A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 83

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 83

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The first settlers in present Alfred came on foot in 1807, from Berlin, Rensselaer county. These were Clark Crandall, Nathan and Edward Greene. They bought 800 acres of land along the valley near the northeastern part

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of the town. Crandall's land lying below and that of the Greene's above Alfred Station. The Greenes were sons of Edward J. Greene, soldier of the Revolution, born in Charlestown, R. I., 1758. He followed his family later from Brookfield, N. Y., to Alfred, where hedied March 28, 1836. His four sons, Edward, Nathan, Maxson and Isaiah, and his four daughters, Hannah (Fisk-Spicer), Tacy (Hamilton), Susanna (Maxson) and Annis (Livermore), all became heads of prominent families. The home of Edward J. Greene was on the site now covered by the hardware store of Burdick & Greene. Edward Greene was drowned a few years after his settlement while rafting lumber in the Canisteo river at Hornellsville. Edward and Nathan Greene and Amos Jones built the first frame house of the town.

1808. Luke Maxson, Sr., also from Berlin, settled on the south 100 acres of lot 14. He had also been a soldier of the Revolution. His sons, Luke Jr., and George, and his daughters Lydia (Green) and Martha (Saunders-Green), all became heads of families prominent throughout the history of Alfred. Luke Maxson, Jr., succeeded to the homestead, and his marriage with Sus- anna Greene was the first marriage celebrated. The old Maxson home is now owned by the widow of Perry F. Potter on South Main St., Alfred.

Maxson Greene, son of Edward J., came this year from Berlin, and set- tled first on land taken up by his brothers, but soon after came into posses- sion of the farm on lot 14, now occupied by Alfred University and part of the south half of the village of Alfred. His home is now the home of Ira B. Crandall. Maxson Greene was a man of great excellence of character, one of the staunchest and most energetic of the early promoters of our religious and educational institutions. While on a visit in Wisconsin in 1850, Mr. Greene died of cholera July 28th, and his wife July 29th. Hannah, eldest daughter of Edward J. Greene, known as " Aunt Hannah," was one of the most notable women of early days. She became the wife of James Fisk, and her home was one of the first "taverns." Being a professional accou- cheur, she often rode alone on horseback through the woods whenever and wherever duty called her, her lone journeys giving her many thrilling ex- periences with bears and wolves. Her husband was drafted in the war of 1812, and died shortly after his return. She afterwards married Gideon L. Spicer and removed to Friendship. Edward G. Fisk was her son, and Irena, wife of Luke Greene, was her daughter. She died of apoplexy at Alfred in 1848.

Luke Greene, father of Philip S. Greene, Esq., came from Massachu- setts in 1808, and settled on "Sugar Hill." He removed to Illinois in 1838 and died in 1874. Luke Greene's father, Judge Edward Greene, a veteran of the Revolution and of the war of 1812, and who had been the first judge of Madison county, accompanied his other sons, Paris and Jeremy, to Alfred in 1816.

Deacon George Stillman of Berlin took up the land next west of the Fisk farm, and his family became another of our chief families. The heirs of his nephew, Phineas C. Stillman, now own the farm. His sons, George, Jr. and

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David M., early removed to Hebron, Pa. His daughter, Sylvia, became the wife of Elisha Coon. Margaret married Jonathan Palmiter, Esther was the wife of Jared Coon, another daughter married Edward Burdick, another married Gardner Hall, Abby married Silas Stillman, and Lucy, Amasa L. Jones. Rebecca Stillman was the first white child born in the town.

1809. William Saunders from Berlin, N. Y., took up the farm south of Alfred now owned by Hon. B. F. Langworthy. He returned to Berlin and married Martha, daughter of Luke Maxson, Sr. Mr. Saunders was drafted in the war of 1812, served two years, and died three weeks after his return. His widow sold the farm to Jonathan Palmiter, Jr. She later became the second wife of Nathan Greene. Her son, William M. Saunders, one of the very few survivors of the first settlers, is now living at Alfred. Her daughter Susan married Deacon Charles D. Langworthy, and her daughter Lydia was the wife of Deacon George Allen. John Teater from Oneida county took up the farm below Alfred village, now owned by Charles Stillman where one of the earliest " taverns " was kept. His daughter, Nancy Teater, who married Samuel White of Whitesville in 1817, was the town's first school teacher. Charles H. Clark and Peter Murphy were among the ear- liest settlers .*

1813. David Satterlee born 1786, ancestor of the numerous family of that name in Alfred, came from Broad Albin, Conn., purchased 50 acres from Nathan Greene on lot 7, and afterward 50 acres adjoining, where he resided until about 1825, when he removed to Hornellsville where he died in 1877. Elder Amos Satterlee, a brother of David Satterlee, came about the same time, and was one of the earliest resident ministers of the gospel. The site of his home is now occupied by that of Arthur B. Greene on North Main street, Alfred.

1814. James C. Burdick, father of Alexander, Alva, Russell W. and James T., born in Connecticut in 1771, bought 100 acres on lot 25 at $3 per acre. Here he died in 1848. Deacon Amos Burdick, born in Kingston, R. I., in 1790, with his father, Amos Burdick, Sr., settled in "East Valley " on lot 43. Elias Smith, Sr., a native of Haddam, Conn., came with his family from Brookfield, and settled one mile west of Alfred, on 100 acres of lot 21. His son, Elias Smith, Jr., a soldier in the war of 1812, succeeded to the farm, where he died in 1837, aged 48. This farm is now owned by Albert Smith, son of Elias, Jr. Ashbel Smith, son of Elias Smith, Sr., and father of Joseph and Noel B. Smith (still residing in the town) owned the farm next east of his father's. Ashbel Smith was prominent in public affairs, helping to

* The following copy of an authentic, doubtless, but nameless manuscript, showing the early condition of the road which became, soon after the close of the war of 1812, the chief thoroughfare between the East and " Olean Point " and the "Great West": "In 1809 we opened the road from Andover to Baker's Bridge. My father bought a barrel of salt and got Mr. Whitney (must have been Tarbel Whitney), to fetch it to where the Summit now is on the railroad. The road was made on the side hill on account of the big swamp, and it was so sideling that it needed one man to go along with a handspike through a ring in the sleigh to keep it from turning over. We had no team and father being unable to get one, he and my two oldest brothers drew the barrel of salt home on a handsled. It was pretty tough work as the stumps and roots were all in the road."

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open the first road between Alfred and the Genesee river at Scio. He died aged 84. Isaac Burdick born in Rhode Island in 1763, took up 400 acres in the northeast corner where he built one of the earliest sawmills. He died in 1841 aged 78. His sons, Isaac, Palmer and Nathan, succeeded him in the ownership of the land. Abel Burdick from Brookfield, settled on the hill in the northern part of the town, and, like most of his race, lived to a ripe old age. His success in the manufacture of large quantities of maple sugar, with the most primitive conveniences, was the source of the name "Sugar Hill." According to Rev. Hiram P. Burdick, Abel, who did not weigh 100 pounds, with his three sons not yet grown, in one year made 2,900 pounds of sugar, catching the sap in troughs made with axes from cherry and bass- wood trees. They gathered it with neckyoke and buckets, stored it in larger troughs dug out from sections of logs and " boiled it down " in five-pail kettles.

Richard Hull, a maker of spinning wheels, etc., came from Berlin, and settled in the eastern part. Four of his five sons and one daughter became well-known ministers of the gospel; his son Nathan V. serving the First Seventh Day Baptist church of Alfred for more than 35 continuous years.

Stephen Coon, Sr., came from Berlin, and settled his family on the farm now owned by Thomas Ellis. Returning to Berlin he died there. His sons were Stephen, Jr., Charles, George and Olive. About the same time time Elisha Coon also from Berlin, settled on the farm owned later by George Sherman. The sons were Asa, George, Lorenzo, Elisha, Stephen, Daniel and Orson. The daughters were Ann Janette (Main) and Roxy, who became the second wife of David Rose. The school district here was known as " Coontown," and its schoolhouse was long used for religious and business meetings of the town. Stephen Coon built a mill near the Withey spring north of the " marsh." Jesse Whitford came from Brookfield, settled on lot 35 where he died.

Asa Burdick, born in Rensselaer county in 1786, settled on the hill two miles west of Alfred on 100 acres of land where he reared a large family. His son, Asa C. still resides in Alfred. Asa Burdick removed to Wisconsin in 1852, and died in 1864.

1815. Rodman Place, a tailor and a soldier of 1812, born in Rhode Isl- and in 1784, came from Rensselaer county and took up 75 acres on lot 22. He afterwards purchased other parcels aggregating 400 acres. He was the ancestor of the numerous families of that name now in the town.

1816. Freeborn Hamilton of Brookfield, N. Y., another soldier of the war of 1812, married Tacy, daughter of Edward J. Greene and settled on the farm now owned by his son Deacon Freeborn Hamilton. He died in 1869. This was the origin of the Hamilton family of Alfred. Nathan and Jonathan Lanphear, brothers, came from Berlin, N. Y., and settled in Lan- phear Valley. Nathan Lanphear, was especially distinguished as a man of high character and lovable disposition. He was a most useful man in civil and religious affairs, and lived to advanced age. His son Mortimer

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now owns the homestead. Seeley Monroe was a settler in the western part as was George Greene who came from Brookfield and bought the farm now owned by Samuel N. Stillman. Elias P. Burdick, born in 1786 in Rhode Island, settled on lot 21, two miles west of Alfred. He soon removed to Alfred Station engaging with his brother-in-law, Clark Crandall, in the man- ufacture of pails. After the burning of their factory he conducted the jew- elry business at that place until his death in 1867, when he was succeeded by his son John C. Burdick.

This year was " the year without a summer." Its winter was unusually mild, but snow fell and ice formed during every month, and vegetation was mainly destroyed. Great privation and suffering everywhere prevailed. Jabish Odell, Martin Emerson, Russell Davis and Amos Burdick came this year from Brookfield, N. Y. Odell settled on "Sugar Hill," Davis (died in 1818) and Emerson in the eastern part of town. Amos Burdick came on foot, worked some months for Judge Clark Crandall, then took up 100 acres on lot 19, two miles west of Alfred, where he built a small frame house. He returned to Brookfield, married Anstis, daughter of John Clark, and came back in the spring of 1818. In 1839 he sold this farm to Isaac Fenner and removed to the Fisk farm at the village of Alfred, where he died in 1881, aged 85. He kept a public house 13 years and engaged in trade in 1862, in which he continued until his death. His sons, Milo, William C. and Silas C. have been among the business men of the town. Clark Potter, Enos P. Burdick, Moses Kemp, Seth Beebe, Sr., Jesse Saunders, Welcome and Nelson Burdick, Charles Coon, Solomon Head, David Sweet, Ambrose Coats, Barber Cheesebrough, Thomas Benjamin, Jabez Cartwright, Oliver Bloomer, Henry Young, Silas Benjamin, John Hill, Green Burdick, Oliver White, Orrin Turner, Levi and Nelson Sweet, Arad Wheeler and Luke Davis were among the settlers in the southeastern quarter of the town. Davis was a soldier of the war of 1812; hewent west to locate a land warrant and was never heard from. Isaac Humphrey was an early settler two miles west of Alfred. George Allen from Marcellus, Onondaga county, settled in the northwest- ern corner of the town. Mrs. Alonzo Sisson is his daughter.

1817. John Allen (grandfather of Pres. Jonathan Allen) brought his family with an ox team from Rhode Island and located on lot 11, where he took up 200 acres and built a log house the same year. His children were James, Abram, John, George W. and Catharine. All except Abram, who removed to Wisconsin, passed their days in Alfred. Benjamin Green, a soldier of the war of 1812, born in Berlin, N. Y., in 1783, came from Yates county to "Jackson Hill" where he died in 1864. Ray Green, born in Rhode Island in 1798, settled first, two miles west of Alfred village. His wife was Lucy, daughter of Elias Smith, Sr. Joseph Davis bought 50 acres of Arad Wheeler on lot 18, where he died in 1864. Stephen, Benjamin, and Arnold Collins, natives of Rhode Island, settled in the southwestern part of town. Samuel Thacher, a native of Vermont, came from Hornellsville, married Ruth, widow of Edward Green and sister of Freeborn Hamilton.

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Their home was west of Alfred Station, on land owned by Noel B. Smith. Mr. Thacher was a substantial and much respected citizen.

1818. Davis Lee, born in Rensselaer county in 1797, took up 200 acres on the " marsh" (Tip Top Summit), where his son Francis M. Lee now re- sides. Joseph and John Lee also settled in this neighborhood. William Crandall, father of Russell, born in Rensselaer county in 1799, when a lad

was a waiter in the army. He settled on lot 44 and died in 1877. Amos Crandall from Rhode Island purchased 50 acres, built a log house and made some improvements and went back. The next spring he and Samuel Lan. phear, his brother-in-law, brought their families with all their goods in a wagon, drawn by a yoke of oxen and one horse. A little later, Mr. Crandall sold out, and bought a farm near Five Corners. "Deacon " Crandall, as he was called, taught school four winters at $10 per month, boarding himself and taking his pay in produce or labor. He was one of the earliest teachers of singing schools in the town, and established the first Sabbath school. The one he organized in his school district has had existence until the present, nearly 75 years. It is possible that Jonathan Allen received much of his earliest inspiration from this good teacher, who, living to great age, was a kind, helpful friend to all to the end of his life. Nathan Williams was an early settler at Alfred Station. He was a stone mason, for many years a justice of the peace, and prominent in church and town. Samuel Lanphear, a tailor, settled on the north side of " Sugar Hill." Some years afterward he built a gristmill a half mile below Alfred Station which he operated suc- cessfully. His brother Acors followed him to Alfred. This year David Stillman, a saddler and harness maker, came from Berlin and bought the John Teater farm below Alfred village now owned by his grandson, Charles Stillman. David Rose, a brother-in-law of Mr. Stillman, came with him. Spencer Sweet, another brother-in-law, settled on the farm now owned by James Champlin where he reared a large family. All were prominent in the community.

1819. Joseph Clair settled in the northern part of the town. Peter Rose, a soldier of 1812, father of Thomas Rose, took up 90 acres on " Sugar Hill." Twenty years later he moved west and died in 1877. Weeden Witter settled this year on "Sugar Hill." In 1820, Benjamin Maxson settled in the southern part of the town.

1822. Bradford Champlin, born in Rhode Island in 1799, took up 100 acres and lived to old age in town. His son, Green Champlin, is still a resi- dent. Joshua Vincent from Rhode Island settled in the valley below Alfred Station and engaged with Judge Crandall in the manufacture of pails and worked at cabinet making. He later built a sawmill a halfmile south of Alfred Station. He died at Farina, Ill., in 1873. His son, Daniel C. Vincent, resided in town until his death. He was prominent in public affairs and a justice. His son, Paul M. Vincent, was a school teacher and surveyor; he also moved west. Caleb Warren came from Rensselaer Co., in 1822 and located on lot 30. Elijah Woolworth, from Lewis county, and later from

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Brookfield, settled at the head of Vandermark Creek, and Elijah Lewis from Brookfield. a cooper, settled on the east side of " Pine Hill."

1823. Abner Allen from Onondaga Co., settled at the head of McHenry Valley, as did Col. Nathan Potter who bought 400 acres at Five Corners where he died two years later. Colonel Potter came from Potter Hill, R. I., where he had been a ship builder and manufacturer. His sons, David, Nathan and Elisha were machinists. David built a foundry at Five Corners and later removed to Almond where he built a foundry and sawmill, Nathan built a wool carding machine at Alfred Station and Elisha for many years carried on successful woolcarding and cloth manufacturing and dressing in Whit- ney's Valley just north of the town line. Later he built a steam sawmill at Alfred. Albert and Ezra, the other sons of Colonel Potter, were successful farmers. His daughter Cynthia married Deacon Amos Crandall. Hannah married Samuel Lanphear, Susan married Daniel Langworthy, Milly mar- ried Isaac Fenner.

1824. Isaac Fenner, from Herkimer Co., settled this year in the west part of town. Ebenezer Allen from Onondaga Co., settled in the northwest- ern part. Luke Green, from Rensselaer Co., located at the "Center " first as a blacksmith, afterwards as a tanner and currier. In 1836 he engaged in merchandising which he conducted during his lifetime. George and Asa Sisson, brothers, and Thomas Merritt, a brother-in-law, settled north of, and Hosea Barber at Five Corners. All from Rhode Island. Barber was a tanner, and currier and shoemaker. Christopher Crandall, Rowland P. and Samuel Thomas took up farms on "Sugar Hill." Daniel, Nathan and Sam- uel Pierce, settled west of Five Corners.

1825. Maxson Stillman, Sr., brother of George Stillman, Sr., came in 1825 from Rensselaer Co., with his sons Maxson, Jr., Silas and Phineas C. This was a family of wheelwrights and artisans. Many of the mills and private and public buildings of Alfred and surrounding towns were built by them. Of the daughters of this family Susan was the wife of William Lang- worthy, Martha the wife of James Langworthy, Lydia first wife of Clark Rogers and Emma, wife of Albert Langworthy, and second wife of Clark Rogers. Maxson Stillman, Jr., born in 1799, is now the oldest resident of the town. Always prominent as a citizen, he has served on the board of trustees of Alfred Academy and University for more than half a century. Joseph Ed- wards, Sr., Chas. D. Langworthy and Jeremiah Burdick came in 1825. Ed- wards located on 100 acres a mile west of Five Corners. His son, Joseph Ed- wards, Jr., now lives in town. Langworthy was born in North Stonington, Conn., in 1804. In 1827 he bought 50 acres of Nathan Pierce on lot 4 and later added 250 more. He was a leading citizen and died in 1876. Burdick, a native of Rhode Island, brought his family with him with a horse team; he settled in Alfred, later lived in Hornellsville, then returned to Alfred. He died Oct. 1. 1878, aged 92. His sons, Stephen C., William R., and Stillman M., have all been well-known business men. Thomas Benjamin from Brookfield, settled on lot 26 and died in 1837. Alpheus Green came from Connecticut; he was

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

father of Dr. Elisha C. Green. Daniel Cook, from Massachusetts, was father of Washington and John H. Cook. Ezekiel R. Saunders from Westerly, R. I., in 1826 settled on lot 10, died 1878. George Champlin, father of James Champlin, born in Rhode Island in 1802, purchased 75 acres in the western part of town in 1827. William Davis from Madison county in 1828 settled on lot 27.

1829. Thomas T. Burdick, Phineas K. and John R. Shaw came in 1829. Burdick, a native of Rhode Island, took up 50 acres on lot 10, lived there until 1865, then at Alfred village. He died in 1869. His brother Alexander B., from Newport, R. I., settled near him. Their brother Lee, and father, Thompson Burdick, also lived in town. The Shaws were from Rensselaer county and settled in East Valley. Carey Burdick, Rogers Crandall and Barton W. Millard were settlers of this period. All near the center of the town. Paul Witter, from Madison county, settled in East Valley in 1834. John Penny, born in Johnstown, N. Y., Nov. 13, 1802, came from Ithaca, where he manufactured cotton goods, in 1835. He settled a mile west of Alfred village and was a prominent and much respected citizen. He removed in 1850 to Amity and died in 1861. His brother, Cyrenus Penny, was for a time connected with Luke Green in business. Deacon Alfred Lewis from Hopkinton, R. I., was a settler of this period. Jesse Hall and Wesley Kallen settled in the southwestern part of the town.

1836. Rial Wescott settled in East Valley, also Orlando Kaple, who was from Connecticut and a Methodist preacher. During this year came George and Josiah Sherman, brothers, natives of Herkimer county, George, a sol- dier of 1812, bought 150 acres of Luke Green on lot 21. He died in 1869, aged 77. Clark and Frederick Sherman were his sons. Josiah Sherman, father of Albert B. Sherman, bought 200 acres now owned by Samuel N. Stillman. Samuel N. Stillman, son-in-law of George Sherman, at the same time settled on the next farm west. Mr. Stillman is still residing in Alfred.

A number of settlers of Alfred in its original form, outside of its present limits, yet who were a part of the community may be named. Joseph Good- rich settled 1819. He founded the settlement in Milton, Wis., 1839. Beriah Bliven, Rouse Stillman, Gardner and William Tucker, Zepheniah Wilbur Gardner, Lorenzo and Green Worden, George Maxson, Stephen Powell, Henry Sheldon, Thomas Brandt, Nathan Austin .*

The great cyclone of 1838 unroofed many buildings and did much dam- age in the town, but was not so serious here as elsewhere.

REMINISCENCES BY ETHAN LANPHEAR .- My father, Samuel Lanphear, left Rhode Island in 1816, the " cold season," on foot, and traveled west to Rochester ; the " Genesee river coun- try " being a wilderness, he followed up the river to Allegany county, passed the home of Mary Jemison, the "white woman," on his way. He was laid up two months with ague at Geo. Saun- ders' on the side hill southwest of Baker's Bridge." He returned to Rhode Island in 1819, decided not to remain among the rocks of Rhode Island, and he and Amos Crandall, his brother-in-law, with packs on their backs, started on foot for Alfred, where they selected lands on the north side of "Sugar Hill." Having built small log cabins they returned to Rhode Island. Father

* The above statement must needs be incomplete and probably contains errors, but it has been prepared with care from the best sources of information to be reached at this time.

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owned a house at Potter Hill, R. I., which they found burned to the ground and nearly every- thing with it; but not daunted at this he bought a yoke of oxen and a large wagon, covered it with cotton sheets, had his oxen shod, and " breeching " attached to the yoke to favor the oxen in holding the load in going down hill, loaded in the wagon the goods of both families, and all started for Baker's Bridge or Alfred. They were accompanied for miles by friends to bid them farewell as they thought for the last time. They were 15 or 20 days on the road, stopping to rest a few days at Brookfield. They succeeded in getting through safely, camping out by the roadside when no log tavern could be reached. My father was a tailor, and there was not a regular tailor within a radius of forty miles, though Rodman Place did work at it some. It was a great help to " Uncle Sam," as they called father. When the news was spread abroad he was sent for to take his " goose " and shears and come down to Canisteo and help the families clothe up. Arrangements were made for Uncle Amos to look after the families and father was off. When he arrived there he introduced himself to Landlord Stephens, who climbed up on a large stump and hurrahed to his neighbors that there was a tailor in town and all that wanted clothes cut or made to bring their cloth. It was a harvest for father as he remained until he paid for a cow, four sheep, two pigs, a pair of geese, several chickens and several bushels of grain. He returned and found all happy, got a hand to go with him with the ox team, and went for his earnings, stopping at Hornell's mill at Hornellsville to have his grain ground. Father built a log pen for his shotes near the house to wont them, and then let them out to get their own liv- ing on beechnuts through the winter. One night an old bear clambered over the pen and took one in his arms and started for the woods. A lantern was lighted and swung in the darkness and some big halloaing was done until the pig was dropped. The next morning the pig was found back in the pen again. Not long after this neighbors were going through the wood path and the dog that was along treed a bear. Some stayed with the dog and watched the bear, while others went for Luke Green, " Sugar Hill Luke," he being a good hunter, to come with his rifle. It was not long before bruin was a dead bear, and the neighbors around had a treat of bear meat. All were neighbors in those times and none had anything too good for his neigh- bor. Wild game was a great help in those early days. My father cleared up his land quite rapid- ly, as with his shears he could earn two or three days' work with one of his own. Men used to come from Bath and long distances to get him to do their work, and the custom was for people to bring their rolls of cloth and leave them, and when they wanted a garment cut or made, come and leave their measure. I think sometimes he would have a half-cord of rolls under his table.

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 83

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