USA > New York > Steuben County > A history of Steuben County, New York, and its people, Vol. I > Part 18
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY
phens, Jr., No. 6; John Stephens, No. 7; William Wynekoop, No. 8; Uriah Stephens, Sr., No. 9; Solomon Bennet, No. 10; Elisha Brown, No. 11; Solomon Bennet, No. 12.
Many of these allotments were soon transferred. A few days after the drawing Christian Kress, for the consideration of two hundred and thirty pounds, sold all his interest in township 3, fifth range, and township 4, sixth range, to Arthur Erwin. William Wynekoop transferred his interests to Solomon Bennet in lot 8, township 4. Thereby Mr. Bennet became the owner of lot 8, township 4, in the sixth range. In the summer of 1790 Benjamin Crosby, with his family, settled on this lot, which he had purchased of Mr. Bennet. The deed recites: "Solomon Bennet, gentleman, coveyed to Benjamin Crosby, yeoman, in consideration of three hundred pounds, lot number 8, in township 4, in the sixth range of townships in the district of Erwin." He erected a house on this lot and lived in it, now the location of St. James' Mercy Hospital in the city of Hornell, as has been hereinbefore mentioned.
Benjamin Crosby, the first settler in the city of Hornell, emi- grated from England about 1750, landing in New York after a long voyage of shipwreck and suffering. Richard Crosby, one of his sons, emigrated and settled here with him. The latter served in the war of the Revolution and was a captain in General Wash- ington's bodyguard. He married Hannah, a daughter of Jere- miah and Anna Baker, and sister of the late Hon. Jeremiah Baker of Canisteo.
John Jemingson, one of the associates who drew a lot in each of the townships 3 and 4, served in the Revolution as a captain, in the New Jersey line, and assisted in covering the retreat of the American army after the disastrous battles on Long Island in 1776. He was wounded in the engagements which occurred in defense of Forts Washington and Lee, on the upper end of Man- hattan Island, was taken prisoner, confined in the notorious prison ships in New York harbor and suffered all of the horrors, neglect and cruelties incident thereto, contracting diseases from which he died at Canisteo. His name and that of his descendants is now, and for many years has been, known as Jamison.
WHAT Is Now HORNELL CITY.
Oliver Harding, also a Revolutionary soldier, came next and settled on the same lot (8), between Main and Genesee streets, and for a time was the nearest neighbor of Mr. Crosby. On this tract are now the filtering plant of the Hornell water supply; the suburb of Giffords; the plant of the McConnell Manufactur- ing Company; the Masonic Temple; Woodbury Universalist church; First Baptist church and parsonage; Hornell free library ; Columbian school; First Presbyterian church and manse; Christ Protestant Episcopal church and parish house; Young Men's Chris- tian Association building; St. Ann's Roman Catholic church and rectory and St. Ann's convent and academy; the city buildings; Erie Railroad (division ) offices, passenger and freight depots and stations, general repair shops, engine and roundhouse, storehouses and most of its miles of yards; the Stattuck opera house; R. C.
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Social Recreation building; Spencer M. E. church, and St. James' Mercy Hospital.
On July 9, 1793, John Stepliens, who drew lot No. 7, in con- sideration of one hundred and eleven pounds in money and a silk dress for the grantor's wife, conveyed this tract of one thousand and six hundred acres to George Hornell. It now embraces the suburb of North Hornell; the freight and passenger depot and sta- tion, shop, engine house and yards of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Company; Seneca park and Hornell fair- grounds; Lincoln schoolhouse and the armory of Company K, Third Regiment, New York National Guards; Westminster Pres- byterian church and Seventh Day Baptist church and parsonage; Hughet Silk Mills and Steuben Silk Mills; Davis foundry and Hornell Traction barn and shop; Washington school ; the new post- office site; Union Park; Hornell High School; Steuben County courthouse, third jury district; Schwarzenbach brewery plant, and Deer Electric factory.
Phelps and Gorham, on May 10, 1790, conveyed by a deed to Frederick Calkin, Ephraim Patterson, Caleb Gardiner, Justus Wol- cott, Peleg Gorton and Silas Wood, township number 2, in the first range, now the city and town of Corning. Lot 14 of. this township was Mr. Calkins' farm of one hundred and forty acres, on which he erected his cabin in the fall of 1789. This was the first farm in Steuben county, and upon it the owner made im- provements by clearing the land, preparing it for planting and sowing the following spring. This pioneer farm is now the most valuable part of the city of Corning, and the location of many of its most thriving and important industries.
All of the proprietors of this township took possession of their lands before and during the year 1792, except Silas Wood. In 1792 Ephraim Patterson settled on the west bank of Post creek, above what is known as Chimney Narrows. His son, Ichabod, set- tled and lived upon the land afterwards known as the Nehemiah Hubbell farm. In 1792, after the purchase of the township, the proprietors had it surveyed by John Konkle, a surveyor who di- vided it into lots, made a map and numbered the lots. The owners then selected Elijah Buck and Brenton Payne to make an appor- tionment among them. This was done in 1792. All parties were not wholly satisfied with the division, so that considerable dis- satisfaction existed, until, to quiet all parties, the matter was submitted for review and correction to William Jenkins, Eleazar Lindsley and John Hendy. By their report and findings promptly submitted, the original division was left undisturbed, but to make it more equitable, certain sums were directed to be paid by some of the proprietors to others as compensation for difference in the value of the land. This conclusion forever quieted the question of titles and values among the first purchasers. In March, 1792, Caleb Gardner, Ephraim Patterson, Frederick Calkins, George Goodhue, Hezekiah Thurber and Justus Wolcott conveyed to Oliver Phelps 10,040, and Peleg Gorton conveyed to Phelps 2,000 acres. These conveyances were wholly hill lands; did not include any of the intervale, valley or flat land. The lands retained by the pro- prietors are now the most valuable of any like amount in Steuben county.
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY
Township 3, in the second range, now the town of Campbell, this county, was conveyed by Oliver Phelps to Prince Bryant of Pennsylvania, by a deed dated September 5, 1789, for the con- sideration of one thousand pounds, New York currency. Bryant conveyed the township to Elijah Babcock October 2, 1789.
COL. ELEAZAR LINDSLEY.
Colonel Eleazar Lindsley was a native of Connecticut, after- wards a resident of New Jersey, and, during the Revolution an active officer of the "Jersey Blues," commanded by Colonel Oliver Spencer and known as the Fifth New Jersey Regiment. He served through that war; was an aide-de-camp to Washington, and at- tained the rank of colonel; also served on the staff of General La Fayette and was his personal friend. Upon his departure for France that splendid patriot took from his finger a ring, pre- sented it to Colonel Lindsley, as well as a court vest. The latter was afterward cut up, made into pin cushions and distributed among members of the family, and are still retained as highly- prized mementos.
After the close of the Revolution, Colonel Lindsley was em- ployed as a surveyor by the Lessee Company, on the east side of Seneca lake, and laid out Appletown. He was importuned by his employers to locate there, but he did not like either the situation or the climate. In 1790 he made a tour of the Genesee and Painted Post countries. He visited the present locality of the village of Painted Post, before the arrival of Colonel Arthur Er- win, his fellow officer in Sullivan's campaign against the Six Nations. He did not like the locality about the junction of the rivers that form the Chemung. He then explored the Tioga river, into Pennsylvania. He did not relish the idea of making a home in that state, when just over the state line in New York he had found a locality with healthy air, crystal streams and fertile soil. Here he resolved to make his future home and therefore went to Canandaigua to make the purchase of Township Number One of the second range. The next day after Colonel Arthur Erwin had completed his purchase of Township 2 of the same range; there was no strife between Lindsley and Erwin for that township. The conveyance was in July, 1789. It has been asserted that this purchase was made jointly by Colonel Lindsley and John Ryers, and by others denied, but by a subsequent arrangement the south half of the township was selected by Lindsley. In the spring of 1790 Colonel Lindsley started from New Jersey for his new pur- chase. Accompanying him were about forty persons, with their goods. They came by wagons to the Susquehanna river; thence took seven-ton boats and went up that river to Tioga Point; thence up the Chemung and Tioga rivers to their destination. The boats were propelled by oars, poles and tow lines. Besides the people before mentioned Colonel Lindsley brought with him about twenty slaves; the horses and cattle, about thirty in number, were driven along the trails on the banks. On the seventh day of June, 1790, the colony reached the place of destination. Here Colonel Linds- ley made his home for the remainder of his life. He was an active, public-spirited and well known business man. He was the first representative from Ontario county-in which his residence then
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was-in the Legislature of the state of New York, as has been hereinbefore stated, in 1793; he died in the city of New York, while attending the session of the Legislature, on June 1, 1794, and was buried in a plot on his purchase. He married Mary Miller of Morristown, New Jersey, November 11, 1756.
Both Colonel Lindsley and his wife were stanch adherents to the Presbyterian faith. In his settlement the Sabbath was al- ways strictly observed. Traveling missionaries, of whatever faith, were always welcome.
The foregoing were the principal purchasers from Phelps and Gorham of their land in Steuben county. Small parcels for homes had been located and purchased in isolated sections. Habi- tations, rude and uncomfortable, had been built near a spring or running stream. Timber had been cut and burned and a small patch of land had been cleared and prepared for the next spring's planting and following harvest. Neighbors were far apart and their casual or accidental meeting was an event which was talked about, cherished and remembered. Rumors and gloomy forebod- ings of the unfriendly conduct of the Indians, their sullen and suspicious envy, made the life of the settler and his family one of unrest and expectant danger. The settlements therefore lan- guished and the outlook was not checring to the proprietors.
The Massachusetts securities with which Phelps and Gorham were to pay to that state for their purchase, by reason of the adop- tion of the Federal constitution, promising a more perfect union, and a brighter future than could be expected under the articles of confederation, and also because of their demand to meet the purchase of the Phelps and Gorham undertaking, rapidly appre- ciated in value, rising from about twenty per cent discount to par value. In some instances they even commanded a premium. This rendered it impossible for Phelps and Gorham to meet their obligations as they matured, so that they sold what remained of their purchase and their interest therein to Robert Morris, of Philadelphia (then the most wealthy and opulent American banker), for eight pence per acre, by a deed dated November 18, 1790. Mr. Phelps, who was the principal moneyed man and man- ager of the enterprise, by reason of this and other unfortunate ventures, died, as stated, an insolvent debtor on the jail limits in Canandaigua.
Mr. Morris, who had previously become the owner, by pur- chase from the state of Massachusetts, afterwards acquired the Indian title for the whole of the land between the Genesee river and Lake Erie, known as the "Holland Purchase," and by way of relief from his financial embarrassments, sold to Charles Will- iamson, for Sir William Pulteney, all of the land acquired by the purchase from Phelps and Gorham, in consideration of seventy-five thousand pounds sterling, by deed dated April 11, 1792. This land became known as the "Pulteney Estate." Mr. Morris, in 1793, conveyed and mortgaged the land west of the Genesee river to Herman LeRoy, William Willink, and other Dutch capitalists of Amsterdam, in Holland; except a strip of land two townships wide extending from the Pennsylvania line to Lake Ontario. The excepted strip is known as the "Morris Reserve," a large part of which was acquired by John B. Church, the father of the late
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY
Judge Philip Church of Angelica, Allegany county, New York. This town was named for the mother of Judge Church ( Angelica ), the oldest daughter of General Philip Schuyler of Revolutionary fame. By reason of his purchases and investments in the lands of the Phelps and Gorham and the Holland Purchase, and the failure to induee purebase and settlement of these lands at that juneture, beeame further involved in serious financial compliea- tions and embarrassments, which hastened his unfortunate and sad end.
CAUSES OF PHELPS-MORRIS RUIN.
It is certainly a melancholy reflection that, by the purehase of the most fertile, valuable and attractive part of the state of New York-comprising more than six million acres of land, and now containing more than two million inhabitants, thirteen cities, sixteen counties, and hundreds of villages and towns, covered and connected with railroads, highways and eanals, Oliver Phelps and Robert Morris, the original purehasers of this splendid domain, both beeame involved in financial ruin, and died in debtors' prisons.
The principal eause of these disasters was the unsettled situa- tion of the claims of the Indians. The struggle of the thirteen colonies for independenee had terminated in their favor and against the British, mueh to the surprise and dissatisfaction of the In- dians of the Six Nations who had been their allies. They were told by English offieers and agents not to give up their land in western New York, but to resist and embarrass, harass and dis- courage emigration by Ameriean settlers; also that the English would not give up and surrender the forts at Niagara, Oswego, Oswegatchie and other places, although by the terms of the treaty of peace and Jay's treaty they had so stipulated. Treaties made by the state of New York and the United States with the Indian tribes were, at the instigation of British emissaries, broken and disregarded. The Indians, especially west of the Genesee river, and, to a less extent, throughout the whole of the Massachusetts cession, openly boasted that the lands were theirs; that they had not fairly disposed of them and that they had been cheated out of their homes by the deceiving white men. British emissaries were at work influencing the Indians of the northwest territory to drive out, rob and murder the white emigrants from Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. These Indians were secretly fur- nished with firearms, ammunition and supplies to maintain their warfare upon the defenseless white settlers with a feroeity that "staggers mankind." At the instigation of the English they un- dertook to enlist the Seneeas and others of the Six Nations to unite with them against the Americans and insist that all of the country west and north of the Genesee, Allegheny and Ohio rivers was the Indians' domain. Of all the Six Nations' leaders who ob- served the treaty stipulations with the state of New York and the United States, Cornplanter was the most notable. He vainly en- deavored to have his people adhere to their promises and obliga- tions. Before the treaty of peace, the state of New York, sup- ported by Governor Clinton's energy and courage in dealing with the Indians, compelled them to observe their treaty obligations. Afterwards, the Federal government was not as vigilant. The
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Indians were promptly informed that the subject of all treaties now was vested in the United States, and refused to participate in a council for that purpose unless the Thirteen Fires were rep- resented.
The Federal administration, under President Washington, un- dertook, by diplomats, special embassies, and official correspond- ence, to induce England, through her secret agencies and officers, to abstain from inciting the Indians of the Northwest territory and western New York in the continuance of their hostile attitude, insulting threats and barbarous conduct. High and trusted of- ficers of the United States, both civil and military, who were reputed to have some knowledge of and experience with the In- dian character were commissioned to hold councils and make treaties with the Indians, principally to acquire peaceably their land and to live amicably with the white emigrant. Appointments for time and place for a council and treaty were fixed and run- ners were sent to the tribes desired to participate, with promises of ornaments, blankets, arms, provisions and whiskey. A crowd of Indians, with those allurements, was always sure to assemble at the time and place specified. The fires were kindled; beeves were slaughtered and roasted; whiskey was drunk to stupefaction and presents of trinkets and ornaments made to the squaws, and arms, blankets and clothing to the warriors. Then the object of the treaty was discussed and considered and the treaty was signed by the Indians, with some sort of a hieroglyphic; not even by the thumb-print of later days. The commissioners returned with a weary and dreary journal account and report of their journeying and proceedings; usually followed with news of an attack upon a defenseless settlement of whites; with the loss of their homes, scalps and lives.
The Six Nations were largely influenced in their treatment of the white settlers of the Genesee and Painted Post country by the influence and conduct of the "Sunset tribes," as the Indians of the Northwest territory were called and known. They were thoroughly under British influence, kept alive by the untiring ef- forts of English traders, hunters and trappers. They were told if the Indians would all act together they, with the assistance of the British troops in Canada, would drive the Americans back to the Mohawk and Susquehanna regions. The Indians became so hostile that the attitude of the British authorities was not slow in spreading through the Genesee and Painted Post settlements. The morose and defiant Indians, who swarmed the forests, became ugly and rude to the white inhabitants. They would impudently enter their houses, unannounced and unhidden; take the prepared food from the tables; destroy furniture and other property, and commit filthy and unmentionable offenses. These savages were well known as ready and willing allies of the Canadian authori- ties, and caused great anxiety and alarm to the pioneers, who, des- titute of arms and ammunition, were scattered over a large ter- ritory, remote from assistance. Many sold out their betterments at a loss and returned to the places of their former abode.
But the insolence of the Indians excited the spirit of those settlers who had recently laid down their arms in successful war- fare against them and offers of personal assistance came to Captain
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Williamson from the sturdy men of the country along the Che- mung, Tioga, upper and lower Canisteo, the Conhocton, and the lower forks of the Genesee. They declared if the English at- tempted to reestablish their authority, they would see that cachi had six-foot locations in their rich soil. They appealed to Presi- dent Washington and to Governor George Clinton for protection, and for authority to organize the militia and to be provided witlı arms and ammunition; "for," said Governor Clinton, "if any at- tempt is made to carry out the Canadian plans believed to be in- spired by Lord Dorchester, Governor and General Simcoe, com- mander of the military forces of Canada, they must be met face to face." The legislature of New York had authorized the erec- tion of fortifications and block houses at Fort Stanwix, Onondaga, Salt Springs, Canandaigua, Bath, Canistro and Canawaugus.
ST. CLAIR AND WAYNE CAMPAIGNS.
In the meantime, the Federal authorities had organized troops to punish the Indians of the "Setting Sun," along the Wabaslı, Miami and Maumee rivers. The first expedition was placed in command of General Harmer, an officer of the Revolution. He was ambushed, attacked and his command destroyed, the savages mutilating the dead and butchering the wounded. This greatly encouraged the western, as well as the New York Indians.
The next year the general government organized and sent to the Indian territory a much larger force, and placed General St. Clair, another old veteran officer of the Continental army, in command. He had seen much service in the adjutant-general's office; in the field, he had seen service in surrendering and aban- doning forts and fortified places. But he was the favorite of the president and of the war office. Washington called his atten- tion to the fighting methods of the Indians he was to meet; called his attention to the disaster of Braddock at Fort Duquesne, then Fort Pitt. St. Clair was old, obstinate and conceited, and he was so afflicted with gout and other disease that he had to be helped to mount his horse. After advancing into the Indian country and supposing the enemy was many miles away, he was surprised by an attack from an ambush. The invaders were thrown into confusion and shot down by an unseen foe. St. Clair's horse was shot and he was carried on a stretcher from one point of the field to an- other, vainly attempting to turn the tide of battle. It was dis- heartening to his men to see this poor white-haired old man borne on a stretcher to give directions to his sturdy but unfortunate men. This expedition resulted in a greater disaster than that of Harmer, and the result was a complete stagnation to emigration, not only to western New York, but to the entire northwestern territory. No wonder, with these conditions, that there was no sale or demand for the lands of the Massachusetts cession, or that men with the financial standing of Oliver Phelps and Robert Morris met their fate in disaster and ended their lives in prison.
The outlook for settlement of the entire western domain was now gloomy in the extreme for intending emigrants; the Indians and their British allies were jubilant and aggressive. But the United States could not submit to these humiliating defeats and a new army was recruited under the command of General An-
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thony Wayne, whose brilliant success in the Revolution inspired hope for victory. While this new army was being slowly recruited and drilled, the president sent commissioners to the Indians for the purpose of friendly negotiations, but every effort failed to draw the savages from their stand to consider the Ohio, Alleghany and Genesee rivers as their southern and eastern boundary line; without these concessions on our part, treaty and peace were im- possible. Making Pittsburg his first rendezvous, Wayne proceeded gradually and cautiously by way of Fort Washington, now Cincin- nati, into the Indian country, over the route traversed by Har- mer and St. Clair before him. Skirmishing on occasion and es- tablishing supply posts at convenient points, Wayne gradually wound his way into the neighborhood of St. Clair's melancholy defeat, where his main army wintered in log huts; his advance detachment occupied the old battle ground, building a stockade which was named Fort Recovery. The Indians had several times vainly attacked this new work. The following summer Wayne advanced to the Maumee river, where he built another stockade, which, for the purpose of disclosing his intentions, he called Fort Defiance. The Indians fled at his approach and now found them- selves cut off from the richest section of their country. For miles it appeared as one continuous village, with vast yellow cornfields ripe for the harvest, all of which were completely burned and de- stroyed. Little Turtle, the chief commander of the Indians, and conspicuous for his good judgment, courage and unflinching de- termination to resist the American force, with a large body of fighting men, encamped at the foot of the rapids of the Maumee, near a British fort which had been built in utter disregard of the treaty of 1783, fifty miles within our established boundary line. There the Indians had hitherto procured both fighting men, provisions, arms and other material, for this cruel and protracted war. Reconnoitering to ascertain the enemy's strength and po- sition, Wayne became convinced of his ability to make a successful attack. But first he made a final effort to detach the Indians from their British allies and advisers and to negotiate a treaty with the government on admissible terms. They sent back a haughty and offensive answer, declining to listen. Thereupon, without de- lay, Wayne advanced and gave battle, a gallant charge of our soldiers at the point of the bayonet, starting the savages from their covert of fallen timber. After a short and spirited action the savages, with their ill-disguised British and Canadian allies- white men, some with painted faces, tomahawks, scalping knives and heads bedecked with feathers-this polyglot foe were driven, with great slaughter and loss, close up to the walls of the British fort, whose guns maintained a discreet and prudent silence. For several days after this engagement the victorious army ravaged this beautiful Indian country, destroying crops and log huts, and burning the buildings of the fort and the storehouses of the Eng- lish trading agents, which had been defiantly erected here. Then Wayne fell back to Fort Defiance, built Fort Wayne at the head of the Manmee and went into winter quarters at Greenville, leav- ing the new advanced posts well garrisoned.
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