History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 43

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

USA > New York > Cattaraugus County > History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 43

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Ingraham, Adelbert, private, 64th N. Y. Regt .; enl. Oct. 14, 1861; died of sick- ness acquired in army, Feb. 1, 1862; buried at Alexandria.

McClear, John, private, 154th N. Y. Regt .; enl. Aug. 11, 1862; died of sickness acquired in army, June 18, 1864; buried at hospital.

Wheeler, David, priv., 47th N. Y. Regt. ; enl. Sept. 16, 1863; died in the service. Hunton, John, private, 13th H. Art .; enl. Sept. 1, 1863; died of sickness ac- quired in army, Nov. 12, 1864 ; buried at New Albion.

Horth, Millard F., private, 179th N. Y. Regt .; enl. March 22. 1864; died of wounds received in battle, Sept. 4, 1864 ; buried at Long Island.

Lane, Alfred, private, 64th N. Y. Regt .; enl. Sept. 25, 1861; killed in battle, July 2, 1863; buried at Gettysburg.

Wily, John, private, 13th H. Art. ; enl. May, 1861; died of sickness acquired in army, June 21, 1865; buried at New Albion.

Brooks, James A., private, 64th N. Y. Regt .; enl. Aug. 28, 1861 ; killed in battle, June 1, 1862; buried on battle-field.

Digitized by

Google

Digitized by

Google .

RESIDENCE OF HON. C. V. B. BARSE, OLEAN, CATTARAUGUS CON. Y.

Digitized by Google

HISTORY

OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY.

OLEAN.

THE VILLAGE.

A RETROSPECTION extending over three-quarters of a century carries us back to the time when the first settle- ment was made at " Olean Point," which also constituted the first permanent settlement effected within the present limits of Cattaraugus County. Seventy-five years, with their momentous events and changing vicissitudes, have passed into the silent night of eternity since the first white settler made his permanent location within the present corporate limits of the village. Although there are none now living, within the scope of our work, who remember that time, yet there are those whose years antedate the first settlement of Olean. Some there are whose memories extend back to the time when the log cabin constituted the only habitation of the pioneer, and not a semblance of the present progress and development existed. To these is left the recollection of the hardships and privations they and their families had to endure in order to effect the mar- velous change their industry has wrought. Yet, blended with the remembrance of their early trials are memories of the broad hospitality, the Christian fortitude, and the cheerfulness under difficulties that characterized the pio- neers. Indeed, as the poet has happily said,

"There are moments in life that we never forget, Which brighten and brighten as time steals away ; They give a new charm to the happiest lot, And they shine in the gloom of the loneliest day."

1 .

The imagination can scarcely depict the realities of those " days of the past,"-the unbroken wilderness, which pre- sented a wildness in every object upon which the eyes rested, except the sky o'erhead. The only marks in all . this region that gave any evidence that the foot of civilized man had trodden the soil were the blazed trees that denoted an indefinite pathway. Such was this village and town when the youthful Benjamin Van Campen came hither, in the service of Adam Hoops, to survey the lands at and about Olean Point. True, a permanent settlement had been made at Almond, Allegany Co., as early as 1796, by half a dozen emigrants from Luzerne Co., Pa., two of whom were Moses and Benjamin Van Campen, uncle and

father of George Van Campen, Esq., now well known as an active and prominent citizen of the village. There was also one John King, and his family and servants, who settled on Oswayo Creek in 1798; and still another Quaker settlement, established on Tunessassa Creek (better known as Quaker Run), in South Valley township, this county.

It was in November, 1802, that young Van Campen was delegated by Adam Hoops and David Heuston to make an examination of the lands in this vicinity. He made his headquarters at King's, on Oswayo Creek, and spent two months in making his examination .*

On the favorable report of Mr. Van Campen, Messrs. Hoops & Heuston purchased of the Holland Land Com- pany a tract of about 20,000 acres, and in the spring of that year Enos Kellogg was sent on to locate and survey the tract. In the year 1804, Robert Hoops, a brother of Adam, came to the location as agent for the lands. He erected a double log house, which was the first building erected in the town. It stood upon the river-bank, almost exactly in the rear of the present Martin farm, and in close proximity to an In- dian mound. Some of the trees of the orchard still remain, the venerable landmarks of "ye olden time." The old log house is no more. Time and the vandalism of the age have conspired to remove the only vestige of the past, which should have been preserved with jealous care, as the sole link between days long since departed and the present, and as a historic monument of primitive architecture.

THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE

offers an interesting item of history. It appears that up to 1804 the stream went by the Indian name of Ischue or Ischua. From a letter written by Adam Hoops to Joseph Ellicott, it appears that the former gentleman wished to change the name from Ischua to Olean. The subjoined copy of the letter, furnished by Hon. George Van Campen, is the most authentic document bearing upon this subject now in existence :

* His son, George Van Campen, Sr., has now in his possession the compass used by his father to shape his course through the then al- most impassable forests.

153

Digitized by Google

154

HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK. -

" CANANDAIGUA, N. Y., April 15, 1804.

" TO JOSEPH ELLICOTT, EsQ., Batavia, New York.

" DEAR SIR,-It was proposed to me at New York to drop the In- dian name of lechue or Ischua (it is also spelt other ways). Confusion might arise from the various spellings, of which to obviate all risk I have concluded so to do as proposed. The neighborhood of the oil spring suggests a name different in sound, though perhaps not differ- ent in meaning, which I wish to adopt,-it is 'Olean.' You will do me a favor by assisting me to establish this name. It may easily be done now by your concurrence. The purpose will be most effectually answered by employing the term, when occasion requires, without saying anything of an intended change of name. To begin, you will greatly oblige me by addressing the first letter you may have occasion to write to me, after I receive the survey, to the Mouth of Olean. The bearer being properly instructed, there will be thereafter no difficulty. Your co-operation in the matter (the effect of which, though not im- portant in itself, may be so on account of precision) will oblige "Your obed't servant,

"A. Hoors."

x Whether or not Mr. Ellicott acted on the request of Adam Hoops is not shown, but from careful research we find no definite use of the name " Olcan" to the village proper until 1823. In his admirable series of articles on the early history of Olean, James G. Johnson, Esy., says :

"When the village was first laid out it was called ' Ham- ilton,' in honor of the great and popular statesman, Alex- ander Hamilton, but the local designation of 'Olean Point' was generally used, and in course of time entirely sup- planted the name of Hamilton. There never was any formal change of names, the substitution of one for the other being made by common custom and consent. I think the first semi-official abandonment of Hamilton and adop- tion of Olean was in the authorized village map, published in 1823."

In a communication touching the establishment of the . post-office at Olean, Acting Assistant First Postmaster- General James H. Marr states that the post-office was never officially named Hamilton, but was established as Olean in 1817 .*

THE SETTLEMENT

of the village proper was commenced in 1808, by James G. Johnson, father of the well-known citizen of the same name. Mr. Johnson came from Canandaigua. He died early in 1811, and was the first interment in the present beautiful village cemetery. Sylvanus Russell and Bibbius Follett came at the same time Mr. Johnson did. He (Russell) came from Angelica. He kept a tavern on the site of the present residence of George Chamberlain. He was the father of the venerable Mrs. Seymour Bouton, now residing in the town of Allegany.

Speaking of Adam Hoops and his settlement here, Hon. D. H. Bolles, in his excellent address delivered at the Cen- tennial Anniversary of American Independence, July 4, 1876, says :

" In 1804, Adam Hoops, who had acquired some dis- tinction by bajs Revolutionary services, and had at one time been a member of Washington's staff, in conjunction with Ebenezer F. Norton, Birdseye Norton, and Joel Steele, purchased from the Holland Land Company a tract of twenty thousand acres where Olean now is. The project originated with Hoops, who believed that his purchase --

would derive important and permanent advantages from its location on the Allegany River. His theory was that the river was navigable at all seasons, except when closed by ice, and that the locality would become in time a stirring commercial depot, connecting the State with the West and Southwest. Although that dream was never realized to the extent of his anticipations, it was by no means at that time so visionary as it now would seem. Independently of the fact that at the period of his purchase the means of accurate information as to the habits and capacity of the river were not accessible, it is to be remembered that in that early day, while the whole water-shed tributary to it was densely covered with forest, the streams were much deeper and more capacious the year round than they have been since the country has become cleared. But his immediate enter- prise did not prosper. He was unable to complete his pay- ments for the purchase, the mortgage he had given was foreclosed, and the greater part of the tract reverted to the company, a portion of it subsequently passing into the ownership of Norton (Ebenezer F.), his coadjutor. Hoops eventually retired, a ruined and disappointed man, to West Chester County, in the State of Pennsylvania, where he lived in poverty, subsisting on his Revolutionary pension, and there died in 1845. -

" But prior to this catastrophe he had made considerable progress with his design. In 1804 he commenced a settle- ment here and laid out this village, which he called Hamil- ton, after his compatriot in the Revolutionary service, the distinguished soldier and statesman of that name."

Robert Hoops, who came here in the interests of his brother, Major Adam Hoops, in 1804, was a widower, and 15 died in the village, in reduced circumstances, about 1810, -- and his remains are interred in the village cemetery, the ground comprising which he donated nine years before. After his death, his housekeeper, a maiden lady named Nancy Furbelow, kept house for John Fobes for a few years. Afterwards, being quite aged and left totally un- provided for, she went to live with a Mrs. Campbell, in Pennsylvania, her board being paid by the town. She thus became the first pauper in the county.

The most rapid influx of settlers to the village occurred between the decade commencing in 1810 and ending in 1820, and the place began to assume a numerical impor- tance that led the proprietors to form visionary ideas as to its future growth and ultimate progress. One of the greatest impediments to its permanent development was the existence of the mortgage held by the Holland Land Company, which debarred Hoops or his agent from giving a clear title to purchasers; hence few, comparatively, could be induced to buy except on contracts, many of which, fortunately, were recognized and honored by Ebenezer F. Norton and his co-purchasers of the foreclosed mortgage of Adam Hoops, in 1821.

Prominent among those who settled in the village pre- vious to the year 1820, the following are deserving of mention. It is impossible to obtain the exact dates of the arrival of these pioneers in the various interests represented by them severally, but we subjoin a brief notice of the most important personages among them, as a part of the history of the community in which they lived and labored.

# See under head of " Olean Post-office."

Digitized by Google

155

HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Judge F. S. Martin* arrived in 1819, and became one of the leading men of the place. He was born in Rut- land Co., Vt., April 25, 1794. In December, 1830, he was appointed postmaster at Olean. He was appointed judge of Cattaraugus County, by Gov. Seward, in 1840. He was elected State Senator in 1847, and remained in the Senate and House of Representatives until 1850, when he was elected to the Thirty-second Congress. He died in June, 1865.

Hon. Timothy H. Porter was the first judge of the county, appointed in 1817. By profession he was a lawyer, but gradually withdrew from the practice of law, and finally settled on his farm, the next north of Judge Brooks, where he died about the year 1840, leaving an in- teresting family of six sons and one daughter. At various times he was chosen a member of either branch of the State Legislature, and latterly was a member of Congress from this incipient and widely-extended district.

Henry Bryan, one of the earliest lawyers of the place, and an inveterate practical joker, will be remembered by the few remaining early settlers, particularly as his memory has been immortalized in the annals of local history in the series of articles entitled " Fun, Fact, and Fancy," from the pen of Col. James G. Johnson. In this connection might be mentioned the pioneer "merchant tailor," H. L. Osborn, who was the counterpart of Bryan, and the practical jokes perpetrated by each upon the other-in which, by the way, Judge Porter usually took an active part-forms the most interesting item in the humorous history of the county. The following is quoted from a local writer :

"On a certain occasion Bryan wanted to have his hair cut, and as barbers were not as numerous in those days as they are here now, he was innocently inquiring for some one who could do the job for him. Osborn heard his inquiry, and was not long in discovering a chance for a joke. So he promptly spoke up, ' I'll cut your hair, if you'll go over to my shop ;' and seeing a look of incredulity on Bryan's face, quickly dissipated it by stating, ' I used to cut hair a good deal before I came here, and don't think I have entirely for- gotten how, yet.' ' All right;' and they forthwith repaired to Osborn's shop, where he was speedily put in a chair and his shoulders enveloped in a dirty towel. Osborn got a comb and combed Bryan's hair down over his eyes, and getting his big shears, began clipping away. At the same time he kept up a ' perfect stream of talk,' telling some ludi- crous tale and snapping his shears to the time of his voluble music. He kept on until Bryan began to think he had been working on one side of his head long enough. As soon as he remarked this it struck him forcibly that the entire performance of Osborn was quite unusual, and he quickly clapped his hand on the side of his head where the tricky tailor had been so persistently clipping away. To his horror, he found that that side of his head was cropped close down to the scalp. Without waiting a mno- ment for explanation, Bryan leaped down from the chair, and catching Osborn by the throat, landed him squarely on his back on the floor, sat upon him, and began pounding

him and pulling his hair and ears, and tumbled him around generally, until he was completely exhausted. Meanwhile all the hands in the shop were convulsed in laughter, and even poor Osborn laughed and screamed with mirth between the blows and pulls of the irate Bryan. After finding there was nothing but fun to be pounded in or out of the tailor, Bryan left to find some more reliable hand, or at least equalize the damage as best it could be done.

"Something more than a year afterwards Bryan discov- ered Osborn coming out of the tavern, bent over sideways, with his hand up to the side of his face, groaning, appa- rently as if in great agony of pain. With a feeling of honest solicitude, Bryan inquired what was the occasion of the trouble. Osborn replied that it was a terrible tooth- ache, which had kept him awake all night. "' Why don't you have it out ?' inquired Bryan. ' I can't,' said Osborn ; ' Dr. Mead and Dr. Smith are both out of town.' Quick as lightning Bryan saw his chance to repay the old hair- cutting score, but without betraying it by look or word he said, ' Come over to my office; I've got a pair of turn-keys, and will jerk it out for you in a minute;' and then, with a malicious repetition of Osborn's specious statement, he con- tinued, ' I used to pull teeth a good deal before I came here.' Over they went to Bryan's office, Osborn groaning and moaning, and Bryan chuckling over his long-desired opportunity for retaliation. Getting into the room, Osborn was seated in a chair while Bryan pretended to be rummag- ing in the back room for the turn-keys, and soon managed to slip out of the rear door, run to Dr. Mead's office (which was near by), and, getting in through a back window, soon got hold of a pair of turn-keys, and quickly returned. Placing himself before the tailor, and speaking a few en- couraging words, he began winding a handkerchief around the stem of the instrument, to prevent it hurting the mouth. Having made a roll sufficiently large to fill Os- born's mouth, he carefully hooked on to the troublesome tooth, and getting all ready he gave it a little twist, just enough to break the connection but not to remove the tooth, and then stopped ! Osborn was in a perfect agony of pain, but in consequence of having his mouth full of handker- chief and turn-key was unable to utter a word of remon- strance, though his smothered groans could be heard out in the street. He leaped to his feet and struggled desperately, but Bryan, being the strongest, held his head in a fixed position, the same as one would hold a newly-hooked fish, while, like the fish's tail, Osborn's legs gyrated in every di- rection, doubling and twisting in more grotesque shapes than were ever attributed to the elongated pedestals where- with Nast elevated Carl Schurz into notoriety. Holding him securely, Bryan began to talk to the writhing cabbage- maker: 'You cut hair, don't you? Dash you, how long did you cut hair before you came here ? You're a dashed good hand at cutting hair, aren't you ? You cut it all on one side, don't you ?' and so he continued holding him up by the aching tooth, and reminding him of the hair-cutting exploit. Poor Osborn wriggled and squirmed like a worm on a hook, and vainly essayed to beg for mercy and relief from his torture, but the handkerchief prevented every- thing but a horrible muffled groan. Bryan continued to exercise him thus until, out of sheer pity and fear of con-

For further information concerning Judges Martin and Porter see un ler head of " The Bar."

Digitized by Google

156

HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

sequences, he gave the keys another turn and brought out the tooth, while Osborn dropped into a chair without the least effort on his part. Bryan had at last got even with him, and the account was square again."

Osborn removed to Peru, Ill., some time in 1830, where he died about fifteen years later, leaving a wife and several daughters. Another noted character in the early history of the village was Sylvanus Russell. As a means of perpetuating the memory of this pioneer, we mention a personal incident which is typical of the character of the man. He was prominent among the best men of his day ; prompt, active, decided, and exceedingly resolute, especially in his adherence to his opinions. The anecdote we refer to is as follows :

Benjamin Seeley had just come into the country. He was a large, strong, bony, active laboring young man, and among other things in which he excelled was the then not uncommon art of chopping cord-wood. He boarded with Russell, and soon engaged with him to chop some wood at a given price per cord, board included. After breakfast each morning Seeley would take his axe and go to the woods. The scene of his labors covered a part of the public square, and to and beyond the present site of the Episcopal church. Returning for dinner, he would always go into the bar-room, playing at checkers, as was a favorite and common practice. After a week or ten days of this kind of work, Russell be- came uneasy and surly. He was positive Seeley was not fairly earning his board. Accordingly, one afternoon, when Seeley was seating himself for his regular pastime, Russell approached him, and roughly said, " Young man, I think it about time we measured up what little wood you have . cut, and have a settlement." " All right," answered Seeley, quietly, and out to the woods they went. After they had taken the dimensions of the various piles, they returned to the tavern and " figured up" the total. To Russell's sur- prise, they " figured" that Seeley had cut an average of · three cords per day. Without hesitation Russell handed him the balance due, and then said, " Young man, you can leave now. I'll be d-d if I'll have a man around me who will put up three cords of wood a day, and spend half of the time playing checkers in the house." And Seeley had to leave. Mr. Russell died about 1840, respected by all who knew him in the years of his prominence and prosperity. Seven of his children are still living,-five daughters and two sons. They are,-Jane, widow of Leander Kimball, of Jackson Co., Mich .; Evert, a farmer, residing in Farm- ersville; Catharine, now the wife of Seymour Bouton, of Allegany ; John N., of Hamilton Co., Ohio; Harriett, widow of William Smith, of Westfield, Chautauqua Co., N. Y .; Mary, wife of Luke B. Latin, of Great Valley ; Esther C., widow of Wm. Harns, of Ellicottville.

Ebenezer Reed, who, with his numerous family, arrived about 1815, and soon thereafter became proprietor of that historic hostelry, the "Old Boat, House." He had a family of twenty-four children, of whom more than a score were by his first wife. He resided here about thirty-five `years, and then died, acknowledging a readiness to " shuffle off the mortal coil."

Luman Rice was a prominent citizen, coming here in 1818. He was born at Glastenbury, Conn., Jan. 18, 1787,

and married at Homer, Cortland Co., N. Y., Dec. 2, 1810. On arriving here he kept the old tavern, built partly of logs, with a frame wing at each end, that occupied the present residence of Hon. D. H. Bolles, south of the Moore House. In 1819, he purchased the tavern, then in an unfinished state, new forming part of the Oboun House, and kept a hotel in it until 1822, when he moved to Portville, and became owner of about 300 acres, including the site of the present village. He there erected a saw-mill, a store, and subsequently, in 1826, a hotel, which was burnt in 1831. He had seven children, namely : Delila A., married Alfred Wright, of Portville; Marcia P., married O. P. Boardman, of Olean ; Luman E., married Sallie Harrison, of Cincin- nati, Ohio; Ambrew D., married Sarah S. Smith, now postmaster at Portville; Harriet L., married a Mr. Smith, of New Orleans; Susan B., married John D. Park, of Cincinnati ; Malvene M .; married Harvey Scovil, of Chicago, Ill. Mr. Rice, notwithstanding the fact that he lost his arm at an early day, while landing an ark laden with plas- ter, was quite an energetic and enterprising man, and one of the most prominent pioneers of Portville. He died June 18, 1874, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years.

David Bockes was an early merchant and hotel-keeper. He came in about 1817, from Albany, N. Y. He fre- quently held various town offices, which he filled with fidelity and remarkable ability. He became quite wealthy. He died some twelve years since, and his family have all moved to the West.

David Day was a highly-respected citizen for nearly half a century. He represented his district in the Legislature in 1835. He held the office of postmaster from 1839 to 1849, and from 1853 to 1857. He died about 1862. His only daughter now lives in Corry, Pa. 7 .- .. 17:57

Col. James G. Johnson came in 1819, and has resided in the village ever since, with the exception of twelve years which he spent in the town of Allegany. He has been engaged in mercantile and lumbering business, and latterly as an oil producer .*

Among other early settlers who arrived prior to 1820 might be mentioned .Jacob Downing, an old hotel man ; Samuel Bronson, father of Mrs. Samuel Oosterhoudt ; James Bronson, a brother of Samuel; Judge James Adkins ; Henry Miller ; Milton B. Canfield, a prominent ex-sheriff ; Samuel Barrows, lawyer, who left about 1823; John Board- man ; Henry L. Kinsbury, an early schoolmaster; Masten Morrill, an eccentric justice of the peace, who kept his docket chalked on the side of his log house; Allan Rice ; John Fobes, father of Milton B. and George N. Fobes ; and others.

The influx of immigration during the decade ending in 1840 was not very extensive. Among those who arrived within the period indicated, who subsequently became prominent citizens, were Lambert Whitney, M.D., in 1833, who still resides here, having practiced medicine for forty- five years ; James Senter, mechanic; Norman Birge, the well-known harness-maker ; Ansel Adams, at one time a merchant, now a land-owner; C. H. Thing, a prominent merchant, who died in 1865. After the passage of the

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 43

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: