History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 78

Author: Franklin Ellis and Eugene Arns Nash
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* The first frame building erected in the town.

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OTTO.

THIS is the third town from the west line of the county, upon the northern border. The towns of Mansfield and New Albion form its southern boundary, and East Otto joins it upon the east. On the north, against Erie County, the boundary is defined by the waters of Cattaraugus Creek, flowing westward to Lake Erie. The south branch of the same creek enters the town near the southeast corner, and flowing thence towards the southwest, passes across Otto and enters New Albion, but soon returns by a sharp bend to the northward, and flows in that general direction, upon the boundary between Otto and Persia, to its junction with the main Cattaraugus.

These streams inclose the town as a peninsula, and by them and their small tributaries it is watered abundantly.

At their confluence, in the extreme northwestern corner of Otto, is a high and rugged promontory, the most elevated land in the town. For several miles above this point the banks of both streams continue high and precipitous, rising in some places to the height of 300 feet. These rugged bluffs along the main creek have received the local designa- tion of "the breakers;" and the narrow gorge through which the stream flows (contracted at one point to a width of about 350 feet) is usually known as "the narrows." Farther back from the streams these highlands subside into undulations and hills of moderate height. Towards the northeast part of the town " the breakers" terminate, and the banks of the Cattaraugus spread out into a rich bottom land covering about 300 acres in Otto, extending thence into the adjoining town, and known as " the Valley of Zoar."

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The locality known as the Valley of Zoar, containing from 800 to 1000 acres of bottom lands, is situated along both sides of Cattaraugus Creek, and in the southwest part of the town of Collins, the northeast part of the town of Otto, and the northwest corner of East Otto. Attracted by its excellence and great fertility, settlers as early as 1811, following up Indian trails, stopped on these rich alluvial lands and located.

First among these were Joseph Adams and his son Blinn, from Madison County, who located on lot No. 20, township 6, range 7, in this town, where Mrs. George Kelly now resides. He lived there four or five years and moved to Cincinnati. Settlers by the names of Hyde and Aus- tin came in about the same time and located near them ; they, too, remained a few years and moved West. In the spring of 1812, Peter Pratt, with his wife and ten children, from Clarence, Erie Co., settled in the Valley of Zoar, on the north side of the creek, in the town of Collins. His sons afterward were identified with the early settlement of East Otto. Joseph Bartlett in 1813 emigrated from Canada

with his wife and children to this town, and located on lot 24, township 6, range 7, in the valley where Alexander Ingraham now resides, and built a log house, where he lived until between the years 1819 and 1823. He then bought a farm on the north side of the creek, where he moved, and his children grew up to manhood and woman- hood, married, and moved away.

A few years after settling here he felt impelled to preach the gospel; and, encouraged by Christian friends, he de- cided to enter the ministry of the Christian denomination. In accordance with this decision, and a willingness on the part of those in authority in that church, an ordination- meeting was held at his house, three ministers of that de- nomination being present. After examination he was ac- cepted, ordained, and for many years preached in all parts of the country round about,-at the school-house on the bluff at Collins, at Davis Benedict's house in North Otto, and in many other places,-receiving corn for his compensa- tion. In those days subscriptions were made by persons agreeing to pay a certain number of bushels of corn. No church of that denomination was ever organized in the town, but the Rev. Joseph Bartlett had the honor of being the first standard-bearer of religious truth in the early days of Otto. He afterwards removed to the West, where he died at an advanced age.

Phineas Orr, a single man, came in from New Hamp- shire in the spring of 1813, located on lot 1, township 6, range 8, where Mrs. Eddy now lives, and built a log house; and in the spring following moved across the creek and settled, afterwards marrying Hope, the daughter of Peter Pratt. They lived there many years, and are both buried in the cemetery at East Otto. He was a general in the State militia.

Samuel Hill, a native of New Hampshire, emigrated to Canada East, and from there to this town, in the Valley of Zoar, coming down the creek in a canoe with his family, consisting of his wife and three sons, Jehiel, Asahel, Joseph, and two daughters. The number of families in the settlement at this time, including Mr. Hills, was four. .They arrived April 12, 1814, and moved into the log house built by Mr. Orr, buying one hundred acres where Widow Bruce now lives.

The next year, 1815, Mr. Hill bought a farm on the north side of the creek, in the town of Collins, and built a log tavern. Cattaraugus Creek now runs over the spot where it stood, the bank where it stood having been washed away by the current. The floor of the tavern was of black walnut, between two and three feet wide, rived, and one side faced with a broad-axe. Potatoes, johnny-cake, ven- ison, and bears' meat were the principal food. The next day after opening the tavern nine land-lookers stopped

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RESIDENCE OF MARVIN S. BOTSFORD, OTTO, CATTARAUGUS CON.Y

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RESIDENCE OF FREDERICK TRUBY. OTTO, CATTARAUGUS CO., N. Y.

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

there, and stayed all night, sleeping on the floor. For thirty years Mr. Hill, as " mine host," offered entertain- ment to man and beast. Jehiel Hill, the oldest son, was a man of noble and commanding presence, of considerable political influence in the ranks of the Whig party in Erie County ; was captain of the State militia ; promoted to colonel of the 19th Regiment, and then to general. He was at one time postmaster. In 1824 his name appears on the assessment-roll of Otto as owning land on lot 16, township 5, range 8. Asahel Hill also is recorded as on lot 1, township 6, range 8. He was adjutant of the 19th Regiment, and justice of the peace in 1827. Joseph, the younger brother, now living in the north part of the town, was fifer in one of the companies.

Stephen Williams, from Danby, Rutland Co., Vt., emi- grated to Concord, Erie Co., in 1816, with his wife and fourteen children, and settled in Zoar, on the north side of the creek. About this time David, his eldest son, settled on this side of the creek, in what is now East Otto, on lot 18, township 6, range 7. In 1824, the name of Stephen Williams appears on the assessment-roll of this town and East Otto as owning land on lots 18, 10, and 20, township 6, range 7. He bought a large tract, since known as the " Williams Tract," including the land where Adams, Hyde, and Austin, the earliest settlers, located. He was a thrifty farmer, interested in the raising of cattle, often wintering from fifty to one hundred head, and was a man of consider- able wealth.

Isaac, Benjamin, and Stephen Ballard, three brothers, left Vermont on foot, in 1818, each with a knapsack on his back with provisions for their journey. After reaching this town in the spring, Benjamin took a contract of chop- ping 5 acres of land at $5 per acre, of Asahel Nye, who lived on lot 54, township 6, range 7, now in the town of Ashford. Stephen hired out to John Williams, of Concord, for the haying season. Isaac remained with Benjamin, and after Stephen finished the haying, he assisted his brothers. The contract was finished about the 1st of September, when they went to Collins and took another contract, which they finished about the last of November. About the 1st of December they came into this town, when the brothers took up about 360 acres on lot 4, township 5, range 8. They built a shanty of logs, about 8 feet high on one side, and 6 feet on the other, and roofed it with elm-bark, smooth side down, held down by poles withed fast to the rafters. Isaac lived with Benjamin as a bachelor all his days, and died in 1868. Benjamin married the daughter of Na- thaniel Ballard, Oct. 5, 1824. He is still living, and resides in the village of Waverly. His son, George W. Ballard, lives on the old homestead. Stephen lived in town until 1850, when he moved to Erie County, and from there to Wisconsin.

Ira Waterman came from Cortland County, and located on lot 1, township 6, range 8, before 1819. He was an asses- sor, commissioner of schools, and commissioner of high- ways in 1823. He afterwards moved to Gowanda. He was a brother of Simeon Waterman, who lived west of Waverly in 1824, and had there an ashery.

Ephraim Brown, also from Cortland County, was here in the fall of 1818, before the Ballard brothers, and settled

on lot 5, township 5, range 8, with his wife and three children, built a log house, and to them was born, in 1819, a daughter Lavina, the first white child in town. The first town-meeting was held at his house, also the first wedding, being that of Bryant Benson and Mrs. Ballard, the mother of the Ballard brothers. The ceremony was performed by Squire Abel M. Butler.

In 1816, a contract was issued by the Holland Land Company to Barnard and Chester Cook. William Cook and Mason Hicks located in Zoar early in 1819, Cook locating on lot 21, township 6, range 7, where William Ingraham resides, and Hicks on lot 23. John Pratt, a son of Peter Pratt, married Lavina, daughter of William Cook, Oct. 5, 1823. Iu 1824, William Cook owned land on lot 21, township 6, range 7, Esek Cook on the same lot, and Silas Cook on lot 20, and Mason Hicks on lot 5, township 6, range 7, in East Otto.

Adam Ballard, from Otsego County, settled in the town in 1819, taking up land on lot 5, township 5, range 8, where his grandson, Truman Ballard, now lives.

Isaac Skinner settled on lots 28 and 29, in the winter of 1819-20, having contracted for the land in 1816, at what was afterwards known as Skinner Hollow, on the bottom lands at the head of the " breakers" on the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek. D. P. Skinner was post- master at this place as early as 1825, and probably the first in the town. A saw-mill was erected at this place, on the creek, about 1823.

Joseph Allen, brother of Judge Allen, of Gowanda, came into the town in 1819, the year after the road was opened by the Holland Land Company from Ellicottville to Hidi. He followed an Indian trail up the creek to lot 58, township 5, range 7, now owned by his nephew, C. B. Allen. Mrs. Joseph Allen was the first person who died in the town.

He was supervisor in 1830, and a justice of the peace. Mrs. Sykes, of Mansfield, is his daughter. His death oc- curred Dec. 12, 1867, at eighty-six years of age. Mrs. Allen (2d) died July 30, 1873, at eighty-seven years.

Benjamin Austin, a soldier of the war of 1812, and a native of Hartford, Washington Co., in the fall of 1820 emigrated with his wife and seven boys to this town, and located 150 acres on lot 7, township 5, range 8, coming through Attica, and Aurora to Springville, and through the Valley of Zoar to this place. Edward W. Austin, one of his sons, taught school in a log house on lot 14, on a farm he had taken up. Jacob Austin, a son, lives on the old homestead.

Joseph and Wadsworth Foster, from Hartford, Wash- ington Co., came to Collins in the spring of 1817, and remained that season. In the spring of the next year they came over to this town and located on lots 6 and 7, town- ship 5, range 8, where Albert Foster now lives. They cleared off a piece of land and put in some wheat; built a shanty of poles, making the floor and roof of basswood- bark ; that of the floor being held flat by pins and the roof by poles. The sun curled the bark on the roof, so that in times of rain it afforded but little protection. They re- covered the roof with elm-bark, which made the shelter much better. In the fall, while working in the clearing,

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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.

their shanty accidentally caught fire, and the provision, clothing, and what little furniture they had, were totally destroyed. They returned to Collins in the winter, where Joseph taught school not far from where Edward Foster now lives.

In 1819 they came to their lot, and built a log house north of Albert Foster's present residence. Joseph married Hester Wheeler, a sister of Mrs. Benjamin Austin, who lived near them, Abel M. Butler performing the marriage rite. Joseph Foster was a constituent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the north part of the town. He was with Samuel Tuthill, the first inspector of common schools and justice of the peace. His death occurred in December, 1874, aged seventy-five years.

Wadsworth Foster settled near his brother, and is still living, and resides with his son, Almon Foster, on lot 2, township 5, range 8.

John Beverly, with his wife and children, came from Truxton, Cortland Co., in the year 1820, and located 150 acres on lot 23, township 5, range 8, having contracted for land of the Land Company in 1816. John, his son, lives in Waverly ; James, another son, lives on lot 16, in the north part of the town. Austin Pratt, who had located on lot 45, township 6, range 7, married Maria, daughter of John Beverly, Elder Joseph Bartlett officiating in the services.

In 1824, John, David, and Thomas Beverly were located on lot 24, and John and James C. Beverly owned lands on lot 3, township 5, range 8, and David Beverly on lot 14, township 5, range 8.

In 1816 a contract was issued by the Holland Land Company to Abel M. Butler. Afterwards Abel M. and Harvey Butler came from Oswego County in 1820, and located on lot 22, township 5, range 8; locating at the same time 100 acres on lot 23, township 5, range 8, for his brother-in-law, Hugh Mckinney, who came in the next year. Abel came with his wife and child, built a log house, and moved in. Harvey lived with him. The latter, after preparing a home, returned to Oswego County, and was married. Abel M. Butler was the first supervisor of the town upon its erection in 1823 (re-elected in 1824), and the first justice of the pcace of the town, a position he held for several years. In his later years he removed to Har- mony, Chautauqua Co., and died in December, 1872, at the age of eighty-one years. His son James lives in Waverly.

Luther Town came in from Madison County to Erie, and to this town in 1821 with his wife and children. He settled 100 acres on lot 5, township 5, range 8, where Samuel Charlesworth lives. He was one of the first assessors of the town. His son George lives in Little Valley.

Oliver Tripp located on lots 49 and 50, where F. Bern- hoff resides, on the farm of N. Loomis.

Davis Benedict, from Penfield, Monroe Co., came in the year 1822, and settled on part of lot 13, township 5, range 8, where Charles Stebbins now lives. Religious services were often held at his house, conducted by the Rev. Joseph Bartlett. The first burial-place in town was upon his farm, and is still in use.

C. B. Parkinson, of Springville, in 1821 selected a mill-

site on lot 1, township 5, range 8, on the north side of the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek, near the old bridge, and built the first saw-mill (Jacob Van Aernam and his sons, Abram and Nathaniel, building the dam) and first frame building in the town. It was raised Oct. 2, 1822. Benjamin and Stephen Ballard, John and Thomas Beverly, the Hill brothers, from Zoar, Ephraim Brown, Jacob B. Van Aernem and his sons, and Elder Bartlett were at the raising, which was not completed till the following day.

Shedrick Herrick and Edwin Farnsworth in 1822 settled on lot 66, on or near the place now owned by Dr. Golds- borough. Herrick soon after coming in had a son born, who was the first male child born in town. Farnsworth erected the first frame dwelling in town, on the farm after- wards sold to Sylvanus Parkinson.

Otis and Peter Guile, from Vermont, located land on lot 4, township 5, range 8, before 1823; and Otis also on lot 69, township 5, range 7, in the town of East Otto.

Moses Boone, from Onondaga County, located on lot 8, township 5, range 8. Alpheus Harwood, from near Can- andaigua, on lots 22 and 30, township 5, range 8. Henry Willets, from Scipio, located land on lots 10, 18, and 21, township 5, range 8, about the same time.

Alexander Little, with his wife and five sons, came from Madison County in the fall of 1822, remaining over night at Hill's tavern in Zoar, arriving in the town Oct. 2, 1822. He purchased a chance of 100 acres on lot 15, township 5, range 8, of a man by the name of McNeal, who had located about a year previous, having bought of the Land Com- pany at $1.50 per acre, erected a shanty and made a little slashing. Little was a blacksmith ; he brought his tools with him. He erected a log shop that fall and com- menced work. This was the first blacksmith-shop in town. The first barrel of salt that was brought in town Mr. Little bought in Syracuse, on their way to this place, and paid for it $1. They also brought a little flour with them. After getting out, they bought of David Beverly (who lived on lot 14, township 5, range 8, a little south of them) two bushels of wheat, for which they paid $1, and carried it to Lawton's mill, in the town of Collins, near Kerr's Corners, to get it ground. Thomas Little now lives in the village of Waverly. His son is living on lot 16. Harvey Little lives at Gowanda, and owns a farm on " Forty," as it is called. In the fall of 1823, Edwin Putney, a young physician, came in from Livingston County, and boarded during the winter with Alexander Little, practicing his profession until the following spring, when he left the town.

Alvin Plumb, familiarly called " Lord Plumb," in 1824 located on lot 9, township 5, range 8, afterwards called the Lower Village; built a log house and a blacksmith-shop ; put up a water- wheel on the creek to run a spinning-wheel ; manufactured cow-bells for the farmers throughout a large extent of country. In 1827 he removed to Hidi.

Mary Price, a spinster from near Pittsburgh, Pa., came in alone in 1824, and bought 50 acres of land of Abel M. Butler; hired two acres chopped, made a logging-bee, and had the logs rolled up for her house by the neighbors. When the road tax was to be collected she refused to pay it, but went out and held the scraper, and paid her road tax as the men did. She was not in much favor, and was

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SYLVESTER M. COX.

Sylvester M. Cox was born in the town of Camillus (now Elbridge), Onondaga Co., N. Y., July 7, 1807. His parents, Edward and Abigail (Mann) Cox, moved from Derry, Windham Co., Vt., to Onondaga County in an early day (in 1807), there locating on a farm. In 1824, Edward Cox made a journey to the West, prospecting, and four years later removed with his family to Cattaraugus County. His son Sylvester, however, preceded him, set- tling in the town of Otto, near Waverly, March 4, 1825.

Sylvester's mother was a native of New Hampshire. She died in 1858, at Niles, Mich., to which place the family removed in the fall of 1845. After her death, her husband, father of our subject, returned to Otto, where he died in April, 1860, at the residence of his son. Of their family of thirteen children, nine lived to adult age and married, but only two now reside in this county,-Sylvester M. and Emily Angeline, who is the wife of Pherson Ward, of Great Valley. The others are widely scattered, residing in Illinois, Iowa, California, and other States of the Union ; and one died in Michigan, in 1876. Nearly all of the sons were farmers.

Mr. Cox's early life was spent in farming. He helped to clear up the land, and assisted in cutting the roads of that vicinity. There were then no barns, and the houses were but shanties covered with basswood logs. When he came to Otto its population was small and scattered. He well remembers the first town-meeting he attended in the town, then a large district compared with its present area. It was in 1825, and he does not think there were fifty voters in the town, although at that meeting about five hundred votes were cast. The ballots were deposited in hats in lieu of ballot- boxes, and as the inspectors of the election were not very well posted as to their duties and the requirements of the law, they allowed each person present, young and old, to not

only vote, but to vote as often as they pleased, one young man of seventeen insisting on a vote for each year of his age ! But those were primitive days. He had few oppor- tunities for procuring an education, most of his knowledge having been acquired by self-culture since the days of his boyhood. Besides working at farming, in the earlier portion of his life he was engaged in blacksmithing, and for a time worked as a moulder in a foundry; but the pursuit of agri- culture has mainly engaged the attention of his life. He owns a number of farms in this county, and one in the town of Concord, Erie Co. For many years he resided in New Albion, but after the death of his youngest daughter he took up his abode with his father-in-law, Judge Scott, at Ellicottville ; but he still claims a residence in the former town, and expects to end his days there.

In 1830 he married Reliance Slaght, a native of Carlisle, Schoharie Co., N. Y., and whose parents came to Otto in 1829. Of the issue of this marriage, four children, only one survives,-Sarah M., who married Charles F. Derby, and lives in the town of Persia. Cornelius died in 1860, Melissa in 1836, and Vida, wife of Judge Allen D. Scott, in the winter of 1877. Mr. Cox was bereft of his companion in December, 1865, and subsequently married Desire Little, who was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., in January, 1821.

Mr. Cox has held several minor town offices both in Otto and New Albion. In the former he was assessor before the town was divided, and held the office for ten or more years. He also represented the latter town in the board of super- visors. His political action has been with the Whig and Republican parties, and his religious preferences are with the Congregational Church, of which he is a member. He never had but one spell of sickness in his life, and now, in his seventy-first year, and in the enjoyment of good health and a competency, can review a well-spent life.

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JUSTUS SCOTT.

In the history of the town of Danby, Vt., published in the year 1869, I find as follows:

" Justus Scott was a native of Hartford, Conn., and one of the first settlers of Wallingford, Vt., where he re- sided until his death, in about the year 1817. He was married, about the year 1782, to Edee Greely, who was born in Waterbury, Conn., in 1765, and died in 1860, aged ninety-four years and upwards. She was the mother of seven sons and four daughters."

Justus Scott, one of the seven sons above mentioned, now lives in the town of Otto, in this county, on the farm to which he moved in the year 1831.

He was born in the town of Wallingford, Vt., on the 19th day of March, 1799. Soon after his birth his family removed to Danby, Vt., where Justus remained with them until the year 1816.

The father was poor, and the family had already become accustomed to hard work ; and each had acquired the habit of providing in a large measure for his own wants. Facilities for an education in those days were few, and this family were unable to avail themselves of such as then existed. Two months, after he was twelve years old, was all that Justus had. And when he was seventeen years old he and his elder brother-Phineas-left home on foot, with packs on their backs, to seek their fortunes in " the far West." They traveled sixteen days, and arrived at Springville, in the county of Erie, in October, 1816. Chopping by the job was the first business engaged in. They cooked their food, and kept " bachelors' hall" in the woods. Justus soon took an article of a piece of land on the road from Springville to Ashford, about one mile south of Springville, and in July, 1817, married Emily Hardy. They commenced housekeeping strictly in accord- ance with the plan of the pioneer settlers; the body of a fallen tree for the rear of the house, crotches for the front pillars, covered with basswood " dug-outs," and the ground for a floor. Here the husband and wife lived a few weeks until a commodious log house could be built. Three children were born to them while in this place near Spring- ville: Justus J. Scott, May 14, 1818, who became a thrifty farmer, and now resides at Cattaraugus Station, on the Erie Railroad, in the town of New Albion. John H. Scott, June 12, 1820, who enlisted in the army of the late Rebellion, and died Oct. 22, 1863, of disease of the heart.

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History of Cattaraugus County, New York, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 78

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: