History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches, Part 32

Author: Young, Andrew W. (Andrew White), 1802-1877; Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. fmo; Huntington Free Library. fmo
Publication date: 1875
Publisher: Buffalo, N.Y. : Printing House of Matthews & Warren
Number of Pages: 948

USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches > Part 32

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Charlotte Center was first settled by Robert W. Seaver, a soldier of the Revolution. He in the spring of 1809, with Barna Edson, explored the town, then a wilderness, and selected 90 acres of land, which included the home of the late John Edmonds. Here Mr. Seaver settled. He died in Charlotte in 1836. His son Randolph resides in Sinclairville. In the spring of 1809, Wm. Devine also came in, and settled upon the west part of lot 29,

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where he built a log house between where the school-house now stands and the highway. It was the first building erected at the Center. Oliver Gilmour, Daniel Jackson, and Aaron Seaver were early settlers; and in the fall of 1826, Stephen Lyman, a brother-in-law of Major Sinclear, settled near the Center. Perry Lyman, his son, at present deputy sheriff, resides at Sin- clairville. In 1811, Barney Cole died, and was buried at the Center. He was the first male person who died in the town. At an early day a shop was built on Mill creek, at the Center, by Edward Landas, for wool-carding and cloth-dressing, which was in after years used as a pail factory, turning shop and wood mill factory. About 1817, the first saw-mill was built there. In 1869, a steam mill was erected there by Addison Lake and Edwin Tuttle. About 1851, Joseph Landas built and opened the first store at the Center; though others had, for brief periods, sold limited amounts of merchandise. In 1821, Nathan Lake and his brother Calvin came in from Vermont, and settled a little east of the Center. Their brothers Daniel B. and Luther Lake came in to live in 1826, and settled on the street which was afterwards known as the "Lake Settlement." Nathan Lake was the first supervisor of the town, elected in 1830, and again in 1835, '37, '42, and '45. Allen A. Stevens, son-in-law of Nathan Lake; Horace E. Kimball, son-in-law of Daniel B. Lake ; and Henry C. Lake, son of Calvin Lake, have also been supervisors. [See List of Supervisors.] Henry C. Lake has also been a member of the legislature from this county. Hugh Harper, from the county of Donnegal, Ireland, came in, in 1828, and settled a little south of the Center ; and a few years later, his brother William, followed by other families from the north and other parts of Ireland. They have numerous descendants here, who make good and respectable citizens. The population of Charlotte Center, according to the census taken in 1875, is 120.

Sinclairville derives its name from Major Samuel Sinclear. Having pur- chased the whole of lot 41, which embraces the land where the village is situated, in November, 1809, he commenced the settlement of the place by causing the body of a log house to be built in the woods, miles away from all roads. It was built at the intersection of the roads leading from Sinclair- ville, one to Charlotte Center ; the other to Cherry Creek. In March, 1810, he and Wm. Berry and his family, and John Sinclair and Chauncey Andrus, hired help, arrived at this log house; the snow then lying deep over the ground. They occupied, for two days and nights, a wigwam made of poles and hemlock boughs, until they had completed their log house, into which they then moved. In the fall of 1810, Mr. Sinclear cut a wagon road from Fredonia to Sinclairville, the first opened into the central part of the county; and on the 22d of October, 1810, his family, which included his step-sons, Obed and John M. Edson, arrived. During the summer of 1810, he erected a saw-mil, and in the fall a frame dwelling house, which was for many years the village tavern; and in 1811, a grist-mill. Each of these buildings was the first of its kind erected in Charlotte and in the central and eastern part of the county. Abraham Winsor, a brother-in-law of Mr. Sinclear, came in

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from Madison county, and in 1813 built an ashery, and in 1815 opened a store. In early years he transported down the Cassadaga, in canoes, the pot and pearl ashes he had manufactured, and thence down the Allegany to Pitts- burgh, where he received in exchange flour, tobacco, nails, glass, and other merchandise, which he brought back in boats for the store in Sinclairville.

The north-east part of the town remained a wilderness later than any other portion. Alanson Straight was the first to commence Improvements. He settled about 1832 upon the farm now owned by Byron Lewis. In 1832, Nelson Chase settled upon the farm which he now owns ; and a little later in the same year, Nathan Penhollow upon the farm where his son William now resides. Calvin Abbey, Elijah Lewis, Wm. W. Rood, Neri Crampton, Daniel Hoisington, Henry Smith, Wm. Luce, G. R. Mathewson, Peter Odell, and Nelson Mansfield, were early settlers there. John Wilkes, who came in 1851, built the first saw-mill in .this part of the town, in 1865. Upon his farm the last bear was killed. In 1839, James Hopkins, Patrick Doran, and Garrett Wheeler, came in from the west of Ireland, and in following years others from Ireland settled there.

Kent Street and adjacent territory was first settled by families principally from the south of England. Samuel Hurley was the pioneer ; he came as early as 1817. Abraham Reynolds next came, in 1819, direct from London. Twice he walked from Charlotte to New York. His son Henry has been 3 years supervisor of the town, and is a merchant in Sinclairville. His daughters Mary and Elizabeth now reside in London. Robert Le Grys came in 1819; John Thorn in 1834 ; and in 1836, from .Devonshire, John Reed, whose sons are John, now in Australia ; William, a farmer in Charlotte ; and Richard, a merchant of Sinclairville. Richard Brock and Thomas D. Spik- ing came later. The street leading north from the Center to Arkwright, was also largely settled by Englishmen, wholly from Yorkshire, in the north of England. Thomas Pearson, Wm. Wright, and their families, and Thomas Dickenson, came over together in a ship from Hull, and settled on this street, in 1828 ; and many of their descendants reside in town. John Pearson, son of Thomas, has long been a business man, and is now a merchant of Sin- clairville. William Hilton came in 1830 ; his son John has been a director of the Erie Railway. These Englishmen, their descendants, and others who in later years came from that country, constitute a very large and substantial portion of the population of the town.

The first school was taught by William Gilmour in the winter of 1811-12, in the log house erected in 1809 by Mr. Sinclear. Dr. Orange Y. Campbell was the first physician. Drs. Henry B. Hedges, J. E. Kimball, Gilbert Rich- mond, and George S. Harrison, at a later period were, for many years, prac- ticing physicians of Sinclairville, and were widely known in their profession through the county. Charles Smith was the first shoemaker ; Samuel Brunson the first blacksmith. Chester Wilson, father of W. Thomas Wilson, Esq., long a justice of sessions of the county, was the first saddler and harness- maker. Nathaniel Johnson came to Sinclairville from Madison Co. in 1814.

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His son Forbes, many years a resident here, was a member of the legislature of 1844. He and John M. Edson constructed the first tannery; and they also built a grist-mill in Sinclairville at an early day. Hannah, daughter of Nathaniel Johnson, married $. L. Henderson, who came in in 1816. Their son W. W. Henderson, of this place, is collector of U. S. revenues for the 27th revenue district. Dr. Henry Sargent was the earliest postmaster. The mails were at first carried from Ellicottville to Mayville by Sampson Crooker, the father of Hon. George A. S. Crooker, who went through once a week on foot. Chauncey Andrus, Ezra Richmond, Peter Warren, father of Judge Emory F. Warren, Bela Tracy, a brother of John Tracy, formerly lieutenant- governor of this state, Asa Dunbar, Philip Sink, Henry Cipperly, Wm. H. Gleason, and Wm. Brown, were some of the early settlers of Sinclairville and the south-western part of the town. Wm. Heppenen, from Germany, settled in the village in 1853 ; his brother Ernest in 1854. They were followed, in later years, by many industrious and worthy German families, who have set- tled in the village and town.

The first town meeting was held at Charlotte Center, March 2, 1830. The following are the names of the officers chosen :

Supervisor-Nathan Lake. Town Clerk-Walter Chester. Justices of the Peace- John M. Edson, Eldred Sampson, James S. Parkhurst. Collector- Barzillai Ellis. Assessors-Peter Warren, Bela Tracy, Spencer Clark. Over- seers of the Poor-Freeman Ellis, Abel Potter. Com'rs of Highways-Bela B. Lord, R. W. Seaver, Charles Goodrich. Com'rs of Schools-Bela B. Lord, Samuel T. Booth, Crocker Richardson. Constables- Amasa Dalrymple, Barzillai Ellis, Benjamin Fisher. Collector-Barzillai Ellis. Sealer-Oshea Webber.

Supervisors from 1830 to 1875.

Nathan Lake, 1830, '35, '37, '42, '45-5 years. Bela Tracy, 1831, '33, '34. Samuel F. Forbush, 1832. John Chandler, 1836. Orton Clark, 1838 to '41, 1843, '44, 1859, '60' 8 years. Randolph W. Seaver, 1846 to '48-3 years. Joseph E. Kimball, 1849. Orsamus A. White, 1850, '51. John M. Edson, 1852, '53, '54. Daniel Arnold, 1855. Wm. M. Waggoner, 1856. Allen A. Stevens, 1857, '68. Henry C. Lake, 1858, '61. Timothy D. Copp, 1862, '63. Henry Reynolds, 1864 to '66-3 years. Obed Edson, 1867. George S. Harrison, 1869 to '71-3 years. Horace E. Kimball, 1872 to '74, and Albert Richmond, 1875.

The progress of settlement in the village and town was slow, until about the year 1824, when Walter Smith and George A. French opened a store at Sinclairville, and engaged in considerable trade. This, with the opening of the Erie canal, gave a new impetus to settlement. Sinclairville continued, until 1845, to be an important point for the manufacture of pot and pearl ashes, which, prior to 1824, had been sent to Pittsburgh, but thereafter to Montreal and New York. Walter Chester, Thomas J. Allen, in 1838 a mem- ber of assembly, his brother Caleb J. Allen, Perez Dewey, Alonzo Lang- worthy, Nelson Mitchell and John Dewey, were some of the leading and

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older merchants of the village. Jonathan Hedges was an early innkeeper, and his son Elias S. Hedges an early tanner.

Stages were first run from Fredonia to Jamestown by Obed Edson, brother of John M. Edson, and by Reuben Scott, about 1827. Subsequently the line was extended to Warren, Pa., by Obed Edson.

Albert Richmond, from Watertown, N. Y., in August, 1833, was the first attorney at law ; and from January, 1855, to the close of 1858-4 years- surrogate of the county. In 1832, a school-house was first built ; schools having been previously kept in a school-house built in 1816, in the town of Gerry, adjacent to Sinclairville. Early in 1849, Sinclairville was made a station on the telegraph line leading from Fredonia to Pittsburgh. This line was afterwards discontinued. In 1852, the Fredonia and Sinclairville plank road was constructed from Fredonia, through Sinclairville, to Ellicott. It was built principally through the exertions of the people of Sinclairville. Perez Dewey, of Sinclairville, was its largest stockholder and first president. It contributed largely to the growth of the village during succeeding years. June 21, 1862, "Evergreen Cemetery Association" was organized, with Barnard W. Field as president, and under his superintendence its ample grounds have since been embellished with unusual taste. April 7, 1868, occurred the severest fire that has ever visited Sinclairville. Early in the morning the Bennett block was discovered to be on fire. Three stores com- prising this block, the Sinclairville House, a dwelling house and barn, a meat market and a shoe shop were burned, and a harness shop was torn down- in all seven buildings. February 6, 1870, the Sinclairville Library was estab- lished, with Alonzo Langworthy as its president.

The people of Charlotte were among the first to move in the construction of the Dunkirk, Warren & Pittsburgh Railroad, as it was then known, now known as the Dunkirk, Allegany Valley & Pittsburgh Railroad. The first meetings to promote the enterprise were held at Sinclairville. At a meeting presided over by Hon. C. J. Allen, preliminary steps were taken to organize the company. T. D. Copp and Alonzo Langworthy, of Sinclairville, were directors from its organization until after its completion ; the former being during this time its president. They, by their efforts and influence, largely aided in effecting the construction of the road, which was completed to Sin- clairville, June 1, 1871. November 5th, 1874, the "Sinclairville Fair Ground Association" was organized with H. E. Kimball as president. By the census of 1875, Sinclairville contained a population of 695.

The south-east part of the town was first settled by Leman Cleveland, on the farm of Richard Langworthy, on lot 10. In 1814, Samuel T. Booth settled on the farm now owned by Thomas Spear. John Howard, in 1817, on lot 1. Justus Torrey, from Genesee Co. in 1819, settled on the farm now owned by his son Sheldon Torrey. He chopped and cleared with his own hands several hundred acres of land, and during many years manufactured annually large quantities of maple sugar. The widow Lemira W. Camp, with her family, in March, 1819, settled upon 200 acres of land known as 17

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the Camp farm, now owned by Merlin M. Wagoner. She had been preceded by her son Samuel Camp. Milo, Merlin, John, Wilson, and Herman, were the sons of Mrs. Camp. David Sheldon, Robert Robertson, Peter Robert- son, John Luce, and Mr. Parsons, were early settlers in this part of the town.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

JOEL BURNELL came to Charlotte in 1810, and settled on lot 46, bought of the Holland Land Company in January of that year. He is described by one who knew him well, as a man of " original and brilliant intellect, a great reader, and about equally inclined to theology and the law." He was for many years associate judge of the county court, and for a long time a justice of the peace. He was also a local preacher of the Methodist Epis- copal church. His house was for years the preaching place and the home of the preachers. He had 11 children ; six sons and five daughters. Of these no particular sketch has been obtained, except that of his son Madison, an eminent lawyer, which will be found in the historical sketch of Jamestown.

JOHN M. EDSON is a descendant, of the sixth generation, from Samuel Edson, who was born in England in 1612, and came over to Salem, Mass., in the year 1638 or 1639, and afterwards became an original proprietor and first settler of Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., Mass. He was a member of the general court at Plymouth in 1676, and held other positions of public trust. His son Samuel, an ancestor of John M. Edson, participated in the Indian wars against King Philip, and was a member of the general court at Boston in 1697 and 1713. Obed Edson, the grandfather of John M. Edson, was an early settler of the town of Richfield, Otsego Co., N. Y.

John M. Edson was born July 30, 1801, in Eaton, Madison Co. When he was about three years of age, his father died. His mother, whose maiden name was Fanny Bigelow, afterwards married Major Samuel Sinclear. Mr. Edson moved with his step-father's family to Sinclairville, in 1810, the first settlement having only been made there that year. There were no schools, few books, and for years but a single newspaper was received in the settle- ment. These limited facilities gave Mr. Edson but little opportunity to in- dulge a natural inclination for mental improvement ; and he received but a limited education, the deficiencies of which were supplied, in no inconsider- able degree, by a taste for reading. He, however, in early life, became familiar with the prompt expedients necessary in a new country, where a rough and ready skill to meet the difficulties incident thereto, were the qual- ities most in requisition. When a young man, the military spirit ran high in Western New York. In the regiment organized in the central and eastern portion of the county, he filled most of the regimental offices from lieutenant to that of colonel, which he received May 22, 1830. Among other positions, he held that of justice of the peace of Charlotte for fourteen years. He served three years successively as its supervisor, and one term as deputy U. S. marshal. April 17, 1843, he was appointed by Gov. Bouck a judge of the court of common pleas, and served until July 1, 1847, when the court as then

Jobin 12 Edson

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organized was abolished by the constitution of 1846. In politics he has al- ways been a democrat. He was the first master of the Sylvan Lodge No. 303 of Freemasons, at Sinclairville, under the new charter granted subse- quently to anti-masonry. He is now 73 years of age, and resides on his farm adjacent to Sinclairville.

In 1831 he was married to Hannah Alverson, daughter of Jonathan and Ursula Alverson. She was born at Halifax, Vt, June 3, 1804, and came with her mother to Gerry to reside with her uncle, Wm. Alverson, in 1821. They have two children : 1. Obed, born in Sinclairville, Feb. 18, 1832; a lawyer by profession, and at present a member of assembly from the second district of this county. He married Emily A. Allen, daughter of Caleb J. Allen, born in New London, Conn., Nov. 27, 1835. Their children are : Fanny A., born April 28, 1860 ; John M., born Sept. 29, 1861 ; Samuel A., 'born Sept. 15, 1863 ; died Nov. 16, 1872 ; Mary U., born Sept. 11, 1865 ; died Nov. 27, 1872 ; Hannah, born Feb. 15, 1869; Walter H., born Jan. 8, 1874; and Ellen Emily, born April 21, 1875. 2. Fanny Ursula, born June 4, 1834, and married Henry Sylvester, son of Melzer Sylvester. They re- side in Sinclairville. Their children are : Anna G., born Jan. 5, 1856 ; Emily A., born Nov. 22, 1857 ; Katie, born Nov. 20, 1863 ; died Aug. 18, 1864; and Frederic H., born Sept. 22, 1867.

SAMUEL SINCLEAR was born May 10, 1762, at Vassalborough, Maine. His parents, Joshua Sinclear and Mary Cilley, were married in Scotland, in 1752 or 1753, and came to America about the year 1760. Samuel was the fifth of nine children. His elder brothers and sisters were born in Scotland, the younger in Maine. He was a kinsman of Cilley, a member of Congress from Maine, who was killed near Washington in the celebrated duel with Graves, of Kentucky, and a nephew of Gen. Joseph Cilley, a distinguished officer of the Revolution, conspicuous for his bravery as colonel of the Ist New Hampshire regiment at the battles of Bemis Heights and at Monmouth. [See Am. Hist. Records, vol. 3, p. 228; and Quackenbos' Hist. U. S., p. 247.] Mr. Sinclear went with the American army as an assistant to his uncle, Col. Cilley, and served as such one year. June 20, 1777, being then barely fifteen years of age, he enlisted in Capt. Amos Morrill's company of Col. Cilley's regiment, in Gen. Enoch Poor's brigade, and served for three years. He was at Monmouth and other battles, and suffered with the American army at Valley Forge. He served in Gen. Sullivan's campaign against the Indians upon the frontiers of Pennsylvania and New York, in 1779. At the expiration of his term of enlistment, he received an honorable discharge, being then but eighteen years of age. After the close of the war he erected a saw-mill on the Kennebec river, and engaged in getting out ship timber. In 1788, he removed to the state of New York, and resided successively at Utica and Cherry Valley, and in 1796 became one of the first settlers in the town of Eaton, Madison Co. He afterwards became the pioneer of the central part of Chautauqua county, and the founder of the village of Sinclair- ville. He brought with him $6,000 or $7,000, a large sum for that day,

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which he expended in purchasing lands, building mills, and making other im- provements there. He was elected the first supervisor of Gerry, then com- prising the present towns of Charlotte, Gerry, Cherry Creek, and Ellington, and continued its supervisor for six years. He was a strong, resolute man, of a commanding presence. His familiarity with frontier life; his integrity and good judgment, made him a leading and influential citizen, and enabled him to contribute much to the settlement in this part of the county. He drew hither many early settlers, assisted them in selecting locations, in erect- ing their log cabins, and starting them in their wilderness homes. He was a Revolutionary pensioner. He died at Sinclairville, February 8, 1827. No likeness has been preserved of him, and only one of his wife Fanny.

Mr. Sinclear was twice married. February 8, 1785, he married at Vassal- borough, Maine, Sally Perkins, who was born May 19, 1768, and died May 14, 1804. Their children were: 1. Molly, born 1786, married Elijah Has- well, and is deceased. 2. John, born 1788, and died at Sinclairville in 1864. 3. Solomon, born 1789, and is deceased. 4. Sally, born 1791; died 1792. 5. Sophy, born in 1793; died in 1866. 6. Samuel, born in 1794; deceased. 7. Sally, born in 1796; married Wm. Barras. 8. Richard, born in 1799 ; deceased. 9. Samuel, born in 1801; died in Gerry, Oct. 2, 1848. Samuel Sinclair, Jr., was many years the publisher of the New York Tribune. 10. Agnes, born in 1803, is deceased. March 14, 1805, Major Sinclear married Fanny, the widow of Obed Edson, at Eaton. She was born April 7, 1777, in Colchester, Conn., and was one of twenty-one children. Her father, Elisha Bigelow, was of Puritan descent, and a soldier of the Revolu- tion. He removed, in 1793, from Connecticut to Springfield, Otsego Co., N. Y., where he purchased land of Judge Cooper, father of J. Fenimore Cooper, where he resided until his death. Her mother, Thankful Bigelow, died at Sinclairville in 1839, aged 97 years. Fanny married Obed Edson in Otsego Co., and died at Sinclairville January 12, 1852. Her husband, Obed Edson, died in 1804.

The children of Fanny and Obed Edson were: 1. Obed, born in 1796, at Richfield, Otsego Co., and came to Sinclairville in 1810. He was a mem- ber of the legislature of Penn .; a canal receiver at Johnston, Penn .; a judge in Warren Co., Penn., and also in Pulaski Co., Ill., where he now resides. 2. John Milton, of Sinclairville. [See sketch, p. 258.] 3. Fanny Aurora, born in Eaton, 1803; married Horace Potter, and resides at Kankakee, Ill.

The children of Fanny and Samuel Sinclear were: 1. Nancy, born in Madison Co. in 1806, died in 1855. Her husband, Worthy Putnam, resides at Berrien Springs, Mich. 2. David, born in Madison Co. in 1807; now resides at Sinclairville. 3. Joseph, born in Madison Co. in 1809; died of cholera in 1852, at Fort Wayne, Ind., where he resided. He had been clerk of Allen Co. ; a member of the Indiana state senate ; and an agent of the U. S. Government to remove the Indians west of the Mississippi river. 4. George, born at Sinclairville July 4, 1811 ; now resides in Gerry. 5. Orlinda, born in 1813; married Charles Parker; died at Mayville in 1846. Her son

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David was the late marshal of Virginia. 6. Virtue, born in 1816; married Chester Cole, and resides in Hillsdale Co., Mich. 7. Hiram, born in 1817; died 1818.

ABRAHAM WINSOR was born in Providence, R. I., Jan. 16, 1778, and was married in 1802, to Sophia Bigelow, born in Conn., Aug. 1, 1783. He appears on the Land Company's book as the original purchaser of the west part of lot 33, tp. 4, r. 11, [now Charlotte,] in June, 1816. In a sketch of the family, prepared by his son, Samuel B., he is said to have come to the county in August, 1810, and settled at Sinclairville, where his purchase was made in June, 1816. That he was here prior to the latter date is evident from the facts, that he held a commission, as lieut., under Lieut. Col. John McMahan, as early as Feb., 1812 ; and that he served in the war of 1812 ; being enrolled with the Chautauqua county militia. He was commissioned as captain, April 6, 1815, and, in 1819, as brigade quarter-master under Brigadier-Gen. John McMahan. Abraham Winsor had 7 children, besides two who died in infancy: 1. John W., married Clarinda, daughter of Heman Bush. 2. Samuel B., who was married to Anna Sears. 3. Phebe, wife of Woodley W. Chandler. 4. Abram, married to Marinda - -. 5. Thankful, wife of Stephen Patch. 6. Anson P., who married Emeline Bowers. 7. Al- onzo, who died in California.

CHURCHES.

Prior to the organization of any religious society in Charlotte, it was visited by early missionaries. The first meeting was held by Rev. John Spencer, Oct. 22, 1811, in the first log house built by Major Sinclear. He and Elder Turner, a Baptist, often delivered a regular discourse to a single family.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was the first religious society in the town. It had its origin, about the year 1812, in a class organized at Charlotte Cen- ter, and consisted of Judge Joel Burnell and seven others. William Brown was their first minister. In 1851, they erected a house of worship at Sin- clairville, where the church now numbers fifty members. The society erected, the same year, at Charlotte Center, another church edifice. Rev. H. H. Moore is the present pastor of these societies.

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