USA > New York > Livingston County > A history of Livingston County, New York : from its earliest traditions, to its part in the war for our Union : with an account of the Seneca nation of Indians, and biographical sketches of earliest settlers and prominent public men > Part 8
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Near the westerly bank of the Genesee, on the open
* Mr. Daniel Bosley is confident that John Bosley came into the country in 1792 or 1795.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
flat of the Canawaugus reservation, might be seen as late as 1798, the embankment of an old fort which included very nearly two acres. " It corresponded in situation and appearance with many others which I have seen in this part of the country," said Judge Porter, who surveyed the Indian reservations, "and which seemed to bear a high antiquity." This inclos- ure was located not far from the old Indian orchard, across the river in a south-west direction from the village of Avon.
· When Horatio Jones came into the country there was a " Fort" of this description located on the flats near the river and distant about thirty rods north of the residence of the late Colonel William Jones. The highway running eastward to the river and which it strikes opposite Williamsburg, passes a few steps to the south of the inclosure. Before the land was placed under cultivation the embankments were two or three feet high and had every appearance common to this class of earthworks. The lot in which it was situated has been frequently plowed, yet the outline can still be traced and relics of the stronghold may now be gathered thereabouts. The tract of land on which it is situated is still called Fort Farm.
On the farm of Andrew MeCurdy, half a mile west of the village of Dansville, across the Canaseraga creek and a few rods south of the Ossian road, is another work of this character. Its site, a bluff at the foot of which runs the Canaseraga, overlooks the fertile valley to the eastward and is commanded by no neighboring height. To the north of the inclosure a rapid stream takes its way through a gorge about fifty feet in depth, which, after running parallel to the creek for a short distance, bends abruptly to the right, as in the engraving, and enters the Canaseraga. Near the confluence of these streams the enclosure was sit-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
SAW-MIL nated. The sharp acclivities which Creek form the banks, protected it on the DANSVILLE" ·FORTIFICATION north, east and west, while on the south CAMASERAGA - CT. side it was guarded by an earth wall and ditch (from two and a half to three feet deep), that were still quite distinct as late as the year 1859, when the field was plowed for the first time. Under a large oak stump, presenting 214 annual growths, as counted by Professor Brown, which stood in the bot- tom of the ditch near the north-east corner, were found parts of three or four dark earthen jars, which, on analysis, yielded animal oil, indicating their original use to have been that of cooking vessels. Ashes and burnt bones of men and animals indiscriminately mixed. and, in one place, human skeletons entire or nearly so, an earthen pipe, a stone pestle and a deer's horn curiously carved, were found within the inclosure.
Sixty years ago, a circular mound. composed in part of black earth and cinders, about thirty feet in diameter and from four to five feet in height. stood a few rods east of the Havens tavern house, in the highway leading to Groveland The mound was quite entire in 1806. when the family of James Scott came into the country, and excited considerable attention. Its origin was ascribed to the aborigines, and early settlers classed it among the fortified towns. The northerly side of the mound extended to the fence, the track- way making a detour around its southerly side. A score of years later the road was widened and the mound was thus brought near to the centre of the high- way. Thirty or forty feet to the eastward was a deep hole into which, from year to year, portions of the monnd was thrown, as it would be plowed and scraped away, until finally leveled with the surrounding sur- face.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
A mound similar to the last, though not so large, was to be seen half a century ago near the highway leading from Scottsburg to Dansville. Its location was on the hill-side about mid way between the two places, and lay partly on the farm of James Mc Whor- ter. Upon a side-hill field of the farm of the late Henry Driesbach, two miles north of Dansville, was to be seen, in an early day, a succession of holes in two rows parallel to each other and regularly arranged. Their excavation is also naturally referred to the red man, and. with plausibility, to the era of fortified places.
In the wood lot, on Mr. Brimmer's "Sweet Briar" farm, twenty rods to the west of the highway leading from Geneseo to Mt. Morris, and a score of rods south of the road running to the Jones bridge, is a small aboriginal inclosure embracing 2 acres. Its outlines are still quite distinct. It was, most likely, used as a temporary abode by the ancient builders while they were cultivating, from year to year, a favorable spot on the productive flats just below.
Seneca towns separate themselves into five eras. First, was the original home of the tribe, Genunde- wah ; next came the intrenched habitations to which we have just referred. Following these were the four villages destroyed by DeNonville in 1687; succeeding the latter, were the numerous towns established be- tween that date and 1779, all of which, with possibly one or two exceptions, were burned by General Sulli- van; and, lastly, the five or six new villages which grew up on the return of the remnants of the Indians to the Genesee from Niagara, near the close of the Rev- olution. The older towns were confined to the east- erly side of the river, while the later ones were located on the westerly side of that stream, usually at or near a bend in its channel. It must be borne in mind that
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Indian towns had not the definiteness of limit known to modern incorporated villages. They were nowhere marked by metes and bounds. A head man would select a spot which united beauty of location, conven- ience to good water and other advantages, and would there ereet his hut. Any member of his tribe who liked the site was at liberty to build there a cabin, and call the place home. If the chief was popular a town would be the result. Sometimes a solitary hut only would be found, as was the case between Beardstown and Big Tree, where a log-house was standing when the pioneers arrived. It was called O-noh'-sa-de-gah, or "burnt house." To this rude domicil General John A. Granger took his bride, and there resided while his frame house was building .* Some confusion has arisen respecting certain villages, from the custom of the Indians to change from time to time both location and designation. The more ancient towns were loca- ted at a distance from the river or other body of water navigable by canoes, for, until the nation became strong, it would have been unwise thus to expose their families to chance parties of enemies, drifting noiselessly down upon their settlements.
The four villages destroyed by DeNonville were Gan- na-ga-ro, t or St. James, as called by the Jesuit mis- sioneries, located on Boughton hill ; Chi'-nos-hah'-geh, or St. Michael, situated on Mud Creek in East Bloom- field, near the old stage road crossing; To-ti-ak-to, or Conception, in the north-eastern bend of the Honeoye ontlet ; and Gan-nou-na-ta, at the source of the Little Conesus or Gore Brook, in the town of Avon. The latter town is better known by its Seneca name, Dyu- doo-sot, signifying, "at the spring," and is the only
*The framo house is now owned by Anthony M. Wooster, Esq.
+The names are given in the Mohawk dialect.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
one with which these pages have to do. The three others lay in Ontario county.
Dyu-do'o-sot'," was situated on the Douglass farm in Avon, a few rods from the line between the latter town and Lima, and two miles north of Livonia Sta- tion.+ John Blacksmith, the venerable Seneca sachem, whose recollections have usefully served the cause of aboriginal history, hunted in his youth over this sec- tion of country, and thus acquired an intimate knowl- edge of old Indian localities. He described the loca- tion of the town so accurately, that Marshall, while on a visit to Avon Springs a year or two afterwards, drove without difficulty directly to the site, and there found indubitable evidences of former Indian occu- pancy. The spring which had supplied the village, and originated its name, still poured forth a copious stream, and though the plough had nearly leveled the surface, the soil was yet loaded with beads, fragments of pottery, charcoal, and other signs of an extensive settlement of Indians. Hard by was their ancient burial place, still preserved from desecration by its use for the white man's cemetery ; thus mingling in death the dust of two antagonist races that destiny seems to have forbidden to live and flourish together. ;
*Pronounced as though written De-o-dou-sote, literally "at the spring." O. H. Marshall, Esq., in a letter to me respecting this village, refers to the puzzling orthography of Indian proper names when conveyed through dif- ferent languages. The name of Dyu-do o-sot, for instance, is given by DeNonville, as Gannounnata; in the proces verbal of taking possession of the village by the French, it is written Gannoudata; Belmont, in his his- tory, calls it Ounenaba; Greenhalgh, in his journal, (1677,) gives it Keint-ho; La Hontan calls it Danoncaritaoni; and Ackes Cornelius Viele writes it Kaunonada.
+John Caton and John Clary now own the farm.
#I visited the spot in August, 1869. One of the owners of the farm, Mr. Caton, was at the moment, engaged in harvesting barley in the field, con- taining about 20 acres, where the grave-yard was located. He said that stone-haminers, axes and beads, arc from time to time found in ploughing. The grave-yard, a small one, is no longer much used, and is grown up with
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
DeNonville, after destroying the three other ancient towns, lay at Dyu-do o-sot with his army, on the 21st of July, 1687, through the day. He calls it a small village, distant two leagues from To-ti-ak-to, and remarks, that one would hardly credit the quantity of old and new corn found by him in store there, all of which perished by fire," as likewise did a "vast quantity. of hogs." As he entered this village, he found the symbol of British sovereignty, the coat of arms of England, placed there three years before by Governor Dongan, though the arms were ante-dated as of 1683. While DeNonville lay here, a Huron, be- longing to his force, brought in the scalps of a Seneca man and woman, whom he had found in an excursion to the eastward. The Huron, in reporting, speaks of the "multitude of paths by which the enemy had fled." In 1677, Greenhalgh counted the houses in the four
Seneca towns. Dyu-do o-sot was found to contain
twenty-four. t Influenced by a superstition, never a solitary hut was rebuilt, but the Senecas sought now the banks of the Genesee, along which they reared their villages, and for ninety years remained undis- puted masters of the region.
On the western shore of the Genesee nearly opposite
shrubbery. Members of the Chappel and Whaley families, and a few oth- ers, repose there over the dust of the long-forgotten Seneca warrior and councilor.
* On the basis afforded by DeNonville, the corn destroyed at Dyn-do o-sot was not less than a quarter of a million bushels. He says, "we had the curiosity to estimate the whole quantity. green as well as ripe corn, which we have destroyed in the four villages," ":and we found that it would amount to 350,000 minots of green, and 50,000 minots of old corn." He adds " there was no less corn in (Dyu-do o-sot or) Gannonata than at any of the other villages." A minot is a French measure of three bushels, making tho total of corn destroyed by the Expedition, 1,200,000 bushels !" [See note to Marshall's trans. p. 37.
| Greenhalgh says "Keint-lie * * * contains about 24 houses, well fur- nished with: corn." [See Col. Docs. N. Y., Vol. III.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
the sulphur springs at Avon, lay Can-a-wau-gus, " the northernmost of the river towns. Its site was a few rods south of the old toll-bridge, on land now owned by heirs of Simon Mckenzie. Both the great central trail between the Hudson and the Niagara rivers, and the principal pathway leading from the falls at Rochester to the homes of tribesmen on the upper Genesee, passed through it. The population of Canawaugus at the period of its greatest importance, has been esti- mated at one thousand souls. + It was the birth-place of Cornplanter, and of his scarcely less noted half-bro- ther, Handsome Lake, the Peace Prophet. Here, the latter received his revelation, and here often came the wise men of the Senecas to counsel with these and other noted residents. The Indian medicine-man often re- sorted to the healing-waters of the neighboring spring, making his temporary home at this village, which thus acquired consequence in the minds of the natives. Their burial-place, situated a score of rods to the north of the town, has often yielded up its bones to the plow- man, and relics such as stone-hammers, flint arrow heads, iron axes and other aboriginal weapons, have, from time to time been found in the vicinity. "Often," says Colonel Hosmer, "I pay visits to the old Indian orchard, lying two miles away, as the crow flies, in a south-west direction from the old bridge. Two apple- trees have been spared by the axe, and I regret to say that their wind-bowed and mossy trunks will soon share the fate of the race who planted them. The early settlers of Avon discovered peach-trees growing
* Ca-no-wa-gas, also Ga-no-wa-gas, literally-"stinking water;" or, "it has the smell of the scum." I have followed Col. Hosmer's orthography of the name in the text.
+ So says Col. Hosmer. Previous thereto, according to tradition, the pop- ulation was much greater. He adds, " My cousin James Hosmer, now (1869) over 70, thinks in his boyhood the Canawaugus Indians numbered only 5 or 600." These estimates appear quite too large to me.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
in the forest, on the site of an ancient corn-field of the Indians, the fruit of which was of good flavor. Many years since the council house at Canawaugus was stand- ing. When last visited by me, a quarter of a century ago, it was in a state of decay-the roof, overlaid with bark, was falling in, and the storms had partly beaten down the walls. The building was low and about sixty feet in length. In the centre of the roof, which was bark bent to a rounded form over the ridge pole, was an open place for the escape of smoke, when the elders of the tribe convened."
Mrs. Berry# was heard to say that in old times there was an Indian village on the east side of the river, not far from the red bridge (built in 1817) ; and that many huts were burned on that side of the river by a scouting party from Sullivan's army.
Dyn'-ne-ga-nooh', + was situated near the north- western margin of the great spring at Caledonia. To the east and south of the Indian town lay oak-open- ings, where the Senecas pastured their rough-coated ponies. To the south-west, a grove of wild plum- trees and grape-vines, on forest-grown trellises, opened before the natives, supplying them with fruit, while the waters of the spring afforded trout and other fine fish in abundance. Standing near the westerly bor- der of the spring, was the fatal post to which the con- demned prisoner was fastened for torture ; and hither, from other Seneca towns, were brought captives of consequence, the prisoners of state. Horatio Jones pointed out to John McKay, the precise spot where the post stood, as the two strolled one evening along the Spring creek. "John," said the former, "do you
* Wife of the Indian trader, Gilbert R. Berry.
{ It is often written De-oo-ne-gan-no, and means, "clear cold water." Gan-e-o-de-ya, was the name given by the Senecas to the Caledonia spring, and signifies, "clear small lake."
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
ever see ghosts after night-fall wandering through these woods ? If Indian hunters are to be credited, sights are often seen here that would make your hair rise." The Indian burial-place was located about twenty rods north-east of the spring, where, in digging wells and cellars, bones in abundance have been dis- interred. A venerable lady, yet living, “ while in pur- suit of her cows in an early day, passing near the burial-place observed a grass-grown hillock by the foot-path. Thrusting in her walking-stick, she dis- turbed a quantity of bones from their slight covering, doubtless those of poor captives who had suffered tor- ture at the stake. Articles of pottery, bearing curious devices, copper kettles similar in style to those in use among Spanish colonists, and rudely-formed hatchets and arrow-heads, have been met with here. Long after the permanent occupancy of the village ceased, it continued to be a noted stopping-place for bands of natives and parties of pioneers, or travelers passing to and fro along the central trail leading from Albany to Niagara river. Turner cites the remark of an old Canadian emigrant, who, after the Revolution, often passed over this route. He said that camping here was so frequent that the fires of one party would be burning when another arrived. At this village rested for a few hours the fugitive families from Beardstown as they fled before Sullivan ; and here too halted, next day, the force under Butler as it retreated toward Niagara. In 1796, a detachment of regulars on their way up lake Ontario to take possession of Fort Niag- ara in batteaux, were driven by stress of weather from the lake to the mouth of the Genesee. They came thence to the month of Allen's Creek and quartered on the farm of Peter Shaeffer. When they broke up.
* Mrs. John McKay.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
their quarters there, Mr. Shaeffer piloted them to Cal- edonia springs where they bivonacked for the night."
The village of the Tuscarora Indians, O-ha-gi, + lay a mile north of the Big Tree town on the same side of the river. Its site was a gentle swell of land rising west- ward from a marshy flat, some thirty rods south of Spencer's warehouse. The canal passes through the old Indian town, on the easterly border of which are yet standing two apple-trees planted by the natives. A spring of slightly brackish water which supplied the village, and around which the houses clustered, is still in use. Generals Poor and Maxwell, under orders from Sullivan, destroyed the town in 1779, and
SITE OF TUSCARORA BURIAL PLACE NEAR MAJOR SPENCER'S. it was never rebuilt. Richard Osbon, whose farm lies just south of the site, came to this country in 1806. He says that plain traces of several huts were
* Turner's, Phelps & Gorham's Pur .- p. 409.
+ A few steps south of the canal culvert. Mr. Wright thinks the truc orthography may be Dyn-hah-gath. meaning " the current bites the bank," or, "eats it away."
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
yet to be seen, but the land is now under cultivation and all external evidences of aboriginal occupancy have disappeared. The Indian burial-place which lay to the north-east of the village, from which it was divided by a little stream, is well represented in the engraving. Two or three great oaks stood, until re- cently, among the graves. In the season of fall- shooting, pigeons, in great numbers, flocked to these trees, attracted by the peculiar water of the spring, a fact well known to hunters, who seldom went away from the spot with empty game bags. Within thirty years the Indian graves, scattered here and there, indicated by slight grassy knolls, could be distinctly traced. Major Spencer protected the spot with much care, the plow not being suffered to invade the red- man's resting-place. Some years ago it became nec- essary to cut a ditch along the northern edge of the old burial ground. Major Spencer visited the spot while the work was going on, and seeing one of the workmen opening his tools over the graves, he said with emphasis to the ditcher, " Hi, hi, you are stand- ing on the bones of Indians ! have a care, sir, have a care ! "
Ga'-on-do-wa-nuh, located on the westerly side of the river near the great bend, was long known as the vil- lage of the wise and influential Seneca chieftain, Big; Tree." A mile above, on the opposite side of the river, stood the great oak, and directly to the east,, listant two miles, is the present village of Geneseo .- The reservation embraced two square miles, uniting with that of Beardstown on the south. The village. occupied an area of about thirty acres, divided by a. small brook, now dry, the present highway leading
* Ga-on-do-wa-nul, was located on the farm of Eason P. Slocum, in Leices- ter. The name signifies " Big Tree's " village, but the tree is supposed to be lying prostrate.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
to Cuylerville, crossing the bed of the stream at right angles. Two apple-trees, planted by the Indians are still in bearing. They stand across the gully at the north- east, and point the spot where the orchard was loca- ted. Before the canal was dug, Colonel Lyman occu- pied a store-house on the river just cast of Big Tree village. The river for some distance is very crooked here. In an air line North's mill is but a mile and a half below, but measured by the river's channel, it is quite seven miles. The graves of John Monture, and four other Indians occupy a spot never yet plowed, represented by the turfy hillock in the engraving,
SITE OF BIG TREE VILLAGE, MONTURE'S GRAVE IN FOREGROUND.
a couple of rods east of the highway. Sugar maple trees were plentiful about Big Tree village while the Indians occupied it. and in the sugar season the Sen- ecas from other towns were in the habit of visiting their tribesmen here. In 1820 the village had become re- duced to eight or nine bark-roofed huts, and was among the last of the towns west of the river to be vacated. Descendants of its former occupants still venerate its site. Two or three years ago a band of
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Senecas visited the spot, and spent some hours in mourning over the graves. Their lamentations were plainly heard by Mr. Slocum's family, who resided a half a mile distant.
Dyu-non-dah-ga'-eeh * or Beardstown, long held the principal rank among the Seneca villages. When Mary Jemison reached there in 1761, she found the Beardstown warriors preparing to assist the French in retaking Fort Niagara, whence they soon returned in triumph, bringing white prisoners and driving a number of oxen, the first neat cattle, by the way, ever brought to the Genesee flats. Against this town Washington especially directed the expedition under Sullivan in 1779. The tribal council-fire lay else- where, but here lived the noted chieftain Little Beard, and about him had gathered the wise and brave of his tribesmen. Here were planned their forays and here they met for consultation, and, whenever the Senecas were summoned to the war-path, the Beardstown braves were always among the foremost. Quartered for security, at this village for months, perhaps for years, after the Revolution begun, were families from Nunda and other outlying towns, while their natu- ral protectors were absent harassing the eastern set- tlements ; and from this spot went out Brant and the Butlers to the massacre of Wyoming, and to engage in other bloody work. From this spot, too, in the rain of an autumn day, fled the panie-stricken women. children and old men of the Senecas, and others who had sought its asylum, to escape the "Yankee army" when it broke camp at Conesus Lake. Sullivan calls Beardstown the capital of the western Indians, and adds, "we reached the castle or village, which con-
* Or " steep hill creek." or "where the hill is (or lies) upon it." The Indian, Wm. Jones, said that Beardstown was called Ga-nah-da-ont-hwa h The place is often ealled Little Beardstown.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
sisted of one hundred and twenty-eight houses, most- ly very large and elegant. The town was beautifully situated, almost encircled with a clear flat which ex- tends for a number of miles where the most extensive fields of corn were, and every kind of vegetable that can be conceived." The diaries of other expedition- ary officers dilate upon the beauty and relative impor- tance of the village. It occupied the eastern part of the site of Cuylerville, extending eastward toward the river for several rods beyond the canal. Russel Beebe, while in the employ of Oliver Phelps, cleared the land on which Beardstown was situated. He found the ruins of many huts, and here and there a straggling house near the river, showing that at one time the vil- lage extended well in that direction. The Indian orchard stood near John Perkins's barn, on the road from Cuylerville to the bridge, and a single apple-tree, which survived the destruction by Sullivan's soldiers may still be seen there. When planted, this tree was close to the ferry, as the river then ran. In excavating for the canal a few Indian bones were discovered, and several years ago Jacob Clute, on preparing to build a brick blacksmith shop near the distillery, dug up the skeletons of half a dozen natives. Tomahawks and knives, stone arrow-heads and other relics, are still found about the old village. The Indian burial- ground was situated a mile south of Cuylerville, on the farm of Hiram Jones, where a partial examination of the mounds, near forty years ago, discovered a large quantity of human bones Soon after the death of Little Beard, the families began to leave the village for Tonawanda, the number of occupants gradually lessening until Beardstown was depopulated, although the Indian title to the reservation was still unextinguish- ed.
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