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 17
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Mr. Daniel Bristol was among those that were in Buffalo in 1811. He was a well-known master-builder, or carpenter and joiner, for many years. He is the father of Mr. C. C. Bristol, and is one of a very few sur- vivors of those who settled in Buffalo before the war of 1812.
As yet, nothing had been done towards opening the month of Buffalo Creek so as to admit vessels of any size. Nothing had been erected to check the drift of the sand along the shore towards the Niagara river, and at almost all seasons of the year, there was a continuous, broad beach of sand along the lake shore-scarcely
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CUSTOM HOUSE AT BUFFALO.
broken by the discharge of the waters of Buffalo Creek into the lake. At the dry season of the year, it was but a mere rivulet which required little exertion to step across, and all vessels navigating the lake were necessitated to go into the Niagara River for shelter, or to discharge a cargo on the American side, and business began to experience some inconvenience, as by the act or- ganizing the Collection District of Buffalo Creek, the office of the Collector was required to be kept at Buffalo Creek. Congress passed an act authorizing the office of the Col- lector of that District to be kept at such place or places, within the district, as the President of the United States should designate, and in accordance with the provisions of the act, the President on the 16th of March, 1811, designated Black Rock, as the Port of Entry for the District of Buffalo Creek, in the following proclamation :
"TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME :
" Whereas, by an Act of the Congress of the United States, passed on the second day of March, 1811, it has among other things been declared, 'That the office of the Collector of the Customs for the District of Buffaloe Creek, shall be kept at snch place or places in the town of Buffaloe as the President of the United States shall designate' -
"Now know ye, that I, James Madison, President of the United States, by virtue of the power and authority in me vested by the Act aforesaid, have decided, and by these presents do decide that from the first day of April to the first day of December, in every year, Black Rock ·shall be the Port of Entry for the District of Buffaloe Creek, and that for the residue of each and every such
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
year, the village of Buffaloe, shall be the Port of Entry for the District aforesaid.
" Washington, March 16th 1811.
"I certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the orig- inal Act on file in the office of the Secretary of the Treasury.
"EDWARD JONES, 1st Clerk."
The restrictions imposed by Congress upon trade with Great Britain, prior to the war of 1812, it was feared might be construed as an act of hostility to them by the Indians, under the representations of British agents and traders who still exerted a great influence over them, induced the Secretary of War to issue the following cir- cular:
" (CIRCULAR).
" WAR DEPARTMENT, April 15th, 1811.
"SIR : - It is possible, (indeed it has been intimated), that in consequence of the operation of the late law prohib- iting the importation into the United States of British goods, the British agents and traders with the Indians, may at- tempt to excite in their minds, prejudices and hostile dis- positions towards the United States, insinuating, that as the British goods intended for their trade will not be permit- ted to enter and pass the American posts on the Western Frontier, this act, which has been dictated as a measure of general policy in relation to Great Britain, was intend- ed as an act of hostility against the Indians. You will be on your guard ; and use all proper means to anticipate
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MESSRS. TOWNSEND AND COIT.
and frustrate any such attempts ; explaining to the chiefs of the several tribes as occasion may offer, that the Gov- ernment of the United States has been compelled by long continued injuries and violation of their rights on the part of Great Britain, for which no satisfaction or redress has been had, to interdict their trade rather than make war against them. That as the white people have, it is expected the red people will, submit to an inconve- nience which it is in the power of Great Britain to ter- minate, by returning to a sense of right, and pursuing a course of justice.
" In resisting such endeavors and conciliating the dis- position of the Indians, your vigilance and exertions are expected, and in case it should become necessary to ex- tend indulgencies, and to make presents exceeding the usual allowance, your discretion is confided in, to act as circumstances may require.
"The Agents at the several factories will receive in- structions on the subject, from the Superintendant of Indian Trade.
" Respectfully, Sir, " Your Ob't Serv't " W. EUSTIS.
" GEN. ERASTUS GRANGER, " Indian Agent, Six Nations."
Mr. Charles Townsend and Mr. George Coit, two young men, natives of Norwich, Connecticut, associated them- selves together and emigrated to Buffalo in 1811. The following paper, prepared at the request of the Buffalo Historical Society, on the occasion of the death of Mr. Coit, in 1865, contains a brief history of the firm of Townsend & Coit and is inserted at length :
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
" Mr. Coit was a native of Norwich, Connecticut. The late Judge Townsend and himself were clerks to- gether in a drug store in that city, and came together to reside here, in 1811, and established themselves in the same business. They continued in it until 1818, when they sold out their drug store to Doctor John E. Marshall. During these few first years of their residence in this city, (then a village), they established for themselves a high reputation for integrity, and pecuniary responsibil- ity, which they maintained through all the succeeding years of an extensive and successful business. It may be mentioned as a fact, almost perhaps without prece- dent, that during the entire period of their copartnership of more than forty years, they owned, and used, every- thing in common. Even after they both had families this continued to be the case ; each taking from the joint stock what was required for the daily expenses of their families, no account being made as against either indi- vidual partner, and although this continued measureably up to the close of their co-partnership, and finalalivision of their property, it is believed no difficulty in fact, or in feeling, was ever known to exist between them, growing out of this circumstance.
" After the sale of their drug store, Townsend & Coit engaged in the storage and forwarding business. Their first ware-house was upon the Creek, at the foot of Com- mercial street, at the mouth of the Little Buffalo Creek, now the termination of the Erie canal, where they built a dock and frame building, which was used many years, but subsequently gave place to a brick ware-house, which is still standing and in use.
" After the Erie canal was extended to this city,
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MESSRS. TOWNSEND AND COIT.
Messrs. Sheldon, Thompson & Co., removed their busi- ness from Black Rock to Buffalo, which led to a union between the two firms of Townsend & Coit and S. Thompson & Co. This firm engaged extensively in the transportation and forwarding business on the Erie Canal and subsequently upon the lakes, forming a connection with all the principal points, both East and West, doing business for many years under the name of the 'Troy and Erie Line,' enjoying a reputation attained by few if any other companies among the numerous associations engaged in the business at that or any subsequent period.
" It was the common observation and remark, that it was seldom that partners in business were so well adapted to each other's peculiarities, as Townsend and Coit. Judge Townsend becoming permanently a cripple soon after they commenced business, rendered him inca- pable of active, out-of-door employment, while he had extraordinary clerical capacity ; while Mr. Coit pos- sessed vigorous health, great activity and energy, all the out-door business devolved on him; they thus became essential to each other.
" Mr. Coit married a sister of Judge Townsend in 1816. She was the mother of all his children-four sons, and two daughters-all of whom survive their father ex- cept one, the Rev. John T. Coit, who died last year, at Rochester, where he was settled as the pastor of St. Peter's Church.
There are few men who are permitted to enjoy so much comfort in their children as did Mr. George Coit. They had remained under the parental roof until they were all married and settled in the world, with the exception of John, who was absent a few years pursuing his theolog -
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
ical studies, in Europe. The family were remarkably affectionate, extremely attached to each other, and to their father and to their father's house. Their, mother who was entirely devoted to her children, while she lived having died when they were all yet quite young. But they never forgot her instructions or the influence of her example.
Mr. Coit was twice married after the loss of his first wife, both of which connections seem to have been emi- nently judicious and happy.
Although Mr. Coit had lived to see Buffalo grow up from ån insignificant village to become a large and popu- lous city, his own chosen dwelling being, as it were, in the very heart of business, he chose to remain iu his old home, and continued to occupy his plain unpretending house on the corner of Pearl and Swan streets, where he had first pitched his tent, fifty years before. Here he enjoyed almost uninterrupted health up to within a few days of his death. He continued to enjoy the use of all his faculties with the exception of his hearing, in a re- markable degree. His deafness had, in a great measure, disqualified him for the enjoyment of that social inter- course to which he had been accustomed, and which he greatly enjoyed. He therefore sought, and found, enjoy- ment within the sacred precincts of his own family. His last sickness found him neither anxious or unprepared, and the prospect of its fatal termination, of which his symptoms gave early indication, did not disturb the natu- . ral equanimity of his mind ; his only regret seemed to be in parting with his dear children, who notwithstanding they had all settled in families, still clung to their home and visited almost daily their father's house.
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MESSRS. TOWNSEND AND COIT.
This record of our departed friend would be incomplete without some notice of his peculiarities of character. Mr. Coit did not attempt great things. He seemed per- fectly satisfied in the position where Providence had placed him, and his ambition was to discharge the duties of that position with fidelity, and maintain with consis- tency, the character he had assumed, of an upright, con- scientious business man, and all who knew him will say that in this, he was eminently successful. In all the varied and extensive ramifications of a large business pursued with enterprise and energy for a longer period of time than is usually allotted to men of his class, he sus- tained throughout, a high character for integrity, wisdom and discretion, and there was no period of his business career when the firm of which he was a prominent mem- ber did not stand A No. 1, in the public estimation, not only for pecuniary responsibility, but for punctuality, honor, and integrity. The name of Townsend & Coit, associated as it was, with that of others of the highest business standing, in almost every principal town from New York, through the Erie Canal, and the lakes to Chi- cago, was a guarantee that whatever was committed to their hands was safe and sure to receive the most vigilant care and attention.
In 1818, on the application of the citizens of Buffalo the Legislature of the State authorized the survey of the mouth of Buffalo Creek, with a view to the construction of a harbor. This survey was to be at the expense of the county ; it was made however gratuitously, by the Hon. Win. Peacock. The next year the Legislature authorized a loan of twelve thousand dollars for the construction of the work. This loan was secured by the bond and mort-
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
gage of Charles Townsend, Oliver Forward, Samnel Wilkeson and George Coit. The money was expended under the superintendence of Judge Samuel Wilkeson. A pier was built upon the outer side of the channel of the creek, extending into the lake about eighty rods, reaching twelve feet of water; and, in 1821, a channel was formed of sufficient depth to admit vessels of ordi- nary size into Buffalo Creek, giving assurance of the success of what had been considered a doubtful experi- ment. When, however, the agent of the Steamboat Company came on from New York, in Jannary, 1822, to build a new steamboat to take the place of the " Walk in the Water," which had been wrecked, he did not re- gard the harbor improvements sufficiently advanced or secure to ensure the boat a safe passage out of the creek, if constructed upon its banks, and decided to build it at Black Rock, where the " Walk in the Water " had been built. To induce the building of the boat in Buffalo, however, the citizens offered to indemnify the Company against loss, by agreeing to pay one hundred and fifty dollars per day for every day the boat should be detained in Buffalo Creek after the first of May, by reason of any obstruction of the channel. Charles Townsend, Samuel Wilkeson, George Coit, Ebenezer Johnson, Elijah D. Efner and Ebenezer Walden, executed this bond. The boat was accordingly built on Buffalo Creek, and when the boat was completed and ready to sail, in the spring of 1823, the "Superior " found an open, unobstructed chan- nel into the lake; and the bond fwas cancelled. This was a great day of triumph and rejoicing in Buffalo.
As has already been observed, Mr. Coit did not seek public notoriety out of the legitimate sphere of his busi-
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MESSRS. TOWNSEND AND COIT.
ness, yet his political opinions were decided, and freely expressed on all proper occasions. In these, as in all else, he was conservative in his views and principles. He held his religious views and principles in the same way-never obtruding them upon others, yet always ex- hibiting in his daily life an example which created a favorable impression upon all who came within the sphere of his influence. Ile professed no more than he practiced, and he practiced what he professed. Ilis charities were unostentatious-the natural impulses of a kind, sympathizing heart, ever open to the woes and wants of others-not practiced by any rule, but the promptings of a tender sympathy with suffering wherever found. No worthy object or applicant was ever refused his aid, or left his door empty-handed.
Townsend & Coit were almost if not the first who came to settle in Buffalo who possessed capital. Most, it not all, who had hitherto settled here, had little else than strong hands and a resolute purpose. Mr. Granger came here mainly for political purposes ; Mr. Ellicott was here as the agent of the Holland Land Company ; Dr. Chapin, Gen. Potter, Judge Walden and others, to practice their profession, in which their capital mainly consisted. It is believed that none of the settlers, prior to 1810, could be considered, even in those times, rich. Townsend & Coit were reputed wealthy, and their means and credit contributed to give permanency to the busi- ness here, which it had not hitherto enjoyed. The first vessel registered in the district of Buffalo Creek (the sloop Hannah) was built, in part, at least, with their means. Capt. Oliver Coit, who was a relative of Mr. Geo. Coit, was master and part owner of this vessel. Her register
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
dates May 26th, 1817. They continued to be interested in the commerce of the lakes from this time to the intro- duction of steam boats, and the firm to which they be- longed were large owners both in steam and sailing craft, up to the time of its dissolution in 1843 or 4, and per- haps it is due to truth to say that the capital and credit of Townsend & Coit contributed as much or more than that of any other individual at that early day, to develop the resources of the country and carry forward the com- merce of our inland waters. The same may be said with equal truth, in relation to the improvement of our city.
They at an early day became the owners of a large amount of real estate, much of which they improved. The stores they built upon Main street and their warehouses upon the docks, were the best of their class at the time they were built, and it is no disparagement to others to say that during the whole period of their active business, from 1811 to 1844, theirs was the leading house in the city, and the reputation of the house under the various names which the changes of the indi- viduals composing it from time to time, rendered neces- sary, has been maintained up to the present time.
Mr. Raphael Cook was a cotemporary tavern-keeper in Buffalo with Ralph M. Pomeroy. He kept a house of less pretension, on the opposite side of Main street from Pomcroy. It is not certain whether Mr. Cook came to Buffalo, prior to 1810 It is certain that he kept a pub- lic house at the place above stated in 1810. He removed from Palmyra, or its neighborhood to Buffalo, and rented the place lie occupied and may have added to the build- ings as they were low and occupied considerable ground
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JUDGE FORWARD-DR. TROWBRIDGE.
Public meetings appear to have been held at "Cook's Tavern," in those days. Mr. Cook's wife becoming par- tially deranged, he procured a former friend and neigh- bor, Mrs. Swan, to keep house for him. He left Buffalo, with the rest, when it was burned, but returned after the war, and re-opened his tavern on Main street, up town, on the present site of the "Tifft House." The old build- ing which he occupied, stood a great number of years, and was long known as the " Old Phoenix Hotel." Mr. Cook continued to keep it, until his death, in 1821 or 2. A daughter of his married Wm. Grant, the son of Vin- cent Grant.
Mr. Oliver Forward came to Buffalo about this period. , He married the sister of Mr. Erastus Granger. He offi- ciated as the deputy of Mr. Granger, in the Post Office, many years, and on the resignation of Mr. Granger, as Col- lector of Customs, Mr. Forward was appointed in his place. He was subsequently appointed a Judge, by which title he was best known to the early inhabitants of Buffalo. He purchased Inner Lot, No. 72, on what is now Pearl street, in 1813, where he built a briek dwelling, soon after the war, which is still standing. He had several children, some of whom died in infancy. It is believed that Mrs. A. S. Sterling is now the only resident in Buffalo.
Doctor Josiah Trowbridge was an early physician in Buffalo. IIe commenced practice upon the opposite side of the river in 1810, but on the breaking out of the war, in 1812, he removed to this side, and became a perma- nent resident of Buffalo, where he practiced his profes- sion nearly half a century. The Doctor stood high in his
17
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
profession, and at an early period of his residence was for a time associated with Doctor Chapin. During the long period of his professional career, his practice was among the leading families of the place, and he stood high in the estimation of his professional brethren, among whom he was looked upon as the senior member. Like Doctor Chapin, he had an extensive acquaintance and practice in Canada, having married his wife there, or rather the war having compelled him to leave about the time fixed for the wedding, he was driven to the necessity of invoking the aid of friends, and going over in the night making a willing prisoner of Miss Wintermoot, his affianced bride, brought her across the river, and they were married in Buffalo, soon after the declaration of war, in 1812. Doctor Trowbridge had a large family of - children ; Doctor John S. Trowbridge is the only one now living in Buffalo.
The first newspaper . published in Buffalo was the " Buffalo Gazette," issued on the 3d day of October, 1811, by the brothers Smith H., and Hezekiah A. Salisbury, who came here for the purpose, from Canandaigua, where they had learned the printing business of the late James D. Bemis, in the office of the "Ontario Repository." The "Gazette " was the only paper then published in Western New York, excepting one at Batavia, established in 1807. They likewise opened a bookstore, being the only one in the State west of Canandaigua. S. H. Salisbury, in 1818, retired from the " Gazette," and it was continued by H. A. Salisbury, under the title of the "Buffalo Patriot," until 1836, when he disposed of it, and it has since been published as the weekly issue of the "Buffalo Daily
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FIRST NEWSPAPER IN BUFFALO.
Commercial Advertiser.' S. H. Salisbury removed to Rochester, in 1830, and became editor of the " Rochester Daily Advertiser," where he died in 1832. H. A. Salis- bury died in this city, in 1856.
Hitherto Buffalo had been spelled with an e, but soon after the establishment of the first newspaper in Buf- falo in 1811, Mr. Salisbury, the editor, took up the sub- ject and in a series of rather humorous articles, showed the absurdity of using the superfluous e on the end of that name. This is one method he took. He says, " Buf-there's your Buf, fa-there's your Buffa, lo- there's your Buffalo, e-there's your Buffalo-e." The following record of a hypothetical lawsuit is copied :
(From the Buffalo Gazette, Dec. 29th, 1811. ) "LAW INTELLIGENCE.
Ety-Mol O. Gy VS. 1 Court of People's Bench, Buffalo-e, General Opinion.
"This was an action brought before the Court for the purloining the fifth letter of the alphabet, and clapping it on the end of the name Buffalo.
" The Plaintiff contended that he had both reason and right on his side, and that he could not only prove from high authority that the Defendant was guilty not only of a gross dereliction in thus adding the silent, superfluous e to the high sounding Buf-fa-lo, but that he had in his filchings, taken one of the official functionaries, one of the most important members of the alphabet, one in fact introduced into all circles, parties, societies and even into
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
electioneering caucuses, and placed him where his use- fulness would be entirely abridged, where he must raise his final head in silence, where he would be known only in name.
"The Plaintiff now proceeded after some pertinent remarks to the Court, in which he pointed out the enor- mity of the offence of General Opinion, to call his wit- nesses. Several Dictionaries were brought forth and examined, who testified from Doctor Johnson down to Noah Webster, that there was no such character as e, in the town of BUFFALO. General Use who was subpo- naed by both parties was qualified.
" He said he did not hesitate to state to the Court that he had been in the constant practice of dating his notes, receipts and memoranda with 'Buffaloe,' but that since the establishment of a public paper, he should accommo- date it to his conscience to cut it short and dock off the final e. The Plaintiff then said, that if necessary he could produce to the Court a cloud of certificates which would fully and unequivocally convince and convict their minds, but that he would not insult their Honors by sup- posing that any further evidence was wanting and should therefore rest his case."
These efforts of Mr. Salisbury were successful and the superfluous e was gradually dropped, and the im- proved method of spelling Buffalo without an e prevailed.
CHAPTER XIV.
Among the settlers in Buffalo at the period we are now considering, was Mr. Job Hoysington. His name be. comes historic as being the only citizen of Buffalo killed in the battle which preceded the burning of Buffalo, on the morning of the 30th of December, 1813. The follow- ing notice of Mr. Hoysington, was written by Mr. Ben- jamin Hodge, for the Buffalo Historical Society, in 1862 :
" Mr. Hoysington came to reside in Buffalo, in 1810. He was a man of great energy, and perseverance; of indomitable courage and great endurance. He was well calculated to battle with the trials and difficulties of a frontier life. He was a very expert marksman with the rifle. He could bring at almost every shot, a squirrel from the top of the highest trees. He seemed to take great delight in his hunting excursions. But when the war of 1812 opened, Hoysington had a new field before him, and none entered it more willingly, or with more readiness to meet the invading foe. So far as others could judge he was a stranger to fear. He always seemed perfectly cool and collected ; nothing ever shook his nerves, and if for once he did miss his mark (as we shall presently relate), it may be attributed to other causes.
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO.
"On the morning of the 11th of July, 1813, the ene- my crossed the river at Black Rock, dispersed the few militia we had, and burned the barracks. Gen. Porter and others rallied a force of some two hundred men and about twenty Indians, under the celebrated Indian chief, Farmers Brother, vigorously attacked the enemy and drove them back, with the loss of some fifteen or twenty killed and wounded. Mr. Hoysington was on the right flank with the Indians. He cautiously advanced, under cover of some trees, until he found himself near the ene- my, who were standing near the turn of the road in Niagara street. He fired the first gun, taking deliberate aim, at a British officer. He felt sure of his man, but, unaccountably to him, he missed his mark. He after- wards declared if it had been a squirrel he should have killed him.
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