History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 107

Author: Franklin Ellis and Eugene Arns Nash
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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Perry & Co. purchased the property, and began operating the tannery in its old condition, continuing until the spring of 1877, when the tannery was enlarged by them, and now embraces the following buildings : the tan-yard, 126 by 308 feet, containing 480 full-sized vats, whose capacity is 500 sides per day ; 2 leach-houses, 38 by 130 feet, containing 28 leaches, each 16 feet in diameter and 8 feet deep, in which 10 cords of hemlock-bark are leached per day ; a brick engine-house, 30 by 60 feet, containing an 80 horse- power engine, 5 Blake pumps, a hose-cart, with 300 feet of 4-inch hose, and work-benches; a very large dry-house, containing a 40 horse-power engine, having 7 lofts, which are reached by means of an elevator driven by steam ; a beam-house, containing 30 vats; a freight-house and busi- ness-office. The latter is warmed by steam, and every part of the tannery where warmth is required is heated by the same means. Side-tracks lead from the railroad to dif- ferent parts of the ground and into the principal buildings, and every necessary convenience has been supplied, making this one of the most complete, as well as one of the largest tanneries in the Union. 12,000 cords of hemlock bark are consumed annually in the manufacture of 150,000 sides of sole-leather, which is sold to European buyers through the office of Palen & Co., of New York City.

The tannery gives employment to 70 men, and since January, 1876, has been under the management of John Goodsell.

THE OIL INTERESTS.

The search for oil in the Tuna Valley began in 1864. That year, James Nichols, Henry Renner, and Daniel Smith leased 1000 acres in the neighborhood of Lime- stone, and began sinking a well in May, on the Baillett farm. At a depth of 570 feet oil was struck, but nothing further was realized than a confirmed belief that oil abounded in paying quantities. For some cause the enter- prise was abandoned at this stage, but the prosecution of the oil discoveries was continued by "The Hall Farm Petroleum Company." This was composed of New York capitalists, and had among its members Job Moses, who was the leading spirit of the company, and eventually became the sole owner of its interests. A tract of land containing 1250 acres was purchased of Lewis Hall by the company and a well sunk, three-fourths of a mile west of Limestone village, in the fall of 1865. The second sand was reached at a depth of 540 feet, and the third, or oil-bearing sand, at 1060 feet. In this, oil was found, and all the indications favored a good well. It yielded for a part of a day at the rate of 200 barrels, but was lost by an accident before its capacity was fully ascertained. Mr. Moses was so much encouraged that he purchased 9000 acres in addition to the Hall tract, and leased 1000 acres more for oil purposes. In 1867 he put down another well, a short distance west of the first well, and after a depth of 1100 feet had been reached it was tubed ; and again an accident prevented the realization of anything from this source. The following year a third well was sunk more than 1000 feet, which produced at first 10 barrels per day, but was soon reduced to 3.

The oil development now dragged slowly, and nothing important was done until 1871, when a fourth well was put

down on the Moses tract, on lot 41, in which oil was struck in the second sand, at a depth of 540 feet; but the well was extended to the third sand, and a depth of about 1100 feet. In this, the yield of oil was not large but the quality was good, and the well proved remunerative. Other attempts to strike the "oil belt" were made, but it was generally believed that it did not extend so far north, and in the spring of 1875 the two wells named above were the only producing ones in town, chiefly because, as was after- wards ascertained, the other wells were not sunk deep enough. The work of putting down new wells was now directed to points nearer Bradford, and in December, 1875, Harsh & Schreiber begun work on a well on Wm. Beards- ley's farm, near the State line, and on the west side of the Tuna. About the same time, Wing & Lockwood were engaged in boring a well on the Hiram Beardsley farm, on the east side of the creek. Oil was struck in the second sand, 775 feet from the surface, the yield being about 25 barrels per day. These wells were completed and tubed in February, 1876; and soon after another well was finished on the Muller farm by the " Consolidated Land and Petro- leum Company," oil being struck at a depth of 1075 feet.

Inspired by the success which attended these wells, new combinations and companies were formed, leases of new tracts of land were effected and larger leases subdivided, and in a few months a forest of derricks crowned the upper part of the valley in Carrolton, which gradually extended its growth until now it has taken root on the Reservation on the Allegany, six miles from where it received the impulse which caused it to expand. In October, 1876, there were in town 35 producing wells and 60 more in course of drill- ing. At this date (December, 1878) 250 wells have been sunk in town, of which at least 225 produce in paying quantities. The largest producing wells have been the " Eureka," on the Clark farm, in 1877, and the " Irvine Farm Company's," in the fall of 1878, each about 175 bar- rels per day at first, but gradually decreasing to below 100. The average yield of the wells in this part of the Bradford region is probably less than 10 barrels per day ; but as there is sufficient gas in most of them to force the oil to the surface, the expense of maintaining them is not so great, and nearly all the wells are remunerative. And when the expense of putting them down has once been defrayed, many of them afford incomes which will en- rich their owners. It may be said, in this connection, that the oil development in Carrolton is attended with no such great excitement as usually prevails in oil regions, but is more of the nature of a legitimate occupation; and many of the improvements caused by the oil interests will remain after the field has been exhausted.

It is a work of no small moment to dispose of the oil after it has once been produced, and various means are employed to transport the crude petroleum to the refiner or consumer. The usual method by railway carriage was found insufficient and unsatisfactory. Accordingly, carriage by means of pipe-lines has been advantageously employed. The oil from the tank of the producer is concentrated at some convenient point, by gravity or otherwise, where a pump-station is erected, either to force it into huge tanks on the spot or miles away. This work is done in Carrol-

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PETER BOYLE

MRS. PETER BOYLE.

RESIDENCE OF PETER BOYLE, OPPOSITE THE ERIE DEPOT. CARROLTON , NEW YORK.

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

ton by the " United Pipe-Line Company." The first station was established in the fall of 1875, at the State line. This is yet maintained, and the company has now at this point three tanks, whose united capacity is 75,000 barrels. In 1877 the pipes were laid to Carrolton Junction, and a station there established. From this the oil is pumped into four tanks here located, or forced to Salamanca. At Irvine's Mills, a station and a 25,000-barrel tank were erected in the fall of 1878. At these points are also load- ing-racks, by means of which the oil is conveyed from the tanks to oil-trains on the railroads. In October, 1878, the · company had 15 miles of 2-inch and 17 miles of 4-inch pipe in the town of Carrolton, and were laying more as the demand increased.

Several attempts have also been made to refine the crude oil in town. For this purpose the " Producers' Refining Company (Limited)" was organized, in 1875, but did not succeed in its aims, its franchises being transferred to the Pipe-Line. A second refining company was formed in 1877, which also failed to become operative.

A refinery is now (December, 1878) being built on the McCarty farm, a mile from Limestone, by a company of producers, assisted by the business men of the village. / Its capacity will be 60 barrels per day ; and, if the experiment proves successful, other refineries will soon be built by men who are anxiously watching what success shall attend this effort.

In the course of the oil development some important dis- coveries have been made and interesting curiosities revealed. Veins of salt water have been struck at various depths, some 80 strongly saline that 7 gallons of the water produced 1 gallon of salt of excellent quality. Pieces of petrified wood have been taken from wells 185 feet deep ; and in a well now being sunk on the Reservation a piece of charcoaled wood was found at a depth of 200 feet, and 90 feet above the first rock. Salt water was struck at a depth of 900 feet.

HAMLETS AND VILLAGES.

At Irvine's Mills is one of the oldest hamlets in town, the lumber interests here having caused quite a settlement. It is now a way-station on the Bradford Railroad, and con- tains 2 lumber-mills, a handle-factory, and a number of residences. A store was kept here at an early day by Thomas Clements, and afterwards by the owner of the mills. A tavern was also kept here.

VANDALIA

is a hamlet on the east line of the town, on the north bank of the Allegany, and consequently within the Reservation. The Erie Railroad has a switch at this place, but it does not regard it as a regular station, and no buildings or plat- form have been provided. Here are several lumber-mills, hemlock-extract works, several shops, store, tavern, and 130 inhabitants.

One of the first to engage in trade was Shepard Soule. He was followed by John Carr, Gilbert Soule, A. B. Can- field, M. H. Sweeten, and A. C. Bishop, at present in busi- ness.

John Carr kept the first public-house; the present is kept by Mrs. L. A. Vanetta.

The Vandalia post-office was established in 1867, having as the first postmaster William Soule. The subsequent ap- pointees have been John Carr, Gilbert Soule, and David Vanetta.

CARROLTON,

five miles down the Allegany, owes its existence wholly to being the junction of the railroads,-the Erie and the Bradford branch. Aside from what usually attends such a place it has no interests, there being but a small store and a few dwellings of the nature usually found in villages located on the Reservation; but the travel to the oil regions has brought considerable traffic to the junction, and there are three public-houses, and a large depot building, containing telegraph and express offices, an engine-house, having two stalls. The largest of these is kept by Peter Boyle, who is also the postmaster of the office established here a few years ago.

The United Pipe-Lines have a pump-station here, and four iron tanks, whose combined capacity is 60,000 barrels of crude oil. Hundreds of cars are loaded daily from a large loading-rack. There is also an elevated track for the ' reshipment of coal brought by the Bradford Railroad.

LIMESTONE,

on the east side of the Tuna Creek, two miles from the Pennsylvania line, is a very flourishing village, containing about 1200 inhabitants, and interests noted in detail in the following pages. Where the village now is was first a hamlet, locally known as Fullersburgh, from the number of Fuller families, who were the original settlers of the village site, and Limestone was the name applied to a hamlet on the west side of the creek, about three-fourths of a mile from the railroad-station. The term is evidently a mis- nomer, as no limestone rock formation exists anywhere in this locality. It is said to have had its origin from the cir- cumstance attending the exhumation of some skeletons in prehistoric mounds near by. When the bones were ex- posed to the air they crumbled to pieces, producing a white dust resembling slacked lime. This fact caused some of the settlers to remark that the bones were just like limestone ; hence the application to the stream on which the mound stood, and later to the hamlet. This contained a store, some time after 1850, by Daniel Warner, and soon after another store, by Hunt & Walker ; subsequently Brown & Hall and others were in trade, Daniel Walker being the last thus engaged.

A large public-house was erected at this place about 1855 by Nathan S. Sears, and kept by him a few years. Other landlords were James Blake, William Clark, and Henry Renner. The building is at present used as a tenement.

The location of the railroad on the east side of the creek and the subsequent building of the tannery where Limestone now is, diverted the business interests of the old village to this point; and the latter place is at present simply a farm settlement. Although Limestone had a substantial growth after the railroad was fully in operation, it did not rise above the character of a country trading-point until the oil in- terests in this section assumed importance; and only since 1876 has the village attained anything like its present pro- portions.

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

In 1876, H. H. Perry & Co., the chief owners of the village site, platted it, and from this time on the place has taken a position among the active, enterprising villages of the western part of the State, and, unlike many villages in the oil regions, has a permanent and inviting appearance. There are already many fine residences and business blocks, and others are being built.

Limestone was incorporated under the provisions of the act of 1870 on the 7th day of December, 1877, at an election held for this purpose, when 52 voters declared for incorpo- ration and 2 against. The bounds comprise 1000 acres of land lying along the base of the east hill, about 1} miles long and 1 mile wide. On the last day of December, 1877, village officers were chosen to serve until the regular meet- ing in March, 1878,-E. R. Schoonmaker, President ; Geo. Paton, E. J. Knapp, M. G. Bell, Trustees ; Shep. L. Vib- bard was appointed Corporation Clerk ; James Zeliff, Street Commissioner ; and J. W. Fritts, Fire- Warden.

Among other measures adopted and executed by the village board was the appropriation of $800 for a " lock-up" and public pound, which were erected in 1878; the streets have been graded at an outlay of $1600, and other interests have been materially enhanced since incorporation.

The present village officials are: President, E. R. Schoonmaker; Trustees, E. M. Bell, James Nichols, E. J. Knapp; Treasurer, C. M. Stone ; Collector, J. C. Deuell; Clerk, S. S. Marsh ; Street Commissioner, James Zeliff ; Fire-Warden, J. W. Fritts; Police Constable, O. M. Drake; Police Magistrate, Shep. L. Vibbard.

In 1847, Chase Fuller put up a small building at the head of Main Street, in which he opened a store, which was kept by him, Talcott Howard, and others, until 1856, when it became the property of Dodge & Smith, the proprietors of the tannery. They continued a store in this building until the fall of 1863, when they occupied what became known as the " Tuna Valley Store." This is a two-story building 75 feet long, and the upper story was originally used as a hall. In 1868, A. E. & G. W. Palen became merchants here, continuing until 1873. Since that period various firms have occupied this building, the store being at present kept by Schoonmaker, Goodsell & Co.

The second store in the place was put up in 1864, by D. E. & J. D. Bell, near the railroad-crossing, and is now known as the Harper building. In this, the Bell Bros. were in trade until 1876, when they moved into their fine building which was erected that season. They are the oldest merchants in the place. Another dry-goods store is kept by C. M. Stone.

The first drug-store was opened by Dr. James Nichols, in 1871, in the place occupied since 1876 by Nichols & Paton. A second drug-store, opened by Leonard & Co., in February, 1877, is now continued by H. S. Baker.

M. F. Higbee kept the first hardware-store, in 1876, in the Nichols' Block, which was erected that year. The upper story forms a room 36 by 57 feet, and is the public hall of the place. Greenwood & Coope, hardware dealers, have traded here since 1877.

The first grocers were Barry & Shafer, the former being still in trade. In this line are also W. H. H. Harper, J. C. Knapp & Co., William Paton, and others.

About 1862, William H. Cable opened the first tavern in a building yet used for hotel purposes, and known as the " Eagle House." Soon after Henry Renner put up a part of the present " Limestone House," which was enlarged to its present size by an addition on the west end in 1877. This house is yet kept by the widow of Renner. Opposite is the largest building in the place, a long three-story struc- ture, enlarged in the fall of 1876 by E. R. Schoonmaker, and since favorably known as the " Tunegwant House." E. C. Topliff and others have been landlords here. Besides these hotels, there are 6 or 8 other public-houses in the place.

The Limestone post-office was first kept at Irvine's Mills, about 1840, by F. E. Perkins. A. B. Rice was next appointed, then Abner O. Hunt, and after him Chase Fuller, the office being moved from time to time to the places occupied by the foregoing. The office has since been held by L. D. Warner, P. Hull, Daniel Smith, A. E. Palen, and E. R. Schoonmaker. There are five mails. per day.

The Limestone Bank, by Bell Bros., was opened No- vember, 1877, as a branch of the First National Bank of Olean.

The newspapers of Limestone are mentioned in the chapter on the press of the county.

The medical profession had as its first permanently located representative Dr. James Nichols. He came to the town in 1856, and since 1863 has been in active practice. In 1871, Dr. M. C. Bissell located as a prac- titioner, and still continues; and since the spring of 1878 Dr. Smith has been a resident physician.

As attorneys, there are at Limestone Frank H. Robin- son, admitted May 18, 1876, and located here September of that year; P. O. Berry, since November, 1876; Z. M. Swift, admitted in 1866, located January, 1877; and W. H. Gibbs, admitted in 1877, and located in the fall of 1878.

EDUCATIONAL.

In 1850 it was reported that the receipts from the county treasurer for school purposes were $63.33. In 1876 the receipts from the same source were $892.23; and total money received from all sources was $2038.33. Almost the entire school interests of the town are repre- sented by the Limestone Union Free School.

This was formed of Districts Nos. 1 and 3, in June, 1870, and a short time after had District No. 2 attached to it. Arthur Palen, Job Moses, John Mckenzie, John Hazzard, John A. De Voe, Eli Hooker, James Nichols, Nelson Barker, and R. E. Fuller constituted the first board of education.

A commodious two-story frame school-house was erected on a large lot the following year, which has been enlarged by the addition of a two-story wing on the north side of the main building. An appropriation of $2000 has been made for the erection of a similar wing on the south side, when it will be one of the largest school buildings in the county. At present it contains five well-appointed rooms, in which a like number of teachers are engaged.

The Union district also embraces branch schools at Hooker's, near the State line, and at Irvine's, north of

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Limestone. The number of children of school age in 1878 was 510, from which the school secured an attendance of 387. The amount expended for the support of these schools was 84000.

Oct. 7, 1878, an academic department was established, and an appropriation of $500 made for apparatus and library purposes. To conform to the new order, the name of the school was changed Nov. 4, 1878, to

THE LIMESTONE ACADEMY AND UNION SCHOOL,

and as such it is regarded by the Regents of the State, who have received it among the schools controlled by that body. The school is at present under the principalship of C. W. Robinson, assisted by three primary, one intermediate, one junior department, and one senior department teachers. The graduation is thorough, and the reputation of the school for scholarship is excellent.

The Board of Education is at present composed of E. R. Schoonmaker, President ; S. S. Marsh, Secretary ; E. M. Bell, Treasurer ; George Paton, Collector ; and James Nichols, M. C. Bissell, L. H. Stevens, D. F. Woodford, George W. Baker, M. G. Coggswell, and N. S. Kellogg, Trustees.

The town is at present comprised in five school districts, containing school-houses valued, with sites, at $7260. Number of teachers employed, nine, to whom was paid, in 1878, $2623. Number of weeks taught, 154}. Number of children of school age, 736; average daily attendance, 276. Amount of money received from the State, $1214.83. Amount of money received from tax, $3617.69.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

Aaron Kellogg relates that the first religious meeting in Carrolton was held at his place in 1831, that being the most roomy house in town at that period. The minister was a Rev. Mr. Glazier, of the Baptist persuasion. No church organization followed his efforts, and no organic body ex- isted until 1843, when a class of Methodists was formed in the southern part of the town. It appears, however, to have had many obstacles to overcome, resulting principally from the meagre settlements, and did not gain much in membership the following years. The minister on the Bradford circuit preached to this people every few weeks or less frequently, but not until the population of the town had been augmented by the oil development, was a move- ment made to erect a spiritual home. The first movement in this direction was the organization, May 21, 1872, of

THE FIRST SOCIETY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CARROLTON.

The trustees selected were James Nichols, Wm. McGill, Job Moses, Henry Wade, Cortes Harris, Israel Adams, Arthur Palen, George Higgs, and Ann Harris. But the purpose to build a church was not immediately consum- mated. In the spring of 1877, James Nichols, E. R. Schoonmaker, and E. M. Bell were appointed a building committee, and that season a very fine frame edifice, 35 by 50 feet, with a well-proportioned vestibule and corner tower, was erected in the village of Limestone, at a cost of $2100. It was dedicated Aug. 26, 1877, by the presiding elder,

Rev. L. F. Watson, and the Rev. John A. Copeland. The appointment now became a separate charge under the pasto- ral care of the Rev. Benjamin Copeland, who remained with the church until September, 1878, since when the Rev. R. C. Grames has been the pastor, preaching also at State Line and Nichols' Run.

The Limestone Church has 45 members, and a board of stewards composed of J. G. Drehmer, A. L. Metcalf, James A. Lewis, and George Paton. The former two, E. R. Schoonmaker, E. M. Bell, and Cortes Harris compose the board of trustees.

The Sunday-school connected with the church had its origin in a union school organized in 1876, with C. M. Stone superintendent. Since May 15, 1878, a separate Methodist Sunday-school has been maintained, having 87 scholars, and J. G. Drehmer as superintendent

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH (ROMAN CATHOLIC)

had its origin in the labors of the Franciscan brethren of Allegany, who preached here (Limestone) once a month. To accommodate the worshipers a small house was erected in the eastern part of the village, in which meetings were held with such success that in August, 1878, the mission became a parish, having the Rev. Father George as a resi- dent priest. Fifty families at present constitute the mem- bership.

The original house of worship was much enlarged and improved in 1877, and was consecrated anew in June, 1878. It is a plain frame, with annexes, and can seat 300 persons. In the fall of 1878 a very fine priest's house was erected on the same lot, by the devoted members of Limestone parish, and the entire property is valued at $2500.

THE LIMESTONE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

was formed June 19, 1877, with the following members : C. M. Stone, C. Johnson and wife, J. W. Fritts and wife, and Mrs. M. K. Todd. The Rev. R. G. Williams, of Brad- ford, supplied the society with preaching until the last Sun- day in May, 1878, the meetings being held semi-monthly in Nichols' Hall.

Since June 1, 1878, the Rev. C. F. Goss has served here and at Tanport, as pastor of the Presbyterian churches, his labors being attended with encouraging results. The mem- bers of the Limestone church number 18, and J. W. Fritts is their elder.

The first board of trustees, formed soon after the church, was composed of C. M. Stone, W. H. Harper, and Fred Gerwick.

In July, 1878, a Sunday-school was organized by the church, which at present has 40 members, and appears to be in a flourishing condition. The services of the church are still held in Nichols' Hall.

A YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

has recently been formed at Limestone, and under its direc- tion a public reading-room was opened, Dec. 2, 1878. A building on Pennsylvania Avenue has been fitted up and supplied with a good collection of books and periodicals. The project has been instituted and is carried forward mainly by the Revs. Goss, Grames, and Prof. C. W. Robin-

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History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 107

Author: Franklin Ellis and Eugene Arns Nash Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Franklin Ellis and Eugene Arns Nash
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: