A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 120

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1102

USA > New York > Allegany County > A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York > Part 120

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Simon Wightman came from Skaneateles, Onondaga Co., to this county about 1812, and took up a lot of 150 acres, whose timber he felled and hewed, made his house of logs, and raised a small crop for present sustenance. He married Catherine Allen. They had 10 children of whom 3 survive, William of Turtle Point, Pa., Morton and Simon. Morton was born Oct. II, 1824, married in 1850, Calista, daughter of Rev. I. Knapp of Wirt, and Sally Stanton his wife. His children living are Mark A. and Luther L. Simon Wightman, son of Simon and Catherine (Allen) Wightman, born March 6, 1827, married Melissa S. Gilbert, Sept. 25, 1853. Their chil- dren are Rosa E., Frank M. and Bennie A. Simon Wightman Sr. and his wife Catherine were among the constituent members of the Baptist church of Richburg, organized in 1828.

Lathrop Wightman, son of Simon, was born in Marcellus, Onondaga county in 1820. His father moved to Wirt in 1821, and located in the southeast part of the town and was among the early settlers. Lathrop married Jane, daughter of Uriah Pierce, and settled on the farm now owned by his son, Elbert E. His daughter Harriet married T. H. Carryer. He died June 13, 1889. Elbert E. Wightman, son of Lathrop, was born Dec. 12, 1857. In 1877 he married Ella I., daughter of Joseph and Mercie (Chapin) Davie. They have 3 children, Nelson E., Herbert L. and Leon G.

William L. Wilcox, son of a sea captain, was born in Rhode Island Aug. 6, 1800, and died in 1882. When about 18 he came to Angelica, remained a few years, married Lovina Wood- ruff at Tyrone, then Steuben Co., and settled in Friendship where he made his home until 1841 when he settled in Wirt, and cleared the farm (on which he erected a log house) afterwards owned by Wilson G. Wilcox, his son. He had 12 children, of whom now live, Lucy (Mrs. Charles Wescott of Rushford), Alvira (Mrs. John Van Horne), James, Jane (Mrs. Delos West of Cuba), John of Andover, Mrs. Clarissa Dye of South Bolivar, and Wilson G. Wilcox who married Anna E. Wescott, and lives on the old farm. He enlisted Aug. 27, 1862, in Co. B, 23d N. Y. Vols., and served two years. He is a member of Cassius Maxson Post, G. A. R. Wilson G. Wilcox died Feb. 16, 1896.

Daniel Willard came to Wirt in 1815, and purchased a lot of 250 acres of wild land, and was one of the first settlers of the town. About 1839 he bought the Benjamin Crabtree farm, which his son Derrick S. now owns. Here Daniel Willard died in 1877. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Saunders, died in 1873. Their children were Daniel, Jr. (dec.), David, Lucy (dec.), Abigail (dec.), Denis, Miraett, Dewitt C. and Derrick S. Willard, who was born Feb. 23, 1835, in 1880 married Mary E., daughter of Azel and Julia Francisco Clapp. They settled on the old homestead where he devotes himself to farming. His children are Julia G. and Arville.

David B. Woodard was born April 1, 1804, in Cambridge, Washington Co., N. Y. He was a son of John Woodard, and resided in Steuben county when he married Amanda Hall. She died in 1825, leaving one child, Warren P., who died in the army Jan. 16, 1863. In 1836 David Woodard moved to Wirt and took up a lot of 100 acres on East Hill. In 1828 he married Eliza Brown of Almond. Their children were Martin, Cordelia, Mary, Amanda, Prentice B., Lucinda W., Hezekiah D., John, Emily J., Elna E. Mrs. Woodard died April 20, 1871. He died Nov. 13, 1892. Martin Woodard, son of David B., was born Aug. 23, 1829, In 1856 he married Melissa M. Maxson. In 1862 he settled on the farm where he now lives. He is a farmer and carpenter. Children are Leman A. of Olean, Walter E. (dec.), Grant B. of Bolivar, Roy L. and George L.

866

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Charles A. Woodard, son of Hiram and Orpha (Hendy) Woodard, was born July 6, 1847, in South Dansville, N. Y. In 1864 he enlisted in Co. D, 64th N. Y., and was discharged in July, 1865. In 1867 he came to this county, married Henrietta Horton, lived some years and moved to Millport, Pa. In 1871 Mr. Woodard enlisted in Co. K, 4th U. S. Artillery (regular army), served two years in North Carolina and then in the west, participating there in the fa- mous campaigns against the Modoc Indians. He married, in 1881, his second wife, De Francie, daughter of Warren and Eunice (Furnald) Woodard. Children, Frank L. and Gertrude L. Mr. Woodard belongs to Cassius Maxson Post, G. A. R.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

ALVAN RICHARDSON.

All hail our early settlers ! though with storm

Their sky of being was obscured with black, And Peril in his most appalling form, Opposed their rugged march and warned them back,

They faltered not, nor fainted in the track That led to empire ; but with patience bore

Cold, parching thirst, and fever's dread attack ;

While ancient twilight, to return no more, From far Otsego fled to Allegany's shore.

Alvan Richardson, the pioneer of the settlement of Richburg, in the town of Wirt, which was named in his honor, was born in Hartford, Vt., Oct. 13, 1781. The maiden name of his wife was Alethea Uran; she was also a native of Vermont and they were married in 1804. Her mother, Mrs. Abi- gail Uran, attained the great age of 105 years, 5 months and 5 days, dying in Richburg. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson had made their home in Unadilla, Otsego Co., for some ten years when Mr. Richardson in 1819 came to Wirt, built his log-house in the woods, and in 1820 he removed with his family of 4 boys and 3 girls thither. He was imbued with the true spirit of the pioneer, and in addition to clearing his farm, in 1824 he built the first saw- mill in the town and also opened the first house for the entertainment of travelers. The next year he built the first gristmill erected on the Little

Genesee creek, and probably no event in the early history of the town gave the settlers greater joy than the completion and operation of this mill which would give to them the staff of life. He owned 100 acres of land on the site of the village of Richburg, the postoffice there was named for him, and he was its first postmaster. The influence of Mr. Richardson upon the town was perceptible in its growth and prosperity as he aided all worthy enter- prises with his time and means, and Richburg was a place of importance even in the early history of the county. He died Nov. 29, 1857, his wife died Jan. 9, 1853. Their children were Erastus, Lucy, Harvey, Susan, Emeline, Alvan Jr .. Ezekiel S. Alvan Richardson, Jr., was born in Unadilla, Jan. 14, 1815, and was but a small lad when he accompanied his father to these then

Alvan. Richardson

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WIRT.

primitive forests. However, as he was the third son, his advantages for education were improved, and his father's worldly prospects had materially increased by the time Alvan had reached man's estate. 3 He married May 15, 1839, Rebecca H. Gray of Franklin Co., who died Jan. 17, 1891. Their children were Marion A. (Mrs. Stillman Davis of Friendship); Frances C. (Mrs. Crandall Lester of Richburg); J. Wallace Richardson of Andover; William J. Richardson of Belmont; Walter G. Richardson of Richburg. Mr. Richardson married second, Jan. 7, 1892, Mrs. Martha Farnham of Man- chester, N. H. The numerous official places which Mr. Richardson filled with credit show the various sides of his character. He was a prosperous farmer, was a genial landlord to the guests in his hotel which his unstinting and generous hospitality always made a home for every one, as commission- er saw that the schools of his town had the best possible advantages, served as overseer of the poor in a kindly humanitarian manner for several terms. He was also an assessor, and held such other local offices as his private af- fairs gave him time to attend to. His estate of 300 acres was made very valuable by the discovery of oil, as it was in the oil-bearing district, and sev- eral productive oil wells were developed there, making him wealthy from this one source of prosperity. In 1882 he made his home in Friendship. He died in Carlyon, Orleans Co., Nov. 23, 1894, from pneumonia contracted at the bedside of a dying sister. He early joined the Baptist church of Richburg and was long its deacon. He retained his membership here till death, although he took great interest in the Baptist church of Friendship, rarely absenting himself from the services. He was a man of unusually even temperament, generous yet modest and unobtrusive in character, ever exemplifying in walk and conversation his religious profession. As Chris- tian, as parent, and as citizen, he left a long record of unblemished conduct when he passed away.

868

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

NEW HUDSON.

BY HON. H. H. WAKELY.

CHAPTER LXVII.

The first settlers within the present bounds of New Hudson were John Spencer and Joseph Patterson. Both settled in the northwest part of the town in 1847. In 1820 Spencer Lyon, who had in 1819 made a small clearing and began a log house in the south part of the town, came with his family from Vermont by way of Syracuse, where he bought a barrel of salt. The last night before reaching the place of their new home they stayed at the Rawson tavern, on the county line road, where the barrel of salt was left to pay the bill, and at the end of his journey Mr. Lyon's cash capital was an old-fashioned sixpence. He prospered at his new home, raised a large fam- ily, lived to old age, and died comparatively wealthy. In 1821 James Dav- idson, John C. McKean and Jonas Eastwood settled in the south part near Spencer Lyon. The first birth in town was that of Mary McKean in 1821. In 1822 Stephen Clayson and Elias Briggs and his father settled in the south part. The Briggs family came from Schenectady with an ox team and were 17 days on the road. In June, 1822, Earl Gould and Catharine Eastwood were married, being the first marriage in town. In 1821 Mrs. Graham Mc- Kean taught a school in the Lyon neighborhood.

In 1823 Jacob B. McElheny and his father, Thomas McElheny, settled at Black Creek in the south part of the town. They were originally from Easton, Pa., but had for a few years previous to coming to New Hudson lived in Dryden, N. Y. Thomas McElheny was justice of the peace for many years and died in 1843. Jacob B. McElheny, best known as Col. Mc- Elheny, from being colonel of militia, lived at Black Creek the remainder of his life and died in 1881 aged 83. George H. Swift with his father, Wyatt Swift, from Vermont, settled on Swift's Hill in 1824, and in 1825 Nehemiah Bosworth from Vermont located on lot 55, and the same year Peter Ault settled in the west part of the town.

About 1824 and 1825 many settlers came among whom were Samuel Blodgett, Alden Griffin, Orange Hart, James Swain, Elizur Beckwith, Lu- cius Frost, Amos Rose, James Jamison, John C. Casterline, Brown Dimick and Elias Cheeseman. In 1826 Jared C. Hurd and father settled at Black Creek. Among the early settlers in the north part were Ebenezer and Silas Gere, and later Marshall Gere and father, Orlin Marsh and others from Vermont came in 1830. A barn, built by Elias Cheeseman in the southeast part of the town in the early days of the settlement, was covered with split shingles, or " shakes," fastened with wooden pegs instead of nails, the only nails then used being wrought nails hammered out on an anvil, and mostly made in England and Germany and costing 25 cents a pound.

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NEW HUDSON.

Reuben Bennett and family settled on Mt. Monroe in the west part of the town, and an incident relating to Oliver Bennett may be mentioned. At that time the old state militia law was in force, all able bodied men from 18 to 45 years of age were enrolled, and were obliged to at- tend company and regimental drill at stated times, failing in which they were subject to a fine. Oliver, after due notice, failed to attend. A war- rant for his arrest was procured and put into the hands of Thomas Carpen- ter, a fat constable of the town, who found Oliver a half mile off in the woods logging a fallow. Young Bennett, who was an athletic man, made no re- sistance, but was taken suddenly very sick and lay on the ground groaning in great pain. As there was no way to get any where near him with a wag- on, the constable had to look after help enough to carry Bennett through the woods to the road.

Early in the settlement James Dinsmore moved in, bringing his family and goods from New Hampshire in a lumber wagon covered with sole leather. He was more than a month on the way. The sole leather proved a blessing to the settlement as no article was then more scarce.

Many of the first settlers brought into the wilderness a few "head " of cattle, and a serious trouble was to get them through the first winter; set- tlements had been made earlier on the Genesee River, and usually a small amount of forage could be got from there, but the main dependence was " browsing." Trees were felled through the day, the limbs lopped off and scattered around for the cattle to eat off the buds and small branches. To- ward night the brush was snugly piled to be burned the next spring, when the land could be cleared for corn, oats or potatoes, but there must be no neglect, snow or blow, it must regularly be gone through. One man relates that he wintered nine cattle in this way by dividing one small bundle of oats among them each day.

The oldest person born in New Hudson and now living in the town is Lucius B. Lyon of Black Creek.

New Hudson was set off from Rushford April 10, 1825. The town was first named Haight, after General Haight of Cuba, who in consideration agreed to donate to the town 100 acres of land lying near the center of the town, but afterward proposed to give a contract only for the land so long as it should retain his name. The people became disgusted with his evasions and in 1837 changed the name to New Hudson.

The first town meeting was held at the house of Orange Hart, May 3, 1825, when were elected James Swain, supervisor; John C. Mckean, clerk; James Jamison, Elizur Beckworth, Silas Gere, assessors; Samuel Bell, Jacob B. McElheny, Samuel Blodgett, commissioners of highways; Lucius Frost, Amos Rose, James Davidson, overseers of the poor; Ephraim Briggs. John C. Casterline, school commissioners; Alden Griffith, collector; Brown Dimick, Alden Griffith, constables; Elias Cheeseman, John C. Mckean and Samuel Blodgett, school inspectors.

870

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

THE SUPERVISORS since have been: 1826, '28, '30, Alden Griffith; 1827, John C. Mckean; 1831, '32, '42, '43, '49, Jacob B. McElheny; 1833, '35, Silas F. Littlejohn; 1834, James Swain; 1836, '37, '41, A. R. Allen; 1838, '39, '56, Calvin Allen; 1840, Eleazer Carr; 1844, R. H. Loomis; 1845, '46, Calvin Swift; 1847, '48, Leonard Nichols; 1850, '52, Isaac Spaulding; 1853, '54, C. F. Trues- dell; 1855, C. H. Sayres; 1857, '60, '64, '73, N. D. Bell; 1861, '63, '67, '69, S. L. Davidson; 1865, '66, J. Q. Vaughn; 1870, '71, '76, '84, H. H. Wakely; 1872, George Clark; 1874, '75, '82, '83, H. P. Ricker; 1878, B. F. Johnson; 1879, '80, Squire Vaughn; 1881, L. B. Lyon; 1885, '86, A. S. Thompson; 1887, '88, J. B. Sayres; 1889, '90, '91, Elbert Bennett; 1892, '93, '95, Clarence Ricker; 1894, Freeborn Gee.

John C. Mckean, first town clerk in 1825 and 1826, has been succeeded by: 1827, Fred Westfall; 1828, Truman Phelps; 1829, '30, 36, Isaac L. Andrews; 1831, Silas F. Littlejohn; 1832, '35, A. R. Allen; 1833, '34, '37, '42, 46. '47, '53, '54, '56, 62, Reuben H. Loomis; 1843, '49, '52, Leonard Nichols; 1844, '45, M. T. Atwood; 1848, E. F. Bard; 1855, George E. Allen; 1863, '64, J. E. Caldwell; 1865, '67, '70, '73, '74, Gilbert E. Loomis; 1866, Seneca Allen; 1871, Nelson Alexander; 1872, George Clark; 1875, '76, L. B. Lyon; 1877, B. F. Johnson; 1879, A. M. Waterbury; 1881, Frank Case; 1882, Melvin Crabb; 1883, '84, '85, Frank Lyon; 1886, '87, C. S. Westfall; 1888, '89, '90, '91, Clar- ence Ricker; 1892, A. B. Larabee; 1893, '94, '95, M. J. Dunn.

Population, 1830, 655; 1835, 1,065; 1840, 1,520; 1845, 1,296; 1850, 1,433; 1855, 1,451; 1860, 1,316; 1865, 1,219; 1870, 1,142; 1875, 1,147; 1880, 1,034; 1890, 978; 1892, 1,028. There are 22,200 acres in the town. The equalized value of real estate in 1895 is $347,958 of personal property $42,795. The total amount of taxes spread on valuation $4,387.89. Value per acre $15.67.

Work on the Genesee Valley canal was the cause of the population being greatest in 1840. The houses of the first settlers of New Hudson were like most first settlers in a wilderness, made of logs chinked up and plastered with mud. A chimney made of stone or sticks and mud with a large open fireplace served to warm the house and cook by. A few feet above the fire, across the chimney was placed a pole, called a "lug pole," on which a long iron hook was hung, called a "trammel," the lower end having holes in which a smaller hook could be raised or lowered to hang a kettle on. Some (few) had a crane fastened in the jamb of the fireplace, which could be swung out from over the fire, and would also serve for more than one kettle.

A large part of the town when first settled was covered with a growth of excellent pine timber and much pine was burned to clear the land for crops. For some time after the first sawmills were built in the town the only market for lumber was to deliver it on the bank of Oil Creek at Cuba to be rafted and run to Pittsburgh or Cincinnati and the price was $6 per M. for clear pine.

In 1826 William Andrews opened a tavern at Black Creek which was kept up for more than 20 years, and had the reputation of furnishing excel- lent fare for that date. Soon after a store was opened at the same place by

871

NEW HUDSON.

Nelson McCall, furnished with a small assortment of every class of goods likely to be then in demand.

The first sawmill was built near the north line of the town by Ebenezer and Silas Gere in 1827 or 1828. The next year James Davidson built a saw- mill in the south part of the town and others were built soon after in differ- ent parts.

The first doctor in town was Calvin Allen from Vermont who, for a time after coming, boarded at the Andrews tavern, was married soon after and spent most of his life at Black Creek.

From the opening of the Erie canal Buffalo was for many years the base of supplies for New Hudson, although the people often went to Hammonds- port for salt. After the Genesee Valley canal was finished to Mt. Morris, most of the lumber and shingles were taken to that market, and most kinds of goods brought in from there.

There was originally a fine tract of pine timber lying along the north border of the town which was bought up by John McGraw of Dryden, who, in the early fifties, built a sawmill near the north line of the town and for some years did an extensive lumber business at that point, shipping the lumber at Caneadea on the canal. A considerable village sprang up about the mill and was called McGrawville. After manufacturing the best of the timber the tract was sold to Albright & Kelly of New Jersey, and a store was kept in connection with the lumber business by John Thompson.

After the lumbering was finished the tract was sold to William Simp- son of New York City, who cleared up the land and devoted it to stock rais- ing, and for many years the farm was famous for the fine Jerseys bred there, which were sold and shipped to all parts of the United States. The farm is now owned and managed by William Simpson, Jr. A few thorough- bred cattle are still kept at the farm, but for a few years past the farm has been almost entirely used for raising and training horses. He has about 175 horses and. colts, all from trotting breeds. The farm consists of 1,300 acres and is amply furnished with convenient barns, and has for exercise a half-mile circular track, while for winter use there is a covered track one- fourth mile long and 24 ft. wide, shingled, sided up, nicely painted and well lighted on both sides. The horses are all kept at the farm during winter, but in summer a part are taken to other points for training. The farm is at present under the care of James Hurley and E. F. Ives. Mr. Simpson is at the farm but a small part of his time, but always has in charge obliging, intelligent men who are especially attentive to visitors. About 20 men are employed in care of the farm.

New Hudson belonged to the Holland Purchase, and the first contracts for land in town were made by William Pinkerton, Jonathan Dodge, Daniel Dodge and Ebenezer Horton. This was. in 1806, ten or twelve years before any permanent settlement; and it seems none of the parties ever made any improvement, and it is probable that the land reverted to the company for ack of payment. It is generally conceded that the Holland Company was

872

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

very lenient about exacting payment of the first settlers for their land. Their practice was to "article," or contract the land to purchasers, stipulat- ing certain payments, but the settlers had few means of obtaining money, but soon began raising cattle and every fall the company would send around an agent to buy the cattle and credit the amount on their contract. The com- pany would collect the cattle in a drove and drive them to some eastern market.

From about 1830 to 1850 a considerable business was done in manufac- turing deer skin gloves and mittens by residents formerly from Glovers- ville and Johnstown. The skins were partly picked up in Pennsylvania and some were brought from the south; among the persons engaged in the busi- ness were Spaulding & Carpenter, Rorabeck & McElheny and Sloan & Jami- son. The skins were dressed, then cut up and given out to women to be made up by hand.

In 1856 the Genesee Valley canal was finished through to Olean, and for the next 20 years New Hudson had a convenient market for its lumber, shingles, wood and bark. There are at present three postoffices in the town, one at Black Creek, one in the north part of the town called New Hudson and one in Marsh Settlement, called Marshall. There has been since early in the settlment from one to three stores at Black Creek, and usually one at McGrawville, now called New Hudson. There are at present seven cheese factories in the town.

The first religious meeting held in New Hudson was at the house of Jonas Eastwood, Methodist preacher at Black Creek in 1831, who continued his labors for some years, and, in 1827, organized a Methodist Episcopal society. The meetings were usually held in the schoolhouse for the next ten years, when a church was built by the society, which ever since has had the services of a pastor; and have always had, and still have, a large mem- bership. In 1848 an addition was built on front of the church with a belfry and bell. Again in 1881 a vestibule was added to the church, and new wind- ows were put in and a furnace was put in the basement. This church has always been known as the "Black Creek M. E. Church."

In 1822 a Presbyterian society was formed at Black Creek with six members by Rev. Robert Hubbard under the care of the Presbytery of Bath. A church edifice was built the next year. The Rev. Reuben Hurd was the first pastor. In 1831 some division took place, a portion of the mem- bers joining a society in the north part of the town. In 1825 the society numbered 11 members. In 1833 45 members. Somewhere about 1828, by the efforts of the Littlejohn families, a Presbyterian church was built at the center of the town, which a few years afterwards was moved to Bellville in North Valley, where for some years religious meetings were held. After a time the church was abandoned and was some time ago torn down and removed. In 1844 the Presbyterian churches at Black Creek and North Valley re-organized and are now known as Congregationalist.

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NEW HUDSON.

A Methodist Episcopal society was early formed in the north part of the town. It built a church edifice and maintained religious services till recently. At present the church is rented to the Baptist society, which has been kept up since 1828, but has never owned a church building.

A Wesleyan Methodist society was organized July 7, 1885, at North Val- ley with W. A. Stanfield as pastor. They hold their meetings in the district school house. They have 11 members, and their present pastor is Rev. G. W. Sibley, president of Lockport Conference.

The religious societies of New Hudson inherited to a great extent all the strict doctrines of the churches of Europe .. The Presbyterians preached and practiced the doctrines of Calvin and John Knox, the Baptists thought it sacrilege to relax the practice of close communion, while the Methodists strove valiantly against any innovation of the teaching of Wesley and the simplicity of worship of the early fathers. An incident will illustrate this feeling in the Methodist society at Black Creek. After it had become strong in membership and had built a church some of the members wanted to in- troduce choir singing. Other members bitterly opposed it, urging that the congregation should do the singing " as genuine Methodists had always done in the past." This raised a contention which lasted for some time, but, in the end, a choir was organized and peace was partially restored for a time, but the worst was yet to come. In time the leader of the choir wanted to use a bass-viol and discard the "pitch pipe." This proposition was, by a part of the members, thought to be a horrid desecration of God's house, and a contention was again raised that lasted for weeks. However, at a special meeting the bass-viol carried the day by a majority vote, most of the younger members voting in favor of it. On the next sabbath the big viol, six feet high, was carried into the choir. After the regular service was over the "class " or "speaking " meeting followed. The choir leader, himself a member of the church, placed the big "fiddle," as it was called, up in the corner of the church. When Brother Hargrave, a good zealous member, arose to speak, he turned to the big bass viol, shook his clenched fist at it, and cried out, "Thank God, my wooden brother, you can't speak in class meeting."

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 120

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co. Number of Pages: 1102

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1102