History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 119

Author: Franklin Ellis and Eugene Arns Nash
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In the fall of 1843, clad in home-made sheep's gray, with one extra shirt, two pair of socks tied up in a bandana, and fifty cents in cash, he left his parental home (to which

he never returned, except on short visits) for the town of Burton, now Allegany, where he engaged in teaching school until March, 1844, at twelve dollars per month. Many of the now good and wealthy citizens and farmers of the Five-Mile Valley, Allegany, were then his scholars. In the spring of 1844, Mr. Willard took charge of a large quantity of lumber, and went with it to the Southern markets, where he became acquainted with the late Judge Benjamin Chamberlain.

Returning to Allegany late in December, 1844, Mr. Willard purchased a small stock of goods, which he ex- changed for boards and shingles, after disposing of which he went on foot to Rochester, and from thence by rail and boat to New York City, where he met Judge Chamberlain, who introduced him to the New York merchants. This was the real commencement of his long mercantile life, in which business he is still engaged.

Mr. Willard was married, April 26, 1848, to Miss Har- riet A. Huntley, who was born in Cuba, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1828. Her father, Henry Huntley, was born in Herkimer, N. Y., in 1804. Her grandfather, the late Abner Huntley, was born in Charlestown, near Bunker Hill, Mass., in 1767, and died at Scio, Allegany Co., N. Y., in 1877, at the ex-

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

traordinary age of one hundred and ten years. He was familiar with very many of the incidents and the hardships of the Revolution. In 1875, while visiting at Mr. Wil- lard's, he related to him that he had never used as much as one pint of spirituous liquors in his life, remarking, "I am

he still retains. Mr. Smith owes his success to three very important traits of character, viz., integrity, perseverance, and economy. Mr. Smith's brother, George, gave his ser- vices to his country, and fell, fatally wounded, in the battle of Gettysburg. John S. Smith, another brother, is em-

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@ Willard,

one hundred and eight years old, and am breaking a three years' old colt to ride." He voted for General Washing- ton, second term, and at every presidential election since, up to and including General Grant's last term. He left his native State and settled in Cuba in 1824. He was for many years a member of a Christian Church. We have not space to recount but a few of the interesting incidents of the life of this remarkable man.

Mr. Willard's family embraced three children, of whom but one now survives. Charles Willard was born in Alle- guny, N. Y., March 11, 1849, and died the 10th day of November, 1865, of typhoid fever contracted while a stu- dent at the Alfred Academy. He was a noble young man, affable and courteous, and respected by all who knew him. It is said death loves a shining mark.

Clare Willard, second child and son, was born in Allegany, July 28, 1870.

Hattie, third child and only daughter, was born in Alle- gany, Aug. 5, 1872, and died September 7, same year.

Frederick Smith, a member of Mr. Willard's family for the past twenty years, was born in Germany, Oct. 21, 1841, emigrating to the United States in 1851, landing in New York City on the 26th of December, from whence he went to Buffalo, N. Y., where he remained until 1856, when with his parents he came to and settled in Allegany, N. Y., and soon engaged as a clerk in Mr. Willard's store. By strict attention to business and rigid integrity he soon became master of the situation, and in 1868 became equal partner with Mr. Willard in the mercantile business, which position

MRS. WILLARD.

ployed as clerk in the store of Willard & Smith. Both Frederick and John are unmarried. Their mother survives their father, and is still living at the old homestead in Alle- gany, a lady of great moral worth.

Clare Mit Lands

Mr. Willard has represented his town on the Board of Supervisors for five terms; was first elected in 1847. Was supervisor three years during the late war, and aided in

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WILLARD & SMITH'S STORE.

ALLEGANY, NEW YORK.

RESIDENCE OF E. WILLARD.

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RESIDENCE OF ADDISON SPRAGUE, MANSFIELD, CATTARAUGUS CON.Y.

C. G. LOCKE, DEL.

RESIDENCE OF HENRY L. FOOTE, MANSFIELD, CATTARAUGUS CON.Y.

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promptly filling the quotas of his town ; he was not drafted, but felt it his duty to put a substitute into the service, pay- ing him three hundred dollars extra.

Mr. Willard was elected magistrate in 1844, which posi- tion he has since continuously held, except a part of one year. He remembers twenty-five years ago the Hon. Mar- shall B. Champlin, of Cuba, late attorney-general, and the late lamented Senator White, of Olean, were opposing coun- sel before him on several occasions. From these gentlemen Mr. Willard learned very many useful lessons. In 1877 he was the candidate of the Democratic party for member of Assembly, polling a large vote, but not sufficient to over- come the plurality vote of the opposition.

Uniting with the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1865, he has stood firmly by it amid some very severe trials.

Mr. and Mrs. Willard are still members of the Methodist Church at Allegany.

Trusting in Divine Providence, Mr. Willard has been actuated by the faith that God helps those who help them- selves in all the legitimate industries of life, as it will easily be seen that he owes his success to personal exertion.

Coming to Allegany thirty-six years since, he found there one blacksmith-shop, one hotel, and a very few small dwell- ings where the village is now situated. At the election in the spring of 1844 sixty-one votes were polled ; now (1879) Allegany has over six hundred voters.

Mr. Willard's father died about the time Erastus com-

menced business, thus leaving him without parental advice, experience, or financial aid. About twenty-five years since, Mr. Willard, with Geo. C. Sheldon, James G. Johnson, Geo. Van Campen, A. V. Smith, Geo. Bascom, Jas. Free- land, H. W. McClure, and Henry Chamberlain, aided largely in erecting and paying for the present Presbyterian and Methodist church edifices, and afterwards aided to build the Lutheran and Catholic places of worship. All of the earlier improvements of Allegany owe their existence to the ear- nest labor and material aid furnished by the pioneers above named. How little many of those now enjoying these im- provements realize the sacrifice required twenty-five years ago to build them !

Mr. Willard knows what hardship means ; he remembers 1837, when flour was twenty-five dollars per barrel, the country around Franklinville new, the crops destroyed by the late frosts; when the winters were long and severe, and poor families suffered immensely. Very many of the earlier settlers testify to timely aid from him. One peculiar trait of his character is never to retaliate evil for evil, but cull the good from the past and present, harboring ill-will towards none. It is said during an active business life of thirty-six years he has not collected a single debt by forced sale of a debtor's property.

Messrs. Willard & Smith have one of the largest and best stores in Western New York, and are actively engaged in the mercantile business at Allegany.

MANSFIELD.

MANSFIELD is one of the interior towns of Cattaraugus County, lying a little northwest of the centre. Its surface is broken, formed of irregular ranges of hills and narrow valleys. The highest elevations are found in the southeast part, rising 300 feet above the Erie Railway, and over 2000 feet above the sea. It is watered in the north by the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek, and several small streams tributary to it; and in the south part by the head-waters of Little Valley Creek.

The soil on the uplands is a hard clay loam, and a gravelly loam in the valleys; productive, and well adapted to grazing, stock-raising, and dairying. The attention of the farming classes is mainly devoted to cheese-making. The cheese-factories of W. A. Fox, which are located at Eddyville, William's Hill, and Fish Hill; those of John W. Osborn, at Five Corners and Dublin; and those of Messrs. Hunt & Pierce, at Hencoop and West Hill, com- prising 7 different establishments, all in active operation, use the milk of more than 2000 cows, and produce an aggregate of over 500,000 pounds of cheese yearly. The products of these factories are sold monthly, and are sent forward to the New York and European markets.

The cheese-box manufactory of Messrs. G. W. G. Bowen & Son, at Eddyville, employs 15 men during the

busy season, and manufactures 50,000 boxes annually, all of which are used in the county.

This township has a total area of 24,821 acres, of which 15,848 acres are improved, and in 1875 had a population of 1151 inhabitants.

ITS EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first action taken looking towards the settlement of township 4, range 7 of the Holland Purchase, was in 1818, when Benjamin Chamberlain, Nathaniel Fish, Lothrop Vinton, Edmund Kemp, Zira Fenton, Timothy Morgan, and Amos Morgan made contracts for land on lots 10, 33, 40, and 57. Of those named, only Nathaniel Fish, Amos and Timothy Morgan became actual settlers, while Fenton and his brother made an attempt on lot 40, but abandoned their work after cutting down the timber on several acres.

It is claimed that Amos Morgan was the first settler. He located on lot 33, where John Barras now resides, in 1818, and remained there until about 1825, when he removed to the north part, and settled on the farm now owned by Milton Little, or the same lot that had been slashed by the Fentons. Ten years later, Mr. Morgan and his family removed to Northern Ohio. Two of his sons subsequently became captains of steamers on Lake Erie.

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Nathaniel Fish, of Sandwich, Mass., settled on lot 10, in the southeast part, March 1, 1819. At about the same time he opened an inn or " place of entertainment," which was the first kept in town. Mr. Fish was one of the prominent men of the town during the early days, and was the first collector elected by the people of Cecilius. He was accompanied here by his son, Prince William Fish, who was also a prominent, active citizen, was one of the two first justices of the peace in the town of Cecilius, and the first person married here.

As before mentioned, Zira Fenton and his brother- whose name is unknown-came from the town of Collins, Erie Co., and in 1819 began cutting timber for a clearing on lot 40. They commenced one on the north and the other on the south side of that lot. Fearing attack from wild beasts, they constructed a platform in a large leaning basswood tree that stood near the south branch of Catta- raugus Creek. Around this tree they formed a circle of dry brush, which was to be fired if there was danger of attack. Within this circle they repaired after the day's work was done. They would build a fire, cook, and eat their supper, and sit there until drowsiness admonished them to seek their retreat in the basswood, where they slept till morning. During their sojourn here, a brother started from Gowanda to make them a visit, marked trees being his guide. Darkness overtook him before reaching his destination, and he lost his way. After searching in vain for some time, he commenced to halloo, hoping thus to attract the attention of his brothers, and make their whereabouts known. The latter were engaged at the time in cooking their supper, and hearing the voice of their brother mistook it for that of a panther; they concluded they were about to be attacked by wild beasts, and, having set fire to the brush, sought their retreat in the basswood tree and awaited results. Their brother's attention was attracted by the lurid glare of the flames, and he turned his steps in that direction. He found them very much frightened, and relieved to know how harmless was the cause of their alarm. The three brothers remained here until the beginning of the winter of 1819 and 1820, when they concluded to return and pass the winter at their old home in Erie County. They pro- ceeded on their way as far as Cattaraugus Creek, where, in attempting to cross on a log on the ice, one of them fell in. As a long distance had to be traveled ere the cabin of a settler could be reached, the unfortunate man nearly per- ished with cold. The brothers were disgusted with pioneer life in the wilds of Cattaraugus, and never returned.

Josiah R. Hollister, a veteran of the Revolutionary war, accompanied by his sons, Samuel L. and Josiah R., Jr., emigrated from Cairo, Greene Co., N. Y., to Ovid, Seneca Co., N. Y., in 1806. In 1811 they came to Cattaraugus County, settling first at Franklinville, where they remained until 1816, when they removed to Great Valley, and in March, 1821, to Mansfield, locating in the eastern part, on lot 14. They came to this town with a sled drawn by an ox-team. One mile west of Ellicottville they left the road and cut a passage through the woods to the place of settle- ment, a distance of three miles. A temporary house was built by rolling up logs and covering the same with hem- lock-bark. In the autumn a good substantial log house

was erected, and covered for a few years with the same material. Help to raise it was procured at Ellicottville, where their nearest neighbors resided for the first two years.

During the winter of 1821-22 two men came in and cut five acres of timber on the site of Union Corners. The following spring the Hollisters cleared this up, receiving in payment the ashes obtained by burning the timber and what crops could be raised upon it the first season. They planted one-half of it to corn, and upon the remainder was sowed oats. The bears, which were very numerous at that time, destroyed most of the corn.

The elder Hollister, who, during the war of the Revolu- tion, had been a prisoner in Canada for two years, died soon after his settlement in Mansfield. Josiah R., Jr., was a soldier during the war of 1812, and died at the age of eighty-one years. Samuel L. Hollister, the elder son, died in 1849, aged sixty-one years. His widow, aged eighty- seven years, still survives, and resides with her son, Mr. Alson Hollister, of Mansfield.

Aaron Razey came from Rhode Island and settled near Nathaniel Fish, in February, 1821.

Jacob B. Van Aernam, accompanied by his son Abram, was the first to settle in the northwest part of the town, and located there in 1822. He was followed in the fall of the same year by John Chapman, and a little later by Samuel Harvey. Mr. Harvey was from Marcellus, Onondaga Co., and reached the place of his settlement Sept. 22, 1822. He returned to his native town, and remained during the following winter. On the 12th of March, 1823, he, in company with a young man named Daniel Wallace, each with a yoke of oxen, started for the new settlement. They had intended to start in the early part of the winter, and waited until March for snow to fall in sufficient quantity to make sleighing. Being disappointed in this, they started with wagons, finding good roads east of the Genesee. West of that river they found snow ; and at Warsaw there was so much snow, that farther progress with a wagon was almost impossible. With great difficulty they reached a relative of Mr. Wallace's, from whom they obtained an ox- sled ; with this they reached a place on Cattaraugus Creek called Zoar. There they left their ox-teams, and proceeded on foot to the place of settlement. After crossing to the south side of the creek, and reaching the uplands, they found the snow from two and a half to three feet deep. They soon after returned to Zoar for their teams, and brought back with them about 500 pounds of hay,-all they could carry on the sled; but this was reduced nearly one- half in making the journey through trees, brush, over logs, etc. As soon as the snow settled sufficiently to enable them to work their teams in the woods, they went up to their lands and cut timber for a shanty. They stayed in the mean time with Jacob B. Van Aernam, who, with John Chapman, assisted at the raising. The house was covered with " long shingles," made by splitting hollow logs through the centre; the first course being laid with the hollow side up, and the next conversely over the joints of these. An opening was cut in one side, and a bed-quilt, hung before it, answered the purpose of a door. The floor was made of hewn basswood logs. They moved into this house about

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LYMAN NEWTON.

MRS. LYMAN NEWTON.

LYMAN NEWTON.

Whose lives are more worthy to be recorded on the pages of history than they who came into a country when it was in a wild state, and by mani- fold exertions overcame every obstacle of success and finally were triumphant at the end? Of this class the person of whom we write is a living ex- ample. He was born in the town of Truxton, Cortland Co., N. Y., June 11, 1807, being the second son and third child of a family of eight children of Reuben and Eunice (Manly) Newton. His parents were natives of the State of Vermont, his father being born June 17, 1774; his mother July 15, 1782. They removed in an early day to Cortland County, and when our subject was about a year old emigrated to Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N. Y. He was a resident of that county a number of years; but finally, in 1823, he located in the town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus Co., and set- tled and commenced clearing a farm of one hundred acres, in which he was assisted by his son Lyman. The farm is still in the possession of the last named .* Lyman lived upon his father's farm till the year 1828, when he started in the world for himself by hiring out to work by the month, in which occu- pation he was engaged for the space of two years. He was married, July 14, 1830, to Sarah D., daughter of Robert and Bethiah Kidney, they being among the early settlers of Mansfield, having removed from Marcellus, Onondaga Co., in 1824. Their daughter was born in the latter town, Dec. 27, 1811.

* His parents are both buried in the town ; they lived to be over sixty years-of age, his father passing away from earth April 21, 1833, and was followed, Aug. 20, 1846, by his worthy partner in life.

In the fall after his marriage Mr. Newton purchased his first farm, consisting of one hundred acres of wild land, and commenced to clear it; he has* fol- lowed the business of farming ever since, and at one time kept the largest dairy in the county, milk- ing eighty-five cows. He has increased his worldly possessions by industry, economy, and frugality, so that he is now the owner of eight hundred acres of land, all located in a body in the town of Mansfield.

The fruit of his marriage was two sons,-Milton, born Sept. 27, 1834, and Myron L., born June 15, 1836,-both of whom are married, and reside on farms adjoining their father. Politically, Mr. New- ton formerly belonged to the old Whig party, but joined the Republican on its organization, and though solicited a number of times to hold public offices has always steadily refused to serve his fellow-citizens in that capacity. Himself and wife were originally members of the First Baptist Church of Mansfield ; they still believe in that form of Christian religion ; but that church having become extinct they have never connected themselves with any other. The first religious services ever held in the town of Mansfield were at his father's house.

Mr. Newton, now at an advanced age, looks back upon a life spent with a great deal of pleasure. He, in connection with his worthy helpmate, with no other legacy than their hands, have amassed a fortune of which they may be justly proud ; they have worked hard, but success has attended their efforts, and we only hope they may be permitted to enjoy for a number of years the fruits of their industry.

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the middle of April, and then began chopping for a fallow. Mr. Harvey cleared 15 acres, and sowed it to wheat that fall.

When he came here he brought with him a dozen extra axes, 7 of which he sold to as many persons, who paid for them by cutting an acre of timber fit for logging, and for each of the remainder he received about 6 days' work. In 1823 he went six miles to get a bushel of seed-potatoes, which he planted on the 27th of June of that year; and the same year he went a distance of 18 miles to get seed- wheat, having first to go a distance of 5 miles to get a wagon with which to bring it home. The following year Elihu Alvord, who had just settled in the southeast part, cut a road through to Mr. Harvey's place, a distance of 6 miles, to get wheat for sced. The nearest grist-mill was at Gowanda, then called Lodi, 14 miles distant ; and frequently, to save two miles of travel, Mr. Harvey would ford the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek.

On reaching the stream, he threw off his load, and hav- ing driven his oxen and sled across it, carried his grist, one bag at a time, wading through water two or three feet deep, until the last bag was safely deposited upon the sled on the opposite shore, when he would resume his journey.

For several years the only commodity convertible by the settlers into cash was " black salts,"-the chief product of all carly settlements in timbered countries. These salts were conveyed to market generally by means of a " drag," -a rude vehicle constructed from a crotched tree, the oxen hitched to the butt of the trunk, which served as the pole ; two stakes standing upright and driven into the lower end of the two branches, with a few pieces of boards laid across, the lower end of the branches dragging on the ground, con- stituted and completed a "drag," with which the early settlers of Mansfield, and of all Cattaraugus, went to mill, to meeting, and to market. Gowanda and Springville, dis- tant from 15 to 20 miles, were the only accessible milling places and markets prior to 1830.

About the year 1823, Sidney and Jarvis Walton (brothers) settled on the farm now owned by Sidney N. Delap, Esq. William Bookout, Abner Wood, Silas Wood, Daniel Wallace, and Sylvanus Stebbins located in the southwest part; also Stephen Sprague and his son Argalus.

Reuben Newton, a native of Vermont, moved into Mans- field from Marcellus, Onondaga Co., N. Y., March 1, 1824. He was accompanied by his wife and seven children, and settled on the farm lying three miles north of Little Valley, and at present owned by his son, Lyman Newton, Esq. For many years this farm has been noted as being one of the largest and best dairy-farms in the township. The first town-meeting of the town of Cecilius was also held here, at the house of Reuben Newton.

Silas Mckay, a soldier of 1812 (the son of Sylvester Mckay, who, with all his family, was at Forty Fort during the Wyoming massacre), accompanied by his sons, Liverius, Cyrus G., Sylvester, John G., George C., Hiram V. R., and Daniel B., came in from Attica, Wyoming Co., N. Y., and settled near Eddyville, in 1825. He had been here the year previous and built a log house. The MeKays are of Scotch descent, and were among the first settlers on the

present site of the city of Binghamton. Silas Mckay was a prominent and active citizen, one of the two first justices of the peace elected in 1830, and was successively elected to that office for many years thereafter. He died at the age of sixty years. Of his family of ten sons, nine survive at the present time, and are located as follows :

Liverius, Sylvester, and George C., in Mansfield ; Hiram V. R., in Little Valley ; Cyrus G., in Allegany ; John J. is the present county judge of Swift Co., Minn., and has also been a member of the Legislature of the States of Wisconsin and Minnesota, besides holding other important offices in those States ; Dr. Daniel B., a wealthy and promi- nent physician, at Seneca, Kansas ; Dr. Napoleon B., physi- cian, at Custer, Ogle Co., Ill .; and Thomas H., who kept the first store in Mansfield, is now an editor at Davis City, Decatur Co, Iowa.

Darius Warner came from Vermont, and settled at his present place of residence in 1825. He has served his town as supervisor, and in various other capacities, and has ever been one of Mansfield's most worthy citizens.

Erastus Brown, from Ontario County, located at Union Corners the same year ; also Asa R. Keene, from Cortland Co., who settled in the southwest part.

George Delap, accompanied by his sons, G. N. and Sid- ney N., came in from Oneida Co., Dec. 2, 1827. He bought out the improvements of Sidney and Jarvis Walton, and their land, which consisted of 200 acres on lots 31 and 32. Subsequently he purchased 90 acres of Amos Morgan, the first settler. During his journey from Ellicottville to his place of settlement he had to cut out and widen the road- way the entire distance, sufficient to admit the passage of a lumber-wagon, as he brought in the first wagon and span of horses ever owned in the town.

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History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 119

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: