USA > New York > Allegany County > Gazetteer and business directory of Allegany County, N. Y. for 1875 > Part 13
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with his family to lot 61 in this town, where he lived till his death in 1852. He was something of a hunter and one cold winter day soon after coming home he took down his gun, in- tending to be gone only a short time. He soon struck the track of a deer, which he followed till near dark. He shot and skinned the abunul and started for home, which he reached about mid- might nearly frozen to death. At another time, while he was on Cryder Creek in the vicinity of Whitesville, his attention Was attracted by the lond barking of a dog near by. Proceed- ing in the direction of the noise he soon discovered a large buck deer in the creek and a dog on shore barking at him. The deer stood in a hole where the water was about three feet deep. Mr. Bledsoe first tried to drive him out, but he would not move. Hle then waded toward him and endeavored to frighten him by throwing up his hands and shouting. When he neared the nuddle of the stream the deer turned upon and leaped toward hun. Bledsoe, who was a large and powerful man-standing six feet and three inches and weighing 230 pounds-caught the deer by the horns and plunging his head beneath the water, held him there till he was drowned. Luther Green, who was born about thirty miles below Albany. Aug. 29, 1796, removed from Madison Co, and settled on lot 11G, in the forepart of April, 1820, and still lives there. He sowed the first timothy seed in town soon after coming in, on lot 117, for Wm. Hamil- ton. Col. Wm. W. Reynolds, the first settler south of Cryder Creek, was born at Hopkinton, R. I., in 1798, and removed with his father, when a lad, to Otsego Co. In the summer of 1820 he came to this town, took up land on lots 28 and 17, and com- menced a clearing. He returned m the fall and remained all winter, and the next spring he came on with his sister, Miss Sally Reynolds. They stopped at Whitesville, at the house of Nattmel Covill, till their house was ready for occupancy, and on the 20th of April they moved into it. The day previous the snow fell to a depth of two feet, and soon after they started a terrific thunder storm set in, so that they were completely drenched before they reached their home. There was no road, and they jeked their way through the snow with difficulty. In 1822, his father, Win. Reynolds, joined him. In 1824 they built n tannery upon the farm, to which a shoe shop was after- wird added. These were the first institutions of the kind in town. The colonel died here in 1859. His wife, Mary, survives him and still lives upon the old homestead. Shubael Spicer, a Itive of Conn., removed from Otsego Co. to the town of Al- fred in 1818, and in the summer of 1820 to lot 64, in this town. He subsequently removed to Wisconsin, where he died. Seth Spicer, brother to Shubach, was born in the same State, came
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from the same county, and settled on the same lot, early in December of the same year. He took an article for 103 1-2 acres, which he cleared and on which he lived till his retirement from active business in 1858. He is still living with his eldest son on Cryder Creek. Asa Clark, who was born in Cato, Cay- uga Co., in September. 1802, removed from Hornellsville, to this town in March, 1820. He lived with his grandfather. John Teater, two years, and subsequently with his step-father Joseph Bledsoe. Being a single man he worked among the settlers till 1824, when he married and took up land on lot 40. He lived there three years, when he removed to Canisteo, and. after three years residence there, to Alfred. He has lived in town most of the time since. Nathan Stillman, a native of Rhode Island, moved in from Madison Co. and settled on lot 103 m the spring of 1820, and lived on the same farm till his death. Joseph Fulmer was born on the Atlantic Ocean in 1420, while his parents were on their way to the "new world." His pa- rents settled in Northampton Co., Pa., where he was brought up. In 1812 he removed with his family to Tompkins Co., in this State, and in the fall of 1820, to this town, locating on lot 111, where he commenced a clearing and during the winter put up a log house. During the winter also his sou Wm., who was born in Northampton Co., Pa., May 11, 1800, and still lives on the old homestead here, moved in three or four loads of goods. In the month of March the family was moved in. Joseph resided on the place till his death in 1852. John Holloway took up land on lot 107 and settled there in 1820. Joseph Remington, from the town of Middlesex, Yates Co., settled on lot 104 the same year. Abram and Caleb Lewis and Ehjah Robinson settled on lot 18 in 1821. Sylvester P. Maxson, from Madison Co., settled on lot 125 in the spring of 1821. A year or two later he built a distillery, which he run about three years. He lived here about twenty years and then moved west. John P. Livermore, a native of Wind- ham county, Vermont, moved in from Madison county in July, 1821, and purchased land of Isaiah Green, at Greens Corners. on lot 117, on which he made a clearing and built a house. In November he went to Alfred after his wife, where he left her in July, and returned with her the 9th of that month. In the fall of 1822 he was appointed justice of the peace, which office he held for twenty-eight years. He was also Enpervisor of the town for three years. He served as a soldier Dear the close of the war of 1812. He still lives upon the farm first taken up. N. H. Fortner, a native of Tompkins Co. moved into the town with his father, Feb. 16, 1821. In 1833 they removed to the town of Willing, settling on lot 138, where the
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former has since lived. Abel Traik, a native of Rhode Island, Hoved in from Yates Co. in the early part of : 821. He returned in that county after two or three years. Matthew Wilson, a native of Franklin Co., Mass., removed thence to this town and settled on lot 71, May 16, 1821, where he remained till April 11, Isto, when he removed to Hallsport, where he now resides. He held the office of justice of the peace sixteen years and was commissioned Lieut. Colonel in the State militia by Gov. Win. L. Marey. His son Stephen, who came with him at the age of three years, lived in town till 1853, when he removed to Willing Where he now resides. Beriah Crandall was born in East Win- beld, Herkimer Co., Aug. 5, 1698, and at the age of sixteen was apprenticed to learn the trade of tanner and currier in Scho- harie Co. Having served his apprenticeship he married Par- melia Andrews, and in the winter of 1820-21, he left his wife at his fathers' and started with his pack on his back for the town of Independence, where he had relatives in the family of David Wilson, with whom he stayed on his arrival here in February of the latter year. He selected 200 acres of land on lot 1 and immediately commenced a clearing, the whole Wilson force assisting him the first day. He chopped about four acres, aod by exchanging work for teams and other help, cleared it off. He planted some corn and potatoes and in the fall put in two meres of winter wheat. He next turned his attention to tanring a few hides and skins which had been taken from some cowsand young cattle. He made some troughs from the trunk of a large pine and drew them to the place of operations. He next immersed the hides in an excavation from which clay had been taken for the manufacture of bricks and which had filled with water. He then went to All'red with horse and bag and procured a bushel of lime warm from the kiln. The " beam- mg knite process" was performed with a draw shave with one handle off. A quantity of hemlock bark was broken fine upon the end of a becch log by the aid of shoe hammer and put into the troughs previously prepared, with a "handler" at one end. The hudfes and skins, when prepared, were introduced to the handler and soon put on the appearance of leather; and when tanned mude excellent stock winch was made into boots and shoes. During the season of 1821 he built a log house and cut miles of new road, so as to be able to get in and out of his place in different directions. He worked at shoe making nights and mornings and rainy days. While engaged in this vocation on a Modfold over a horse stable, Polly Wilson (now the widow Reynolds.) taught a school -- the first one taught in town, so MIys Mr. Crandall-in the stable below. In October he returned to his wife and friends in the east. He worked at shoemaking
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till the next February, when his father gave him a yoke of oxen and sleigh, which enabled him to move his wife and effects to his eastern home. Among his effects were his currying tools, some oil and lampblack, with which, early the next spring, he finished his leather, which had been laid in bark in the troughs and sunk in the ground during his absence. The next year his brother Almon joined him in business, and they built a tan- nery, set up a bark mill, which was run by horse power, and the tanning business was largely increased. His brother continued with him eight years, when he bought him out and conducted the business alone one year. He then exchanged his farm with John Teater for a farm of fifty acres in the village of Whites- ville, where he removed with his effects in June, 1832, and dur- ing that year built a two story frame house, a tannery and barn. The tannery was run by water power, the wheel and fixtures being made by David Wilcox and Nathaniel Covil. He tanned from 200 to 300 hides and 800 to 1,100 skins annually. He conducted the business several years, (part of the time in part- nership with Lorenzo D. Brown, whom he had brought up from the age of twelve years, and whose parents lived in Bradford Co .. Pa.,) till the rotting of the building at the foundation and the failure of water led them to abandon it. They bought an adjoining farm and have made farming their business to the present time. Jesse and Philip Haseltine, natives of New Hampshire, came in from Yates Co., and settled on lot 24 in the spring of 1822. They built a rude log house, cut, logged and cleared three acres of second growth timber that had grown in an old windfall, and did it without the aid of a team. Their dishes consisted of wooden troughs, from one of which, with legs attached, they were accustomed to eat pudding and milk. Having no team to carry their grain to mill they ground it by pounding it in a trough with a couple of drag teeth, to which they attached handles. They lived in this manner till their father and the rest of the family came in the following fall. Jesse commenced a clearing for himself on the same lot in 1825 ; and Ezekiel, who came with his father, commenced a clearing on lot 75 the same year. Samuel remained on the old home- stead. Gordon Stout, a native of New Jersey, removed thence to Pennsylvania, and in the spring of 1822 to lot 128 in this town. Caleb and Samuel H. Riggs, brothers, were natives of Rhode Island, and moved in from Yates Co. and settled ou lot 106, April 2, 1822. Caleb was a single man and boarded with his brother. He made a clearing and built a house, and in 1824 he returned to Yates Co., married, and brought in his wife. In 1853 he removed to Yates Co., where he died in 1863. William Briggs, a native of the same State, moved in from the same
H
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county and settled on lot 107, April 3d of that year. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and lived in the town till his death in 1866. Samnel Livermore, a native of Wilmington, Vt., removed from Madison Co. and settled on lot 105 in May 1823. He was a surveyor and for twenty years did all the surveying in this town and considerable in those adjoining. He has since lived in the town with the exception of two years spent in Hume. Seven children who came in then or be- fore still live near here. Edinund Livermore came from Brookfield, Madison Co., with his father and settled in the north part of the town in July, 1823. He remained six years and then went back to Madison county, returning again in the fall of 1834, since which time he has resided here. Ebene- zer Richmond was born in Oneida Co., Feb. 12, 1793, and moved into this town from Steuben Co. in January, 1823, bring- ing with him eleven head of cattle and the same number of sheep. He had been in the preceding fall and located land and built a house. Having no hay he browsed his cattle and sheep till spring. In the spring nine of his sheep were killed by wolves. He died on the place Jan. 31, 1869. His wife, who was born in Columbia Co., Dec. 27, 1797, and came in with him, still lives in the old homestead with her son. David S. Briggs, a native of Dutchess Co., moved in from Madison Co. and settled on lot 5 in 1823. He lived there eight years and then removed to lot 20, where he remained till his death in 1861, and where his wife still lives. Alvah Wood, a native of Vermont, came in from Canandaigua and settled at Whites- ville, on lot 52, Feb. 28, 1823, and has since lived in town. He bought a saw mill and 100 acres of land of Nathaniel Covil, and run the saw mill till the spring of 1828, when he took in as partner Avery Rice, who had a carding machine, which they put in the mill. Mr. Covil commenced the erection of a grist mill at Whitesville in the summer of 1824, which was finished early in the fall. James Maxwell built one at Spring Mills about the same time, but got his in operation first. It was the first grist mill in town. Conrad Mingus, a native of Pennsyl- vania, moved in from Stenben Co. and settled on lot 114, April 15, 1823. He lived there twelve years and returned to Pennsyl- vania, where he died. Daniel Dexter came on in March, 1823, but after three weeks returned to Utica. In 1833 he again moved in and bought a farm, and has since lived here, with the exception of five years spent in Bloomfield. John Wheeler, a Welshman, who had followed sailing several years, settled in the west part of the town in 1823, and remained till 1845, when he moved west and died a year later. Simeon Wilcox came in Feb. 1823. His wife, Eunice, who came with him, is still living
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in the town of Willing. Smith Dexter Sen , a native of Rhode Is- land, moved in from Herkimer Co. and settled on lot 89 in June, 1824, and has lived near there since. Ebenezer Parker was born in Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 6, 1781. He removed to Chautauqua Co., thence to Yates Co., and in June, 1824, to Independence, settling on lot 87, where he died in 1860. He had eleven chil- dren, nine of whom came with him, (two being born here) and ten of whom are living in the county. The eleventh (Harvey) lived in town till his death four years ago. John Hill, from Pennsylvania, settled on lot 64, in March, 1824, and has since lived here. Noel Jones was born near Troy and in the spring of 1824 he settled in the south part of the town on Cryder Creek, on lot 25, where, the next year, he built a grist mill, in which Luther Green had an interest. and in 1826 a carding machine, owned by Avery Rice, was added and run during the summer, and in 1828 was removed to Alvah Woods' grist mill, where it was run a number of years. His son Noel came in with his father, with whom he remained till he attained his majority, when he settled on lot 41. After a little he took up lot 26 which he cleared up. In 1863 he sold out and located near Whitesville. He soon after bid in the mail route from Wellsville to Whitesville, which was then run semi-weekly. The people had long felt the need of a daily mail and had re- peatedly petitioned the Department for its establishment with- out avail. Mr. Jones, by permit, carried the mail daily for three years, receiving during that time compensation for the semi- weekly trip only. At the end of that time a daily mail was established and has since been continued. Rev. Nathaniel Per- kins, a native of Rhode Island, a Revolutionary hero, removed from Herkimer Co. and settled on lot 106 in 1824. He was a Baptist minister and followed his profession till his death in 1851. Nathan Babcock was born in Rhode Island, Feb. 29, 1496, and removed thence to Monroe Co. In March, 1824, he moved to lot 90 in this town, bringing with him a yoke of oxen and two cows, but not a shilling in money. Having no grain he and several other settlers went down Cowanesque Creek, below Knoxville, Tioga Co., Pa., to try to buy some on credit. They found a farmer who had a surplus and was will- ing to supply their wants providing they got a letter of recom- mendation from JJames Maxwell of Spring Mills, an acquaint- ance of his, who moved in shortly previous and opened the first store at Spring Mills, but remained only a few years. They obtained the requisite papers and were supplied with the much needed grain, for which they paid the following year by helping their benefactor with his harvest. Mr. Babcock, who has lived in the town since he first came, thinks he could not have sub-
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sisted his family had it not been for the game with which the forests abounded. Calvin Hall was born in Plymouth Co., Mass., Sept. 20, 1796. He removed thence to Yates Co., and, in 1824, to this town, where he resided till 1838, when he re- moved to Hallsport and built a hotel, which he kept for twenty years. He died there in 1871. Ebenezer Parker removed from Montpelier, Vt., his native place, in 1825 and settled in the north-west part, where he died in 1860. Joseph Hull, a native of Conn., came in from Herkimer Co., and settled on lot 46 in October, 1825. He started in the spring, but when he reached Brutus, in Cayuga Co., his money gave out and he was obliged to stop there with his family and work till he earned enough to complete the journey. He hired a man to bring him in and when he arrived had to borrow $2 of one of the settlers to pay him. David Robbins, a native of Conn., moved in from Tomp- kins Co. and settled on lot 20, June 2, 1825. In 1863 he moved just south of the State line, where he soon after died. His sons, David C. and John B., came with him and have since lived in town. Charles Chapin settled on lot 45 in April of that year. Dr. A. Barney was born in Mass. in 1801, and at the age of four years removed with his parents to Herkimer Co., where he studied medicine. March 25, 1825, he removed to lot 117 in this town, where he has since practiced his profes- sion. Joseph Bennett was born near Brattleboro, Vt., and moved in from Tioga Co., Pa. He settled on lot 31 and lived there seven or eight years, when he removed to Willing, on Cry- der Creek, subsequently to the river, above Stannard's Corners, and about 1845, to the west. Joseph Evans, who was born in the eastern part of the State, Jan. 7, 1799, moved in from Sten- ben Co. and settled on lot 15, in 1826, and remained till his death, Jan. 28, 1874. His wife Lois, who came with him, still lives in town. Thomas Collver, from Yates Co., settled on lot 24, in 1827, and commenced the erection of a saw mill, which he finished the next year. He still lives in town. Alex. Rice, a native of Conn., came in from Cortland Co., and settled on lot 36 in the fall of 1827. Elijah Lewis, from Petersburgh, Rens- selaer Co., settled on lot 93 the same year, where he died in 1855. Archelaus Putnam was born in Hillsboro Co., N. H., June 10, 1792, and moved in from Windsor Co., Vt., Jan. 31, 1827, set- tling at Whitesville, on lot 52. He followed farming till 1844, when rheumatism compelled him to give it up. He then took up wool carding and cloth dressing, a trade he learned when a boy. He has since resided in this town and Willing. Lewis B. Fitch, a native of Cortland Co., settled here in 1828 and still lives here. Nelson P. Coats, a native of Otsego Co., came in November, 1829, and settled on lot 47, where he has since lived.
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The first birth in town was that of Dugald C. White, son of Samuel S. and Nancy White, who was born Oct. 23, 1819, and is still living in town. The first female child born was Eliza Ann Boyce, daughter of Stephen Boyce, April 15, 1821. The first marriage was that of Daniel Remington of this town and Eliza Eaton of Andover, Jan. 1, 1824. It was reported that the land agent had promised 100 acres of land to the first couple married, and learning the night previous that another couple was to be married the next afternoon they were secretly married before morning. The first death was that of Samuel W. Goodrich, Jan. 27, 1822. The first school house-a log structure -- was built on lot 51, on lands now owned by D. C. White, in the fall of 1823, and the first school (in a regular school house) was taught in the summer of 1824, by Miss Deb- orah Covil. The number of scholars in attendance that sum- mer was seven. The first store was kept at Greens Corners by Jo- siah W. Green, in 1822. The first saw mill was built at Whites- ville by Nathaniel Covil and Tower Stetson, cousins, who came in fromOntario Co. in the spring of 1820, the latter of whom re- turned the same fall and never became a permanent settler. An- thorities differ in regard to the date of its erection, the four whom we have consulted variously ascribing it to each of the four years from 1820 to 1823.
The first religious services were held at the house of Samnel S. White, Jan. 1, 1820, by Rev. Damel Babcock, a Seventh Day Baptist.
The First M. E. Church of Whitesrille was organized with about twenty- tive members, in September, 1831, by Rev. J. D. MeKenney, the first pas- tor. The church edifice was erected in 1838 at n cost of $1,100. It will seat 250 persons. The Society, numbering 110, is under the pastoral care of Rev. J. Criswell, our informant. The Church property is valued at $4.000-church $2,500 and parsonage $1,500. Three of the original mem- bers, (Avery Rice, Beriah Crandall and Putman) are now living.
The Seventh Day Baptist Church of Independence, at Greens Corners, was organized with forty members in 1834, by Rev. Stillman Coon, the first pastor, and their house of worship, which will seat 200 persons, was erect- ed about 1844, at a cost of $800. The present number of members is 138; the present pastor, Rev. Jared Kenyon. The Church property is valued nt $1,000. [Information furnished by Mr. John P. Livermore.
The Baptist Church of Whitestille was organized with eleven members in July, 1838, by Rev. John B. Chase, the first pastor. The church edifice, which will seat 200 persons, was erected in 18-10, at a cost of $2,500, the present value of Church property. It has since been remodeled and re- paired. The Society numbers forty-five, but is without a pastor. [Infor- mation furnished by Mr. A. G. Chase.
The Universalist Church was organized with twenty members, May 25, 1844, by Rev. Jason Lewis, the first pastor, and their house of worship, which will seat 350 persons, was erected in 1860, at a cost of $1,500. There are sixty members. The Church property is valued at $4,000.
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NEW HUDSON.
NEW HUDSON was formed from Rushford, as Haight April 10, 1825, and its name changed April 4, 1837 .* The first town meeting was held at the house of Orange Hart, May 3. 1825, and the following named officers were chosen : James Swain, Supervisor; John C. McKeen, Town Clerk; Silas Gere, James Jammerson and Elizur Beckwith, Assessors; Jacob B. MeElheney, Samuel Blodget Jr. and Samnel Bell, Commissioners of Highways; James Davidson, Amos Rose and Lucius Frost, Overseers of the Poor; John C. Casterline and Ephraim Briggs, Commissioners of Schools ; Alden Griffith, Collector; Alden Griffith and Brown Demmick, Constables; and Samuel Blodget, Elias Cheesman and John C. McKeen, Inspectors of Schools.
The town lies upon the west border of the county, north of the center, and contains 22,200 acres. The surface is a hilly upland, broken by valleys extending north-east and south-west. The highest summits are in the north part. It is drained by the head waters of Oil, Caneadea, Black, Crawford and Rush Creeks. The first two rise so near together, and so nearly upon the same level, that in times of high freshets the waters min- gle, fishes pass from one gulf to the other and both have the appearance of springing from the same fountain, yet they flow in opposite directions, one to the Gulf of Mexico and the other to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The soil is a gravelly loam. Dairying is the leading pursuit, there being no less than five cheese factories in the town.
The Pettit Cheese Factory was built in 1873, in which year it received the milk of 225 cows and made 80,000 pounds of cheese.
Sunpson Cheese Factory during the year 1873 received 1,616,063 pounds of milk from 450 cows, and mnade 163,247 pounds of cheese, for which $20,891.38 was received. The amount paid for making was $1.62} per hundred.
Thompson Cheese Factory, owned by Frank Pettit, received in 1873, 739,- 344 pounds of milk from 220 cows, and for the cheese produced there. from $9,970.52. The average price per pound received during the season was $.1318. The amount paid for making was $1.50 per hundred.
Raison Creamery and Cheese Factory was built in 1870. In 1873 1,026,- 220 pounds of milk were received from 350 cows, and 95,376 pounds of cheese and 10,657 pounds of butter produced. The amount received for cheese was $11,623 22, and for butter, $3,056.76. There was de- vided among the patrons $12,929.83. The price for making cheese per hundred was $1.50, and for butter, $8. The number of pounds of milk consumed in the manufacture of one pound of cheese was 10.76, and of one pound of butter, 9.66.
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