USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York : with a historical sketch of the county > Part 84
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In the valley, next west of the Bear and Cassadaga valleys, and extending, like the others in the same direction to the northern face of the ridge, is that in which lies Chautauqua lake, the largest in the county and one of the finest in the State. There, in this notch cut so deep- ly across the hills, gleams its bright waters-a paradox among lakes. Though poised in the crest of the highlands where the sky only is re- flected in its crystal depths, so near to Lake. Erie that we look to see its waters pour down the steep declivity to join it, and finally meet the sea upon the cold and barren coast of Lab- rador, we find them running south ward, and after a long and sinnous journey of over 2500 miles, flowing consecutively through its outlet, the Cassadaga, and the Conewango, Allegheny, Ohio and Mississippi rivers, ming- ling at last with the waters of the Gulf of Mex- ico. The Mississippi seems to put forth an arm beyond its own great valley, far into the north- east to receive the pure waters of this highland lakc. The cool dews of the elevated region in which it lies, the pure air and gentle winds bearing health and strength upon their healing wings, combine with the great beauty of the lake to bring annually thousands to its shores in search of rest and pleasure.
In the deep and wide valley that extends through the central part of the connty, flows the The hills that rise to the westward of the valley in which lies Chautauqua lake, divide Cassadaga, a large and crooked stream, empty- ing into the Conewango a little north of the the waters which flow into it from those that
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flow into the Broken Straw and French creeks, important tributaries of the Allegheny. Find- ley's lake, the second in size in the county, lies somewhat farther from the northern face of the ridge than the other lakes of the county, and diseharges its waters into a tributary of French creek.
The streams in the northern part of the county are generally shorter and have less volume than those in the southern part. They rise among the hills that form the ridge and run northerly and empty into Lake Erie. Each of these great valleys that bisect the ridge has a corresponding stream that flows northerly in nearly the same course as extends the valley. These are the largest streams north of the ridge, and each one has usually two forks or branches, flowing from opposite sides of the valley it represents. Twenty Mile creek has its source in the valley in which lies Findley's lake. The Chautauqua and the Little Chautauqua flow from opposite sides of the valley in which lies Chautauqua lake, unite a little above Westfield, and flow northward in the course of the valley of Bear lake. The east and west branches of the Cassadaga flow from opposite sides of the Cassadaga valley and unite above Laona. The Walnut and Silver creeks have their sources in opposite sides of the Conewango valley and unite at Silver ereek. The Cattaraugus creek, which flows along the northern border of the county, is much the largest of the streams that empty into Lake Erie. It is also the longest water-course of the county, being over fifty miles in length. No other stream of the county flows into Lake Erie from beyond the highlands that divide the waters that run into the tribu- taries of the Mississippi, from those that flow into Lake Erie. The Cattaraugus rises in the eounty of Cattaraugus and follows a deep de- pression among the hills. It passes beyond the ridge into Lake Erie. At Gowanda in Catta- raugus county, thirteen miles from Lake Eric,
Conewango, which flows southerly and yet according to the railroad survey its waters are six hundred feet below the head-waters of the Conewango, and but two hundred feet above Lake Erie.
GEOLOGY .- The topographical features of the county, which we have described, are the result of causes and forces operating far back in the past. We must look to geology for an explanation of their existence. All geologists at present agree that the first dry land that ap- peared above the shallow ocean that anciently covered this continent, was a long narrow area, composed principally of granite and other crys- talline roeks, extending from the coast of Labra- dor, in a southwesterly direction, north of, and parallel to, what are now the St. Lawrence and the two lower of the great lakes. At this point, abruptly turning, this belt of a continent, thence extended in a northwesterly direction to the Arctic Ocean. It included within its area, nearly all of what is now the Province of Can- ada, and was called the Laurentian continent. Scattered here and there, in this ancient ocean, were a few rocky islands. In Minnesota was an isolated and limited area of dry land. The Iron mountains of Missouri, the Black Hills of Dakota, the Laramie range in Nebraska, and the Ozark mountains in Missouri, had emerged from the ocean, forming islands. The Adiron- dack region, in the State of New York, formed cither an island or a peninsular appendage of this Canadian continent. All the rest of North America, including the county of Chautauqua, and the outlaying Allegheny mountains, and the loftiest peaks of the Rockies, was then cov- ered by a vast sea.
Fossils, representing the lowest and earliest forms of life, faintly appear in the metamor- phic rocks of this early continent. Slowly, during ages of time, its boundaries continued to extend further and further westward and southward, until the whole area, as it now ap- it is but four miles east of the head waters of the & pcars, had emerged from the ocean. Indced,
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the process is still going ou. The first addition to this incipient continent by the rising of the land and the recession of the sea, was a narrow strip of territory, extending in an easterly and westerly direction along the south aud western border of the azoic rocks of the Adirondacks. The rocks that compose this region are the Potsdam sandstone, and belong to the Pri- moidal, or Cambrian period, and coutaiu fossils of extremely low forms of life. South of the Potsdam sandstone, and extending in nearly au easterly and westerly direction, over the length of the northern half of the State of New York, in loug and uarrow strips in regular order, lie rocks of the succceding periods, which make up that long era of time known in gcological his- tory as the Silurian age, or the age of Mollusks, in which, with the exception of the trilobite and a few other articulates, but little animal life existed higher than shell fish. The periods represented by these rocks in the State of New York, are successively kuown as the Trentou, Niagara, Salina, Lower Helderburg, and Oriskany periods. These rocks were suc- cessively formed in the bottom of the sea, dur- ing long periods of time, by rivers and other agencies, and as the deposits were elevated above the water, the rocks came to constitute the surface in a regular order, as they were formed beneath the sea. Iu like manner were formed the rocks of the succeeding age, or grand division of geological time, known as the Dc- vonian age, or age of fishes, which commeuced with the corniferous period, that extends from the Hudson to the vicinity of Buffalo. South of the corniferous rocks, lie in a long aud nar- row strip, the rocks of the Hamilton period. And next succeeded the rocks of the Chemung period, which exteud in a wide band over the whole southern portion of the State of New York.
As the rocks that underlie Chautauqua coun- ty belong to the Chemung formation, a brief account should be given of their origin and
growth, the character of the shells and fossil sea-weeds found in them, the mnd cracks that appear to have been made by a fiery suu shi- ning upou clay shores, and upon the bottom of shallow seas at ebb-tidc, the oblique and irreg- ular lamination of these rocks, the ripple marks, made in what was then the shiftiug sauds, of what is now the euduring rocks, relate to the circumstances of their creation. They inform us that the area included within the county of Chautauqua during the Chiemung period, was usually covered by a shallow sea of muddy waters, spread over great sandy flats and salt meadows, which were swept by the waves and tidal currents. The character of some of the rocks of this period indicate that at times the sub- mergence was greater, and that they were formed in deeper seas. The great thickuess of the rocks of this formation in Chautanqua couuty, teach us that during the progress of their growth there was a great subsidence of the land.
The Chemuug period is made up of two epochs: the Portage aud the Chemuug. The rocks of the Portage are the oldest, and lie be- neath those of the Chemuug. Iu the uorthern part of the county these rocks extend south from the shore of Lake Erie to the ridge, or water shed, that divides the waters that are dis- charged into Lake Erie from those that flow into the Allegheuy river, and up the northern face of the ridge to an altitude of about eight hundred and forty feet above Lake Erie, or fourteen huudred feet above tide. In this part of the county these rocks lie just beneath the drift, or the loose gravel and sand, that every- where in westeru New York covers the surface of the earth, and of which we shall speak more fully a little later. These rocks are best ex- posed to view aloug Lake Erie, where they compose the high perpendicular bluffs that frown along its shores, rising in some places to a height of one hundred feet. Along the beds and sides of the chanuel worn by the Canada-
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OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
way creek, through the hills of Arkwright, and from that point to Lake Erie, the Portage rocks may be seen to great advantage, particu- larly at the falls of the Canadaway, and of its west branch. Along the banks and beds of the Silvan and Walnut creeks the rocks are well displayed, and also along the Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Little Chautauqua and Twen- ty Mile creeks, and at various places in the northern part of the county, where smaller streams have removed the drift from the sur- face and exposed the underlying rocks. At Wheeler's gulf, in the town of Pomfret, where, in the construction of the Dunkirk, Warren and Pittsburgh Railroad, excavations have been made in the upper strata of these rocks, the line can be seen where they gradually merge into the overlying rocks of the Chemung group. The Portage formation in Chautauqua county has a thickness of perhaps fourteen hnn- dred fect. But few fossils are there found, with the exception of fucoids, or sea weeds. It contains, however, some crinoids, brachiopods, lamelli branches, bellerophous and gonitates. The crinoids-the poteniocrinus, occurs in great numbers, but broken into fragments at a place in the town of Portland, on the shore of Lake Eric.
Above the Portage formation lie the rocks of the Chemung epoch, which extend from the northern face of the ridge, south through the whole of the south part of the county, with generally nothing but drift covering them. The waters that run northward into the gulf of St. Lawrence scem to be divided in Chautauqua county, from the waters that run southward into the gulf of Mexico, by the same line that di- vides the rocks of the Portage from those of the Chemung epoch. They are exposed to view along the banks of the streams and in the ra- vines of the south part of the county, and are best seen along the upper waters of the Chau- tauqua and Little Chautauqua creeks, the outlet of Chautanqna lake at Dexterville, a part of
the Twenty Mile creek, and at points along the Canadaga and Conewango creeks, and along the banks of the smaller streams flowing into them. They are less than 1500 feet in thickness in Chautauqua county, and are composed of sand- stones and coarse shales, with ripple-marks, oblique lamination and shrinkage cracks, denot- ing the deposits to have been made in shallow waters. There are many fossils in the rocks of the Chemung epoch -- aviculæ, brachiopods in great numbers, including the broad-winged spir- ifers, and some producti ; a huge gonitate, four or five inchies in diameter, and sometimes a tri- lobite, and rarely a tooth of a fish.
A conglomerate, sometimes called the Panama and Salamanca conglomerate, composes the upper strata of the Chemung group, and is the last formed of the stratified rocks of Chautauqua county.
Thus we have seen that the foundation rocks of the county were formed in the Chemung period. During the great stretch of time that followed, the continent continued to rise above the sea and gradually extend its limits west and south, until its boundaries became those of the present time. The Catskill period came after the Chemung, and closed the Devonian age. Then followed amazing sweeps of time, known as the Carboniferous age, and the age of Reptiles, and of Mammals, usually called Mesozoic and Cenozoic time, during which Chautauqua county remained substantially above the sea, although it may have been at times temporarily submerged. What vegetable growths and living creatures existed upon its surface during the millions of years included in these vast cras of time, down to the recent period, known as the Glacial period, we have no evidence. They have all been swept away by water and ice. During this era of the world's history Lake Erie was excavated by ice during recurring periods of intense cold. There is little doubt that during this time the region that included Chautauqua county underwent important aud extensive changes.
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Geology informs us that the Tertiary age closed with a long period of intense cold ; that at its close, which was the beginning of that comparatively recent period in the world's his- tory known as the Glacial or Ice period, a vast field of ice of great thickness spread over the northern part of the United States, including the county of Chautauqua-the evidence of which exists in the vast accumulations of gravel, earth and sand, called drift, that lie in great heaps and beds everywhere over the foundation rocks of the county. The moraines left by the retiring glaciers at the close of the Ice period had the effect to dam the waters of the county, and cause an extensive and irregular lake to ex- tend like the fingers of a man's hand up the valleys of the Conewango, the Casadaga and Bear creeks, the evidence of which remains in the fine assorted material, peculiar fresh-water deposits, stratified drift and beds of marl, a pro- duct of fresh-water life.
The semi-tropical era that followed the Glacial period, known as the Champlain, fitted this re- gion for the growth of semi-tropical vegetation, the relics of which may be traced even now north of the ridge-the milder part of the county, where there is, in a measure, an absence of evergreens and some growth of more south- ern species, among which are magnoliads, repre- sented by the cucumber and the white-wood. Tropical animals also existed here during the Champlain period. Among them was the mas- todon and North American clephant, which fre- quented the marshes that bordered these waters. Their teeth and other bones have been found in the Casadaga valley. The skeleton of a large mastodon, with tusks ten feet in length, the twigs of the ancient conifers, upon which he fed, preserved with his remains, were found near Jamestown, and are now preserved in the mu- seum of the city school.
time would admit, and the subject were more appropriate to this paper, a history could be given of the strange life that once existed within the limits of this county, the record of which is- preserved by the fossils in its foundation rocks. The details of the physical changes and pro- cesses by which nature has prepared our county for its present existence would be a story of ex- cceding interest.
PREHISTORIC PEOPLE. - When man first made his appearance upon this continent; when he first became an occupant of this county ; must ever be a subject of conjecture. The pioneers found our county an unbroken wilderness. Yet often when exploring its silent depths, where forest shadows hung deepest, they were startled at the discovery of unmistakable evidences of its having been anciently inhabited by a numer- ous people. Crowning the brows of hills that were flanked by dark ravines, along the shorcs of its lakes and streams, in its valleys at numer- ous points, were the plain traces of their indus- try. Earthworks or fortifications, mostly cir- cular, pits bearing marks of use by fire, ancient highways, and mounds in which lay buried mouldering skeletons ; and later, where forests had given place to cultivated fields, the spade and plow in the spring-time made strange reve- lations of rude implements of war and peace, and oftentimes the crumbling relics of an ancient burial place.
Beyond the limits of the county these evi- dences were thickly strewn. Commencing near the centre of the State, they extended westwardly. In the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi these ancient remains were still more numerously found, and of larger dimensions, and it is evi- dent were of much greater antiquity. There, for a long period of time, must have dwelt a numerous and industrious people.
When the pioneers first visited western New York and the Ohio and Mississippi valleys, these remains were more distinct than now. Rev.
We have now given some account of the won- derful changes that occurred in pre-historic time -a theme of unfailing interest. If space and | Samuel Kirkland, the principal founder of the
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academy that subsequently became Hamilton college, a celebrated and early missionary among the Oneida Indians, whose influence during the Revolutionary war induced them to remain nen- tral, or to join the American cause, visited several of these ancient remains west of the Genesee river as early as 1788. The description that he has given of those visited by him near the present village of Batavia is valuable because of his intelligence as an observer, and the excel- lent opportunity that he had to examine them at that early day, before they were disturbed by the plow or harrow. He came to a place in Genesee connty, on the river Tonawanda, where now is the village of Batavia, called by the Indians "Joaki," which means in the Indian tongne " Racoon." Thence he walked out six or seven miles with a Seneca chief to view the ancient fortifications to be seen there, which he describes as follows :
" This place is called by the Senecas Tegatain- asghque, which imports a double fortified town, or a town with a fort at each end. Here arc the vestiges of two forts; the one contains about four acres of ground; the other, distant from this about two miles, and situated at the other extremity of the ancient town, encloses twice that quantity. The ditch around the former (which I particularly examined) is about five or six feet deep. A small stream of living water, with a high bank, circumscribed nearly one- third of the enclosed ground. There were traces of six gates or avenues around the ditch, and a dug-way near the works to the water. The ground on the opposite side of the water was, in some places, nearly as high as that on which they built the fort, which might make it neces- sary for this covered way to the water. A con- siderable number of large, thrifty oaks had grown up within the enclosed grounds, both in and upon the ditch ; some of them, at least, appeared to be two hundred years old or more. The ground is of a hard, gravelly kind, inter- mixed with loam, and more plentifully at the , Some say three, some say four, others five ages
brow of the hill. In some places at the bottom of the ditch I could run my cane a foot or more into the ground, so that probably the ditch was much deeper in its original state than it appears to be now. Near the northern fortification, which is situated on high ground, are the remains of a funeral pile. The earth is raised about six feet above the common surface, and betwixt twenty and thirty feet in diameter. From the best information I can get of the Indian histori- ans, these forts were made previous to the Senccas being admitted into the confederacy of the Mohawks, Onondagas, Oneidas and Cayugas, and when the former were at war with the Mis- sissangas and other Indians around the great lakes. This must have been near three hundred years ago, if not more, by many concurring accounts which I have obtained from different Indians of several different tribes. Indian tradition says also, that these works were raised and a famous battle fought here, in the pure Indian style, with Indian weapons, long before their knowledge and use of fire-arms, or any knowledge of the Europeans. These nations, at that time, used in fighting bows and arrows, the spear or javelin, pointed with bone, and the war-club or death-mall. When the former were expended, they came into close engagement in using the latter. Their warrior's dress or coat of mail for this method of fighting, was a stout jacket made of willow sticks, or moon wood, and laced tight around the body; the head covered with a cap of the same kind, but com- monly worn double for the better security of that part against a stroke from the war-club. In the great battle fought at this place between the Senecas and western Indians, some affirm their ancestors have told them there were eight hun- dred of their enemies slain ; others include the killed on both sides to make that number. All their historians agrce in this, that the battle was fought herc, where the heaps of the slain are buried, before the arrival of the Europeans.
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ago. They reckon an age one hundred winters or colds. I would further remark upon this subject that there are vestiges of ancient fortified towns in various parts throughout the extensive territory of the Six Nations. I find, by coustant inquiry, that a tradition prevails among the Indians in general, that all Indians came from the west. I have wished for opportunity to pursue this inquiry into the more remote tribes of Indians, to satisfy myself, at least, if it be their universal opinion.
" On the south side of Lake Erie, are a series of old fortifications from Cattaraugus creek to the Pennsylvania line, a distance of fifty miles. Some are from two to four miles apart, others half a mile only. Some contain five acres. The walls or breast-works are of earth, and are generally on grounds where there are appear- ances of creeks having flowed into the lake, or where there was a bay. Further south there is said to be another chain parallel with the first about equi-distaut from the lake.
" These remains of art, may be viewed as connectiug links of a great chain which extends beyond the confines of our State, and becomes more magnificent and curious as we recede from the northern lakes, pass through the Ohio into the great valley of the Mississippi, theuce to the Gulf of Mexico, through Texas into New Mexico and South America. In this vast range of more than three thousand miles, these mouu- ments of ancient skill gradually become more remarkable for their number, magnitude and interesting variety, until we are lost in admira- tion and astonishment, to find, as Baron Hum- bolt informs us, 'iu a world which we call new, ancient institutions, religious ideas, and forms of edifices, similar to those of Asia, which there seem to go back to the dawn of civiliza- tion.'
"Over the great secondary region of Ohio, are the ruins of what once were forts, cemeteries, temples, altars, camps, towns, villages, race grounds and other places of amusement, habi-
tations of chieftains, videttes, watch-towers and monuments."
Some of the inferences and conclusions of Dr. Kirkland have been proved by the re- searches of later antiquarians not to be well founded. Yet his observations respecting these ancient relics, made at such an early date, are very interesting, and instructive.
On either side of the valley of the Cassadaga, from its source to its mouth, along the valley of the Conewango, until it enters the State of Pennsylvania, around Chautauqua lake, in the western and in the lake towus of the county, they were thickly strewn. A brief description of a few of these ancient monuments, will serve for a description of all the rest.
Around the lakes at Cassadaga, occur quite extensive remains. From the end of a point which extends from the south-western side into the lower of these lakes, is a conspicuous mound. Its length is about seven rods, its width five. Its top is about twelve feet above the lake, and cight feet above the low strip of land in its rear, that connects it with the shore, whether it is an artificial or natural mound is not clear, it was however once occupied, Indian relies have been found here in abundance. Across this cape for a distance of twenty rods, along the edge of the higher land in its rear, was a breast- work. Further in the rear, was another earth- work. Near here large quantities of pottery and stone utensils have been found. Not far from the north shore of the lake, was formerly a large high mound, said to have been twelve feet high. Notwithstanding repeated plowing, it is still distinct and plain. About the year 1822, it was opened aud a large number of skeletons taken from it. At many other points around Cassadaga, have relics of a former occupation been found, as pipes, pottery, extensive fire beds, and human bones.
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