USA > New York > Genesee County > Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890 > Part 50
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ety, and their descendants are now found among the first families of the province. So that at the last, in his devotion to his daughters, it may be said of this graceful but graceless corsair,
" That linked with one virtue was a thousand crimes."
But to return from the digression. Deacon Chamberlin extended his travel west, following the Indian trail, over unbridged streams and miry swamps, and finding en route but a solitary settler until he reached Buffalo (then Erie). It had not yet received the name of New Amsterdam, which it was later christened by Joseph Ellicott. Here, too, there was but a solitary white man,-Cornelius Winne, a Hudson River Dutchman, -who, in 1789, had been tempted into their wilds to open trade with the Indians that, since the treaty for the sale of their lands to Phelps & Gorham, congregated here in large numbers. His log store was on the site of the present Mansion House in the city, and his goods consisted of rum, whisky, knives, trinkets, etc. Here he entertained Chamberlin, if being in close quarters, in a house filled with drunken Indians, could be called " entertainment." It was afterwards confessed by him to be " rather a poor night's rest." His adventures on this trip, which was as far as Presque Isle (now Erie), it is not our purpose to relate, only so far as to show the general condition of this virgin soil before the white man peopled it, when as such he was the object of great curiosity both to squaw and Indian, who in straggling bands peopled the route. His re- turn to the Genesee followed, finding no country more inviting for im- provement and tillage than the one he had left behind, a characteristic which it retains to this day.
But what a world of change it was permitted the Deacon in the space of a single life to witness ! A transformation more wonderful than any of Aladdin's creation on every spot on which his eye had rested ! Upon the spot where in this first adventure he had traveled, where the Iroquois were its undisturbed lords, he was to see a city to spring up and spread in ever increasing magnitude, and destined to rank in the near future with the great capitals of the western world. And over all the broad domain, which he had traversed by an Indian trail, he was to see arise populous villages, smiling fields, and homes indicating prosperity, plenty, and content. An empire " born in a day ! "
Deacon Chamberlin died in Le Roy, in 1848, at the advanced age of 85, " like a shock of corn fully ripe," as was aptly said at his funeral. He was one of the organizers of the first Baptist Church in Le Roy, and for this purpose granted a lot from his farm at the east of the village, on which the building was erected. As population increased, and business centered near the Oatka, the church location was considered too remote, and it was removed to its present site on Church street, on the convincing and analogous argument of its then pastor, that " if one would catch rab- bits he must set his trap where rabbits run." Mr. Chamberlin left a family of three sons and one daughter, none of whom now survive. Stewart, the eldest, was for many years the leading grocer in the village.
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He built the present Central Hall, and contributed otherwise largely to village improvements. The children that survive him are George, Henry, and Spencer, and Mary, the wife of Mr. Cole, all residents of Chicago.
The Ganson settlement .- Upon the opening of new roads, and the completion of the surveys of the Holland Land Co. 'under Joseph Elli- cott, in 1802, the whole section became alive with immigrants. It was during this period that the Ganson settlement received many accessions. The " Ganson tavern," its chief landmark, required to be enlarged, the log tavern razed to the ground, and a frame building erected in its place as a necessity from the the increased travel. John Ganson, Jr., was its proprietor, and under him the hostelry became one of the most noted for the accommodation of the traveler between Albany and the lakes, a repu- tation which it retained for the whole period it was used as a public house.
It is not within our limit, neither is it our purpose, to give detailed items of personal history. For this a volume would not suffice, and save in exceptional instances of interest, and where the descendants are among us, a brief mention is all that so condensed a history will permit. It must suffice to group names as far as they can be recalled, and this will prob- ably be chiefly conspicuous for its omissions. But by far the greater number, all, indeed, of those first-comers, will be found reposing in hon- ored graves in our own or in contiguous cemeteries. The first of these, opened about 1801, was on a lot donated for this purpose by Capt. Jotham Curtis, one of the early settlers and a tavern-keeper, on his farm two miles east of the village, and where a Mr. Wiley, the first person whose death is recorded, was buried, subsequently sold to Capt. Daniel Buel, and since known as the Buel farm. This for many years was the sole bury- ing-ground. The Episcopal and Presbyterian yards were opened on the organization of their respective societies. And it is at quite a modern period that a company was formed for laying out the Machpelah Ceme- tery, which has become one of the most beautiful in the country, and to which many of the remains of these pioneers have been removed. It is from these moss-covered stones in the old and new grounds that their names may be found, with a brief record of their birth, their age, their death. But this is not all. They live in their fruits. The smiling plenty of to-day attests to their sturdy virtues, their patient and hardy toil.
" Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield ; 'The furrow oft the sturdy glebe has broke. How jocund did they drive their team afield ! How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke !"
The first bridge over the Oatka was built in 1802. It was a memor- able event. James Ganson was the contractor, and Charles Wilbur and Jotham Curtis the commissioners. Two hundred dollars in addition to $50 voted by the town had been raised for its construction. Laborers and a derrick, etc., had been obtained from Canandaigua, and a general " bee " raised for the work of laying the timbers over the stream, made of split chestnut logs. A shanty for the men, and for providing entertain- ment for the occasion, was erected on the bank of the Oatka, and the great
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work was commenced and finished in five days. Mrs. James Ganson, in her old age, informed the writer that she was the hostess that made pro- vision for the entertainment, which was abundant in substantials, and not wanting in doughnuts and gingerbread, and of the liquids "old rye " was not without a fair representation. It was before the day of temperance agitation. The second grand occasion at this spot was when the first dam for the grist mill was finished, and the hour had come for the gate to be raised. For this honor, among the crowd of maids and matrons assem- bled to witness it, Mrs. Stoddard, Mrs. Wolcott, and Mrs. James Ganson were selected, and when they had lifted the gate and the waters rushed through a shout went up from the waiting crowd, upon so memorable an event, which was the first triumph over the waters of the Oatka, and all joined in the festivities which followed.
It is not to be supposed that the new settlement was without its recrea- tions and amusements. From the earliest period of its history general training was the great annual event, that brought from far and near all the settlers to enjoy its display and partake of its festivities. The first was held on the Ganson farm in 1801. At the meeting to organize the first company, after choosing Joseph Hewitt, captain ; Daniel Davis, lieu- tenant ; James Ganson, ensign ; and eight subalterns, there were but 10 men left for privates. But the general training took in the wide circuit of all the outlying settlements. It was held sometimes on the Ganson and Davis farms, and sometimes on the bank of the Oatka. . It usually closed with a sham fight and often with a real one, particularly among the In- dians, who were always out in "full feather " to imbibe the " fire water " and enjoy the sights. In the proper season for such gatherings " paring bees " for both sexes and raisings for the men was the hospitable custom, and good cheer and social enjoyment abounded. But terpsichore was by no means neglected. The fiddler of the period was Chapman Haw- ley, who made his first settlement on what is now the Vary farm, east of the village, and discoursed the music of the dance to the waiting and ex- pectant company assembled for the purpose. This was usually in the ball room of the old Ganson tavern, the present residence, as has been stated, of Mr. Olmsted, where it can still be seen in its primitive state. If its walls could but speak what festive times would they reveal !
Northampton was the first name given to the township, and it em- braced all of the territory west of the Genesee River. It has often been called by the early pioneers the town of "two rivers," from the fact of its being bounded on the east by the Genesee River and on the west by the Niagara. It had Lake Ontario for its northern boundry, and extended south to the Pennsylvania line. It is this broad extent of Northampton that gives interest to the infant settlement, of which this is but an imper- fect outline. Its history begins when Buffalo was not, when Rochester was not, and when no intervening homestead had been planted in all of the territory. In 1789 a few adventurers had crossed the Genesee River and settled upon its border. Peter Shaefer opened a farm at the mouth of the
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Oatka, bought of Ebenezer Allan before mentioned. He was soon fol- lowed by Isaac Scott, the beginner of Scottsville, and from whom it took its name. A Mr. Schoonover settled near the mouth of Dugan's Creek. Gilbert Berry was the first to establish a ferry over the Genesee at the site of the present bridge, and built a log house, where he opened trade with the Indian village of Canawaugus.
The first town meeting of this " empire " township was held at Big Springs (Caledonia), on April 4. 1797. The following were its officers : Gad Wadsworth, presided ; Josiah Fish, supervisor ; Eli Granger, town clerk; Peter Shaefer, road commissioner and poormaster ; Isaac Scott, fence viewer ; and Hinds Chamberlin, constable. At a town meeting at the same place the following year $50 was voted for building the bridge over the Oatka, at a point which thus early was termed the " Butter- milk Falls," and the name here first appeared upon record. It was not until 1800 that the first tax was levied, for literally there was nothing previous subject to taxation. The roll contained 142 names, and of these 85 were assessed less than 50 cents each. The burden of the taxes was laid upon non residents, there being but $200 assessed upon the settlers. Of these John Ganson, Sr., paid the largest, $2. 10, and his son James the smallest, two cents, on a personality of $12. The "bloated capitalist " had not yet found his way in these parts. The total tax raised was $8,387. Contrast this with the millions now annually assessed and col- lected from the cities and counties which cover the territory.
In 1800 a census was taken (which was the first) by Gen. Amos Hall, the United States deputy marshal, under the census law of 1790. In the list is found the names of all the settlers from a mile west of Seneca Lake. The list shows from what small beginnings this large and popu- lous district has sprung. The census enumeration was made soon after the act, and in it the only name found belonging to this section is that of John Ganson. The total of males in the enumeration was 728; females, 340 ; free blacks, 7 ; slaves, 9; total, 1,084.
In 1802 the county of Genesee was erected from the county of On- tario, and Batavia made the county seat. The office of the Holland Land Co. ( which had completed its surveys ) was also established there. By the same act which erected the county Northampton was divided, and this part took the name of Southampton.
Southampton .- The first meeting of the new township was held in March, 1802. Although shorn of its grand proportions it still embraced all there now is of Caledonia, Wheatland, and the territory south to the Pennsylvania line. At this meeting Christopher Layburn was chosen supervisor. Among the names of officers chosen from the Ganson settle- ment we find there James and John Ganson, Hinds Chamberlin, and Ezra Platt. Coming down as late as 1808 we find the following as justices of the peace in the new township : Richard M. Stoddard, Joseph Hewitt, Ezra Platt, John and James Ganson, who served early ; and later Amos Hall, Robert Nesbitt, Samuel Davis, Jeremiah Hascall, Asher Bates, S. Bates, David Davis, and G. H. and J. Fox.
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Ezra Platt came into the settlement from Canandaigua in 1801-02. It was about the same period that Richard M. Stoddard accompanied him. He had married the daughter of Dudley Saltonstall. In May, 1801, Joseph Ellicott, acting as the special agent of Messrs. Le Roy and Bayard, employed Mr. Stoddard to survey the Triangular tract, giving minute directions, especially as to the laying off of 500 acres at "But- termilk Falls." This same tract of 500 acres was in 1802 bought by Platt and Stoddard, which is now all covered by the village of Le Roy. The interest of Saltonstall in the purchase was sold to Ezra Platt, and Stoddard and Platt formed a copartnership and erected on the Oatka the first grist-mill west of the Genesee River. Mr. Platt was a popular and influential man in the rising community, and took a leading part in its improvement. He donated to the public the land for the park, christened by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hanson Cox "Trigon," from its triangular shape, and built at his own expense a frame school-house on the site of the present Methodist parsonage. He was a lay-reader in the Sunday services held in the school-house before a church was or- ganized. In his church relations he was an Episcopalian, and the first Episcopal baptism was of a child of his, by the Rev. Davenport Phelps, who was the first officiating minister of this church this side of the Gen- esee River.
Judge Platt was the first to receive the appointment of judge in the new Genesee County, from Governor Tompkins, and appointed with him were Judges John H. Jones and Benjamin Ellicott. Ezra Platt's original commission for judge is now in the possession of Walter H. Smith, a lawyer, of Le Roy. He died at an early age, in 1811, and left three sons, Elijah, Ezra, and George, and one daughter, the con- sort of Stephen A. Wolcott, all deceased. Mr. Wolcott came into the settlement from Geneva in 1802, and settled upon the present site of Ing- ham University. He was a builder, the first cabinetmaker, and put up a frame house for Samuel B. Walley-the oldest frame now standing in the village of Le Roy. It was removed by Mr. Austin, the first miller in Le Roy, to its present site, and now is the west wing of A. O. Com- stock's residence on Trigon Park, in the village. Mr. Wolcott died in 1857 and left one son and three daughters, of whom but two survive, Mrs. Clarenda Buel, from whose reminiscences many facts herein nar- rated are obtained, and Miss Anne Wolcott. Both reside on the old homestead.
Richard M. Stoddard, in 1802, opened the first land office. He was the local agent of the "Triangle " tract. He erected the first building on the west side of the Oatka. It was built of logs, and its site was on the corner of Main and Mill streets, the site of Steuber's furniture store. He also erected a frame building on the site of the present Wiss House. Rufus Robertson and Samuel Deveaux occupied it first as a store, and afterwards Robertson as a public house. The house was enlarged by a Mr. Walbridge, and called the Globe and Eagle Hotel, so-called from
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the brazen sign of an eagle standing on a globe. Many now remember this glittering and conspicuous sign, which was the first to arrest atten- tion in an approach to the village. Among the early landlords succeed- ing Walbridge was Elisha Stanley, who was as noted as a good landlord as later in life as a good churchman. His nephew, John H. Stanley, was its landlord on the occasion of the first great State convention of the Anti Masons, held in Le Roy in 1827. It was presided over by Gen. William Wadsworth, and it was the beginning of the great party which spread over the State and Nation, and to which further allusion will be made. On this occasion there were three stands erected for the display of oratory, on which Solomon Southwick, afterwards nominated as the Anti-Masonic candidate for governor, held forth on the evils of Masonry in a speech of three hours.
Richard M. Stoddard was elected the first sheriff of Genesee County, and a wide jurisdiction was his for the service of a writ, and from which to summon a jury. As an illustration of the experience of the pioneer, from his Indian surroundings, an incident may be related of the Stoddard family while living upon the bank of the Oatka. Mrs. Stoddard, the wife of Richard, remembered as a woman of culture as well as of courage and reso- lution, was awakened at midnight by the sudden entrance into her house of a party of intoxicated Indians. Her husband at the time was absent at his mill. They entered her kitchen, made a large fire, and commenced a pow-wow as if they were masters of the premises. Mrs. Stoddard, who was in bed in another room, managed to get a little girl out of the win- dow, who ran to the mill and gave the alarm. As Mr. Stoddard came into the house the Indians attacked him and a severe fight ensued. Mr. Stoddard was, however, the victor, and succeeded in expelling the in- truders. Turner, in speaking of Stoddard, says that he was fearless and determined, and had seen much of frontier life, and few were better adapted to the work of settling a new country and becoming its chief executive officer. Notwithstanding the above conflict he was much es- teemed by the Indians, and was often consulted by the chiefs. Mrs. Stod- dard, too, redeems the Indian character from the disgrace of the drunken frolic by bearing witness to their interest and kindness in cases of sick- ness, particularly where it was required to administer the Indian "sweat." She related an occasion when her family were sick with a prevailing in- fluenza. They dug holes in the ground, put in hot stones, over which they poured hot water, then placed the patients where they would receive the steam, and covering them with blankets suffered them to remain until the " sweating," of which there can be but little doubt was certain to effect the cure.
Mr. Stoddard continued his work of improvement and built a tavern on the site of the present Eagle Hotel. He died in 1810, and was greatly missed in the rising community for his public spirit and enterprise. His widow, with her son Thomas B., a lawyer, who is remembered by early residents now living, removed to Irving, Chautauqua County, where they
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resided until their decease. The only other surviving child at the time was a daughter, who married Hon. John B. Skinner, then a resident of Middlebury, and one of the most distinguished at the bar as an advocate and lawyer. He subsequently removed to Buffalo. He and his wife are since both deceased, and their remains rest in Forest Lawn of that city.
Graham Newell was the first lawyer settled in the place, and he suc- ceeded Mr. Stoddard in the land office, his residence and office being the same as at present occupied by F. C. Lathrop
Daniel Davis was among the earliest of the pioneers. He, soon after his arrival, married Naomi Le Barron, who had emigrated to the settle- ment with the family of Philemon Nettleton from Killingworth, Conn., and it was the first marriage in the settlement, if not the first this side of the Genesee, and their daughter Naomi was the first child born in the set- tlement (1797). The marriage ceremony was performed by Charles Wil- bur, the first justice of the peace. His commission was granted by Gov. Clinton, who, in the first State constitution, had the appointing power. Davis opened a farm two miles east of the Gansons. He had a passion for military life. As we have before remarked, in the first military organi- zation, in 1801, on the Ganson place, he was chosen lieutenant. His mili- tary taste was destined to be displayed on a wider field. On the first declaration of warin 1812 he was among the first to enlist, and entering upon the field he was rapidly promoted for his coolness and bravery, until he obtained the rank of brigadier-general. It was in this capacity he acted in the command of the force at the sortie of Fort Erie, September 14, 1814. It was one of the bravest and most desperate encounters of the war. His coolness and courage were here especially conspicuous. He led in advance of his division with sword in hand ; and when warned not to ascend the parapet, did so, and was instantly and fatally shot in the neck and fell in the arms of his aid-de-camp. He was borne from the field and thence to his home for burial, where his remains now rest in the old cemetery east of the village. Thus ended a brilliant and promising career, at the early age of 37. His widow subsequently removed to Ypsilanti, Mich., where she survived him many years, and died there in a good old age
In the same ground are also found the remains of several who, in this desperate encounter on the frontier, offered their lives for their country. They deserve to be held in honored remembrance,-Capt. Daniel Buel, Nathan E. Wilcox, Aaron Scribner, Nathaniel King John Sweatland, Darius Spring, Orange Judd, Orrin Datus Olds, William Olds. To these might be added others who lost their lives in the war by exposure : En- sign Platt, Pierson, Hubbard, Todd, and Porter Buell.
The honor of precedence in the first marriage in the Ganson settle- ment has to be divided with Gardner Carver and Lydia Davis, who, on the same occasion as the above, were joined in matrimony by the same justice.
Among a few of these earliest pioneers, of whom some will be further mentioned under the head of the different professions, was Asher Bates,
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who came from Canandaigua and settled here in 1801, on the farni opened by Hinds Chamberlin, known as the Sheldon farm. He died in 1810, and his widow became the wife of Dr. Sheldon. His son Asher, Jr., was a lawyer and became the attorney general of the Sandwich Islands, and afterwards a judge in San Francisco, where some of his des- cendants are still living. Friend Hall was among the earliest comers, and opened the Murphy farm. Gilbert Hall had preceded him, in 1799, and opened a farm known as the Phelps farm adjoining the Buel place. At this period Mrs. Hall related that, in removing to her new home, but two white settlers were found at Big Spring. She said her heart failed her when she reached her rude cabin at the close of the day ; she had not even a door with which to protect her from the Indian intruders, with which the country was filled. She was, however, hospitably en- tertained by the first comer, Charles Wilbur. She died in 1825. Jabez Fox was among these early settlers, on what is known as the Cornell the settlement.
Williams place. And about the same time James Davis, Jr., came into Among these early beginners on West Main street was Lyman Prindle, who built a dwelling on the present site of Dr. Barret's house ; on West Main street, in 1802, Richard Waite came in from Can- andaigua and built and settled upon the Brewster place, now owned by F. C. Lathrop. He was an exemplary Christian, and after the erection of his cabin opened it for Sunday worship whenever a supply could be found for its occupancy. He was the father of the late Daniel D. Waite, the sometime editor of the Advocate at Batavia, and his son, Elder Waite, has for a long time had charge of a Methodist Church at Alexan- der. Richard Waite died there in 1857. Capt. James Austin came in- to the place in the capacity of a miller, and removed the Walley house from the bank of the creek to the present site of A. O. Comstock's dwell- wing, and opened a public house. Thaddeus Keyes, the first tanner, set- tled at about the same time, on Trigon Park. Ebenezer Fox soon fol- lowed and opened here the first singing school, where it is said the first tune learned was " Concord." Aaron Scribner was an early résident, on what was afterwards the Hurlburt place. Among these early settlers was Samuel Davis, who owned and opened the Abial Robertson farm east of the village, and where his tragic end occured at a later period, and which many of our older residents will recall. He opened a tavern-as was almost every dwelling upon the road-for the accommodation of the incoming emigrant. This tragedy was upon the person of the landlord himself, who was killed in a brawl by Elijah Gray, Sr .. and James, his son. Both were tried and convicted of the murder, the former sentenced for life (afterwards commuted), and the latter suffered the extreme penalty of the law, and was hung in Batavia, the last public execution witnessed in the county. This occurred in 1829. The remains of the murdered man were buried in a lot upon his own farm. One other trial for mur- der had preceded it in the county as early as 1807. It was that of the murder of William Orr by James McLean, who was tried before Daniel
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