USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Gazetteer and business directory of Chautauqua County, N.Y., for 1873-4 > Part 11
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The P'amma Herald was started at Panama in August, 1846, by Denn & Hurlbut. Steward & Pray afterward became proprietors, and continued it till 1828.
The Frontier Express was started in June, 1816, by Cutler, Cottle & Perbam. In 1849 it was changed to
The Fredonia Express, and was published by J. P. Cobb & Co., and afterward by T. A. Osborne & Co. In 1:50 it was changed to
The theutanque Union, and was published a short time by E. F. Foster.
The Silver Creek Mail was started at Silver Creek in 1818, by John C. Van Duzen. In 1:32 it was changed to
The Home Register, and was published by Samuel Long. In 1854 Samuel Wilson be- came proprietor and changed it to
The Silver Creek facette, and continued it till 1956, assisted by Amos Wright, when it was discontinued. In August of that year it was revived as
The Lake Shore Mirror. by H. M. Morgan. He was succeeded by Geo. A. Martin, ps. doit until 1-61 or 5.
"I'm. v. & Temperance I per, was published at Mayville by Lloyd Mills a short time. aluna 1~15.
The Undercurrent was published at Jamestown a short time in 1851-2, by Harvey A. Smith.
The Jamestown Herald was started in August, 1952, by Dr. Asaph Rhodes. In 1853
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77
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
Previous to the occupancy of the country embraced in this county by the whites it was the home of the Eries, a powerful yet pacific tribe of Indians who flourished at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Occupying a position upon the banks of the Niagara, between the Wyandots, (who, until the advent of the French belonged to the Iroquois,) allied with the Algonquins and French, on the one side, and the five nations of the Iroquois, the allies of the Dutch and English, on the other, the Eries pursued a policy of neutrality in the feuds which con- tinually engaged these war-like parties-a course which ap- peared their only means of salvation-and were known as the Neutrals. Their queen, Yagowanea, was constituted an arbiter between the hostile tribes, and her authority was acknowledged far beyond her own territory ; but an overt act in granting ven- geance to the Mississaques for the murder of their chief's son, made her tribe the implacable enemies of the Senecas and, after long and bloody wars, brought destruction and banishment up- on her people. Next the Iroquois extended their lordly sway to these vast dominions, and maintained their supremacy until the advent of the whites. But, we believe, there is neither tradi- tion, nor physical evidence in the face of the country to indi- cate that this county was once the seat of any considerable In- dian village .* In 1701 the Iroquois ceded to the English for protection their lands around lakes Erie and Ontario.} In 1182, a party consisting of three hundred British soldiers and five hundred Indians, from Canada, with a train of artillery and other munitions of war, spent the months of June and July around Chautauqua Lake in constructing canoes and making other preparations for an attack upon Fort Pitt, near Pittsburgh, Pa. They designed to descend the Allegheny River, and a dam was constructed across the outlet of the lake
Joseph B. Nessel became proprietor, removed it to Ellington Center, and changed its name to
The Ellington Luminary. It was discontinued in 1856.
The Philomathian Exponent was issued at Ellington by the students of the acad- emy in 1852.
The Botanic Medical Journal was published a short time at Fredonia.
The Pantheon was published a short time at Fredonia.
The Western Argue was started at Westfeld, by John Young. in 15.5. and published about nine months, when James Sheward purchased and removed it to Dunkirk, and contnoneed the publication of
The Dunkirk Press and Western Argue, which ho continued until the summer of jw, when it passed into the hands of Patrick Barrett, who published only one or two numbers. The Churuqua Republican was started at Mayville in 1500, but only eighteen numbers were issued.
The Lake Shore Enterprise was removed to Westfield from North East, Pa., in the fall of US. It was edited by S. O. Hayward, and was Republican in politics. In the emne wie! it was removed to Tonawanda. N. Y.
The Irving D' moret was published at irving a short time by Col. Tyler.
" The only Indian settlement in the county when the first settlers came was on the Conewaugo Creek, in the present town of Carroll.
+ Doc. Hist. Vol. II, p. T.S.
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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
to raise the water sufficiently to carry them down on the flood when the obstruction was removed .* The party had embarked in canoes preparatory to making the descent, but information received through their spies caused them to abandon the pro- ject.}
The county is included in the Holland Purchase, which em- braced all that part of the State lying west of the west line of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and its settlement was com- menced under the auspices of the Holland Land Co.t This
* While the people of Jamestown and vicinity, during the period of unusual drought in 1522. were engaged in deepening the outlet of Chautauqua Lake, to in- crease the supply of water for hydraulic purposes, was found a row of piles from three to four inches iu diameter, and from three to five feet in length, driven firmly into the earth across the bed of the stream. and covered with gravel. It is fair to presume that those obstructions were placed there by the party above referred to. [Warren's Historical Sketches of Chautauque County, p 35.
+ French's Gazetteer of New York: Laura G. Sandford's History of Erie County, Pa. ; and Warren's Historical Sketches of Chautauque County.
+ By the terms of its Colonial charter Mass. embraced the whole region be- tween its north and south boundaries, from the Atlantic to the Pacific : and the title to this territory was claimed by Mass. after the Revolution. The subsequent charter of New York conflicted with this claim and difficulties arose, which were finally settled by a commission, at Hartford, Conn., Dec. 16. 1786. Mass. ceded to New York the sovereignty of all the territory claimed by it lying within the limits of the latter, and New York ceded to Mass. the right to pre-empt the soil from the Indians, The line defining the tract covered by this agreement is known as the "Pre-Emption Line." and extends from the Sad mile-stone on the line between New York and Penn., directly north through Seneca Lake to Great Sodus Bay. The line first run. and known as the "Old Pre-Emption Line," was made to dedeet to the west. in the interest of Seth Reed and Peter Ryckman, who had secured a patent for 16.00 acres of land. lying between Seneca Lake and the east bounds of the land ceded to Mass .. and were desirous that their tract should include the village of Geneva. In 1787 Mass, sold the whole tract ceded. containing about 6.000.000 acres, to Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham, for one million dollars. In July 1788, Mr. Phelps concluded a treaty with the Indians for 2.250,000 acres, bounded east by the pre-emption line, west by a line twelve miles west of, and running parallel with the tenesse River, south by the Penn, line, and north by Lake Ontario. Messrs. Phelps and Gorham suspected error or fraud in the running of the old line, and Robert Morris, who was also convinced of its inaccuracy, ordered a re-survey, which was made by Andrew Ellicott and Augustus Porter, under the superintend- ence of Maj. Hoops. A corps of ax-men were employed, and a vista thirty feet wide opened before the transit instrument until the line reached Seneca Lake, when night signals were employed to run down and over the lake. Such care was taken to insure correctness, that the new survey was never disputed. The deviation in the old line commenced soon after leaving the Penn. line. gradually bearing off un- til it crossed the outlet of Crooked Lake. where an abrupt offset was made, and then an inclination for a few miles almost in a north-west course ; then, as if fearful that it was running west farther than was necessary to secure a given object. the line was made to incline to the east until it passed the foot of Seneca Lake, when it was run nearly north and south to Lake Ontario, terminating three miles west of Sidux Bay, while the new line terminates very near the center of the head of the bay. The strip of land between the two lines was called " The Gore, " In addition to the patent granted to Reed and Ryckman, the State, presuming the original sur- rey to be correct, had made other grants, and allowed the location of military land warrants upon what had been made disputed territory. As an equivalent to the pur- chasers of this tract, compensation lands were granted by the State in the present towns of Galen and Wolcott, Wayne county, The portion of the tract to which the Indian title was not extinguished was abandoned by Phelps and Gorham, and reverted 1: Mass. It was re-sold by that State to Robert Morris, May 11. 1791 : and a trist constituting about seven eighths of the whole was sold to the Hollard Land Con. July At HIS-Morris reserving a strinof an average width of tw Ave neles. Known as the " Harris Reserve," TVelhoof divisi na wenn the holland Purch. si And Meris Reserve commenced upon the Penn, line, twelve miles west of the west line of the Phelps atul Gorham Purchase, and from thence ran due north to hear the center of Stafford, Geneseo Co., thence due west 2.07875 miles, and thence due north to Lake Ontario. This line was run in 1798, and is known as the transit live.
79
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
company consisted of an association of capitalists in Holland, who made the purchase through agents who were citizens of this country, as at that time aliens could not hold real estate. Their general office was at Philadelphia. Joseph Ellicott was the principal surveyor of the company ; he completed the sur- veys in ten or twelve years. In 1800 he received the appoint- ment of local agent, and for a period of more than twenty years he had almost exclusive control of the company's local busi- ness. He conducted the large and complicated business con- mitted to his charge with marked ability, and he was highly honored throughout the extensive domain over which he exert- ed so commanding an influence.
The first settlement was made near the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek in 1797, by Amos Sottle, who came through the wilder- ness from Chenango county, and built a log hut near the vil- lage of Irving, about one and one-half miles above the mouth of the creek. The two following years Sottle assisted Joseph Ellicott in his surveys of the Holland Company's lands and had the lot upon which he had made improvements booked to him by Mr. Ellicott. In the fall of 1799, after Mr. Ellicott had completed his surveys for the season, Sottle went to San- dusky, Ohio, and returned in 1801, accompanied by William Sidney and Capt. Rosecrantz. During Sottle's absence, in 1800, a family named Skinner, from the Susquehanna country iu Pennsylvania, came and opened a small house of entertain- ment on Cattaraugus Creeek, near the spot afterwards known as the " Mack Stand," and more recently, and until the year 1841, as the " Cattaraugus House,". Charles Avery came about the time of Sottle's return from Ohio, and opened a small store. He traded with the Indians and received fur in exchange for goods. At that time there were no settlements nearer than Buffalo on the east and Erie on the west .* In 1800 the county
from its having been run with a transit instrument. then first used in surveys, The offset in this line was made to prevent the Holland Company's lands from over- lapping the Conn. Tract of 100,000 acres, in Orleans and Gonesee counties.
* It is proper to state that there is a conflict of authority among local historians as to when, where and by whom the first settlement was made. The only respect- able authority conflicting with the above data which has come to our notice, is that of Judge E. T. Foote, of New Haven, Conn., formerly an honored resident of this county: but as his information, like our own and that of our predecessors, is derived from tradition or data based upon tradition, at least to a very great extent, bis opinion must be fallible and is entitled to credence only in the degree that it is sup- Fried by collateral evidence. But as far as our observation extends the weight of evidence is against him. Our position is supported by French, in his Nao York State Gustar; by Warren, in his Historieat Siteex of Choutangue County, who, though he says Col. James Mc Mahan made " the attempt to subdue the duse forest." in this year the village of Westfield. and of the whip mal
" mary four years previously to 15%, Amex Search Med resided near Catharina Creek in the present town of Hanover ; after which he was absent for several years, and Poally returned and became a permanent citizen. Two or three other persons came into the county and located near the same spot at about the same period."
80
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
was surveyed into townships, each six miles square, except those bordering upon the lake. These townships were subsequently subdivided into lots. In 1802 Gen. Paine, who was employed by the State of Connecticut, opened a wagon road from Buffalo to Chautauqua Creek, to render more accessible to emigrants the Connecticut Reserve Lands in Ohio. This road was soon after continued to the Pennsylvania line. In 1803 the first mail was received in Buffalo. It was carried on horse-back once in two weeks until 1806, when a weekly route was estab- lished. In the latter year a mail route was established between Buffalo and Erie, the first mail being carried in a handkerchief by a man named Metcalf, who went on foot. During the war of 1812, the settlement was slightly interrupted, especially in the frontier towns, which experienced those frequent alarms from reported and actual invasions of the enemy, the danger from which, however, was less real than apparent. Many of the settlers in this county participated in the engagements at Black Rock and Buffalo. After the war came the cold season of 1816, in which crops were almost a failure. The privations and sufferings of most of the settlers were great. Many families were months without bread .* After this season of great scarcity the settlements increased rapidly, and, although the products of the fields and orchards were abundant, there were no mar- kets and the settlers, many of whom were very poor,
found it
extremely
difficult to pay for their lands,
which were usually contracted on long terms of payment. Black salts was the only thing which could be readi- ly converted into cash, and the money thus realized furnished the chief means by which the settlers were able to meet their engagements with the land company. Their embarrassments Were augmented by the sale, in 1835, of the outstanding con- tracts and unsold lands of the Holland Land Company to Cary & Lay, of Batavia. The new proprietors demanded compound interest on all sums due, and an increase of one-third upon all extensions of contracts. The conditions thus imposed aroused the indignation of the settlers, and measures were concerted
Also by O. W. Johnson, in A Memoir of Judge Zittu Cushing, delivered before the Nitide and Historical Association of Fredonia. Jan. 8, 1861, where he says, tage B.) tja nking of Judge Cushing's journey to Erie, Penn., in 199.) " At that time the only inin! itant of the county was Amos Bottle, located near Irving. His log cabin was the only habitation of white man between Buffalo and Erie;" and by Mr. H. H. Haw- kins, of Silver Creek, who, in speaking of Sottle's settlement at the time and under the pirroinstances mentioned in the text, says in a letter dated March 13th 153, "ILy fu Trunal acquaintance with Sottle for more than thirty years, and the testi- tons of sand men given to me nearly forty years since, establish the matter most is in my mind. Mr. At He wasa truthful man, and in his life would not
1 Sun .riafive to Me Mahan's settlement agree substantially : Foote, but his assertion that Sottle was absent an indefinite period of " several years" is evidently incorrect. * A Memoir of Judge Zattu Cushing.
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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.
which resulted in the demolition of the land office at Mayville and the destruction of the records, which were burned in the public highway .* The difficulties engendered by these harsh measures were not remedied until 1838, in which year the interests of the Batavia Company were transferred to Duer, Morrison & Seward, who, by pursuing a policy calculated to ensure justice both to themselves and their tenants, restored harmony.
The prompt and efficient measures instituted in this county to raise troops during the successive crises of the war of the Rebellion reflect great credit upon its citizens. A regimental camp was organized at Westfield, Sept. 9th, 1861, under Capt. W. H. Knapp, at which the 9th (Stoneman's) cavalry was formed. In 1862 Jamestown was designated as the rendezvous for those enlisted in the 32d Senatorial District, (Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties, ) and in the summer and fall of that year the 112th and 159th regiments of N. Y. Vols. were organized there. Besides these, portions of the 15th and 22d cavalry, the 49th, 64th and 187th infantry and the 7th inde- pendent company of sharpshooters were raised in this county.
* The land office, and vault in which the records were stored, were the property of Judge Win Peacock, who was appointed the agent of the company for this county, and opened his office in Mayville, in November, 1810. The vault, a strong stone structure, is still standing upon the grounds surrounding the residence of Mr. Peacock. The stone work, what little was disturbed by the mob, has been repaired, and the iron door, demolished by the same ageney, superseded by a wooden one. It looks substantial and gives promise of standing many ages if left to decay through natural agency. Mr. Peacock retained the agency until the sale of the Holland Com- pany's interest in 1835. He is still living on the old homestead, in the house erected by him soon after bis location there, to which, however, a more modern brick addi- tion has been made. He is in his 94th year. His mental faculties are vigorous, though he is slightly deaf, and is, at present, suffering from the effects of a fall sus- tained some eighteen months since, which seriously impairs his power of locomo- tion.
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82
ARKWRIGHT.
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
ARKWRIGHT was formed from Pomfret and Villenors. April 30, 1829 .* A part of Pomfret was annexed in 1830. It is an interior town, lying north-east of the center of the county, and contains 21,202 acres. The surface is an elevated upland, broken and hilly in the south-west, and rolling in the north-east. The highest summit, near the center, is 1,000 to 1,200 feet above Lake Erie. Its streams are the head waters of Conewango, Cana- daway and, Walnut creeks, the former flowing in a southerly, and the latter two in a northerly direction. Upon Canadaway Creek, in the south-west part, on the Samuel Ball farm, is a fine cascade of twenty-five to thirty feet fall. Above the falls the water courses for several miles through a deep and narrow ravine. The quiet basin at the foot of the falls has a local reputation for trout. Mud Lake upon the east border covers an area of about ten acres. The soil is a clayey and gravell; loam.
The population of the town in 1870 was 1,030, of whom 923 were native, 10+, foreign, 1,025, white and 5, colored.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 18:2, the town contained nine school districts, and employed nine teachers. The num. ber of children of school age was 342 ; the whole number at- tending school, 292 ; the average attendance, 159; the amount expended for school purposes, $2,410.29 ; and the value of school houses and sites, §4,400.
* The first town meeting was held in the house of Simeon Clinton, Mar. 2. 1830. a' the Conslowing named officers were chosen : Wm. Wilcox. Sparrisor : Aaron Fost .. Inps + Ark : Andrew M. Huyck. Daniel Harrington and Lucas Tucker. Away Home Thompson, Joel White and Aaron Van Sleet, Commissioners of Midler Hvil We ver. dictor ; Silas May and Onas. Crawford, dreres ofthe 1 : 1. I'Inguis, ina Wide and lewis & Da forth, finns
ME, Alwin R. K. and David Wwwver, Cietoks: Lawn Bupus, John G. Curtis und Lewis E. T. forth. Justiceand the Putce.
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83
ARKWRIGHT-BUSTI.
ARKWRIGHT SUMMIT (p. o.) is situated in the east part of the town. 1
ARKWRIGHT is a hamlet situated a little north of the center.
Settlement was commenced in 1807 by Byron T. Orton. Benj. Perry* and Augustus Burnham, from the eastern part of the State, in the north-west part. Aaron Wilcox settled in 1809, Nathan Eaton in 1810, Uriah L. Johnson, and Jonathan and Benj. Sprague, near the center, in 1811, A. and Z. Wilson and Robert Cowden, in 1812, and Simeon Clinton, from. Otsego county, at the center, in 1813. The first child born in the town was Horatio Nelson Johnson, May 11, 1811. The first death, which occurred in 1813, was that of Augustus Burnham. The first marriage was contracted in 1814, by Chauncey Andrews and Miss Louisa Wilson. Isaiah Martin built the first framed house, and kept the first store and tavern. Lucy Dewey taught the first school, near the center of the town, in the summer of 1813. Benj. Orton built the first saw mill in 1618, on the east branch of Canadaway Creek. The first religious services were held at the house of Aaron Wilcox, in 1810, by Rev. John Spencer. The first church (Baptist) was organized by Elder Thomas Grennel, in 1820.
BUSTIt was formed from Ellicott and Harmony. April 16, 1823.1 A part was annexed to Ellicott, May 7, 1845. It lies upon the south border of the county, a little east of the center, and contains 29,152 acres. The surface is broken and lilly, and is drained by Stillwater Creek, the principal stream. which flows east to the Conewango, and by several smaller streams flowing north into Chautauqua Lake, which forms a portion of the north boundary of the town. The soil is a clay and gravelly loam.
The Atlantic & Great Western R. R. extends through the north border of the town, in close proximity to the lake.
The population of the town in 18:0 was 1.844. of whom 1.586 were native, 238, foreign, 1,824, white and 20, colored.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained thirteen school districts and employed fourteen teachers. The
* An incident is related of Mr. Perry, which occurred in 1913, while crossing Lake Frie. in company with Judge Cushing and Deacon Barrett, In an when that Itold Canada, whither they had been to mili. A storm arose which threatened their frail Fora with destruction. Deacon Barrett, very much alarmed. was about to com- 1 . her prayh g. but the more practical Porry deterred him and admonished him to take the car and row, or they would "all go to the devil.":
+ Named from Paul Busti. agent of the Holland Land Company.
* The first town meeting was held at " Homan Bush's long room. " Tureday. March :1, and Daniel Sherman was theted .
wwwvery; David High, DannI shearman and Mark Smith. Com common setruly.
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BUSTI.
number of children of school age was 622; the number attend- ing school, 503; the average attendance, 254; the amount expended for school purposes, $2,946.46; and the value of school houses and sites, $5,200.
BUSTI CORNERS, (Busti p. o.) situated on Stillwater Creek, a little south-east of the center of the town, contains two churches, (Baptist and M. E.) one school, one hotel, four stores, two shoe shops, one harness shop, three wagon shops, three blacksmith shops, one cooper shop, a box and basket manufactory and a population of about 300. It is the only village and post office in the town.
Settlement was commenced in December, 1810, by John L. Frank, who came in company with John Steward from Frank- fort, JIerkimer county, and took up a tract of land, on which he settled about two and one-half miles from the village. His family, consisting of wife and two children, came in February, 1811, in company with his father, three brothers, with their families, and the family of John Steward. Their nearest neighbors were four miles distant. Mr. Frank was born at Frankfort, Herkimer county, the native place of his parents, Nov. 28, 1786. Nov. 22, 1807, at the age of twenty-one, he married Lucretia Chapman, daughter of Noah and Ann Chap- man, of Colchester, New London county, Conn. They have raised a family of fifteen children, ten of whom have become heads of families. Both are still living, the former being 86 years old, and his wife 81. During their married life of nearly sixty-six years they have had to employ a hired girl only sixteen weeks. They still continue to do their work, Mr. Frank managing alone a garden of two acres. John Demings also settled in Busti in 1810. Michael Frank, brother of John L., who came in 1811, died in 1869, aged eighty years. Jonas Lamphear, from New Lisbon, Otsego county, and Uriah Bentley, from the same county, settled in the town in 1811. Lamphear, with his wife and three children, came on the first day of January and located on land purchased the previous year, lying about a mile south of Ashville, and built a log cabin near where the depot on the A. & G. W. R. R. now stands. He removed in 1835 to Illinois, remaining there twelve years, and again in 1847 to Oregon, where he remained fifteen years. Ile is now living here, aged 89 years. Bentley died Sept. 28, 1860, aged 82 years. His remains rest upon the farm on which he first settled. Heman Bush, from Herkimer county, and Theron Plumb, from Mass., settled on lot 60 in 1811. Homer Wellman, from Whitestown, Oneida county, purchased land in this town in 1810, and settled upon it in March, Ist1. He came with his family and goods, drawn in a covered sled by au
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