A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 55

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 55

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The reconnoissance was soon completed and Captain Church set out with Van Campen on a "trip to Niagara Falls." They arrived at New Amsterdam, now Buffalo, after a toilsome tramp of three days, almost famished, with tattered garments, and nearly shoeless feet. They visited the Falls, returned to Buffalo, and resumed their journey by the "white man's trail," a road opened to Batavia, shoeless and moneyless, but with renewed physical powers and full of youthful vigor, for Bath about 100 miles distant Mr. Ellicott had just got his land-office built at Batavia. At Gan- son's (LeRoy) there was a militia training, the first one ever had west of the Genesee. One of the officers supplied Mr. Church with money and they resumed their journey, making a brief halt at Geneseo to visit Mr. Wads- worth, with whom Mr. Church had become acquainted in New York.

Captain Church soon returned to New York from Bath and set earnestly at work in making preparations from the settlement of his lands. In 1802 he

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sent Evart Van Wickle to select the site for the village, which was named Angelica. A large map was constructed showing a good part of New York and Pennsylvania, and the proper location of this tract, with state roads and turnpikes, existing and in prospect, and, in the margin, a map of the tract on a larger scale, and an announcement as to sales, conditions of payment, etc. A brief extract from the advertisement is here introduced, "This tract * * * is situated twenty-two miles south of Williamsburgh, 100 east of Presque Isle. eight north of the Pennsylvania line, and sixteen west of the navigable waters of the Susquehannah." The terms and conditions upon which he proposed to sell these lands are given in full in Beer's " His- tory of Allegany County," and in the sketch of Judge Church appended to the "Life of Van Campen" by the writer. The curious are referred to those volumes for details.

In 1802 Captain Church again visited the tract, and selected the lands for his farm and the site of his future residence on the banks of the beauti- ful Genesee at Belvidere. In making this selection he exercised sound judgment and a high order of taste. The 2,000 acres which he set apart is the finest land in the whole tract, and the situation of the house is incom- parably the finest in the county. In 1803 and 4 he built his temporary resi- dence, called the "White House " by early explorers, from its being the only painted structure in Western New York. The building is still standing in a fair state of preservation. During this year Captain Church received a severe shock by the intelligence of the duel between his uncle General Alex- ander Hamilton and Col. Aaron Burr. He immediately started for New York, and on his arrival found that the remains had been taken to his father's house and from thence to their last resting place in Trinity churchyard. John B. Church was appointed one of Hamilton's executors. Two letters from William Stewart to Captain Church, the first announcing the meeting and probable fatal effect on Gen. Hamilton, the second, penned the following day, communicating the particulars of the " affair " and his death, are preserved by Major Richard Church. They are directed to "Philip Church Esq., Angelica near Bath."

Colonel Burr had in the summer of 1799 fought a duel with John B. Church on the same ground where Hamilton fell. At a dinner given by Chancellor Livingston. Mr. Church remarked that he had heard that the Holland Land Company had cancelled a bond for $20,000 against Burr for services rendered in the legislature. This reaching the ears of Colonel Burr, he demanded an apology. Mr. Church declined this, further than to say that perhaps he had been indiscreet in repeating the accusation without fuller authority. This was not accepted. A challenge was sent, accepted, and they met, exchanging shots without effect, the ball from Mr. Church's pistol striking a button from Colonel Burr's coat and passing through his vest. Colonel Burr then received the explanation which Mr. Church had previously made, with the remark that "an explanation might be received as satisfactory after shots had been exchanged that would not have been

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admissable before." The pistols used in this duel were the same used by Philip Hamilton and Echard, and by General Hamilton and Colonel Burr, and are now in the possession of Major Richard Church. They are of London make, the barrels about twelve inches long, hair-trigger with flint set- locks, the vents bushed with gold, of fine workmanship, and kept in a fine wooden case lined with soft green flannel. The lock of one has been changed to a percussion lock and it has been used in shooting squirrels, a thing much to be regretted. John B. Church brought them from London. From him they descended to Philip Church, and to Major Richard Church.

February 4, 1805, Captain Church married Anna Matilda, eldest daughter of Gen. Walter Stewart of Philadelphia, and the next June the youthful pair came to their home in the wilderness. The "white house" was ready for their reception, and they reached it by riding from Bath to Belvidere forty- four miles on horseback, most of the way following a bridle path cut through the woods. General Stewart was an intimate friend of General Washington and when in Philadelphia he frequently was entertained by General Stewart. A desk at which Washington was in the habit of writing while there is owned by Major Church. Another valued treasure is a miniature of Wash- ington accompanied by this note in Washington's hand writing:

Wednesday, 16th March, 1796.

Not for the representation or the value, but because it is the production of a fair lady, the President ;takes the liberty of presenting the enclosed, with his best regards, to Mrs. Stewart praying her acceptance of it.

Captain Church lived in the "white house " until 1810, when the stone mansion still standing on the banks of the Genesee was completed. In this they spent the remainder of their lives. The stones used in this edifice were quarried from the bank of VanCampen creek just where the railroad bridge at Belvidere now is.

On the 8th of June, 1807, Captain Church was appointed by Gov. Morgan Lewis, "First Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Allegany County." This office he retained until 1821, and it was the only one he ever held.

Judge Church visited England in 1811. In company with Mr. Russell, the American minister, he went to Norfolk, and at Yarmouth was tendered a public dinner by old friends of his father. He visited Mr. Coke, afterward the Earl of Leicester, at Holkom Hall, where he met with four or five hundred of the landed gentry. By invitation of the Duke of Bedford, father of Lord John Russell, he visited Woburn Abbey, the duke's mansion, at the time of the duke's annual " sheepshearing " and cattleshow. Sir Philip Francis, the reputed author of the letters of "Junius," sent him a letter of invitation to visit him at Tanbridge Wells.

During the absence of her husband, Mrs. Church attended one of the annual festivals of the Indians at Caneadea, contributing to its feast out of her stores, and enjoyed very much their rude sports and pagan rites and dances. They received her very kindly and were much pleased with her visit, which was evinced by their giving her a name, " Ye-nen-ke-a-wa," "the

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first white woman that has come." In gratitude for her kindness a party of Caneadea Indians, upon the breaking out of hostilities in 1812, went to Belvidere and offered to place a guard around her house to protect her from the British Indians, but she thanked them kindly, and declined their prof- ferred gallantry.

While in England Judge Church studied carefully the most approved methods of husbandry, yet it is questionable whether these studies contrib- uted very much to his success as a farmer. The country is, however, placed under a lasting debt of gratitude to him for the introduction of a very superi- or stock of cattle and sheep. The difficulties encountered in doing this into an isolated frontier settlement, are forcibly portrayed by the expedient re- sorted to in transporting a Merino buck. A wagon maker was engaged to make an ingenious arrangement whereby a crate was suspended beneath the Judge's " gig," which was of the style peculiar to those days, with extremely large wheels, and the buck was carried thus suspended from Albany to Bel- videre. This buck was purchased for $80 of Chancellor Livingston who im- ported it from Spain. In 1805 Judge Church purchased and drove to Bel- videre 24 sheep. Arriving late in the evening they were folded close by the house. In the morning 19 of the number were lying dead. The wolves had tracked them and made the havoc. Such were some of the hardships and discouragements attending the introduction of sheep into Allegany.

A distinguishing characteristic of General Schuyler's descendants is the more or less strongly marked Schuyler family resemblance. This appeared in some of the Judge's family. In 1824 LaFayette visited this country, and his progress was marked by a continuous series of ovations. His visit to Rochester was no exception. Judge Church and some of his family were there, and when a daughter was presented, before her name could be spoken, LaFayette exclaimed, "There comes a Schuyler " or "There is Schuyler blood in her veins," or words to that effect. In a letter to Judge Church, dated at LaGrange in 1826, LaFayette thus alludes to this incident:

Happy am I in the opportunity to remind you of the old friend of your parents, to present my respects to Mrs. Church, doubly dear to my most precious recollections, and to your amiable daughter, whom a friendly image engraved on my heart made me recognize before she was named to me. Your affectionate friend, LA FAYETTE.

One great advantage derived from Judge Church's visit to England, and which proved to be one of the initial forces which started the wheels of progress and development in Western New York, is found in the light ob- tained and the impulse given to his mind by the study of internal improve- ments, especially that of the railway system, just then begining to attract attention. If not the first to conceive the idea he was certainly among the very first to espouse the project of the construction of the Genesee Valley canal, and he exerted no slight influence in hastening its completion. It was however his freely expressed opinion at the time that a railroad would better

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subserve the purpose to be accomplished. In this preference he was over- ruled, but the wisdom of his opinion is now clearly established. But the great work to which, for a number of years, over and above all other things he devoted his time and applied his energies, was the New York & Erie railroad. He left letters, notices, petitions, memorials, papers and memo- randa proving that he was one of the chief and earliest of the originators and advocates of that immense undertaking.

Judge Church had a vigorous constitution, which he retained in a re- markable degree to more than forescore years. He was accustomed to athletic sports, excelled in fleetness, and has been known to outrun some of the swiftest of the Indians. He was passionately fond of and an expert in cricket, and in advanced years frequently engaged in the game. He was a good marksman. Major Church relates a trial of his skill with the rifle with Major Van Campen. It was at a " general training," when a man. fastening a little piece of white paper on a tree with a pin, paced off a reasonable dis- tance, and turning, took deliberate aim and fired, driving the pin into the tree, the paper still adhering. Handing the gun to the other, he requested him to beat it, which was of course impossible. The gun however was taken, loaded and fired, when, upon examination, no new ball hole could be discov- ered. It was claimed by some that Church did not hit the tree. The con- troversy was settled by chopping into the tree, when it was found that both balls had entered the same hole.

The Villa Belvidere was for years the seat of the kindest hospitality where many distinguished men were entertained. From its stately south- ern porch the beautiful valley of the Genesee could be seen for a long dis- tace. Only a few rods away the river bank was gently laved by its waters as they passed on their " winding way to the sea," to the southwest reclined the pleasant valley of Van Campen Creek, reposing in the receding distance, while the grand old hills on either side of creek and river presented a beau- tiful background, their summits crowned as they were with much of the primitive forest made a beautiful and attractive picture. The eastern part of this mansion was a land-office, equipped with desks, drafting tables and other proper furniture, and has been preserved intact as when first opened in 1810. It was the writer's privilege to meet Major Church in this old office one day in the winter of 1891-2. As of yore a cheerful fire blazed upon the old hearth, Over the mantle hung the portrait of the Judge, by the celebrated artist Fagnani, and those historic duelling pistols. The walls were hung with pictures, some illustrating English sports and pastimes, others fine sheep and blooded cattle. The shelves were loaded with vene- rable law books, ancient books of surveys and records of land sales. There were also letters from Washington, LaFayette, General Green, the English statesman Fox and Sir Philip Francis, with official papers bearing the sig- nature of Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, Livingston and others. Here the bronze-faced, horny-handed pioneers were wont to come to get their "arti- cles," see to having their boundaries adjusted, make their payments, etc.

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At the close of 1859 the judge practically relinquished business, and devoted much time to reading. In the summer of 1860 he was enfeebled in health and was confined to the house during the fall and winter. His last illness was brief, continuing only from Monday to Thursday. On Saturday a public meeting of the citizens of Angelica was held, and resolutions of re- spect. esteem and sorrow for his loss were adopted. On Sunday the 10th of January, 1861, his funeral was largely attended at St. Paul's church, An- gelica. The public journals made honorable and becoming mention of his death and recounted his public services.

Mrs. Church was as near the ideal mother as was possible. Her kind- ness to the poor was such as to excite comment, and her benevolent deeds are remembered with pleasure by elderly. long-resident people of the neigh- borhood. Her benefactions were many and were judiciously bestowed.

The children of this estimable couple were, Angelica (Mrs. John War- ren) who died in March, 1895, in New York City, John Barker, who died in 1875, Sophia Harrison (Mrs. N. P. Hoosack), who died in 1891, Walter Stew- art, died in 1890, Philip, died in 1874, Mary, died in 1822, Elizabeth (Mrs. Rev. Robert Horwood), now living near London, England, Richard, now holding office in the U. S. Custom House, New York City, William Henry, died in 1860.

MAJOR MOSES VAN CAMPEN.

No other name is so intimately connected with pioneer times and events in Allegany as that of Moses Van Campen. He was the son of Cornelius Van Campen, a respectable farmer, and was born in Hunterdon county, N. J., Jan. 21, 1757. With the exception of Samuel, who settled in Amity, and Benjamin in Almond, little is known of his brothers and sisters. About 1758 the Van Campens removed to Northampton Co., Pa., and in 1773 to Northumberland Co. Moses became an expert with the rifle, and in 1775 had his first experience in war in an expedition against those New Eng- land people who claimed ownership of part of the valley of Wyoming through the Connecticut grant. When the war with England became probable, the young men of Van Campen's age on the north branch chose him as their captain, and met once a week for drill. Becoming an ensign in a militia company in 1776, he desired to join Washington's army, but in view of his familiarity with the Indian mode of warfare, and the fact that brave and skillful men were needed to defend the frontier settlements, as well as to fight against the British soldiers, he decided to remain at home. The settlements on the frontier of New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, were exposed to incursions of the Indians, and hostilities were general in 1778. Van Campen then a lieutenant, built Wheeler's fort, and one further down the river, which protected the home of a Mrs. McClure, whose daughter Margaret he subsequently married. In May, 1778, the fort was attacked by the Indians, and Van Campen defended it in gallant style. The next month he killed the leader of a band of predatory Indians. This Indian was

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the first of many who subsequently fell by his hands. Once a party of tories appearing, Van Campen with five men was ordered to capture them. The tories saw them coming, and taking refuge in a house, barred the door and refused to surrender. He directed his men, all of them strong resolute fellows, to make a battering ram of a heavy oak rail, and break down the door. "Then boys," said he, "as soon as there is an opening large enough to admit my body I will enter. Now, my lads, let her drive." The door was soon in pieces, and Van Campen dashed in among them. The first thing that met him was the muzzle of one of their guns pointing directly in his face. Striking it aside it went off, the ball passing close to his ear, while the powder exploding in his face made it black and bloody on one side, burning off the hair about the right ear and temple, peppering his face to such an extent that many of the grains could be seen to the day of his death. He clinched the fellow with an energy he could not ordinarily command, and threw him down. His men quickly followed, and seizing the others bound their hands behind them, and the whole party was marched off to the civil authorities of the county for imprisonment.

When, in 1779, Washington resolved to punish the Iroquois for their attacks on the settlements, Van Campen joined the army, and, while it was forming acted as quartermaster, and, when it was ready to march, he went as a private, sometimes serving as a scout, again as commander of a detach- ment. On one occasion sixteen of his men fell by his side, some of them wounded, but most of them dead. He accompanied the army to the Gene- see, assisted in destroying the villages and corn fields of the Indians, and returned with it to Pennsylvania. Notwithstanding the severe punishment the Indians had received at the hands of Sullivan's army, they were not conquered, only driven back, and, in the spring of 1780, they resumed their attacks on the settlers, and made some of them captives while others were killed. Descending the river, when in the vicinity of Shawnee Flats, the Indians came upon a man named Asa Upson whom they killed, and a boy, Rogers, who was taken prisoner. They next paid a visit to Fishing Creek, where they discovered an uncle of Van Campen, who was at work with his son and Peter Pence. The uncle was killed and the boy and Pence taken prisoners. Marching on up the creek, the party soon came where Van Campen and his father and brother were at work. Creeping cautiously up they burst of a sudden on the unsuspecting company. The father was thrust through with a spear, and as he fell the Indian released his hold, and it stood upright from his transfixed breast. The warrior scalped his victim and cut his throat from ear to ear. The little brother, as he saw this last act, exclaimed, "Father is killed." In an instant the little boy too was killed. The boy was quickly scalped and his body thrown on the fire. An Indian, withdrawing the spear from the body of his father, made a rush at Van Campen, who, perceiving the movement, quickly shrank to one side, and the spear passed through his vest and shirt, making only a slight flesh wound. He was then seized and his hands tied behind him.

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The next morning they took prisoner a man named Pike, resumed their march, and soon came where Bennett and Hammond had killed five of their captors and escaped. Van Campen, like Bennett and Hammond, did not relish the idea of being taken through the Genesee country a captive, and was constantly meditating on plans of escape. It was only after much urg- ing that Pike and Pence were prevailed upon to attack their ten Indian cap- tors. When it came night the prisoners cut and carried a goodly supply of wood so that the Indians might have a large fire, and then they were tied and laid in their places. One of the Indians having occasion to use his knife dropped it near Van Campen's feet, and he immediately turned one foot over it, hiding it from view. Presently they all laid down and were soon asleep. About midnight Van Campen arose. Everything seeming favorable he determined to enter at once upon the work of death. Going to Pence, with the knife they cut each other loose, and then disarmed the In- dians, stacking the guns around a tree near by. Pence prepared to shoot and Pike and Van Campen were to use the tomahawk. Two Indians awoke and were getting up. Pike proved a coward and lay down. It was a criti- cal moment. Van Campen at once planted the hatchet deep into their heads. Pence fired and did good execution, killing four. Van Campen had killed five; the only one left started to bound away, but perceiving that the at- tack was from the prisoners he gave the war-whoop and darted for the guns. Van Campen quickly intercepted him and the contest then was be- tween the two. As the latter raised the hatchet the Indian quickly turned to run. He followed and struck at his head, but missing, hit him in the back of the neck or shoulder. They clinched and a terrific struggle fol- lowed, the Indian finally escaping. Subsequent developments established the fact that this Indian was the renowned warrior, John Mohawk, a Seneca of great distinction who lived at Caneadea. Years after, when Van Campen had come to live at Angelica, he and Mohawk met on several different occa- sions and treated each other with every civility.

In the spring of 1782 Van Campen and some others were made prison- ers by Indians under command of Lieut. Nellis, who organized his raiding bands at Caneadea. The party started for Niagara, where the reward offered by the British for prisoners would be paid. They halted at Canea- dea, and the prisoners were compelled to run the gauntlet to gratify the people of the village. When the signal was given Van Campen bounded off like a deer, while the Indian whippers tried to reach him with their whips. The distance run was about 40 rods, and the council house was the goal. As he was drawing near it he was met by two young squaws, with their whips raised ready to strike. He could hardly expect to pass them without suffering chastisement; but quick as thought, he gave a spring, and raised his feet which hit them in the breast and sent them rapidly in the same direction in which he was running. Ail coming down together, tumbling heels over head, Van Campen found himself between the two, who were kicking and squabbling about in the greatest confusion, yet he did not wait to help the

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ladies up, but sprang upon his feet and made good his race to the infinite delight of the warriors, who flocked about him calling him "Ca-ji-nah! Ca- ji-nah," " Brave man," "Good fellow." Resting a few days at Caneadea the Indians resumed their march for Fort Niagara, where in due time they arrived. Van Campen was adopted into the family of Col. Butler. In a few days a band of Indians came to the fort with the news that Van Campen was the man who had killed Mohawk's band and demanded that he be given up and offering to give 14 other prisoners in exchange for him. Colonel Butler refused to give Van Campen up, and he was sent to Montreal where he was cast into prison. From there he was sent to Quebec and then to New York where he was paroled. Subsequently an exchange was effected and Van Campen re-entered the service. In 1796 he removed to Almond. His services as surveyor were frequently called for, and Capt. Philip Church arranged to give him permanent employment in the sub-division of his tract, and he removed to Angelica. Aug. 12, 1807, he was appointed judge of the court of common pleas, and Nov. 10, 1807, at the first court in the county, he was the leading judge and charged the grand jury. A number of the pioneer grand juries were charged by him. He held the office of judge and justice of the peace continuously until 1821, and from 1814 to 1826 was county treasurer. In 1828 he was deputy county clerk. In 1831 he removed to Dansville. In February, 1845, Major Van Campen was stricken with paraly- sis. In May, 1848, he removed to Almond, the home of his daughter Mrs. George Lockhart. In June, 1849, he removed back to the "old place " where he died October 15th, aged 92 years and 9 months. In the funeral sermon the Rev. Thomas Aitken said: "His Christianity was pure, his views of religion sound and scriptural, and his fidelity and integrity of character were like his well-aimed rifle, true to the mark."

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 55

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