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 87
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On the 30th day of July, 1877, the certificate of incor- poration was recorded in the county clerk's office.
Sept. 5, 1877, the trustees purchased 12,1% acres of Tryphenia and Luman Howard ; later, a strip of land
along the western side. The grounds now contain 1371% acres, the first cost of which was $2350. They were given into the charge of Mr. H. B. Allen, by whom they were laid out into plats, subdivided into lots, intersected with avenues ; near the centre of the grounds a mound about 50 feet in diameter was erected, called " The Soldiers' Rest," and dedicated to those who gave their lives in the defense of their country.
The grounds were dedicated with appropriate ceremonies June 6, 1878. Introductory remarks by the Rev. R. G. Campbell, of the United Presbyterian Church of Lyndon. History of the Association by J. H. Waring, secretary of the association. Dedicatory written for the occasion by Marvin Older. Address by the Rev. F. W. Fisher, of the First Presbyterian Church of Franklinville. Hymn com- posed by Rev. Geo. W. Varnum. Closing remarks by the Rev. A. H. Bennett, of the Free Methodist Church of Franklinville, and followed by a prayer by the Rev. Geo. W. Varnum, of the Baptist Church of Franklinville.
POST-OFFICES.
The first mail-route through to Franklinville was opened from Centreville in 1816, and in the following year was continued to Ellicottville. The mail messenger was Moore, who carried the mail on horseback in saddle-bags, and in 1819 or 1820 was continued to Lodi. Wm. M. and Marvin Older carried the mail two years from Perry, Wyoming Co., to Gowanda, through this place and Ellicott- ville.
Thomas B. Walker and his brother succeeded them, and for the first time in the country the mail was carried by stage; they continued twelve or fourteen years. The first postmaster was Joseph McClure, who was appointed upon the establishment of the office in 1816, and filled the posi- tion till 1833. The receipts of the office for postage for the year ending March 31, 1832, were $89.36.
A post-office had been established some years before 1832, called Canning, and located on the hill between Franklinville and Ellicottville. The net amount for postage accruing for the year ending March 31, 1832, was $3.59. Jas. L. Bishop, postmaster.
David McClure succeeded his father in the office of post- master in Franklinville, June 30, 1833, and filled the posi- tion till 1841, and was followed by Maj. Flavel Partridge. Upon his retirement, about 1844, David McClure was re- appointed, and held the office until 1849, when Silas Adams, Gideon Searl, and J. R. Salisbury occupied the position till 1856, when David McClure was again reappointed, June 30, 1856, filled the position till June 30, 1861, and was succeeded by John Little, the present incumbent, who has occupied the position continuously for seventeen years, and is still an acceptable officer in the department.
About the time the Erie Railroad was opened through this part of the country, a post-office was established at Cadiz. Merlin Mead was appointed postmaster. He was succeeded by Leroy Burlingame, who still holds the position.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The Buffalo and Washington Railway was constructed through this section of country in 1872. The first train
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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.
entered the village of Franklinville the 10th day of June, 1872. Bonds of the town of Franklinville in aid of the construction of the road, to the amount of $30,000, were issued Sept. 5, 1868. These bonds were inoperative until such time that the road was constructed through the town. Samuel S. Spring, Horatio Stillwell, and Wm. F. Weed were appointed commissioners. At a meeting of the commissioners, Oct. 6, 1868, a power of attorney was granted to Jonas K. Button to subscribe for 300 shares of stock at $100 per share, in the city of Buffalo, which was accom- plished Oct. 7, 1868.
Feb. 1 and 17 the stock was sold, and bonds Nos. 10 to 30 inclusive were taken up at 70 per cent .; and in 1874 the town commenced paying $2000 per year, with accrued interest. Feb. 1, 1878, $1070 was paid, being balance of principal and interest of the bonded indebtedness of the town.
The Rochester State Line Railroad runs through lots 63, 55, 56, and 48, in the northwest corner of the town.
THE VILLAGE OF FRANKLINVILLE.
A level tract of land along the Ischua Creek, in the north- east part of the town, forms the site of the village.
Settlement was commenced here in March, 1806, by Joseph McClure, whose pioneer entry into the town has been already mentioned. He built a small log house a little west of the north and south road, where he lived until about 1816, when he built a frame house for a tavern, and at this time he was appointed postmaster. Thomas Morris sold the first goods here, in 1808. In 1816, Isaac Carpenter sold goods here also. Jonathan Lyon, in 1819, built a log tannery on the spot where Jonas K. Button's residence now stands, and in 1820 it was destroyed by fire, this being the first fire that occurred in the village. Flavel Partridge, in 1821, built the first store on the southeast corner of the "Square." In 1824, Jasper M. Bosworth eame to the vil- lage and built a blacksmith-shop north on the Buffalo Road, and there followed his trade, much to the advantage of the community.
Pardon T. Jewell, in 1825, rented the McClure tavern, and kept it until 1828.
Israel Day started a deer-skin tannery a little south of the village, and manufactured gloves and mittens quite ex- tensively, furnishing employment for the women of the neighborhood.
Cook & Day had a store on the northwest corner of the " Square," which was destroyed by fire in January, 1825-26. About 1828 a tavern was built between the Farmersville and Buffalo roads where the Globe Hotel now stands.
About 1830 a tavern was also built on the northwest cor- ner of the " Square," and was kept by Mead & Ely, after- wards by Matthew McGeorge, and was burned about 1850.
The first school was taught in the village by Isaac Car- penter in his own house, prior to 1825 ; and the first school- house was erected in 1828, on the road leading to Farmers- ville, on land now owned by Reuben Button.
Dr. James Trowbridge, in the spring of 1817-18, came into the town from Ellicottville and practiced his profession here, being the first physician in the town. He remained about three years, and removed to Hinsdale. Dr. Charles
McLouth succeeded him, and the remainder of his life was passed here in the practice of his profession. Dr. Augustus Hayden, in 1824-25, came in the village, lived, practiced until his death, which occurred about 1835.
Lorentus Salisbury, about 1825, came to the village, and entered the service of Maj. Flavel Partridge, as clerk in the store. He soon started in business with Jonathan Lyon, afterward with Jabez Morgan, and in 1835 commenced alone. In 1837 his brother, J. K. Salisbury, came to town and was clerk for his brother a year, then entered partner- ship, and the mercantile business has been represented by them in the village from 1825 till 1878. In 1855 the village had a population of 370 inhabitants.
In pursuance of the statute governing preliminary pro- ceedings in reference to the incorporation of villages, notices were issued, signed by many of the citizens, and on the 19th day of May, 1874, a meeting was held in response to the notice in Woodworth's Hall at Franklinville, to deter- mine whether the territory described below should be incor- porated as a village to be known as Franklinville. Begin- ning at the southeast corner of lot 39, township 4, and 4th range of the Holland Land Company's Survey ; thence west along the south bounds of said lot 39, 74 chains and 50 links to the southwest of lot 39; thence north along the township line, between the 4th and 5th ranges of township of said survey, 94 chains to a point 34 chains north of the south west corner of lot 40, township 4, and 4th range; thence east through the Riggs farm to the west bounds of the Buffalo road ; thence northerly along the west bounds of said road to a point opposite to the northwest corner of land now owned by N. F. Weed & Co. on said lot 40; thence south- easterly across said road and along said Weed's line to the east bounds of the Rushford or Farmersville road at the bridge across the Saunders Creek ; thence southerly along the east bounds of said road to the north line of B. How- ard's land on said lot 40 ; thence casterly on said Howard's north line to the east bounds of said lot 40; thence south on the east line of said lot 40, 17 chains to the south corner thereof; thence south on the east line of lot 39, 59 chains and 10 links to the southeast corner thereof, being the place of beginning, containing 647 acres of land.
After due consideration the vote was called, and 89 votes were cast, of which 65 were " for the corporation," and 24 were " against the corporation." A call was issued for an election of officers for the corporation June 17, 1874, and held with the following results : Samuel S. Spring, Presi- dent; Jonas K. Button, Andrew C. Adams, Henry Van Aernam, Trustees; A. B. Chandler, Collector; Solomon Cummings, Treasurer; Alfred Spring was appointed Clerk.
The presidents have been as follows : In 1875, Samuel S. Spring was re-elected ; in 1876, N. F. Weed was elected ; in 1877, N. F. Weed was re-elected; in 1878, Andrew C. Adams was elected.
The present Board of Trustees are Jonas K. Button, A. H. Towne, and R. F. Woodworth.
A. Clark Adams is the Corporation Clerk.
FIRE COMPANY.
June 15, 1876, Eagle Fire Company, No. 1, was organ- ized with 20 members. J. E. Robeson, Foreman ; S. B.
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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Robbins, Assistant Foreman ; Geo. H. Chandler, President; A. L. Mixer, Vice-President; Ira T. Gleason, Secretary ; C. Whitney, Treasurer.
A Babcock fire-engine having a capacity of 100 gallons was purchased by the corporation, at an expense of $1000, and placed in charge of the company.
The village contains 6 churches (Presbyterian, United Presbyterian, Baptist, Free Methodist, Catholic, and Meth- odist), hotel, bank, academy, school-house, post-office, 4 lawyers, 4 physicians, 1 dentist, 2 dry-goods stores, 3 gro- ceries, 2 hardware-stores, 2 drug-stores, 2 furniture-stores, 1 printing-office, and 1 job-office, jewelry-store, 2 insurance- offices, 3 tailor-shops, 4 millinery-stores, 4 carriage-shops, 4 blacksmith-shops, marble-shop, photograph-gallery, 2 markets, harness-shop, tin-shop, 2 shoe-shops, flour and feed store, steam saw- and grist-mill, barber-shop, and livery- stable, and depot of the Buffalo, New York and Philadel- phia Railroad, and contains a population of 610 inhabi- tants.
BANK.
The first exchange-office in town was commenced by N. F. Weed & Co., Jan. 1, 1867, for the better accommodation of the business of the village and town. Account was opened with Fiske & Hatch, and in Dec. 27, 1867, was changed to the Bank of North America, and April 6, 1850, to the National Trust Company, Broadway, New York. A demand for greater banking facilities, as well as the increase in business, caused the formation of the Bank of Franklin- ville, which was organized Dec. 26, 1872, with a capital of $26,000, and having as stockholders or copartners A. W. Miner, Friendship; Wm. F. Weed, Franklinville; Thomas Case, Lyndon; A. A. Morgan, Cuba ; Samuel. Morgan, Cuba; J. D. Case, Franklinville; L. F. Lawton, Olean ; H. Stillwell, Franklinville; H. E. Green, Franklinville ; J. O. Jordan, Cuba; S. R. Williams, Franklinville; N. F. Weed, Franklinville. Wmn. F. Weed, President; J. D. Case, Cashier.
The exchange-office of N. F. Weed & Co. was merged into the Bank of Franklinville, which commenced business Feb. 3, 1873, in the second story of the Warren block, and continued there until their new banking-house was finished in January, 1876, on the corner once occupied by D. Claflin as a residence, later as Railroad Hotel, which was destroyed by fire in 1874 or 1875. The copartners continued in the private banking business until Jan. 1, 1877, when they changed to the First National Bank of Franklinville, with a capital of $55,000, receiving a charter dated Jan. 15, 1877, and elected as officers and directors Wm. F. Weed, President; H. Stillwell, Vice-President; Jason D. Case, Cashier ; Directors, Wm. F. Weed, A. W. Miner, H. Still- well, T. Case, H. E. Green, N. F. Weed, and J. D. Case. The bank building is built of brick, two stories high, and well finished throughout, the upper rooms being used for offices.
Their business has steadily increased from the commence- ment until now they do most of the business of the towns of Machias, Yorkshire, Freedom, Farmersville, Lyndon, Ischua, and Humphrey. Since the organization, they have never had a loss to charge up. The business has had close attention, and an effort made to aid all laudable enterprises.
The cashier is a native of Lyndon, and for three years previous to the organization of the bank had the charge of a large oil company's interest in Pennsylvania.
THE PRESS.
Nov. 1, 1865, the first number of The Weekly Pioneer was issued by H. A. Williams and A. M. Curtiss, and con- tinued under that name until the second year of its exist- ence, when it was changed to the Franklinville Pioneer, and continued to be known by that title until its discon- tinuance, in the winter of 1866-67.
The Weekly Argus .- The first number of this paper was issued September 14, 1875. Francis M. Perley, who was formerly the publisher of the Ohio State Journal, is the editor and proprietor. It is independent in politics.
CADIZ.
The village is located on the west side of Ischua Creek, one mile and a half south from Franklinville. The first settler at the corners was John Warner, in about 1808 or 1809. John McNall and Howland Washburn, about 1816, a little south on the road leading to the grist-mill. McNall built a saw-mill on the creek in 1818. Tilly Gilbert came into the settlement in 1825, built the first store, and erected a carding-machine. In 1826, John McNall built a tavern, and Elijah Hyde moved to this place and established a store in 1830. The village contains a post-office, a church (Meth- odist), store, grocery, school-house, saw- and planing-mill, checse-box factory, cooper-shop, clothes-pin factory, black- smith-shop, and about one hundred inhabitants.
AGRICULTURE.
The soil in the town is gravelly loam with admixture of. clay, and is remarkably well adapted to dairying, and the attention of the farming community is mainly directed to the manufacture of butter and cheese. There was manu- factured in families during the past year about 65,175 pounds of butter. There are in the town four cheese- factories (three of which are owned by Jonas K. Button), that manufacture annually about 800,000 pounds, and are located as follows :
The Franklinville factory, one mile south of the village, uses the milk of about 800 cows.
South Franklinville factory has in connection with it about 550 cows.
West Franklinville factory has about 500 cows.
The Cadiz Union, one mile west of Cadiz, is owned by Jonas K. Button, R. C. Button, and Henry Morgan, and has connected with it 300 cows.
The tables given below are carefully compiled from re- ports of those years, and show the rise and progress of the town.
The agricultural statistics of 1835, with the manufac- tures, school districts, wages, public moneys, were as follows :
Acres
32,672
= improved ..
4,148
Assessed value of real estate ..
$65,344
personal estate.
$750
Cattle
1,455
Horses.
277
Sheep
1,838
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FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF FRANKLINVILLE, NEW YORK.
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TEN BROECK FREE ACADEMY, FRANKLINVILLE, CATTARAUGUS CO., N. Y.
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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.
321
Swine .. 969
Fulled cloth, yards.
1,632
Woolen cloth, unfulled, yards
1,896
Cottons, linens, etc., yards
2,409
County tax.
$489.12
Town tax.
$641.36
Saw-mills
3
Fulling . mill
1
Carding machine
1
Asheries
3
Tanneries.
2
Number of school districts
$135
Teachers' wages and public money
$205
Number of scholars.
444
The agricultural statistics of 1855 and 1875 are given below for comparison, and are taken from the census of those years.
1855.
Acres, improved
13,972
unimproved.
17,401
Meadow, acres ..
4,047
Hay, tons ..
3,567
Oats, acres sowed.
2,046
bushels reaped
51,228
Corn planted, acres.
268
harvested, bushels.
8,849
Potatoes planted, acres.
174
" gathered, bushels
18,021
Apples gathered, bushels. 6,235
Maple-sugar manufactured, barrels ..
22,275
Honey collected, pounds
3,902
Cows ..
990
Butter manufactured, pounds
77,870
Cheese
78,710
Sheep
4,303
Wool clipped, pounds
7,668
1875.
Acres, improved.
20,198
"
unimproved.
10,810
Meadow
6,563
Hay, tons cut.
7,898
Corn, acres sowed.
"
bushels harvested
7,720
Oats, acres sowed
1,464
Potatoes, acres planted.
224
" bushels harvested
28,624
Apple-trees.
11,647
Apples, bushels harvested.
11,645
Maple-sugar, pounds manufactured
26,681
Cows.
2,219
whose milk was sent to factory
1,646
Butter, pounds made in families. 111,174
Sheep shorn
1,283
Wool, pounds clipped.
5,364
Pork, pounds raised
92,741
TEN BROECK FREE ACADEMY.
The Ten Broeck Free Academy, occupying a spacious inclosure in the northern part of the village of Franklin- ville, owes its existence to FRE the munificent liberality of the late Hon. Peter Ten 1862. Broeck.
ACA
E
DEMY:
It was incorporated by an act of the Legislature, April 19, 1862.
The end in view in causing to be erected a RO.DL suitable building and en- dowing the institution, as expressed in the last will and testament of Mr. Ten Broeck, was to give to the youth in the three towns, Franklinville, Farmersville, and Machias, the privilege of securing an education free of expense for instruction. A small tuition fee has, however, been re- quired up to this time.
Under the direction of Mr. Ten Broeck the following gentlemen were appointed trustees : Jonas K. Button for the town of Franklinville; Heman G. Button for Machias ; John T. Cummings for the town of Farmersville. Each trustee is required to give bonds to double the amount of the funds bequeathed to the institution. The last-named gentleman did not qualify. Andrew C. Adams was duly appointed in his stead. Mr. Adams, removing from the town of Farmersville in 1873, left, thereby, the trusteeship of that town vacant. James H. Day was appointed the following year. These are the only changes that have occurred in the board since its organization.
Early in 1867 the trustees erected an edifice according to the specifications in Mr. Ten Broeck's will.
The building is 64 feet long by 44 feet wide. The recitation-rooms, hall, library, and apparatus-room, and cloak-room, on the first floor, and the recitation-room, hall, art, and music-room, on the second floor, are 14 feet high. The chapel on the second floor is 18 feet high.
It is a fine structure of cut stone, built at a cost of $21,000, and supplied with the modern improvements in school furniture. The grounds are filled with shrubbery, and the building and its surroundings are kept in excellent condition.
There is connected with the institution a carefully-selected library of 500 volumes of standard and miscellaneous works, to which all students have access, at stated times, free of expense. The apparatus is new and extensive; the sciences, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, chemistry, and physi- ology being amply represented. The library and apparatus were procured at an expense of about $2000.
By an act of the Legislature, in 1868, the academy was placed under the visitation of the Regents of the University of the State of New York, and made to share in the dis- tribution of the Literature Fund.
On Dec. 17, 1867, the school was opened for the reception of students, the trustees having previously elected to the responsible position of principal William B. Benson, A.M., assisted by an excellent corps of teachers. He has unin- terruptedly filled the position for the past twelve years with marked ability, and given the institution a wide reputation for excellent discipline, thorough training, and a healthful intellectual and moral atmosphere.
At the date of the incorporation of the academy, the sources from which the Endowment Fund was to be de- rived consisted principally of landed property lying in the three towns before mentioned. The executor of the estate has by degrees disposed of these lands and placed the pro- ceeds in the hands of the trustees. In the last annual report of the trustees to the Regents of the University, Sept. 1, 1878, the following exhibit of the financial con- dition of the academy was given :
Academy building, grounds, library and apparatus, and school furniture. $24,820.15 Bonds and mortgages .. .. 46,674.58
Cash in treasurer's hands 3,660.64
Total. $75,155.37
The academy has no liabilities. The Regents of the University designated this as one of
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" bushels harvested
36,131
Public money expended.
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HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK.
the academies of the State to instruct a teachers' class during the fall term of 1868. From that date for ten consecutive years the academy has received the honor of this appointment. The instruction in the Theory and Practice of Teaching and in School Economy has been vigorous and thorough. The class has always been large, and its members during this time have carried the influence of the academy into nearly every school district in the county.
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Besides the advantages of thorough instruction in Music and in Art, there are three courses of study in the Literary Department. The Classical Course and the College Pre- paratory Course have been represented each year. The names of the first graduating class, June, 1870, are the following: Joel H. Greene, Alfred Spring, James H. War- ing, Emily M. Adams, Ida M. Adams, Mary T. B. Button, Ida A. Giles,-all in the Classical Course. Since that time a large number of young men and women have completed the prescribed course of study, and with the honors and benefits of the school have gone forth into the world to fill responsible and useful situations. Some of them are num- bered among the alumni of our best colleges, and some of them are now pursuing a college course. The corps of teachers for the academic year 1878-79 is as follows : W. M. Benson, A.M., Principal, Languages and Sciences ; Miss Cornelia Willsie, Preceptress, Higher English Branches ; Mrs. Franc L. Bonnell, Assistant Preceptress, Mathematics and Higher English ; Miss S. M. Sanders, Common Eng- lish Branches; Miss R. M. Mead, Rhetoric and German ; Miss Louise Cummings, Music Department; Mrs. F. W. Fisher, Art Department.
Since the opening of the institution the patronage has been gradually extended. There are in attendance at this date 250 students, about equally divided as to sex ; 200 of them being eighteen years of age and upwards, and repre- senting thirty-five towns in this State and Pennsylvania.
The school has uniformly been a great success, and a mighty power in training a multitude of young men and women to successfully engage in the duties of life, and has in this way, in a large measure, reflected the wisdom and noble policy of its founder.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
PETER TEN BROECK
was the eldest of five sons and the second of a family of ten children, and was born in Somerset Co., N. J., on the 1st day of May, 1793. In 1797 his father, Reoloff Ten Broeck, together with his family, removed to Otsego Co., N. Y., where young Peter underwent all the unimportant vicissi- tudes of ordinary childhood, save the fact that up to the age of thirteen years he had never seen the inside of a school-house, and the little education he then possessed was obtained around the domestic fireside through the agency of his mother. In the winter of 1806 he attended a com- mon school for three months, and again, after attaining his
majority, he entered an academy at Sangerfield, Oneida Co., where he remained until the close of the term, which was just six weeks, and this (to quote his own phraseology) " completed my education." In the spring of 1816, at the age of twenty-three, Mr. Ten Broeck left the paternal residence to woo fortune and to act his part upon the theatre of coming events. He traveled on foot westward as far as Erie, Pa., where he arrived in the latter part of May; from thence, returning homeward, he crossed the counties of Chautauqua and Cattaraugus, in the latter of which he found a small settlement on the Ischua Creek, now known as the village of Franklinville, into which he first set his foot on the 6th day of June, 1816, where he remained a few days, and finally reached his father's home in the early part of July, where he spent the balance of the summer. In October of the same year he, in company with his younger brother, Cornelius, and Richard Tozer, again started on a voyage of discovery, and, being somewhat favorably im- pressed with the general appearance of the eastern part of Cattaraugus, hither he directed his footsteps; and, after due investigation, the trio decided to locate at or near what is now Farmersville Centre, and in accordance with this de- cision they contracted with the agent of the Holland Land Company for two hundred acres each, and immediately proceeded to define boundaries by marked trees and driven stakes. By the united energy of the three stalwart pio- neers the body of a rude log house was erected, but winter coming on, and being illy prepared to buffet its rigors, the three fled for refuge to their old Otsego home. In Febru- ary, 1817, the same party, increased to five by the enlist- ment of two raw recruits, Peleg Robbins and Levi Peet, all started for the primitive hamlet in the wilds of the West. In the spring of 1817, Peter Ten Broeck sold his land-claim to Levi Peet, and, in company with Peleg Robbins, again entered upon the path of investigation. He traveled on foot west and south, through the States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia, experiencing many wild adventures too numerous to detail in this sketch. They returned by a circuitous route, and arrived at the. village of Franklinville in the latter part of August, 1817. After resting a few days he resumed his journey, and arrived at his father's house in the fall, where he remained until February, 1818, when he rejoined his companions in their primitive settlement, commenced two years before, and spent the summer at their rustic home.
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