History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 6

Author: Franklin Ellis and Eugene Arns Nash
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This difficulty, in the cases of the Cotringer and Ogden Tracts, was afterwards surmounted by moving those tracts so far east as to make the meridian form their western line, which could be done without detriment, because the lands east of them, and within the reserve, had not been other- wise disposed of by Mr. Morris; but the location of the Cragie Tract could not be similarly accommodated, as the land joining it upon the east had already been sold and occupied; therefore the portion of this tract (about two miles in width upon its western side) which was cut off by the meridian, and thrown into the Holland Purchase, became lost to its supposed proprietors, who, unwilling to submit to what they professed to believe an invasion and disregard of their rights, afterwards instituted suits in ejectment against occupants of the lands thus appropriated by the Holland Company, and also against those occupying

* By his subordinates, and by others with whom he came in con- tact in the business of the company, Mr. Ellicott was generally known as " the Surveyor-General."

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upon the Ogden Tract to the south, but failed to establish their claims in either direction.

Proceeding northward, and arriving at the Connecticut Tract, Mr. Ellicott encountered the same difficulty as be- fore. His meridian was found to intersect the south line of this tract at about the same distance east of its south- western corner as in the cases of the Ogden, the Cotringer, and the Cragie tracts. Here he could not disregard the obstacle and continue his line without deviation, as he had done through the other tracts, for the reason that the con- veyance of this tract by Mr. Morris to Messrs. Watson, Cragie, and Greenleaf antedated that of the Holland Pur- chase ; and therefore the boundaries of the former, as de- scribed in the deed, located by the surveyors, and occupied by the grantees and their representatives, must stand un- disturbed.

As the only practicable method to be adopted under these circumstances, the line was offset two miles four hundred and sixteen feet five inches west, to the southwest -corner of the Connecticut Tract, and from that point was run due north to Lake Ontario, which was reached and the line completed in December, 1788, the entire season having been consumed in the work. The meridian thus estab- lished was the eastern boundary of the Holland Purchase, and, receiving the name of the instrument used in running it, has been generally known as the Transit Line, or some- times as the East Transit Line, to distinguish it from the West Transit Line, which was parallel to, and thirty-two miles west of, the east line, and was run the following year by the same method with the same instrument.

While the chief surveyor and his party had been en- gaged upon the transit line, the remainder of the force had been vigorously at work, principally in running division lines of ranges. During the preceding winter, though located in the comfortable city of Philadelphia, Mr. Elli- cott had spent no idle hours, but had constantly been en- gaged upon his plans for the prosecution of the work, and these he had perfected even to the smallest details before setting out for the field of operations. Each principal surveyor was furnished with written instructions, naming and describing the point where his labors were to com- mence, the route by which to reach it, the first and sub- sequent places of rendezvous, the names of the party to be under his charge, and the methods to be pursued in per- forming the work, embracing the minutest particulars, and covering nearly every possible contingency. And the re- sults clearly proved the sagacity and comprehensiveness of the mind which had planned and directed the work.

The surveys of ranges and townships were planned to commence simultaneously upon the eastern and western borders of the purchase, and to progress from each side to- wards the centre. The surveyor in charge of the western- most party was Richard M. Stoddard (also charged with the laying out of the Indian reservation), whose first camp was pitched at the mouth of Chautauqua Creek. The first to arrive at this place was Adam Hoops, Jr. (who, it will be recollected, had been sent in advance to superintend the de- livery of supplies and implements at designated points*),

* The general base of supply for the parties working on the west side of the tract was at Buffalo Creek, while the eastern (and really

and the party was assembled here ready for active operations before the 20th of June.

As their work progressed eastward their stores and material were taken over the portage from the creek to the site of Mayville, and were then transported on Chautauqua Lake to the most convenient points; and so also when they had advanced as far as the region of the Allegany River they were supplied over a route of transportation passing up Cattaraugus Creek, across a short portage, and thence down the Connewango. At the mouth of the Cattaraugus Creek the surveyors lodged for a time at the house of Amos Sottle, the pioneer settler of that locality, who had built his cabin there during the previous year. How much of the survey was completed during the season of 1798 by this party or by the others, excepting that which was employed on the transit line, is not definitely known.

Although the first three tracts sold by Mr. Morris to the Holland agents were all finally conveyed (by the deeds of Dec. 31, 1798) to the same grantees, namely, Willink, Van Staphorst, Van Eeghen, Vollenhoven, and Schimmelpen- ninck, and although these tracts, together with that which was conveyed (Jan. 31, 1799) to the four Willinks, have always been mentioned as one, under the name of the Hol- land Purchase, t and their several proprietors were known collectively as the Holland Company, conducting their land business upon one common plan, through one and the same general agent, yet there was a diversity of interest among them, and each tract was separately and distinctly defined in the survey, as will hereafter appear.

The area called for in the conveyances of the second, third, and fourth tracts, aggregating two million one hundred thousand acres, were but random estimates, based on no sufficient data; but the deed of the first tract conveyed a definite area of one million five hundred thousand acres, which quantity was to be laid off in a body, commencing at the west boundary of the State and extending thence east a sufficient distance to include the requisite number of acres, without regard to the amount of land which would remain to satisfy the other three calls. It was upon the south- western corner of this tract that Mr. Stoddard and his party had commenced work in June, 1798.

Early in the following spring the surveying operations were resumed and pressed with vigor, though the weather continued wet and unfavorable until nearly the middle of summer.

The west transit line, before alluded to, was commenced with the first work of the season by a party under charge of Benjamin Ellicott. This was the central meridian of the purchase, being established west from the east transit line a distance of thirty-two miles, which was by estimation the correct width to embrace (exclusive of the Indian reserva- tions to be laid off within its limits) the one million eight hundred thousand acres necessary for the location of the second and third tracts. And it was supposed that the fourth, or Willink tract, could be located on the territory which would remain unappropriated between the west

the principal) base was established in June, at Williamsburg, on the Genesee River, about three miles south of Geneseo.

t By the proprietors themselves and their agents it was called " The Genesee Purchase."

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

transit line and the eastern boundary of the one million five hundred thousand acre tract.

The work of running this central meridian seems to have been as slow and laborious as that of establishing the east line in the preceding year, although no obstacles in the form of previously-surveyed tracts were encountered. Less than one-fourth part of the distance to Lake Ontario had been accomplished by the end of July, as is shown by a letter written by the surveyor in charge, Mr. Benjamin Ellicott, to his brother Joseph, from which we here give a short extract, dated " Camp twenty-one and a half miles north of Pennsylvania line, July 29, 1799.

" While on the south side of the Allegany we had small showers almost every day, but after crossing the river no rain fell until the twenty-fifth. I was at the vista, in order to see if Mr. Cary was cutting in a right direction at twenty- one and a half miles (the place that my camp is at present), when the thunder sounded from a distance, the clouds ascended, and I saw through the instrument the trees bend on the mountains to the north (distance four miles), but soon became obscured. I now prepared to receive it. Strip- ping from the hemlock the bark that had inclosed it for ages, which I placed against an old log, I crept under, when the rain came in torrents, the lightning flashed, thun: der roared incessant, wind tearing from the sturdy trees their boughs, and dislocating others that had stood for many years apart, as if war had been declared against the forest ; but at last the lightning ceased to glare and the thunder to sound terrific and rain to fall in such abundance. I now crept out of my obscure but serviccable tenement, and cast my eyes along the avenue to the north, saw the mountain smoke with the late deluge (the avenue on the south side of the Allegany still invisible). I returned to camp (distance one mile), the surface of the mountain covered with water foaming down every crevice, in cascades, till it found rest in the valleys below.

" No part of the world can boast of a purer air than this place, and there are but few biting insects. The camp is at present on the top of a high hill or mountain, near a good spring."

It is shown by this that the transit party were then en- camped at a point on the division line between the present towns of Ellicottville and Mansfield, and about three and one-half miles north of their southern boundary. Doubt- less those acquainted with the vicinity may recognize the spot from the mention of the hill and spring.

The original plan of survey contemplated the division of the purchase into ranges, extending across its entire breadth from south to north, and to be, as nearly as practicable, of a uniform width of six miles ; these ranges to be crossed at right angles by parallels at the same distance apart, thus subdividing them into square townships, measuring six miles on each side, except in cases of townships adjoining the lakes, the Niagara River, and the reservations, where, of course, such uniformity was impossible.

This plan was generally adhered to, and the ranges laid off with the required width, except in the cases of ranges seven, three, and four; these last two lying between the east and west transit lines. As the distance between these lines was thirty-two miles, the method of division which was

most convenient, as well as most nearly in accordance with the original plan, was to lay out four ranges of the regula- tion width, and two more of four miles each. The latter width was given to numbers three and four; they being central ranges, equidistant from the east and west transit meridians, and now the two most eastern ranges of Catta- raugus County.

The other range which differed from the usual width (No. 7) was laid out in that manner, so as to include all the strip of territory intervening between the castern and western surveys as they approached each other ; which may perhaps be better explained as follows : The parties which surveyed from the east boundary of the purchase had carried their work westward as far as the meridian run by Benjamin Ellicott. The parties which worked from the west boun- dary eastward, having laid off eight ranges of the usual width, found themselves in the vicinity of the west transit line. The width remaining was ascertained by measure- ment to be five hundred and thirty-six chains and twenty- four links, or nearly six and three-quarters miles. This was laid off as a range and numbered seven, being the third range in Cattaraugus County east of its western boun- dary line. The ranges were numbered, commencing at one on the eastern border of the purchase, and proceeding thence west, regularly to fifteen. The townships were numbered, commencing at one in every range, on the Pennsylvania line, and rising regularly in number northward, to sixteen at Lake Ontario.

Notwithstanding that the surveys of townships were made with great care, yet (even in the ranges which were supposed to be of the regular width) they were often found to vary materially from the size and shape intended. Much of this was due to sinuosities in the boundaries, and offsets compelled by the laying out of the several Indian reserva- tions, but more to that variation, or rather unreliability, of the common surveyor's compass, a knowledge of which had induced the chief surveyor to adopt the transit as the only instrument to be safely depended on in establishing the meridians. Without the assistance of the transit in running those true meridians, the survey of the tract must have been far more imperfect and irregular than it was.

In noticing the fact of this frequent irregularity in size of the subdivisions, Mr. Ellicott, the chief surveyor, added to his report to the agent-general an explanatory statement, from which we extract as follows: "The difference that is discernible in the size of the several townships is occasioned by the variations of the needle, which, from certain occult causes, is found to differ essentially between any two stations that may be fixed on, and much more between some stations than others. Hence in taking the magnetic courses of any two townships it will follow that a disproportion in size of the several townships will necessarily arise, as the needle is seldom known to preserve a uniform position between places but a few hundred yards from each other, so that inaccu- racies will arise though the greatest circumspection should be observed in correcting courses."

How very little reliance could be safely placed on the workings of the magnetic needle was clearly shown in the running of the transit lines. In that work it was necessary that an avenue or vista should be cut through the woods in

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advance of the transit instrument. This avenue was usually made from three to four rods in width, and in opening it the surveyor's compass was constantly employed to direct the axe-men and keep them upon the proper course ; but although they were so directed by the (theoretically) uner- ring needle, yet when the transit came to be applied the vista was frequently found varying more than its whole breadth from the line of the true meridian. So eminent a surveyor and mathematician as Ebenezer Mix, of Batavia, said upon this subject that "if a surveyor, being guided by the magnetic needle only, strikes or very nearly strikes his intended point, he has more reason to give credit to good luck than to any scientific acquirements or practical knowledge."

The work of surveying and subdividing the tracts into ranges and townships was completed in 1799,* and its results showed the area of the Holland Purchase to be less by more than two hundred thousand acres than the amount called for by the several deeds from Robert Morris. The one million five hundred thousand acre tract had been laid off in full quantity, commencing at the west bounds of the State, and extending thence, covering every township in all the ranges as far east as, and including, the eighth range, and also four hundred and twenty-two chains and fifty-six links of the western parts of all the townships in the seventh range ; thus comprehending (exclusive of Indian reserva- tions) all the present county of Chautauqua, the western parts of the counties of Niagara and Erie, and the towns of Perrysburg, Dayton, Leon, Connewango, Randolph, South Valley, Cold Spring, Napoli, New Albion, Persia, Otto, and the western parts of East Otto, Mansfield, Little Val- ley, Salamanca, and Red House, in the county of Catta- raugus.

This survey probably extended considerably farther east than had been anticipated, and it certainly left a strip of very undesirable shape lying between its castern boundary and the west transit line, the strip being but one hundred and thirteen chains and sixty-eight links (a little more than one mile and three-eighths) in width, and about ninety miles in length, extending from Pennsylvania to Lake On- tario.

It was agreed among the proprietors, that if the four Willinks would consent to accept this narrow strip as a part of the estimated three hundred thousand acres called for by their deed, they should, in consideration thereof, be entitled to select the remainder of their quota from any portion of the unappropriated lands which best pleased them. This was agreed to by the Willinks, and the narrow tract which they received became known as " the Willink Strip," cov- ering, within this county, about one-fourth the width-on the eastern side-of the towns of Red House, Salamanca, Little Valley, Mansfield, and East Otto, and the northwest- ern corner of Ashford. For the remainder of their tract they selected townships numbers one, two, three, and four in the first range, and numbers one, two, and three in the second and third ranges, embracing the town of Portville, · and the cast half of Hinsdale and Ischua, in Cattaraugus, and Cuba, Clarksville, Genesee, Bolivar, Wirt, Friendship,

and Belfast, in Allegany County ; these ten townships lying together, in a block, in the extreme southeastern corner of the purchase, which peculiarity of location was the cause of their selection by the far-sighted Dutchmen, as, being nearer than any other portion of the tract to the city of Philadelphia, they were therefore judged to be the most valuable.

To the one million-acre tract were allotted all the town- ships in the first, second, and third ranges, excepting the ten which had been selected by the Willinks; also the first, second, third, and fourth townships in the fourth, fifth, and sixth ranges, including, in Cattaraugus County, all of the present towns of Olean, Allegany, Carrolton, Great Valley, Humphrey, Franklinville, and Lyndon ; the west half of Hinsdale and Ischua, the east half of Farmersville and Freedom, and all of Ellicottville, except that part which is bounded west by East Otto.

The eight-hundred-thousand-acre tract received all the townships north of numbers four in the fourth, fifth, and sixth ranges; the territory within Cattaraugus County covered by this allotment being the western part of Far- mersville and Freedom, all of Machias and Yorkshire, small parts of Ellicottville and East Otto, and all, except its north- western corner, of the town of Ashford.

Notwithstanding that these tracts were separately allotted to the several companies or sets of proprietors, yet their interests were so closely blended (several of them being largely interested in all the lands) that the concerns of all were managed as though all the tracts were one,-that of the " Holland Land Company,"-a designation not only universally applied by the community, but accepted by themselves.

The first general agent of the company was Theophilus Cazenove, as we have seen. He was succeeded in the office in 1799, by Paul Busti, who continued the general office of the company at Philadelphia, and in the following year (Oct. 1, 1800) appointed Joseph Ellicott to be the local agent resident upon the tract. The office of the company (or " general land-office" as it was termed in this section) was first established by him at the house of Asa Ransom, at Pine Grove, but two years later (1802) was removed to Batavia.

Mr. Ellicott, as chief surveyor, had completed the sur- vey of the purchase into townships during the years 1798 and 1799, and had made some progress in their subdivision into lots (though this work of subdivision was not com- pleted until several years later) ; and as a portion of the lands had thus been ready for sale, one of his first acts after as- suming the office of resident agent was to attract the notice of intending settlers to the advantages offered by the com- pany to such as desired to find new homes in the fertile region of the "Genesee Country." The most effective method for accomplishing this was, of course, by advertising, and of this means he availed himself. The newspapers were used by him quite extensively (for that early day), and, in addition to this, handbills, setting forth the great advantages of settlements upon these lands, were posted at innumerable points along the routes of travel through the entire extent of this State, from Canandaigua to the Hudson River, and thence as far cast as Springfield, Mass., and Hartford,

* The subdivisions into lots were not all completed until about 1808.

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Conn., as it was considered particularly desirable to secure as large a portion as possible of the numerous emigration which was then moving westward from the New England States. One of these advertising handbills (believed to be the first issue) was printed at Albany in the fall of the year 1800, and ran as follows :

" HOLLAND LAND COMPANY WEST GENESEO LANDS-INFORMATION.

" The Holland Land Company will open a Land Office in the ensuing month of September, for the sale of a portion of their valuable lands in the Geneseo country, State of New York, situate in the last pur- chase made of the Seneca Nation of Indians, on the western side of Genesee river. For the convenience of applicants, the Land Office will be established near the centre of the lands intended for sale, and on the main road, leading from the Eastern and Middle States, to Upper Canada, Presque Isle [Erie], in Pennsylvania, and the Connec- ticut Reserve. These lands are situate, adjoining and contiguous to the lakes Erie, Ontario, and the streights of Niagara, possessing the advantage of the navigation and trade of all the Upper lakes as well as the river Saint Lawrence (from which the British settlements de- rive great advantage) also intersected by the Allegany river, navig- able for boats of thirty or forty tons burthen to Pittsburgh and New Orleans, and contiguous to the navigable waters of the west branch of the Susquehannah river, and almost surrounded by settlements, where provision of every kind is to be had in great abundance and on reasonable terms, renders tho situation of the Holland Land Company Geneseo lands more eligible, desirous, and advantageous for settlers than any other unsettled tract of inland country of equal magnitude in the United States. The greater part of this tract is finely watered (few exceptions) with never-failing springs and streams, affording sufficiency of water for grist-mills and other water-works. The sub- scriber during the years 1798 and 1799 surveyed and laid off the whole of these lands into townships ; a portion of which, to accommo- date purchasers and settlers is now laying off into lots and tracts, from 120 acres upwards, to the quantity contained in a township.

The lands are calculated to suit every description of purchasers and settlers. Those who prefer land timbered with black and white oak, hickory, poplar, chestnut, wild cherry, butternut, and dogwood, or the more luxuriant timbered with basswood or lynn butternut, sugar tree, white ash, wild cherry, or cucumber tree (a species of the magnolia), and black walnut, may be suited. Those who prefer level land, or gradually ascending, affording extensive plains and valleys, will find the country adapted to their choice. In short such are the varieties of situations in this part of the Genesee country, every- where almost covered with a rich soil that it is presumed that all purchasers who may be inclined to participate in the advantages of those lands, may select lots from 120 acres to tracts containing 100,000 acres, that would fully please and satisfy their choice.

" The Holland Land Company, whose liberality is so well known in this country, now offer to all those who may wish to become par- takers of the growing value of those lands, such portions and such parts as they may think proper to purchase. Those who may choose to pay cash will find a liberal discount from the credit price."

The issuance of these advertisements was a judicious step on the part of Mr. Ellicott, and one of the most im- portant measures adopted in the commencement of settle- ments upon the purchase.

CHAPTER V.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND HIGHWAYS.

THE Holland Company had placed their lands upon the market at a time which proved exceedingly favorable to the rapid promotion of settlements. Fourteen years before, public attention had been first called to the great agricul-

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History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 6

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: