses to
shield us from the storms of winter and summer ;
we wanted boards, nails, and glass ; we wanted
roads cut through the woods instead of marked
trees; we wanted log bridges made to keep our
horses and wagons from sinking ; we wanted
school-houses and meeling-houses built; we
wanted to send our children to school, and when
Sunday come we wanted to go to meeting, (some
of us I mean,) but we had no meeting-house and
no minister. After a while a minister arrived,
and then we wanted funds, for we were but a fee-
ble band ; and finally, by uniting with a lew pio-
neers in West Pultney, (now Riga,) we succeeded
in securing the services of a minister; and then
we wanted him ordained in the good old way.
To do this we had to send an express to Canadar-
qua to purchase some brandy and loaf sugar for
the momentous occasion ; and then we wanted a
place to meet to attune our musical powers, and
hearing of a .lew frame barn in Wes' Pultney, just
put up by Mr. Amasa Frost, (this barn is still
standing:,) the singers agreed there to meet for im-
provement, and there, on the loft on both sides of
ih" barn floor, we had seats erected for the choir,
where we poured forth melodious strains in antici-
patirn of the approaching ordination day. And
here I want to notice^a lady whom they called
Mrs. DjEKSMORK ; what became of her I know not.
19
She appeared to possess powerful musical talents
as well as poetic.
1 trust 1 shall he pardoned this digression, as I
began by eiiaitifraiing o r wants on our first arri-
val, but they were without number, and our itn-
niediate wants 1 had overh)okfd or loigotten. —
Wholesome bread and water were among the most
important items. VVflls ol svater we had none,
and it there were any springs ol water we knew it
not, nor where to li ok lor them ; consequently we
had to take our pail, dipper, and strainer to a pud-
dle of water red with soak''d forest leaves, strain
out the wiglers and fii! the tea-kettle ; in fact, we
could hardly disting ish it, by ihe appt-arance,
from good old hyson ; but we goti'ur pay in fever
an J ague. 1 had dru k brack sh water before an
did not think this would hurt me, and ihe mystery
is thai any of us are now alive. For meat, wihi
game was plenty, such as bears and wolves, owls
and rattle-snakes ; likewise deer were plenty, but
we had no rifles, lime, or patience lo spare —
squirre.s and pigeons were mostly used.
1 obtained two busliels (f sinaity wheat from a
Scotchman. As 1 ad no where to wash or dry
it, and hearing of a grist-mill down ai ihespring-',
owned by IVlr. John McKay, ^now Caledonia,) 1
took my svhcat on my h rse, rode down Allen's
Creek 7 or 8 miles, when 1 came to a dark dense
forest (now Mumford) of evergreens. J thought
it was a cedar swamp growing on a hill. Near
the center of this swamp, as 1 took it to be, 1
found a small hut, which 1 entered, for I was very
cold, it being lute iu November, 1806. Here 1
found a good fire, and the owner with several
workmen, was at dinner. 1 found the owner lib-
eral, interesting, and intelligent. He tidd me his
name was Donald McKknzie — that he was build-
ing a fulling-mill and making preparation lor wool
carding and cloth dressing. 1 told him who 1 was
and from whence i came, and alter the family had
dined he asked me to sit by the table and partake
of a farmer's cut, and if ever 1 ate with gusto it
was ih'-n. Thai act of kindiK-ss from Mr. Mc-
Kenzie will never he eflaced from my memory. 1
got my wheat ground and got home in the night.
On examining my flour next day, behold, it was
as black as my boots and about as eatable; bui
nevermind, it won't kill us, for hope keeps the
heart whole.
In three or four weeks after my family arrived,
my Wife was taken down with the ague, and on
one occasion, while groaning, wri h ng, stretch
ing and yawning under the malady, the puppy set
up a tremendous barking under the bed ; an J what
could the ma ter be, when lo ! and behold, a fa-
mous great rattle-snake was under the bed, which
Was soon dispatched, but not until he had shown
ns his musical talents. Bui 1 did not blame the
snake, for our floor was made of split logs, and
many of us had nothing bui the ground. A young
man "in my employ caught a rattle-snake while
reaping wheat where Stone Church now stands,
about the first of August, put it in a box in the
granary, where t lived till the 7th of January
following, without eating or drinking. He was
very fleshy when caught, much of which he lost
by long confinement, but lost none of his spite or
venom. He was four fftet six inches long, and
1 have never seen one more than four feet six or
sevea iachss in length, though I have meueured
perhaps hundreds. I have preserved a grett QiKny
of iheir galls for their medicinal qualities by wei»
ting and rolling them in common pulverized chalk,
and by request sent them to our family phytician
in Connecticut. By the multitude ol bones found
in the crevices of the rocks near Fort Hill, it is
evident that when they become old they crawl
! away, de;) up and die ; but what their age is, who
can tell ? for an old one has commonly lost half or
two-third r^jf his rattles, which is plain to be seen
by those remaining, and I much doubt whethtr
ilieir ages ever can be determined by the number
of tneir rallies. But 1 did not think ol writing a
sunkf siory.
The first general training I attended was^ beldia
ihe mouth of October, Iti^?, at the log hous ■• oi a
Squire Labourn, soqiewhere north of Scottsville,
1 should think, in the town of Wheatland. Oir
regiment was commanded by Col. John Atchi-
son of Braddock's Bay, on Lake Ontario. To de-
scribe ihflaniasiic appearance and ludicious move-
ments of this mass of human beings, is beyond n y
power of description. Suffice it lo say we j,ot
home alive.
The first town meeting I attended was at (now
called) Caledonia. The second town me ti g I
attended was on beech ridge, (now Sweden,) two
miles south of Brockport, at the house of Mr.
DUKSHA.
in 1808, hard times for money — began to raise
some smutty wheat — did not get our money from
the east — embargo limes — a President to be elect-
ed. O I how It tried nit'n's souls. A gentleman
at lie cast wrote lo his riend here, to know the
political situation of this new country. The fol-
lowing la the reply: — "Our political eituauon
reminds me of l le declaration of a sailor whom a
tariii' r hired to plow in a field with a yoke of oxen
and an old mare called Jenny. While the sailor
Wfis absent for a drink of water, his team got in
much disorder and contusion — some had kicked in
and some had kicked out of the Iraies — each
wanted to go iheir own way and make all the oth-
^:rs lollow. Jack finding it impossible to get them
straightened out and make ihem go the way he
wanted, called lustily for his master, who came
pufiing. What's the matter? — what's the mat-
ter, Jack. Gosh, mas--a ! matter enough, I
guess. Why the larboard ox has got on the star-
board side — old Jin is run foul in the riggio' —
the plow is iin her beam's end — and they are all
going to ihe devil stern foremost."
The follow! g names were among the principal
settlers (pioneers) in West Puliney, but probatily
nol in the order in which they arrived. They
were mostly from Massachuset s, and emigrated
in ihe y.-ars 1805, '6, '7, '8, and so on :— Capt.
Sain'l Church, lOsq. Elihu Church, Jesse Church,
Mr. Samuel Baldwin, Esq. Brewster, Amaaa
Frost, Dea. Frost, Capt. Hill, Mr. Morse, Mr.
Turner, Joseph Thomson, Mr. Holbrook, Mr.
Shepard, T. Gay, Mr. Aplhorp, Mr. Bingham,
and many others whose names I do not now recol-
lect, most of whom are fallen asleep. Those near
Bergen Corners who emigrated about the same
time, mostly from Connecticut, were the follow-
ing : — Dea. Levi Ward, Dea. Benjamin Wright,
Dea. Timothy Hill, Dea. John Ward, Dea. Pit-
man Wilcox, Dea. Josiah Pierson, Mr. Ashbei
Cramptoa, Bela Munger, Doct. Levi Ward, jr..
20
Joarib Field, Samuel Butler, Alexander White,
John Gilford, Jacob Spafford, VVheaton South-
worth, Stephen Evarts, David G. Evart6, and
some others, most of whom are gone.
These words and lines are from the pen
Of a poor old man, three score and ten :
If they will pay for reading them,
He'd only say, Amen — amen.
Please send me a book, should you m^ke one,
and oblige SIMON PIER^-'ON.
Mrs. D. K. Carter, a pioneer, sect the follow-
ing, which was read : —
David K. Carter came to Rochester, March
10, 1814, and settled in a house where Avery &
Burke keep store. In 1817, D. K. Carter, in
conjunction with Abner Hollister, built the old
Mansion in Rochester — the first three story build-
ing ever built in this place. The first Masonic
Lodge, I think, was instituted in that building
shortly after its completion. Daniel Mack kept
it for a public house. In December, 1817, the
first courts were held in the Mansion House after
Monroe County was erected. D. K. Carter, in
December, 1817, removed on to lot No. 13, on the
east side of the river. He died August 27, 1828.
Prattsburgh, Sept. 23, 1848.
Dear Sir : I am a minister of the gospel, in
connection with the Presbyterian church. I came
into Western New York in the fall of the year 1801,
and settled in West Bloomfield, where I remained
between seven and eight years. J then removed
to Prattsburgh, m the county of Steuben, where
I now reside. My residence in Western N. York
has been longer than that of any other Presbyte-
rian minisjer. The history of Western N. York
is one most interesting in many respects. It is
the commencement of a new era in the history of
new settlements — the history of one of the most
interesting parts of the habitable parts of the
world, its civil history ought to be written by
some one who v ould give himself to the work,
and spare no labor in the collection of materials
and compilation of (he work. An interesting and
useful volume of the biography of the departed
pioneers of Western N. York might be compiled,
which might honor their memories and keep alive
the recollection of their achievments. Could not
something be done at the meeting o forward these
objects? Yours, with the highest respect,
JAMES H. HOTCHKISS.
Hon. E. Stone.
Rochester, Oct., 1848.
Gentlemen: The following sketch, relative to
cotton manufacturing, perhaps may be interesting
Co many.
In the year 1815, a company was incorporated
by the name of " The Genesee Cotton Manufac-
turing Company," for the purpose of manufactur-
ing cotton at Rochester. A few of the stockhold-
ers are now living in this vicinity, among whom
are Enos Stone, Oliver Culver, S. O. Smith,
M. Brown, F. Bullard, and W. Kempshall.
In the fall of this year they contracted with
RosBEL Smith of Hopkinton, Mass.. to furnish
the following machinery, viz : 12 throstle-frames
of 84 epindlee each and 2 mules of 192 spindles
each, making iu all 1392 spiiidlee, together with
all the necessary apparatus to operate the same.
' This machinery was put in'a building erected
for that purpose on Brown's race at the foot of
Factory street, (since burnt,) and at ihe time I
believe the only cotton machinery west of Whites-
town, and on the building was hung the first bell
west of Genesee river.
I came here in October of this year, and in the
following spring the factory was ready for opera-
tion.
I had anticipated much difficulty in starting, as
we were at least 140 miles from any place where
experienced hands could be obtained. But before
we were ready, three or four large families of ope-
r;}tives came here from the Black River country,
which furnished us with all we wished.
There were many obstacles yet to encounter,
and little progress was made. The prices we had
to pay for such things as we must have and the
difficulty with which many of them were obtained,
may be seen in the following : —
We paid 30 cts. per lb. for cotton in New York
and $3,75 per hundred for transportation. 1 paid
Mr. Silas Smith $5 a gallon for common lamp
oil, 25 cts. per lb. for chalk ; and when I had used
all the oil Mr. Smith had, I had to go to Canao-
daigua for a supply ; there I could buy at whole-
sale for $3,75 per gallon. 1 paid as high as $35
per bbl. for poor prime pork, and dealt it out at 20
cts. per lb.'
Money was scarce. The company was embar-
rassed and disheartened, having paid all their
available means out for their buildings and ma-
chinery, they had neither money nor credit to op-
erate iheir machinery with ; and what made it
still worse, the currency of the country was no
better than the rest. The following is a specimen
of the circulating currency : —
THE BANK OF UTICA
Promises to pay the Bearer on demand
THREE 3 CENTS.
By order of the Board of Directors.
Jan. 1, 1816.
3cts. T. Colling.
Under such embarrassments as these we contin-
ued to operate until January, 1818, when the in-
ternal and external difficulties of the company
prevented further operations, and writs, execu-
tions, and injunctions were substituted for cotton
spinning. The whole effects of the company in
the hands of the sherifl'. Calls v/ere now made
on the stockholders to pay the balance due on their
stock or forfeit what they had pa d. Almost all
preferred to forfeit what they had paid and " be
off" — a few paid up their stock in full, with the
understanding that when sold by the sheriff tliey
would have it bid in, and in so doing they could
save their property and make their stock of full
value. A person was so authorized, and the whole
property was struck off to him at a mere nominal
sum.
This, as might be supposed, created more law,
and the whole matter was before the Chancellor.
In this state, things remained until the fall of 1821,
21
when Amo3 Allcott leased the whole premises.
He run until hia death, and afterwards his sons,
S. S. Allcott & Co., continued to run it until
they built the front part of the building where
Cady & Co. now own.
Doct. Brown sold the factory lot to S. O.
Smith in 1827 ; the same year he sold the ma-
chinery to the Messrs. Allcott. The machine! y
was removed to Messrs. A 's new building, where
they added some looms and other machinery, and
run it some time.
In 1831, Mr. E. F. Smith purchased it from
the Messrs, A., and added to the building and
machinery to the amount of 2000 spmdles, and
looms in proportion. In 1835, Mr. Smith made
a stock company with it, retaining about one-half
to himself, which he subsequently sold to Messrs.
Strong. In this way it was run about two years
by a Mr. Lamb, when it was again seized with
Its old complaint and stopped.
In 1846, Messrs. Cady & Co. purchased the
factory, then containing but about 1000 spindles,
with the looms and other machinery that had been
in use formerly. They now have running about
4000 spindles, turning out about 600,000 yards of
heavy sheetings annually and employing about 80
hands, two-thirds of which are females. Most of
the old machinery has been taken out and new
substituted.
About the year 1830, Mr. Wm. Rathbun & I.
N. Crosby erected a cotton factory in a building
in rear of the mill recently occupied by 1. F. Mack
as a flouring mill. Satinett warps wis their
principal article of manufacture. After the failure
of Mr. Rathbun, the machinery was sold and re-
moved to Bloomfield.
In 1846, Mr. Seth C. Jones commenced man-
ufacturing in his large new building which he had
previously erected for that purpose near the falls.
Messrs. Jones & CHAMBERLdiN have now in op-
eration 5000 spindles, 113 looms, and turn out
more than 1,000,000 yards of cloth annually. —
They employ about 140 hands, two-thirds of
which are lemales.
The above is respectfslly submitted, hoping it
may be of interest enough to be placed among the
minutes of the Pioneer Association.
With respect, yours, &c.,
FISHER BULLARD.
On the 13lh of Jane, IS 13, I first saw Roch
ester. I stood awhile on the bridge and soon iRHdi-
Bp my mind that this was my future home. The
October following ( rtUurnerl from Masaachuiett.-
wit . men to baild a saw mill on the West side of
the river, very near a small hg cabin ertcted bj
the persias who built the bridge. There were
so few families tl at board non d not be had. A'
the sag^estion of Eooa Stone, Esq , and Is^auc W.
Stone, ! cleared out the cabin which was then
occupied as a stable by S. O. Smith, Esq , who
kindly gave it op for my use. J. VV. Stone pro-
cared me a housekeeper, and the mill was com
pleied in December. We thought the easiest way
to get rid of the cabin would be to Darn it; we
accordingly set it on fire, and it n quired onr ut-
most exertions to prevent its burning the mill. —
With the assistance of our neighbors ii was final-
ly saved,- ajthangh several times on fire At this
• ime there were., ! believe, bat two dwelling
'loases Oil the west and two on the east side of
the river.
I think it was in Apn., IS 14, an eighteen
pound cannon and a four pounder, the latter of
bra^s, were sent by Gone»fll P B. Porter to the
care of Capt. (afiorwardj Colonel) Isaac W.
Stono. It required seventeen yoke of oxen to
draw the eighteen pounder through from Culver's
to this place,, such was the state of the roads. —
With the caMion came powder and ball. We
soon collected some powder in the village, and bad
a few ironiids very much to the amnsoment of all
of OD. it was suggested that we should see what
efleet a bail would have. The cannou was plac-
■d on Main street at the corners near Blossom's
Elotel. On the rise of ground very near the res-
iden-ie of the lamented Gen Mathews,, a large
limb about 40 feet from the ground, was cat from
a tree, which left a white spot for our target. I
went rather clandestinely to Capt. Stone's barn,
got a ball and intended getting it into the cannon
without his noticing it. He observcd'it, however
and said I ought not to waste the public property
in that way. I replied, "never mind. Captain,
we will find it again." " Find the devil," said
he". Enos Stone and Frederick Handford acted
as chief engineers, and myself as assistant. All
things being ready, the cannon was fired. The
t)all struck the tree about 4 feet beli w the maik.
The top quivered a moment and fell. This
was our experience in gunnery. The boys
soon brought us the ball, so that the United
States lost nothing by the operation.
It was soon known that the British fleet was
on our coast, and that it was at Oswego. Capt.,
now Col. Stone of Porter's Volunteers, was
commissioned to raise a regiment of Dragoons. —
He had recruited about 50 men with whom he
wont to the mouth of the river. He directed the
eighteen pounder to be sent there and the four
pounder to Deep Hollow Bridge. On thc> Sab-
bath we threw up a breastwork on the soath side
of the bridge, loosened all the plank which were
pinned down, and finished our work in the eve-
ning. About sundown on the 14ihor IVIay, 1HI4,
[ received a message from Col. Stone, eaymg
the Briti h fleet weie in sight, a^d requestirg me
to notify the inhabitants; but that we need not
come until the next morning. About 11 o'clock
P. M., another messenger came requesting ns to
conie immediately. H Ey & Co. had previous-
\j received 50 m' skets and 8Ut)0 fixed emmnni-
tion; these were distributed among the inhabitants
<ia far as was necessary. Ettch man took 24
rounds of cartridge. At that time there were but
3? men in the place; one was left to cart off the
\^'Q nen and children if necessary, and another
declined to go. The cart was the only convey-
ance in the place. About 2 o'clock in the morn-
ing we started. It rained fast and was very dark ;
the roads were exceeding'j muddy. We arrived
at the mouth of the river soon after daylight m
the midst of a kg. The lake was perfectly calm,
and we could distinctly hear the British boats
rowing aboat in various directions. An old boat
was lying near which had been used as a lighter.
Co!, Stono proposed lo Capt, Fisncis Brown and
22
myself to take some men, and see if we oonld not
capture some of the (Uiiish hoata Six sednx-n
w-re ioon f'und to mau the o:irs, and twelvf
Tolontee s with muskets were eioweri nut sit \
sight in the bottom of the bo it C«()t Brown j
stood opon one th*nrt and myself np<in another,
aod then with muffled oara we put to sea. A»
the point a c^'Dtfy had been plar-td who hailed n-.
We did noi answer and hp fired. Th«ball pass- j
ed between Capt Bro\*n and myself and siruti-
the water beyiicd as We mwed on ^ lowly and
noiselessly into the lake, >^ hen Wj,Jvere oat .
mile or more, a gan was fired fro'n fhore, and
soon Another and another vVe lay mo coij c
taring what it coold mean. The fcg wag ilisap-
pearin. very rapidly; we soon cou'd see Colont-I
Sione on his while horse, and *)evond ns the top
ma-^ts of the flaet which lay at anchor in a lir.e
np and down ihe lake. Direci'y ihi- fog hud en-
tirely disappeared, and we lay within the rang*-
of the guns of the whole fl et, 17 >ail m all —
We turned and rowed slowly towards the shorp
SoDD a twelve oartd barge was in pursuit of us
and giined en* us very rnpidly We feared tbev
might have a sWivel on board and they were ao
nearns'tbat we cou.d dl^tinctiy count their ours
AftHr a moment's consuliation, we condodtd tc.
head our boat for Irondeqaoit. The cbjact vsa.-
to give oar 1.8 pounder oa shore, an opporiunii)
to fire upon the pursuing boat. Brown observed
to me, " well Ely, I believe we shall have to gn
to Halifax" I replied, "it looks very much
like it." Jehiel Barnard, now of ihib place,
raised his head, and with compressed lij s said,
'• 1 hope yoD will let us fight first " We had
not gone far towards Irondcqaoi' before the Brit
ish boat stopped. Brown observed, " tl ey thinl*
there is some trap." We stopped rowing — they
soon commenced again, and we too. They pa !
ed a few strokes and then tamed towards the
shipping, and we to the mouth of the river. The
guns from the fleet could have sank ns at any
time.
About 10 o'clock a flag of truce put off from the
flag ship of the enemy. Col. Stone asked me
whether 1 was used o receiving a flag of truce.
The answer was, "No," Capt. Brown was
asked ; the reply the same. Col. Stone then
told Brown and myself to do the best we could —
adding, " don't let themcome into the river — don't
let them land at all — their feet shall not pollute
our soil." Up the lake, a little above the mouih
of the river, a very large tree had fallen into the
lake where there was sufficient water for the boat
to lie along side. We went out on the tree and
tied a while handkerchief to a stick. The boat
came along side ; the officer, who was in full
dress and a splendid looking man, proposed going
on shore. We told him our orders were positive.
by this time 12 armed men made their appearance
on the shore of the lake. The officer bearing the
flag said, "Is it your custom f^ receive a flag of
truce under arms?" We told u m he must ex-
cuse us, as we were not soldiers but citizens ; we
however requested the men to return. He then
said tie was commanded by his Exce'lency Sir
James Yeo, to say that, " it we would give up
the public property, private property should be re-
spected." He then produced a paper signed by
quite a number of citizens of Oswego, the contents
of which, as near as ! can recollect, were that, as
the government had left a hTir<^ quantity of si ree
and miinitioiis of war at that place, without ade-
quate force to protect it, they would not risk their
lives and property to defend it. it wa.s arranged
that Brown should stay with the flag officer and
1 return to (Vir commander, Col Sto.nk. I deliv-
ered ihe message and read the paper above alluded
10, which the officer had handed niewitha pledge
loj return it when r. ad. Col. Stonk ro.se and
s^id, "Go back and tell them t at the public
property is in the bauds of those who will defend
it."
Soon after the flag had returned to the ship a
gun-boai was seen coming from the fleet, towed
by four boats. Altera short consultation, Judge
John Williams was requested to select 12 good
riflemen, and takt^ a position under a ridge of grav ■
el thrown up by the waves at the point on the east
side of the river. A small boat was sent up to the
turn of the river, out of sight of the enemy, to
ferry the men across. Soon we saw them cross-
ing the marsh through the tall grass, anJ placed
in the desired position — all lasing on the ground,
from which they were to rise on a given signal
from Col. Stone. Brown and myself were to
occupy our position in the boat. Our twelve men
were again selected, with six sailors to row the
boat. The -object was to let the gun-boat get
within reach of the riflemen, and then that we
sl^ould go and capture her. The Lieutenant hav-
ing charge of the cannon had positive orders from
Col. Stone not to fire till he was directed. By
this time the gun-boat was in 30 or 40 rods of
where we wanted her. The boats towing her
opened to the right and left, and she fired a six
pound shot, which fell into the river several rods
below the stjre-houses. The moment they fired
oyr cannon was discharged, and with it went all
our hopes. Col. StoNc. was standing wiihin ten
teet of the cann n. He turned, drew hisswo:d,
and 1 believe would have done serious injury had
not his arm been arrested. The first gun from the
gun-boat was evidently a trial shot. She would
undoubtedly have come aliitle n arer ihe shore
had we not fired, and if so we should have assuredly
captured her. She was a vessel of from 90 to lOO
tons, sloop rigged. I hardly know whether the
incident is worth relating, but at the moment it
was extremely exciting, for we considered the
gun-boat alreadrour prize. She then fired 15 or
20 sixty-eight pound shot, which did no injury
except one which struck one of the store-houses.
Where they struck the ground they turned up a
deep furrow, sometimes several rods in length.
Some of the balls were used in this city a long
time afterwards in breaki g stone forbuildings.
Soon after this occurrence. Gen. Porter ar-
rived. About 4 o'clock P. M. another flag was
seen coming from the fleet. Gen. Porter sent
Major Darby Noon, his aid, to receive it. The
demand then was that if the property was not
surrendered he would land his army and 400 Indi-
ans and take it. Gen. Porter answered, that if
he chose to i-end his troops and Indians ashore, we
would take care of them, and that if they sent an-
other flag he v/ould fire upou it. Gen. Porter
appeared to be very indignant at the threat coU"
tained in the message from the enemy.
23
Ferhspa I ought to mention that Col. Ho?Kiirs
celled out his regiment. Some companies came
from the west side of the river, and many in small
parties, so that the second day at night we had fi
or 800 men . There was plenty of pork, flour, and
whiskey, but nothing else and we were without
uteneils for cooking I well recollect Esq. Scrav-
TOM as belonging to the same mess with me. We
used to mix flour and cold water in little cakes and
bake them on a common shovel. We toasted our
, pork on sticks over a tire, and drank water for
coffee. The thought never occurred to any of us
belonging to Rochester, that we could send home
and get food.
It will be recollected that at this t me the tem-
perance reformation had not begun in Western
New York. It was considered quite unhealthy to
drink Genesee water without whiskjy, and the
salt pork without vegetables made the men exceed-
ingly thirsty. The result may readily be con-
ceived. I saw a Captain the third morning throw
aside his sword and military coat, and fight with
one of his own men. It was a well contested
battle. The Captain at length conquered his
man, which was of course his undoubted right
under military discipline.
The third morning the fleet hoisted sail and
stood down the lake, and we went to our homes.
I am deeply impressed with the contrast in our
condition in the years 1813 — 14 and yours now.
A populous city has sprung up from the wilder-
ness- I see the palace-like dwellings of some of
your citizens where the humble cabin of the early
settler stood. The spire of one of your splendid
churches rises towards heaven near the spot where
rough boards sheltered us while we worshiped
God. Systematic education of the young has ta-
ken the place of the meagre instruction in our
first schoo'-house. Some of the men who were
then young together, have been spared to see this
d'jy. The Providence which has watched over
our city Ill's permitted the "Pioneers" whore-
main to rejoice in its present prosperity, while
they meet to commemorate the trials of its early
days, and to do honor to the memory of those who
have passed away. ELISHA ELY.
The President announced that a gentlemnn
who had been present at the Meeting to day had
presented a small silver medal as an earnest of a
suitable gold medal, which he proposed Ut have
pi f pared in season for the next Ann lal Festival.
This medal, according to the wis'es of the libe-
ral donor, is to be worn by the eldest of the Pio-
neers ; and at his death to be presented to the
then eldest, and to lake that direction as long as
any of the rioneers remain.
Althoogh the Pre«ident did sot aanoBBO© rhe
name of tnc doner, wp think we betray on confi-
'lence in stating that William WooD.Efq , of
Canandaigpa, a name connected with much that
'8 kind, benevolent, aud Iberal, was the gentle-
man who presented the medal.*
The absence of all descriptions of "strong
drinks" detracted nothing from the enjoyment of
a feast which was only surpassed by that partici-
pated in during the forenoon, at which " fat
things" abpnnded.
After the' dinner was completed, the party re-
turned to ha parlor, where they remained ontil
the Ban's declining rajs were reflected in the
east, rn sky, when they departed, each to their
home, bearinjr with them none but the mo^
agreeable reflections.
The Dinnert
At half-past two o'cl )ck dinner was announced,
by sounding the horn, as in olden times, and to
this day is the custom among the farmers in this
section. About sevtnty five gentlemen sat down
at tables literally groaning with excellent viands,
prepared in the superior style of " mine Hosts,"
the Blossoms. The following Bill of Fare was
amply discussed by the guests .
Oyster Soup.
FISH.
Boiled Salmon, Baked Salmon.
BOILED.
Torkey, Oyster Sauce, 'Ham,
ChicteHS, " " Tongne,
Motton, Corned Bee f&Cabbag«
GAME.
Wood Cock, Partridge,
Quail, Snipe.
Oyster Pies, Chicken Pies.
ROAST.
Beef, Veal,
Pork, Chickens,
Boned Mntton — (presented by F Bollard.)
Turkey, Lamb.
TEGETABLEB.
Potatoes, Parsnips, Tnrnips, Onions, Corn.
PASTRY.
Pumpkin Pie, Custard Podding,
Mince Pie, Chantries Pudding,
Apple Pie, Plum Pudding,
Raspberry Tarts, Rice Pudding.
DESSERTS.
Apples, Pears, Grapes, Almoads, Raisins, Char-
lotte de Ross, Ice Cream.
