USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > An authentic and comprehensive history of Buffalo : with some account of its early inhabitants, both savage and civilized ; comprising historic notices of the Six Nations or Iroquois Indians, including a sketch of the life of Sir William Johnson, and of other prominent white men, long resident among the Senecas ; arranged in chronologial order > Part 11
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153
BRUTAL MURDER BY AN INDIAN.
the use of the Erie Canal, and the construction of the pier and break-water at the mouth of the Buffalo Creek, to protect and keep open the harbor, and the extension of the Erie Canal to that place. Both are now included within the corporate limits of the city of Buffalo.
The first murder of which we have any record, was committed in Buffalo (or rather New Amsterdam, as it was then called) in July, 1802. An Indian from one of the villages on Buffalo Creek, attacked (it is said without provocation) John Palmer, the inn-keeper, with a drawn knife, with the intent to stab him. Two men, of the name of Ward and Keeler, were sitting with Palmer at the time. Not succeeding in his attempt upon Palmer, the Indian struck his knife into the neck of Ward. The alarm soon brought together the few white inhabitants, and in the attempt to secure the Indian, a man of the name of John Hewett, received several stabs from the desperate savage, producing almost instant death. The Indian, however, was secured, and during the night taken to Fort Niagara and placed in close custody.
The Indians were aroused by the news of the capture of one of their number, and the next day, a band of forty or fifty armed warriors appeared in New Amster- dam, demanding the release of the prisoner, and had he been within their reach, would have rescued him. This created consternation and alarm among the few white in- habitants, and caused some to flee from the settlement.
A great majority of the Indians still looked upon the whites as intruders, and from the strong British or Canadi- an influence still exerted among them, the settlers were fearful of further and greater exhibitions of savage cruelty. A petition was forwarded by the white inhabitants-
154
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
Mr. Ellicott and his surveyors, and settlers upon the Holland Purchase, entering zealously into the measure -- for a small garrison of troops at the village of Buffalo Creek, alias New Amsterdam. But these fears were groundless, as no further disturbance occurred.
The sale of farm lots in the vicinity of Buffalo, as has been observed, began in 1803. The survey of the vil- lage not being yet completed, Dr. Cyrenins Chapin bought Lot No. 41, Township 11, 8th Range, and re- ceived his article of agreement Oct. 11th, 1803. This appears to be the earliest date of sales in this vicinity. This lot, purchased by Dr. Chapin, contained ninety- nine acres, for which he agreed to pay $346.50. There were several other contracts (or rather "articles," as they were called) issued, bearing the same date as that of Dr. Chapin. William Deshay bought Lots No. 59 and 60, Township 11, 8th Range, and received his article Oct. 11th, 1803, agreeing to pay, for eighty-six acres, $+30; Asa Chapman, Lot No. 40, 11th Township, 8th Range, one hundred and twenty-seven acres, for $445.50; Isaac Hulburt, Lot 61, same Township and Range, fifty-nine acres for $295-{this article was subsequently assigned to Nathan Toles) ; George Burgar, part of Lot 61, same Township and Range, fifty-nine acres, for $232.80-sub- sequently assigned to Vincent Grant. William Hodge took up Lot. No. 35, same Township and Range, forty- seven and three-tenths acres, on the 22d of October, 1803, for which he agreed to pay $236.50 ; Samuel Tup- per, on the same day, Lot 27, same Township and Range, sixty-five acres, $294.75, and on the 25th, Lot No. 50, same Township and Range, thirty-four acres, for $172.50; Oct. 29th, William Hodge, Lot 57, sixty-one
155
FIRST LAND SALES-LIST OF THE PURCHASERS.
and four-tenths acres, for $307; Oct. 28th, Gideon Dud- ley, Lot No. 23, sixty acres, for $300-,this article was assigned to Joseplı Wells, in December, 1805. Wm. Liget purchased Lot No. 51, Oct. 26th, 1803, containing thirty acres, for $195-this article was assigned to John Crow, in March, 1805.
In 1804, the following Lots were sold, which appear to be the earliest regular conveyances of land in the vil- lage plot : Nathan W. Sever, Outer Lots No. 55 and 56, sixty-three and seven-tenths acres, $115-(subse- quently assigned to Elijah Leech) ; Zerah Phelps, 1st June, 1804, Inner Lot No. 1, for $112-this article was assigned to Joseph Ellicott, in 1806. Sylvanus Maybee, August 6th, 1804, purchased Inner Lot No. 35, for $135 *; Samuel McConnell, Outer Lot 84, May 19th, 1804, for $191.50.
The following are among the farm lots in the vicinity of Buffalo sold in 1804: Rowland Cotton, Lot No. 67, one hundred and forty-three acres, for $500.50; Abner Gilbert, Lot 34, forty-eight and four-tenths acres, for $242.
The following list of the names of land owners in Buffalo in 1804, is given in Turner's History of the Hol- land Purchase, said to be taken from the books of the Company : William Robbins, Henry Chapin, Sylvanus
* NOTE .- The Inner Lots on Main street were generally one chain and fourteen links wide, running through. The map will show the location of these lots. From the books of the Holland Land Company, it appears probable that an arrangement was made with Johnston, whereby he re- linquished his claim to a part of the land on the flat between the Big and Little Buffalo Creeks, west of Main street, as only Outer Lot No. 85 was conveyed to him in 1804, but Inner Lots No. 3, No. 30, and No. 32, were conveyed to him at the same time ; whereas, Outer Lot No. 86, the remaining portion of the land in the triangle, was conveyed to Isaac Davis, June 29th, 1814. See Appendix No. 6.
156
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
Maybee, Asa Ransom, Thomas Stewart, Samuel Pratt, William Johnson, John Crow, Joseph Landon, Erastus Granger, Jonas Williams, Robert Keane, Vincent Grant, Louis Le Couteux.
The Holland Land Company deeded to William John- ston, Outer Lot, No. 93, October 27th 1804.
DOCTOR CYRENIUS CHAPIN.
As the first permanent settler in Buffalo after the ex- tinguishment of the Indian title to the lands upon which the city of Buffalo is built, and as a prominent leading man for many years after the first settlement, and during all the period while society was struggling through the change from a savage to a civilized state, the life and character of Doctor Cyrenius Chapin deserves a more extended notice. Not only the truth of history requires this, but respect for the opinions of multitudes who still survive, who knew him, and remember with gratitude his disinterested kindness, his untiring energy in his pro- fession, and his patriotic devotion and self sacrificing zeal in the service of his country demand it, and they would consider it an important omission in the history of our city, to leave out a record so essential to truth.
As has already been observed, Dr. Chapin came to Buffalo in 1801, undoubtedly with a settled purpose to make it his fixed and permanent abode. Failing in his first attempt to purchase in connexion with others, a large tract of land at the mouth of Buffalo Creek, he determined nevertheless to persevere. He arrived here in 1803 with his family, but as there was no house to be obtained, he was obliged to cross the river to Fort Erie,
157
DOCTOR CYRENIUS CHAPIN.
to procure a shelter for them. His family remained at Fort Erie nearly two years before a suitable habitation could be provided for them here.
He selected Inner Lot, No. 40, on Swan street, running through from Main to Pearl street, and in 1805, he re- moved his family from Fort Erie to their new home in Buffalo. During the short residence of his family at Fort Erie, the people upon that side of the river employed him as a physician to some extent, and he soon became widely known as a skillful practitioner, in the line of his profession. So successful and popular was he that during his whole subsequent life, he had quite an exten- sive practice in that part of Canada lying contiguous to this city. It will be readily perceived that a young man, (for he was then but thirty years of age), possessing the elements of character for which he was distinguished, master of a most important and useful profession, educa- ted above most of those around him, as his correspond- ence and other evidences show, would necessarily assume in a new and isolated settlement, a leading position ; and such a position Doctor Chapin undoubtedly held among our first settlers. He had been religiously educated, but like most young men who are cast upon the world as he was, almost without the pale of civiliza- tion, and beyond the influence or restraints of christian society, he relapsed into a disregard of christian duty, and during the war which succeeded in 1812, he was drawn into the habit, then"almost universal, of a too free use of ardent spirits, which in the latter years of his life greatly hindered his usefulness, both as a physician and a citizen. But it is due to his memory and the truth of history, to affirm that during the first fifteen or twenty
158
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
years, when Buffalo was struggling into existence, no single individual exerted a wider or greater influence, than Doctor Chapin.
So fully was his character and usefulness appreciated by the first settlers of Buffalo, that as late as 1836, only two years before his death, he was presented with a val- uable service of plate, consisting of two massive pitchers and twelve goblets, as a testimonial of their appreciation of his character and services, both as a citizen, and a soldier in the war of 1812.
The committee charged with the duty of procuring and presenting this memorial, consisted of the following lead- ing citizens : Peter B. Porter, Louis Le Contenlx, Ebe- nezer Walden, Amos Callender, Hiram Pratt, E. D. Efner, Jacob A. Barker, Ebenezer Johnson, W. A. Car- penter, Alanson Palmer and Sylvester Mathews.
The plate was presented to him by the committee, in behalf of the donors, in the following address by their chairman, Gen. Peter B. Porter :
"SIR : - As chairman of a committee selected by your fellow citizens, from that portion of them who have been longest and most intimately acquainted with you, I take great pleasure in presenting to you, in the name and be- half of that committee, and those citizens, this service of plate, which they beg you to accept and preserve as a testimonial, for your children as well as yourself, of the respect they entertain for your services both civil and military, and more especially for the patriotism and gal- lantry displayed by you in our late war with Great Britain.
" Should we seem to have been too tardy in this pub- lic manifestation of our sentiments, we have only to say
·
159
DR. CYRENIUS CHIAPIN-GEN. PORTERS' ADDRESS.
that at the time when the events on which they are based occurred, the eclat of your military achievements was too generally and widely diffused, to require any adventitious aid of this sort to propitiate and secure public favor. We resort to it now, not to prop up an obscure or equivocal reputation, but to defend an estab- lished one, against a most ungenerous and unjust attempt lately made to destroy it.
" You will readily understand that I allude to a publi- cation purporting to be a history of certain transactions on the Niagara frontier during the late war, written by Lieut. Col. Boerstler, of the United States army, excul- patory of his own blunders, and recently brought to light for the first time in an appendix to Gen. Armstrong's ' Notices of the Late War,' and in which you are ac cused. in the most unqualified terms, not only of want of patriotism and integrity, but with cowardice. It is to be regretted that this distinguished individual, to whose book I have referred, should have permitted this dis- graceful tirade to appear on its pages, which he assuredly would not have done had he better known the relative characters and merits of the aceuser and the accused ; for, unpleasant as it is to speak unkindly of the dead, I am constrained to say there was scarcely an individual who, in the estimation of those who best knew him, was more justly obnoxious to many of the disparaging epi- thets he has lavished on you, than this same Lieut. Col. Boerstler.
"The introduction of these unpleasant topies may seem inappropriate to the present occasion, but the com- mittee would feel that they had omitted an important part of their duty had they neglected this opportunity to
160
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
vindicate your character, as they abundantly do, from facts within their own personal knowledge, against these unmerited calumnies, coming as they do before the pub- lic under such imposing auspices.
" Among those who have known you longest and best, and many of those are now present, I have had the pleasure of your acquaintance for some thirty years past. It is surely no just cause of reproach that, anterior to the war, you belonged to what was called the Federal Party, because the political distinction between the two great parties of that day consisted solely in an honest difference of opinion as to the cardinal measures most proper to be pursued, to advance the common interest and glory of the Republic. What may have been your abstract and speculative opinions in regard to the justice or expediency of the war, I do not know; but I do know that, from the moment of its declaration, no indi- vidual of my acquaintance was more active and zealous in his endeavors to render its operations successful and effective-none more reckless of personal danger, or more forward in the devotion of his private property to the public use -- than yourself.
" The charge of cowardice, so boldly made against you by this writer, seems hardly deserving of a serious refutation, especially before · a Buffalo audience. If it were necessary to adduce evidence of your courage, the only fear would be that it might prove too much. For instance, the voluntary and conspicuous part you took in boarding and cutting out two armed vessels from Fort Erie ; the still more daring exploit by which you, by the aid of your companions, attacked and subdued the armed guard (yourselves unarmed) who were conveying
161
DR. CYRENIUS CHAPIN-GEN. PORTER'S ADDRESS.
you as prisoners to Little York, and escorted them back, your prisoners, in turn, to the American headquarters ; and your repeated attacks upon and capture of Indian warriors, in their own haunts. Indeed, the honest detail of the very expedition, in the prosecution of which Col. Boestler charges you with cowardice, would seem to show that if your courage ever was at fault, it was be- cause it sometimes rose to rashness instead of sinking to pusillanimity.
"The appellation of the 'self styled Col. Chapin,' by which Col. Boerstler so contemptuously designates you, was as misapplied and undeserved as his more grave charges ; for, although at the commencement of the war, when you held no office, either in the regular army or militia, your military services were, for a time, voluntary and of a partizan character, yet it is well known that early in 1813, you received from Gov. Tompkins the brevet commission of Lieutenant-Colonel, under which you subsequently acted.
" But I have said enough, and more, perhaps, than was required, in regard to this vindictive and libellous attack upon your reputation, the publication of which had been withheld for more than thirty years after it was written, and the events upon which it was founded had transpired. We trust that it will never be permitted to disturb your repose, and that the proceedings of this evening -- this public and unbiassed expression of the sentiments of your fellow-citizens, intended to convey alike their high sense of your services during the war, and the able and impartial manner in which you have discharged your civil duties as a magistrate and citizen,
11
162
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
and your frank and generous deportment in all the various relations of private life-will be as kindly re- ceived by you as they are cheerfully and gratefully ten- dered by us."
To which Col. Chapin replied :
" SIR :- In receiving this present from your hands, a thousand by-gone recollections are revived. The early settlement of this our now happy country-the perils and fatigues in settling a then almost unbroken wilder- ness, the red men then the lords of the soil-the defeats and disasters of desolating war-the ruins of our then late peaceful town-the destruction of commerce-a des- olating disease -- all, in rapid succession, rush upon my mind and almost overwhelm me. But, amidst all these untoward circumstances, we have had much of pros- perity, and more, for which our sincere thanks are due to the Supreme Dispenser of Events, that our lives have been spared to the present time.
" In calling to mind the various scenes through which we have passed since I first knew you, we have had many hours on which memory lingers and may delight to dwell.
"Sir-In behalf of those whom you represent, as well as yourself, I shall ever regard these symbols of your affection, so closely identified with your good will to- wards me, as a sacred memento of my duty to you and my country, and shall remember this as one of the hap- piest days of my life. As this did not emanate from the excitement of an admiration of one brilliant achieve- ment, but from the favorable, deliberate opinion of my patriotic and general exertions in the late war, confirmed and perpetuated with time to the present moment,
163
A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF DR. CHAPIN.
makes it doubly welcome. In thus tendering to you, and my fellow-citizens whom you represent, my hearty thanks, words inadequately express the emotions I feel on this gratifying occasion.
" A consciousness of having [tried to discharge my duty, is at all times a source of consolation ; but the ap- proval of my fellow-citizens, as in this instance so kind- ly manifested, awakens within me a feeling of gratitude, which I hope will only be chilled with the extinction of life ; and, gentlemen, whatever may be your condi- tion in this changing world, I pray you accept my best wishes for your future welfare and happiness."
The following tribute to the memory of Dr. Chapin is from the Monroe Times, a paper published at Rochester. Its date is a few days after his decease, in 1838 :
" DOCTOR CHAPIN.
" From a somewhat familiar knowledge of the public services of Dr. Chapin, as one of the founders of Buffa- lo-as a man of exalted character and high enterprise -- as one of the most patriotic and daring defenders of our frontier during the late war -- as an eminent physician and truly philanthropic man -- we cannot withhold (now that he is gathered unto his fathers) our testimony of his worth, and our regrets at his decease.
" More than thirty years ago, he established himself in Buffalo, in the practice of medicine. Buffalo then, as a city, or even as a village, was not ; a few scattered dwellings and a thick forest-broken only by the paths of the Indians, or the rude improvements of the pio- neers-then filled up the scene, now transformed, by the
164
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
magic impulse of civilization, into a noble city, studded with magnificent buildings, adorned with squares and parks and capacious streets, enlivened by the rush of a busy, thriving population of nearly twenty thousand souls-the centre of a great and growing trade-the mart of commerce and the cradle of the arts.
"Dr. Chapin, possessed of eminent generosity of heart and energy of character, probably accomplished more than any other individual in alleviating the hard- ships and improving the condition of the first settlers of the Holland Purchase, and in promoting the prosperity of Buffalo.
" Previous to the breaking out of the war of 1812, he was violently opposed to that measure, in common with the party to which he belonged ; but when it was once entered upon, when the tide of desolation began to del- uge our northern frontier, he entered into the service of his country with his whole soul, and in the offices of Major, Colonel, &c., which he held during the contest, rendered. the most signal and important services. The daring manner in which he, with a small party of sailors, cut out two armed vessels from under the guns of Fort Erie, has but few parallels in the history of indi- vidual achievement ; and the re-capture of himself and party, while on their way (across the Lake) to Canada, in open boats, as prisoners of war, by rising, unarmed, upon a superior force, who acted as the guard, taking them prisoners and returning home in triumph, was an enterprise which nothing but great courage and energy of character could accomplish.
" After the close of the contest, he re-commenced the duties of his profession, which he continued till his death;
.
165
DR. CHAPIN AND THE SURRENDER OF BUFFALO.
but never, even under the weight of accumulating years, were the characteristic features of his mind, or his heart, dimmed for an hour, or the ruling principle of his life, ' to do good unto all,' lost sight of.
"Two years since, his fellow citizens presented him a pair of superb pitchers and twelve goblets, of silver, as tokens of their gratitude for his services, and respect for his character. A name around which clusters so many proud and gratifying recollections needs not the page of history, or the tongue of eulogy to render it imperisha- ble. It lives in the memories of the companions of his toils-among the monuments of the city he has helped to build up-in the prayers of the widow and the fath- erless whom his charities and services have blessed-in the hearts of surviving friends, and the bosom of a be- reaved family."
After the burning of Buffalo, there were those who were disposed to censure Dr. Chapin for the part he took on the occasion of its surrender, and these censures called forth from him a public statement of the facts and circumstances under which he acted at the time, from which the following is an extract :
"Finding that the force under my command, at Black Rock, was such that all further resistance on my part would be vain, having only five men left with me-the remainder being either killed, wounded or dispersed, all attempts to rally them proving abortive-I retreated to Buffalo, where all was confusion and alarm. Women and childen running in every direction to avoid the fury of the British savages, which were rapidly investing the village. About thirty men were collected, who manned a twelve pounder, at the junction of the Black Rock road
166
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
with the main street. A few discharges were made from it which very much annoyed the enemy ; but the car- riage breaking, it was rendered useless. A large body of British troops were now within thirty rods of us, and the Indians had nearly surrounded the town and were in full pursuit of the distressed inhabitants, who had no means of making a rapid retreat, or the least resistance. In this situation I conceived it my duty to resort to some stratagem to save the people from inevitable destruction. I requested some one to meet the enemy with a flag, but no one appearing willing, I went myself, and the moment I was received, I requested the enemy to halt, which was done ; and while I was attempting a negotiation, all was quiet, and the people had time to make their escape from the savages, who had already massacred several of the inhabitants, in their retreat, whether armed or un- armed. Altho' I failed in saving the town, still I suc- ceeded in securing the retreat of many inhabitants who would have otherwise fallen victims to savage ven- geance."
The estimation in which the enemy held the character and conduct of Col. Chapin, at the time of the surrender of Buffalo, will appear in the following :
EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM LIEUT. GEN'L DRUMMOND TO SIR
GEO. PREVOST, DATED,
" YORK, February 15th, 1814.
" I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5th instant, transmitting a communication from Col. Chapin, of the United States Army, and in reply thereto, have to acquaint your Excellency that
167
LETTER OF LIEUT. GEN. DRUMMOND.
considering the circumstances under which that officer was captured, as reported to me by Gen. Riall, on my arrival at Buffalo, I conceive that his detention as a pris- oner of war was perfectly justifiable.
"It appears that he was not only extremely active during the action at Black Rock, on the morning of the 30th December, but afterwards retreated with the Amer- ican army to Buffalo, where I understand he assumed the command of the force that remained there, and having taken a commanding position in front of the town, con- siderably annoyed our troops with round and grape shot from a six pounder, whilst they were advancing ; and as I have been informed it was not until he found that his exertions to arrest their progress were without effect that he came out from Buffalo as a self constituted flag of truce, at a time when our forces were in full pursuit of the American army. It was not until some time after Buffalo had been taken possession of that Major Gen. Riall, having mentioned to me that he had ordered Col. Chapin to remain in arrest at his house, until he was made acquainted with my intentions with regard to him, that I directed the Major General to send him across the water in charge of an officer, considering him a prisoner of war."
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