USA > New York > Seneca County > Fayette > Centennial historical sketch of the town of Fayette, Seneca County, New York > Part 1
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Gc 974.702 F29w 1136848
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN VOUNTT PODLIO LIDRARY
3 1833 01178 3948
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/centennialhistor00will
CENTENNIAL
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE
TOWN OF FAYETTE
SENECA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
PREPARED BY Complements of DIEDRICH WILLERS. Varick
GENEVA, N. Y. PRESS OF W. F. HUMPHREY. 1900.
PREFATORY.
1136848
· Soon after the Romulus Centennial Celebration was held, in the year 1894, it was suggested to me to collect material for an Historical Sketch of the Town of Fayette.
While I did not then contemplate the preparation of an extended sketch for publication, the work proposed was a con- genial one, and at leisure moments I called upon and conversed with a number of persons, old residents of the town (some of them since deceased), as to matters relating to early settlers, settle- ments, etc., in the town. ₱
Subsequently I was encouraged to go forward and complete the sketch, by the following action :
"At a meeting of the Trustees of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, held at their rooms, Thursday evening, July 7, 1898, the following Resolution was unanimously adopted :
"Resolved, That the Trustees of the Waterloo. Library and Historical Society commend the collocation of historical facts as to the Town of Fayette, undertaken by Hon. Diedrich Willers, of Varick, and they cherish the hope that a substantial historical record may be completed for the Fay- ette Centennial, March 14, 1900. WM. S. CARTER, Secretary."
In the collection of material and in the preparation of the following Historical Sketch and Appendix, I have written sev- eral hundred letters to persons residing in this and other States, and have travelled many miles in visiting aged persons and pub- lic libraries and town, county and State officers. My chief regret is, that some one had not undertaken this work 25 to 50 years ago, when many matters which cannot now be traced, could have been readily ascertained or explained, and brought out for perpetuation.
. It will be seen, that Biographical Sketches form a prominent feature of the work. The preparation of such sketches is always
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
a delicate task, and it was deemed best to confine them, gener- ally, to deceased public officials or men of special prominence, and this plan was pursued, except as to a few persons residing in other localities. The life sketches presented are necessarily brief, and confined chiefly to a statement of facts, with very lit- tle attempt at elaboration.
It was at first proposed to me, to read the historical manu- script as prepared, at a public meeting, but the condition of my health forbidding this, I have consented to its publication.
Trusting that this little book may be kindly received by an indulgent public, and its imperfections and omissions be over- looked, it is respectfully submitted as a contribution to local history. D. W.
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" Ancient of Days! Omniscient one, Whom time and circumstance obey, And in whose sight are swiftly run, A thousand years-as but a day. We thank Thee for the Century past, A narrow span-yet while we tell, With grateful hearts, of mercies vast, Our thanks to Hallelujah's swell."
The official organization of the Town of Fayette, County of Seneca, State of New York. dates from March 14, 1800 (as the Town of Washington, County of Cayuga), in the very last year of the eighteenth century-and thus with the beginning of the nineteenth century the new town was fully established and launched for its successful voyage and career.
It is fitting, in this, the last year of the nineteenth century, to take a retrospective glance, upon the termination of one hundred years of official life, and to bid the old town, God speed, as it enters upon a second century of its existence !
. One hundred years ago, the territory of the Town of Fayette (the present name will be used herein instead of Washington, the original name), was almost an unbroken wilderness, although the aboriginal Indian proprietors had in the Cayuga Indian Treaties of 1789 and 1795 relinquished to the State of New York, all of their land reservations between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. except a mile square of land at Canoga, which was acquired also by the State a few years afterwards.
The boundary line between the Cayuga and Seneca Nations of Indians is not very well defined, but it is safe to assert, that the territory of the Town of Fayette and the Indian villages therein, were included within the domain of the Cayuga Tribe or Nation, one of the Six Nations, constituting a celebrated and powerful confederation, known also as Iroquois-including the Cayugas, Senecas, Onondagas, Oneidas, Mohawks and Tuscaroras.
The first white men, so far as ascertained, who trod the soil of
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
Fayette, except occasional traders with Indians, were self- denying missionaries to the Indians, Bishop John Frederic Christoph Cammerhoff and Rev. David Zeisberger, both Clergymen of the Moravian Church, who on May 28, 1750, left Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and set out upon a Missionary tour to the Six Nations of Indians-arriving at the chief town of the Cayuga Nation, on the east side of Cayuga Lake, early in June of the same year. After a visit to the Onondagas, the Mission- aries returned June 26, 1750, to the principal village of the Cayugas on Great Gully Brook, situate about three and a half miles southeast of the present village of Union Springs, Cayuga County, where they remained until the following day.
An extract from the Journal of the Missionaries (as published with notes, several years ago, by Hon. George S. Conover of Geneva, N. Y.), will be interesting, so far as relates to their trip across the Town of Fayette, on their mission westward to the Senecas and their return trip.
The Journal of the Missionaries of June 27, 1750, after refer- ring to the kindness of their Indian hosts, and their assistance in securing for them passage over Cayuga Lake, after breakfast- ing with an aged Indian Chief, who supplied them with salt for their journey, continues to say :
"Saturday, June 27, 1750. We took a very affectionate leave of the old chief, returned to our quarters and packed up our things. Our ferryman had already arrived. He was a fine, modest Indian, named Gannekach- tacheri (this is also the name Secretary Peters in Philadelphia bears). He is of importance among his nation, a great warrior and said to be always very successful in war. We then took leave of our hosts in Indian fashion and went with our Gajuka (Cayuga) to the lake which was pretty rough and broke in great waves, it being quite windy. We got into our bark canoe and set off. Some Indians in another canoe went with us to Nuquiage. Our bark vessel danced around bravely on the waves, and the water came in freely, as the lake was very wild. Near the shore the water was green, but in the middle it was as blue as the ocean and the Indians say that it may be from 20 to 30 fathoms deep. In the middle of the lake we saw in the east and northeast the Gajuka town of Sannio (Tichero), about ten miles distant; in the west, a town called Ondachoe (Sheldrake Point), said to be larger than Gajuka, about 15 miles from us, but which we could not visit this time.
" We crossed the lake in about two hours, landed (probably on Cayuga Reservation Lot No. 51) and then started on our way. It was again intensely
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hot. Our course lay west by north and west northwest. We soon entered a wilderness which we called the Dry Desert because we found no water, and were obliged to suffer from great thirst on account of the intense heat. At last, after we had walked about twenty miles we came to the first run- ning water, which Gallichwio (Cammerhoff) named the Golden Brook, (now called Silver Creek on Military Lot No. 27 probably), because although the water was rather warm, it tasted so good to him. We continued our journey and walked very fast, from 14 to 15 miles, again without water. At last we came to a creek called Ganazioha (Kendig's Creek), where we found an Indian, who had procured rum from a French trader living farther on, near lake Nuquiage (Seneca Lake). We went on and arrived about an hour before sunset at Nuquiage (on Rose Hill Farm, at northwest corner of Fayette), a Gajuka town. The Indians went directly towards the house of the French trader, who fills the whole neighborhood with his rum. Then we went into it also and he bid us welcome. He immediately offered us roasted eels, and made us punch to drink, and inquired where we came from. We told him as much about ourselves, as it was necessary for him to know.
"He was entirely in the Indian dress, could speak the language of the Sennekas very well, but, as he said, could neither understand English nor Low Dutch. His merchandise consisted chiefly of rum, of which he had but little remaining. The Indians then began to drink in good earnest. An Indian also came for rum from Zoneschio (Genesee), in the land of the Sennekas, a place at least 120 miles distant. We had much trouble to get our Gajuka away, and when we succeeded, he was half intoxicated. The trader allowed us to use his boat to cross the river (Seneca Outlet), which flows from the lake, and is very deep and rapid. Generally it is necessary to wade there, where the river empties out of the lake. The current is so swift and this river so deep, we must be very sure footed, to be able to pass through it. We walked a short distance down along the water's edge, towards the boat and found that it was on the opposite shore. The Indian who was to row us over, swam across and brought us the boat, in which we crossed. We passed over a beautiful plain, where the grass stood as high as a man and then continued up the river to lake Nuquiage, from which this village receives its name. The Indians say, that the lake is very much larger than Gajuka lake and that both flow together and then through lake Tionctora (Cross Lake), into lake Ontario. We constructed a hut for our- selves as well as we could. In the evening we heard the intoxicated people in the town, making a great noise. We called our quarters the Pilgrim's Retreat and were glad to have escaped the storm so safely. During the night, there came up a thunder storni with a pouring rain, and as our hut was not secure, we could not keep dry ; however we felt ourselves safe in the Lord's keeping."
The journal further narrates that the missionaries spent June 28 (Sunday) at Kanadesaga, and on July 2 reached the
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Genesee River, and after a brief stay with the Senecas, they arrived, on their return trip, at the Seneca Outlet or river, at the northeast end of Seneca Lake, on the afternoon of July 6, and had a narrow escape from drowning, in fording the same. After again calling on the French trader at Nuquiage, whose stock of provisions was low, and who gave them a repast of roasted eels, they proceeded eastward and encamped for the night, several miles east of Seneca Lake. On the morning of July 7 they proceeded in a rain storm to Cayuga Lake, wliere they attracted the attention of an Indian in a canoe, who landed them in safety on the east shore, at the Cayuga chief town, at Great Gully Brook.
It may be remarked here, that the seemingly long distances in miles, mentioned as travelled, in the journal of this tour, is either to be accounted for, by difference between German or Aus- trian standards of measurement and those in use in this country -or estimates made by weary and footsore travellers, traversing a wilderness country on foot, with only a compass for their guide. The future movements of these devoted missionaries will not be further recorded here.
The active missionary life of much privation and toil among the American Indians, endured by Bishop Cammerhoff, a native of Magdeburgh, Prussia, born July 28, 1721 (and who came to this country in 1747), ended with his early and lamented demise, April 28, 1751, before he had reached the thirtieth year of his age.
Rev. David Zeisberger, born in Moravia, Austria, April 11, 1721, and who came to North America at an early age, died in the State of Ohio, Nov. 17, 1808, after a missionary career among the Indians of about sixty years, and a life of great activity and untiring devotion to his calling.
It is possible, that during the time when several Jesuit missions were maintained among the Cayuga Indians, on the east side of Cayuga Lake, in the seventeenth century, that the missionaries may also have extended their ministrations to the Cayugas between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, but no record of such service has been found.
A few years later, in 1765-66, Rev. Samuel Kirkland, located
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for a time as a missionary, at the Seneca Indian village, known as Kanadesaga (Old Castle), about two miles west from the northwest end of Seneca Lake, and adjoining the present City of Geneva.
Upon one of his trips from the eastern part of the State to Kanadesaga, Mr. Kirkland passed by Batteaux up Seneca River and the Seneca Falls and the Rapids at Skoiyase, with great diffi- culty, as graphically set forth in his journal. It is well estab- lished, that his missionary tours at this time, extended also to Indian villages on the east side of Seneca Lake, in the bounds of Fayette. In his journal, Mr. Kirkland gives a thrilling narra- tion, setting forth, that upon his return from one of his trips to the east side of Seneca Lake, he was waylaid by a hostile Indian, who attempted to take his life-but being well mounted, on an Indian pony, he succeeded in making his escape.
During the Revolutionary War, and after the Indian massacres at Wyoming, Pa., and Cherry Valley, N. Y., Congress deter- mined to chastise the Six Nations of Indians in New York State, and a military expedition was sent out against them, which very thoroughly accomplished this purpose. This expedition, com- manded by Major-General John Sullivan, left Eastern Pennsyl- vania in June, 1779, marching across that State to the Susque- hannah River, and up the same, met reinforcements under com- mand of Gen. James Clinton, near the New York State line, southeast of the present city of Elmira, Chemung Co., on August 22.
The journals of Gen. Sullivan's Expedition narrate very minutely the march of his army from Pennsylvania to the Gene- see River and return, across the territory of Fayette, and also the movements of several detachments from the main army.
The narrative of the march of the main army northward across Fayette, recites that on the morning of Sept. 7, 1779, the army left its encampment, three miles north of the Indian Vil- lage of Kendaia (Appletown), located upon Military Lot Num- ber 79, Romulus, and marching across the territory of Varick and Fayette, eight miles, arrived at a point near the northeast corner of Seneca Lake, where expecting an attack, the army halted on high land and reconnoitred. Finding no enemy oppos-
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
ing, the army advanced, keeping close to the bank of the lake, on account of a deep marsh on the right. In about half a mile after starting, they came to the outlet of Seneca Lake, as then located, a rapid running stream, described as from twenty to thirty yards wide and the water therein knee deep. Fording the outlet, the army re-formed on the high ground on the left or west bank and marched to the Indian Village of Kanadesaga (known also as "Old Castle " and "Seneca Castle"), situate a short distance northwesterly from the present City of Geneva, from whence they marched to the Genesee River. While at Kanadesaga, a detachment was sent eastward, Sept. 8, under command of Col. John Harper, to destroy the Indian Village of Skoiyase.
The main army returned from the Genesee River to Kana- desaga Sept. 19. On the following day, Sept. 20, Gen. Sullivan detached Col. Peter Gansevoort, with a small command, to proceed to Albany, and Col. Wm. Butler, with a detachment, to march up the east side of Cayuga Lake and rejoin the main army at Kanawaholla (now Elmira).
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The main army left Kanadesaga, Sept. 20, and recrossing the Seneca Outlet, encamped on the Rose Hill farm, near the deserted Indian Village of Nuquiage in Fayette, after an absence of nearly two weeks. While here encamped, on Sept. 21, a detachment under command of Col. Henry Dearborn was sent out to proceed east to Cayuga Lake, and to march up the west shore of that lake, and rejoin the main army at Kanawaholla.
On the afternoon of Sept. 21, the main army began its return march southward, by the same route as upon its outward march, making its encampment that night, two miles south of Kendaia. Nothing of special importance transpired upon the march home- ward and the main army arrived at Kanawaholla, Sept. 24, 1779.
The march and movements of the detachments of Col. John Harper and of Col. Henry Dearborn, will be of especial local interest.
As already stated, Col. Harper was detached from the main army while at Kanadesaga, Sept. 8, and marched with a small body of men to Skoiyase, an Indian village of eighteen houses, situate on the north side of the Seneca River, on that part of
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the site of the present village of Waterloo, which lies in the town of same name, there being also fish wears, ponds and fish- eries, and a place to cure eels and other fish on the opposite bank of the river, at South Waterloo in Fayette, afterwards especially mentioned in the Cayuga Indian Treaty of Feb. 25, 1789. The detachment found the village deserted and proceeded to destroy it.
On the 20th of September the detachments of Col. Wm. Butler and of Col. Peter Gansevoort in marching east on the north side of the Seneca outlet, passed through Skoiyase and encamped there for the night. On the morning of Sept. 21, Maj. Wm. Scott of Col. Butler's detachment completed the destruction of several fields of corn, there (which had escaped destruction on Sept. 8).
It may be here mentioned, that on Sept. 3, 1879, the centen- nial of the march of Gen. Sullivan's army and its detachments, across Seneca County, was observed at Waterloo, with interesting ceremonies, under the auspices of the Waterloo Library and His- torical Society, and a substantial monument of Fayette limestone, commemorative of the destruction of Skoiyase, erected in the public park, was then also dedicated.
The addresses, with an account of the exercises of the day, including an interesting historical article on "Skoiyase," by Hon. Geo. S. Conover, of Geneva, were published in 1880, in a volume entitled "Sullivan Centennial, Seneca County," by the Waterloo Library and Historical Society.
The detachment of two hundred men under command of Col. Henry Dearborn, left the encampment at Rose Hill, on the morning of Sept. 21, with instructions to destroy all Indian set- tlements or villages intermediate and also along the west shore of Cayuga Lake.
The line of march extended a little south of east, a distance of about twelve miles to Cayuga Lake, at the northeast corner of the town of Fayette, the detachment destroying several wig- wams on the line of march, about four miles from Cayuga Lake, probably situate on Military Lot No. 15.
The first Indian village destroyed, was situate at Cayuga Lake, one and one-half miles north of the present Canoga Village, in the town of Fayette and consisted of ten houses.
A second village destroyed, was located nearly a mile further
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southeasterly, on the south bank of Canoga Creek, about fortysh rods from Cayuga Lake, and was known as Skannayutenate, sit-F uate about three-fourths of a mile northeast from the presentof village of Canoga.
By way of digression, it may here be mentioned, that it wasb near this village, where the renowned Indian Chieftain, States-t man and Orator, Sa-go-ya-wat-ha (Red Jacket), was born in the year 1750. It is true that a number of other localities lay claim to his birthplace, and it might be said of him, as of the Greek poet :
" Seven Grecian cities, claimed a Homer-dead, In which the living Homer begged his bread."
However, very strong proof has been presented by Hon. Geo. S. Conover and others, to establish the birthplace of Red Jacket as at Canoga. An imposing Granite Monument was erected, (under the auspices of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society), to his memory, adjoining Canoga Cemetery and near the spot where tradition says he was born, which was unveiled and dedicated with interesting ceremonies, Oct. 15, 1891.
The addresses and a full account of the exercises upon this occasion, edited by Dr. Samuel R. Welles, then its President, have been printed in pamphlet form, by said Historical Society, entitled " Unveiling the Monument to Red Jacket."
The command of Col. Dearborn, marching south about one mile from Skannayutenate, found and destroyed a third Indian village, a new town, with nine houses, situate on the Lake shore opposite the present village of Union Springs. Marching about three miles further south, the detachment, after destroying a large Indian house on the way, encamped for the night, near the town line of Fayette and Varick, after a day of great activity.
It is not necessary to further pursue the movements of this detachment, which in a few days joined the main army at Kanawaholla.
The journals of "Gen. John Sullivan's Indian Expedition of 1779," with an account of Centennial Commemorations in honor thereof, in 1879 at Elmira, Waterloo, Geneseo and Aurora, were published by the State in 1887.
Before leaving the subject of Indian occupation and proprietor-
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hip it is proper to refer here to the Cayuga Indian Sachem, Fish Carrier (Ojageghti or Ho-jaw-ga-ta), to whom a mile square of land at Canoga was set apart under the Cayuga Indian Trea- ies of Feb. 25, 1789 and July 27, 1795. This land afterwards became the property of the State, upon payment of an annuity o Fish Carrier (which was extinguished in the year 1841), and was surveyed into four lots in November 1807, and sold soon after, by the State. These lots are still known as comprising the ' Canoga Reservation."
The Legislature of this State, in 1796, passed an Act (Chapter 39), reciting that the Cayuga Nation of Indians, had at the time of signing the Treaty of the previous year, with the State, at Cayuga Ferry, insisted that a mile square of land be set apart to Israel Chapin. To carry into effect this expressed desire of the Indians, the Legislature directed, that one mile square be set apart in the lands acquired by the Cayuga Indian Treaty of 1795, and be patented to said Chapin, by the Com- missioners of the Land Office.
Effect was given to this action of the Legislature by the Com- missioners of the Land Office, Jan. II, 1798, when Lot 30, con- taining 201 acres, Lot 34 containing 232 acres and also 207 acres, the East part of Lot 33, West Cayuga Reservation in Fayette, were conveyed to Israel Chapin, by Letters Patent. The celebrated Canoga Nitrogen Spring is situate on one of these Lots (No.34). Capt. Israel Chapin, an officer of the Revolutionary army, was an early settler at Canandaigua and Chapinville, Ontario County, and served as United States Indian Agent to the Six Nations of Indians, succeeding his father, Gen. Israel Chapin, a patriot officer of the Revolutionary war, who had been appointed to the same position in 1789, and died March 7, 1795.
Two of the pioneer settlers of Fayette, Michael Vreeland, who located a lot on the Canoga Reservation, and William Chatham who settled a little to the northward, suffered Indian captivity during the latter years of the Revolutionary war, while residing in Northern Pennsylvania. Mr. Vreeland afterwards removed to Flat Rock in the State of Michigan, where he died Aug. 13, 1841, at the advanced age of 81 years,
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and Mr. Chatham died at his home in Fayette, Aug. 21, 1854 aged 96 years.
In this connection, reference may also be made to the "old Indian Fort," so-called. Early settlers in the western part o Fayette found upon elevated ground on Military Lot No. 31 earthworks which seemed to them to be the remains of an Indiar fortification in the dense forest. An embankment of earth formed an enclosure nearly in the form of a circle, including therein several acres of land. The embankment was generally four to five feet high and about four feet in thickness at the bottom and three feet thick at the top of the embankment. Large trees grew out from the top surface of the embankment, of substantially the same size as those in the surrounding forest. There were two gateways or openings in the embankment five feet or more in width, with large stones placed so as to protect the embankment at the sides of the openings. The principal gateway was at the southeast corner and the other one was at the northwest corner. A depression on the outside of the embankment indicated that a moat or ditch had once been thrown up around the outside of the embankment.
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