A sketch of the early settlement of Olean and its founder, Major Adam Hoops

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A Sketch
of the

Early Settlement
of Olean

and its
Founder
Major Adam Hoops

AND ITS FOUNDER

Major ^cl&m Hoops

By MAUD D. BROOKS

PRIVATELY PRINTED
Olean, N. Y.

;w

A SKETCH

OF THE

EVlRLcY SETTLEMENT
OUEAN

NOTE.

This little sketch was read Dec, 14, 1897, at the
organization of the Olean Chapter of the Daughters of
the American Revolution, and is published at the re-
quest of many members of the Chapter and others inter-
ested in local history.

It seemed necessary to begin the sketch with a brief
synopsis of the colonial history of New York, naming
the divisions and sub-divisions that have been made
from time to time, and the several jurisdictions that the
territory, now embraced within the limits of Cattaraugus
county, has been under since the Revolutionary period.
Heretofore little or nothing has been known concerning
Major Adam Hoops, and many have doubted whether
he ever visited his purchase in Western New York,
The letters quoted are proof that he not only visited
frequently the settlement at Olean Point, but was famil-
iar with all the territory in the western part of the
state. . m. d. b.

(.'.

M

SKETCH OF QUE AN

AND ITS FOUNDER

MAJOR ADAM HOOPS.

The Dutch made the first settlement in the state of
New York, which they called New Netherlands, and
they continued in possession until 1664, when Charles
II., regardless of the Dutch claims, granted to his
brother, Duke of York, afterwards James II., the whole
country between the Connecticut and the Delaware
rivers.

This possessiod passed into the hands of the English,
September 3d, 1664, and the name was changed to New
York.

During the same year, Richard Nicolls was appoint-
ed Governor and, on his arrival in the Colony, articles of
capitulation were agreed upon giving the Dutch certain
rights, and in February, 1665, a convention was held at
Hempstead to confirm a body of laws, which afterwards
came to be known as the "Duke's Laws."

They originally applied only to the shire of York-

shire, and did not go into effect in the Colony of New
York until after the second occupation by the Dutch in
1674.

Additions and amendments were made from time to
time.

The first General Assembly was held at Ft. James, in
the city of New York, October 17th., 1683. The second
Assembly convened November 1st., and passed "An act
to divide this province and dependences into shires and
Countyes."

It was divided into twelve counties as follows: New
York, Westchester, Dutchess, Albany, Ulster, Orange,
Richmond, Kings, Queens, Suffolk, Duke and Cornwall,
and all their boundaries were minutely defined.

Albany County subsequently was made to comprise
all of New York to its northern and western limits.

These divisions remained unchanged, practically,
until March 12th, 1772, when an Act was passed, "To
divide the County of Albany into three Counties," name-
ly, Tryon, Charlotte and Albany.

The section of the act relating to Tryon County reads
thus: ''And be it further enacted by the same Authority.
That all the Lands lying within the Colony to the West-
ward of the County of Albany as by this Act restricted,
and to the Westward of the North Line from the Mohawk
River above mentioned continued to the North Bounds
of this Province shall be one Separate and distinct
County, and be called and known by the name of the
County of Tryon."

Twelve days later, March 24th, 1772, another act was

passed "to divide the Counties of Albany and Tryon
into Districts."

Tryon was divided into five districts, the Mohawk,
Stone Arabia, Canajoxharie, German Flatts and Kings-
land. The following year, 1773, the names of Stone
Arabia, German Flatts and Kingsland were changed re-
spectively to Palatine, Kingsland and German Flatts,
and in April, 1775, the name of "Old New England
District" was gived to a part of the county.

The whole of New York State west of Albany was
also designated as the "Mohawk Valley."

The population of the whole of Tryon County was
onl}T a few thousand, when the Revolution commenced,
and the condition of the settlement was such that this
section of "Western New York had but a remote connec-
tion with the long and eventful struggle that ended in a
separation of the Colonies, and the blessings of a free
and independent government."

It will not be necessary to cite any of the causes and
events of the Revolution for they are incorporated in
many volumes and are more or less familiar to all.

The Province of New York was one of the foremost
in asserting its rights, when the British Government be-
came oppressive.

Its resistance ©f the Stamp Act, in 1765, resulted in
the convening of a congress in New York, the same year.

In 1774, there assembled in Tryon county, a repre-
sentative number of its citizens, who "declared unaltered
and determined allegiance to the British crown, but
strenuously remonstrated against an act which it regard-

ed as oppressive and arbitrary." They also sent five
delegates to the congress in Philadelphia.

In the spingof 1775, after the results of the congress
in Philadelphia had been learned, during a session of
the court at Johnstown (the county-seat of Tryon county)
the loyalists of that county, of whom Col. Johnson was
the leader, drew up and circulated a declaration oppos-
ing the proceedings of that congress.

This occasioned much controversy, but was finally
signed by most of the jurors and magistrates.

This declaration met with much opposition in most
of the districts of the county. Many public meetings
were held and other articles were adopted which ap-
proved of the proceedings at Philadelphia.

On the 8th day of May, 1775, a letter, written by the
Palatine committee, was sent to the Albany committee,
in which was stated that they were ''busy circulating
petitions and enlisting the citizens of Tryon county on
the sides of the colonies," but they say : "This county
has for a series of years been ruled by one family, the
different branches of which are still strenuous in per-
suading people not to come into congressional measures.

* * * We are informed that Johnson Hall is fortified

* * and that Col. Johnson has stopped two New Eng-
enders and searched them, being as we suppose, suspi-
cious that they came to solicit aid from us or the
Indians. * * * We recommend it strongly and seriousty
to you to take it in your consideration, whether any
powder and ammunition ought to be permitted to be
sent up this way, unless it be done under the inspection

of a committee. * * * As we are a young county, re-
mote from the metropolis, we beg you will give us all
the intelligence in your power. We shall not be able to
send down any deputies to the Provincial Congress, as
we can not possibly obtain the sense of the county soon
enough to make it worth while to send any, but be
assured we are not the less attached to American
liberty. For we are determined, although few in num-
ber, to let the world see who are, and who are not such ;
and to wipe off the indelible disgrace brought upon us
by the declaration signed by our grand jury, and some
of our magistrates; who in general, are considered by a
majority of our county, as enemies to their country. In
a word, gentlemen, it is our fixed resolution to support,
and carry into execution, everything recommended by
the Continental Congress, and to be free or die."

Many more meetings of the Palatine committee were
held, and other letters addressed to the friends in Albany
telling of the unsettled state of affairs in Tryon county.
Finally the condition of this part of the state became
more peaceful by the withdrawal of Guy Johnson and
his retinue to Montreal, where "he continued to act, dur-
ing the war, as an agent of the British Government."

The first delegates to the Provincial Congress from
Tryon county, were John Marlatt and John Moore, and
they were instructed "to vote for the entire independence
of the colonies ; and the Declaration of Independence, of
the 4th of July following, was hailed by the people of
Tryon county with joy."

10

The settlement of Western New York followed soon
after the peace of 1783

"Our national independence achieved, the glorious
prospect of future peace and prosperity, opening upon
our country," the armies disbanded, what more natural
than that the men, who had passed through the new
regions of the west, quelling the disturbers of the border
settlers, and who at the same time observed the richness
of the valleys, should retrace their steps upon a more
peaceful errand and become pioneers of the wilderness.

During the next few years numerous treaties were
made with the Indians, who relinquished all claims
within the State, for certain sums of money, except small
reservations for themselves, with the right of hunting
and fishing.

In 1784, Hugh White, with his family, advanced
beyond the bounds of civilization, and settled at what is
now known as Whitestown, near Utica.

In the same year the the county of Tryon had its
name changed to Montgomery, in honor of Gen. Mont-
gomery of Revolutionary fame, the citizens preferring the
name of a patriot to that of an English Colonial Gover-
nor.

By an act passed in 1788 the western part of Mont-
gomery county was called "Whitestown," in honor of
Judge Hugh White, the early pioneer.

Its boundaries were described thus: "Easterly by a
line running north and south to the north and south
boundaries of the state, and crossing the Mohawk River
at the ford near and on the east side of the house of

11

William Cunningham, and which line is the western
boundary of the towns of Herkimer, German Flatts and
Otsego; southerly by the State of Pennsylvania; and
west and north by the bounds of the State."

The house of William Cunningham, mentioned in
the description, stood on the west side of Genesee Street
in the city of Utica.

Whitestown, as defined in the act, embraced all of
the western part of the state, including, of course, Cattar-
raugus County.

The County of Ontario was formed from the western
part of Whitestown in Montgomery county, in 1789, and
the old town of Northampton, Ontario county, included
all of the Holland Purchase, the Mill-seat Tract and the
Morris Reserve.

There were but few settlers and those were mostly in
the vicinity of the lower falls of the Genesee.

You will recall that the grant of Charles II. to the
Duke of York in 1664 covered a portion of the same
territory already granted by James I. to the Plymouth
colony, under the general designation of "New Eng-
land."

Naturally there were many disputes between the col-
onies, regarding the right of jurisdiction and pre-emp-
tion. This conflict continued until 1781, when the State
of New York ceded to the United States all its claims to
the territory lying west of a meridian line, running due
south from the western bounds of Lake Ontario to the
north line of Pennsylvania, this being identical with the
present western boundary of Chautauqua county. All

12

similar claims were ceded by Massachusetts to the United
States in 1785. Thus the territory under controversy
was greatly diminished, and it was finally settled by a
convention of commissioners, appointed by both states,
held at Hartford, Conn., December 16, 1786.

According to the decision made by the convention,
"Massachusetts relinquished all jurisdiction over the ter-
ritory lying west of the present eastern boundaries of the
State of New York; and New York ceded to Massachu-
setts the pre-emption right of all that part of the State of
New York lying west of a line beginning at a point in
the north line of Pennsylvania, 82 miles west of the
northeast corner of said State, and running thence due
north through Seneca Lake, to Lake Ontario ; excepting
and reserving to the State of New York a strip of land,
one mile wide, east of and adjoining the eastern banks of
Niagara river, and extending its whole length."

In April, 1788, the pre-emption right of this tract of
nearly 6,000,000 acres was sold by Massachusetts to
Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham, for the sum of
$1,000,000, and all the domain was known under the
general appellation of "The Genesee Country." Tt in-
cluded the present counties of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus,
Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Allegany,
Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Yates, Steuben, and the
greater part of Wayne.

As has been stated the Phelps and Gorham contract
was made with Massachusetts.

In consequence of the adoption of the Constitution of
the United States, it was anticipated that the general

13

government would assume the indebtedness of the sev-
eral states, The effect of this was to make the holders
of state securities less willing to sell at low rates ; so that
Phelps and Gorham made few sales and consequently
failed to meet their payments.

Being thus driven to extremities, they negotiated with
Robert Morris of Philadelphia, the financier of the Revo-
lution and one of the signers of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, and, on the 18th of November 1790, sold to
him a large tract amounting to one million, two hun-
dred and sixty-four thousand, five hundred and sixty-
nine acres, one rod and ten perches.

Mr. Morris soon after sold this tract to Sir William
Pultney, an Englishman, who appointed Oapt. Charles
Williamson his agent, to superintend his interests and to
dispose of the lands by sale. This property is always re-
ferred to as "The Pultney Estate."

Capt, Williamson located at Canandaigua and there
are many reminiscences that associate his name with
early times in Western New York.

The price paid by Mr. Morris for this great tract of
land is stated to be at "the rate of eight pence half
penny, Massachusetts currency, per acre; this would be
equivalent to nearly VI cents U. S. money per acre."

This seems, at this day, an insignificant price, yet,
from the arge sums of money afterwards advanced by
Sir William Pultney and his associates to bring the land
into market, it is doubtful if the proprietors ever re-
ceived any profit from their investment. Phelps and
Gorham were finally compelled to agree to a compro-

14

mise, by the terms of which they re-conveyed to Massa-
chusetts all that portion of their purchase to which the
Indian title had not been extinguished. Two months
later, May 11th, 1791, all the lands, thus relinquished,
were sold to Robert Morris and conveyed to him by five
different deeds. The tract of the first deed became
known as the "Morris Reserve."

The other four tracts we sold subsequently to several
representatives of Holland capitalists, and the lands
were collectively known as "The Holland Purchase."

Reports soon became circulated that the pre-emption
line had been incorrectly run. Robert Morris, on hear-
ing this report, made preparations for a new survey.

"Being intimately acquainted with Major Adam
Hoops, a Revolutionary soldier and a resident of Phila-
delphia, and from whom Mr. Morris had previous^ ob-
tained valuable information as to the character of the
countrv, he engaged the Major to explore the country
and afterwards to survey such portions, as had not been
surveyed, to re-survey others, and particularly to re-sur-
vey the pre-emption line." Among some papers of Robert
Morris (relating to his purchase of western lands) now in
the possession of the New York Historical Society, there
is a letter addressed to Oliver Phelps, dated, Philadel-
phia, June 13th, 1791, in which Mr. Morris say§, "Mr.
Hoops is the gentleman I have fixed on to survey those
lands, which I purchased of Mr. Gorham and you. He
is possessed of my instructions and authority to effect this
business." The surve}T of this tract was made in 1791-92.

David Rittenhouse of Philadelphia, the celebrated

15

American philosopher and one of the firm of "Ritten-
house and Potts," mathematical and astronomical ins-
trument makers, was employed to furnish Major Hoops
with a suitable surveyor's outfit.

The following is an extract from a letter written by
Robert Morris to Capt. Charles Williamson, Ontario Co.,
N. Y., dated September 20, 1792 : "Get from Mr. Hoops
one large map of all the lands the associated company
bought of me, as soon as the survey is completed, and
then have all the tracts or farms, as you sell them, sur-
veyed and regularly marked on the map," etc.

On the 16th day of February, 1793, at Philadelphia,
Major Hoops made a "Return of Survey" of sundry town-
ships and tracts of land in the county of Ontario and
State of New York, belonging to the purchase of Robert
Morris, and transferred by him to Sir William Pultney
and others.

A copy of this valuable historic paper is in the posses-
sion of the attorney for the Pultney estate, at Geneva.

Major Hoops was connected with the early surveys
for some years, and his name appears on the account
books of Capt. Williamson in 1793 and 1795.

The Holland proprietors placed their interests in the
lands of Theophilus Cazenova, the headquarters being at
Philadelphia.

In 1797 he employed Joseph Ellicott as the com-
pany's chief surveyor and, as soon as the company's
title was perfected, he proceeded to Western New York
to survey their tract.

About the same time, July 20th, 1797, Robert Morris

16

wrote to his son, Thomas Morris, who was representing
his fathers' interests at Canandaigua, as follows:

"I have engaged Mr. Adam Hoops to go and attend
or superintend the surveys on my behalf. I can rely on
his integrity."

And again, on July 29th, 1797, he addressed his son
thus: "I had agreed with Major Hoops, before the receipt
of your letter, to go and superintend the survey of
the Genesee country.

"He is a man on whom I can perfectly depend, his
care, regularity, sobriety, and attention to business is equal
to any man's, but whether his practical or scientific
knowledge of surveying is equal to that of Mr. Augustus
Porter, whom you recommend, I do not know, but 1 do
suppose there will be employment for both and I shall
recommend Mr. Porter to be employed in the business."

About the 15th of May, 1798, Joseph Ellicott went to
Western New York to begin the survey of the Holland
Purchase. At the time of his departure, Robert Morris,
at the request of Mr. Cazenove, wrote ,o Major Hoops,
then at Canandaigua, announcing officially that Joseph
Ellicott, with whom he (A. H ) was intimately acquaint-
ed, had been employed to make the survey for the Hol-
land Land Company, and telling him to give to Mr.

Ellicott whatever assistance or advice was necessary.

Mr. Ellicott arrived at Canandaigua on the 12th of
June, 1798, but found that Mr. Hoops was then at the
camp on the "Chetawque." He soon returned but left
almost immediately for Philadelphia leaving Thomas

17

Morris in charge of affairs. Mr. Ellicott and his assist-
ants began their work at once, and the division of the
Holland Purchase into ranges and townships was com-
pleted in 1799.

Some years ago, while the boundaries of this town-
ship were being established, one of the surveyors (Steph-
en Welch, of Allegany) discovered on a tree standing up-
on the property of Judge Brooks, the date, October 22,
1798, no doubt cut thereon by the surveying party under
Joseph Ellicott.

In 1799, Paul Busti succeeded Mr. Cazenove as the
general agent of the Holland Com pan y and, next to Mr.
Ellicott, he is more closely identified with the settlement
of the Holland Purchase, than any other individual.

Mr. Ellicott was made resident agent upon the tract
in 1800, and two years Inter established the general land
office at Batavia.

In the meantime, June 1st, 1798, Adam Hoops had
been appointed Major of the Penn. National Troops,
Artillerists and Engineers, which commission he held
until his resignation, July 31, 1800 The "Regiment of
Artillerists and Engineers" was organized under an Ac;
of Congress of April 27, 1798. The name of this organi-
zation was changed, April 1st, 1802, to "Regiment of
Artillerist" and again in 1814 to "Corps of Artillery."

Tn 1801 we find that Major Hoops again had dealings
with Capt. Chas. Williamson at Canandaigua.

There is no question but that Major Hoops was per-
sonally familiar with this locality, and had observed
that the headwaters of the Allegany would be an advan-

18

tageous point from which emigrants could embark on
their journey from the east to the undeveloped west.

In fact there is a letter of many closely written pages
on file in the Buffalo Historical Society, bearing the
date 1S02, in which he sets forth the advantages of a
settlement at the junction of Oil Creek and the Allegany
River.

He evidentty gave the subject great consideration,
for on the 23d of May, 1802, he communicated with
Paul Busti regarding the purchase and soon went to
Batavia to confer with Joseph Ellicott in regard to
terms.

He returned to Philadelphia and after further inves-
tigation, and the exchange of many, letters, the sale was
consummated in the fall of 1803.

This was the first contract made by the Holland
Company for the sale of lands within the county of
Cattaraugus.

The purchase consisted of 20,054 acres of land. Enos
Kellogg was appointed to make the survey and the
maps were completed July 16th, 1805.

Major Hoops was again at Canandaigua in the
spring of 1804 and some time in April, he set out to
visit his purchase.

However, before leaving, he wrote to Joseph Ellicott,
first giving him a few instructions regarding the survey
and then continuing as follows:

"It was proposed to me at New York to drop the
Indian name of Ischue or Ischua. (It is spelt in other
ways). Confusion might perhaps arise from the various

19

spellings, of which to obviate all risks, I have concluded
to do as proposed. The neighborhood of the Oil Spring
suggests a name, different in sound, tho' perhaps not
of different meaning, which I wish to adopt. It is
Olean.

You will do me a favor by assisting me to establish
this name, it may easily be done now by your concur-
rence. The purpose would most effectually be an-
nounced by emplo}7ing the term when occasion requires,
without saying anything of an intended change of
name To begin, you will greatly oblige me by address-
ing the first letter you may have occasion to write me,
after I receive the surveys, to the Mouth of Olean. The
bearer being properly instructed. There will be there-
after no difficulty. Your co-operation in this matter,
the effect of which tho' not important in itself, may be so
on account of precision.

Your ob. servant,

A Hoops.
To Joseph Ellicott, Esq.,
Batavia."

This letter bears the date April 15th, 1804, and seems
to me accurate proof of the naming of our town, although
there are other traditions concerning its origin.

This interesting letter is now in the possession of the
Buffalo Historical Society.

The route from Canandaigua to the Mouth of Olean
took an almost southwesterly course, by way of Hartford
and Angelica.

Evidently Major Hoops' visit in this vicinity was of
brief duration, as another letter to Joseph Ellicott, dated
May 10th, 1804, states that he has just returned from the
Mouth of Olean, and reports the very bad condition of
the roads and suggests improvements.

20

In a letter, dated Hartford, July 6th, 1804, he tells
Mr. Ellicott that "The following are the selections which
I have made on and near the Allegany river, the Ischue
(now called Olean) and the Tosquahossa creeks, being
my first and second selections, and also in the Township
No. 4 in the 2d and 3d Ranges." He then enumerates
the ranges, townships and sections.

He returned to Canandaigua, but again visited the
Mouth of Olean in August, to which place Mr. Ellicott
addressed letters dated August 24th and September 19th,
1804. This indicates that Major Hoops' suggestion, re-
lating to the change of name, was acted upon at once.

About this time Major Hoops was joined by his
brother, Robert Hoops.

A letter dated Olean, October 7th, 1804, was written
by Robert Hoops to Joseph Ellicott, in which he says
that he had just returned from the Friends' Settlement,
where his brother had been confined for some time by
illness, and that "his health would not permit of his re-
moval."

Robert Hoops made the first settlement at Olean
Point in that year, and erected a log house near the
river, on what is now known as the "Martin Farm" or
"East Olean."

He remained here, as his brother's agent, until his
death in 1816. He, too, had served in the Revolutionary
war. He was a widower and left no posterity in this
vicinity,

Adam Hoops was again in Olean October 11th, 1805,
and undoubtedly made frequent visits here from time to

21

time. There are several letters extant, written from
Canandaigua during the years of 1806 and 1807.

Moses Brooks, (son of the John Brooks who located
herein 1806) in an old diary (1810), mentions Major
Adam Hoops, and also his indebtedness to Robert Hoops
for the use of his large library.

The Quaker, or rather Friends' Settlement, mentioned
by Robert Hoops, was the first white settlement in the
limits of Cattaraugus county. It was made in 1798, by
three young Quakers from Philadelphia, who came as
missionaries to the Indians.

For several years Olean's nearest neighbors were
those of the "Van Cam pen Settlement," located in what
is now Almond, Allegany county ; commenced in 1796,
by Maj. Moses Van Campen ; the "King Settlement" of
the Oswayo in Pennsylvania, now called Ceres ; and
Judge Church's place, twenty-eight miles east, near
Angelica, Allegany county.

Previous to Major Hoops' purchase here, Genesee
county was erected. The Act was passed March 30th,
1802. The county of Ontario embraced all that was for-
merly known as Whitestown. By the same Act, three
new towns were formed, namely, Southampton, Leister
and Batavia. The last named included the western part
of Allegany, Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans, and all of
Niagara, Erie, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties.

The next division affecting territory now within
Cattaraugus county was made in 1804, when Batavia
was sub-divided into the towns of 'Willink, Erie, Chau-
tauqua and Batavia.

22

Olean, and all the towns north and next west to
the northern bounds of the present limits of Cattaraugus
county, were included in Willink.

Finally on March 11th, 1808, Niagara, Cattaraugus
and Chautauqua counties were erected, but it was pro-
vided that Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties should
act in conjunction with Niagara county, until the re-
spective counties should contain five hundred taxable in-
habitants qualified to vote.

^The Act made many other provisions regarding the
establishment of Courts, appointing of certain officials,
etc., and further stated that the county of Cattaraugus
be erected into a town by the name of "Olean."

By a law passed June 16, 1812, the town of Olean
was divided into two towns, the southern half to retain
the name of Olean and the northern half to be called
Ischua.

For certain judicial reasons these towns were now
annexed to the county of Allegany, but two years later,
1814, a new town was formed of the western parts of
Olean and Ischua, called Perry, and this western part
was annexed to Niagara county, the eastern hal$f still re-
maining under the jurisdiction of Allegany county.

These three towns of Olean, Ischua and Perry re-
mained unchanged until after the final organization of
the county in 1817.

Olean lost half its remaining territory in 1818, when
Great Valley was erected; this town included^what are
now the towns of Great Valley, Carrolton, ai
phrey.

23

Hinsdale was taken off in 1820 and Portville was
formed in 1837, reducing Olean to its present size and
form.

The foregoing indicates that Olean is the oldest town
in Cattaraugus county, and is co-equal with it in age
and extent.

The village of Olean was not incorporated until 1854,
just half a century after its first settlement. The charter
election took place May 19th, 1855. The poll list con-
tained sixty-five names, and the assessment for taxes of
the same year amounted to only $855.00.

As has been stated, the first settlement at Olean was
made in 1804 by Robert Hoops and a David Hueston.
The latter was accidentally killed in 1807, while cutting
spars to be used as oars for a raft.

Following them in the spring of 1806, came Corne-
lius and John Brooks, Wyllis Thrall and William
Shepard.

Within the present limits of Hinsdale a settlement
was made by Zachariah Noble and his two brothers,
Charles Foote and Thomas Lusk.

A settlement was also made by Joseph McClure on
the Ischua Creek.

These were the pioneers of this section of Western
New York. None of these settlements progressed very
rapidly, for it is found from official sources that at the
end of six years from Adam Hoops' first settlement at
Olean Point, in 1804, the entire territory of Cattaraugus
county, otherwise Olean, contained only 458 souls.

In the spring of 1808, James G. Johnson came to

24

Olean, but he died early in 1811, and was the first person
buried in Oak Lawn cemetery, which land had been
donated for burial purposes by Mr. Hoops in 1807.

After Mr. Johnson's death, his widow returned to her
father's home, and it was not until 1819 that she again
removed to Olean, accompanied by her sons, Marcus
and James G, In the meantime Mrs, Johnson had
married Anson King.

Just outside the present corporate limits of the city,
Jeheil Boardman settled in March 1814, and for several
years he kept a tavern very near the present site of the
Boardman residence.

Simeon Hicks entered into a contract for land within
the town of Hinsdale in 1807, which land was a part of
the "Hoop's Tract" and included in Olean.

In 1812, he married Loranda, the daughter of Capt.
Elihu Murray (the marriage ceremony was performed by
John Brooks, Esq., of Olean).

Capt. Murray was a Revolutionary soldier and loca-
ted in Hinsdale about 1809, but removed to Chenango Co.
three years later. His son, Elihu Murray, Jr., opened a
tavern about a mile below the village of Hinsdale, in
1810.

Lewis Wood and Emery Yates also became settlers on
the "Hoop's Tract," within the present bounds of Hins-
dale, in 1813.

Emery Wood, later known as Col. Wood, joined his
brothers prior to 1820, in which year the town of Hins-
dale was formed from Olean.

25

The first birth within the present bounds of the town
of Glean, was a daughter of William Shepard, born May
22, 1807. She was christened Olean Shepard. The
first male child born in Olean was Marcus H. Johnson,
born October 4th, 1809.

When the village was first laid out it was called
"Hamilton," in honor of Alexander Hamilton, but the
general designation was "Olean Point," and in a short
time the latter name was used altogether. The post
office was never officially called Hamilton.

The plan of the village was copied no doubt from the
"City of Brotherly Love." The streets were all wide and
laid out to give ample room for building purposes.

Many of the streets were named in honor of the pa-
triots of '76 and other distinguished men of that period,
several of them being personal friends of Major Adam
Hoops.

Union street was probably named in commemoration
of the Union of the States under a Federal Government.

Barry street, after Commodore Barry, to whom Rob-
ert Morris presented the sword of Paul Jones, which he
had received from the King of France, with the request
that it should fall successively in to the hands of the old-
est commander of the American Nav}'.

Washington street, of course, in honor of the "Father
of our Country." Sullivan and Clinton were named re-
spectively for the Major-Generals of those names, who
conducted the expedition against the indians in 1779.

Wayne, for Brigadier-General Anthony Wayne, who

2fi

by his courage and skill saved Lafayette in Virginia in
1780, and by his dash and audacity acquired the sobri-
quet of "Mad Anthony."

Green, was so called for Major-General Nathaniel
Green. Hamilton, in honor of Alexander Hamilton, an
Aide-de-camp of General Washington's and later the
first Secretary of the Treasury.

Laurens, also named for an Aide-de-camp of Wash-
ington's, John Laurens, who has been called the "Bay-
ard of the American Revolution."

Jay, was named for John Jay, one of the four who ne-
gotiated the treaty of peace with Great Britain, and also
the first Chief Justice of the United States,

Henley was named later for Col. Henley, a prominent
figure in the war of 1812.

For a time Olean was more famed than either Buffalo
or Pittsburg. It became the chief place of embarkation
for emigrants, and for many years great numbers as-
sembled here each spring, built or purchased boats or
rafts, and started on their way down the Allegany and
Ohio.

The most rapid influx of settlers to the village of
Olean occurred from 1810 to 1820.

Prominent among those who arrived during that de-
cade were Sylvan us Russell, Ebenezer Reed, Jeheil
Boardman, Seymour Bouton, Timothy Porter, Luman
Rice, David Day, Elkanah Day, David Bockes, Samuel
Brunson, Col. Luke Goodspeed, John Fobes, Anson

27

%

King, Dr. Norman Smith, Zachariah Oosterhoudt, James
G. Johnson, Samuel Barrows and Frederick S. Martin,
who was familiarly known as Judge Martin, having been
Associate Judge of the County Court in 1840.

During the next decade came Ahijah Warren, Daniel
S. Dickinson, Rollin Pratt, David Godfrey, Thomas
Oviatt, W. W. Penfield and Dr Edward Finn ; and
among those who located here between 1830 and 1840,
were Dr. Lambert Whitney, Roderick White, Norman
Birge, John L. Smith, Ansel Adams and Caleb Smith.

The First Presbyterian Church of Olean was organ-
ized August 28, 1822. The original members were Cor-
nelius Brooks, Ahijah C. Warren, Anson King, Norman
Smith, John Boardman, Bathsheba Warren, Sophia
King and Abigail Smith. The documents relating to its
organization, consisting of *4the confession of faith," "the
covenant," etc., with names of the first members, are in
the possession of Mrs. George Van Campen, a daughter
of Anson and Sophia King.

The immediate enterprise of Adam Hoops did not
flourish, and, as he was unable to complete his payments
for the purchase, a large part of the tract reverted to the
Holland Company, and a portion of it passed into the
ownership of Ebenezer F. Norton.

After the foreclosure of the mortgage, Adam Hoops
had no further interests in this locality, although in 1820
he was assessed for 54 acres of land in the town of Hins-
dale. There is little or nothing known of his subsequent
life, though he undoubtedly lived for a time at Canan-

28

daigua. In 1816 he was at the Sulphur springs, near
Avon, where he was being treated for rheumatism.

He was made Military Storekeeper of Ordnance,
March 8, 1824, and was stationed at Watervleit, N. Y.
This position he held until honorably discharged Octo-
ber 1, 1842. His application for pension was made from
Watervleit, Albany county, N. Y , December 30, 1828,
and the pension was allowed for over five years actual
service as a captain, in the Maryland troops, .Revolution-
ary War.

Adam Hoops was a native of Carlisle, Cumberland
count}7, Pa., and was born on the 9th day of January,
1760. He was of English descent, and had a genealogi-
cal record back to the 9th century.

(Miss King, author of "History of Ceres," states that
members of her family have seen this record. The King
family were intimate friends of both Major Hoops and
his brother Robert, and frequently entertained them at
their home in Ceres.)

There is recorded in the Pennsylvania Archives that
an Adam Hoops was one of the first grand jurors on the
organization of Cumberland county, in 1750; also that
Adam Hoops, of Cumberland county, Pa , in 1755, wrote
letters to the Governor of Pennsylvania, reporting the
commission of outrages by the Indians on the Juniata
and other places. The same year, 1755, Adam Hoops
was appointed, by Gov. Robert H. Morris, one of five
commissioners to lay out a military road from "the set-
tled parts of the province to a branch of the Monongahela

29

called Yohiogain," for the transportation of supplies for
Braddock's troops on the route to Ft. Du Quesne.

The name of Adam Hoops appears upon the list of
taxables in. Carlisle, in 1762.

In 1764, and again in 1769, Adam Hoops received the
appointment as Justice of the Court of Quarter Session
for the county, from Lieut.-Gov. John Penn. Presuma-
bly these records refer to the father of Major Hoops.

The following record, relative to the military services
of Adam Hoops, appears in a publication entitled,
"Heitman's Historical Register of Officers of the Conti-
nental Army during War of the Revolution:"

"Hoops Adam, 2d Lieut., 4th Maryland, 10th Decem-
ber, 1776 : 1st Lieut, 15th October, 1777 ; Captain, 15th
October, 1779 ; taken prisoner at Camden, 16th August,
1780 ; transferred to 2d Maryland, 1st January, and was
a prisoner on parole to close of war."

The battle of Camden, where Captain Adam Hoops
was taken prisoner, was one of the most disastrous bat-
tles of the war. Six hundred of the eight hundred
Maryland troops, engaged in the battle, were left dead
upon the field.

In the War Department, the name of Adam Hoops,
with rank given as Captain, appears in a list not dated,
of officers of the 2nd (Gunby's) Maryland Regiment,
which list bears the remark "March 16th, 1781" opposite
his name.

Major Adam Hoops also acted as an Aide-de-camp to
Gen. John Sullivan in his expedition against the In-

30

dians in 1779. This was one of the most memorable
events of that year.

Major Hoops kept a journal during the Sullivan
campaign but, unfortunately, it has been lost.

It was, no doubt, while on this expedition that he
observed the fertile valleys of the Mohawk and the Gen-
esee, and at the close of the war, recalled this section of
the country as a desirable place for settlement.

It may be worthy of mention, that many of the
pioneers of this region were with Gen. Sullivan's expe-
dition and probably were influenced later, by Major
Hoops, to locate here.

By an order of Congress, all officers, in service at the
close of the war, were entitled to a brevet rank. Thus
Captain Hoops became a Major.

At the time of his enlistment he was but sixteen
years of age, and just in the prime of life when he
founded the town of Olean. He was a bachelor and is
said to have been a decided woman hater.

The last years of his life he resided at West Chester,
Pennsylvania, and for a time boarded with Joshua
Hoopes, an old school master.

In the "State Report of Sullivan's Campaign," pub-
lished in 1842, and also in "General Sullivan's Indian
Expedition," published by the State of N. Y. in 1887,
there is a copy of a letter, dated West Chester, Septem-
ber 18th, 1841, written by Major Hoops to Hon. John
Greig of Canandaigua, in which Adam Hoops gives his
version of the fate of Boyd and Parker.

31

He died, aged 86 year and 6 months, at West Chester,

Pennsylvania and was buried in the North Laurel Hill

Cemetery at Philadelphia. The following is a copy of

the inscription upon his tombstone:

"In Memory of

MAJOR ADAM HOOPS,

1st Regiment U. S. Artillery.

A gallant, accomplished and patriotic soldier of the Revolution.

Born at Carlisle, Pa., on the 9th day of January, A. D. 1760.

Died at West Chester, Pa., on the 9th day of June, A. D. 1846."

You will recall, that in the letter written by Adam

Hoops to Joseph Ellicott, April 15th, 1804, in which he

proposes to change the name of this region from "Ischue"

to "Olean," he says:

"The neighborhood of the 'Oil Spring' suggests a
name, different in sound, tho' perhaps not of different
meaning. It is Okan." The Oil Spring referred to was
situated about ten miles from Cuba on Oil Creek. Its
existence was known by the French Jesuits before 1721.

The Indians regarded it of great value, attributing to
it important medicinal qualities. The mile square em-
bracing it, was one of the reservations of the Seneca
Indians, in their treaty with Robert Morris.

The Indian name of the Reservation was Tecarnohs,
signifying "dripping oil." Olean is no doubt derived
from the Latin, oleum, meaning oil.

An effort has been made to learn the names of the
Revolutionary soldiers, who settled at one time or an-
other in this vicinity, but no reliable list has yet been
made. In 1840, there were sixty-two Revolutionary

32

pensioners in this county There are only three soldiers
of the Revolutionary War buried in Olean — Jeheil Board-
man, Cornelius Brooks and Ebenezer Reed.

Although the patriots, who fought for the freedom of
our country, should be remembered for their heroic
deeds, we should also recall with gratitude those pioneer
settlers, who advanced into the wilderness to subjugate
the forests, and to dispute with a primative race, the right
to exercise domain over the fertile valleys.

It is almost impossible for one, unfamiliar with life
in the wilderness, to appreciate the difficulties, the dan-
gers and privations, which had to be endured by these
our ancestors, but it is to their patient endurance and
determined efforts we are indebted for our present privi-
leges and the many blessings of civilization.