USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Portland > Historical sketches of the town of Portland : comprising also the pioneer history of Chautauqua County, with biographical sketches of the early settlers > Part 24
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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
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show the character of the man in this particular, but the various shifts and modes of traficing the early settlers were obliged to resort to :
Nov. 17, 1812 .- Elisha did begin to take newspapers with me. Dec. 7, 1813, I did begin to take newspapers. Dec. 30, 1814, I paid Mr. Haines $30 in full for his son Huram going as a substitute for me a-soldiering as a volunteer. Oct. 28, 1816, Hollis went to cut a road to his lot. Aug. 25, 1817, then Hollis and Elijah did begin upon the saw-mill. Nov. 21. 1818, Henry De Long moved into my house at the lake lot. I have agreed with him to chop for me a certain piece of woods, supposed to be four or five acres ; to chop it fit for logging for eight dollars per acre, or that worth in produce, or he take a cow in part pay. June 9 or 10, 1823, I agreed with Chester Skinner to build me a corn barn 16 by 20 feet and finish it for use. The pay is as follows : I am to pay 20 lbs. of salt pork when the building is finished. I am to let him have a small black cow, two dollars in money and forty-five apple trees more ; the work to be done by the 10th of Oct. next.
Thus every transaction is recorded and much of it very minute. Mr. Fay d. Aug. 23, 1860, and was bu. in the grounds at Brocton which were donated by him for burial purposes in 1820. Mrs. Fay d. Jan. 17, 1872, and was bu. by her husband.
Family of Mr. and Mrs Fay .- (1.) CLINTON SNOW : b. in Mass. June 25, 1810; m. Almira A. Clark Feb. 13, 1842 : settled and still lives on a portion of the old homestead. He is a deaf mute from disease in early life. (2.) LYDIA E .: b. in P. May 28, 1815 ; m. Lawrence F. Ryckman Ang. 27, 1833: d. July 22, 1873 ; bu. at Brocton. (3 ) JOSEPH B .: b. in P. May 17, 1817 ; m. Maria M. Sage, dau. of Isaac Sage, Oct. 8, 1837 ; 2d, Martha Haywood March 15, 1843; settled on a portion of the old homestead, but in 1872 sold out and now lives in Topeka, Kansas.
35. WILLIAM HUTCHINS-Came to P. from Otsego Co., N. Y., in 1810. His article bears date May 10, that year, for the W. p't lot 29, T. 5. July 2, 1811, he articled p't of lot 41, T. 5, farm now owned by David Granger. He lived on this farm until 1815 when he sold to Moses Joy and removed to Westfield, where he lived until 1836 when he went to Ohio.
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Family of Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins .- Four only of the ch. are remembered, viz .: (1,) ASENATH, (2,) LORENZO, (3,) SAMUEL, (4,) CALVIN.
36. JOHN QUIGLEY-Was the son of Robert and Nellie Q)., and was b. in Queens Co., Ireland, Oct. 19, 1767. He m. Sarah E. Ahl at Schenectady, N. Y. Mrs. Q. was b. in Vermont March 10, 1779. They emigrated to P. from Schoharie county in 1811 and settled on p't of lot 30, T. 5, farm now owned by Mrs. - Mericle. He lived in a small frame house on the south road, south of the house now on the farm. In 1829 he built the stone house now on the premises. The first stake and cap fence made in town was made on this farm in 1836 by Jason Webster. In 1835 he sold to Samuel Townsend and after a few years removed to Arkwright, in this county. and from there to McKean, Erie county, Pa., where he d. April 13, 1863. Mrs. Q. d. in Arkwright Dec. 20, 1839.
Mr. Quigley was a Roman Catholic ; politically a Democrat. Family of Mr. and Mrs. Quigley .- (1) ELEANOR : b. Jan. 25, 1799; d. July 27, 1857. (2,) ELIZABETH: b. Sept. 17, 1800; m David Hurd; d. May 23d, 1869. (3)FANNY, b. June 11th, 1802 ; m. Stephen Palmer ; d. Oct. 18th, 1841. (4) ROB- ERT, b. July 11th, 1804 ; m. Obedience Everts ; d. Oct. 16th, 1834. (5) POLLY, b. Aug. 19th, 1806 ; d. Apr. 12th, 1824. (6) JOHN, b. Aug. 19th, 1808 : m. Amanda Brainard ; still living. (7) NANCY, b. July 5th, 1810 ; d. July 19th 1811. (8) MARTIN, b. Jan. 7th, 1811 : m. Lucy Barnes : still living. (9) JAMES, b. Dec. 1813 ; m. Ist Lovina Brainard ; 2d Clarissa Harris ; d. in P. May 30th. 1852. (10) NANCY, b. Aug. 11th, 1814 ; m. Rev. Albina Hall of the M. E. church ; still living. (11) HENRY, b. Mar. 5th, 1815. (12) HARRIET, b. Mar. 7th, 1819 : m. Justus Beebe : still living. (13) THOMAS, b. Apr. 14th, 1822: d. Sept. 18th, 1826.
37. JONATHAN BURCH-Was the son of Jonathan and Eunice Burch, and was b. in the town of Wells, Vt., in 1766. He m. Sally Hosford in Vt. in 1786. Mrs. B. was b. in Vt. in 1766. Soon after m. he removed to Herkimer county, N. Y.,
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and some years later to Chenango county. In 1811 he visited the Purchase, and in Jan. 1813 removed to P. with his family and effects, with an ox team and stout wooden sled. He set- tled on lot 62, T. 4, farm now owned by his son Oliver W. He built his log house with a shake roof, in which he lived until 1325, when he built a frame house. The people of the town, with those of other towns, suffered many privations and were often without the means of sustaining life. This was no casual occurrence. During the war of 1812 very few were engaged clearing land, but after its close the sound of the ax was again heard and the effect was soon manifest. Every settler worked with a will, though his larder was the forest and no bread came to his table. "Loggings were the order of the day, and among the rest my father made one and invited many, all that could well be reached. Peter Kane was among the happy guests, coming early, before dinner. Our bill of fare was scanty enough, and some one, feeling a little mortified, began making excuses for our entire want of meat. ‘Make no excuses,' said Mr. K., 'we had no bread for breakfast.' A neighbor with a large family ran out of provisions and started out one day for bread or corn, but found none. Happily for him he thought, he found a keg of whisky, brought it home and told his family to live while it lasted." A son of Mr. B. was in the war of 1812, at Buffalo. Mr. B. raised a large family of ch. all of whom were b. in Warren, Herkimer county, except the youngest, who was b. in Guilford, Chenango county. Mr. B. d. on the lot where he settled Apr. 4th, 1838. Mrs. B. d. there also, in Oct. 1845. They were bu. in the W. & P. U. Cemetery.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Burch .- (1) EUNICE; m. He- man Ely; settled in Dunkirk in 1812; came to P. in 1815. (2) OLIVE, In. Zeri Yale in Guilford; yet living there. (3) Jonathan, b. in 1793 ; m. Mariah Yale; lives near Lakeport, Mich. (4) POWELL G., b. in 1795 ; m. Lovina Palmer in Guil- ford, in Jan. 1822; lives in Brooklin, Pa (5) Pour; b. in 1.797 ; m. Jared Taylor in P. about 1814 ; both d. (6) SALLY,
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b. in 1799; m. Erastus Cole of Dunkirk ; Mr. C. is d .; Mrs. . C. is still living. (7) OLIVER W., b. in 1801 ; m. Mary S. Tower of P .; Mar. 8th, 1826. Mrs. B. d. Mar. 2d, 1851 ; Mr. B. m. Amanda Sunderlin of Westfield, Nov. 30th, 1854; now lives in Westfield; (8) CHAUNCEY, b. Apr. 27th, 1803; m. Nancy Cole of Dunkirk in 1825; now lives in Erie county, Pa. (9) MATILDA, b. Sept. 8th, 1805; d. in P. Apr. 1822; bu. in W. & P. U. Cemetery. (10) STEPHEN S., b. June 18th, 1807; a bachelor ; lives in Chenango county.
38. JOSEPH GIBBS-In 1812 settled on pt. of lot 14, T. 5. N. of Brocton ; and in 1824 on pt. of lot 42, T. 5, near the farm of Hollis Fay. He was a farmer and spinning wheel maker. Such wheels were then much in use by the wives and daughters of the settlers, but they have become nearly obsolete. What became of Mr. G. is not known.
39. CHESTER BUSHNELL-Came from Rome, Oneida Co., N. Y., to P. in the spring of 1812, and settled on pt. of lot 53, T. 4, farm now owned by Wm. Arnold. He m. Polly McNitt, in Rome, in 1815. Ile left town in 1820. His article bears date Apr. 15th, 1812.
40. SANFORD HAINES-Was a native of Dutchess Co., N. Y. He m. Hannah Gould, and in 1809 or '10 removed to Guilford, Chenango Co. He removed to P. with his large tamily in Jan 1812, in company with Jonathan Burch. He settled on pt. of lot 62, T. 4, land previously located by Leonard Vibbard. Mr. and Mrs. H. d. here, and were bu. in W. & P. U. Cemetery. Mr. H. was in the war of 1812; also a son as a substitute for Elijah Fay. He was not a religionist of any form ; in politics was a Clintonian.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Haines .- Were all b. in Dutchess Co., and were named as follows: (1) RACHEL, (2) SOPHIA, (3) HIRAM, (4) LUCY, (5) HURAM, (6) SAMUEL, (7) REBECCA, (8) JAMES. The last named now lives at North East Pa
41. JAMES WILDER .- Nothing is known of the early history of Mr. W. He settled on S. E. pt. of lot 19, T. 5, farm now known as the Judson farm, in 1812 or '13. He
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m. a dau. of Capt. David Joy In 1818 he sold his claim to Lyman Doolittle, and in company with another family. name not now remembered, built a boat upon Chautauqua lake, in which the two families embarked expecting to reach the lead mines of Illinois in the course of the season. After passing safely as far as Marietta on the Ohio river, then but a point amidst the wilds of an almost unbroken wil derness, some of the voyagers sickened with fever and were conveyed on shore for better care and safety, but only to d. and find their last resting place within the solitudes of the forest. Others soon followed, and before they were able to proceed nearly one half of the original company of fifteen or sixteen persons were laid side by side and left in the kindly embrace of mother earth. The balance, after a month's delay, proceeded on their way and eventually reached their destination.
. 42. HIRAM FISH-Was the son of Nathan Fish, and came to P. from Oneida county, N. Y., in 1813. His moth er's name was Sarah Hendricks. She was b. in Providence. R. I., and d. in Stockton, this county. Mr. Fish, like most settlers, came on foot. He articled pt of lot 54, T. 5, built a cabin of poles, cleared and sowed to wheat a few acres, and returned to Oneida county. In Apr. 1814 he came again to P .. sold his claim, and bought a pt. of lot 53, where he has ever since lived. Mr. F. is protestant in religious belief : politically a Republican.
43. TIENRY ABELL-Was the son of Capt. Thomas Abell and Eunice Griswold Abell, and was b. in Bennington Vt., in 1777. He m. Mary C. Abell, dau. of Elijah and Mary C. Abell, at Bennington, in 1794 He emigrated to Mayville this county, in 1810, and to P. in 1814. He purchased the farm now owned in pt. by Lincoln Fay, pt of lot 25, T. 5, and kept a tavern in the house built by David Joy in 1812. In 1815 he removed to Fredonia, from Fredonia to Westfield, this county, and after some years to Illinois, where he d. May 30th, 1853. Mrs. Abell d. there also, Oct. 9th, 1845. Mr.
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A. was a soldier from Mayville in the war of 1812. He was a member of the M. E. church, uniting at Westfield in 1828. Politically he was a Whig.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Abell .- (1) ALMIRA; b. in Vt. in 1796 ; m. Stephen Prendergast of Ripley, this county, July, 1815. Mr. P. d. in 1852, aged 59. Mrs. P. is still living in Ripley. (2, 3, 4,) FRANKLIN, HENRY and MOSLEY, b. in Vt .; all fell sick in childhood and d. within fifteen days. (5) LAURA, b. in Vt. in 1804; m. Asa Farnsworth in 1821; settled in Westfield, this county ; in 1838 removed to Chicago, Ill .; returned to Westfield in 1847. Mr. F. was for several years proprietor of the "Westfield House." (6) FRANKLIN, b. in Vt. Sept. 1st, 1806 ; m. Emily Bradley, Dec. 7th, 1830, at Westfield: removed to Roscoe, Ill., in 1837 ; and to Petaluma, California, in 1857. Mrs. Abell d. in California, Jan. 17th, 1865. (7) SIDNEY, b. in Vt. in 1809; m. Martha J. Lowry at Springfield. Ill., in 1842; settled in Chicago. He was postmaster in that city under Presidents Jackson and Van Buren. He d. in Auburn, Oregon. in 1863. His widow is still living at Spring- field. Ill. (8) RALPH M. P. b. at Mayville this county in 1811; in. Alma Walker at Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1843; d. at Chicago, Ill., in 1864; Mrs. A. is still living at Chicago.
44. CEPHAS BRAINARD-Was the son of Samuel, and b. in Conn. Jan. 24, 1788. He removed to Herkimer county, N. Y., when a boy. He m. Polly Crosby March 10, 1808. Mrs. B. was b. Nov 22, 1789, and was sister of Luther Crosby, an 2 early settler of P. He emigrated to P. in the fall of 1814; settled on the N. part of lot 29, T. 5, farm now owned and occupied by A. T. Mead. Upon this purchase he built a log house which was occupied by the family the following winter. In 1825 or '26 he purchased a piece of land of James Dunn on the opposite side of the road and erected the house now on the farm and occupied by Mr. Mead. Mr. B. was a farmer and in after years a cattle dealer, driving to the Buffalo or Toronto markets ; probably the first dealer of that class of any note in town. In 1836 he removed to Arkwright, in this county : in
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1852 to McKean, Erie county, Pa., and in 1865 to DeKalb Co., Ill., where he d. July 9, 1868 .. Mrs. B. d. Feb. 1, 1868. Mr. B. was a Universalist; politically a whig, American and through the war of 1861 a democrat.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Brainard .- (1) LOVINA: b. April 8, 1810 ; m. James Quigley in P., 1838 : settled in P .; d. Jan. 28, 1847. (2) AMANDA : b. Sept. 27, 1811 ; m. John Quigley March 3, 1831 ; settled in P. (3) ARTAMESE : b. Dec. 30, 1813 ; d. Aug. 24, 1815. (4) ORRIN : b. in P. March 1. 1816 ; m., 1st, Mary Ann Fay March 1, 1841; 2d, Caroline Lamont ; settled in Pomfret ; afterward in P. (5) ALVIN: b. May 11, 1818 ; d. Dec. 8, 1839. (6) LEVI: b. July 2, 1820 ; m. E. Andrews in 1844: settled in Illinois. (7) ASA: b. May 28, 1823; m. Lovina Davis ; settled in Pomfret ; (8) JACKSON : b. March 27. 1826; m. Euphemia Wilson ; settled in Arkwright. (9) ANSON : b. Oct. 26, 1829; m. in Ill. and settled there ; d. Dec. 12, 1861. in Missouri ; a soldier in Fremont's army. (10) POLLY ANN ; b. March 10, 1833; m. I. P. Merrills : settled in Pomfret.
45. SYLVESTER CHURCHILL-Was the son of John and Martha Baldwin Churchill, and was b. in Huberton. Rutland county, Vt., Oct. 7, 1788. He m. Theodosia House, dau. of Dea. John House, in Cortland county, N. Y., Jan. 9, 1816. Mrs. C. was b. in Homer, Cortland county, in 1795. Sylvester and John, his bro., came to P. in 1814 and purchased p't of lot 38, T. 5,-114 acres,-land now owned by E. P. Wilson and Dea. A. L. Blowers. In the spring of 1815 Mr. C. came to P., built a log house on the south end of his purchase, cleared a few acres, raised a crop of corn and returned. In Feb., 1816. he removed his family in company with David House. The goods of both families were packed upon a single wagon and drawn by an ox team. The hardy energy of the pioneer women was in some sense manifested in the wives of these two emigrants, in that they walked nearly the whole distance in the midst of winter from the Genesee river to P. Mr. C. sold his farm in 1826 and bought the N. p't of lot 62, T. 4, which he sold in 1835 to Jared Taylor and removed to Ohio. He is now
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living at Munson, Geauga county, that state. Mrs. C. d. there May 26, 1850. Mr. C. was a member of the first Congrega- tional church formed in town. In early life he was a democrat, but now a republican.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Churchill .- (1) JOSIAHI : b. Nov. 1, 1816; m. Eunice Morris Apr. 1839; settled in Franklin, Ohio ; d. there Oct. 6, 1851. (2) ORVILLE S .: b. Oct. 11, 1818; m. Sarah Vanauken May 15, 1842 ; settled in Charden, Ohio. (3) DANIEL: b. July 16, 1820 ; m. Julia A. House in 1841 ; settled in P .; now lives on lot 62, T. 4 (4) LEVI: b. Dec. 21, 1822 ; m. Sally A. Hinkston Oct. 8, 1851 ; settled in Munson, Ohio. (5) MARTHA : b. Jan. 4, 1826; m. Ira Warner March 4, 1847; settled in Viola, Minnesota. (6) MARY: b. May 11, 1827; m. Moses Clapp Feb. 23, 1848; settled in Olmsted county, Minnesota.
46. JOHN CHURCHILL-Was a bro. of Sylvester [No. 45] and b. at Huberton, Vt., April 15, 1787. He m. Mary House in 1813. Mrs C. was probably b. in New Jersey, as her parents came from that state. . Mr. and Mrs. C. came to P. in May or June, 1816, from Homer, Cortland county, N. Y., and settled on land located by him and his brother in 1814. Mr C. occupied the west portion of the purchase. This land was first located by P. Kane in 1806. He occupied a log house with a frame addition until 1851, when he sold and removed to Erie county, this state, where he d. April 11, 1854. Mrs. C. d. Nov. 5, 1834, and Mr. C. m. in 1835 Olive Rumsey, who d. Sept. 7, 1861. Mr. C. was a Congregationalist ; in early life he was a democrat but later a whig. The house now upon the farm was built by Dea. Dana Churchill in'1855.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Churchill .- (1) PHEBE: b. in Homer, N. Y., in 1815 ; m. Hamilton Cherry ; settled in Erie county, N. Y .; still living. (2) MARTHA M .: b. in P. in 1818; d. in 1826.
Mr. C., his two wives and his dau. were bu. in W. & P. U. Cemetery.
47. HEMAN ELY .- Was the son of Simeon and Margaret
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
Burch Ely. He m. Emma Burch in Warren, Herkimer county, N. Y., and came to Dunkirk, this county, in Feb., 1810, driving his team from Buffalo over the ice of the lake. In the spring of 1816 he removed to P. and settled on p't of lot 62, T. 4, occupying a log house, to which a frame addition was built some years later. This land was first located by Perry Hall in 1810. Mrs. Ely d. here Nov. 17, 1844, aged 56. Mr. Ely d. Dec. 2, 1868, aged 85. They were bu. in W. & P. Union Cemetery. Mr. Ely was in the war of 1812. Politically he was a whig.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Ely .- (1) EUNICE: b. in Herkimer county, this state ; m. Delos Hall; lives on the Ely homestead. (2) SALLY : b in Dunkirk, this county; m. Hiram Arnold ; settled in P .; still living. (3) LOUISA: b. in Dunkirk ; m Ferdinand Hall ; settled in town of Chautauqua ; still living (4) MARGARET : b. in P .; m. Bushrod Goodwin ; settled in P .; lives now in town of Westfield. (5) JANE; b. in P .; d. in Westfield March 12, 1839, aged 19 years.
48 SAMUEL GEER-Came to Canadaway from Oneida county, N. Y., as early as 1806, and to P. in 1814 or '15. He located the N. p't of lot 8, T. 5, near the N. E. corner of the town, where he lived until 1830 when he sold to James Gold- smith. The farm is now owned by Alvaro Wilson. His wife was - Barnes. They were m. in Oneida county.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Geer .- (1) CYRUS, (2) SAMUEL, (3) ESTHER, (4) LUCY, (5) ALANSON, (6) HENRY, (7) FRANKLIN, (8) SALLY ANN, (9) FRANCIS. Esther and Lucy were residents of Fredonia for many years and will be remembered by the older citizens as milliners and dressmakers from 1827 to the day of their deaths, Esther dying Sept 6, 1869, aged 73. Little is known of the balance of the family. Mr. G. d in Fredonia Jan. 7. 1860, aged 99 years.
49. GILLETT BACON-Settled on a part of lot 40, T. 5(land now owned by Samuel Caldwell) soon after the close of the war of 1812, in which he served as an officer. He was a man well educated, of good business capabilities, and " occupied the best
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house in that section of the town." After a few years he seemed to discover that clearing land was not congenial to his tastes ; sold out and removed to Lockport, Niagara county, when the Erie canal was being built ; went into trade and a few years later became the most wealthy merchant in the town.
50. SILAS DINSMORE-Came from New Hampshire to P. on foot in the fall of 1816. He was a little eccentric in some respects, but an accomplished scholar. He taught school in P. in the winter of 1816-'17 in the log schoolhouse standing in front of the residence of J. S. West, on lot 34, T. 5. The following winter he taught in Canadaway, and from there went to Alabama and was in the service of the government as a surveyor for three years. He was a member of the legislature of that state for several years but eventually emigrated to Texas, where he d., but at what time is not known. [See Early School Teachers.]
51. ASA BROOKS .- Mr. Brooks claimed to have been the first white child b. in Buffalo, N. Y. He disputed with a good deal of energy the claim to this hor or with a daughter of Asa Ransom, who was afterward the wife of F. B. Merrill of Cheek- towaga. Mrs. Merrill is claimed to have been the first white child b. in all that region outside the walls of fort Niagara. Of the facts the writer has no means of knowing. Mr. Brooks was in Canada at the opening of the war of 1812, but soon returned and enlisted in the U. S. army. Towards the close of the war he was wounded in both arms. He came to P. in 1815, m. Anna, dau of David Joy, and for several years carried the mail between Buffalo and Erie on horseback. He purchased fifty acres of land of Elijah Fay, p't lot 40, T. 5, which he occupied in 1820. He was a mason by trade and a member of the Baptist church in P. He removed to Illinois in 1830 or '31.
62. JOHN CONEY-Was b. in or near Boston, Mass., in 1753. His father's name was William and came from England. His mother's maiden name was Betsey Lowell. He was two years in the Continental army, and in government employ to
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the close of the war. Soon after he m. Lovina Patterson at Palmer, Mass., and lived at Hadley, that state, until 1807 when he removed to Bennington, Vt., and from there to P. in 1823. He d. in P. in 1838, aged 83. Mrs. Coney d. in P. Nov. 4, · 1852, aged 90.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Coney .- (1) JOHN RUSSELL: was b. at Hadley, Mass., in 1785; went with the family to Vt. in 1807, and in 1813 m. Mrs. Sally Keyes, dau. of Moses Sage. They removed to P. in 1814 and settled on the N. W. p't lot 19, T. 5, occupying a log house until 1522 when the house now on the farm was built. In this house he kept tavern twelve years. [ See Taverns.] He removed to Centerville in 1835, returning to his farm in 1849. where he d. May 26, 1854. Mrs. C. d. at Westfield, this county, April, 18 -. Mr. and Mrs. Coney had but one ch., a dau., who m. Joseph Lockwood. Mrs. L. d. July 23, 1838, and was bu. at Brocton. Mr. Coney was a man of considerable business capacity and enjoyed the fullest respect and confidence of his townsmen. (2) WILLIAM: was b. at Hadley in 1787 ; did not remove to P. but lived in Vt. and Mass. during a long life, dying at Charlemont, in the latter state. (3) SOLOMON : b. at Lowell, Mass., in 1789 ; came to P. from Vt. in 1815; m. Fanny Sage, sister of Harry Sage, Brocton, the same fall, and in 1817 built the house now owned and occupied by M. P. Barber in Brocton, on the site of the present residence of T. S. Moss. He purchased sixty acres of land north of Brocton, N. E. p't of lot 21, T. 5, and erected on it a grist-mill in 1823, a dwelling in 1824 and a saw-mill in 1835. He purchased a distillery on the premises, of Silas Houghton in 1827. [See Mills, &c.] Mr. C. was a millwright by trade. He d. in town April 28, 1850. His widow is still living, with a sister, Mrs. C. S. Colvin of Bennington, Vt. (4), OLIVER : came to P. from Charlemont, Mass., in 1828. Mrs. Coney's maiden name was Sophia Fales. For some time about 1836 Mr. C. kept a tavern at Portland Center in the building long owned by D. Tallman. He d. May 14, 1850. Mrs. C. is still living, with her dau., Mrs. R. D. Fuller. (5) LOWELL :
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came to P. from Vt .; never m. but for many years lived in a house north of Brocton where now stands the house of Nolton Smith, on lot 21, T. 5. He d. many years since. (6) MARTIN : came from Vt. to P. in July, 1816, and m. Maria Barnes, dau. of Calvin Barnes, in Nov., 1823. He settled on p't of lot 34, T. 5, land now in p't owned by O. J. Greene. In 1828 he built the house now occupied by Mr. Greene, in which he kept tavern for four years. He removed to Elgin, Illinois, in 1832. where he still resides. (7) LUCY : m. -- Simons, and is now living near the old homestead in Vermont, nearly eighty years of age. (8) LOVINA : m. Austin Barber and removed to P. in 1832. Mrs. B. d. Dec. 20, 1869, aged 67. She was bu. in Brocton cemetery. (9) A dau. who d. in childhood.
53. WILLIAM HARRIS-Came to P. from Rensselaer Co., N. Y., in the spring of 1814. In 1817 he purchased the tavern built by David Joy in 1814, where the house of Wm. W. Pettit now stands, on lot 19, T. 5, which he kept for several years. He was a soldier of the Revolution and was taken prisoner by the British and confined in the " old sugar house" in N. Y. city for six months and suffered untold hardships. He removed to Buffalo, this state, about 1827, and d. there.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Harris .- But a part of the family of Mr. Harris came to P. with him, as follows : (1) WILLIAM. jr .: m Sophia Williams, dau. of Richard Williams. [See No. 54.] (2) GEORGE : m. Marilla IIill. (3) JOSEPH : m. Flora Beach. (4) LORETTA : m. Joel Smith.
54 WILLIAM HARRIS-Was the son of William (No. 53) and b. in Rensselaer county, N. Y., and came to P. with his father in 1814. Oct. 26, 1821, he purchased fifty acres of land, p't of lot 18, T. 5, since for many years forming a part of the Judson farm. In 1822 he m. Sophia Williams, dau. of Richard Williams, and lived in town until 1827, when he sold, and in Oct. of that year removed to Buffalo, where he lived until 1852, then removing to. his farm five miles from the city, where he still resides.
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