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 26
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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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on the site of the present residence of Col. Rufus Haywood, on Central Avenue. She was a woman of remarkable energy and many instances are related of her indomitable energy and heroic daring, almost incredible. When Mr. and Mrs. W. removed to Canadaway, five families constituted the entire village. There were large accessions, however, that season. Mr. W. and Hezekiah Barker built the first grist mill at that place, between the iron bridge and the mill of G. Tefft, some remains of which were to be seen but a few years since. The mill gearing was brought from Batavia, N. Y., twenty one days being necessary to make the trip. Some of the original papers and correspondence relating to the building of the mill, and the first saw mill, by Mr. Barker, are now in the hands of the writer. They show a large amount of persever- ance on the part of the proprietors, and much hardship endured to establish the means of converting the timber of the forest into lumber, and the meager supply of grain into flour and meal. A little insight may be had of the manner of living and the close quarters of the early emigrants, from the fact that Mr. W. and family lived in a log house twelve feet by sixteen, and much of the time while building the mill had from fifteen to twenty persons in the family. Mrs. W. declared on another occasion that she could accommodate as many in her house as there were boards in the floor. While living in P. Mr. W. kept a tavern, and was contractor for carrying the mails from Buffalo to Erie. [ See Taverns and Mail Routes.] Mr. W. was not a religionist, but Mrs. W. was a member of the Baptist church.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Williams .- (1) ABNER, (2) MOR TON, (3) ESTHIER, (4) ELIJAH, (5) RICHARD, (6) SHERMAN, (7) SOPHIA, (8) ELIZA, (9) ADALINE, (10) GOULD, (11) NANCY, (12) OLIVER W., (13) MARY H. The first six were b. in Madison Co., the remaining seven in Canadaway and P.
67. SIMON BURTON-Was of English descent. His paternal ancestor in America was b. in Durham, England, in 1685, and came to America in 1720. Simon was b. in Sutton
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Mass., Nov. 19th, 1769; in. Margaret French in 1786. Mrs. B. was b. at Salem, Mass., July Ist, 1764. Mr. and Mrs. Burton removed to Croydon, Sullivan county, N. H .; from there to Windsor, Vt .. in 1804, and to Louisville, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., in1810, but from difficulties with the St. Regis Indians, were compelled to remove to Ogdensburg. where he and four of his sons enlisted in the war of 1812. In 1816 he "went west" as far as Ohio, and on his return, at the tavern of Richard Williams in I'., engaged to build a mill for Wm. Dunham, that season. July 2d, he articled pt. of lot 27, T. 5, and the next Mar. a pt. of lot 22; and himself built mills at the mouth of Slippery Rock Creek in 1817. [See Mills. ] He was a man of considerable inventive genius, and was the inventor of the T'ub Water Wheel ; and of a machine for cutting book board from timber. He was engaged in several important enterprises, and seldom failed of accomplishing whatever he undertook. He built several houses in town, and one in Fredonia, adjoining on the west the old drug store of Charles Burritt. Mr. B. was a poli- tician of the Clay school; in religion a Universalist. He d. June 8th, 1842, and his wife in July 1850. They were bu. in North Portland Cemetery.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Burton .- (1) MARGARET, b. July 25th, 1787; m. Samuel Millet ; d. in P Jan 1861 (2) SAL- MON, b. June 25th, 1789 ; d. July 30th, 1813, at Sackett's Harbor, from wounds received at the taking of Little York, now Toronto, Canada. (3) MINDWELL, b. May 4th, 1791 ; m. John Carpenter: lives in Vt. (4) LUCINDA, b. Mar. 15th, 1793; m. Oliver Spafford ; d. in Erie, Pa., Jan. 6th, 1855. (5) SIMON, twin with John, b. July 28th, 1795; m. Abigail Baldwin; still living in P. (6) JouN, twin with Simon, b. July 28th. 1795; m. Abigail Freeman; went west some years since. (7) WILLARD, b. Jan. 19th, 1797; m. Nancy Conner ; d. in Crawford Co. Pa. Oct. 1844. (8) HIRAM, b. Nov. 22d, 1799; m. Harriet Skinner, Dec. 25th, 1821 ; living in P. (9) LINUS, b. Mar. 25th, 1804 ; killed by the British at the taking of Ogdensburg, N. Y., Feb
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22d, 1813. (10) JEFFERSON, b. Mar. 3d, 1806; d. Feb. 25th, 1808. (11) JEFFERSON, b. Feb. 15th, 1809; m. Eliza Crosby; d. June 12th, 1841 ; widow m. again and removed to Salt Lake city ; supposed to be still living.
68. JAMES BENNET-Was the son of Banks and Lucy Pratt Bennett, and b. in Pawlet Vt., June 6th, 1785. In 1816 he came to Sheridan, this county, and in 1818 to P. and settled on pt. of lot 32, T. 5, land now owned by J. G. Weld, exchanging lands with John Birge. He m. Elizabeth Ensign, June 2d, 1818. Ile lived on his farm forty years, dying Jan. 29th, 1858. Mrs. B. d. June 10th, 1850. A part of the house they occupied is still standing. Mr. B. was for many years a prominent member of the Methodist order in town. Politic- ally he was a whig and republican.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett .- (1) HARRIET E., b. July 10th, 1820; m. John House, settled in Westfield; d. Nov. 19th, 1870 ; bu. in W. & P. U. Cemetery. (2) MARY E. b. Feb. 3d, 1822 ; m. Milton Freeman : settled in town of Chautauqua ; still living ; Mr. F. d. a few years since. (3) JAMES P. b. Aug. 2d, 1824; m. and settled in Buffalo, N. Y. (4) ENSIGN, b. Sept. 5th, 1831; m. Frank Smith; settled in Buffalo ; now lives in Chicago, Ill.
69. LUTHER CROSBY-Was b. in Dutchess county, N. Y., Jan. 1783 He emigrated to Norway, Herkimer county, in early life, and m. Amy Salsbury, about 1804. In 1816 he removed to P. and purchased a claim to N. E pt. of lot 29, T. 5, land commonly known as the Dederick Farm. He was a gunsmith by trade. [See Mills and Trades.] Mrs. C. d. in P. aged 51 years. In after years Mr. C. removed west, and d. in Dupage county, Ill., Feb. 10th, 1864, aged 81. He was a Wesleyan Methodist ; in politics a Whig.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Crosby .- (1) DELILAH, m. John Potter ; d. in P. May 8th, 1873. (2) HANNAH; m. Isaac Shat tuck; was killed by being thrown from a wagon Apr. 23d, 1843. [See Seth Shattuck.] (3) CALVIN, was drowned in the mill pond of Erastus Taylor, at 18 years of age. (4) URVILLA ;
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m. Wm. Robinson; now lives in Iroquois county, III. (5) SALLY, m. Michael Kelly; is now a widow ; lives in Boone county, Ill. (6) ERVIN, m. Harriet Shaver ; lives in Middlebury, Summit county, Ohio. (7) Roxy, d. at eleven years of age. (8) LUTHER jun., m Harriet Sutton ; now lives in Wisconsin. (9) DANIEL, m. Calinda Sliter ; settled in Chicago, Ill., d. in 1853. (10) ALONZO W. m. Lucina Dodge ; settled in Wheaton, Ill .; d. in 1865. (11) FRUTILLA, m. Asahel Robinson ; lives at Shell Rock, Button county, Iowa. (12) JASPER N. m. Julia Bradley, lives at Middlebury, Summit county, Ohio. Six of the family were b. in Herkimer county, and six in P.
70. JOSEPII CASS-Was son of Nathan and Phila South- wick Cass, and was b. in Stafford, Coos. county, N. H., in 1789. In 1810 he m. Tabitha Day, dau. of Eliphalet, and Tirzah French Day, who was b. in 1789. He removed to P. in 1813. Mr. Asa Hall went from P. to N. H. in the midst of winter, in a sleigh and moved Mr, Cass ; an undertaking few would attempt at this day. Mrs C. d. in Aug. the same year. while they were living upon the "Allen Wright" farm near Westfield, and was bu. in Ripley. Mr. Cass m. for a second wife Jane Dickinson, dau. of Judge Robert Dickinson of Ripley, and in 1816 purchased the farm of Peter Ingersoll in P. pt, of lot 41, T. 5, occupying the log house upon the south side of the road until 1818 when he built the house now standing on the farm. He kept tavern in town for five years. In 1821 he sold, and bought the "Smallwood Farm" in Ripley, which he sold in 1832 and removed to Harbor Creek, Pa .; from there to Will county, Ill .; and from there to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and lastly to Iberia, Morrow county, Ohio, where he d. Feb. 5th, 1868 ; Mrs. C. d. there in Jan. 1865. Mr. C. was a Baptist ; politically a democrat to 1840, then a whig and republican respectively.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Cass .- (1) FIVILLA, b. Feb. 17th. 1811, in N H. ; m. Wiseman C. Nichols, settled in P in 1841 ; now lives at Cardington, Ohio. (2) EMOGENE, b in N. H. Dec. 25th, 1812; m. Richard Bushwell in 1835 ; Mr. B. d. in Mich-
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igan in Mar. 1858. (3) WELLINGTON, b. in 1817 ; m. Minerva French. (4) SAMUEL D., b. in 1819; m. Martha Strong. (5) MARY, b. in 1821 ; m. Henry Gruber ; d. in 1861. (6) CAMPBELL .. b. in 1823; m. Rachel Bloomfield. (7) JONATHAN, b. in 1825; m. Mary Ann Parker ; lives in Piqua, Ohio. (8) JOSEPH, b. in 1827 ; m. Alona Cass ; lives at Iberia, Ohio. The first two named were by his first marriage and b. in N. H.
71. WILLIAM DUNHAM-Was the son of Samuel, and b. in Amenia, Dutchess county, N. Y., July 1st, 1758. He m. Lucy Penoyer, who was b. Apr. 4th, 1762. He left Ulster county in 1815 for the west with no definite idea of his ulti- mate location. He stayed in Seneca county through the winter, and in the spring of 1816 set forward, intending to reach the "Fire Lands" in Ohio. The journey from Buffalo to P. was a tedious one, and Mrs. V. a daughter, in referring to it, says, "it was almost impossible to identify the animals composing the teams for they were literally plastered with mud." Stopping at the tavern of Richard Williams in P. to rest his teams, he became pleased with the country and within a week purchased a claim to W. pt. of lot 27, and E. pt. of lot 32, T. 5, land now owned by J. E. Harris, T. Skeer, L. Correll and others. His log house was on lot 32. In 1820 he built a frame house the remains of which with the old barn were to be seen a few years since. [See Mills.] Mr. D. was a Methodist, and the father of Methodism in P. The first class was formed at his house in 1817. He commenced his religious work in town immediately, and continued it to the end of life. Politically he was a whig. He lived upon the same farm he settled until his d. Feb. 10th, 1839. Mrs. D. d. Aug. 30th, 1850.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Dunham .- (1) ABIGAIL, b. Nov. 19th, 1786; d in 1796. (2) WILLIAM, b. Nov. 26th, 1788; m. Ann Skinner, sister of Chester Skinner of Brocton. (3) JESSE, b. Nov 1st, 1790 ; m. Phebe Powell in Ulster county. (4) PHEBE, b. Mar. 8th, 1792; m. Peter Vangaasbeek. (5) CHARLES, b. Dec. 26th, 1795; a bachelor, lives in P. (6) LUCY.
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b Oct. 28th, 1797 ; m M. P. Vangaasbeek in P .; still living. (7) SALOME, b. Dec. 29th, 1799 ; m. Hiram Martin ; living in P. (8) ALMA, b. Dec. 30th, 1801 ; m. John Wilbur. (") SAMUEL, b. July 28th, 1804 : m. Sophia Wilbur.
72. JOHN DRUSE-Was the son of John and Cynthia Pier Druse, and came to P. from Otsego county, N. Y. in 1812. In !816 he purchased a claim to pt. of lot 41, T. 5, farm now owned by the heirs of G W. Arnold. He sold in 1819 to Henry Shuff. He was a cooper by trade. He left town probably in 1835 or '36. Politically he was a whig. Mrs. D d. in P. in 1818; and in 1828 Mr. D. m. Hannah Birge, who d. in Ill. Mr. D d. in Ill. in 1848.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Druse .- (1) IRA, m. in Otsego county ; d. in Ill. (2) WAITY, m. Ephraim Marsh of Pomfret ; d. there in 1838. (3) HANNAH, m. Daniel Armstrong in P .; lives in Ill (4) ZINA ; m - Sweet, in Ill. (5) HIRAM ; m. -. (6) GEORGE W. m. Charlotte Hubbard in Fredonia ; lives in Conneautville, Pa. (7) STEPHEN, m. Julia Driggs in P .; lives in Ill. (8) JOHN : d. in Ill.
73. ASA FULLER-Came to P. in 1816, and settled on pt. lot 48, T 4, farm now owned by Abram Woleben. The next year he sold to Martin Quigley, and left town.
74. RICHARD GATOR-Was a deserter from the British army, some time during the war of 1812, coming to P. near its close. He m. Rebecca, a dau. of Capt James Dunn, and for some years lived on S. p't of lot 30, T. 5; Mrs. D. d. in 1828. Mr G. m. for second wife Mrs. Humason, and for many years lived on N. pt. of lot 33, T. 5, lot now owned by Jerome Burhans. Mr. G. d. here Mar 9th, 1861 Mrs. G. d. in Indi- ana. Mr. G. was a blacksmith ; and politically a Democrat He had a large family.
75 LEWIS HILL -- Was a brother of Zimri, and came to P. with him in 1816 He first settled on pt. of lot 4, T. 5, after- ward known as the Patch Farm : then on the farm S. of it, now owned by Orrin Brainard, pt. of lot 3, T 5. He built the house and barn now standing on the farm. Mrs. HI. d.
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while living on the Patch Farm, and Mr. H. m. again, but the name of his w. is not remembered. He d. on his farm a few years later.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Hill -- (1) OLIVE m. Wmn. Hefron ; settled in P. but removed to Michigan in 1828 or '29. (2) NORMAN, m. Susan King; for many years lived at Versailles, N. Y. (3) BETSEY, m. David Skinner ; settled in P .; d. Dec 22d, 1836. (4) DAVID, m. Louisa Matthewson. The ch. were all by the first marriage.
76. ZADOC MARTIN-Was the son of Reuben and Sally Williams Martin, and was b. in Conn. June 17, 1777. He m. Sally Hill, dau. of Samuel Hill, in Jan., 1800 Mrs. M. was b. in Conn. June 10, 1779. They removed from N. Ferrisburg, Vt., to P. in the summer of 1816. " He started with a horse team, but one horse failing he traded for a yoke of oxen, for which he was offered six acres of land near the foot of Main street, Buffalo ; but he was not trading oxen for hemlock swamps." They had much difficulty in crossing Eighteen-mile creek and were obliged to swim their teams across and ferry the family and goods upon the back of a horse. It was a habit with settlers on arriving at their destination to make an inventory of their effects, and Mr. Martin's was as follows: Wife and three ch .; a yoke of oxen so poor that they could stand with difficulty ; an old wagon, and sixteen cents in money. He settled on W. p't of lot 3, T. 5, farm occupied by his son Jason at the time of his d. Mr. M. was a carpenter by trade. From 1841 to 1845 he kept a tavern in Brocton. He was a man of great energy and decision of character, and manifested in a large degree the peculiarities of the early settler. He d. Oct. 30, 1850. Mrs. M. d. Dec. 28, 1860. They were bu. in Brocton cemetery. Mr. M. was a volunteer in the war of 1812. In religion he was a Universalist, and in politics a democrat.
Family of Mr. and Mrs Martin -(1) HIRAM, b. Sept. 22, 1800 ; m. Salome Dunham March 18, 1828 ; settled in P. on lands now owned by Geo. Churchill, p't of lots 30 and 31, T. 5: was killed on L. S. R R. some years since. (2) LOVINA, b.
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March 1, 1802 ; m. Russell Fitch March 20, 1820; settled in Pomfret ; afterward in P .; d. Aug. 29, 1848, at Brocton. (3) JASON, b. July 9, 1805 ; m. Alma Hill Jan., 1827 ; settled on the old homestead. Mrs. M. d. Oct. 12, 1870 ; Mr. M. d. Nov. 3, 1870. They were bu. in Evergreen cemetery. (4) ELIZA LANGWORTHY,. an adopted dau., b. July 24, 1809; m. Harvey Fitch Jan. 15, 1829 ; lives in P.
77. ETHAN A. OWEN-Came from Coos county, N. H , to P. in 1815, and bought a claim to p't of lot 54, T. 4. His article bears date Oct. 21, 1815. His wife was Anna French. Mr. O. established the first distillery in town, on lot 53, T. 4. A few years later he sold and removed to Ohio, and afterward to Wisconsin where he d. Politically he was a democrat.
78. HENRY SHUFF-Came to P from Coos county, N. H., in 1816. He was the son of Henry and Mary French Shuff, and was b. in Coos county, Aug. 17. 1788. He m. Polly Hulburt in P. April 6, 1820. Mrs. S. was b. Nov. 10, 1800. He settled on p't of lot 41, T. 5, buying a claim of John Druse. He d. Jan 9, 1821. and was bu. in W. & P. U. cemetery. Mrs. S. m. Samuel C. Munson March 16, 1823. Mr. S. was a believer in the christian faith ; politically he was a democrat.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Shuff .- (1) MARY F., b. Feb. 22, 1821 ; m. Darwin Wilbur Feb. 22, 1845 ; settled in McHenry county, Ill., in 1847.
79. JONAS SAFFORD-Was the son of Elisha, and was b. in Berkshire county, Mass., March 14, 1785. He m. Martha Sage, dau. of Moses Sage, in Bennington, Vt., Dec. 11, 1811. Mrs. S. was b. May 29, 1792. They removed to Fredonia in 1814 and to P. in 1816, and settled on the N. E. p't of lot 41, T. 5, farm of H. A. Blowers. His log house stood on the site of the house of Mr. Blowers. He occupied this house twelve years, selling in 1828 and removed to Pomfret, afterward to Ellery, and again to P. and occupied the Coney Farm, even- tually selling his farm in Ellery, and with Mrs. S. lived with Thomas Flanders in Pomfret where he d Mrs. S. d. in Brocton Nov. 6, 1866, while living with Mr. Flanders. They were bu. in
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Brocton cemetery. They were both members of the Baptist church at Salem X Roads. Politically Mr. S. was a republican.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Safford .- (1) CAROLINE, b. in Vt. Oct. 3, 1812; m. Thomas Flanders ; settled in Ellery, this county ; now lives in Erie county. (2) JANE, b. Jan. 18, 1815, in Pomfret ; m. Orlando Brigham ; settled first, in Pomfret, afterward in Minnesota, where she d. in April, 1869. (3) JULIETTE, b. Jan. 16, 1817 ; d. young. (4) FRANK, b Jan. 9, 1818. in P .; m. Welthy Ann Ilanchett ; lives in Marengo, Ill. (5) JOHN J., b. Feb. 18, 1820, in P .; d. young. (6) MARTHA, b. May 11, 1822, in P .; m. Curtis Wilbur : now lives in Sheridan, this county. (7) FREEMAN J., b. Jan. 14, 1825; m. Myra Kellogg in Iowa; now lives in Chicago, Ill. (8) JONAS J., b. Mar. 22, 1827, in P .; m. Maria Walkup in Ellery ; lives in Minnesota. (9) HENRY C., b. Sept. 25, 1829, in Pomfret; m. Delia P. Risley of that town ; lives in Brooklyn, this state. (10) NORMAN S., b. Sept. 22, 1832 ; m. Sicilia Denton ; settled at Marengo, Ill .; d. there in Dec., 1859. (11) CHARLES, b. in P. Nov. 14, 1837; d. April 30, 1848.
80. JEDEDIAH THAYER-Was b. at Mendon, Mass., Mar. 29, 1764, and m. Rachael Adams in that state. Mrs. T. was b. at Brookfield, Mass., March 1, 1767. They came from Mass. to P. in 1816, and settled on the N. W. p't of lot 61, T. 4, land now owned and occupied by Oscar Hall. His article bears date Feb. 1, 1817. He was a farmer and shoemaker, and like most of the early settlers had a large family, who were m. before Mr. T. came to P., but all eventually settled here and are now dead with but one exception Mr. T. was a Protestant; polit- ically a whig.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Thayer .- (1) PEREZ, settled on S. E. p't of lot 62, T. 4. (2) PERMELIA, m. Reuben B. Patch ; settled on lot 4, T. 5 : d. May 18, 1863. (3) RHODA, (4) ROYAL O., settled on p't lot 60, T. 4; d. at Brocton. (5) BETSEY, (6) JEDEDIAH, (7) HIRAM, now lives in Carroll, this county. (8) Lois, (9) JONATHAN.
81. MATTHEW P. VANGAASBEEK-Came to P. from
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Woodstock, Ulster county, N. Y., in June, 1816, bringing all lis worldly effects in a knapsack. He was the son of Abram and Elizabeth Hasbroek Vangaasbeek. He bought a claim to fifty acres of land of William Dunham, W. p't lot 27. T. 5. He m. Lucy, dau. of Wm. Dunham, July 10, 1816. Mrs. V. was b. in Colchester. N. Y., Oct. 28, 1797. She refers with charac- teristic earnestness to the "nonsense" of modern weddings and the primitive simplicity and " common-sense" of her own. " At that time there was no road but a trail from the lake to other points, so we started on foot through the woods, early in the morning, for the tavern of Richard Williams, where we had horses engaged. We mounted and rode to Canadaway, following the road then in use ; called on Henry Abell, Esq., had the knot tied and returned in good order the way we went. We sought only to please ourselves-there were few others to please. The wedding was a matter of our own and not a show for foolish people to look at and talk about." They occupied a log house until 1849 when Mr. V. built the house now on the farm and still occupied by the family. Mr. V. was in the war of 1812 from Ulster. He was a Universalist, and in early life a whig ; afterward a democrat. He d. May 16, 1862, and was bu. in North Portland cemetery. Mrs. V. is still living.
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Vangaasbeek .- (1) WILLIAM, b. Oct. 1, 1817 ; d. Dec. 20, 1840, in P. (2) HARRIET, b. Sept 23, 1819 ; m. John Springstead May 15, 1845 ; lives in P. (3) CHARLES D., b. July 5, 1823 ; lives on the homestead ; not m. (4) HELEN, b. April 20, 1828 ; m. - Jackson, Jan., 1872. (5) MINERVA, b. Sept. 17, 1833 ; m. John Tiff. (6) ELIZABETH, b. Dec. 26, 1835; m. J. H. Shaver : lives in Ripley, this county. (7) SALOME, b. Jan. 23, 1838; m. 1st Richard Waters, who d in 1861; 2d Wallace Wilbur ; lives in Pa.
82. SIMEON WHITCOMB-Came to P. from Vt. in 1816. His wife was - Perkins, a sister of Orris Perkins. He settled on p't of lot 41, T. 5, farm now owned by David Gran- ger. His article bears date July 2, 1819. Three or four years
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later he sold and purchased a p't of lot 30, T. 5, of Capt. James Dunn, at Portland Center, farm now owned by Owen W. Powell. He removed to Illinois in 1855. Mr. W. was a farmer. [See Distilleries.]
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Whitcomb .- (1) MARTIN, living in Michigan. (2) LYMAN, living at Washington, Iowa. (3) BETSEY, m. Hiram Haight of Westfield, this county.
83. EBENEZER WILLIAMS-Was the son of Joseph, and came to P. from Sangerfield, Oneida county, N. Y., about 1816. He settled and "cleared up" the farm now owned by W. C. Warner, S. E. p't lot 14, T. 5. His log house stood on the ground now occupied by the house of Mr. Warner. He m. in P. a sister of R. C. Weeks, some years since living at Portland Center. Mrs. W. d. in 1822; was found d. in her house near the fire where she had probably fallen in a fit. She was the first buried in Brocton cemetery. Mr. W. m. for a second wife Mrs. Polly Ingersoll, widow of John Ingersoll. In 1827 or '28 Mr. W. sold to his bro. Harvey and returned to Sangerfield, and some years later removed to Wisconsin where he d. Mr. and Mrs. W. had but one ch., Morris, of whose fortunes the writer knows nothing.
84. WALTER MUMFORD-Was the son of Henry, and came to P. about 1816. Like many of the early settlers he had a restless spirit and seldom remained long on any given piece of property. In 1819 he purchased the land comprising the S. E. p't of Brocton, which he sold in p't to Dr. D. Ingalls in 1824, and purchased the farm S. of Brocton now owned by Linus Burton, p't lot 13, T. 5 ; in 1831 or '32 sold to Moses Joy and purchased the farm now owned by Wm. Becker, p't lot 19, T. 5; sold in 1848 and built the house at Brocton owned by Mrs. Morris Burr. In 1856 he removed to Wisconsin where he d. in 1859. Mrs. M. d. there also. Mr. M. was a man of some prominence, and much in town office. He was a carpenter by trade. [See Biog. Sketches, Fred. Owen.]
Family of Mr. and Mrs. Mumford .- (1) MARY, (2) NANCY, (3) SARAH ANN, (4) JANE.
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85. BREWER HUBBELL-Came to P. from the eastern part of this state and settled on the farm now owned and occupied by Absalom Woleben, N. p't lot 40, T. 4. His article bears date Nov. 10, 1817. His second wife was a dau. of Perry Hall (No. 24). He sold in 1832 to Woleben and went to Illinois.
86. ERASTUS ANDREWS-Bro. of James and Wilson, lived on p't of lot 40, T. 4, farm now owned and occupied by G. W. Stebbins. He lived in town but a short time. His article bears date Oct. 22, 1817.
87. JAMES LEE-Located part of lot 47, T. 4. He had no family but lived with Martin Smith. His article bears date May 26, 1817.
88. WILLIAM COTTON-Was a blacksmith-one of the first in town. He located p't of lot 47, T. 4. His article bears date April 11, 1817.
89. LEMUEL CRANE-Came to P. about 1817. He m. for second wife the wid. of William Howe. [See Biog. Sketch W. Howe,] and lived for a few years on a farm formerly owned by Silas Honghton, now by Richard Reynolds, p't lot 19, T. 5 ; afterward on the central p't lot 33, T. 5, land now owned by Daniel Britcher. From here he removed to North East, Pa., where he d. His sons, John and Jason, by a first m., who for some time lived in town, also went to Pa. Mrs. C. returned to P.
90. JESSE E. BALDWIN-Son of Isaac and Parthena Bald- win, grandson of Isaac and great-grandson of Jacob Baldwin, . was b. in Halifax, Windham county, Vt., Oct. 24, 1796. Hé was carried by his parents to Pawlet, Vt, in Feb., 1797, and from there came to Sheridan, in this county, in Feb., 1812. In 1816 the father of Mr. B. articled p't of lot 36, T. 5, upon which a "slashing " was made the next year and a log house built. In March, 1818, most of the family removed to P., and "although the ground was covered with snow, in three days we had a snug log house built and were comfortably domiciled. During the season we cleared twenty-eight acres of
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
land and fenced it into lots and sowed one to wheat by the twentieth of August. The fall being warm, by the middle of October the wheat was so large that we drove the cows from Sheridan to feed it down. The extra supply of milk was so great that a temporary press was made and several good-sized cheeses were manufactured, probably the only cheese made in P. on a farm where there was not an acre of grass growing. In 1819 our yield of wheat was bountiful and we harvested eight hundred bushels, which at that time was quick sale at $2.50 per bushel, but in Sept. had fallen to $1 00 and by the next March to fifty cents. In 1820, being of age, I took pos- session of my farm. Being then alone I needed a helpmeet and went to a merchant in Fredonia, not to buy a wife but to buy four pounds of iron to shoe my horse to assist my locomo- tion to find the article I needed. For the four pounds of iron I offered the man of goods two bushels of corn : but cash only would buy so precious a commodity and cash I did not possess. I next went to a blacksmith who agreed to do the job for five bushels of corn, making the shoes from old ones. The horse was shod, the wife found and we were married the twentieth of Feb., 1822. by Rev. Joy Handy. Mrs. B.'s maiden name was Martha Skiff. She was b in Cambridge, Washington county, but then living in Sheridan. * In April following we removed to P. and occupied the log house first built." Mr. B. lived in P. until 1833 when he removed to Sheridan where he has since resided. In his letter he gives a graphic description of a fearful tempest that passed over the town in Dec., 1824. while he was a teacher of a school in the present district No. 7, and of the narrow escape of the scholars on their return to their homes through the forest, and of the immi- nent peril of his own family from the storm. and the rescue of their little child from the fire, into which it had been thrown by the force of the wind through an open door. None, how- ever, were killed or fatally injured, but immense damage was done to timber through the entire town. So fearful was the storm that it was a reckoning point for the settlers for many
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