Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 1, Part 70

Author: French, J. H. (John Homer), 1824-1888, ed. cn; Place, Frank, 1880-1959, comp
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : R. Pearsall Smith
Number of Pages: 772


USA > New York > Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 1 > Part 70


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91


Ilemp. lbs.


49.690


Crockery and glassware. lbs ..


122.594


Lard, tallow, and lard oil


710.435


Seed. lbs


All other tudse. Ils,


674,242


Wool, Ibs ..


1,325,289


Flaxseed, lbs.


1.077.228


Stone, lime. and clay, Ihs.


4.98ยง 599


Ilides. 1hs.


780,855


Ilops. lbs.


1.529


Coal. lbs .....


28,051,852


Flour. hbls.


88,092


Domestic spirits, gais ..


836,000


Copper ore. Iba.


2.565,201


Wheat, bush


6,673,827


Leather, lbs.


56,786


Sundries, Ibs


12,771,000


1855.


1856.


1857.


Cotton, bales.


239


681


317


Corn, bush


8,711,230


9,632.477


5,713.611


Eggs, bbls.


5,591


5,326


8,286


Feathers, sacks.


379


820


242


Fish, bbls.


6,752


5,826


5,211


Furs, bdls ..:


1,112


890


635


Flax, bales.


1,276


729


622


Flour, bbls.


936,761


1,126,048


845,953


HIemp, bales.


1,191


327


912


liides, No ..


90,964


111,856


139,051


Horses, No.


362


408


193


Ilogs, No.


59,944


72,713


75,174


Iron, pig, tons.


3,994


2,077


1,323


Lard, Ibs.


10,357,136 67,309


30,677


22,247


Leather, rolls.


2,265


2,326


2,513


Lumber, ft


72,026,651


60,584,541


68,283,319


Lath, No.


245,000


920,000


1,602.000


Meal, corn, bbls


867


1,800


150


Nuts, bbls.


346


805


113


Oil. bbls.


4,700


2,870


1,789


Oats, bush


2,693,322


1,733,382


1,214,760


Pork, bbls ..


106,682


60,477


20,283


Pelts, bdls


4,311


3,368


1,595


Rye, bush


299,591


245,810


48,536


1854 ...


739,756;3,510,792 10,109.973


9,711,230 2,693,222


62.304 299.591


1856 ... 1,126,04S 8.465,671


9,632,477 1,733.382


46,327


245.810


1857 ...


845,953 8,334,179


5,713,611 1,214,760


37,844


48,536


The annual average receipts of flour during the first five years was about 360,000 bbls .; during the next five it was 820.000; during the next five, 1,474,000; and during the next five, 969,000. The whole amount of grain received in 1847 was 9,668, 187 bush., and in 1855 20,788,475 bush., -- the greatest amount iu any one year. This was a greater amount than was received that year in any other port in the world. The following table shows the receipts of leading articles during three seasons :-


1855.


1556.


1857.


Ashes, casks


4,295


3,255


2,975


Beef, bbls.


97,804


33,320


59,911


Broom Corn, bales.


9,725


7,366


5.086


Barley, bush


62.304


46,327


37,844


Butter, Ibs.


1,988,920


1,241.600


923,000


Robes, Buffalo, bales ...


480


287


1,150


1846 ...


1,374,529


4,744,184


1,455,258


218,300


47,530


1840 ...


597,742 1,004,561


5,335,500


643,000


1841 ...


730,040


1,635,000


201,031


Lead, pigs.


4,441,739 313,885 177,066


1855 ...


936,761 8,022,126


Crockery and glassware, lbs All other indse, lbs.


286


ERIE COUNTY.


that the value of merchandise and property transported ly R. R. is greater than the entire amount of the lake commerce of this port.1 About onc-fourth of the shipping of the lake is owned by the citizens of Buffalo.2 Shipbuilding is extensively carried on." The manufactures of the city are extensive and various.4


The principal public buildings are the Custom House, Fort Porter, the State Arsenal, and the city markets. The Custom House, on the corner of Seneca and Washington Sts., is a handsome and well built structure, containing, beside the custom house office, accommodations for the post-office and the U. S. courts. It was constructed, at a cost of $140,000, from designs furnished by the U. S. Treasury Department.5 Fort Porter, built in 1842-48, is a fortification on the bank of Niagara River at the point where it emerges from Lake Eric. The State Arsenal, crected in 1858, is a massive stone building fronting on Batavia St.6 There are four large markets, conveniently located in different parts of the city.7


The Public Schools of the city have long enjoyed a deservedly high reputation. They are care- fully nurtured through the operations of an enlightened public sentiment, and are so excellent in all their departments that scarcely any other elementary schools are supported or needed. They are thoroughly graded, consisting of three general departments. The third department is an advanced school for the whole city; and in it a complete academic course, excepting the classics, is taught. There werc, in 1857, 32 school districts, employing 189 teachers,-24 males and 165 females. The number of children, between 4 and 21 years of age, was 28,000, of whom 15,593, or a small fraction more than 553 per cent., were in attendance some portion of the year.8


The Buffalo Female Academy, a flourishing institution, situated on Delaware Avenue, was opened for students in July, 1852.9


1 The amount of live stock received by R. R. in 1857 was 78,404 head of cattle, 232.375 hogs, and 72,496 sheep.


2 The amount of shipping owned in Buffalo, as shown by the custom house books, is as follows :-


Vessels.


No.


Tonnage.


Steamers.


10


9.067


Propellers.


50


30,186


Tugs


20


2.629


Barks.


7


3.537


Brigs ....


6.784


Schooners


129


35,460


&cows.


5


473


Total


242


88,136


3 The following table shows the shipping launched in 1857 :-


Vessels.


Tonnage.


Value.


4 Stemmers


4,056


$352,000


10 Propellers


5.070


349,000


13 Thes.


1.145


126,800


21 Schooners


7,955


353,400


1 Dredge


25 Canal Boats


In connection with one of the shipyards of the city is a dry dock of sufficient capacity to admit a steamer of over 2.500 tons; also a marine railway: and near by is a large derrick for hoist- ing boilers and heavy machinery.


4 The following is a list of the manufacturing establishments in operation in 1857 :-


Agricultural Works.


5 | Earthenware Mannfactories. 3 Fence (iron) .. 1


Ax & Edge Tool M'factory ... Awl


1


Fire Works


Basket Manufactories.


6


Flour Mills. 10


Flour Mill Manufactories 3


Fonnderies 7


Blank Book & Bookbinding 8


Boiler Manufactories.


4 Glue


Box


5 Gold Beaters "


Brass


3 Gunshops 3


31 Breweries llarness, Saddle. &c. Mfacts 13 Hat & Cap Mannfactories ... 16 Brickyards.


Britannia Ware


Iron Works.


Japan ned Ware


Lantern Manufactories


Burr Millstone


Cabinet Ware Mannfactories. 11


Car and Car Wheels .....


Carriage Manuactories. 9


Chair


Marble Works. fi


10


Coach & Harness Hardware Comb Manufactory ..


2


Melodeon Manufactory.


1 Oakum


Confectioneries


10


Oil


Cooperages.


14


Organ


Distilleries 3


Pail and Tub


Engraving 9 Paper Mill 1


Engine (steam) M'factories .. C.


Patent Leather


Philosophical Instruments ..


1 | Shipyards ..


7


Piano Forte Manufactory .... Planing Mills.


5 Soap & Candle M'factories ... 14


Plane Mannfactory. 1 Soda & Sarsaparilla " ...


Pocket Book


3 Starch .. .


Pottery.


Priuting Establishments.


17 Steam Sawmills


3


Pump Manufactories


3


Stone Ware Manufactory. ...


1


Regalia 66


5 Tobacco


9


Rope


4 Tanneries.


2


Sail


4 Type & Stereotype F'dries.


3


Sash & Blind " 46


7 Upholsteries,


10


SAW


Vice Mannfactory


1


Shingle


2 White Lead ".


Stove Manufactories.


3 Whip


1


"Silk


1


The value of the articles manufactured in IS57 was about $10.000,000, of which the leading products are estimated as follows :- ships and boats, $1,800,000; leather. $1.500,000; flour, $1,000,000; stoves and other castings. $600.000: machines. $600,000; distilled stuffs, $400,000; piano fortes, $350,000; boots and shoes, $100.000.


For most of the statistics of the commerce and mannfactures of Buffalo we are indelited to the Annual Statement of the Trade and Commerce of Buffalo for 1857, issued from the office of the Comercial Advertiser.


5 The custom bonse building was commenced in 1955 and completed in 1858. It is 3 stories high, exclusive of basement, and has a front of 110 ft. on Seneca St. and 60 ft. on Washington St .. with a total elevation of 70 ft. above the sidewalk. Its ex- terior is of light gray sandstone, obtained from Cleveland, Ohio; and the whole is fireproof throughont, the floors being of small, segmental brick arches, turned from wrought irou beams, rest- ing on tubular girders. The girders rest upon the walls, and are supported in the middle by cast iron coluuins reaching to the foundation of the building.


' The arsenal is 165 ft. long by 65 ft. wide. Its front, 50 ft. wide, projecting 16 ft. from the main building, is flanked by ortagonal towers 60 ft. high. The walls are 40 ft. high ; and at cach corner is a heavy, square turret. The cost of the building was $35,000.


7 Elk Street Market is 30 ft. wide by 375 ft. long, having a veranda 24 tt. wile extending the whole length of each side. S The Court Street Market consists of a main building, 51 ft. sq., 4 ; with 4 wings, one on each side. The N. and s, wings are each 2 : 913 ft. long by 26 wide, and the E. and w. wings are cach ci ft. 2 | long by 36 ft. wide. The Clinton St. and Washington St. Markets are each 395 ft. long by 36 ft. wide. with a veranda 24 ft. wide ex- trading the whole length of each side.


Boot & Shoe Manufactories Brush


3


2 Last Manufactories.


Leather 11


Lithographing.


3


Lock Manufactories.


Chromotype Printing.


Machine Shops .. 1


* The total expenses of the schools for 1857 were $160,019 86. Fand the total receipts the same; mmnumber of volumes in district libraries 8.216.


1 " This institution owes its existence in a great meysure to the 1' liberality of Jabez Goodell, who contributed over $10,000 toward 4 its establishment. The academy occupies one of the most eli 1 : gible and beautiful sites in the city. There are two academic 1 ! buildings. Goodell Hall and Evergreen Cottage,-the former oc. jenpied for school purposes, and the latter as a dwelling by the 1 : family of the principal.


21


Bellows


Billiard Table "


3


Glove Manufactory 1 1


3 Silver Plating ..


1


1 Stavo ...


287


ERIE COUNTY.


The Buffalo Medical College, on the corner of Main and Virginia Sts., was organized in Aug. 1846, under the charter of the University of Buffalo. A course of lectures is given each winter; and the students are admitted to the hospital of the Sisters of Charity, on stated days, during the visits of the medical and surgical officers.


The Buffalo Mercantile College, on the corner of Main and Seneca Sts., was established Oct. 10, 1854. Its object is to impart a theoretical and practical knowledge of business transactions.


The Buffalo Commercial College, on Main St., is an institution similar in character to the Mer- cantile College.


The Buffalo Law Library Association, incorp. April 2, 1833,-capital $10,000, in shares of $100 each,-was formed for the purpose of securiug the benefits of a professional library beyond the reach of private means.


The Young Men's Association was established in the winter of 1835-36, and incorp. in March, 1843. It has a library of about 10,000 volumes, and a reading room, which is well supplied with papers from most of the principal cities of the Union. During the winter months lectures are maintained by the association.


The German Young Men's Association was organized in 1841 and chartered in 346. The library contains about 2000 volumes, mostly German works.


The Young Men's Christian Union was established in May, 1852, and ineorp. March, 1853. It has for its object the moral and intellectual improvement of young men. Its library and reading rooms are in Kremlin Hall, at the junction of Niagara and Erie Sts.


The Young Men's Catholic Association and the Buffalo Catholic Institute are societies similar to the preceding.


The Buffalo Medical Association was formed in 1845 and incorp. in 1856. Its objects are purely scientifie and professional, and its membership is confined to the medical profession of the county.


The Mendelssohn Association, organized Jan. 1858, has for its object the improvement and culti- vation of vocal and instrumental musie.


The Deutsche Leidertafel and the Deutscher Saengerbund are German societies of a similar eharacter.


The Buffalo Orphan Asylum, located on Virginia St., was organized in 1835 and incorp. April 24, 1837. The site was donated by Louis S. Le Couteulx, and the present building was erected in 1850. The average number of inmates is about 80.


The Buffalo Female Orphan Asylum, on the corner of Batavia and Ellicott Sts., was established in 1848, under the care of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. The preseut number of children is 98.


The Buffalo Hospital of the Sisters of Charity, on Virginia St., was incorp. July 5, 1848. The building contains 20 wards, and the average uumber of patients is 130.


The Buffalo General Hospital was incorp. Nov. 21, 1855, and went into operation in 1858. It was founded by individual donations, amounting to $20,000, and a State appropriation of $10,000.1 The Lying-In Hospital, on Edward St., is under the charge of the Sisters of Charity.


The Buffalo City Dispensary, a society of physicians, was organized to afford gratuitous medical services to the destitute.


The Association for the Relief of the Poor disburses among the needy cach "vinter sums ranging from $1,500 to $8,000.


The Firemen's Benevolent Association was incorp. March 23, 1837, and has for its objeet the accumulation of a fund for the relief of indigent and disabled firemen and their families.


The Buffalo Physicians' Charitable Fund Association was organized in 1858, to provide means for the assistance and relief of the widows and orphans of medical men.


A M. E. church was founded in Buffalo, in 1809, by the Rev. Jas. Mitchell; but it had no per- manent organization. The oldest church now in the city (1st Presb.) was organized Feb. 2, 1812, by the Rev. Thaddeus Osgood. The next established were a Prot. E., Bap., a M. E., and a Univ. There are now 57 churches iu the city.2 Most of the church edifices are large and commodious ; and many of them are of a high order of architectural beauty. St. Joseph's Cathedral (R. C.) is


1 This hospital is located on High St .. and is a two story brick | in this city, has been prominently before the public from the structure. 160 ft. long by 75 ft. wide. The w. wing only of the general plan is finished ; but that is complete in itself, and has


refusal of its trustees to convey their church property to the bishop, and the extraordinary bnt ineffectual efforts made by 4 wards, capable of accommodating 100 patients. the Roman pontiff to induce obedience to this order. In 1853 2 14 R. C., & Fresh .. 7 Prot. E., 7 M. E., 6 Bap., 4 Ger. Evang .. 3 Entis., 2 Ref. Prot. D .. and 1 each Asso. Presb .. Freach Prot .. Cardinal Bedini visited America, having this as a prominent object of his mission; but the trustees were inflexible, and still Cuit .. Univ .. Mission, and Bethel. The R. C. Church of St. Louis, ; continne the owners of their property.


288


ERIE COUNTY.


the largest and most costly in the city.1 St. Paul's2 and St. John's, (Prot. E., ) and the North and Central Presb. churches, are elegant and substantial structures.


The earliest notice of the site of the city of Buffalo is found in tho travels of Baron La Hontan, who visited this locality in 1687.3 No white settlers located here until after the American Revo- lution. A village of the Seneca Indians lay on Buffalo Creek, about 3 mi. from its mouth. In March, 1791, Col. Thos. Proctor, U. S. Commissioner, visited " Buffalo Creek,"-as this village was then called,-on an embassy to the Indians. The locality around the mouth of the creek was then called " Lake Erie," and Cornelius Winney, an Indian trader, resided there." The place was visited in 1795 by La Rochefoucault Liancourt, a French nobleman, who says that "at the post on Lake Erie there was a small collection of four or five houses."5 Buffalo was laid out by the agent of the Holland Land Company in 1801, and was called by them " New Amsterdam."6 Set- tlement was commenced at Black Rock in 1807.7 In 1808 " New Amsterdam" was made the county seat of Niagara co .; and its name was then changed to Buffalo. In 1812 it became a military post. In Dec. 1813, a party of British and Indians crossed over from Canada, defeated the Ameri- can forces, and fired the villages of Black Rock and Buffalo. Only two dwelling houses were left standing.8 The rebuilding of the village was not commenced until 1815. Buffalo had from the first a formidable rival in Black Rock. While the mouth of Buffalo Creek was obstructed by a bar, Black Rock possessed an excellent harbor and monopolized the infant commerce of the lake. The "Walk-in-the- Water," the first steamboat on Lake Erie, was built at Black Rock in 1818. The construction of Buffalo harbor was commenced in 1820, by the citizens ;9 and in 1827 the General Government assumed its completion and built the present pier and lighthouse. The Erie Canal was finished in 1825; and from that time to the present Buffalo has increased in wealth and popu- lation with the characteristic rapidity of the cities of the West. 10


CHICTAWAUGA 11 _- was formed from Amherst, March 22, 1839; and a part of West Seneca was taken off in 1851. It is an interior town, lying N. of the centor of the co. The surface is level. The principal streams are Eleven Mile, Cayuga, and Slate Bottom Creeks The soil is a heavy, tough clay. Chictawauga and Four Mile Creek are p. offices. The first settle- inent was made by Apollos Hitchcock, in 1808.12 There is but 1 church (R. C.) in town.


CLARENCE-was formed from " Willink," (now Aurora,) March 11, 1808. Buffalo was taken off in 1810, Alden in 1823, and Lancaster in 1833. It lies upon the N. border of the co., E. of the center. Its surface is level. A limestone terrace about 50 feet high, with a wall-like front facing the N., extends E. and w. through the center of the town. The strcams are Tona- wanda Creek, on the N. border, and Ransoms Creek, flowing N. w. through near the center of the town. The soil in the N. part is clayey, and in the s. a sandy and gravelly loam underlaid by


1 The cathedral is 236 ft. long, 86 ft. wide in the body, and 120 at the transept. The ceiling is 75 ft. high, the roof outside 90 feet, and the spire, when finished, will be 220 ft. high. The windows are all of beautiful stained glass, the larger ones in figures representing sacred scenes and characters. The tri- partite window above the altar represents the birth, cruci- fixion, and ascension of Christ. This window was executed iu Munich, at & cost of $5.000.


2 This church was erected at a cost of about $100,000. It has a chime of 10 bells, which cost $15.000.


3 La fontan recommended to the French Government the erection of a fort at this place.


4 Winney's house-undoubtedly the first erected in Buffalo- stood near where the Washington St. Canal Bridge now is.


6 Besides Winney, Johnston, the British Indian interpreter, Martin Middaugh and his family, and his son-in-law, Ezekiel Lane, resided here at that time; and in 1796 Asa Ransom, Jesse Skinner, and " Black Joe" were also here. Skinner kept an inn, and Winney and "Black Joe" an Indiau store.


6 The principal streets were nanied from members of the Hol- land Land Company. Main St. was called " Willink's Avenue." Niagara St. " Schimmelpennicks Avenue," Genesee St. "Busti Avenue," Frie St. "Vollenhovens Avenue," and Church St. "Slad- mitzki Avenue.' In 1826 these names were changed by the trixles of the village. The business of the Holland Land Com- patry was transacted here for a short time previous to the open- ing of their office at "Ransoms Grove," now Clarence Hollow, in 1801.


; The surveyor general was directed (April 11, 1804) to lay ont the land about Black Rock-forming a part of the Mile strip-into lots and report to the legislature. This was ac- cordingly done: and in his report the surveyor general stated his belief that this was the best, if not the only, place at this end of the lake where a harbor of proper size could be constructed. From the earliest period the U. S. had desig- Dated this vicinity ay the site of a fortification. The report Played with the following words :- " It will be observed that | 1815.


streets are laid where It will either be impracticable or useless to open thien soon. It may, notwithstanding, be useful now to coutemplate, in the plans of towns, what will be necessary ar- rangements a century hence. Such plans on record, while for the present they can be productive of no harm, may prevent those aberrations from order that might hereafter be a cause of much inconvenience; and, without being governed by ex- travagant calculations, no doubt can be entertained that the future importauce of this place will justify extensive views in the projection of its arrangements." "The village, like Lewiston, Oswego, Salina, and Fort Covington, was patented in small parcels.


8 Kee p. 280. In 1825, Congress made an appropriation of $80,000 to compensate the inhabitants for the losses incurred by this disaster.


9 The sum of $1.861.25 was raised by subscription, and a loan of $12,000 was obtained from the State. A pier, extending 80 rods into the lake, was built, and a figlithouse erected upon the land. The Superior-the second steamboat launched upon Lake Erie -- was built at Buffalo in 1822.


10 The population at different periods has been as follows :- 1810 1,508 1830. 8,668


1845. 29,773


1814


1,060


1835. 19,715


1850. . 42,261


1820 2,095


1840 .. 18,213


1855 74,214 1825 5,141


The population of Black Rock (now about 12,000) is included in the returns of 1855 only.


11 This name was given at the suggestion of Alex. IHitchcock. It is a corruption of the Sencca word " Jiik-do-waah-geh," signi- fying " the place of the crabapple tree," the Indian name of this locality.


12 Among the early settlers were San'l Lasure, Roswell Judson, Abraham Hatch, and Maj. Noble. The first birth was that of a child of Roswell Hatch. in 1810; and the first death, that of Franklin Hitchcock, in 1818. The first mill was built by Sam't Lasure, in 1810; and the first inu was kept by Jesse Muuson, in


BUFFALO HARBOR


ERIE COUNTY.


289


limestone. Clarence Ifollow, (Clarenee p. o.,) near the s. E. corner of the town, contains 3 churches, the Clarenee Academy,1 and a pop. of 400; Clarence Center (p. v.) contains 2 ehurehes and about 40 houses. Harris Ifill (p. o.) and North Clarence (p. o.) are hamlets. The first settlement was made at Clarenee Hollow in 1799, by Asa Ranson.2 The census reports 7 churches in town.'


COLDEN-was formed from Holland, April 2, 1827. It is an interior town, lying s. of the center of the co. The surface is an elevated upland, rolling in the E. and hilly in the w. The w. branch of Cazenove Creek flows through the w. part of the town and is bordered by steep deelivities 150 to 200 ft. high. The soil is a gravelly loam intermixed with elay. Colden, (p. v.,) on Cazenove Creek, contains a sawmill, a gristmill, and 34 houses; Glenwood, (p.v.,) on the same stream, contains 1 eliurch, 3 sawmills, 2 lath mills, a tannery, and 30 houses. The first settlement was made in 1810, by Richard Buffum.5 The Presbyterian, at Glenwood, is the only church in town.


COLLINS-was formed from Concord, March 16, 1821. A part of Brandt was taken off in 1839, and North Collins in 1852. It lies on the s. border of the eo., w. of the eenter. The surface is a rolling upland, sloping gradually to the w. and deseending abruptly to Cattaraugus Creek upon the s. The summits of the ridges are 150 to 300 ft. above the valleys. Cattaraugus Creek forms the s. boundary of the town; and the other streams are Clear Creek and its tributaries. The channels of these streams are narrow and deep. The soil is a elayey loam on the uplands and a gravelly loam along the streams. Collins Center (p. v.) contains 1 church and 36 houses. Angola is a p. o. near the N. w. corner of the town. Gowanda lies partly in this town.6 The first settlement was made in 1806, by Jacob Taylor.7 There are 5 churches in town.8


CONCORD-was formed from "Willink," (now Aurora,) March 20, 1812; and Collins and Sardinia were taken off in 1821. A part of Sardinia was annexed in 1822. It lies upon the s. border of the eo. The surface is a rolling upland, with steep declivities bordering upon Cattaraugus Creek. Townsend Hill, the highest point, is nearly 1500 ft. above tide. The principal streams are Cattaraugus Creek, upon the s. boundary of the town, and its tributaries. Several small brooks, forming the head waters of Eighteen Mile and Cazenove Creeks, take their rise in this town. The soil in the s. part is a gravelly loam, and in the N. a elayey loam underlaid by hardpan. Springville, (p. v., ) incorp. April 11, 1834, is situated in the s. part of the town, and contains 5 churches, the Springville Academy, a newspaper office, and several manufacturing establish- ments.9 Pop. 953. Mortons Corners, (p.v.,) in the s. w. part, contains 1 church, 2 saw- mills, a gristmill, and 20 houses. Woodwards Hollow (p. o.) is a hamlet. The first settle- ment was made in 1808, by Christopher Stone.10 The first church was organized Nov. 2, 1816, by Rev. John Spencer. There are 7 churches in town.11


EAST HAMBURGH-was formed from Hamburgh, as "Ellicott," Oet. 15, 1850. A part of West Seneca, as "Seneca," was taken off in 1851. Its name was changed Feb. 20, 1852. It is an interior town, lying near the center of the eo. The surface is a broken upland. Chestnut Ridge, the highest land in the town, has an elevation of about 500 ft. above Lake Erie. The declivities of the hills are generally gradual slopes, broken by narrow ravines formed by the streams. Smokes Creek and its branches are the most considerable streams. The soil is a loam, gravelly in the N. and elayey in the s. East Hamburgh, (p. v., ) N. of the center of the town,




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.