USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > Address on the early reminiscences of western New York and lake region of country : delivered before the Young Men's Association of Buffalo, February 16, 1848 > Part 1
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Gc 974.7 B28a 1735283
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01147 6790
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ADDRESS
ON THE
EARLY REMINISCENCES /
OF
WESTERN NEW-YORK
AND THE
LAKE REGION OF COUNTRY.
DELIVERED BEFORE THE YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION OF BUFFALO. FEBRUARY 16, 1845.
494
BY JAMES L. BARTON.
BUFFALO: STEAM PRESS OF JEWETT, THOMAS & CO Commercial Advertiser Office. ... 1845.
1735283
CORRESPONDENCE.
YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION ROOMS, Buffalo, March 30th, 1843.
JAS. L. BARTON, EsQ :
DEAR SIR-The Lecture delivered by yourself, before this Association. on the evening of the 16th ultimo, entitled " Reminiscences of Western New-York and the Lake Region," merits in the opinion of this Committee. and of the many members of the Association with whom we have commu- nicated, a more extended publicity.
The appropriate statistics you have thus embodied, we regard as eminently valuable, and worthy of preservation by all who feel an interest in the wonderful progress of that wilderness region, the outlines of whose early history you have so faithfully and attractively sketched. The minute- ness of detail, too, which you have taken pains to give us, supplies one of the most important essentials of real history; for it is not the record of great and startling and isolated events that shows us the true character of an age or people -- it is, rather, the narration of the every day affairs of actual life, that enables us to correctly judge of their social, political, and moral condition.
This chief requisite of reliable histories, this Committee are desirous of keeping in view, in their humble endeavors to elicit, and gather up, the materials that may, in the future, combine to form the chronicles of Buffalo and this frontier.
With this feeling, we should be gratified to have your Lecture, so replete with historical interest, printed in pamphlet form, for general circu- lation; believing that its publication cannot fail to be of benefit, as illustra-
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tive of events and of a period, that constitute an important portion of the history of Western New-York, and hoping, likewise, that it may have the effect of drawing out, from others, similar and corroboratory narratives of like scenes and incidents - which, thus rescued from the oblivion that so generally engulfs them when the generation in which they transpire has passed away, may be truthful and graceful remembrances from us to posterity.
We remain, &c., GEORGE V. BROWN, W. D. TABER, GUY H. SALISBURY, Committee on Local History.
Buffalo, April 4, 1848.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter of the 30th of March, requesting the publi- cation, in pamphlet form, of my address, delivered before the Young Men's Association on the 16th February, is received.
That my humble effort, exhibited in that address, to rescue from oblivion many interesting incidents and events connected with the early settlement of Western New-York and the lake region of country, has been so acceptable to the Association for whom it was prepared, and the very kind and complimentary manner in which you express yourselves in reference to it, demands from me and I beg you to accept my most grateful thanks.
When writing that address, although designed for the use of the historian, I did not anticipate the printing of it in the form desired, during my life, being called for. But immediately after its delivery, I discovered an interest excited by the subject that I could not have hoped for, and from letters which I received and from personal communications, I perceived a strong desire was manifested for its publication in some other form than the evanescent one of a newspaper.
Being aware how interesting the subject treated of by me was to my fellow citizens, and desirous if the address was to be published in the form now desired, it should be pruned of all important errors at least, I
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commenced corresponding with different persons for more certain data in relation to some portions of it. These corrections (and I am happy to say but few were needed) have been made. And now gentlemen, having received a formal and official request from the Association whom you represent, in the very flattering language you have been pleased to use, to have my address appear in pamphlet form, it affords me great pleasure to accede to your wishes.
The address will appear, divested of errors so far as any have been discovered, precisely as it was delivered; but, I have taken the liberty of appending some additional notes, which I trust will not be found useless nor destitute of interest.
I have, with a strict regard to truth alone, faithfully represented events as they have been related to me, which I have read of, or personally witnessed myself, of years past and bye-gone; and the reader may place implicit confidence in the statements I have made.
Truth alone being my object, and treating of a district of country, an Empire in size, which, only sixty years ago, was a dense wilderness; its sole occupants roving bands of wild Indians and savage animals; now teeming with an intelligent, wealthy and enterprising population of six MILLIONS of free citizens, having an internal trade passing through their rivers and lakes, greater in amount annually, by many millions of dollars, than the whole foreign commerce of the Union with all the nations of the world. The change, so rapid and so great, may appear to other nations, and the older portions of our own country, and to the generations who may succeed us, as fabulous and impossible - (they having no standard by which to compare its growth) - my statements may to them seem like an old man's tale.
Wishing to preserve myself from this imputation, and that justice may be done to the memory of those able and noble minded men, the early pioneers, who first laid the plans which their successors are so fully carrying out; I earnestly unite with you in the wish, that of the hundreds in Western New-York, who are able to do it, some few at least, will furnish to the Young Men's Association of Buffalo, such facts as they may have in their possession, corroborative of what I have stated, and all such others as will further illustrate the early history of this part of our state.
Identified as I am by birth, and while life lasts, hope to be by residence, with Western New-York, the garden of the State; and by interest and feeling with the great west, the happy home of millions; and whose broad and extensive surface is destined to be the abode of countless
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multitudes, I feel that I discharge but a duty to the young and rising population, in bringing to their knowledge some of the incidents connected with the early settlement of a country now abounding in wealth and population, which, only a few short years since, when first penetrated by their predecessors, was an unbroken wilderness, affording but little means of subsistence, and surrounded by dangers on every side.
I beg you to accept, young gentlemen, individually, my best wishes for your future prosperity and happiness.
Yours, most respectfully,
J. L. BARTON.
To MESSRS. GEORGE V. BROWN, W. D. TABER, GUY H. SALISBURY. Committee on Local History,
of the Young Men's Association of Buffalo.
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ADDRESS.
FROM the many years I have resided in Buffalo and on the Niagara frontier, the frequent opportunities I have had of knowing and conversing with many of the early settlers of this part of our State, and with others; from the reading of the fragments of its published history, the traditionary stories I have heard related, and, from a personal knowledge of early incidents, many have conceived the idea, that I am in possession of some material that will, when the proper time arrives for performing the work, be of service to the individual on whom the task shall fall of writing the early history of Western New-York; as well as the large and important district of country bordering on the great lakes.
Entertaining this idea as many do, I have been often soli- cited by different individuals to commit this information to writing in the form of a popular address, and deposit the manuscript for preservation and future use, in the archives of the Young Mens' Association of this city. That such a request is neither wrong nor unreasonable is very manifest ; the early settlers are fast passing away, and are nearly all gone ; but few or any of them have left any written memorial or record of " what they saw and part of which they were;" and when the last one shall depart, we shall have no other history of those interesting events attending the early settlement of this part of our State, than traditionary tales, more or less obscured by the lapse of time.
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To gather up and secure in some preservable shape these matters, from any and all sources, is deemed of much impor- tance ; vastly more so than the style and finish in which it shall be done, and is urged amongst other reasons why so humble an individual as myself has been requested to contribute his mite; and the only one that could have induced me to comply.
Standing therefore before you as I now do, the humble recorder of interesting reminiscences of times past and gone bye, which if not dear to those who have recently come amongst us, are feelingly so to the descendants of those noble minded, able and efficient men, the early pioneers, who first penetrated this great wilderness, and through much suffering and toil, laid broad and deep the foundation upon which we, their successors, are now erecting our fortunes and fame. I say, standing in the attitude I do before you, may I not reason- ably ask from you, that you will kindly forbear any rigid criticism, on the style and language in which I shall perform my labor, and direct your attention alone and altogether to the subject matter I shall present to you.
Were I an accomplished writer, or extensive traveller, had I visited the shores of Greece and Italy, the classic ground of the scholar, and were you now assembled to listen to my recital of written and traditionary stories I had heard in those famed lands, equally apochryphal as true; but which time has rendered venerable and consecrated as truths; I should be sure of receiving your attention. But I possess none of these interesting qualifications, and I am not to speak of Greece or Italy. My subject is the early settlement of this part of my native State, and, incidentally connected with it, the great lake country.
It is not necessary my fellow citizens, that we should travel out of sight of our own dwellings to find a region full of
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interest ; and when time shall have thrown its softening and consecrated mantle over it, the incidents and events that have taken place in it, will create as much interest, in the minds of Americans at least, as is now felt for other countries which have the advantage of our own in years.
I now refer to that portion of country lying between Lakes Erie and Ontario, bordering on the banks of the Niagara river. Here, long before the foot of the white man trod this continent, armies of Indian warriors have been marshalled and the mastery contended for ; here, at a later period have Euro- pean nations brought their embattled hosts into the fight with the Indians for Empire; here, at a still later period, have European nations contended with each other unto death for this goodly land ; and yet later, has the blood of the English- man and the American shed in mortal combat, been commingled together, and run in torrents into the deep and blue waters of the great Niagara.
That these and many other alike deeply interesting events took place on the banks of this river is undoubtedly true. Yet, as much of their history exists only in tradition, I do not hold myself responsible that such of them as have been related to me, happened in the manner precisely as I shall narrate them ; but, that I state truly what I heard related of then many years ago .- But to my story.
The French, under Cartier, ascended the river St. Lawrence as early as 1535, as far as Montreal, where in the name of the French King he took formal possession by erecting a cross and shield, with the arms of France upon it, and named the country New-France. From this spot, pushing forward with great zeal and perseverance, they extended themselves from the Ocean to the Mississippi, and finally descended that river. This was not the work of a day nor a year; but from the time they first got foothold at the mouth of the St. Lawrence river,
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they persevered, and by means of force and treaties with the Indians, at length accomplished this great object. Warriors, Statesmen, Scholars and Divines were alike engaged, and each performed his part, according to the circumstances in which he was placed.
Passing over the settlements on the St. Lawrence, Fort Frontenac, Oswego, and many places on Lake Champlain, I come directly to some of their operations on the Niagara frontier.
By a treaty or other arrangement made with the Indians, they obtained the use of a piece of ground large enough to build upon it a trading house, and to erect other necessary buildings for the protection of their goods and the accommo- dation of the traders ; and out of this permission grew a fort, which the Indians soon found, but too late, was too strong for them to contend against. The French themselves, conscious of their own weakness, their vast distance from any aid or assistance, became very wary and conciliatory in all their intercourse with the natives. The great tact shown by them in this course of conduct, gained them the confidence and friendship, and even protection, of those whose property they had thus gotten hold of; so strong, that in after years, when the English had dispossessed the French, it was with great difficulty eradicated.
The early possessions of the French on this Continent ; the great length of time they held them ; the great strength they accumulated in men and war materials; and the powerful influence they acquired over the Indian nations around these great waters, rendered it extremely difficult for the English Government to dispossess them. Many severe and bloody battles were fought between the English forces, composed of British troops and their colonists on one side, and the French and their Indian allies on the other. These
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battles were confined to no particular locality, nor any one year; but extended from Louisbourg on the Island of Cape Breton, through all the frontier settlements in New England ; along the waters of Lake Champlain to the City of Schenec- tady, which was ravaged and destroyed; along the Niagara frontier, into the interior of Pennsylvania, the back settle- ments of Virginia, down the Ohio River, and over nearly the whole State of Kentucky, which latter State, from the murders and fights which took place within it, acquired the appellation, and is yet known as the "dark and bloody ground."
These Indian fights and murders in Kentucky occurred at a time after the French had been dispossessed of their power on this Continent, and were the result of the bad influence the English exerted over the Indians, and who roused them into action and encouraged them in all manner of barbarities against their own colonists, after they had declared and succeeded in establishing their Independence. It is not my intention to go into details of all these wars and fights, and only mention them to show the vast and powerful influence which foreign govern- ments once had on the destinies of this Continent.
I shall enter somewhat into particulars and dates, so far as I have read or heard related, of the operations of the French and English on the banks of our own beautiful river. Without going back to the most early times, I shall commence at the period of time, 1759, when the last, most powerful, and finally successful effort was made on the part of England and her colonies on this Continent, to break up and root out all French power and influence which they had held so long.
By reference to the published history of those times, it will be seen that during the administration of Mr. Pitt, afterwards the Earl of Chatham, three powerful expeditions were fitted out for this purpose. One to operate against Quebec, under
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12
General Wolfe; another to penetrate Canada, under General Amherst, the Commander-in-Chief, by the way of Lake Cham- plain, reduce the French fortresses on that lake, capture Fort Frontenac, (now Kingston,) descend the Rivers St. John and St. Lawrence, reduce the strong hold of the French at Montreal; then, to pass on and aid in the reduction of the stronger fortress of Quebec.
The third, under the command of General Prideaux, passed up the Mohawk River, descended Wood Creek into the Oneida Lake, down the outlet of the same into the Oswego River, and by it reached Lake Ontario. Here the French had a strong fort called Ontario, on the west side of the river, directly on the bank of the lake, but which they had aban- doned, having withdrawn their troops from it to reinforce their army on the River St. Lawrence. General Prideaux took possession of this fort, and after constructing an addi- tional number of boats, sufficient to embark his army, their provisions and military stores, coasted the shore of that lake to Fort Niagara, the reduction of which post being the partic- ular object in view.
The French were well prepared to receive them, and the works and means of defence were too strong to be assailed successfully in any other manner than by regular investment. The English forces set themselves down before the place, and commenced on the plains in front, regular military approaches, and pressed their enemy all within their power by means of artillery. While employed in the trenches, superintending the investment, General Prideaux was killed, on the 2d of July, by the bursting of a cohorn, through the carelessness of an artillery soldier.
The French being duly advised of the force coming against the fort, sent runners or messengers to their other military stations up the lake, requesting a concentration of them near
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Niagara, in the expectation that in doing so they would be strong enough to capture or destroy the English army. In compliance with this order, the troops at Erie, Venango and other places, embarked on board of two vessels and sailed to the relief of the assailed fortress. The vessels, on entering the river at Black Rock, sailed down it and came to anchor on the American side of Navy Island, (whether this gave the name to the island I cannot say,) from whence the troops were conveyed in boats over to Fort Schlosser. The vessels, for better security against the winds and the current, were taken into the small bay at the lower end of Grand Island, and between it and another small island called Buck-horn. From Schlosser the troops marched down the river to the relief of the beseiged.
Sir William Johnson on whom the command devolved after the death of Gen. Prideaux, being aware of their advance, and determined to prevent a junction between the approaching force and the garrison, broke up his investment of the fort, concentrated his troops and marched up the river to meet his enemy and give him battle. They came in collision on the 24th of July, a short distance above the present village of Youngstown, and after a severe struggle the French were defeated and driven back. They retired to Schlosser and made great exertions to rally their Indian friends to their assistance. The English returned and re-invested the fort and continuing their operations against it, soon compelled its surrender. They soon after sent off a detachment to capture fort Schlosser, but the Indians from the Genesee river and other places had assembled in considerable numbers at that place to aid the French. The English detachment was met on its march by the French and Indians and defeated, many were killed and wounded, two were taken prisoners and carried to the Genesee river, to Little Beard's town, and were afterwards
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in the month of November burnt at the stake. Some of the oxen taken from the English on this occasion, the Indians took home with them. Mrs. Jemison, better known as the white woman, who died a few years ago on the Buffalo reservation says, they were the first neat cattle she ever saw on the Genesee flats, where she had resided a prisoner to the Indians for some time previous.
Information soon arriving on this frontier, of the complete success of the other English columns, the fall of Quebec and with it the whole country up to, and including fort Niagara, placed the small French force at Schlosser in a desperate situation. And, upon the starting of another competent expedition from Niagara for their capture, made up their minds, that inasmuch as they could not successfully fight the English, they would diminish the trophies of victory as much as possible, determined to sacrifice their vessels and what military stores they had on board; and in pursuance of this determination set on fire and burned up the vessels in the bay- where they were anchored, near the mouth of a small creek entering the river from Grand Island. From this circumstance this creek acquired the name of "burnt ship," and has retained it to this day. I have seen large quantities of cannon balls, bar shot, grape shot, and canister shot in tin cases, similar to those now used, which had been obtained from the spot where the vessels were burned. The tin canisters were bright and whole when first taken out of the water, but soon after their exposure to the air, the soldering corroded and they would fall to pieces. Two or three anchors were also recovered, one of which had one arm or fluke broken off.
On the 13th of September, General Wolfe defeated Mont- calm on the plains of Abraham, and Quebec soon surrendered to the English army. The French, driven from the waters of
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Lake Champlain-Forts Frontenac, Niagara, Montreal, Oswego. and other posts taken from them, their armies defeated and captured, the whole of thier possessions fell into the hands of the English, and forever prostrated French power and dominion on this Continent. Thus the month of September, 1759, witnessed the consummation of plans and efforts which had been in operation from 1629, and to carry out which, had required immense expenditures of blood and treasure. These conquests were finally ratified between the parties by the treaty of Paris in 1763, by which the French surrendered all their possessions east of the Mississippi river to the English. To record all the battles, scenes of murder. and other thrilling events which occurred between the two nations on this Continent, extending over a period of more than one hundred and thirty years, would require many volumes and be a work of great labor. I only mention some of them which occurred in our own immediate vicinity, as an evidence that we are in a locality surrounded with reminis- cences of a highly interesting and thrilling character, and the more we understand of them the more interesting they become.
Retracing our steps a little, it is well enough to observe that some years (the precise period I cannot tell,) before the events just related took place, the French had erected where the present ferry is, between Lewiston and Queenstown, a small stockade, for the protection of the property and military stores delivered at that place from the vessels they had on Lake Ontario.
This spot was then the end or head of navigation, and here every thing passing to and from the West was trans- ferred. Property was conveyed up the river bank by an inclined plane. From this place to the brow of the mountain, near Fort Grey, a small battery built in the summer of 1812.
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during the late war with England,* (the selection of the spot and the construction of this work was by a Colonel or General Grey, an Irishman, who had distinguished himself during the unfortunate rebellion in that country in 1798, and whose name was transferred to the battery,) they constructed a railway. At the end where it stopped on the brow of the mountain, another stockade was erected for the protection of the property passing over, and security of the persons employed about it.
From this place the old French portage road around the falls was longer than the present one. It ran along the bank of the river as close as the nature of the ground would permit, until we reach the place where the road forks. One going direct to the village at the falls, the other to old Fort Schlosser; from this point the old French road ran between the two present ones on a straight line, and struck the river a half or three-fourths of a mile above the present residence of Judge Porter, on the flat ground where the present railroad runs close to the river; this place was called the " French landing," and is now known as such to all the older settlers in that vicinity. Here for some distance around, the land was cleared and another stockade was erected. They had another and larger military work up the river, in the large open field adjoining Gill Creek, about half or three-quarters of a mile below its mouth.
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