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 15
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Besides those mentioned as having settled in Buffalo at the period of its history now under consideration, there were some others who took up farms in the vicinity of Buffalo, who identified themselves more or less with those who were settlers in the village proper.
As the Indian Reservation, the lake and river sur- rounded Buffalo on three sides, there was but one direc- tion in which settlements could be made. This was upon the east ; consequently the early settlements were upon what was called the " old Buffalo and Batavia road." Most of the lands lying upon this road were plains, or oak openings, having only a sparse growth of stinted timber upon them. It was easily subdued and brought under cultivation.
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
It being of a limestone formation, the soil proved to be excellent for the cultivation of grain, and was taken up with avidity by that class of settlers who had agricul- ture only in view. Several of the first settlers in the village also took up farm lots. Dr. Chapin, the Pratts and others, were of the number.
Samuel Tupper bought Lots No. 27 and 50, Township 11, Range 8; Joseph Wells, No. 28, also Lot 41, same Township and Range; Frederick Miller, Lots 36 and 37 ; Zachariah Griffin, Lot No. 43; Ebenezer Walden, Lot No. 52; Joshua Gillett, Lot 51; Alvin Dodge, Lot 54 ; William Hodge, Lot 57; Elijah Holt, Lot No. 75 ; Daniel Chapin, Lots 66 and 81; Rowland Cotton, Lot No. 75.
Several of these purchasers of farm lots were active and influential men in aiding to reduce the discordant elements of a half-civilized community into something like social order.
Gen. Elijah Holt should be particularly mentioned in this connection. His name frequently appears in the proceedings (as the chairman) of public meetings, par- ticularly those which were held for the purpose of con- sidering questions relating to the social, moral and re- ligious interests of the community. The task of organ- izing society out of such discordant elements, required no ordinary degree of moral courage on the part of those who were the constituted leaders in the work, and this Gen. Holt (for he was thus familiarly called) seemed to possess. He was a man of commanding pres- ence, of pleasing, dignified address, and apparently well qualified to occupy the position assigned him. Some of the principal men in Buffalo were, at that time, not
217
RESOLUTION OF THE MORAL SOCIETY OF BUFFALO.
the most perfect examples of morality. Deacon Callen . der observed one of his neighbors engaged in carting bis hay into the barn, publicly on the Sabbath. He went to him and kindly remonstrated with him, but with little effect, and it was not until Deacon C. told him he should certainly enforce the law against him, that he finally desisted from his work.
A society was formed of which Gen. Holt was the president, and Deacon Callender, Secretary, for the sup- pression of vice and immorality, and this society among other measures, adopted for the accomplishment of the object of its organization, published an advertisement in. the Buffalo Gazette, of which the following is a copy :
"RESOLUTION OF THE MORAL SOCIETY OF BUFFALO.
"Resolved, That after the 23d November, inst., the laws of the State prohibiting violations of the Sabbath, shall be strictly enforced against all persons who on that day shall drive into the village loaded teams, or who shall unload goods, wares and merchandise, or who shall vend goods or keep open stores, or shops for the purpose of trading or laboring, or who shall engage in hunting, fishing, &c., &c. Also against all parties of pleasure, riding or walking to Black Rock, or elsewhere.
"Resolved also, That the above resolution be published two weeks in the Gazette, published in this village, that strangers as well as villagers may be informed of the same, and govern themselves accordingly.
" By order of the Society.
" A CALLENDER, Sec'y."
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
Mr. Amos Callender came to Buffalo in 1807 or 8 but did not remove his family until a year or two after. He was born in the town of Milton in the State of Vermont. His education, although not a graduate of any college, was superior to most of the young men of his day ; so much so that he had taught school before he left his native State, to reside in Buffalo. He soon found use for his acquirements in this then new settlement. He was first employed to keep the books of several of the early merchants, but usually taught school during the winter. He subsequently became Deputy Postmaster, an office which he held many years. He was appointed Surro- gate of the county, in 1813, which office he held during one term.
He identified himself at a very early period with the cause of education and religion. So far as active duty and labor was concerned, he, perhaps more than any other individual, was influential in sustaining schools and religious worship, in the early history of Buffalo. A man of great firmness and equanimity of temper, of the most inflexible integrity, ever ready to perform any duty, always wise, discreet, and charitable towards the feel- ings and infirmities of others, Buffalo had no more use- ful citizen than Deacon Amos Callender. He had been educated in the faith of the Episcopal Church, but upon the organization of the First Presbyterian Church, in Buffalo, he united himself with that church, of which he remained a ruling elder until his removal to Black Rock, about the year 1840.
He was constituted a ruling elder in the church at Black Rock, but ultimately removed to this city and con- nected himself with the Central Presbyterian Church
219
MR. AMOS CALLENDER-MR. JABEZ GOODELL.
and remained a ruling elder of that church to the time of his death in 1859.
Deacon Callender was thrice married and had six daughters, four by his first, and two by his second wife ; all but two are still living; two only are now residents of the city, Mrs. Wm. Ketchum and Mrs. Willcox, It may be truly said that Deacon Callender led an active useful life. Few men have the opportunity of doing so much good by active labor, by precept and by example. His memory will be cherished with esteem and gratitude by all who knew him and could appreciate a truly good and upright man.
Mr. Jabez Goodell became a ruling elder in the First Presbyterian Church at an early period of its history, and lived in the city to a very advanced age. He was pecu- liar in many respects ; extremely moderate in speech and in action, yet possessing a good deal of quiet energy and perseverance. By a skillful management of his lands which he bought at their original price from the Holland Land Company, and the gradual growth of the city for the period of nearly half a century, the increase in the value of his lands swelled into a very large estate. Having no children, he left the bulk of his property to be distributed to the different societies, or religious, mis- sionary and educational associations of the denomi- nation to which he belonged. All that he left for the benefit of the city where his wealth accumulated was a donation of a few thousand dollars to the Buffalo Female Academy to aid that association in erecting their acad- emy building, which in acknowledgment of the donation was called Goodell Hall.
CHAPTER XII.
There were more lots sold in Buffalo, in 1808, than in any previous year. The following names appear on the books of the Holland Land Company as purchasers of lots in Buffalo in 1808 :
Jabez Goodell, Outer Lots, 136 and 145; John Roop, Farm Lot, 76; Elisha Ensign, Inner Lot, No. 60 and Farm Lot, No. 19; Joseph Wells, Inner Lot, No. 62 ; Asa Fox, Inner Lot, No. 61 ; Gilman Folsom, Inner Lot, No. 72; David Mather, Outer Lot, 123; William Hull and others, Inner Lot, No. 8; Rowland Cotton, Farm Lot, No. 75.
Most, if not all the names in the above list, became permanent settlers in, or near the village of Buffalo, and participated in the first efforts to establish society. Mr. Ensign married a daughter of Gen. Holt. She was the mother of Messrs. E. W. Ensign, and Charles Ensign of this city. Mr. Roop, it is believed was killed in the War of 1812, and was the father of Mr. Henry Roop of this city.
The date of the conveyance of a lot is not in all cases the date of the first settlement of the individual to whom the lot was conveyed. But it is a safe and perhaps the most reliable record of the names of the pioneer settlers of Buffalo, now to be obtained. Several of the earliest
221
MR. JOSEPH LANDON-MR. JABEZ GOODELL.
settlers remained but a short time after the settlement under the Holland Land Company's title began. Will- iam Johnston, and his son, John Johnston, both remained and died here. Maybee, Robbins and Henry Chapin, with probably others of whom we have no record, left soon after the Holland Land Company began to sell lots in the village of New Amsterdam.
Mr. Joseph Landon, who is well remembered by many of our old inhabitants came here in 1806 or 7. He kept a tavern upon the present site of the Mansion House for many years. He purchased Outer Lot, No. 81, in July, 1807. He married Mrs. Marvin, the mother of Mrs. Judge Ebenezer Walden, who died in 1819. Mr. Landon afterwards married Mrs. West, the widow of Doctor West, long stationed at Fort Niagara, as physician and surgeon at that post. Mr. Landon removed from Buffalo to Lockport, where he kept a public house during the construction of the canal, and locks at that place. None of his descendants, so far as is known to the au- thor, reside in Buffalo.
Mr. Joseph Wells was the father of Messrs. William Wells, and C. J. Wells, and C. C. Wells, all well known citizens of Buffalo. Capt. William Hull, was the father of Mrs. O. G. Steele. Mr. Gilman Folsom was one of the first, if not the first regular butcher in Buffalo. Ilis sons were Gilman, Jun., and Ezekiel ; none of the family remain in Buffalo.
Mr. Jabcz Goodell, it will be seen by examining the list of village lots and the names of the purchasers in the
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
Appendix, became a large purchaser of lots in the vil. lage of Buffalo, as well as of lands in the country. He kept a tavern for the accommodation of teamsters, at a ·very early period, on the corner of Main and Goodell streets, and purchased a large tract of land in that neigh- borhood, being a little without the bounds of the village.
Capt. Rowland Cotton, as he was familiarly called, had his residence about five miles out, on the old Buffalo and Batavia road, now Main street. He had been an officer in the Revolutionary War. He had a large family of chil- dren, and there were other collateral branches of the family settled in the neighborhood. Capt. L. H. Cotton is a son and is believed to be the only one of the chil- dren of Capt. Rowland Cotton, now living in the city. He had other sons, some of whom settled in the west. Capt. Rowland Cotton died in an adjoining county at a very advanced age.
Mr. Henry Ketchum and his brother, Zebulon Ketch- um, were early settlers in Buffalo. The former pur- chased Outer Lot No. 17, and farm Lot No. 70, in 1807. He built a dwelling on the corner of Main and Chippe- wa streets, where he remained until the burning of Buffalo, in 1812-13. He and his family fled with the rest, and never returned here to reside, but sold his property in Buffalo and settled, it is believed, some- where in Orleans county.
Mr. Zebulon Ketchum remained a resident of Buffalo up to the time of his death. Some of his descendants still reside in Buffalo.
Mr. Henry Ketchum and Zebulon Ketchum were
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MESSRS. HENRY AND ZEBULON KETCHUM.
brothers of Mr. Jesse Ketchum, who is extensively known as the patron and constant visitor of our public schools. . He is more widely known, perhaps, through his connection with our public schools and Sunday schools, than any other individual in our city. The ben- efits he has conferred-and is still conferring-upon the children of our city will only be disclosed in eternity. His yearly contributions in books, money, and in many other ways, for the benefit of the children of the city, must have been for many years quite large; and they are made in a most liberal and catholic spirit. The name of "Father Ketchum " will go down to posterity embalmed in the tender recollection of thousands of youthful hearts who have been the recipients of his kind words and liberal benefactions.
Mr. Jesse Ketchum became an early purchaser of real estate in Buffalo. It is not unlikely that he would have settled here at the first, but the death of an elder brother at Toronto (then York) called him there to look after the estate his brother left there, and he remained many years a citizen of that place, engaged largely and successfully in the tanning business, which his brother had established there. Mr. Ketchum, however, never lost his interest in Buffalo. Owning a large property here, he visited Buffalo frequently, manifesting his re- gard for its improvement and prosperity by contributing liberally towards the various objects of public interest. When the First Presbyterian Church was built, in 1828, although not a resident here, (and, at that time, probably never expecting to be) he contributed liberally towards the expense of the building, taking and eligible pew, which he continued to own, notwithstanding he was a resident in a foreign territory.
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
On the breaking out of the Patriot war, (as it was called) in 1837-8, Americans became the especial objects of suspicion, and surveillance, and a state of things existed in Canada very repugnant to the republican prin- ciples of Mr. Ketchum. He removed with his family to this city, where he has ever since resided.
Among the purchasers of lots, in 1809, we find the names of Marmaduke Wells, a brother of Joseph Wells, of whom we have already spoken, Otis R. Hopkins and others, who do not seem to have become settlers in Buf- falo. Mr. Otis R. Hopkins settled in the town of Clar- ence. Mr. Wells appears to have held the office of Con- stable in Buffalo, at an early period.
Doctor Ebenezer Johnston arrived in Buffalo in 1809. He had studied his profession with the celebrated Doctor White, of Cherry Valley, and was furnished with the following letter of introduction to Mr. Granger :
" CHERRY VALLEY, 31st August, 1809. " ERASTUS GRANGER, EsQ.,
" DEAR SIR : - The bearer of this letter (Doctor John- son) is in pursuit of a place in order to settle himself in his professional business. I have directed him to call on you as the most suitable person to advise him of the pro- priety or impropriety of lis settling at Buffalo. Doctor Johnson hath been a student with Judge White before, and ever since my partnership with the Judge, and it is but doing my duty to Dr. Johnson to state that he is a young man of unblemished morals, well read in his pro- fession, and justly entitled to the patronage of the public.
" I remain, with respect and esteem, " Your much obliged friend, " HEZEKIAHI L. GRANGER. "
225
DOCTOR EBENEZER JOHNSON.
Dr. Johnson entered upon the practice of his profes- sion, which seems to have been his object in coming here. But he soon found a field opened for the employ- ment of his business faculties, which he possessed in a high degree. He followed the practice of his profession up to the time of the war in 1812, and served as a physi- cian and surgeon, during the war, on the Niagara frontier.
After the war he engaged in business, commencing, it is believed, with a drug store. He was associated in business for several years with the late Judge Samuel Wilkeson, subsequently he became a banker and broker. He possessed extraordinary executive capacity as a busi- ness man, and as his business led him to associate much with business men, his promptness and punctuality became proverbial.
By his enterprise, activity, and industry, he accumu- lated a large property, and was esteemed one of the wealthiest men in the city. He was the first Mayor of Buffalo after it received its charter, and held that office for two terms. He was a gentleman of pleasing address, fine commanding presence with something of a John Adams contour and expression ; he would attract notice in any assemblage of men.
He built for his residence the stone cottage mansion, now occupied as the dwelling of the Female Academy, on Delaware street, where he lived in opulence and splendor, having a large park, enclosed with a high picket fence, ornamented with trees and shrubs, plants and flow- ers, walks and waterfalls, with deer feeding and gambol- ing in the mimic forest-lawn, prepared for them.
But like all our active business men, Doctor Johnson .
15
226
HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
had to meet the terrible pecuniary revulsions of the time, and his ample fortune was swept away, and himself driven to seek support for his family in a distant State, by working some iron mines which in the course of his business had come into his hands, where he died not many years after he left Buffalo, having scarcely attained a period of life much past middle age. He had several children, but a single one only remains in Buffalo, Mrs. Rev. Dr. Lord.
Mr. Joshua Lovejoy was a tavern keeper at Avon, Gen- esee River, in 1805-6, in a hotel erected at that place by Mr. James Wadsworth. He came to Buffalo in 1807 or 8, but his name is not mentioned in the books of the Hol- land Land Company as the purchaser of a lot. The name of his family has become historic on account of the murder of his wife at the burning of Buffalo. This piece of barbarity, the murder of a defenceless woman, was excused by the British officer in command, on the ground that she resisted or assaulted those who entered her house, where she remained when her family and neigh- bors had all fled, and that her death was owing entirely to her own indiscretion and desperation.
Mr. Lovejoy died in New York, in 1824, aged fifty- three years. Mr. Henry Lovejoy, the well-known sur- veyor in Buffalo, is a son.
Among the early merchants in Buffalo, may be men- tioned the firm of Juba Storrs & Co. This firm was originally composed of Mr. Juba Storrs, Mr. Benjamin Caryl and Mr. Samuel Pratt, Jun. Mr. Storrs had been educated for the bar, and came from Mansfield, in
227
JUBA STORRS, ESQ.
Connecticut, to Buffalo, in 1808, to establish himself in the practice of the law. The following letter was writ- ten on his arrival at Buffalo :
" BUFFALOE CREEK, July 15th, 1808.
" MY DEAR PARENT :- You will perceive by the date of this that I am farther from home than I contemplated when I left Mansfield. It is a good day's ride from On- tario, where I thought of making a stand; but the in- formation which I received at Geneva and Canandaigua induced me to pursue my route to this place. You will find it on the map, by the name of New Amsterdam. It is a considerable village, at the mouth of Buffaloe Creek, where it empties into Lake Erie, and is a port of entry for Lake Ontario, (Erie) the St. Lawrence river and all the western lakes, and will eventually be the Utica, and more than the Utica, of this western country.
" Buffaloe is in the county of Niagara, on an extensive and elevated plain, and is very healthy, subject to no fevers, or uncommon diseases whatever ; and there are but four attorneys in the county-so that I think my chance for success is better than it would be in Ontario county ; yet I shall, I think, get admitted in that county also, and in Genesee, which is between this and that.
"I have been very successful in my acquaintance. Mr. Lewis, an attorney of Geneva, in respectable stand- ing, (although I had no letters to him) treated me very handsomely. I dined with him once, and he gave me letters to gentlemen on my route, which I found usefu !. Again, I fell in company with a former Judge of the Common Pleas in Ontario county, who was traveling in the stage this way-a strong Federalist and a man much
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
respected-who was so good as to introduce me to men of his acquaintance, (which I found was very extensive) particularly to Mr. Granger, Postmaster and Collector of this port.
"As Judge Hosmer was going to Niagara Falls, about twenty miles from this place, I thought it would be use- ful to me to cross Niagara river, (and) form acquaintances in his majesty's dominions of Lower (Upper) Canada and the Falls, so celebrated throughout America and Europe ; and this is the reason of my not writing sooner ; as the mail goes from here but once a week, I did not before have time to write. * *
"I will write again soon, and more fully. In the mean time, I wish very much to receive a letter from home. 'Buffaloe Creek, State New York,' will be suffi- cient direction.
"JUBA STORRS."
It does not appear, however, that Mr. Storrs carried out his intention ; for we find that in 1809, or '10, he associated himself with the gentlemen above named in the mercantile business.
They built a brick store on the corner of Wash- ington and Exchange streets, (then South Onondaga and Crow streets) in 1810-on the west side of Washington and north side of Exchange. This was undoubtedly the first brick building erected in Buffalo.
Mr. Storrs writes to his father, under date of July 26th, 1810, and says :
"My partner nor myself have been able to obtain from Ellicott a well situated village lot. Caryl (his part-
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JUBA STORRS, ESQ.
ner,) contracted for a lot, with a house sufficient for a store, for five hundred dollars-then the best we could get, for which I suppose we could get six hundred, if we did not think the rise would be something handsome within a short time. It is not now as eligible a stand as the one we occupy, and have contracted for at four hundred dollars, and on which we are now building. Both these lots are said to be well bought, and the pay- ments are made (payable) in such a way that I think we shall be able to get along with them, and keep both lots till the rise may induce us to dispose of one or both.
"The lot which we have got to-day is in a very eligi- ble situation for business, and is one that we have before tried to get, but without success, and is said to be well bought. Either lot, with the house, (one on each) will give us fourteen per cent. on a rent.
"This lot and house I think I shall keep in my own name. Could we have got it a month ago, we should not have attempted to build at present, but we have now progressed so far that we must go on."
Mr. Pratt retired from the firm, and Mr. Lucius Storrs, a younger brother of Mr. Juba Storrs, came on from Connecticut and took his place.
In 1812, the Company leased the mill property, be- longing to Mr. Jonas Williams, at the Eleven Mile Creek, as it was then called, (now Williamsville) and Mr. Caryl removed his family there. The Company pur- chased the property during that year, and Mr. Caryl be- came a permanent resident there.
After the burning of Buffalo, Juba Storrs & Co. re- moved their mercantile establishment to Canandaigua,
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
Mr. Storrs himself remaining there. It is believed that Mr. Juba Storrs was never married.
Mr. Benjamin Caryl, removed from Vermont into Canada, soon after 1800. It is certain that he lived near Long Point, in Upper Canada, in 1805. It is probable he came to reside in Buffalo, about 1807 or 8. He lived at Williamsville, when Buffalo was burned, and contin- ued to live there some time after the war, but subse- quently returned and remained in Buffalo until his death. Mr. C. C. Caryl is a son. His daughters, now living in Buffalo, are Mrs. Gen. Lucius Storrs, Mrs. Doctor Warner and Mrs. J. H. Coleman.
Mr. Isaac Davis was an early merchant in Buffalo. He had a store and dwelling on the west side of Main street, below Seneca street. He was the purchaser of Outer Lot, No. 84, and probably Inner Lots 33 and 34, where he had his house and store. He did not remain in Buffalo long after the war. The pecuniary revulsion which immediately followed the close of the war, caused almost universal failure and bankruptcy among the mer- chants over the whole country ; Mr. Davis suffered in common with the rest, and died by his own hands in a fit of weakness and depression caused by a fit of sick- ness at Canandagua, in 1818.
The organization of the political machinery for the es- tablishment of civil government, became the next object of the first settlers. Up to about 1805-6 nothing but the ordinary organization of towns existed and all the terri- tory west of the Genesee River had been included in the
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POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.
town of Northampton, but Buffalo Creek lay entirely without the pale of civilization.
Upon the organization of the County of Niagara, in 1808, the Legislature made "Buffalo or New Amster- dam," the county-seat, upon the condition that the Hol- land Land Company should erect a court house and jail upon a suitable lot, and convey the same to the county .*
The Holland Land Company complied with the terms of this stipulation and built the court house in the mid- dle of what is now Washington street, directly in front of the present "Old Court House," and conveyed to the county half an acre of land upon which it stood, lying in a circle, the centre of the building being the centre of the lot. This conveyance was made in 1810.
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