USA > New York > Cattaraugus County > Dayton > Historical and biographical history of the township of Dayton, Cattaraugus County, New York : comprising the villages of Cottage, Wesley, Markham, Dayton, South Dayton, and Fair Plain > Part 4
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RESOLVED, That as residents of Dayton, Persia, Villenova and Cherry Creek, we approve of the location of the Depot, as established by the N. Y. & Erie Railroad Company at Dayton. That it is a point that can be approached by the most convenient and level roads from every town and neighborhood in its vicinity, and we believe that the location will accommodate the largest population and most extensive business.
RESOLVED, That the free road which the people of Gowanda are constructing to give that village and the north part of Erie County, more convenient access to the railroad, shall be continued in the same liberal spirit, from the Depot, through the town of Dayton and the southeast part of Villenova, by the way of the Nickerson farm to Cherry Creek, and that Dayton will join with Villenova and Cherry Creek in constructing the same.
RESOLVED, That by making only 2} miles of new road a part of which has been opened and partly worked and the construction of which is estimated to cost $1,200 the Village of Cherry Creek will be within the distance of eleven miles. on a nearly level road from the Dayton Depot. That other towns in Chautauqua county, will be accommodated by the same road, and, connecting with the Gowanda road, it will be the most convenient and shortest route for the people of the Conewango Valley to Buffalo.
RESOLVED, That Guile Johnson and Homer Wheelock of Dayton, Caleb B. Crumb, Esq., of Villenova and Joseph Kent of Cherry Creek, be an executive committee to procure subscriptions, assist in locating the road, superintend its construction, and call meetings of the subscribers from time to time, as may be deemed proper.
RESOLVED, That the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the Chairman aand Secretary, and published.
RALPH JOHNSON, Chairman. C. B CRUMB, Secretary.
WHAT is public history but a register of the successes and disappointments, the vices, the follies and the quarrels of those who engage in contention for power? - Paley.
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DAYTON AND ITS POLITICAL HISTORY.
BY HON. N. M. ALLEN.
HE Town of Dayton was organized in the year 1835. Up to that time it was a part of the town of Perrysburg, which includes Dayton, F Perrysburg, and a considerable part of Persia. In 1835 the law was passed, forming what are now the towns of Dayton and Persia into separate towns the same as they are now. The first townmeeting in the town of Dayton, was held at the schoolhouse, standing in the forks of the road near what was then the residence of Col. Ralph Johnson. I have distinct recollections of that town meeting. In order that the electors might be more fully advised of their powers and duties in the newly organized town, a volume of the Revised Statutes was borrowed from a lawyer, living at what is now Gowanda, (then Lodi) and brought to the meeting. At or near the close of the meeting in the evening and after the canvass of the votes was had, it was found that the volume of Statutes had disappeared and was no doubt stolen. The first debt incurred by the new town was to replace the stolen volume. The name given to the town was selected by several of the early settlers who met at my father's house to consult about a name. Among those who thus assembled I remember Col. Ralph Johnson, Heman Merrill, Silas Nash and others whose names I cannot now recall. Various names for the new town were suggested, discussed and rejected. My father finally suggested the name of Dayton and after some discussion it was unanimously agreed that the new town should be so christened, and my father was requested to write a letter to the representatives of this county in Albany and direct them to insert that name in the bill then pending for adoption. It soon became a law and the town has since been known by the name then given.
The Whig party was the dominant party when the town was first organized. The number of votes at that time as I recall it now was considerably less than two hundred and these were Whigs in about the proportion of two to one. That party had been lately organized and had a rapid and substantial growth. The Democrats were followers of Jackson who was President in 1835, and afterwards Martin Van Buren succeeded Jackson as President. Party spirit ran as high then as it has ever at any time since. The Whig party first succeeded in a National canvass in 1840, by the election of Harrison and Tyler. It was a memorable campaign. The Whigs were agressive and exceedingly active. The most preposterous stories were told of the extravagance of President Van Buren. He was charged with using silver forks and knives on his table at the White House. It was a hard cider campaign. Down at Lodi there was a log cabin which in outward appearance would frighten an Indian. On the inside was a barrel of hard cider and any Whig, or those proposing to become such, were entitled to enter and take a swig of hard cider from the tin cup kept there for that purpose. Coon skins were nailed up about the premises, one of which was on the door of the cabin. My father was a Jackson Democrat and I, little boy though I was, was of the same persuasion. My father detested the Whigs
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and of course I did too because he did. But they succeeded in spite of our combined opposition and Harrison was elected, took office and died within a month, and Tyler succeeded to the Presidency. The Whig party was greatly disappointed in Tyler's administration. He divided the party and it was believed by a majority of them that he basely betrayed his party.
The first Supervisor of Dayton was Silas Nash who held the office for the years 1835-1836-1841-1842-1843 and 1845. Luther Allen, my father, held it during 1837-1838-1844. Anson C. Merrill during 1839-1840. Heman Merrill 1846-1847. Calvin F. Yaw during 1848-1849-1850. Ralph Johnson 1851.
John B. Read 1852-1853. Franklin Philbrick 1854-1856. Guile Johnson 1855-1857. Dewitt Nash 1858-1859. Norman M. Allen 1860 to 1895 inclusive and John J. Volk from 1896 to the present time. The office of Supervisor of the town of Dayton has been filled by Democrats for only four years of the sixty-five that the town has been organized. Three years my father held the office and one year it was held by Colonel Ralph Johnson. As to all the minor offices, all the people of the town were invited to attend the caucuses to nominate town officers and these offices were fairly divided among Whigs, Democrats, and Republicans. This system of nominating the town officers resulted in giving to the town a class of officers whose faithful discharge of duty has never been surpassed by the officers of any other town. A different system now prevails. Parties were divided into Whigs and Democrats with a small sprinkling of Abolitionists until about 1854, when the Whig party having become hopelessly divided ceased to exist ,as a party and of its members joined the new Republican organization as did also a portion of the Democratic party, myself among the others. In this transition and reorganization of the political parties the American or Knownothing party must not be forgotten. Many Democrats who hesitated to go over to the Whig party found a halfway house or stopping place with the Knownothings, and in fact the organization of that party was almost entirely made up of members of the Whig and Democratic parties who were disgusted and dissatisfied with the workings of their own parties. I was among the Democrats who was ready to leave my party and join other partisans in building up the new American or Knownothing party. In that party I remained in good standing for about two weeks, during which time election occurred, I declined to vote the ticket they had nominated as I thought the Whig or even the Democratic ticket preferable. I finally made up a ticket which I voted from the Democratic and Whig tickets. Shortly after the election of 1854 the State organization of the Knownothings promulgated an edict that all members of the party who had failed to vote the Knownothing ticket should be called to an account and unless they could give a satisfactory excuse for their action, they were to be expelled from the order and find their home with some other political organization. There were about one hundred members of the lodge in the town of Dayton. Most of them voted that ticket at that election but there were a few who did not. The vote of the town was almost unanimous for the Knownothing ticket. About thirty Whig votes were polled and about as many Democratic votes the rest being for the Knownothings. Many voting that ticket who were not members of the party organization. As one of the prime offenders in refusing to vote the ticket I was early called to an account in the lodge of which I was a member and the presiding officer as well. A member arose and preferred charges against me for my lack of party fealty but I refused to entertain the charges and confusion prevailed. Meetings were held night after night and discussions were had as to the duty of electors to vote as some one else told them to vote without any regard as to their own feeling in the matter. In these discussions my adherents constantly increased from about half a dozen to a majority of about three of all the members of the lodge.
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As the presiding officer I was called upon to enforce the rules which had been promulgated by the state organization by requiring each member to state how he had voted at the last election and to see that such as could not give a satisfactory excuse for their lack of fealty were expelled. A meeting was called to enforce this order at which nearly every member was present. I called upon one of the most prominent members to hold up his hand and swear to give true answers as to how he had voted at the last election. He done so and in answer to my enquiry he answered that he had voted the straight Knownothing ticket, was d-d sorry for it and that if the brethren would forgive him he would promise never to do it again. A member at once made a motion that the statement and excuse of the member be accepted as satisfactory and that he be excused from ever voting that ticket again. The motion.was adopted by 3 majority. I then called upon one on the other side who said that he had voted the straight Knownothing ticket from top to bottom and was not ashamed of it either. A motion was made and carried that unless that member would promise never to vote that ticket again he should be expelled from the organization. He refused to make the required promise and was expelled. And so each member in turn was called upon to state how he had voted and all of those who would not promise that they would never vote the ticket again were expelled while those who promised not to vote the ticket again were retained in good standing. The transactions of that meeting will always remain with me. With considerable experience as a presiding officer I never had more trouble in maintaining order in a meeting. I remember that two of the most sedate of the members became so aroused that they came to blows in the course of their argument. This was the last Knownothing meeting ever held in the town of Dayton as those expelled and those who were retained were soon after gathered into the Republican fold almost without exception. Since that time with a few exceptions the town has been strongly Republican. I might add here that I was never expelled from that Knownothing organization which was right in one respect in being rightly named.
The men who lived in the town of Dayton when it was first organized were, without any regard to party, among the best men that I have ever known. They were strong, sturdy men of far more than ordinary intelligence and worth. They did what they thought right for their country and for their party. None of the earliest remain. All are gone to their last repose and have passed on into the company of the ever living. The impress that they have left behind them with their children and their children's children will ever remain for no more faithful and upright men ever lived in any town. In my earliest political life I well remember their fidelity to me on all occasions and whenever I have been a candidate at the general elections-I have always received without regard to party nearly every vote in the town. And I am glad to have this opportunity to pay this poor tribute to the memory of those I knew and loved so well.
When the war of the rebellion began the whole town almost without exception was for preserving the Union and in favor of upholding the hands of the President in his efforts to suppress the rebellion. And when that war culminated in the destruction of human slavery Democrats as well as Republicans rejoiced in its destruction and that contention had ceased forever upon that subject and that peace had come, never more to be broken for that cause. There were no copperheads in the town. Hundreds and thousands of dollars were collected and paid to volunteers and their families without a murmur. And when taxes were imposed there was no complaining. Thousands of dollars were paid without any tax and what was done then so willingly and cheerfully would be done again today if the occasion demanded it. Dayton sent most of her young men and many that were middle aged
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to this war and the record made by each of them was such as the people delight to remember and to honor. If the history of these volunteers could be written as it should be it would present a record of faithful discharge of duties, of marvelous escapes, of hardships endured, and of triumphs achieved. Many of these men were my most intimate friends and many of them died on the battlefield or in the hospitals and their memories will be handed down by their children to their children's children as a priceless legacy.
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR.
"There," said a citizen, pointing to another resident, "there is a man who has done more good, I really believe, in this village than any other person who ever lived in it. He cannot talk very much in public, and he does not try. But a new family never moves into the village that he does not find it out and give them a neighborly welcome. He is always on the lookout for their welfare, and is always ready to watch with a sick neighbor. He and his wife keep house plants in winter, mainly that they may be able to send little boquets to friends and invalids. He has a genius for helping folks and it does one good to meet him on the streets."
LEARN your business thoroughly. Keep at one thing; in no wise change. Always be in haste but never in a hurry. Observe system in all you do or undertake. Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. One today is worth two tomorrows. Be self-reliant; do not take too much advice, but rather depend upon yourself. Never fail to keep your appointment or to be punctual to the minute. Never be idle but keep busy.
NOTHING will make us so charitable and tender with regard to the faults of others as thoroughly knowing our own.
MRS. WILLIAM B. SMITH.
MRS. HARRY HOWARD.
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TOWN OFFICERS.
HE following is a list of the Supervisors, Town Clerks and Justices of the town of Dayton since its organization.
SUPERVISORS: 1836 Silas Nash; 1837-38 Luther Allen; 1839- 40 Anson C Merrill; 1841-42-43 Silas Nash; 1844 Luther Allen; 1845 Silas Nash; 1846 47 Heman Merrill; 1848-49-50 Calvin F. Yaw; 1851 Ralph Johnson; 1852-53 John B. Reed; 1854 Franklin Philbrick; 1855 Gile Johnson; 1856 Franklin Philbrick: 1857 Gile Johnson; 1858-59 DeWitt C. Nash; 1860-95 inclusive Norman M. Allen; 1896-1901 John J. Volk.
TOWN CLERKS: 1836-46 Ralph Johnson; 1846-47 Richard Johnson; 1848-49 Orsman Markham; 1850-51 T. W. Johnson; 1852 N. M. Allen; 1853-63 T. W. Johnson; 1863 G. P. Dart; 1864-65 A. M. DeLong; 1866 M. P. Roberts; 1867-71 Silas H. Merrill; 1871-72 N. A. Chaffee; 1873-77 Fernando Smith; 1877-78 A. M. Hall; 1879 M. N Johnson; 1880-1893 John J. Volk 1893-98 A. R. Young; 1898-1901 Fred. D. Sharp.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE: 1835 Luther Allen; 1836 John H. Blish, Avery Parke and Luther Allen; 1837 John_McMillan; 1838 John H. Blish; 1839 Lemuel Webster ; 1840 Avery Parke; 1841 Luther Allen; 1842 Lemuel Webster; 1843 no record; 1844 Avery Parke; 1845 Luther Allen; 1846 John B. Reed; 1847 Eleazer J. Hillebert; 1848 Avery Parkie, Franklin Philbrick; 1849 Asahel Allen; 1850 James S. Shaw; 1851 Avery Parke; 1852 John W. Badgero; 1853 Asahel Allen; 1854 James S. Shaw; 1855 Avery Parke; 1856 N. M. Allen; 1857 J. B. Allen; 1858 James S. Shaw; 1859 I. H. Alden; 1860 H. W. Locke; 1861 J. B. Allen; 1862 James S. Shaw; 1863 I H. Alden; 1864 H. W. Locke; 1865 J. B. Allen; 1866 James S. Shaw; 1867 G. P. Dart; 1868 Charles Blair; 1869 J. B. Allen; 1870 W. S. Thrasher; 1871 L. O. Hall; 1872 Charles Blair; 1873 J. B. Badgero; 1874 Harrison Judd; 1875 L. Ranlett; 1876 B. H. Lamb; 1877 Charles W. Smith; 1878 Charles Blair, C. W. Smith, Harrison Judd, B. H. Lamb; 1879 ditto; 1880 ditto; 1881 Charles Blair, L. O. Hall and B. H. Lamb; 1882 John Locke, L. O. Hall, B H. Lamb, John Newcomb; 1883 ditto; 1884 Elijah Cook, B. H. Lamb, John Locke, John Newcomb; 1885 Elijah Cook, B. H. Lamb, A. G. Parke, John Newcomb; 1886 ditto; 1887 B. H. Lamb, Elijah Cook, A. G. Parke, J S. Van Slyke; 1888 B. H. Lamb, J. S. Van Slyke, J. M. Parmelee, A. G. Parke; 1889 ditto; 1890 B. H. Lamb, E. K. Parke, J. M. Parmelee, John S. Van Slyke; 1891 B. H. Lamb, J. M. Parmelee, E.K. Parke, G. N. Johnson; 1892 ditto; 1893 ditto; 1894 G. N. Johnson, B. H. Lamb, L. A. Parke; 1895 J. M. Parmelee; B. H. Lamb, L. A. Parke, G. N. Johnson; 1896 ditto; 1897 ditto; 1898 F. R. Johnson, J. M. Parmelee, B. H. Lamb, L. A. Parke; 1899 ditto; 1900 ditto; 1901 ditto.
In addition to the above the following are the present town officials: Assessors G. N. Johnson, Oscar English, D. T. Wood; Commissioner of Highways, Chas. Weigand; Collector, Chas. Shults; Overseer of Poor, Horace Howlett; Inspectors of Election, 1st Dist. J. E. Bixby, Ellis Brown;
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2nd Dist. L. Ranlett and B. C. Wilson; Constables, C. E. Law, Rowland Hall, Chas. Drogmiller, Fred Peters; Game Constable, Glenn Remington.
In speaking of the long and honorable record of the Hon. N. M. Allen, upon the Board of Supervisors, the Cattaraugus Union in the fall of 1888 says: Hon Norman M. Allen last week commenced serving his thirtieth year on the Board of Supervisors, and his twenty-seventh year as chairman of the Board. Last week he was elected by acclamation In this connection it is worthy of note that Mr Allen has during these years sat on the Board with over three hundred supervisors. Over one-half of this number have passed to another world. Each year he is confronted on the Board by some new faces. Under his watchful eye and wise direction the business of the Board goes on like clock work-no friction, wrangling or unnecessary delay Each
member regardless of politics holds his presiding officer in the highest esteem, and exhibits a difference and regard for him that is admirable This fact is appreciated and reciprocated by Mr. Allen. We might add that this state of things is in strange contrast to the scenes sometimes witnessed in our legislative halls at Albany. We can also add that there are, today, scores of voters in the town of Dayton-which Mr. Allen represents-who have never known any other supervisor from their town. In this capacity he represented their fathers before them. Although by no means an old man in years Mr. Allen has grown gray in the service of his town. We wonder how many people of this present generation know that Mr. Allen was originally a Democrat ? This is a fact. If we are not mistaken he voted for Franklin Pierce for President and for Reuben E. Fenton for Congress the first time, when the latter was elected to Congress on the Democratic ticket. Soon after the period Mr. Allen thought it his duty to change his tactics. We believe that Mr. Allen's father was also a Democrat. Like his son Norman M. he was a personal friend and associate of the late R. H. Shankland. Many years ago the elder Mr. Allen was coroner (they had coroners in those days ) he was obliged to go up into the town of Humphrey to investigate a case, he called for his friend Mr. Shankland to accompany him. It took them two or three days to "investi- gate" but they had a good visit, even if the official part of their duties was a ·little monotonous.
Thirty years as Supervisor and now presiding with cheerfulness and pa- tience. It is indeed a record worth pre- serving. If we have told anything that one of our readers did not know before we are content."
IF the secret history of books could be written, and the author's private thoughts and meanings noted down along side of his story, how many insipid volumes would become interesting, and dull tales excite the reader .- Thackeray.
SENECA LeBARRON. Born July 12, 1827. Died June 14, 1874.
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MAJOR OSCAR F. WINSHIP, A GALLANT SOLDIER AND HERO.
Adjutant=General of the United States Army. Born in Dayton, N. Y., September 11, 1817. First Cadet from Cattaraugus County to United States Military Academy. Died December 13, 1855.
WAR RECORD.
HIS BOOK would not be complete without the mention of the patriotism and loyalty shown by Dayton citizens during the war. It is with considerable pride that we present here the picture of Major Oscar F. Winship, who was born in Perry, of which Dayton was then a part, or in reality near where the village of Dayton now stands on Sept. 11, 1817. He was the first cadet from Cattaraugus County to the U. S. Military acadamy at West Point, entering that institution in 1836. He graduated and entered the service as 2nd Lieutenant of Dragoons July 1, 1840, and commenced his military career among the hammocks and pine barrens of Florida. From this period to the breaking out of the war with Mexico, he was stationed in the Indian Territory, where altough there was no opportunity for marked distinction, he displayed the rare qualities of head and heart which afterwards rendered him a conspicuous officer of the General staff of the Army. He was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant in September, 1844, and was an officer of the gallant little band which marched into Texas and afterwards achieved the brilliant victories of the Rio Grande. The valuable services which he rendered as a reconnoitering officer, his courageous and gallant conduct on that glorious field, the impetuous bearing which he displayed in May's charge upon the Mexican battery, were acknowledged by the Government and he was rewarded with the brevet commission of Captain, in the words of the act of Congress "for gallant and meritorious conduct on the field of battle." When Congress authorized the increase of the Adjutant Generals department, Major Winship was selected from the Dragoon army and was appointed Assistant Adjutant General, with the rank of Captain, in July 1846, and was afterwards promoted to the rank of General in December, 1847. He continued to serve in the capacity of a staff officer until the close of the war. Attached at different periods to the staff of various officers, he was present and conspicuous in all of the battles of General Taylor's line, and afterwards accompanied the army under General Scott from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico. For his distinguished conduct he again received the reward of a brevet commission. He was for a time chief of the staff of Brig. General Pierce, afterwards President of the United States, and warmly defended his former commander. At the close of the war, with the assistance of Lieutenant McLean he translated and published "Jominis Art of War." He remained at the headquarters of the Eastern Division until the summer of 1853, when
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he was ordered to report to Major General Twiggs, commanding the Department of the West. While here he was ordered to make a thorough inspection of the posts in the Department and accomplished the arduous duty with satisfaction to the Government and great credit to himself. He remained attached to the Staff of the Department until summoned to more active employment in the field as chief of the staff of Brig. General Harney in his campaign against the Sioux. He returned from the laborious duties of this campaign for a short visit to his family at Troy, N. Y. Worn out by fatigue and exposure, broken in health, after a brief illness attended with acute
HON. N. M. ALLEN,
As Paymaster of the Army in 1863.
suffering he died Dec. 13, 1855. This gallant officer and hero was buried, with military honors at Troy, N. Y. The funeral was an imposing one, and testified that true merit and unsullied honor in life is never without its honor after death. In 1851 Major Winship married Mary B. Pierson, a daughter of Job Pierson, of the Rensselaer County Bar. Mrs. Winship is still living together with the only child, Samuel C Winship, who was born January 31, 1854, and now resides in New York City. Mr. S. C. Winship is connected with the United States Trust Company of that City and has been for the last ten years. Howard Winship, located at 16 White Building, Buffalo, N. Y., is a nephew of this distinguished soldier.
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