A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 82

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 82

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).

619

BURNS.

Roswell W. Carter, Thompson Bell, Susan Bell, John Coray, Cynthia Coray, Luin P. Kennedy, Mary Ann Kennedy, Gregory Fairbanks, William Webb, Sr., Sally Cooper, Catharine Abbott, Jemima Casterline, Amanda Caster- line, Harriet N. Casterline, Julia Ann Casterline. Chauncey Casterline, Charles G. Casterline, Walter Cooper, John Van Antwerp, James Van Ant- werp, Dexter C. Payne, Edwin E. Payne, Lucy Ann Carter, Sarah Jane Wood, Roxey Wentworth, Adaline Kennedy, Emerany Howes, Isaiah Bacon, Jr., Augustine E. Tilden, Mills E. Carter, Mehitable Carter, Eliza Coray, Mary M. Coray, David J. Wood.

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES .- Scattered over the town at an early date were the primitive log schoolhouses, where, in summer, only the very young pupils were in attendance, but where in winter the boys and girls of larger growth also gathered. Spelling schools and writing schools were numerous and singing schools were occasionally held in winter. With the increase of population came the frame schoolhouses and in large rnumber. The salary paid to teachers also increased proportionately. During the first few decades of the century it was not uncommon for a lady teacher to accept 75 cents per week, with board at the different houses in the district, as the sal- ary for a summer's work. About 1865 the old schoolhouse in Canaseraga was sold to the highest bidder, S. N. Bennett, and a pretentious brick school building was erected at a cost of $7,000. The site for the new building ac- companied by $1,000, was a gift to the district from Hon. William M. White. In 1878 the school became a Union School and was soon afterward placed under the visitation of the Regents. A steam-heating system, an extensive library, and ample philosophical apparatus are also acquisitions. The 1895 Board of Education consists of James Craig, W. H. Barnum, James Campbell, William C. Windsor and W. I. Miller.

BURNS VILLAGE .- Although now containing only a few houses this was formerly the business center of the town. Its principal hotel was built by S. De Witt Brown in 1826, in honor of whom the settlement was named De- Wittsville. The name was changed to correspond with the name of the town about 1848. Colonel Ira Davenport, well known in Western New York business enterprises half a century ago, had a branch store here. An im- portant structure in the place was the Presbyterian church. In construct- ing the Erie railway through the town this village was left from its line at a distance of nearly a mile. As in many another similar instance, the village diminished in size while the station grew in importance as a shipping point and at one time more cars of wool, grain and potatoes were shipped from here than from almost any station along the Buffalo division of the Erie.

BURNS STATION .- Has at present two stores, a hotel and perhaps 20 dwellings. Philander S. Jones the postmaster, has held that office continu- ously for 40 years. The Burns Station Methodist Episcopal church located here, was organized in 1859. The church edifice was erected 1871. It has a seating capacity for about 200 persons.

620

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

GARWOODS, a station on the Erie railroad and on the C. N. Y. & W. railway, is a hamlet of a dozen dwellings, postoffice (Whitney's Crossing), two stores and a planing mill. It is situated in the northeastern part of the town. For many years it has been an important shipping point of stove wood, many car loads of this commodity being loaded here each month.

The Gas Springs M. E. Church, situated in the southwest part of the town, was organized in 1846. The church edifice was erected in 1861. A Sabbath school in connection with the church unmbers about 80 attendants.

Veterans of the War .- The town of Burns contributed its quota of men in the Union Army during the War of the Rebellion. The following were members of 130th N. Y. V. or 1st N. Y. Dragoons: Joseph N. Flint, now of California, Edward T. Gilbert, John K. Barager died at Old Church, Va., Rufus Adams, Willis H. Barnum now resides in the town, James C. Cook, died at Suffolk, Va., David Davison, died 1893, Josiah H. Flint, died at An- dersonville, Norman S. Fay, now (1895) supervisor of Burns, Nathaniel Marr, died of injuries, 1865, Orville S. Tilden, still resides in the town, Hiram J. Woodard, died at Andersonville, Ga., Lorenzo Robbins, Hulcy Phelps and Wilson Jones, all reside in the town, James Prendergast resides in Canaseraga. The members of the 136th N. Y. at present residents of the town are: W. H. Harris, Geo. R. Dolloph, A. H. Boylan, C. C. Chappell, Hiram Allen, Joseph Rolls, Daniel Blank, N. V. Mundy, Isaac Witherell. Abel Gates and Asa Helm served in the 188th N. Y., Byron Bennett in the 187th N. Y., Wm. M. Sparks served with Battery L, 1st Light Art., Wm. Mabie served in the 24th N. Y. Other veterans belonging to various com- mands were Wm. B. Battin, A. S. Humphrey, C. Mehlenbacher, John D. Beecher, A. M. Hess, D. C. Wolverton, James F. Shattuck, Zenas Baily.

"The big elm " is the name given to a noble tree standing at the side of Main street bridge in the village of Canaseraga. Although its trunk is 17 feet in circumference it is as shapely and as beautiful as it is majestic in its proportions. Besides being the pride of the town this ancient land mark counts its admirers by the thousand among those who have visited the locality.

In the early part of this century, a mile or two east of Canaseraga a well was dug for water which was remarkable for its great depth. It was stoned up in the usual way and some years afterward it became some- what famous from the fact that a man tumbled into it and fell to the bottom. How he escaped instant death was one of the marvels of the time, but he was taken out alive although terribly injured. The well had become unused and to prevent the recurrence of a similar accident a huge boulder weigh- ing several tons was placed at the top over the opening. On one side of the boulder there remains to this day a hole where one can cast down a stone of considerable size. Visitors to the well enjoy throwing in stones that they may hear them click against the wall in their rapid descent, the sounds be- coming more and more indistinct and finally inaudible. The depth is so great that the most practiced ear does not detect when the stone has reached the bottom.

621

BURNS.

SUPERVISORS .- 1826, Philip P. Rich; 1827-8, Oliver Carpenter; 1829-34, '38, William Welsh; 1835, Warner Hastings; 1836-7, '47-49, '51, Stephen Mundy; 1839, '40, Andrew Whitney; 1841, William Goodell; 1842 (record missing); 1843-4, '50, '55, '56, Alvah Cruttenden; 1845-6, Charles D. Robin- son; 1852-54, James K. Brace; 1857-8, William B. Brown; 1859-60, W. W. Wood; 1861-2, '76-7, Fay Miller; 1862-3, M. D. Dimmick; 1865-6, Daniel H. Halliday; 1867, Alvin Whitney; 1868-9, Edward Mundy; 1870, David H. Hig- gins; 1871-2, John L. Walker; 1873, '78, Stephen H. Bennett; 1874, Horace A. Avery; 1875. Solomon Denton; 1879. Henry Colegrove; 1880, S. N. Ben- nett; 1881-2, Fay Miller; 1883, T. B. R. Fitch; 1884-5, Wm. C. Windsor; 1886, '87, James Craig; 1888, '89, '90, D. Healy Clark; 1891, '92, '93, A. T. Bacon; 1894, '95, N. S. Fay.

TOWN OFFICERS 1895 .- Supervisor, N. S. Fay; clerk, Adolph Bluestone; justices of the peace, S. D. Coray, C. A. Chappell, Byron Boylan, W. H. Bar- num; assessors, George W. Fay, G. C. Wentworth, Asa Helm; collector, Henry Miller; highway commisioner, A. C. Burnside; overseer of the poor, S. P. Wilcox; constables, Ira Green, John Garwood, Hulcy Phelps, Eugene Meeks, M. G. Mundy; excise commissioners, W. M. Sparks, J. Schneck, H. F. Robbins.

PERSONALS .- Theodore S. Bacon was born Nov. 22, 1815, at Manchester, Vt., when he was 4 years old, his parents moved to Candor, Tioga Co. He married Lucinda Dunning June 13, 1835. They had 9 children. Mr. Bacon conducted a sawmill in Candor for 16 months then purchased a farm on North Almond Hill which he cleared and resided there for 9 years when he bought a farm in Burns, and resided in this town until his death July 19, 1885. His widow still resides in Canaseraga. Mr. Bacon was an active member of the Baptist church. Charles K. Bacon, son of Theodore Bacon, was born in Burns, June 23, 1856. He was educated at the common school and taught 6 terms. He opened a general store at Canaseraga in 1880, in 1885 he went to Grove where he established a store at Swains. In 1886, he was elected justice of the peace and has been continued in that position. He has also held the office of supervisor 4 terms. Mr. Bacon married Libbie, daughter of Stephen Coleman of Almond and had 2 children, Walter S. and Neva, who died May 4, 1893.

Willis H. Barnum was born in Connecticut, April 1, 1843. He came here when 4 years of age. He had the educational advantages of Genesee and Wyoming and Dansville seminaries. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. I, 130th Regt. N. Y. V., and served until 1864 when he was discharged on account of sickness. He is a member of the Seth H. Weed Post. In 1877, he commenced the publication of the Canaseraga Times and continued it for 8 years. He has been secretary of the school board and in 1893 was elected justice of the peace. In 1876, he married Alice V. Dyer, widow of James Dyer, and has 2 children, Carrie L. and D. Burr. Mr. Barnum is now a dealer in building material and a buyer and shipper of farm produce.

Frank H. Bluestone, son of John and Mary Bluestone, was born in Birdsall, Sept. 23, 1866, and soon after removed to Canaseraga. He received his education at the public schools.

Jonathan Bowen, son of David Bowen, was born Jan. 8, 1822, in Wayland, N. Y. His father died when he was but 8 years old and his education was necessarily limited. When 9 years of age he drove 2 yoke of oxen to plow a rough stumpy field and when 14 he " raked and bound " and kept up with a good cradler. He cut cord wood for 25 cts. per cord, averaging 212 cords a day, and his earnings had to go towards the support of the family. July 3, 1843, he married Maryetta Gates, and in 1845 he purchased a farm in West Almond of 97 acres, paying $100 down. He cut the first tree on his farm, built a log house and after a residence there of 24 years he removed to Canaseraga where he has since resided, and built 3 brick stores this year. Mrs. Bowen died Feb. 12, 1882, and Mr. Bowen married for his second wife, Mrs. Eliza M. Schults. He is a member of the M. E. church.

622

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Samuel Boylan was one of the first settlers of Canaseraga. His children were : Harris, John, Isaac, Furman, Samuel, Christopher, Maryette and Fanny. Isaac Boylan, son of Samuel, was born at Canaseraga. He married Ann Howard and had a family of 4 sons and 2 daugh- ters. John, Laura Jane and Edgar are now living. Edgar was born Nov. 17, 1828. He mar- ried first, Hattie Boylan of Wisconsin. They had 3 children. His second wife was Miranda Leonard, who had 4 children. Mr. Boylan has held the office of highway commissioner and superintendent of the poor. Christopher Boylan, born in Burns, married Polly Bennett and had 7 children. He was a farmer and died in 1877 and his wife in 1874. Amariah H. Boylan, youngest son of Christopher Boylan, was born March 18, 1848, in Burns. He enlisted in Co. B, 136th N. Y. V., served until the close of the war and held the position of corporal, and was several years president of the 136th N. Y. Vols. Association, He was commander of Seth H. Weed Post for a year. After the war he went to Chicago and for 10 years was in the employ of the Illinois Central railroad, the subsequent 10 years he was in Peoria and during his resi- dence there was a member of the Peoria board of trade, and was an extensive grain dealer. He married Florence Cummings of Peoria and has one son LeRoy Boylan. He returned from the west in 1884 and now lives upon the old homestead.

William B. Brown, son of James Brown, was born in Hyde Park, Vt., Jan. 22, 1821. In 1834 his father came to Burns and settled on a farm, his wife died in 1837 and James Brown went to Illinois where he died in 1872. In 1845 William B. Brown married Mary J. Miller ; they had 4 children. She died in 1865. His second wife was Carrie A. Jones. In 1856 he was elected justice of the peace and bas held the office 38 years. He has been supervisor, town clerk, and for several years postmaster at Burns. He was deputy sheriff 3 years in Liv- ingston county, and several years in Allegany. He was in merchandising many years, dealt in real estate and has been a large dealer in horses, and sent the first carload of horses for the army to Washington. He was marshal for this congressional district during the war. His surviving children are Frank E., born in Dansville in 1847, and Anna (Mrs. Ward Oatley of Andover). Florence A. (dec.) and Jennie E., who married C. S. Richmond, died in Providence, R. I., left one child, Jennie, who resides with her grandfather.

Chauncey F. Clark was born at Rome, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1805. When he was a young man he came to Dansville and was a druggist's clerk for his uncle Dr. Clark for some time. Then marrying Harriet, daughter of Stephen Mundy, became a pioneer merchant at Boylan's Corners. He was justice of the peace many years, was postmaster and held other offices of trust, and in his latter days was a farmer. He died June 26, 1884. Mrs. Clark survives him and is 83 years old. Three of their five children are living, Charles E., a farmer in Michigan, Anna (Mrs. T. P. Perrin) of Illinois and Cornelia (Mrs. O. P. Taylor) of Wellsvile.

John Coray, a native of Providence, Pa., was born June 5, 1796. He married Cynthia Webb, March 12, 1823, and had 4 daughters and 3 sons. He was a contractor of public works. He settled in South Dansville, N. Y., and died Sept. 7, 1870, his wife died June 2, 1877. The only son living is Stephen D. Coray, who was born June 8, 1829, in South Dansville. In 1835 his father moved to Burns, and here Stephen married Emeline Crane. They had 4 children. Mr. Coray has been elected justice of the peace 3 times, has held the offices of assessor and highway commissioner several terms, and was in mercantile business at Canaseraga for 8 years, and is a manufacturer of lumber, etc.

James Craig, son of James T. and Elisabeth (Carney) Craig, was born March 10, 1840, at Sparta, Livingston Co., N. Y. He moved to Nunda in 1853, and was educated at the common schools. In 1859 he entered the store of W. Whitcomb in the village of Nunda as clerk, acting in this capacity for four years, becoming a partner in 1863 and continuing as such until 1869, when he opened a general store in Canaseraga where he conducts an extensive business. He has been supervisor of the town, was the first president of the village still holding the office, is president of the school board, also a trustee of the Business Men's Association. Mr. Craig is quite an extensive farmer, owns several farms, and is a breeder of Jersey cattle and Hambletonian horses. In 1872 he married Lucy, daughter of Daniel W. Bennett. Their children are Char- lotte C., Harry and Walter. Mr. Craig is a member of Canaseraga Lodge of F. & A. M., and a leading and popular business man.

John A. Daley was born in West Almond in October, 1858. In 1884 he married Hattie Harris and has one child, Nina. He was engaged as clerk for 6 years in a hotel at Canaseraga, George Fox proprietor. In 1891 he opened the Central House which was destroyed by fire March 28, 1895. He then erected Hotel Glenmore at a cost of $10,000, opened it Sept. 2, 1895, and now has one of the finest hotels in Allegany county. He is a member of the board of water commissioners.

Norman S. Fay, son of Riley Fay, was born in Java, N. Y. His father died when he was 5 years old and he came to Burns when but 8 years of age and made his home with Roswell Carter until he was 16, when he commenced work for himself as a farmer. In 1862 he enlisted

623

BURNS.

in Co. I, 130th Regt. N. Y. V., 6 months after he re-enlisted in Battery D, 4th U. S. L. A., and was honorably discharged Aug. 14, 1865. He is a member of Seth H. Weed Post, 296, and was commander 2 years. Mr. Fay has held the office of highway commissioner 4 years, was elected supervisor in 1894, and is a member of Canaseraga Lodge, F. & A. M. He married Mary Way in 1862 and had 4 children : Elizabeth, who died in April, 1894, George, Marion and Myra.

James Garwood, born in Lincolnshire, England, came to America when he was 25 years old and after residing first at Leroy settled at Canandaigua, where he was a successful farmer and dealer in live stock. He married Elizabeth Andrews of Canandaigua, and, in 1865, came to Whitney's Crossing, bought 1,600 acres of land, built two sawmills and a heading mill, and had as a partner Nelson Bailey, They employed over 100 hands, made annually over 1,000,000 feet of lumber, besides staves and heading, and in compliment to Mr. Garwood the Erie rail- road station was called Garwood's. He was an energetic and active business man, an influential Republican and an Episcopalian. He died April 25, 1875, and his wife survived him until March 17, 1888. They had 5 sons and 2 daughters. William J. Garwood, son of James, was born in Canandaigua in 1859 and received the educational advantages of Geneseo Normal School. In 1888 he was elected sheriff and served 3 years with ability. Mr. Garwood has been a leading farmer and horse breeder. In 1885 he married Ollie A. Hulburt and has 5 children.

Frank S. Miller was born at Mt. Morris, N. Y., April 4, 1858. He was educated at the public schools until he was 14, but his father having died when he was 7 years old, he left school and was employed as a clerk until he was 18, and assisted in the support of the family. He then entered the office of the Mt. Morris Enterprise and learned the printer's trade. In 1881 he went to Canisteo and was foreman of the Times office until 1885, when he purchased the Canaseraga Times, which he has since published. In 1888 he married a daughter of Ira K. Barnum.

Lewis C. Stewart, son of John B. and Nancy (Webb) Stewart, was born June 11, 1843, in Dansville, N. Y. In 1869 his father settled on the farm which Lewis now owns. In 1866 he married Ellen J., daughter of Joseph Starr, who came to Burns in 1828 from Richmond, N. Y. His wife was Lucinda Palmer and they had 4 children. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have one child, Helena E. In 1874 Mr. Stewart engaged in bee culture which pursuit he has since followed with marked success. In 1869 he became a member of the Free Will Baptist church of Burns, but withdrew from that society some years later and now meets with the Presbyterians for religious worship, and is one of the trustees of that church.

Elizur C. Strickland was born in Lenox, Mass. He was educated at the common schools and when a young man he came to this town and engaged in surveying, which business he continued until his death in May, 1892. His, wife, whose maiden name was Mary E. Osborn, and whom he married in 1861, died in March, 1889. Their only son, Jonathan E., who was born March 27, 1862, married Adell Whitney and they have one child, Mary. Mr. Strickland is a farmer and has held the office of highway commissioner.

624

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

ALFRED.

BY SILAS C. BURDICK.

CHAPTER LV.

The history of Alfred covers an even century. Previous to 1795 no white man is known to have lived within its borders. Its high hills with their narrow valleys, which constitute the watershed between the Gene- see and Canisteo rivers, were covered with primitive forest. The Seneca Indians were owners and possessors of the land. By the triumph of the American people in the Revolution all foreign claims of ownership were ex- tinguished, and the power of the Indian Confederacy was broken, but New York and Massachusetts each claimed ownership under conflicting patents. In 1786 New York conceded the lands to Massachusetts but re- tained the sovereignty. In November, 1788, the ownership passed to Messrs. Phelps & Gorham. Robert Morris became owner May 11. 1791, and the same year sold them to Pulteney, Hornby & Colquhoun, of Lon- don, England. By their agents, whose office was at Bath, Steuben county, most of the lands of Alfred were sold to the settlers at from $2 to $4 per acre.

I T WAS IN THE SPRING of 1795 that Nathanael Dike (see page 301), from

Tioga Point, Pa., settled at the foot of Elm Valley on Dike's Creek. Here he built a mill, and here, marked by rude headstones, may still be seen the graves of members of his family, bearing dates 1798, 1801 and 1803. Stephen Cole, from Tioga Point, also settled in 1795 in the same neighbor- hood. His son, Daniel Cole, is said to have been the first white child born in the county. Major Moses Van Campen, Matthew McHenry, Joseph Rath- bun, William Gray and Rev. Andrew Gray from Wyoming county, Pa., set- tled in 1796 in McHenry and Karr valleys. John Cryder settled in 1798 near the state line on Cryder Creek, and during the next few years Samuel and Benjamin Van Campen, Samuel, Joseph and Walter Karr and others from Wyoming Valley settled in Almond. Tarbell Whitney was a settler in Whitney's Valley in 1806, and Silas Stillman in 1807. Although the owners of these lands made strenuous efforts to attract settlers, distrust of titles, the density of the forest, the presence of bears, wolves and panthers, and of roving bands of Indians, greatly retarded settlement until after the war of 1812.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION .- In 1806, in response to a petition of the inhabi- tants, the legislature of New York passed an act creating the county of Alle- gany out of Genesee and Steuben, and constituting the town of Alfred out of the four southern townships of the seventh or western range of town- ships of Steuben county, specifying that the first town meeting be held at the dwelling of Benjamin Van Campen. This meeting was held on the first Tuesday in April, 1808, and the officers elected were: Joseph Karr, super- visor; Joseph A. Rathbun, town clerk; John Potman, Silas Ferry and Wheeler Hinman, assessors; Samuel Karr, collector; Roswell Haskin and Walter Karr, overseers of the poor; Elihu Knight, Benjamin Van Campen and William Gray, commissioners of highways; Miles Oakley, Sr., John McIntosh and James Ayars, constables; Micah Haskin, Charles W. Clark,

625

ALFRED.

Philip Doderer and Miles Oakley, Sr., overseers of highways; Benjamin Van Campen, pound-master; Ardon Cobb, Stephen Major and Phineas Stephens, fence viewers. A bounty of $4 was voted "for every wolf killed."

Alfred as organized contained about 160 square miles, an area 6 miles wide, extending from the state line 27 miles north along the present west line of Steuben county to the present northern boundary of Almond. March 16, 1821, Independence, which included the present Andover and parts of the present Willing and Wellsville was set off, also Almond, which included parts of West Almond and Birdsall. April 2, 1857, the western part of Alfred was made part of Ward. Alfred now covers a space 6 miles long, north and south, by 5 miles wide, about midway in the eastern range of the towns of the county, and contains 19,200 acres. The valuation of its real and personal estate in 1894 was $501,695; state tax, $1,085.98; county tax, $2,244.10; town tax, $1,752.43; ratio, 13.3165 mills; no bonded debt.

SETTLEMENT. - ITS SOURCE. - The original settlers were mainly Seventh-day Baptists. Their first church in this country was organized by members who withdrew from the First Baptist church at Newport, R. I., in 1671. This church was the sixth Baptist church organized in America, and they differed from their mother church only in the observance of the " seventh day," or Saturday, as the Sabbath. During the latter half of the 17th century, and the whole of the 18th, this people established strong settlements in the southwestern part of Rhode Island, chiefly in Westerly and Hopkinton. Out of these by 1800 grew strong settlements and churches in Rensselaer, Jefferson, Madison, Cortland and other counties of this state. From these out-stations and from the original settlements emigration set westward to the "Genesee country." Mostly poor, frugal from necessity, strong, industrious, claiming absolute freedom of religious faith and prac- tice for themselves and all others, and the Bible as the only competent auth- ority in religious matters, they grappled cheerfully and courageously with the problems of their situation. Alfred was settled by them during the first quarter of this 19th century; the overflow passed on to Independence, Friendship, Amity, Genesee, and from thence to the western and southern states.

The earliest settlers followed Indian trails, the chief one leading from Fort Niagara to and down the Canisteo, Chemung and Susquehanna rivers. This passed near the northeastern corner of Alfred and had become well worn by war parties during the Revolution. Settlers from the far east might come by Albany, and the Schoharie and Susquehanna valleys or by Schenectady, Utica, Geneva and Bath. Whatever way they chose the roads were mostly bridgeless and of the most primitive kind, making travel tedious and difficult. From Hornellsville westward for many years the only roads were little more than wood paths marked by "blazed trees."

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 82

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