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 6
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In 1812 Chester Bushnell located on lot 53, T. 4, west of Prospect Station: and Sanford Haines on part of lot 62, T. 4, near O. W. Burch.
In 1813 Hiram Fish located on south part lot 54, T. 4, sold and bought on lot 53, T. 4, where he now lives.
In 1814 John R. Gibson located on southeast part of lot 13, T. 5, southeast of Brocton ; Lemuel Munson on part of lot 55, T. 4, where he lived until his death; Cephas Brainard on part of lot 29, T. 5, farm now owned by A. T. Mead; John R. Coney northwest part of lot 19, T. 5, on farm commonly known as the "Coney farm."
In 1815 John T. McIntyre located on southwest part of lot 55, T. 4, farm since owned by Warren Couch ; Wm. Stetson on the same lot, farm now owned by A. B. Hiller ; Moses Sage on the northwest part of lot 13, T. 5, occu pying a house standing where the house of H .. C. Taylor now stands; Heman Ely on part of lot 62, T. 4, farm now owned by Deloss Hall : Zimri Hill on north part of lot 12, T. 5, farm now known as the Samuel Brown farm, south of Brocton ; Ahira Hall on the southwest part of lot 4, T. 5, farm until recently owned by Henry Patch, afterward on part lot 3, T. 5, on Pomfret town line.
In 1816 Thomas Klumph settled on the west part of lot 47, T. 4, on the "Titus road;" Jeremiah Khunph occupied his land this year, part of lot 47, T. 4; Jacob Klumph
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
on the same lot; Timothy Carpenter on part of lot 48, T. 5. farm now owned by G. M. Arnold; Samuel Gear on west part of lot 8, T. 5, farm now owned by Alvaro Wilson; Solomon Coney on part of lot 21, T. 5, at the upper falls on Slippery Rock Creek, north of Brocton; Richard Williams on land bought of Henry Abell, west part of lot 25, T. 5. farm now owned by Lincoln Fay; Wm. Dunham on lot 27, T. 5, and part of lot 32, T. 5, near the mouth of Dun- ham's Creek; Simon Burton on northeast part of lot 27, T. 5, near the mouth of Slippery Rock Creek; John and Sylvester Churchill on west part of lot 38. T. 5, now owned by A. L. Blowers and E. P. Wilson ; William Correll on the north part of lot 36, T. 5, at the mouth of Correll's Creek ; Isaac Baldwin on part of lot 36, T. 5, farm now owned by Samuel Arnold : John Druse on part of lot 41, T. 5, land bought of Benj. Hutchins: Luther Crosby on part of lot 29, T. 5, farm known as the Ded- erick farm : M. P. Vangaasbeek on northwest part of lot 27, T. 5, farm his family still occupy ; Zadoc Martin on northwest part of lot 3, T. 5, farm owned and occupied by his son Jason until his death.
Brewer Hubbell settled on lot 40 T. 4, farm now known as the Woleben farm: Reuben B. Patch on southwest part of lot 61, T. 4, near the Westfield town line; after- ward on lot 3, T. 5; Jedediah Thayer on northwest part of lot 61, T. 4, near Deloss Hall: Asa Brooks on west part of lot 2, T. 5, near Burr's Mill : afterward on lot 40. T. 5; Oliver Spafford on west part of lot 22, T.5. the location of "Vine Cliff" of the "Harris community :" John Conner on north part of lot 26. T. 5, farm now owned by Wm. Dogan ; Martin Smith on west part of lot 34, T. 5, farm now occupied by M. S. Noxon and others : Jesse Baldwin on part of purchase of Isaac Baldwin. part of lot 36, T. 5, now owned by Samuel Arnold; Felix Merritt on northeast part of lot 49 T. 1. farm now owned by Geo. MI. Arnold; Martin Quigley on
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
northwest part of lot 48, T. 4, farm now owned by Abram Woleben: Peter Vangaasbeek on no th part of lot 27, T. 5, recently owned by Joseph Shaver: Charles F. Arnold on northeast part of lot 40, T. 5. farm now owned by Samuel Caldwell: afterward on lot 36, T. 5. For date of settlement of the last twe've named, see Biographical sketches. From 1804 to 1825 many others than those mentioned settled in town, while others located land but sold their claim and eventually located else- where. Amongst the former may be classed the follow- ing : (those not found here will be found amongst the Biographical Sketches as far as it has been possible to obtain them.)
In 1805 Thomas Mcclintock located all of lot 18, T. 5, ou the south side of the Erie road and extending from the farm of W. A. Strong on the east to that of Harvey Hulburt on the west, but he never settled on it.
In 1807 Zattu Cushing located the northeast part lot 3, T. 5 ; Eliza Crocker part of lot 4, T. 5; Wolcott Moore the west part of lot 19, T. 5, farm now owned by R. Reynolds and others.
In 1808 Jonathan Brigham located part of lot 53, T. 4. near Prospect station ; Samuel Richardson on east part of lot 29, T. 5, land since owned by Simeon Dederick : Josiah Hart on north part of lot 41, T. 5, on road leading from the brick church to the lake: Lemuel C. Wolcott on middle part of lot 33, T. 5.
In 1810 Alfred Hodge located on middle part of lot 41. T. 5; Daniel Dodge on lot 55, T. 4, land lying east of farm of the late J. H. Webster ; Jerry Bartholomew on part of lot 63. T. 4 ; Joseph Waldo on lot 19, T. 5, including the farm of T. Judson and others ; Elisha Babcock on east part of lot 53, T. 4; Silas Babcock on east part of lot 61, T. 4 ; Josiah Gibbs on south part of lot 14, T. 5, where Lyman Skinner now lives ; Bradley Burt on middle part of lot 53, T. 4, south of Prospect station.
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
In 1815 Ethan A. Owen located on middle part of lot 53, T. 1 ; Perry Hillard on middle part of lot 61, T. 4.
In 1816 A. Luddington located on part of lot 46, T. 4, near Jason Bigelow's ; Asa Fuller on part of lot 48, T. 4; Augustus Soper on middle part of lot 12, T. 5.
In 1817 Erastus Andrews located on east part of lot 40, T. 4, near Charles Taylor's ; Gideon Jones on east part of lot 45, T. 4, land now owned by Bennett Swetland ; Lewis Macomber on east part of lot 46, T. 4; James Lee on part of lot 47, T. 4: Wm. Cotton on part of lot 47, T. 4; Stephen Smalley on east part of lot 48, T. 4; Elisha Rogers on west part of lot 60, T. 4, and Seth Ensign on southwest part of lot 32, T. 5, land now owned by J. S. Weld.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
CHAPTER XIV.
settlements, &c., continued .- Rate of Settlement .- Number of Families in Town at Outbreak of War of 1812, and at its Close .- Centers of Population, &c.
From the first the settlement of the town was almost unprecedented. Some idea may be formed of its rapidity by referring to the previous chapter. By the year 1823 scarcely a corner of the territory of the town remained unexplored ; the larger portion was located and the inevitable log cabin erected. On the lake country and along the two principal roads there had been the greatest influx.
The settlements were commenced in 1805, and at the outbreak of the war of 1812 thirty-eight families had settled in town. A few others came and went. During the war the population was nearly stationary. but thirteen families coming in during its continuance.
We have made a list of all settling in town previous to the close of the war, which we call the pioneers' list, and shall attempt to give a historical and biographical sketch of each, with his family, near the close of the work. Many incidents of interest with reference to early life in town by the settlers are given, which will be embodied in those sketches to which the reader is referred.
At the close of the war the center of population seemed to point to no particular locality, though it seemed quite probable that a point would be made at the location of Richard Williams, where Lincoln Fay now lives, or one and one-half miles further west, at the forks of the roads near the residence of J. S. West : in fact, for years this point was called Portland Center. There were no mills yet
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
erected, around which a population is apt to center, and the settlers located upon lots as their fancy or judgment clictated. We have given the names of those locating previous to the close of the year 1817, though a few of them never become settlers.
Efforts were made by the settlers along the Erie road and that next surveyed, known as the South road to induce settlers to locate in that part of the town and nearer the foot of the highlands, with a view to some permanent point for a center of population ; but it was soon evident that the drift of settlements was further north and that the facilities for the manufacture and sale of lumber were greater than at points further from the more direct communications through the town east and west, and that the center, wherever it might be, would be at least north of the then traveled route. In addition to this the indefatigable perseverance of Elijah Fay and a few others of like stamp in causing the location and cutting ont of roads, had its influence no doubt in determining attention to the more northern portion of the town. Then, as now, local interests determined the actions of men. On the 11th of May, 1811, Elijah Fay located all of lot 20. T. 5, which included all of the west portion of the village of Brocton, with the ground on which the residence of Chester Skinner stands, and erected his log cabin. Hollis Fay located 160 acres of the northwest part of lot 13. T. 5. including the east part of Brocton, Dec. 11, 1813: cleared three or four acres and erected a rude log house. No road was then laid out nearer than the one called the South road; nothing but a trail served the purpose of the settler. A " dismal swamp" of black ash occupied the site of the now, center of the village.
James Dunn located all of lots 30 and 31, T. 5, in 1804. Calvin Barnes the southeast part of lot 32, T. 5, in 1816. and Abner B. Beebe the northwest part of lot 25. T. 5, in 1822, these three purchases covering the whole plot of the
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
village of Centerville. No road was laid out through the village until 1815. At this date. says an old 'settler, "the houses were scattered all through the woods and we found our way by marked trees, and there was but one framed house within three miles of me. Where Centerville is now was the thickest woods I ever saw. It was a dismal looking place." After making these statements it is proposed to combine the further consideration of settlements with that of roads. This is done that the readers at this day may get a better understanding of the various locations.
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
CHAPTER XV.
Roads-Paine's Road-Road Described-Only one Used by Settlers.
The first road or trail used as a road in or through the town of Portland was made in 1802 by Gen. Edward Paine, the founder of Painesville, Ohio. The state of Connecticut owned a large tract of land within the state of Ohio, usually known as the "Western Reserve," but in earlier times the "Connecticut Fire Lands," or "New Connecticut." The state was anxious to settle this territory and offered inducements to actual settlers, and employed Gen. Paine, of that state, with a small party of men to open a road through the almost impenetrable wilderness from Buffalo as far west as was necessary, to enable the colony of emigrants that accompanied him to reach their destination. Little else was done than remove obstructions too large to be surmounted or "get round" by a loaded team and cutting a narrow strip of underbrush. This road was cut out to Chantanqua creek, at some point not far from the village of Westfield, and it is said that the settlers afterward continued it to the state line of Pennsylvania. It has ever since been known as " Paine's road." Gen. Paine was a brother of Timothy Paine, one of the early settlers of Aurora in this state.
This road or trail passed near the foot of the hills, that being the best place to cross the streams. It was never surveyed but cut out at random, looking only for the best ground. According to the testimony of old settlers it intersected the east line of the town near the northeast corner of lot 4, T. 5, but two or three rods south of the
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
present South road, and on land now occupied by the barns of David P. Benjamin, passing a little south of the south road across the farms of E. B. Walden, A. B. Post and others and to the rear of the house of A. R. Thompson on the south-west part of lot 4, T. 5, and intersecting the road running east from the residence of Franklin Fay on northeast part of lot 13, T. 5, near the bridge east of Mr. Fay's house; thence westerly following the course of the present road to a point a few rods west of the railroad crossing of that road; thence to the right of the road, keeping on the level land on the farm of the heirs of Timothy Judson, south part of lot 19, T. 5, thence south-westerly to the level plot of ground a few rods north of the present residence of Erastus Denison, on north part of lot 24, T. 5, thence to the track of the road as now located near the corner cast of the farm until recently owned by S. V. R. Wells, on northwest part of lot 24, T. 5, and from this following nearly the route of that road with but slight variations to the town line, west, where the main Erie road is now located, near the residence of Mrs. Mary Arnold, southwest part of lot 41, T. 5. This was the only road in use by the settlers coming into town from the east, for two or three years. Nothing like a bridge was to be found upon the whole route, and travelers were obliged to ford the streams however much swollen.
The Erie Road .- The town was surveyed into lots in 1804 by Wm. Peacock, and a road six rods wide was left by order of "the company," to be improved and used by the settlers as a public highway. This road is called on the Land Office Maps the Erie Road, but the people always called it the Ellicott Road. It is the road that commences on the east line of the town between lots 3 and 4 near the residence of Simon Bur- ton and continues in a westerly course until it unites with the south road in front of the residence of J. S.
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
West on lot 33, T. 5, and follows that road to the town line of Westfield. It forms the boundary between lots 3 and 4, 12 and 13, 18 and 19, 24 and 25, 29 and 30, 33 and 34, 37 and 38 and crosses lot 41, T. 5, leaving the town at the south west corner of that lot and the south- west corner of T. 5, R. 13, running a distance within the town of seven miles, nearly, it being three sixteenths of a mile longer than the south line of the town.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
CHAPTER XVI.
Roads Continued-The "South Road" when and by whom surveyed-Its course described-Commissioners laying it-"North Road" when and where laid, and by whom-Its course described-Work done-The first team driven over the road-The first stage team driven over it.
James McMahan surveyed a road through the "town of Chautauqua and county of Genesee," in August 1805; the town then comprising the whole county by that name. except the eastern tier of townships or Range 10. The survey commenced at the northeast corner of T. 6, R. 11. on the east line of the present town of Sheridan, and has in its course to the Pennsylvania State line 122 angles-sufficiently crooked to satisfy the caprices of the most devoted disciple of Bacchus. Its termination at the line was a few rods west and north of the railroad station. The length of the road was thirty-three and one-eighth miles. It was the first road surveyed through or in the county. and is the first on record. The commissioners ordering the survey, and laying the road, were Thomas McClin- tock of Canadaway, now Fredonia, and James Dunn the first settler of Portland. The third commissioner was Arthur Bell, living west of the Cross Roads now West- field, but did not take part in this enterprise, though it must be supposed he had an interest in it equal with the others. This road intersected the now east line of Portland on the northern portion of lot 4, T. 5, on lands of David P. Benjamin, and followed the general course of the road usually known as the "south road." crossing lots 4, 13, 19, 25, 30, 33, 34, 38 and 41, to the
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
west line of the town where the present Main or Erie road intersects the east line of the town of Westfield. Many changes have been made and many of the "crooked places made straight" since. It substantially followed the present road from the east line of the town to a point on the western portion of lot 19, T. 5, near the present residence of Richard Reynolds : at one point however bearing a little to the south over land now owned by Orrin Brainard, crossing the ravine in the rear of his house by a log bridge the remains of which were to be seen a few years since. From Mr. Reynolds' it passed to the north, nearly over the ground where the corn bain of Charles Fay stands ; in front and near the stone house of Geo. Smith, intersecting the present road near Lincoln Fay's dwelling on lot 25, T. 5; bearing to the south of the present road at the angle south of the churches at Portland Center, and passing a few feet south of the house of John Dudley, on the "old Dunn farm" south part of lot 30, T. 5, crossing the creek west of the house, fifty feet south of the present bridge. The remains of the old roadway are still to be seen at this point and on the bank on the east side of the creek. After rising the hill near the cemetery it passed to the north of the present road near the residence of Matthew Seeley, and through the grove west of the house of Mr. Seeley, and reaching a point near the forks of the roads nearly in front of the residence of J. S. West, on the line between lots 33 and 34, it passed to the south on lot 33, in the rear of the dwellings of Henry S. Munson and Jerome Burhans and crossing the present road a few rods west of the residence of J. McFadden, on the south-west corner of lot 34; thence bearing to the north of the present or old "Erie Road," across the south part of lots 38 and 41, until it reached a point in the present road near the parsonage of the West Baptist church, passing over the ground upon which stands the schoolhouse in district
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
No. 3 and the ground where stands the church edifice on the south part of lot 41, thence westerly along the line of the present road to the town line of Westfield, near the southwest corner of lot 41 and the southwest 9 corner of T. 5, R. 13.
2. The "North Road'-or road leading west from the town line of Pomfret near Lemi Barber's, northeast corner of lot 5, T. 5, through Brocton and Portland Center to the forks of the road near the brick church in West Portland on south part of lot 41, T. 5, was laid by the Judges of the county, Philo Orton, Matthew Prendergast and Wm. Alexander, June 29, 1815. The commissioners of Pomfret had laid a road from the forks of the road, half a mile east of the town line of Portland, near the northeast corner of lot 5 in Portland, but the commis- sioners of Portland refused to lay the portion asked for in that town, and an appeal was had to the Judges who laid the road on the day above named. Much spirit was manifested by the few settlers along the line of the proposed road, with reference to the matter, and a spirit of rivalry sprang up between them and those living along the then main road or road surveyed by McMahan in 1805. Those living along that road proposed to make it the principal thoroughfare through the town, and those living along the line of the proposed road, or now north road, claimed that a large population of the settlers would be better accommodated by this route and that it was necessary for the development of the town. Among those who manifested the greatest energy and spirit in the matter were Elijah Fay and Barzilla Barker. The road was not opened or made passable for teams to any extent until 1816, in which year a large amount of work was done upon it. Elijah Fay opened it the entire length for $15: and Barzilla Barker worked twenty days and gave twenty dollars. This would not be a large amount at the present day but the settlers then had but little to give. The
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
settlers west of Portland Center, as now located, entered also into the strife to make the road better and more convenient for emigrants and for general transit than the one farther south. At that time Portland Center was under- stood to be at the now forks of the road near the resi dence of Calvin Barnes, now J. S. West. Centerville was a wilderness and Brocton a black ash swamp. In this strife the settlers along the new or north road triumphed, and succeeded in diverting the travel in a measure fron the south road or one surveyed by McMahan. The first loaded team driven over the eastern portion, or from the town line to Salem X Roads with its two or three log huts, was by Henry Sage in the spring of 1816, and the first publie conveyance or stage was driven over it by Thomas Quigley in 1827.
3. The Old Chautauqua Road-crossing but a corner of lot No. 1, T. 5, and lot 8, T. 4. was surveyed and laid in 1808; Thomas Bemus, Surveyor: Abijah Bennett and Matthew Prendergast, Commissioners.
4. The Lake Road-was first surveyed and laid in 1809 by James McMahan, but was not opened until after a resurvey from Barcelona to the Pomfret town line near the lake, on August 7. 1817.
5. The Town Line Road-between Port'and and West- field, was surveyed by James McMahan, and laid in July 1810.
6. Road from Charles Fay's to the north road or to the north line of lot 19, T. 5, was surveyed by Wm. Berry the 23d of June 1812. It was resurveyed on Jan- uary 3d. 1816, and ended at the intersection with the north Erie road.
7. Road from the site of the old stone schoolhouse south, on southeast part of lot 41, T. 5. was surveyed and laid May 25th, 1813.
8. The road leading from the Brocton Mill on lot 13,
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF
T. 5, south, to the south Erie road, was laid in October 1817.
9. The road leading from Franklin Fay's on northeast corner of lot 12, T. 5, northeasterly to Pomfret town line, was resurveyed on May 8th, 1818. (a section of the Erie road.)
10. The Town Line Road, between Portland and Pomfret, commencing at the northeast corner of lot 3, T. 5. R. 13, where the road No. 9 intersects the town line and running south one and one fourth miles to the residence of Jonas Farnham. was laid in February, 1819.
11. The road leading from Brocton north to lake Erie was laid October 2. 1819. Originally this road varied from its present course, leading westerly to the mill of Solomon Coney at the falls of Slippery Rock creek on lot 21, T. 5. but returned to its first or due north course, which it held to the lake road.
12. The road leading from the town line of Westfield east to Prospect station, was laid May 15. 1816, and was in after years called the Fish & Barnes road. This road was continued from this point to the town line of Portland and Chautauqua two or three years later.
13. The road from the Lake road to Portland Center, passing the residence of J. E. Harris. on lot 32, T. 5. B. F. Pecor on, east part of lot 32, and the Portland station L. S. & M. S. R. R., was laid October 15, 1816.
14. The road known as the Titus road, running from the town line of the town of Westfield one mile and fifty three chains across the northern portion of lots 62. 54, 47 and 39. T. 4. was laid out October 16, 1816.
This was continued east to the road leading from Portland Center to Mayville. near the house of A. H. Billings. on April 12, 1820.
15. The short road leading from the corner near the school house in school district No. 4, on the line of lots No's 13 and 19 to the old Erie road, was laid April 12, 1820.
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THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.
16. The road south from the former residence of Elisha Fay (stone house) to the foot of Chantauqua hill lay across the swamp nearly in front of the residence of Mr. Fay to the Erie road, and thence south between the houses of Harvey Hulburt and Erastus Denison on lot 24, T. 5. intersecting the present road near the foot of the first hill That portion of this road south of the Erie road was removed on the north end 3 chains and 30 links to its present location October 1, 1820.
The north part of this road was removed farther west of its present location now leading south from the corner near S. S. Jones', on lot 25, T. 5, to the Erie road, August 23, 1823.
17. The road running along the township line of T's 4 and 5 from the corner a few rods west of the house of Abram Woleben, on the northwest part, of lot 48, T. 4. to William Thayer's, the northeast part of lot 32, T. 4. was laid October 1, 1819.
18. The road leading from the mouth of Slippery Rock creek to the corner west of school house No. 9 on the road north of Brocton, was laid, the first portion in April and the balance in October, 1820.
19. The road from the Lake road, on lot 27, T. 5, and running southerly through the farm of E. F. Underhill to "Fletcher's Mill," near the center of lot 26, T. 5, near Portland Center, was laid October 16, 1820.
20. Road from the mouth of Canadaway creek to the town line, south, was laid March 1, 1821.
21. Road from the lake road due north of Brocton. on lot 16, T. 5, running easterly to the Pomfret town line on northeast corner of lot 7, T. 5, was laid October 17, 1820. This road was resurveyed and largely altered March 19, 1822.
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