USA > New York > Erie County > Sardinia > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 1
USA > New York > Erie County > Collins > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 1
USA > New York > Erie County > Concord > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 1
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١
HISTORY
OF THE
ORIGINAL TOWN OF CONCORD,
BEING THE PRESENT TOWNS OF
CONCORD, COLLINS, N. COLLINS AND SARDINIA,
ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK,
BY ERASMUS BRIGGS.
ROCHESTER, N. Y .: UNION AND ADVERTISER COMPANY'S PRINT. 1883.
50422
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1883, BY ERASMUS BRIGGS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
(F CON G
1900
WASHINGTO
Fiz9 . CZB8
427
8
INDEX.
-
CHAPTER I.
PAGE.
From 1534 to 1655.
Cartier's and Champlain's Expe- dions. 3
CHAPTER II.
From 1655 to 1679-Indians, Dutch. French, &c 9
CHAPTER III.
DeNonville-La Houton -- Queen Anne-the Iroquois, &c ..... 13
CHAPTER IV.
Pontiac' League-the Senecas- the Devil's Hole, &c. . . . 17
CHAPTER V.
The Revolution - the Indians' Hostility-Wyoming -- Cherry Valley. &c. . . 20
CHAPTER VI
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix and subsequent Treaties. 24
CHAPTER VII.
Land Titles-Various Grants- Conflicting Claims - Robert Morris . 29
CHAPTER VIII.
A curious fact-the First Crop raised on the Holland Pur- chase 22
CHAPTER IX.
Agents of Holland Company, Theophilus Cazenova & Paul Bustie . 48
Joseph Ellicott. . 49 Milling. 129
Jacob S. Otto. David E Evans. 51 A sketch of others. Robert Morris. . 52
Mary Jemison, the White Wo- man 51
CHAPTER X.
PAGE.
War of 1812-15.
60
CHAPTER XI.
Campaign of 1813.
66
CHAPTER XII.
Burning of Buffalo, &c .. .
74
CHAPTER XIII.
Campaign of 1814. 81
Discipline at Buffalo -- the Death Penalty
Capture of Fort Erie
by the
Americans
83
An Indian Battle. 84
The Battle of Chippewa. 87
Battle of Conjockety Creek. 91
Battle of Fort Erie. 92
Sortie at Fort Erie. 95
News of Peace.
98
CHAPTER XIV.
Early Settlers. 100
Early Organization of County
and Towns. 102
Date of Settlement and Organi- zation of Towns in Erie Co. 104
Old Town of Concord.
105
Coming to the country 106
Log Houses-Dutch Chimneys and Log-raising. ·106
Clearing Land. 109
Sugar Making 113
Pioneer Wells .. 116
Pioneer Fencing
118
Frame Barns. .
120
Primitive Household Furniture,
&c, &c. . 121
Carding, Spinning and Weaving 124 Raising. Dressing and Spinning Flax 127
Bull Plow and Crotch Drag.
128
Manufacturing of Clothing, Boots and Shoes 131
Making Black Salt
132
Husking Bees, &c
134
Schools
136
iv
INDEX.
PAGE.
Spelling Schools. 139
Reaping with a Sickle, &c. 142
Militia Training. 144
Wrestling. 146
Snow Shoes
146
Dancing. 147
The Great Wolf Hunt. 148
Droves and Drovers 150
The Lost Boy. 151
Pigeons
152
Thanksgiving
153
CHAPTER XV.
History of Concord 156
Names of persons previous to
Jan. 1, 1815. 158
Names of persons Buying Land of the Holland Company. Township 6, Range 6. 159
Township 7. Range 6 160
Township 6, Range 7 163
Township ?, Range 7. 165
Copy of an Original Article of
Land. .
168
Copy of the First Deed in Con- cord . 172
Early Roads 173
Springville & Sardinia Railroad 175
Rochester & Pittsburgh Railro'd 175 Names of one or more of the First Settlers on each Lot in Concord 176
Hotels-Mills - Manufactories. 178
Professional Men-Merchants- Traders and Mechanics. 185
Banks
192
Manufacturers-Merchants and Tradesmen 193
" Fiddler's Green' 196
Mail Routes-Post Offices 197
Commission of the First Post
Master in Springville.
199
A list of the Owners of Farming Lands in the Town of Con- cord in 1845. 200
Concord Soldiers' Record
205
Presbyterian Church 209
Methodist Episcopal Church of
Springville.
213
First Baptist Church of Spring- ville. . 214
Free Baptist Church of Spring- ville. . 216
Roman Catholic Church of Springville 217
Universalist Church.
218
Schools.
583
Free Baptist Church, East Con-
cord .
218
Free Baptist Church. West Con-
cord
219
PAGE.
Methodist Episcopal
Church.
West Concord ..
219
Springville Academy 220
Semi-Centennial Celebration of the Opening of Springville Academy 223
Teachers' Institutes
230
List of Accidental Deaths in the Town of Concord. 235
Names of Streams in Concord .. 231
The First Liberty-Pole.
238
The Springville Mill.
239
Local Names in Concord 240
The Springville Rifle Company 241
Town Officers of Concord.
242
Town Accounts. 1830.
245
Names of Early Settlers. 246
Soldiers of Concord in 1812 247
Vosburg Murder.
247
Otis Murder
248
The Old Springville Hotel. 248
Panther Stories.
250
Bear Story
251
Lands Deeded in Concord
252
Societies
265
Newspapers
267
CHAPTER XVI.
Family Histories of the Town of Concord in Alphabetical Or- der .. 269
A, 269 ; B. 211 ; C, 303 : D. 341 ;
E, 348 : F, 353 : G, 369 ; H.
376 : I, 386: J, 387 ; K, 391 : L, 399 : M. 404 ; N. 417; O.
422 ; P. 423 ; Q, 435 : R, 436 ; S. 450: T. 487 ; Urich, 502 :
V, 502 ; W. 509 : Z. 532.
Eliza Reynolds.
533
Springville
541
Chester Spencer.
534
C. C Mcclure
535
Goddard Family.
536
Christopher Stone's House 542
CHAPTER XVII.
History of Collins.
543
First Settlers.
544
Articles. .
545
Assessment Roll, 1823
553
Act Creating the Town
559
Defining Boundaries.
560
Zoar
563
Deeds
569
List of Town Officers.
577
Religious Meetings and Church
Organizations .
584
·· East District." Town of Col- lins Center 585
V
INDEX.
PAGE.
Collins Conter 585
Physicians 586
Collins Center Merchants. 586
Tanneries 587
Mills .
587
" Society of Friends" 588
Soldiers' Record. 589
Settlers of 60 and 70 years ago. .
593
Town Account. 1830. 593
Societies
594
John Millis and his grist.
595
Wild Animals. 596
Business Directory of Collins Center for 1882. 596
Gowanda Directory for 1882 ... 597 Mrs. Charlotte Seymour's letter 598 Statement of S. W. Soule. 600 Mrs. Stoddard's Statement. . 604 Statement of Joseph Plumb, Esq 617 Statement of S. Cary Adams ... 624
Statement of David Wilber.
696
Letter of Win H. Parkinson. . . 675 Augustus Smith's Statement ... 683 Statement of Benj. Albee. 2d .. 637 Blackney Murder. 641
CHAPTER XVIII.
Family Histories. Collins. . 635
A, 635; B. 639; C. 641: F. 655 ;
G, 656 ; H. 657 ; J. 661: K. 663 ; L, 666 ; MI. 668 : N, 674 ;
0. 674 : P. 675 ; R. 682 ; S, 683 ;
T. 691 ; V. 695 : W,. 696
CHAPTER XIX.
NORTH COLLINS .
Names of those who Purchased
Lands of the Holland Com- pany 708
Deeds. 514
First Settlers on each Lot.
Assessment Roll of 1823. 724
List of Town Officers. 728
Societies
731
Soldiers' Record. . 733
First Congregational Church 737
Job Southworth's Statement ... 738 Statement of Isaac Hale. 740
Statement of Noel Conger.
743
Statement of Isaac Woodward. 745
CHAPTER XX.
Family Histories, North Collins 749
B, 749; C, 750 ; D, 752: F. 152 ; G. 153 : H, 754; J, 755; K.
756 ; L, 957, P, 759 ; R, 761 :
S, 762; V, 766 ; W,. 766
CHAPTER XXI.
General History of Sardinia ..
769
Early Settlers
770
PAGE.
Articled Land
771
Deed of the Holland Company .
776
Early Reminiscences-Nott ...
784
Fourth of July Party, 1811.
789
Soldiers' Record ..
794
First Baptist Church.
797
Beneficiary Orders
798
Town Officers
798
Assessment Roll, 1848
812
Reminiscences by Dr. B. H. Col- grove 823
Statement of A. W. Shedd.
829
Statement of L. D. Smith
832
Statement of Cyrus Rice
835
Business Places. &c.
845
Notes from the Old Town Book
of 1821, &c
848
CHAPTER XXII.
Family Histories in Alphabet-
ical Order-Illustrations. .... 851 A, 851 ; B. 854 : C, 857 : F. 860 :
G, 861; H, 862 ; J, 868 : I,
868 ; M. 870: N, 871 ; 0. 873;
P.873; R. 875: S, 878: T. 885 ; V. 885 ; Sterling Titus, 886 ; W. 886
OUTSIDERS.
Adams, J. C.
892
Brooks, John. 893
Brooks, Andrew J. 894
Briggs. A. H, M. D.
894
Briggs, George W.
895
Foster, Harrison T
895
Field, William.
897
Field. Marvin.
898
Drake, Allen.
898
Hammond, Win. W
899
Hastings. Chancey J. 900
Hastings, Seymour P. 901
Koch, Harry H.
901
Miller. Frederick
902
Nott. S. E. L. H.
903
Nichols, George W
904
Wiley. William
904
Wiley, John M.
905
Miller, Christian.
905
Oatman. David.
906
Williams, George
907
Stowell, Charles.
908
Ewell, Joseph E. 908
Tanner, Amos B 909
Persons, Daniel H. 910
Emery, Joseph. Col. 910
Scott, Justus.
911
Smither, R. R 912
Spencer, H. S.
912
Tanner, Alonzo, Esq.
913
Wibert Family
913
vi
INDEX.
PAGE.
Cutler, Caleb.
915
Bensley. John R.
930
Ransom. Asa.
915
Bensley, George E 931
Ransom, Asa, Jr.
916
Haight, Albert. 932
Ransom, Harry B
917
Coit, George. 935
Titus, James B. 917
Humphrey, Arthur 935
Kent. Joseph.
919
Humphrey, J. M. 936
Kent. Jonathan 919
Lockwood, D. N. 937
Cooper, Joseph. 920
Green, O J. & Sons
938
Young, Charles E
920
Reading, Richard
939
Lockwood, Ebenezer
921
Canbee, Joseph
940
Stickney, David, Jr.
922
Kerr. Patterson.
941
White, Almer. 923
Scoby, M
941
Tucker, Harvey J 924
Bartlett, Marcus
542
Lockwood, A. U. 925
Calkins, A C.
544
Preston, A. G. 926
Coit, Chas. T. 944
Lawson, W. W.
927
Coit. Frank S. 945
Bartholomew, A
928
Eustaphive. H. A 945
Sampson, Joseph P
929
Masonic
947
PAGE.
ERRATA.
Page 105, read " Lawton " for Lanton. Page 106, read " Big Tree " for Fig Tree. Page 126, read " Scarn " for Scam. Page 131, 9th line, read " difficult " for different, Page 152, read " Morton's Corners " for Morton's Creek.
Page 174, line 38, read " at lot 32 " for at lot 52.
Page 180, read " Theodore Frew" for Theodore Trew.
l'age 188, read " Perigo " for Brigo.
Page 189, read " Shoutz " for Shontz ; same page, read " Barnhart" for Bamhart ; same page, read " Post " for Past.
Page 190, read " Parmeter " for Bameter.
Page 192, read " F. K. Davis" for T. K. Davis.
Page 195, read " Frew " for Trew. Page 208, read " 1862 " for 1892. Page 218, read " Morris Hall " for Horris Hall.
Page 275, read " Auwater " for Anwater.
Page 253, 3d line from bottom, read " 1819" instead of 1809.
Page 293, read " 1869" for 1899.
Page 294, read " 1880 " for 1810 ; same page, read " 1882" for 1822.
Page 332, read " 1839 " for 1849.
l'age 338, read " 1877" for 1878. Page 359, read the name " Benjamin Fay " for Benjamin Frye.
l'age 360, read the name " Nemiah Fay " for Nemiah Frye.
Page 369, line 16, read " Ruth Briggs" for Bertha Briggs. Page 391, read " Benjamin Gardner " for Benjamin Gordon.
Page 395, read " Otis Morton " for Otis Horton.
l'age 400, read " Mary Hufstader " for John Hufstader.
Page 433, read " 1832" for 1882.
l'age 452, read " William T., " for William G., and " W. T. Lincoln " for William F. Page 468. read " Orrin Baker " for Owen Baker. Page 48 ;, line 20, read " Council Bluffs" for Dakota. Page 476, read " Marcy" for Mercy. Page 473, line 6th, read " 1761 " for 1861. Page 496, 2d line, leave out " Boston"; same page, read 4th line from bottom page " near " for new.
Page 498, 2d line from top, read "17y2" for 1702. Page 519, in the account of Levi and Isaac Woodward, read " married " for the capital M. Page 566, 12th line, read " her family " for his family .
Page 618, read " Parthenia " for Perthenia.
Page 623, read " Parthenia " for Pathenia.
Page 632, last line, read " Methodist Preacher " for teacher
Page 659, 12th line. read " born 1831 " for 1871. l'age 672, line 14, read " 1850 " for 1859.
Page 743, read " Noel Conger " for Noah Conger; page following 770, read " 771" for 781 ; page following 872, read " 873" for 783. Page 827. read " Reuben B. lleacock" for Reuben B. Hancock. Page 861, 24th line, " Tuller " for Fuller. Page 889, " Brewer " for Brower. Page 894, " John Jr., 2d " for John Jr .. Son. -
INTRODUCTION.
" Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke, How jocund did they drive their team a-field,
How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke.
Let not ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys and destiny obscure."
The motives that prompted the author to attempt the com- pilation of a work of this nature were, that being himself to the " manor born," and having enjoyed an intimate personal acquaintance with many of the early settlers of these towns, and knowing that very little had ever been said of them in any history that had been heretofore published, he felt that all former attempts of the historian to portray these early times and scenes were lacking in detail and did not accord to the brave pioneers of these towns the mead of praise that their self-sacrificing labors and privations entitle them to, and he departs from the rule generally pursued by writers, of record- ing only the acts of those whom fortune or favor has raised to positions of prominence, and he feels that the lives and deeds of the pioneer, though their destiny may have been obscure, are worthy of being remembered and perpetuated upon the pages of history ; for the pioneer, like the great forests that once surrounded his humble cabin, is passing away : only here and there you find them, and soon, very soon, there will not one remain, and it is but a simple act, of justice to the living and an honor that we owe to the dead, who now rest from their toils on fields their hands helped to clear, that a record of their lives should be put into some tangible form and the multitude of facts in the possession of those who are yet with us be res- cued from oblivion, for soon these witnesses will pass away, and there will be none left to tell the story of the olden time.
INTRODUCTION.
For this reason the author has undertaken the task of com- piling a volume, and he finds that there has been an almost endless amount of labor to collect and arrange facts and dates to incidents that transpired so many years ago, and much of it may appear commonplace and non-interesting to some, but the author belives that the task he has undertaken is a laudable one, and that the few pioneers now remaining and their de- scendants for generations to come, will be interested in the work, and will properly appreciate the undertaking.
To the many who have aided him in this undertaking and were induced to, at his earnest request, he is under many obliga- tions, and though their names may appear elsewhere, in con- nection with articles contributed, still he takes pleasure in ren- dering a personal acknowledgment here: J. H. Plumb, Esq., of Westfield, Mrs. Stoddard of Iowa, S Cary Adams, Esq. of Buffalo, S. W. Soule, William H. Parkinson of Collins, Mrs. Sey- mour of Chautauqua, L. B. Cochran, Esq., Hon. C. C. Sever- ance, WV. G. Ramson, Dr. G. G. Stanbro of Concord and L. D. Smith and Cyrus Rice of Sardinia, have placed him under a debt of gratitude. Of those who rendered valuable aid in soliciting subscriptions and encouraging him in his undertaking, he will ever remember the names of James Hopkins, Addison Whee- lock, Cyrus Rice, Welcome Andrews, Alden J. McArthur and many others. Christfield Johnson, Esq., author of the Centen- nial History of Erie county, courteously allowed him the free use of his book, and the first one hundred pages of this work are taken from his book, and Turner's History of the Holland Purchase. Nearly the whole of the remaining pages are original.
The amount of matter in this volume in relation to the family histories of each of these respective towns will be accounted for by the number of subscriptions that the author has received in said towns to aid in the publication of this work. Of course a work of this nature, containing the amount of matter that this one does, must necessarily be expensive, and every page added must necessarily also increase the expense to be borne by the author who has to depend for the funds to defray the cost most entirely upon local patronage, and most certainly he cannot do as his inclinations would otherwise naturally lead him, if he were not confined to limited means, and in the present under-
.
xi
INTRODUCTION.
taking he would feel himself amply rewarded if he were to re- ceive the bare expense of preparing and publishing this work. But he is well aware now that the expense will far exceed all such hopes, and the author regrets too that there is a single thing omitted that will detract from the general interest of this volume, and yet he knows that there are names of those who were early identified with the settlement of these towns, whose histories would have been of interest and were worthy of being preserved, that are now lacking, which can only be accounted for by the indifference of those who should have taken some interest in a work of this nature.
Following appears the number of subscribers of each town. together with those who are not residents :
Concord 260
Collins 125
North Collins 35
Sardinia 65
Buffalo and others localities So
E. B.
2:20.
E. BRIGGS.
Autobiography of the Author.
The author of this work was born on the 31st day of August, 1818, on Townsend Hill, in the town of Concord, where he remained with his parents until after he was seventeen years of age. As soon as old enough, he was put to work to assist in clearing up a heavily-timbered farm ; and the scenes and inci- dents appertaining to pioneer life portrayed in the several articles in chapter xiv. of this work are from his own knowl- edge and experience.
His education was principally obtained in the district school, on Townsend Hill, supplemented by a few terms at select school and Springville Academy ..
The Winter after he was eighteen years of age, he taught a term of school, and the Spring following, he took Grecley's advice and went west. This was before the advent of railroads, and was quite an undertaking. The journey across the State of Michigan, and from Chicago to Racine, from Racine to Janesville, from Janesville to Galena, and from Galena to Ful- ton, a total distance of over six hundred miles, was made on foot. At that time, the prairies of Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin were unoccupied; the only settlers to be found were located in or near the timber. Chicago at that time was a small town, whose buildings and improvements were confined to a narrow belt of dry land along the lake-shore and river-bank ; the ground back being low and covered with prairie-grass and water. Racine was a straggling little hamlet. and the city of Janesville was yet in embryo, its site being occupied by two or three small log farm-houses. He remen- bers stopping there a few days, and planting corn on the land where the city now stands. Beloit was named, but Freeport was unknown, and Galena was a very small village. The jour- ney for the last two days was made on a single meal. Fulton was surveyed and named, but contained but one log-house. He remained in Fulton two and a half years, putting up build- ings in the Summer, and getting out timber and cutting steam- boat wood in the Winter. He built the first frame-house in Fulton, and continued to work at the business until prostrated by sickness.
When sufficiently recovered to travel, he returned to his native town, where for the next eleven years his time was divided between working at the carpenters' trade Summers, teaching school Winters, and attending to the duties of the office of Superintendent of Common Schools.
In 1850, he went to the town of West Seneca, and invested in timbered land, which had formerly been a part of the Indian reservation. For the next fifteen years, this town and the ad- joining town of Elma was his home. During these years, he was quite extensively engaged in the wood, bark and lumber business. In 1852, while a resident of West Seneca, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and also town Superintendent of Common Schools. He was also chosen to represent them on the Board of Supervisors, in 1853-54-55. He afterward held the office of Justice of the Peace in the town of Elma. Since his re- turn to Concord, in 1865, he has worked at building several Sum- mers, and taught school occasionally Winters. For the last five years, his time has been principally spent in procuring facts and preparing this work. Since his return to Concord, he has been several times elected Supervisor, although the party with which he affiliates is in the minority ; and it is a source of gratification to know that wherever he has resided, he has, enjoyed the confidence of his fellow-townsmen.
HISTORY
OF THE
ORIGINAL TOWN OF CONCORD.
CHAPTER I.
FROM 1534 TO 1655.
George Cartier's Expedition-Champlain's Expedition-King James' Grant- Henry Hudson-French Traders-The Jesuits-Chaumonot and Bre- bœuf - Hunting Buffalo - Destruction of the Kahquahs and Eries- Seneca Tradition-French Account-Their System of Clans -Its Import- ance - Sachems and War-Chiefs - Method of Descent - Choice of Sachems-Family Relations.
.In the year 1534, forty-two years after the discovery of America, George Cartier, a French explorer sailed up the St. Lawrence to Montreal and took possession of all the country round about on behalf of the King of France, Francis the First, and called it New France.
He made some attempts to colonize, but in 1543 they were all abandoned, and for more than half a century no further progress was made.
In 1603, the celebrated French mariner, Samuel Champlain, led an expedition to Quebec and made a permanent settlement there, and, in fact, founded the Colony of Canada. Montreal was founded soon after, and communication was comparatively easy along the course of the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, and, with a portage around the Falls, to Lake Eric. And
I
4
KING JAMES' GRANT.
mainly for this reason, the French fur traders and missionaries reached this region of country long before any other Europeans.
In 1606, King James, of England, granted to an association of Englishmen called the Plymouth company, the territory of New England, but no permanent settlement was made until the 9th day of November, 1620, when, from the historic Mayflower, the Pilgrim Fathers landed on Plymouth Rock.
In 1628, Charles the First, of England, granted a charter for the government of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. It included the territory between latitude 40° 2' and 44° 15' north, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific, making a colony a hundred and fifty-four miles wide and four thousand miles long. The County of Erie and Western New York were included within its limits.
In 1609, the English navigator, Henry Hudson, while in the employ of Holland, discovered the river that bears his name, and the Hollanders established fortified trading posts on Man- hattan island and at Albany, and commenced trading with the Indians. They also made an indefinite claim of territory west- ward.
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