A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 122

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 122

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).

Riverions Hooker and John Loop came in 1825. Mr. Hooker settled on Dodge's Creek in the northwest part of the town where he lived until his death in 1868. Mr. Loop also settled in the northwest part of the town but removed to Pennsylvania in a few years.

In 1826 Joseph Maxson of Rhode Island with his wife and four grown children settled on Windfall creek, building on the site where the house of his grandson, Asa L. Maxson, now stands. In the same year Ira Burdick came from Berlin, N. Y., building his house of hewed logs on the bank of the brook below the village. The following winter, while chopping, he was killed by a falling tree. Mrs. Burdick had a hard struggle to provide for herself and two little ones. But she "kept the wolf from the door " until the children were old enough to help her in the struggle. So kind and bright and cheery was she that she endeared herself alike to old and young, and " Aunt Polly " was at all times a welcome guest, especially so if there was sickness or sorrow. After the marriage of her children her home was with her daughter, Mrs. E. R. Crandall, where she died in 1861.

In 1826 or '27 Horace and Hiram Wilson bought land, which, after occu- pying some years, they sold to Henry C. Crandall and Wm. L. Bowler. In 1827 William and Norry Hooker and John Cook settled on Dodge's Creek, and several families from Rhode Island in the southeast part of the town. Samuel Jaques, George Kenyon and Joel Crandall bought in the valley east of the village, Benj. Maxson and Ethan Kenyon in the Genesee valley, north- east of the village, David Maxson below the village, Amos Green and Rev. Henry P. Green in the Windfall valley, and James King in the Oswayo valley below Ceres village. Daniel and John Edwards of Rhode Island, George Potter of Connecticut, and Rowland Coon, formerly of Rhode Island, came in 1828. Mr. Coon settled in the northern part of the town where he died in 1848, His son, Alonzo B., owned the place until the oil development, when he sold it and removed to Friendship. Mr. Potter bought on Wind- fall creek and some years after returned with his wife to Connecticut, his son George remaining on the place until his death in 1856. The Edwards

881

GENESEE.

brothers settled in the Genesee valley about a mile above Ceres, where they lived until 1874, when they sold the farm and dissolved partnership, John remaining in the old home until his death in 1877, and Daniel removing to Nile where he died in 1878. Elliott Smith of Brookfield settled in the Dodge's Creek valley in 1831, where he lived until his death in 1853. His son, John J., who came with him, still lives on the place. Paul Ennis of Rhode Island also came to Dodge's Creek in 1829, and in 1850 removed to Little Genesee. The same year Ebenezer D. Bliss brought his family to the Windfall valley and lived on the same farm until his death in 1884. His son David cared for his father in his last years, and after his death removed to the village where he died in 1891. Joseph Boss, who came with Mr. Bliss, in 1837 bought a farm in Windfall creek where he lived until his death in 1872. Peleg Babcock also settled in the Windfall valley about 1828 or '29.

The first settlement was made in Ceres, Pa., as early as 1795, so that by 1830 quite a settlement had been made there, but so far as can now be ascer- tained, nearly all the families living where the village now is, were in Penn- sylvania. Previous to 1830 Daniel Carr and Edward Steenrod had settled on the Genesee side of the village, and John Darling farther down the valley below John Bell. A few years later Mr. Darling went west.

In 1830 George Irish of Connecticut and Joseph S. and Ethan P. Cran- dall of Otsego county came to Dodge's Creek. Palermo Lackey of Vermont came into the town in the same year, and in 1838 settled on the farm where he still lives. In 1831 Elias I. Maxson of Rhode Island came to Dodge's Creek, George Merritt and his sons of Rhode Island and John Tanner of Petersburg to Windfall valley, Matthew M. Crandall to the southwest part of the town, and Asa Langworthy located near the Bolivar line above the village. Jairus Crandall came in 1832 settling in the Windfall valley. In his later years he removed to the village. Z. Reynolds Maxson came to the village, Warren Hyde to the north part and Paul Edwards to the south part of the town in the same year. Mr. Hyde and Mr. Edwards went to Wiscon- sin in the early forties.

Albert B. Crandall of Brookfield came to Deer Creek in 1833 where he spent the remainder of his life, and where his son, A. K. Crandall, still lives. Henry C. Champlin came from Alfred to Dodge's Creek the same year, and the following year removed to Deer Creek. About 1834 Paul Crandall and Marvin Wheelock settled at Ceres, and Dennis Saunders and Horace Buten in the Windfall valley. In the early thirties, probably, four brothers, Alvah, Ira, Cyrus and Russell Cooper came to Ceres. Cyrus and Russell owned a mill which they operated a number of years, when Cyrus moved across the line. Russell remained in this town until his death, keeping store for many years.

EARLY EVENTS AND INDUSTRIES .- The first birth in the town was that of Francis K. son of John Bell, and the first death was that of the same child who lived but a few weeks. The first marriage was that of Joseph Allen and Phebe Maxson in 1826. Mr. Allen is still living in Wirt. The first

882

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

school was taught by Elder Henry P. Green in the winter of 1826 and 27, in a little house on Ezekiel Crandall's land. The first term at Ceres was taught about 1833 by Hiram Wilson who was a Lima student. "The old yellow schoolhouse " was then a new one. Of the early settlers, Joseph Wells was blacksmith, Riverious Hooker millwright and carpenter, George Kenyon, Matthew M. Crandall and Paul Edwards shoemakers, Mr. Bliss chairmaker (and the chairs, which after 50 years of use seem good for another 50, testify that he must have been a good workman), Joel Maxson surveyor, D. and J. Edwards carpenters and wagon-makers, Peleg Babcock and Mr. Tanner coopers, and Mrs. Rowland Coon tailoress. The first store was kept by Albert Langworthy in one room of his dwelling. The first hotel was kept by Lewis J. Coon in 1842, but no license to sell liquors was ever granted in the town. In 1835 or 36 the Edwards brothers built a cabinet and wagon shop, and in the early fifties a gristmill, the first in town.

In 1836 a circulating library was established for which an act of incor- poration was secured and which was known as "The Franklin Library." Many of its prominent members and patrons were citizens of Ceres, Penn. The library was kept up about 25 years when the books were divided amongst the members. It contained Rollin's Ancient History, Plutarch's Lives, Waverly novels, histories of France and England, works of Franklin, Irving, Byron, Dickens, Goldsmith, Milton, Cowper, Life of Napoleon and many others.

Little Genesee postoffice was established in 1830 with Benjamin Maxson as postmaster. He lived and kept the office in a house now owned by W. S. Wells. The mail route extended from Friendship to Ceres where it con- nected with a route from Olean into Pennsylvania and the mails were carried on horseback once a week. Later a stage route was established going from Friendship to Olean one day and back the next making the trip twice a week. After the New York & Erie railroad was built the mail route was divided, one stage running from Ceres to Olean daily and one from Ceres to Friend- ship 3 times a week until 1869 or 70 after which it went daily. In 1881 two railroads were built through the town, the Allegany Central running from Olean to Angelica, now known as the C. N. Y. & W. and running only from Olean to Bolivar; the Bradford, Eldred & Cuba running from Bradford to Wellsville, with a branch road from Genesee to Cuba. The Cuba branch was abandoned after a few years and in 1893 the main road was also given up. After the railroads were built the mail was carried on them and there are now 4 mails a day.

EARLY EXPERIENCES .- One stanza of a song familiar to the children of forty years ago ran thus,

" If we a visit wished to pay On a winter's night or a winters's day, The oxen drew the ladies' sleigh In the new country."

But the pioneers assure us that travel with ox sleds was not limited to win- ter weather, but that trips to mill and to market were made in the same way

883

GENESEE.

in summer also, sometimes going in that manner from West Genesee to Friendship. Some of the early settlers tell of being half a day coning the last three or four miles, and others about cutting a road a mile or more be- yond where any had been made to get their goods to the new home. One pioneer at least is known to have reached the town having but $25 in money. with his house yet to build and winter soon coming. Doubtless there would be many similar records were the circumstances known. The capac- ity of the little log houses seems at the present day almost marvelous. When a new family came they were taken in by some family already housed, until their own could be built. Houses 18 feet by 20, or 18 by 24, some with chambers, some without, sheltered for weeks or months two families with five, six, or seven in a family. Wolves and bears were frequently seen and several instances could be cited where daylight showed by the tracks, that on the previous evening individuals had been followed nearly to the house by wolves, in one instance by four. Sad havoc was made among the sheep by wolves and lynx for several years, and lambs were sometimes destroyed by eagles. Deer furnished meat for many a meal, and bears also occasion- ally served as food. A bear killed by Jabez Burdick was shared with his neighbors. In one family the good wife was not told what kind of meat it was until she had cooked and eaten of it, pronouncing it extra nice pork. Many a supper consisted of mush and milk or milk porridge or roasted po- tatoes, or johnny cake baked on a board before the fire (for it must be re- membered that for a number of years there were very few families who had a stove) and sometimes when there was no milk the mush was eaten in water gruel.

Perhaps it may not have been a common occurrence, but it sometimes happened that the children must go early to bed that their one suit of cloth- ing might be washed or mended ready for school on the morrow. Very rich did the children feel when they had shoes and stockings to wear to church in warm weather, and so preclous were they, that those who had long walks to church went barefoot carrying the shoes to put on when nearly there. The busy housewife had not simply to cut and make the clothing for the family, but the cloth from which it was made was also the result of her own labor. The woolen sheets, flannel dresses and shawls for the women and girls, flannel shirts and kersey and satinet suiting for the men and boys were spun, woven and made with her own hands. The little linen wheels, which a few years ago the young ladies brought from the attic for parlor ornaments, performed an active part in home industries in the kitchens of their grandmothers. Sheets and pillow slips, plain kersey and diaper towels, bird's eye, suowflake and rose diaper tablecloths, were all wrought by their busy fingers from flax grown on the land. Some of these articles are now treasured as heirlooms by the daughters and granddaughters. Stockings and mittens for large and small were knit by the same diligent fingers, much of it being done as a rest from heavier labors.

MILLS AND LUMBERING .- The town was heavily timbered with pine and

884

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

hemioci-, as well as hard woods. When the first settlements were made, there were no roads and no sawmills nearer than those which had been built at Ceres, then known as Smith Settlement, previous to 1825. So the timber was felled and at first burned, the settlers living near the creeks cut the trees into logs, put them in to the streams and let the freshets carry them away. Some time in the thirties after lumber could be drawn to the mills, the best of pine brought $2.50 per thousand delivered at the mill. The first sawmill was built by Newman Crabtree on the farm now owned by Mr. Bowler. He completed it in the summer of 1822 and had sawed but a few thousand boards when his house was burned and he abandoned the mill. Soon after the dam was destroyed by a pine tree falling across it. About four years later Horace and Hiram Wilson bought and repaired the mill and run it for several years. In 1830 the second mill was built a mile or more farther down the stream by Daniel and John Edwards, and was in operation more or less for about forty years. A year or two later one was built on Windfall creek by Ezekiel Crandall and Joseph Maxson and their sons, Henry C. Crandall and Joel Maxson. Between this and 1850 one was built on Windfall creek by George Potter; on the Genesee creek, one at the village by Avery and Albert Langworthy; below the village one by David Maxson one by A. B. Coon and D. Fairbanks and one by W. L. Bowler and H. C. Crandall; one on the brook south of the village by Joel Crandall and David Maxson; one on Wolf creek by Elias Maxson; on Dodge's creek one by Paul Ennis and one by George Irish; on Deer creek one by Albert B. & Hamp- ton Crandall, one by Kinney Brown, and one by Peter Keyes.

In 1853 the first steam sawmill was built by the Ennis brothers on the Genesee creek below the village. In 1855 it was burned but was at once rebuilt. It was undermined by the flood of 1861 and was never repaired. For 25 or 30 years lumbering was the principal business interest. The lumber was drawn from the mills to the Oswayo Creek where it was con- structed into rafts which on the spring and fall floods were " run " down the river and marketed in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and other towns along the river, sometimes going as far as Cairo. Pittsburgh hands received in the early days twelve and thirteen and later fifteen to twenty dollars for the trip making it in from five to seven days, and the return trip in from four and a half to six days on foot. Cincinnatihands received $25 to $30, making the trip down in from ten to twenty days, returning to Pittsburg by boat and walking the rest of the way. Shaving pine shingles furnished the men employment on leisure days and in the long evenings and added something to the scanty incomes. They were taken to market on the rafts. Making " grubs " which were used in the construction of rafts was another industry for leisure hours, the finishing being frequently done by the kitchen fire after the day's work was completed. The last of the pine timber was cut some years ago; the hemlock is nearly gone and much of the hardwood. As the timber was removed the land was cleared for cultivation and at the pres- ent time dairying is the principle interest.

885

GENESEE.

The Slade sawmill is located at Bowler Station, and was built in 1881 by W. M. and T. B. Love. Six men are employed and from 500,000 to 2,000,000 feet of lumber is produced annually. In 1885 Marcus E. and Jasper N. Slade purchased this mill and operate it.

The saw and planing mill at Ceres was built in 1895 by F. M. Van Wor- mer, in place of the one burned that year and built in 1890. The main build- ing is 36x84 feet and three stories high. An addition 12x48 feet shelters the boiler and engine. The mill is supplied with new and modern machinery and is in every way greatly superior to the old mill.

Little Genesee cheese factory located about half a mile from Little Genesee, was built in 1870 by Ethan Kenyon. Charles A. Thompson pur- chased it in 1891, and in 1893 made 106,555 lbs. of cheese and used the milk of about 350 cows. The factory has a Babcock tester.

PHYSICIAN .- Ormond E. Burdick, M. D. (See page 235.)

OIL IN GENESEE .-- The Bradford Era of Jan. 30, 1890, said : "The first test well was drilled on lot 42, commenced in the fall of 1877 and finished the next spring. There was quite an amount of gas and a little oil. It is esti- mated that it would have been a five or six barrel well, but it was never op- erated. The next one was drilled on lot 28 in 1879 and was known as the Buffalo well, as the capital was furnished mostly by Buffalo men. A little oil was found. The first barrel of oil sold in the town came from this well and was bought for lubricating purposes. The next well was on lot 22, com- menced in the fall of 1880 and finished in the spring of 1881. Some oil was found, but it was not operated until later. In the summer of 1881 the ex- citement commenced and wells were put down quite rapidly." From the as- sessment roll for those years I find that in 1883 there were 467 wells; in 1887 there were 497, and in 1894, 348. Several wells, I think three, but am not positive, have been completed since the assessment of 1894 was made, and some ten or twelve including both oil and gas, are in process now (May, 1895,) some drilling, some putting up rigs. (The late boom in prices has largely stimulated production since.) In 1894 the Producers' Gas Co. was assessed with 15 wells, and the National Transit Gas Co. with 11 wells. The Home Gas Co. of Ceres, organized in 1892 has two wells, both in Genesee.

H. D. Witter, Esq., of Bolivar, wrote us May 19, 1895, thus: "If I am correctly informed the first well drilled in Genesee was drilled in 1879 or '80 up Streeter Brook on George Green's farm by one Scott, and it was thought that it would have been a fair well if it had been properly handled, although pronounced a failure by the parties who drilled it. Since this time the ter- ritory has been developed, and oil in paying quantities is the result, although they are light wells. The greatest amount of oil produced in the town at any one time was in 1882, when the daily run was 3,000 barrels, and the least in the year 1894, when the run averaged about 100 barrels. The main companies operating in the town were the McCalmont, Willets, Schofield, and Anchor Oil companies. There are two companies operating for gas in

886

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

the town. The United Natural Gas Co. has drilled 15 wells here, and have pulled out three, leaving twelve producing gas."

THE FIRST SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH of Genesee was organized July 9, 1827. by Elders Wm. B. Maxson and John Green. The constituent members were Joseph and Lydia Maxson, Ezekiel and Susan Crandall, Hen- ry P., Lucy, Amos and Esther Green, Joseph and Lydia Wells, Benjamin Maxson, Nancy Kenyon, Joel and Phebe Maxson. Henry P. Green, whom the Friendship church had licensed to preach, was chosen as leader. In 1831 he was licensed by this church, and in 1835 was ordained. He preached for the church for about 20 years, part of the time being the only preacher and part of the time preaching alternately with others. He remained a member of the church during his life, occasionally preaching, and often as- sisting in the services .* In the second decade of the church's existence, Edwin Stillman, Thos. E. Babcock, and perhaps others, preached alternate- ly with Elder Green. In 1844 Rev. S. S. Griswold was called as pastor and served about 15 months. He was succeeded by Elder J. L. Scott who re- mained two years. Rev. James Bailey commenced his pastorate in 1848 and resigned in the fall of 1853. In May, 1854, Rev. Thos. B. Brown as- sumed the pastorate, discharging its duties for 23 years, when he resigned on account of declining health. The remaining two years of his life, al- though he was unable to perform pastoral duties, brought no decrease of his interest in and love for the church and its work. He was succeeded by M. S. Wardner who remained about three years. In November, 1882, Rev. Geo. W. Burdick came here as pastor, and remained 11 years. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. S. S. Powell, the present pastor, in November, 1893.

The deacons have been, George Potter, chosen in 1828; Jairus Crandall, Dennis Saunders and Peleg Babcock, chosen in 1836 ; Joel Crandall and E. R. Crandall, chosen in 1856; Joel B. Crandall, chosen in 1876, and E. P. Burdick and S. B. Coon in 1887. The meetings were held in the homes of the members until 1835, then in the schoolhouse until the church was com- pleted. The church was built in 1837 and 1838 at a cost of $2,400. It was dedicated in September, 1838, Rev. W. B. Gillette preaching the dedicatory sermon. In 1879 and 1880 the church was enlarged, remodeled and reseat- ed at an expense of $1,800. It has seating capacity for 300. In 1886 a par- sonage was built, and two or three years later a parsonage barn. The esti- mated value of the church property is $5,000. In 1831 revival meetings were held, Elders W. B. Gillette, John Green, Matthew Stillman, Henry P. Green, Spencer Sweet and others, took part. This resulted in the addition of some 25 members. In 1840 Elder Alexander Campbell conducted revival meet- ings when 46 were added to the church. Again, in 1857, under the pastoral labors of Rev. T. B. Brown, 46 were added, and, in 1865 and 1866, 27 were added. In 1870 and 1871 Revs. A. H. Lewis and G. J. Crandall assisted Pas-

* Rev. Henry P. Green was born in Hopkinton, R. I., in 1828 he settled on the farm on Windfall Creek where his son, T. H. Green now lives. His wife was Lucy Rogers. Children, Frances G. (Mrs. E. M. Cran- dall), Thomas H., Sarah A. (Mrs. Leroy Crandall), Mary J. Mr. Green was, as a pastor, much reverenced, and beloved as a man and citizen .- EDITOR.

887

GENESEE.

tor Brown in a series of meetings, when 63 united with the church. In 1878 Rev. A. H. Lewis was again called for evangelistic labor, and 52 members were added. During the last ten years there have been frequent additions to the membership, which consists of 187 resident and 44 non-resident members. A church prayer-meeting is held on Third-day and Seventh-day evenings. Weekly collections are taken for the American Sabbath Tract Society. amounting the past year to $111. The present officers are : pastor, Rev. S. S. Powell ; deacons, E. R. Crandall; E. P. Burdick and S. B. Coon, (also J. B. Crandall, non-resident) ; clerk, A. L. Maxson ; chorister, Dr. O. E. Burdick ; organist, Miss M. E. Bowler. The Sabbath school was organ- ized by Rev. James Bailey in 1848 or 1849, though previous to 1848 a Bible- class had been held for a short period. Elder Bailey was the first superin- tendent. The school has at present about 235 members with 11 teachers. The officers for 1894 were: M. E. Bowler, supt .; T. B. Burdick, assist. supt .; Matt Coon, sec .; Edna Hall. assist. sec .; A. J. Crandall, treas .; O. E. Bur- dick, chorister; Alice Prindle, assist. chorister; Nettie Wells, organist; Mar- garet Burdick, assist. organist.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR was organ- ized in November, 1888, with 30 active and 30 associate members. It now has 64 active and 24 associate members. The past year the society has raised $43 for evangelistic and missionary work. A weekly prayer- meeting is held. In May, 1894, a Junior Y. P. S. C. E. was organized with 18 members.

THE SECOND SEVENTH DAY BAPTIST CHURCH of Genesee was organ- ized in 1834, most of the constituent members withdrawing from the first church for that purpose. Elder Henry P. Green was the first pastor, and Wm. Stillman and Rowland Crandall the first deacons. The church services were held alternately at Ceres and East Portville, or Main Settlement, for a few years, after that entirely at Main Settlement. About 1860 it disbanded and was reorganized in 1862 as the Portville Seventh Day Baptist church.

THE THIRD SEVENTH DAY BAPTIST CHURCH, now the West Genesee Seventh Day Baptist church, located on Dodge's creek, was organized with 12 members in 1834. In 1843 it was reorganized with these members, Edwin M. Crandall. John Sanders, Ethan P. and Electa Crandall, Orenzo Coon. Lindon, Cornelia and Narcissa Crandall, Betsey Smith, Hannah Childs, Sally Coon and Jane Reed. Rev. Henry P. Green was the first pastor. Revs. L. D. Ayers, P. S. Crandall, Z. Campbell, C. A. Burdick, J. C. West, G. J. Crandall, S. Burdick, J. L. Huffman, W. B. Gillette, W. H. Ernst, G. P. Kenyon, E. A. Witter and J. G. Burdick have served as pastors. The dea- cons have been Ethan P. Crandall, Arza Coon, James C. Brown, David E. Yapp, Charles Wilbur, J. Marshall Crandall and James H. Crandall. Church services were held in the schoolhouse until 1859, when the church was built at a cost of $1,600, and was dedicated in the fall of 1859, Rev. D. E. Maxson preaching the dedication sermon. The present membership is 15 resident and 10 non-resident members. D. E. Yapp and J. H. Crandall are deacons

888

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

and J. H. Crandall is clerk. The Sabbath-school was organized January 1, 1867, with Rev. G. J. Crandall as superintendent. It now has 16 members with one teacher. The officers are Mrs. A. K. Crandall superintendent, Mrs. H. E. Yapp assistant superintendent, Elsie Crandall secretary, Bertha Lentz treasurer. A. K. Crandall chorister.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 122

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