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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 01068 7066
GC 974.701 C29D
Holland Land Company Office
Old Office of the Holland Land Co. at Batavia, Now a Museum
HISTORICAL REVIEW OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY
By MICHAEL C. DONOVAN
1890896
CONTENTS
Section TITLE Page
1. Physical and Geographical Features 6
2. Indian Occupation 9
3. Efforts of the Friends or Quakers 12
4. Land Tenure and Political Divisions 16
5. The Settlement of Olean 23
6. Roads in the Early Days 26
7. The Lumbering Industry 28
8. Progress of Rural Settlement 30
9. Development of the Southeastern Townships 35
10. The Dutch Hill War 41
11. Development of the Northeastern Townships 47
12. Development of the Northwestern Townships 53
13. Development of the Southwestern Townships 60
14. Cattaraugus County's Role in the Civil War 67
15. Social and Educational Progress 70
16. Development of Urban and Industrial Life 85
17. Revolutionary Changes 102
18. Social and Economic Progress Since 1900 110
19. Progress of the Dairying Industry 119
20. Parks and Playgrounds 122
INTRODUCTION
This brief history of Cattaraugus County may be considered an effort to consolidate in topical form information accumulated from studying books, newspapers, pamphlets and maps; from interviewing a considerable number of residents; and from personal observation the result of travel in every section of the country. A policy of assem- bling incidents in a topical, rather than chronological form is pre- served, as is an attempt at placing an interpretation on events, periods and movements.
It is deemed expedient from time to time to remind the reader that county history is closely interwoven with American history in general, hence a review of certain aspects of national history seems not out of place.
With regard to incidents of the pioneer days it is well to remem- ber that anecdotes trivial in themselves may be considered important if they serve as an aid in interpreting the manner of life of people who dwelt in another day.
The social and economic, rather than political, aspects of county history are stressed. An attempt to go into considerable detail with regard to political issues might wreck the entire effort on the rocks of controversy. At any rate it would require a volume of much greater capacity in order that the various angles be mentioned and analyzed. The growth of the parent-teacher movement in the county has resulted in added interest in the county's educational institutions, both past and present. This phase is given considerable detail, both regarding the rural school system and the institutions of higher learning. The economic system, both rural and urban, is traced, also the natural or artificial resources which led to the rise of certain villages.
The increased automobile traffic in recent years has been accom- panied by a corresponding increase in visiting places of historic value or natural beauty. This is often accompanied by making inquiries from natives as to their origin and history, a system not always satis- factory since it involves the well known axiom that those who dwell in the immediate vicinity of such an attraction often hold little interest in its lore and not infrequently are puzzled by its attraction to visitors. An example of this is the vicinity of the beautiful waterfalls of Barber Brook which have a course definitely unlike that of most falls. In re- cent years a traveler inquired of a group of woodsmen in the imme- diate vicinity as to directions, and the channel of Barber Brook was indicated, but the woodsmen denied any knowledge of a waterfalls therein. Disinterest of this sort is not limited to this county but is a general condition found by tourists in the country at large.
An attempt to list herein all the persons whose direct or indirect aid has been of value in assembling this work would be impossible at
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this time. The writer has expressed his gratitude individually how- ever, and does so now collectively. Recognition must be extended to the following libraries whose research departments have been used to advantage: Salamanca Public Library, Freidsam Memorial Library at St. Bonaventure, Buffalo City Library, Cattaraugus County His- torical Building and Adjacent Library, Olean Public Library and Al- bert G. Dow Library at Randolph.
In photographs for this volume aid has been kindly extended by T. A. McKerron, Harrold Travis and the late Chester Hulbert of Sala- manca, Mrs. Frederick Larkin of Randolph and Mrs. JaQuay of Steamburg.
Gratitude is extended to aid, either direct or indirect, received from the following newspapers: Buffalo Evening News, Olean Times- Herald, Salamanca Republican Press, Salamanca Inquirer, Randolph Register, Gowanda News, Cattaraugus Times, Allegany Citizen, Elli- cottville Post, Wellsville Democrat and Machias Sentinel.
The following books or pamphlets have been consulted:
Franklin Ellis:
William Adams:
History of Cattaraugus County, N. Y. (1879). Historical Gazetter and Biographical Me- morial of Cattaraugus County (1893).
Dr. Paul D. Evans: Congdon :
The Holland Land Co.
Historical Annals of Southwestern New York. Pioneer History of the Holland Purchase.
Turner:
C. L. Johnson :
Centennial History of Erie County.
C. L. Matteux :
The Wonderland of Work.
Dr. Frederick Larkin:
Ancient Man in America.
Mclaughlin :
Triumphant Progress of a Great Nation.
Beard:
History of the United States.
Mrs. Catherine Bradley : Historical Glimpses of Olean, Bradford and Rock City.
Frances Foote: Salamanca Old and New.
Stewart Miller: One Hundred Years of Progress.
Manuscript describing the history of the Quaker Mission.
Mrs. Van Valkenburg's Scrapbook (Delevan).
Abbott Hose Co. Scrap Book.
Record of Hearings by U. S. Senate Committee on Indian affairs.
Pamphlets containing historical and biographical sketches of Dayton and Franklinville.
SECTION ONE
PHYSICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
The geographical features of Cattaraugus County may be said to have a general resemblance to that of the other counties of south- western New York. Its area is approximately 1,334 square miles, ranking eighth in the state. Erie County and a small part of Wyoming County border it on the north, Allegany County on the east, and Chautauqua County on the west. The Pennsylvania Counties of War- ren and Mckean are its neighbors on the south.
Cattaraugus County may be said to represent a connecting length between the St. Lawrence River Basin and the area drained by the Mississippi. Cattaraugus Creek, which rises in Wyoming County and flows westward into Lake Erie, forms the northern boundary, and serves to drain about one-fourth of surface of the County. The re- mainder is drained by the Allegany River, the eastern-most tributary of the Mississippi. The water-shed between the Cattaraugus Creek and the Allegany River follows an irregular course through the north- central part of the County. The western part of the County is mostly drained by the Conewango Creek or its branches; this section origi- nally contained large areas of marsh land, but most of the swamps have receded in the course of time and have become valuable for grazing as well as for the production of grain.
The extreme northwestern section shares in the climate which features the shores of Lake Erie; the raw, windy weather found there make its winters rather severe, although the actual temperature may not drop as low as elsewhere in the County. Franklinville, Great Valley and Knapp Creek often report temperatures among the lowest in western New York. Of the County in general it may be said that the winters are moderately cold and the summers rather mild. Cy- clones and heavy wind-storms are decidedly rare, while blizzards from the west lose considerable of their vigor before striking southwestern New York. The annual rainfall averages between 30 and 45 inches, or about equal to that found elsewhere in the Empire State.
Most of the area north of the Allegany River is rolling land, with only the valleys extensively cultivated. Toward the Cattaraugus Creek the hills become lower, and in some sections the land is cultivated even on the hill-tops. The Cattaraugus Creek cuts through deep gorges in a number of places, and both the main stream and its tributaries are featured by beautiful waterfalls and rapids. The low hills in the northern part of the County are in contrast with the lofty highlands found on both sides of the Allegany River, and in most of the section between the river and the state-line.
The highest altitude is about 2400 feet, a figure reached or approximated by several summits. The hills about the Allegany are
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adorned in a few places with hugh fields of rocks, remarkable for their quaint formations. "Rock City," a few miles south of Olean, has been a favorite holiday resort for many years. The rock formations west of Great Valley Creek, between "Hungry Hollow" and the river valley, are likewise worth visiting.
In the early days of settlement, the southern section of the county was predominately forested with hemlock and pine, while hardwoods, largely oak, hickory, maple and ash, predominated in most of the northern section.
A large part of the hemlock and pine was cleared during the lum- bering era, and many of the hills once occupied by them have since abounded in wood of other textures, especially oak and chestnut. The latter species was destined to almost complete extermination by a rather mysterious blight during the late 1920's.
In the extreme northwestern part of the county, intensive farm- ing is fostered on a small scale, beans, peas and other produce having ready markets at the canning factories found at South Dayton or in Chautauqua County. In most of the county, however, dairy farming is the only branch of agriculture pursued. In the valleys, the soil is mostly gravelly loam, well adapted for both pasturage and the cultiva- tion of grain. Field corn, oats and barley, as well as clover and tim- othy, are cultivated throughout the level areas and on the cleared and less rugged hill-sides. It is to be noted that potatoes, one of the leading agricultural products of western New York, are of minor im- portance in Cattaraugus County. Fruit raising assumes a rather prominent place in the northwestern corner of the county. Elsewhere in the county, small apple orchards and a few cherry trees are found here and there, adding variety to the farmers' crops but not assuming commercial importance.
The ability to supply both grazing land and to place sufficient acreage under cultivation for silage and other feed appears to be the true test of successful farming in most of the county. Inability to meet this test has resulted in some localities abandoning the efforts, hence the many "run down" and abandoned farms. The valleys of the small brooks contain many acres of this land, and present an excellent opportunity for the ever-desirable practice of reforestation.
The valley of Barker Run, in the town of Great Valley, is a typical example of marginal farmland. Laxity of highway main- tenance and electric or telephone service may be due to a similar scar- city of demand on the part of its few inhabitants. The abandoned apple orchards would seem to be reminders of days when the valley was featured by a greater population. The resources of the valley were so poor that the struggle for existence forced its population into other quarters. The fields are partially used as pasture land and per- haps are of little value for cultivation. The presence of rabbits,
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squirrels and partridges might recommend it as hunting ground but much of the land is "posted" against hunting. A spring of clear, cool water by the road-side is a boon to the hunter or hiker, but for the property owner is an unprofitable substitute for the petroleum which is found only a few miles distant. Attempts at finding oil at Barker Run have resulted in failure. Washington Irving's suggestion of Sleepy Hollow as a haven for one who wished to "steal away from the world and its distractions, and dream quietly away the remainder of a troubled life" might well apply to Barker Run. A more practical recommendation, however, would be to have it reforested with pine, spruce or hemlock. This valley is typical of several such abandoned, or semi-abandoned tracts, found especially in the southern part of the county.
Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties are the only Counties in New York State in which oil is produced in large quantities. The area south of the Allegany River and east of Tuna Creek abounds in wells, the northern extension of the famous Bradford oil fields, often regarded as the highest grade of oil in the world. North of the river, oil is be- ing produced in the "Five Mile" section, north of the village of Alle- gany. A field, producing fair results, is being worked at present in the town of Humphrey. A few successful wells have resulted in other sections of the County.
Gas is being produced in most parts of the oil fields mentioned above, also along the Cattaraugus Creek, especially within the limits of the Cattaraugus Reservation. The town of Leon also produces a small quantity of gas. Gold is said to have been discovered on the hills south of Salamanca, and actually resulted in steps taken toward mining it, but the venture proved more valuable as a curiosity than as a commercial enterprise.
Wolves and bears abounded in considerable numbers in the early days of settlement, making it necessary for the state and local govern- ments to appropriate liberal sums as bounties for their extermination. By the middle of the nineteenth century, danger to the inhabitants from wild animals appears to have abated. At present, deer are the only form of larger wild animals to be regularly seen throughout the county, although bears are rather common along the river and in the State Park. Foxes, although less common than deer or bears, are occasionally seen. The smaller species of game, such as partridges, pheasants, rabbits and squirrels, are found in the forested regions throughout the countryside. The present inhabitants have little to fear from wild animals, and the practice of paying bounty for their extermination has been long since discontinued.
It was, however, a region in which wolves, bears and panthers lurked in the dark recesses of the forests when the westward expan- sion of the Caucasian race brought settlements into the valley of the Allegany River, or of the Ischua-Olean or Cattaraugus Creeks.
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SECTION TWO
INDIAN OCCUPATION
At the time Columbus made his memorable voyage into the un- chartered waters of the western ocean, North America was sparsely inhabited by tribes of natives who, like the peoples of ancient Gaul, differed "among themselves in language, customs and institutions." Nearly all of New York State, together with large sections of Penn- sylvania and Ohio, was inhabited by tribes or "nations" of the Iroquoian stock and linguistic group.
During the early part of the seventeenth century there dwelt, according to Indian tradition, a Mohawk chief, remarkable for his wisdom, foresight and power of organization. The name of this fam- ous figure was Hiawatha, a name later made famous through Long- fellow's famous epic. Hiawatha is credited with being the foremost character in the organization of the political and military unit known as the Iroquois Confederacy, or Five Nations. The organization of this confederacy, probably the most advanced political step taken by North American Indians, was destined to affect not only the neighboring Indian tribes who did not belong to the Confederacy, but also the white settlements which were soon to find their way into the valleys of central New York. The Iroquois Confederacy consisted of the Five Central New York Nations: the Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Mo- hawks and Senecas, each tribe occupying land near the river or lake of the same name. In 1715 the Tuscaroras joined the Confederacy, after which it was known as the Six Nations. The government of the Iroquois Confederacy had features of both a democracy and an oligar- chy. The Confederacy was also known as the Long House, and the Senecas, occupying the land at the western extremity, were known as the "Door-keepers of the Long House." The Genesee River was the western boundary of the Seneca domain.
West of the Genesee River, and reaching from that stream to Lake Erie, the land was occupied by the Eries, a powerful and warlike tribe of Iroquoian language and race, but not a part of the Iroquois Confederacy. The territory of the Eries extended northward to some point on Lake Erie, probably between the present city of Buffalo and the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek. North of this point, the land was occupied by the so-called Neuter Nation, their territory extending across the Niagara into Canada.
Peace reigned between the Eries and Senecas for many years. The two tribes were known to contest in athletic events, prominent among which were matches in lacrosse, a game which the Indians had learned from the French.
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At length, however, a fierce and sanguinary war broke out, the Senecas being supported by the other nations of the Confederacy. The war began in about 1653 or 1654 and ended in 1655. The final and decisive battle was fought near the present village of Canadea in Alle- gany County. An Iroquois force which had been kept in reserve was largely instrumental in deciding the outcome of this battle, which has been described by Ellis in graphic and picturesque language. Ellis based his description on earlier writings and on Indian tradition, writ- ing as follows:
"The Eries were first to assault, and they did so with a fury which drove the confederates from their position; but they soon ral- lied and drove the Eries back in great disorder. And so, with the alternate charge and recoil of each, the tide of battle ebbed and flowed seven times across the red field, which was thickly strewn with the red warriors of Seneca and Erie, grappling at each other's scalp- locks even in the agony of death. At last, by a well-feigned retreat of their opponents, the impetuous Eries were drawn into the ambuscade of the Iroquois reserve and then a thousand fresh warriors yelled the war-whoop and leaped upon them. The Eries wavered and gave way, and the flight became a rout and a massacre, for quarter was neither asked nor given ... "
"The remnant of the Erie warriors who escaped the terrors of the field continued their flight toward the southwest, along the valley of their own beautiful O-hee-yo, but even here they found no rest ... The flight and persuit was continued, says tradition, until the last Erie had crossed the Fathers of Waters and five moons had passed before the Seneca braves returned to celebrate their victory in the villages of the Gen-nis-hei-yo."
The Eries fortunate enough to escape were incorporated with the Senecas, hence the Eries, like the ten lost tribes of Israel, were lost sight of to history. The domain which they had occupied was now in the hands of the Senecas, there apparently being no demand from the other four nations, all of which took a part in the war, for a share in the spoils. It has been said that the purpose of the war was the re- moval of a dangerous foe rather than the acquisition of new lands. At any rate, the huge territory of the former Erie nation, abounding in game and fish, was now an almost wholly uninhabited wilderness over which the Senecas might wander on their hunting expeditions.
For many years, this region's only inhabited communities were a few villages on the west side of the Genesee. Later, however, a few scattered settlements appear to have been established elsewhere, for on Morgan's map four Seneca villages are indicated in or near what is
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now Cattaraugus County. One was located on the Allegany River, opposite the mouth of Tuna Creek, one at the mouth of Red House Creek, and one on the west side of Cold Spring Creek. A village was also indicated at the Cuba oil spring, famous among the Senecas for its supposed medical qualities.
But if the Iroquois Confederacy were exalted by their bloody triumph over the Eries in the middle of the seventeenth century, then its period of grandeur might well be taken as a case of pride which "goeth before a fall," for the following century was to see its power broken forever. While "red-men" battled among themselves with bows and arrows and tomahawks along the Genesee or in the wilder- ness, pioneers of a lighter complexion were clearing forests to the eastward in an effort to establish farms, make roads, or build villages. Every decade was to see the Caucasian race increase in population, land occupation, wealth and power. Moreover, the colonies were devel- oping a spirit of nationalism which the ill-advised policy of King George the Third was to foster rather than crush. In the spring of 1775 the spark burst into flame. In an effort to overcome the colonies, the British government appears to have enlisted the aid of Indians rather early in the war, for the Declaration of Independence, written a little over a year after the outbreak of the war, states, in listing the grievances of the colonists, "He (the king) ... has set upon the in- habitants of our frontier the merciless Indian savages ... " Bands of Indians, armed by the British and frequently led by "Tories," made regular raids against frontier settlements. The bloody massacres of Wyoming, Pa., and Cherry Valley, N. Y., were chiefly the work of the Iroquois.
Following these sanguinary episodes, Washington delegated Gen- eral John Sullivan with a force of three thousand troops of the Con- tinental Army to repulse the Indians who had taken part in the bloody attacks on the frontier. General James Clinton, with a force of two thousand, joined Sullivan, and the colonial troops overcame a force of seventeen hundred Indians and Tories at Newtown, where the present City of Elmira stands. Following the Battle of Newtown, Sullivan's army proceeded to devastate the countryside about the Genesee, burn- ing corn-fields and orchards, and destroying more than forty Indian villages. The Indians fled from their lands in central New York, many emigrating to Canada. Most of the Senecas fled to the southwestern part of the state, settling in the valleys of the Allegany River, or off the Cattaraugus or Conewango Creeks. The military power of the Iroquois was definitely broken, and the era of peace which followed the Revolutionary War saw the Senecas dwelling quietly and harm- lessly in the above-mentioned valleys.
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SECTION THREE
EFFORTS OF THE FRIENDS, OR QUAKERS
The first white people to establish themselves in Cattaraugus County did so as the agents of a religious group, bent on extending social and educational benefits to the Indians. The Society of Friends, usually known as Quakers, originated in England during the seven- teenth century. George Fox was the founder of the sect, which at- tracted considerable attention from their refusal to bear arms against other human beings, also from their refusal to take an oath. They early took a prominent part in social and reform movements. William Penn, the son of an officer of the Royal navy, became a member of the sect and resolved to found a colony in America as a home for his relig- ion. The colony of Pennsylvania was established in 1681, Charles the second having granted it to Penn in payment for an unsettled claim which had been due to his father.
Honest and friendly dealings between Quakers and Indians featured the colony from its beginning. The Quakers did not con- sider the land their own until they had purchased it from the natives. The celebrated treaty under the elm tree at Philadelphia was the be- ginning of a friendship between the two peoples which has never been broken. Once established in their colony, the Friends resolved to aid the Indians in establishing a better standard of social well-being, and in extending to them the blessings of education. To this end the Quakers established schools and missionary outposts deep in the In- dian country.
In the year 1791, Cornplanter, one of the prominent Chiefs of the Senecas, came to Philadelphia, then the nation's capital, to discuss relations between the Federal Government and the Senecas. While there, he requested the Friends to extend some aid to his people, who had recently become established in the Allegany and Cattaraugus valleys. His petition resulted in the founding of a missionary outpost, its first location being at a deserted village known as "Old Town," be- tween the present "Kent's Corners" and Onoville. Joel Swayne, Halli- day Jackson and Henry Simmons were among the early leaders of the Quaker Run enterprise. Jacob Taylor and Joshua Sharpless later joined the mission, having previously done similar work among the Oneida Indians. An abandoned house was purchased from an Indian woman for twenty dollars, and the Quaker holdings at Old Town, con- sisting of about 150 acres, contained a grist mill, blacksmith shop and a few other buildings. Here the Friends began their work of teaching the Indians the elementary principles of agricultural and mechanical science.
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