Gazetteer and business directory of Chautauqua County, N.Y., for 1873-4, Part 12

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- cn
Publication date: 1873
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y.
Number of Pages: 850

USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Gazetteer and business directory of Chautauqua County, N.Y., for 1873-4 > Part 12

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BUSTI.

ox team, bringing with him a cow. They were eighteen days on the way. They arrived at the house of Myron Bly, on Chautauqua Lake, the latter part of February, and remained there a week or more until a shanty could be built on the lands he had taken up, two and one-half miles south of Ashville, which then contained but one house. They moved into their house, in the midst of a dense forest, the first or second of March, their nearest neighbor being Jonas Lamphear. What grain they had ground at that early day Mr. Wellman carried upon his back through the woods to Frew's mills in Penn., a distance of eight miles. In 1812 Mr. Wellman was called out with the militia a short time for the defense of Buffalo. He had eleven children, eight of whom lived to be men and women, and died upon the farm where he first settled, Dec. 10, 1859. His wife is still living, and will be 86 years old Oct. 2, 1873. Asa Smith, who came from Orange county in 1814, is still living, at the age of 81 years, on the farm upon which he first settled. Clark Smith, Daniel Shearman, Ephraim Wilcox, Win. Storum and Hendrick Mattison settled here in 1816. Smith came with his wife and four children from Oneida county, and settled two miles from the village, upon a farm of 100 acres, which he cleared. He took an active part in public matters and held many town offices, among them that of Jus- tice of the Peace for ten years. He died in 1864, at the age of 82 years. Shearman came from Scipio, Onondaga county, and settled upon the shore of Chautauqua Lake. He was the first Supervisor of the town, and held the office for several years, also that of Sheriff for a number of years. He died April 11, 1834, aged 49 years. Wilcox came with his wife and three children Feb. 8, 1816, and remained until 1831. He is still living and is 81 years old. Storum was from New Hartford, Oneida county, and still resides in this town. He is 85 years old. Mattison and his wife came from Litchfield, Herkimer Connty, and settled first in the town of Chautauqua, as at present bounded, in February, 1812. Upon the opening of the war of that year he returned to Herkimer county, and when peace was declared he again came to this county (1816) and settled in this town near the village. He died in 1826, aged 35 years. His wife, who still survives him, is 82 years old. John Mitchell removed from Vermont to the town of Stockton in 1816, and subsequently to this town, where he died in 1861, aged 48 years. His wife is still living and is 82 years old. Henry Wemple settled about three miles from Ashville in 1800. and died May 26, 1857, aged 85 years. James Cole moved from Greenbush. lienssaber county, to Sagar Grove, Pa., in 1813, and thence, after ten years, to this town, where he is still living, though quite infirm, aged 86 years.

BUSTI-CARROLL:

Upon a tombstone in the village cemetery are recorded the facts connected with the abduction of Eve Frank by the Indians in 1811 ; her return and marriage after a period of three years captivity ; and the subsequent abduction and detention for s similar period of her husband, also by the Indians.

The first marriage was contracted by Zebrick Root and Polls Parmiter, in 1813 ; and the first death was that of Lawrence Frank, in 1811. Olive Marsh taught the first school on lot 61. in 1813 ; and Capt. Heman Bush kept the first inn and store, and erected the first mill, on Stillwater Creek, in 1815.

The Second Baptist Church of Ellicott. at Busti Corners, was organized with ni .. members in 1819, by Elders Paul Davis, the first pastor, Ebenezer Smith and Jons than Wilson. The first church edifice was erected in 1836 ; the present one, which will seat 300 persons. in 1953, at a cost of $3,600. The Society consists of 132 ;nº :::- bers. The pastor is Rev. Spencer Fisher. The Church property is valued at $4.bo!'

The M. E. Church, at Busti Corners, was organized with sixty members, in 1849, by Rev. Alvin Burgess, the first pastor, and the church edifice. which will seat 250 jer. sons. erected the same year, at a cost of $1,000. There are 120 members. The Ia -. tor is Rev. J. H. Starrett. The Church property is valued at $4,000.f

CARROLLI was formed from Ellicott, March 25, 1S25.5 Kiantone was taken off Nov. 16, 1853. It lies in the south-east corner of the county, and contains 20,606 acres. The surfac: is broken and hilly in the east and north-east, and rolling in. the south and south-west. The highest summits are 900 fee: above Lake Erie. It is watered by Conewango Creek, which formis a part of the west boundary, and three small streams trit- utary to it, the principal of which are Case and Frew runs. The soil is a clay loam in the north and east, and a gravelly loam in the south and west.

The population of the town in 1870 was 1,548, of whom: 1,417 were native, 131, foreign and all, white.

During the year ending Sept. 80, 1872, the town contained ten school districts and employed eleven teachers. The num- ber of children of school age was 587 ; the number attendin. school, 4544; the average attendance, 248; the amount expend- ed for school purposes, $2,782.92 ; and the value of school houses and sites, 85,555.

The Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley & Pittsburgh R. R. crosse: the town near the west border.

* Information furnished by O. J. Stoddard.

Information furnished by Rov. J. H. Starrett. the pastor + Named in honor of Charle's Carroll, of Carrollton, a distinguished citizen of MA !; lu:l. who, previous to his death, was the last surviving signer of the Declaration Und wendende.

& The first town meeting was held at the house of Wm. Sears. March 6, 1490. an !! Inda wang Darned officers were elected : James Hall, Supervisor : John Frew. / > Parker, Lovi Davis and James Frow, JAss rs: E. Kidder. U. 11

Frey, James Hall and James Parker, comminic I Snart Simeon Covell and Levi Davis, Inspectors of Content tren, W. Frutou and Wm. Sears, Found Keepers.

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CARROLL.

FREWSBURGH, (p. v.) situated on Frew Run, in the west part of the town, is a station on the D. A. V. & P. R. R., and con- tains three churches, (Bapt., M. E. and. Cong.,) one hotel, four dry goods, two grocery, one drug and one hardware stores, two stare mills, a hand sled factory, two grist mills, a cabinet shop, three wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, a cooper shop, a tannery and about 600 inhabitants .*

Frewsburgh Lodge of Good Templars was organized in Febru- ary, 1873, and has about sixty-five members.

FENTONVILLEt (p. o.) is situated in the south-west corner of the town, on the D. A. V. & P. R. R., and contains one hotel, store, blacksmith and cooper shop, saw and lath mill, (in which from three to four million feet of lumber are annually sawed,) and about twenty houses. The population in 1870 was 82.

Fentonville Cemetery was established in 1800, by W. H. H. Fenton, who donated and fitted up the grounds, which consist of two acres, and are situated at Fentonville, near a fine pine grove.

There are other small manufacturing establishments in various parts of the town.t

Settlement was commenced in January, 1807, by Joseph Aiken, who came from Rennselaer county and located on lot 23. Geo. W. Fenton,§ Laban Case and Wm. Aiken also came the same year. Case settled on lot 31, and Aiken, on lot 21. James Aiken settled on lot 13, in 180S; James Hall and Caleb Thompson, the former on lot 11. in 1810 : and Wm. Sears, also on lot 11, in 1811. Mr. Thompson came from the town of Still- water, Saratoga county, and built a house in the central part of

* Aboutse,nodd staves and 10.000 children's sleichs are manufactured, and 1.000 ralf and 3.00 sheep skins tanned per annum. in this village. The population of the village in 1870 was 879 .- Census, 1510.

+ Named from W. H. H. Fenton.

: The principal of these are Wiltse's saw mill. In the south part. Dickinson's and Burch's saw mille near the center, Ames & Halliday's, in the north-east, and Moore's. Ivar Frewsurch, which annually saw about 3,00,000 feet of lumber ; and Burch's shingle mill, near the center, which makes about one million shingles.

& Giro. W. Fenton was born in Conn. Dec. 20, 17-3, and died March 3. 150. Itis Sms are W. H. H. Fenton, born in Carroll, April 2.1. 1.11. since which time he has continued to reside here : Geo. W. Fenton Jr., who was born bore Feb. 9. ISI2, and has also since resided here : Hon. Reuben E. Fenton, who was born July 1. 1819 : Roswell O. Fenton, who was born at Warren, Pa .. Sept. 16, 1 :07 : and Jno. F. Fenton, who was born in Carroll. Oct. 20. 1816.

lion. Rendben E. Fenton was educated at Pleasant Hill and Fredonia academies. He Mudied law, but followed the mercantile Business. In I&B he was elected Supervi- war of the town of Carroll. He was a Representative in the XXXIII. XXXV .. XXXVI .. XXXVII. and XXXVIII. congres S. servier routinely on the Committee . A Private land Chips deiman of the Unit

1 .. For the expiration of his term of office he was elected to the U. S. Senate, where he It holds a sent.

CARROLL-CHARLOTTE.

the town. He helped to run the first roads from Jamestown to the Penn. line and to the Cassadaga. When he came he says there were no houses at Jamestown, and but few in this town. He was a soldier during the war of 1812, and though commis- sions were twice tendered him he refused to serve in any other capacity than that of private. He is still living in the town, aged 88 years. John Frew, a native of Ireland, settled at a very early day, prior to 1811, since in that year he and Thomas Russell built the first saw mill in town, on lot 61. He was born in 1987, and died in 1865. Joseph Tobey, who is now eighty years old, came to this town from Vermont in 1815, and has since resided here. George W. Cowan, who is still living in the south part of the town, was born in Washington county in 1802, and came here from Essex county in 1822. Daniel Rob- bins came here from Otsego county in 1832, at which time his nearest neighbor was seven miles distant. He and his family, consisting of wife and two children, lived three weeks in the open air, sleeping at night under the friendly shelter of logs and trees. Samuel Garfield moved with his father from Ver- mont to near Pine Grove, Peun., in 1816. They remained there five years, when they removed to about one and one-half miles south of Jamestown. They subsequently removed to this town, having previously lived in six other places in the county. Joseph Garfield, father of Samuel, died in 1863.

The first child born in the town was Hamilton Tyler, in 1810; the first marriage, that of Wm. Bowles and Jerusha Wal- ton, in 1811; and the first death, that of -- Woodcock, who was killed by the fall of a tree in 1810. The first school was taught by Stephen Rogers, on lot 51, in 1813. The first grist mill was built by John Frew, on lot 61, in 1817. The first inn was kept by Wm. Sears, on lot 11, in 1814; and the first store, by James Hall, on the same lot, in 1824.

The Congregational Church, at Frewsburgh, consisted of seventeen members at its organization, and its first pastor was Rov. R. Rouse. Their house of worship was erreted in 1983. and will seat 200 persons. The present pastor is Rev. A. Bixby, our informant, and the present number of members, forty-two. The church property i- valued at $3,000.

CHARLOTTE was formed from Gerry, April 18, 1829 .* It is an interior town, lying north-east of the center of the county, and contains 22,366 acres. The surface is alternate hill and valley, the hills reaching their greatest altitude near the northern boundary. The highest point, known as Luce :11 iss more than 1,000 feet above Lake Erie, and affordy a

* 1 .... fra town meeting was held at Charlotte Center, March 2. 1830, and Nathati Lake was chosen Supervisor ; Walter Chester, Torn Clerk ; John M. Edson, Elired Sampson and James S. Parkhurst, Justtees of the Peace ; and Barzilla Ellis, Collector.

CHARLOTTE.

fine view, extending to Buffalo and the hills of Canada on the north and east, and to the forests of Penn. on the south. Every acre is tillable. The soil is chiefly a clay loam, well adapted to grazing and dairying. to which it is largely devoted. It is one of the best dairy towns in Western New York and sus- tains several large cheese factories, that at Sinclairville, which uses the milk of 1,300 cows, being among the largest in the State. Its streams are Mill Creek and its tributaries which have their source in many springs of the purest water. The timber upon the hills consists of beech, birch, ash, maple and cucumber, and along the streams, hemlock and other evergreens abound.

The population of the town in 1870 was 1,682, of whom 1,501 were native, 181, foreign and all, except six, white.

During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained eleven school districts and employed thirteen teachers. The number of children of school age was 532 ; the number attend- ing school, 464; the average attendance, 226; the amount ex- pended for school purposes, 83,278.48; and the value of school houses and sites, $6,050.

SINCLAIRVILLE,* (p. v. ) situated on Mill Creek, near the south line, is a village of about 600 inhabitants and a station on the Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley & Pittsburgh R. R. It con- tains four churches, (Baptist, Catholic, Congregational and M. IS.,) fifteen stores of various kinds, a fine hotel, two grist mills, two tanneries, three saw mills, two steam planing mills, a large cheese factory, a rake factory, carriage factory, broom factory, two blacksmith shops and about 120 dwellings and business places. It is the center of a prosperous dairy and agricul- tural region, and large quantities of pressed hay, butter, cheese and stock, are annually shipped here. Its citizens are active and enterprising.

CHARLOTTE CENTER, (p. o.) situated on Mill Creek, three miles above Sinclairville, contains two churches, a cheese fac- tory, carriage and wood mill factory, blacksmith shop and about 100 inhabitants

The town was surveyed into sections in 1808, by John Lam- berton, of Genesee county, and settlement was commenced in the north-west part-known as the Picket District-in April, 1809, by John and Daniel Picket, (the former is still living,) Am O. Austin, Abel Pryor and John and Taylor Gregg. About the same time a settlement war male at Charlotte Con-

" Named in honor of Major Samuel Sinclear. The substitution of the letter ; for e th the second sy Hable conforms with the common and official usage of the word.

CHARLOTTE.

ter by Robert W. Seaver, Wm. Devine and B. Edson, the two former from Oneida county. Seaver was a soldier of the Revo- lution, and served under Anthony Wayne at the storming of Stony Point. This same year Major Samuel Sinclear,* from whom the village of Sinclairville was named, purchased lot 41, on which that village is located, and with Wm. Berry, his part- ner, erected a log house, into which, the following March. Messrs. Sinclear and Berry moved the family of the latter. On the 22d of October, 1810, Major Sinclear moved his family, con- sisting of his wife (Fanny,) and eight children, (Obed, John M., Fanny, Edson, Samuel, David, Joseph, Nancy and Sally,) and others in his employ, in all to the number of twenty, to the same locality and soon after into the first framed house. which had been built for him during the year by Nathaniel Holdridge, and which subsequently became the village tavern. The first grist mill was erected the next year at Sinclairville by the Major.

Among the early residents of Sinclairville was Abram Winsor, an active and energetic man, who served with the citizens of Charlotte and neighboring towns in the war of 1812, first as Lieutenant and subsequently as Captain. Nathaniel Johnson, and Mary, his wife, came into the county in 1811, and to Sin- clairville in 1816. He died Oct. 31, 1828, aged 65, and his wife, Dec. 11, 1838, aged 74. A daughter, Hannah, was married Oct. 8, 1816, to Sylvanus L. Henderson, a soldier of the war of 1812, who also settled here in 1816, and for more than half a century was actively connected with the growth and business interests of the place. He died April 6, 1870, aged 77. Judge John M. Edson, David and George Sinclear, Mrs. Hannah Henderson. before mentioned, and Ezra Richmond are the only surviving representatives of the early settlers of Sinclairville now resident there.

On the site of the village at the time of its settlement were the remains of old fortifications, consisting of two circular earthen forts, inclosing many acres in area, and breastworks along the brink of two of its hills. Near them have been found many rude implements of war and other evidences of occupa- tion by an ancient people. In the vicinity of Sinclairville were other old entrenchments, and an ancient Indian burial ground. from which, at various times, many human bones have been

* Major Samuel Sinclear was born May 10. 102, in the lumber regions of the Ket. " bec River, Maine, and when a mere bay he became a soldier of the Revolution. I !! tirirating in its most important battles and in Sullivan's expedition. He w ... . Haramiand wellent officer, with what he served de

was ... trong and resolute man, thoroughly experienced in the r. usages of fronti rufe, He died Feb. 8, 187. His wife died Jan. 12. 1 52. aged years ; and her mother, Thankful Bloglow, died at Sinclairville, Nov. 15, 1539, aged A. years.

CHARLOTTE.

disinterred. About 1859, as many as a score of skeletons were exhumed at one time.

In 1810, John and Moses Cleland, Daniel Spencer, Ezra White, Nathaniel Holdridge, Abner Winsor and others, of whom John Cleland is the only survivor, settled in various parts of the town. During the war of 1812 the population of the town steadily decreased and for several years subsequent the progress of settlement was slow. The following named persons represented Charlotte in the battle of Buffalo, viz: Captain Ezra White, 1st Lieut. Abner Winsor, 1st Sergt. Joel Burnell and Arva O. Austin, Seeley Picket, Jr., Samuel T. Booth and Sam- uel Vaughn. Subsequently, at the siege of Fort Erie, fifteen or twenty persons from this town participated under Captain Winsor.

For the first twenty years of its settlement the chief staple was crude potash, or black salts, the only product which com- manded cash. In 1812, Capt. Winsor built an ashery at Sin- clairville and for many years thereafter manufactured from the black salts pot and pearl ash, which he transported down Cas- sadaga Creek and Allegheny River to Pittsburgh, where he ex- changed it for tobacco, nails and flour. Capt. Winsor, in company with Alvin Plumb and Obed Edson, established the first store at Sinclairville and stocked it mainly from Pittsburgh. About 1824, Walter Smith and Geo. A. French opened a second store at Sinclairville and engaged in considerable trade. This, with the opening of the Erie Canal gave a new impetus to set- tlement and the town from that time thrived and increased rapidly in population.

The thick underbrush of the Cassadaga swamp, which bor- ders the western edge of the town, afforded a secure lair for wolves, and they increased in numbers with the settle- ment of the town until 1824 and '25, when they became so numerous as to be an intolorable annoyance to the settlers in destroying their sheep and other small animals. During the above mentioned years a series of wolf hunts occurred in this vicinity, participated in by a large portion of the inhabitants of the northern and interior towns of the county, which resulted in the destruction of large numbers of wolves and finally in their complete expulsion from this locality.

The first birth was that of Phebe Austin, Jan. 25, 1810; the first deaths, Mrs. Arnold and her sister Jerusha; and the first marriage that of Moses Cleland and Sally Anderson, in 1511 .*

' We are largely indebted to Mr. W. W. Henderson of Sinclairville for data relative to this town.

CHARLOTTE-CHAUTAUQUA.

Sinclairville M. E. Church was organized about 1819, and erected their house of wor- ship in 1831. The house will seat 300 persons. The first pastor was Rev. John Sum- merfield; the present one is Rev. H. W. Leslie. The Society numbers fifty members; its property is valued at $5,000 .*

The First Congregational Church of Sinclairville, was organized July 22, 1831, by Revs. Isaac Jones, of Mayville. Timothy Stillman, of Dunkirk, and O. C. Beardsley, of Char- lotte. Their church edifice was erected in 1815. at a cost of $3.500, the present value of Church property, and will seat 250 persons. The first pastor was Rev. Chester Carpen- ter ; the present one is Rev. J. D. Stewart. There are sixty members.t

St. Paul's Church of the Cross, (Catholic.) at Sinclairville, was organized with seventy. five members, in ISTI, by Rev. Father Guido, the first pastor. Their house of worship was erected at a cost of $2,000. the present value of Church property, and will seat 2:" persons. There are 117 members, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. Father Alfrancis .*

The First Baptist Church of Sinclairville was organized by Rev. Jonathan Wilson, the firat pastor. The Church edifice was erected in 1834, at a cost of $2,000, and will seat 500 persons. There are fifty-five members, but the church is without a pastor. The property is valued at $3.000.§

Charlotte Center M. F. Church consiete of about forty members, who are under the pastoral care of Rev. H. W. Lesli .. The house of worship will seat 200 persons, and the Church property is valued at $3,000.1

CHAUTAUQUA was formed from Batavia, (Genesce county,) April 11, 1804, and embraced all the territory now in- cluded within the limits of Chautauqua county, except the tenth range of townships.ºf Pomfret was taken off March 11, 1808; Portland, April 9, 1813 ; Harmony, Feb. 14, 1816 ; Clymer and Stockton, Feb. 9, 1821, and Ellery, Feb. 29, 1821. It is an interior town, lying a little west of the center of the county, at the head of Chautauqua Lake, about one half of which lies within the town. It contains 41,147 acres, and, with the exception of Harmony, is the largest town in the county. The surface is elevated and mod- erately hilly, occupying the watershed between the waters of Chautauqua Lake and those of Lake Erie. The soil is a clay loam of good quality. The streams are Chautauqua Creek, which forms a part of the west boundary, Prendergast and Mud creeks, and Chautauqua Inlet.

The Buffalo, Corry and Pittsburgh R. R. (Cross Cut) extends in a circuitous course through the town.

The population of the town in 1870, was 3,064, of whom 2,547 were native, 517, foreign and all, except six, white.

During the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, the town contained twenty school districts, and employed twenty-three teachers. The number of children of school age was 1,029; the number attending school, 789 ; the average attendance, 416; the amount

* Information furnished by Rev. W. H. Leslie, the pastor.

+ Information furnished by II. A. Kirk.

+ Information furnished by John Pearson ..

& Information furnished R. D. Sherman.

. by Rev. H. W. Lratio, the pastor.

"thatnie wine was held at the house of the widow MeHenry, in West-

fe al, in April. 1-05. A list of the first town officers will be given in the sketch of the town of Westfield.

CHAUTAUQUA.

expended for school purposes, $6,890.66; the value of school houses and sites, $22,140.

MAYVILLE, (p. v.) the county seat, is pleasantly located at the head of Chautauqua Lake, and on the Buffalo, Corry & Pitts- burgh R. R. It was incorporated April 20, 1830, and has a popu- lation of about 800 .* It contains the court house, jail, offices of the clerk, treasurer and surrogate, six churches, (Bapt., Dutch Refd., Episc., German Lutheran, M. E. and Swede,) a new and very fine graded Union School,t with an academic department, two newspaper offices, (Mayville Sentinel and Chautauqua News,) one bank.t three hotels, twelve stores, one foundry,§ the machine shops of the B. C. & P. R. R., | a grist and saw mill, " a planing mill, a cabinet and undertaking establishment, a photograph gallery, a milliner shop, paint shop, cooper shop, three wagon shops, two blacksmith shops and two shoe shops. Itis connected with Jamestown, on the outlet of the Lake, bv a steamer which makes daily trips, once each way. Mayville is becoming a favorite watering place and summer resort, and large numbers of persons visit the place during the summer season. Several small steamers and a large number of sail boats ply the lake and contribute to the pleasure and profit of their owners and the accommodation of the public. A large hotel- the Chautauqua House-was built adjacent to the depot and steamboat landing, in 1868, at a cost of $60,000. It will accom- modate 130 guests. Additional accommodations are being pro- vided in connection with it.

The Mayville Silver Cornet Band was organized Oct. 15, 1872. It has ten members, and is under the leadership of Albert H. Godard.

The Chautauqua Lake Camp Meeting Association, of the Eric Conference of the M. E. Church, was incorporated April 13, 1871, and the same year purchased the Fairpoint Fair Ground, upon the shore of Chautauqua Lake. Lots to the number of 289 have been laid out and leased for a term of ninety-nine years. There are now about twenty-five summer residences built upon

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Gazetteer and business directory of Chautauqua County, N.Y., for 1873-4, Part 12

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- cn Publication date: 1873 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. Number of Pages: 850

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- cn
Publication date: 1873
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y.
Number of Pages: 850