History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 116

Author: Franklin Ellis and Eugene Arns Nash
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PIONEER SETTLERS.

Ebenezer Reed, from Connecticut, made the first settle- ment in town, near the mouth of Five-Mile Run, in 1820. Amos B. Orton began the same year, about one mile north from the river, on the lot which has since been known as the Henry Chamberlin place. Isaac Eggleston began about the same time, on the lot which some time after was bought and occupied since by S. J. Horton. Mr. Eggleston removed to the farm below J. Freeland, on the south side of the river. Andrew L. Allen located on the Austin farm, near the present residence of R. Wilber; and David Orton began on the H. Chamberlin farm, about 1820.

Wm. B. and David Orton, and Allen joined the Mor- mons and went to Nauvoo, about 1828.

Hiram Wood commenced on the Hall farm, at the foot of Chapell Hill, in 1821. Elias Fish made a beginning on what is known as the Blackmore place, now owned by John P. Phillips, in 1821. James Strong, Sr., began the

same year on the place now owned by his son, James Strong, Jr. Abiathar Phillips, Sr., began in 1826, on the lot after- wards owned and occupied by his son, A. Phillips, Jr., and now by Samuel R. Phillips. Deacon Thompson and Wm. and Erasmus Morgan located in Morgan Hollow, in about 1830. Josiah Hall, and Kinyon and Wilber, from Onon- daga County, came in about 1833. Wm. Faunce bought out A. B. Orton's place in 1828. Grandison Taylor occu- pied the place afterwards the Lathrop farm, in 1831. Samuel Bronson was on the Folsom farm in 1828. Deacon Warren began on the Conrad Becker farm, and - Tay- lor on the Christian Hartung place, about 1828. John Palmer settled on the north side of the river, in rear of the depot, in about 1830, and remained about five or six years. Wm. Wright began on the James Freeland farm, about 1831. John and Henry Altenburg settled on the south side of the river in about 1835. John Morris came to the Abel Burdick farm about 1831, and Lewis Pryce on a part of same lot at same time. Philo, Luther W., and Cyrus Hall settled on the Two-Mile Creek about 1848. Some time after his settlement, while himself and wife were ab- sent from home, one night, the shanty in which they lived took fire, and was entirely consumed, together with their four children, who had been left at home without any ap- prehension of the awful fate which awaited them. The father still resides on the Two-Mile Creek, with Joel Hall, his nephew.

James R. Clark and his four brothers, Barak, Raynor, Sanford, and Alfred, settled here about 1835. James R. began or lived on the place now owned by C. B. Learn. Alfred Clark kept a hotel for some time, and afterwards a grocery-store, succeeded by his son, Calvin G., who still continues the business on Main Street.

Other early settlers were Isaac Freeland and his brothers James and Andrew, Abel Burdick, Gleason, Reynolds, Franklin Smith, Reuben Lamberton, Geo. C. Sheldon, Win. and John Ellis, Jacob Sayles, Josiah Hall, Wm. and Jabez Chapin, Jason Blair, H. H. Janes, W. Parker, A. L. Simonds, Joseph Nessle, - Lyon, Morgan, - Gillett, - Gooden, and Rev. N. Folsom, who married a daughter of - Hubbard, who lived on the place now occupied by Leonard Becker. After the farm came into possession of Rev. Mr. Folsom, he built a large dwelling there, and Geo. P. Fuller occupied a part of the house. In 1863 it was entirely consumed by fire.

EARLY INCIDENTS.

From about 1830 to 1838, Franklin Smith, father of A. O., H. M., and W. H. Smith, and of Harriet Zemira, now the wife of A. H. Marsh, resided in a house which stood on the north bank of the river, near the present

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

school-house in district 9. By a heavy fall of rain, Oct. 19, 1835, the river suddenly raised to a flood, which over- flowed the banks and submerged the adjacent flat lands, being the greatest flood which had occurred in the river since the first settlement here, and only exceeded by the great flood of 1865. On the said 19th day of October, 1835, a daughter of said Franklin Smith was born, being the above-named Harriet Zemira, now Mrs. Marsh. When the child was not over six hours old, the impending danger from the rising flood required that the mother and child should be immediately removed to a place of safety. Ac- cordingly, they were placed in a skiff, which was run to the door of the house, and took the mother and her young daughter aboard, and carried them in safety over the swell- ing flood to a neighboring house which stood on higher and dryer ground.

The first marriage was that of Wm. B. Fox and Sally Strong, at the house of James Strong, in 1825. The first deaths were those of children of Isaac Eggleston, in 1823.

CIVIL HISTORY.

The building in which the town clerk's office for this town was kept, together with all the books, records, and papers belonging to the town, was destroyed by fire on the evening of Feb. 25, 1854.

Among those who had held the office of supervisor prior to that date were the following, viz .: Ebenezer Janes, Erastus Willard, H. W. McClure, James Freeland, A. O. Smith, S. B. Willard, Abiathar Phillips, S. J. Horton, James G. Johnson, and E. H. Blackmore.

Of those who were town clerks prior to 1854 were Jede- diah Lathrop, Dennis Lamberton, S. B. Willard, Isaac Fuller.

Among those acting as justices of the peace were Isaac Freeland, A. O. Smith, G. C. Sheldon, E. H. Blackmore, Seth Allen, Ebenezer Jones, Andrew Mead, and Erastus Willard.

At the annual town-meeting held at the house of Amos Scofield, in Allegany, Feb. 28, 1854, the following town officers were elected, viz. :

Supervisor, Caleb Jewett; Town Clerk, A. C. Keycs; Assessor, Shubael Simons; Commissioners of Highways, N. P. Covell, James Nessle, Wm. B. Fox ; Justice of the Peace, Cornell Wiltse ; Superintendent of Schools, A. P. Phillips ; Inspectors of Election, R. Welch, S. J. Horton, Seth Allen; Overscer of the Poor, George C. Sheldon ; Collector, S. Allen ; Constables, Eli Gleason, J. R. Jones, W. Hall, J. Starks, Davis Thornton; Sealer, C. R. Doty.

Since 1854, the principal officers elected at the several town-meetings in each year were :

1857. Edward S. Mills.

Albert J. Scofield. E. Willard.

Wm. B. Evans. A. C. Keyes. J. H. Farquharson. Andrew Mead.

A. II. Marsh.

W. II. Phillips.

1861. Edward S. Mills.

J. R. McConnell.

Cyrus G. MeKay.

1862. Gilbert Palen.

Dudley Phelps.

E. Willard.

John P. Colegrove. Edgar Shaw.

W. II. Phillips.

Supervisors.

Town Clerks.

Justices of the Peace.

1865. E. Willard.

Nathan A. Dye. C. Wiltse.

1866.

Chas. Dolan. H. Couchman.

1867.

Dudley Phelps. Balthasar Witman. Frederick Smith. N. A. Dye.

1868. Andrew Mead.

M. Thornton.

1869. J. B. Strong.

J. B. Wilkins.

1870.

Michael Thornton.

1871. Asa Haskell.

Charles Spraker.

E. C. Howard. John Collins.

1872.

E. R. McClure. E. Willard.

1873. H. W. McClure.

J. B. Strong.

1874. E. C. Howard.

A. Haskell.

1875. James Freeland.

E. C. Howard.

1876. Z. Geo. Bullock.

C. J. Hickey.

E. Willard.

1877. Asa Haskell.

Lewis S. Corthell.

N. A. Dye.

1878. J. II. Farquharson.

E. R. MeClure.

D. Thurber.

ALLEGANY CITY. .

In 1837, Nicholas Devereux, of Utica, a large land-owner in Cattaraugus, laid out and surveyed into lots a proposed town, which was expected at that time to become an import- ant station on the Erie Railroad, the first survey of which ran through it. The name of the new town was Allegany City. A large building was erected, which was designed for a hotel, and several other buildings were also erected for various purposes. The site of this contemplated city is about a mile southeast from Allegany village. Soon after this be- ginning was made work on the Erie Railroad was suspended, and business at Allegany City also came to a stand-still. When work on the railroad was again resumed, in 1848, a new survey located the road some half a mile farther north, and consequently the city project was abandoned. This contemplated city was to have been built on the Devereux farm so-called, which contains about 300 acres, and is situ- ated on the north side of Allegany River. It has for sev- erul years been owned by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. A plat of Allegany City was made in 1842 by Maj. T. I. Brown. It embraced the proposed route of the Erie Railroad, the site for the depot, with the location and names of various streets. A splendid map of the city was printed, which had a beautiful appearance on paper, but the city never had any more tangible existence.

ALLEGANY VILLAGE.

The village of Allegany, on the north side of the river, is situated in the central part of the town. The buildings are detached considerably, and stretch over a distance of nearly a mile, from Five-Mile Creek to St. Bonaventure College. There are five church edifices,-Methodist Epis- copal, Free Methodist, Roman Catholic, German Lutheran, and Presbyterian,-2 tanneries, a brewery, planing-mill and sash-factory, grist-mill, 2 saw-mills, a cheese-factory, 7 or 8 stores, and as many groceries, and 2 or 3 hotels. There are 2 harness-shops, one by L. S. Corthell, who located here in 1859, and the other by C. B. Smith & Co., who began in 1876 ; 2 wagon-shops, one by J. G. Wiedman, who has been engaged in the business here for over twenty years, and one by George Karst, of several years' standing. Both manu- facture light and heavy carriages of the best quality. There are in the village the shoe-shops of E. R. McClure, R. Faulkner, H. & V. Hyde, John Bockmier, and N. Hatch, the cabinet-shops of August Stintman and John Gasper, the marble-factory of M. R. Collins, which employs 4 or 5

Supervisors.

Town Clerks.

Justices of the Peace.

1855. James G. Johnson.

Edgar Shaw.

James Freeland. Warren Onan.

1856. A. O. Smith.

Luther P. Forbes.

1858. Hiram Couchman. 1859. David Austin. 1860. Gilbert Palen.

1863. James Freeland. 1864. "

Dudley Phelps. "

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PHOTO. BY T. E. BRISTOL

MRS. D.W.WARD

D.W.WARD

WARD'S HOTEL

HOWE

VIEW OF WARD'S HOTEL, OPPOSITE THE ERIE R.R. DEPOT. ALLEGANY, N.Y. D.W.WARD, PROPRIETOR.

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

hands, and the tin and sheet-iron shops of A. C. Keyes and J. W. Hermance. The population is about 1000.

There are several well-finished brick dwellings in the vil- lage. Those of E. Willard, E. Sweeten, E. D. Mixer, E. B. Strong, George Karst, and William Zink are all well built, and have a fine appearance.

ROCKVIEW

is the name given to a new village which has rapidly been built on the Four-Mile Creek,-the new oil region,-three- fourths of a mile west of Rock City, and in sight of that strange formation. The new village contains 5 or 6 stores, about 50 dwellings and boarding-houses, a few saloons, and several mechanic shops. There are 60 to 70 oil-derricks in the immediate neighborhood ; also three iron oil-tanks, of a capacity of 25,000 barrels each.

Stephansburg, half a mile north of Rockview, has about half as many buildings, with a school-house, 3 or 4 stores, several boarding-houses, saw-mill, and several mechanic shops.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The interval and flat lands of the Allegany River Valley are a mile in width, and those of Five-Mile Run, through the central part of the township, average half a mile in width.

The old Buffalo and Olean stage-road, coming over Chapell hill, followed the valley of the Five-Mile to a point about a mile north of the present site of Allegany village ; thence it ran about a mile north of the river, along the base of the hills. This road was cut through the forest, and became an important mail-route, about 1815. From that time until 1852, when its use was mostly superseded by the construction of the Erie Railroad, it was one of the most useful and stirring thoroughfares in Western New York. Stages passed daily over this road, after about 1822, and often they were loaded with passengers, sometimes requiring extra teams for their conveyance.

A road was marked out and used by the pioneers, as early as 1815, running from Olean (then Hamilton) down the north side of the river, and following usually the river- bank. About 1845 the present road from Allegany village to Olean was opened and made passable for teams. At that date numerous tall and stately pine-trees lined the road on either side for nearly the whole extent of the town.

One of the early stage-drivers and proprietors was Peter Sampson, of Ashford, who in the early days drove over the route between Buffalo and Olean. He was a hale, intelli- gent, and industrious German, from the Mohawk country. Reuben Hurlburt, of Ellicottville, was also one of the early stage-drivers.

The first bridge across the river at Allegany village (a frame structure) was built in 1846. It was carried away by a flood, as were two others, before 1872.

An iron bridge was built over the river in 1873, at a cost of $15,000, raised by tax in three years. It is 300 feet in length.

The Olcan, Bradford and Warren Railroad runs through the south part of Allegany. There are some five stations on that road, in this town. They are called Two-Mile, Four-Mile, Rock City, Knapp's Creek, and State Line. It

is a narrow-gauge road, built with much energy and dis- patch in the fall of 1877.

LUMBERING AND MILLS.

The primitive forest was dense, and in many parts inter- spersed with choice pine-trees. The manufacturing of pine lumber, which was run in rafts down the river for market, constituted a leading branch of employment for the carly settlers. Many men were employed in the business, and many teams were required to draw the logs to the mills. The first settlers were mostly too much engaged in the lumbering business to devote any great attention to clearing up the land, or to agricultural pursuits. At least a dozen saw-mills were built by the first settlers, on the Five-Mile Creek and other streams, and put in operation. The old- fashioned water-wheels and straight upright saws were then in use, but large quantities of lumber were manufactured during each year.

The lumbermen who operated in this town in the early years of its settlement erected a large number of saw-mills, among which were the following :

1. Reuben Lamberton built a mill near the mouth of Five-Mile Run in 1830. . This was run by him for about five years, when he sold to its present owner, George C. Sheldon, who has continued as the proprietor to the present time.

2. A mill was built by Anson King on the same stream, about half a mile above Lamberton's, in 1827. After his death, in 1838, his step-son, James G. Johnson, his son-in- law, George Van Campen, and other heirs became the pro- prietors, and in 1840 it was sold to Jacob M. Park, the present proprietor.

3. The next mill on that creek is the one now owned by Charles Chamberlain, who built it about 1850. Near this Mr. Chamberlain built a small grist-mill in 1874.

4. Next on the creek is the mill of J. Blair, built in 1845 by S. B. Willard.

5. The next mill was built by William B. Fox, in 1848. It stood about four miles north of the river, on the same creek. Ile sold in 1854, and it has since gone to ruin.

6. The sixth mill on the Five-Mile, in this town, was built by Freeman Wilber, in 1856, near the present dwell- ing of Lyman Trucsdell. It was abandoned after being used several years, and has entirely disappeared.

7. About 1831 a dam was constructed across the river by Guy C. Irvine, Wm. Forbes, Wm. Clark, and Jedediah Budlong, at a point about a mile above the mouth of Nine- Mile Creek, and a large saw-mill was built there, on the south side of the river, by that company.

8. Another, on the north side of the river, was built by Calvin T. Chamberlain. These mills made a large amount of lumber for several years, until about 1852, when that of Irvine & Co. was abandoned, and a few years later the mill on the north side was also discontinued.

9. A saw-mill was built on Nine-Mile Creek, at Vandalia, in 1840, by David Chamberlain, and was afterwards owned by Ira Washburn and R. Patterson. About 1848, Richard H. McCoy became the owner, and it is now the property of his son Albert McCoy.

10. There was a saw-mill two miles above Vandalia, on

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the same stream, built by Wm. Grimes about 1858, which was allowed to run down after being used a few years.

11. A steam saw-mill, on the same stream, three miles from the river, was built by Roy Stone & Co., in 1866. It was capable of sawing 25,000 feet per day ; 30 hands were employed. A settlement comprising 8 to 10 families, and known as " Stone's Camp," found a home there in the wilderness. The mill was burned in 1868, but rebuilt in a year or two, and is still doing a good, but not as large a busi- ness as formerly. It is now owned by E. Willard.

12. About the year 1832, Dr. Andrew Mead built a saw- mill near the mouth of Four-Mile Creek. In 1838 it be- came the property of Seymour Bouton, who is still its owner.

13. Levi McNall built a water-power saw-mill on the Four-Mile, two miles south of the river, in 1848. In 1863 he built a steam saw-mill, which was used for the manufacture of a large amount of lumber until 1874, when it was burned. It was rebuilt soon after, and still does a good business.

14. About 1854, a saw-mill was built by Geo. Van Campen, on Four-Mile Creek, on the lot now occupied by Mrs. Perkins. It was used for several years.

15. A saw-mill built by Jos. Nessle on his farm was in use only a few years.

16. A mill, built by Colonel J. G. Johnson and A. O. & W. H. Smith, in 1853, stood near the present residence of Mrs. Carroll, and was burned in 1854.

17. D. Austin and - Crosby built a saw-mill on the site of Wm. Stephan's mill, in 1852.

18. A mill was built near the present dwelling of M. Donohue, in 1855, by Johnson & Smith, and after being used a few years was sold to David & Joel Hall, and the machinery was taken by them to supply a mill on Two-Mile Run.

19. William Stephan built an overshot saw-mill, in 1868, on the same stream, four miles from the river, at a place now called Stephansburg. His mill was burned about 1870, but has been rebuilt.

20. D. & J. Hall built a steam saw-mill on the Two- Mile Creek, in 1860. It was burned in 1867, and soon after rebuilt.

21. In 1874, Rufus Austin built a steam saw-mill, about a mile south of the river, and used a part of the machinery of Hall's mill in the construction of the new one, and he makes a considerable amount of lumber.

22. A steam saw-mill was built in 1833, by Paul Reed, near the Three-Mile Creek, between the river and the present Olean road.

23. A steam saw-mill, containing also a run of stones for grinding, was built by J. C. Devereux & Co., in 1848, near the tannery of the Strong estate. This mill employed several hands, and for several years manufactured a large quantity of lumber. It was burned in 1860.

24. A good steam saw-mill was erected on the south side of the river, about four miles below Allegany village, in 1852, by C. J. & D. Soule.

25. A steam saw-mill, on Birch Run, was built by Joseph Richler & Son, in 1873, and is now owned by Joseph Richler, Jr.

26. Charles Soule & Son built a steam saw-mill on the south side of the river, above the mouth of Birch Run, in 1873.

27. A saw-mill was built by William Morgan, in Mor- gan Ifollow, in 1848. After a few years it was discon- tinued.

28. A large steam grist- and saw-mill was built on the north bank of the river, in the village, by Hiram Wheaton and J. H. Farquharson, in 1873. In 1874, Mr. Wheaton sold his interest to Mr. Farquharson, who ran the cstub- lishment until the fall of 1878, when he rented to Jerome Brownell.

29. About 1856, Patrick McMahon built a large steam saw-mill on Chipmunk Creek, some two miles from the river. He employed from 20 to 40 men, and for several years manufactured a large quantity of lumber. Mr. Mc- Mahon had previously been engaged in constructing the famous bridge over the Genesee River, at Portage, and a part of the machinery and apparatus used in the mill which sawed the lumber for that bridge was brought to the mill on the Chipmunk Creek.

The foregoing embrace all of the most important mills which have been built in the town of Allegany.

Allowing that one-half of these 30 mills were making an average of 250,000 feet of lumber each a year, and we have an aggregate amount of 3,750,000 feet as the quan- tity of lumber manufactured in Allegany and sent to mar- ket annually. Taking the period from 1830 to 1860,- thirty years,-there was an average of 15 mills running during the season. This estimate makes the total amount manufactured in thirty years preceding 1860, 112,500,000 feet.

TANNERIES.

The first tannery in Allegany was built in 1854, on the north bank of the river, by Col. J. G. Johnson, Gilbert Palen, and Caleb Jewett. It was a large establishment for those times, and the first sole-leather tannery in the southern tier of counties west of Delaware County. In 1857 it was sold to Palen & Strong. Some years later Mr. Strong be- came the owner, and he conveyed the property to his son, the late Jarius B. Strong, by whom it was conducted until his death. In 1876 it was destroyed by fire, but was re- built the same year. The tannery, together with the large estate left by Mr. Strong, is now under the management of E. C. Howard, administrator, and his sister, Mrs. Strong, administratrix. About 15 men are employed to carry on the business. Before the death of Mr. Strong about 4000 to 6000 sides of sole-leather were manufactured annually.

A small upper-leather tannery was built by Edwin R. McClure, in 1868, in the western part of the village. Mr. McClure commenced tanning in this town in 1849, and still continues the business.

In 1876, A. B. Canfield & Co. built a tannery, 40 by 40, two stories high, at Vandalia, in this town. It employs 2 or 3 hands.

PLANING-MILL AND SASH- AND DOOR-FACTORY.

In 1840 a large building was erected by Couchman & Mills, about thirty rods below Palen & Strong's tannery, for the purpose of manufacturing doors, sash, and blinds, and

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planing. And afterwards Lewis S. Hall became the pro- prietor. The establishment was destroyed by fire in 1862. It was rebuilt by Mr. Hall, and conducted by him until his death, in 1876, since which time the business has been carried on by his son, George A. Hall. In former years it was the custom to build a large boat each year, to be used in conveying prepared lumber, doors, sash, and blinds down the river. These articles were sold at various places on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Latterly the increased de- mand for their work at home and in the vicinity makes a market here for all that is manufactured at the establish- ment. About 6 to 8 hands are employed. Annual sales, about $12,000.

PUBLIC-HOUSES.

The first inn was kept by Ebenezer Reed, near the mouth of Five-Mile Run, in 1820. A few years later an inn was kept in the north part of the town by Raynor Clark.

About 1833, David Chamberlain resided at the mouth of Nine-Mile Creek. Soon after he was succeeded by Ira Washburn, who kept an inn for some time, and then moved to Hinsdale, where he still lives. After him Robert Pat- terson, now of Kill Buck, kept the hotel at that point. This was about 1847, and the next year R. H. McCoy bought the saw-mill and hotel. ITis son still resides in the house, now used as a dwelling.

In 1838 a hotel was kept in the north part of the village by Barak E. Clark, and in 1841 one was kept by Raynor Clark. It was afterwards kept by Alfred Clark. Joseph Nessle built the tavern now kept by P. Hogan, on Main Street. First it was kept by A. P. Stetson, and by Glover, N. Salisbury, Chas. Hall, Amos Allen, D. Vannatta, M. Stone, and C. II. Emerson.

In 1852 a large three-story hotel was built near the de- pot, called the Devereux House. It was kept for different periods by R. P. Stetson, James Razcy, E. Holmes, R. H. Renwick, H. M. Smith, Abram Gray, Benj. Baldwin, and bought, in 1858, by Mrs. Ward, and the name changed to Ward's Hotel. D. W. Ward is the present landlord. It is one of the best hotels in the country.

About 1852 a large hotel and store building was erected in front of the depot, and called " The Block." Built by S. B. Willard, Devereux, and Bentley. It was destroyed by fire in 1861.

STORES.

The first general store at Burton village, now Allegany, was kept by S. B. & E. Willard, in a building which stood on the east side of the creek, in 1844. Alfred Clark kept a grocery and a hotel in 1844 in the north part of the vil- lage. George Bascom kept a store in a building on the north side of Bascom Street in 1848. He built a store 36 by 80, on the corner of Main and Bascom Streets, in 1854. This building was moved in 1875 to the west side of Main Street, and is called " Bascom Hall," the second story having been fitted up commodiously for meetings, concerts, and public exhibitions. David Chase kept a store in a building on the north side of same street, and he built the store and dwelling which has been occupied by Mrs. Bridget Zink as a dwelling, brewery, and saloon since 1854.

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History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 116

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: