History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches, Part 33

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 33

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

The First Baptist Church of Sinclairville was organized June 2, 1826, by Rev. Jonathan Wilson, its first pastor. John McAlister and eleven others were its constituent members. In 1834, at a cost of $2,000, they erected the first church edifice built in the town. Rev. Mr. Morley is now its pastor.

The First Congregational Church of Sinclairville was formed July 22, 1831, by Rev. Isaac Jones, of Mayville ; Rev. Timothy Stillman, of Dunkirk ; and Rev. Obadiah C. Beardsley, of Charlotte, on the Presbyterian plan. It consisted, at first, of 23 persons. April 30, 1842, it was changed from the Presbyterian form, and organized as a Congregational Church, letters being granted as the basis of the new organization to thirteen members. Septem- ber 25, 1845, a house of worship which had that year been erected, was publicly dedicated. Rev. Charles W. Carpenter was the first pastor.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

The First Universalist Society of Charlotte was organized August 26, 1850. Rev. Wm. W. King was its first pastor. A house of worship was erected at Charlotte Center in 1851.

The First Universalist Society of Sinclairville was organized February 13, 1859 ; and a house of worship was erected at Sinclairville. Rev. Isaac George was its pastor.

St. Paul's Church of the Cross (Catholic) of Sinclairville was organized in 1871. Their house of worship is the church edifice erected by the Univer- salist Society in Sinclairville, which was purchased in 1871. It is now under the pastoral care of Rev. Father Alfrancis.

SOCIETIES.

Sylvan Lodge of Freemasons of Sinclairville was chartered about the year 1824. Samuel Sinclear was its first master. James Scofield, the grandfather of Major-Gen. John M. Scofield, and Richard Stockton, were also masters. Its first charter was given up after the anti-masonic excitement commenced. It was rechartered June 11, 1853 ; and John M. Edson was its first master under the new charter. Caleb J. Allen, Oscar Hale, W. W. Henderson, Obed Edson, A. D. Tompkins, W. D. Forbush, A. P. Brunson, and John H. Clark, were subsequent masters.

The Odd Fellows held regular meetings of their lodge during several years. Elias S. Hedges was their first noble grand.

Sinclairville Division, No. 617, of the Sons of Temperance, was instituted July 2, 1850, and continued to hold its meetings for several years.

CHAUTAUQUA.

CHAUTAUQUA was formed from the town of Batavia, April 11, 1804, and embraced all the territory now included within the limits of Chautauqua county, excepting the roth range of townships, which was added in the for- mation of the county. Pomfret was taken off in 1808; [see Pomfret ;] Portland in 1813 ; Harmony in 1816; Clymer, Ellery and Stockton in 1821. The town is irregular in form, and is partially divided by the lake. Its north- ern boundary runs nearly north-east and south-west, being about parallel with the shore of Lake Erie, at a distance from the Lake of about 5 miles. It comprises nearly all the land in tp. 3, and the whole of tp. 4, in range 13; and more than half of tp. 3, and a small portion of tp. 4, in range 14. A small portion of tp. 3, in range 13, forms a part of Ellery, and one tier of lots from tp. 4 has been annexed to Stockton. The town contains 41, 147 acres of land. The surface is elevated and moderately hilly, occupying the watershed between the waters of Chautauqua lake and Lake Erie. Its prin- cipal streams are the inlet at the head of the lake ; another flowing into the

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lake near Dewittville, on the east side; Prendergast's creek, which enters the lake from the west near the south-east corner of the town; and Chautauqua creek, which forms about three-fourths of the west boundary of the town.

Original Purchases in the Town of Chautauqua .- Township 3, Range 13- West of the Lake.

1805. August, Jonathan Smith, 29.

1806. January, William Peacock, 29. In March, a large tract was taken up by James Prendergast for his father, Wm. Prendergast, and his sons and daughters, who settled on it the same year. [Lands elsewhere described.] March, James Brown, 34. April, Paulus Pardee, 34. July, Henry Mott, 33. 1808. February, John Daggett, 34. April, Abraham Tupper, 28.

1809. September, Matthew Prendergast, 22. Susanna Whiteside, 22,

24. November, John J. Prendergast, 21, 23. Dec., Anselm Potter, 45.

1811. November, Caleb Baker, 33. James Baker, 33.

1815. April, Henry Smith, 39. Samuel Porter, 42. September, Wm. Prendergast, 26, 27, 31, 32.

1816. February, Martin Prendergast, 30. June, Benj. D. Lyon.

1818. July, Reuben D. Mallory, 33. William Hunt, 33.

1820. May, Elisha W. Young, 45.

1822. May, Samuel B. Wing. December, William S. Wing, 35.

1823. July, Charles Hill, 45.

1824. October, Ebenezer Kimball, 42.

Township 3, Range 13-East of the Lake.

1805. June, Filer Sacket. September, Peter Barnhart, 18.

1806. May, Miles Scofield, II.

1 808. August, Thomas Smith, 19.

1809. June, Walter G. Young, 16. Thomas Smith, 16. October, Jona- than Freeman, 8. Philo Hopson, 8.

1814. September, Anson Leet, 17.

Township 4, Range 13-North Part of the Town.

1809. October, Philo Hopson, 27, 33. Lawton Richmond, 10, 19. November, Wm. Dexter, 20. Darius Dexter, 20. John W. Winsor, 20.

1810. April, Orrin Miles, 9. Rand Miles, 9. John West, 29.

18II. June, Albigence Robinson, 3. August, Thomas Smith, 4. Octo- ber, David Waterbury, I.

1816. April, William T. Howell, 41.

1817. June, Nahum Parkhurst, 11. July, Fenn Deming, 37. December, Zaccheus Hanchett, 28.

1825. January, Chauncey Burtch, 45. David P. Darrow, 18. June, Norman Green, 50.

1829. September, Elkanah P. Stedman, 43. October, Allen Hurlbut, 23. The west part of the town lying in township 3, range 14, was mostly set- tled much later than other parts of the town. Only a small portion was taken up before the year 1821. The following is a .partial list of original and subsequent purchasers :

Township 3, Range 14-West of the Lake.

1810. March, Artemas Hearick, 6. April, Anselm Potter, 16.

1818. December, Jacob Houghton, 7.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

1822. July, James B. Lowry, 22. November, Azariah Bickford, 29.

1824. July, Joseph Davis, 23. September, Dennis Hart, 17. Ava Hart, 17. Wm. Burnell, 18. October, Palta Sweatland, 3. November, John Tanner, Jr., 2.

1825. March, William Bishop, 26. April, John Jeffords, 12. October, Isaac J. Whitney, 2.

1826. February, Joseph Stoddard, 19. Samuel Bullock, 18. March, Joseph Wilmarth, 14. June, Daniel Hungerford, ro. July, Eri Picket, 28. Aug., Benjamin Payne, 21. Sept., Asa Parks, 34. Oct., Henry. Withe, 12.

1827. March, Jabez B. Burrows, 22. Jonathan Ballard, 22. Philo B. Hall, 21. July, Zaccheus Hanchett and others, 3. Samuel Northway and others, 3. December, Anson Rowley, 19.

1828. July, Gideon Palmer, 34. September, Richard M. Harrison, 23.

1831. May, Elisha W. Young and Thomas R. Treat, 38.

The first purchase of land in the present town of Chautauqua, entered on the sales book of the Holland Land Company, was by Dr. Alexander Mc- Intyre, who settled at the head of the lake. In August, 1805, Jonathan Smith bought a part of lot 29, adjoining the lake, west side, and at an early day took a deed of the same. He was never married, and kept " bachelor's hall " during the remainder of his life. His character was marked by many rare eccentricities. He died on the land on which he first settled. In 1806, a large tract was purchased by the Prendergast family, on the west side of the lake, as stated elsewhere, a large portion of which has since passed to later settlers.

The following sketch of the removal of Wm. Prendergast and his family from the East, and of their settlement in this county, is taken chiefly from the notes of Judge Foote and from oral statements of members of the family :

The father, four of his sons, Thomas, James, Jediah, and William, and all of the five daughters, the sons-in-law, and grandchildren-in all, 29 per- sons, including Tom, a slave-started from Pittstown, N. Y., in the spring of 1805, for Tennessee. They had four canvas-covered wagons, the first two drawn by four horses each, the second two by three horses each, and in the rear was a two-horse barouche, for the older ladies. Never before had old Renssalaer beheld a more imposing emigrant train, nor one in whom she had a deeper interest. They were all people of moral worth and integrity, and as the train moved along amid the familiar scenes of passing years, it was constantly greeted with the heartfelt good-by-only properly understood by those who say adieu to friends for the last time. Journeying through Eastern Pennsylvania to Wheeling, now West Virginia, (some say to Pittsburgh, Pa.,) they there purchased a flat boat, and put their effects on board, and floated down to the falls of Ohio, [Louisville, Ky .; ] and thence, with their teams to Duck river, or creek, near Nashville, Tennessee, their intended location. James and Jediah had been there before. On their arrival there, they were much dissatisfied with the country. Everything was strange. The dialect of the people was a jargon highly tainted with the native tongue of the African slave. The roads were mostly mere bridle paths, and frequently

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interrupted by the gates of the planters. Their houses and the huts of the slaves were built without reference to the highways, but usually on some small stream or near a spring of water. More than all these, the school- house, the pride of the North, was seldom or never seen in the country ; and, with few exceptions, ignorance seemed the everlasting heritage of the people. Under these circumstances, it was wisdom to pause and consider. Slavery was extremely hateful to the entire company. These parents could never consent to rear their families amid the darkness of ignorance and slavery.

The family, before starting, had pledged themselves to settle together; but a majority declared they would not settle there, but would return to the North. Bemus, William, and some others, declared they would go back, even if the rest remained. All finally turned back in their wagons, through Kentucky, Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania, and arrived at Erie about the last of September, 1805. Here they resolved to settle in Chautauqua. Wm. Prendergast, Sr., had from the first desired to emigrate to Canada ; but his sons were unwilling, choosing to remain in the States. Bemus and Thomas Prendergast had, in 1804, been about Chautauqua lake, and were pleased with the country; but Jediah had urged the family to go to Tennessee.

There being but few settlers in Chautauqua, and a lack of provisions, the company went to Canada to winter, except Bemus and Thomas Prendergast, who remained. Thomas bought of Josiah Farnsworth, the land on which he lived until his death, and lately occupied and still owned by the heirs of his son, Stephen Prendergast, in Ripley. Wm. Bemus located on the east side of Chautauqua lake, but lived, during the winter, in a log house near Arthur Bell's, now in the town of Westfield. In March, 1806, James and William, Jr., returned from Canada, through Batavia, where they contracted, at the land-office, for a tract of land, for the family, on the west side of the lake, erected a log house, and made other preparations for the family, who returned in June, except Jediah, who, being a physician, remained and prac- ticed his profession for several years, and returned to Chautauqua. James and William, both unmarried, lived with their father until fall, when James, not disposed to remain here, returned to Pittstown. Their money, of which. they had a considerable amount, was in specie. They were what was in those days considered wealthy.

The father was about 78 years of age when they left Pittstown, in 1805, but was yet hale and healthy. He was a man of energy and perseverance, and determined to keep his family together by emigration, as all would not stay in Pittstown. "I had often," says Judge Foote, "heard Judge James Prendergast speak of the tour here described; and in July, 1857, I called on Col. William, the only surviving son, who related the journey to me ; and I make this statement from the notes I took from his own lips: and it is believed to be substantially correct. They were a clannish family, of similar habits, industrious, frugal, plain livers, honest, and apparently agreed in almost everything, and prosperous. Their society was, of choice, much among themselves."

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

When the family went to the South, Wm. Prendergast took with him a pair of very fine horses and a handsome carriage, for which he was offered a plantation of a thousand acres, but which he refused. He drove the horses and carriage back from the South to Chautauqua. This was the first carriage ever brought to this county, and probably the first in Western New York. Probably no other early settler brought into the county a larger amount of money. It was specie, and put up in boxes, which were in the bottom of a. wagon. One day, whether on the way South, or on their return northward, we are not informed, one man of the party, while walking leisurely behind the train, luckily found, every few rods, a number of silver dollars, and called the attention of the company to his good luck. It was soon discovered, that one of the boxes containing their money had started its fastenings sufficiently to allow the escape of a dollar or two nearly every time the wagon careened at the obstructions in the road.

The lands bought by the Prendergast families comprised most of those lying east of the two west tiers of lots of the township to the lake; and from the south line of the township, [3, range 13,] north to within 2 miles of Mayville. From a plat of the township made from the Holland Land Com- pany's surveys, the lands owned by them respectively were as follows : Wm. Prendergast, Sr., parts of lots 26, 27 and 31-433 acres. The sons and daughters : John J., [who never resided in this county,] lots 21 and 23-615 acres. Matthew, part of lot 22-270 acres. Martin, part of lot 30-220 acres. Elizabeth, part of lot 31-200 acres. Susanna, widow of Oliver Whiteside, parts of lots 24 and 32-360 acres. Jediah, parts of lots 34 and 39-350 acres. William, Jr., owned and lived on the homestead of his father, after his father's death. These lands amount, in the aggregate, to 3, 11012 acres. Besides these, there is set to Wm. Prendergast, 2d, son of Matthew, part of lot 25-227 acres, now owned by his son Martin.

In the south-east part of the town, in township 3, r. 13, Richard Whitney was an early settler on lot 2 1, adjoining Harmony line and the lake, where he died. He had 3 sons, Henry, Thomas, and Richard, who resides on the old farm. Alonzo, son of Thomas, and Alexander H., son of Henry, reside on the same lot. Norman H., son of Thomas, resides at Mayville. Thomas was several years a justice of the peace. Richard had 6 sons : Clark, de- ceased ; George, a physician at Jamestown ; Andrew, deceased ; William, captain of the steamboat Col. Phillips ; Thomas, a physician at Frewsburgh.

Wm. Prendergast, son of Matthew, practiced medicine in Mayville and Jamestown a number of years, and settled on lot 25, where his son Martin resides. Jared Irwin settled on lot 25, the farm now owned by John, son of Martin Prendergast. His sons, Edwin, George, and Matthew P., reside in town.

Ichabod Wing settled about 1822 on lot 36, with a number of sons, of whom Wm. S. subsequently settled on the same lot, and Samuel B. on lot 35. Samuel and Ichabod, Jr., reside in the town. William Hunt settled in 1816 on lot 29. [See sketch.] David Morris settled on lot 38, where he

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died. His sons were : John B., in Ripley ; Lorenzo, a lawyer in Fredonia ; Thomas and Edwin, deceased ; and Phineas J. Samuel Porter, on lot 42, bought in 1815, where he resided until his death. A daughter married Robert P. Hewes, and resides on the homestead. Ephraim Hammond set- tled early on lot 44 ; removed to Mayville, where he died. A son, Thomas, is of the firm of Warren & Hammond, proprietors of the Chautauqua Lake Mills. Robert Lawson settled lately on lot 42. He has two sons : Sidney R., dealer in boots and shoes, in Mayville, and the present supervisor of the town ; and Joseph, on the farm.

In the south part of tp. 4, r. 14, on the west side of the lake, Alfred Pad- dock was an early settler on lot 1, tp. 4 ; the land now owned by his sons Erie and Charles, and Ezra Smith. Daniel Adams settled on lot 2, where he now resides. Robert Donaldson, on lot 3, r. 14; has two sons living with him. Palta Sweatland also settled on lot 3 ; the land now owned by Jonas A. Lathrop, Horace Sweatland, and Robert Donaldson. Dennis Hart and Ava Hart, from Conn., settled on lot 17, on the south line of the town, where they still reside.

Samuel Hustis settled on lot 25, adjoining the south line, where he now resides. William Fowler settled on lot 35, adjoining the line of Westfield. His widow and son reside on the farm.

In the south-west part of the town, Jacob Putnam, from Pawlet, Vt., about 1832, settled on Chautauqua creek, lot 36. He had a large family. Of his sons, five came : Jacob, deceased ; Ransom, who died in the late war ; Amos and John, residing in Chautauqua, the latter a builder in Mayville; and George W., who settled on the west side of the creek, in Westfield. Two of his daughters have been successively married to Caleb Benson, on lot 44, in Westfield, tp. 3, r. 14; the latter wife still living.

In the north part of this township, Joseph Davis settled on lot 23. He had several sons, one of whom, Sanford Williams Davis, owns a part of the farm.

East side of the lake, in tp. 3, I. 13, Peter Barnhart settled on lot 18, which he bought in 1805. His sons Jonathan, Peter, and Henry, also settled in the town. Peter, Jr.'s sons, William and Hiram, live at Hartfield; and Henry W., another son, is in Michigan. Peter, Jr., had daughters, Elizan and Malvina, both deceased. The father married, in 1813, Amy Waterbury, the mother of these children, who died in 1824. After her death, he married Sally Herrick, whose children are : Mary, Jackson, Royal, Maria, Warren, Eliza, Arthur, and Alson ; nearly all of them living in Iowa. Mr. Barnhart has lived with his present wife 51 years, and is now 87 years of age.

Nathan Cheney and his brother Daniel came to Chautauqua Co., with their father, in 1807, and after a residence elsewhere in the county, they set- tled on lot 13, tp. 3, I. 13. Daniel died there a few years ago. Nathan still resides on his part of the land. [See family of Jonathan Cheney in History of Harmony.]

Darius Scofield settled early at Dewittville, where he resided until his

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death. His sons were : Seeley and Darius, both of whom have been justices of the peace; Gleni W., of Warren, Pa .; is a lawyer, and has been for several terms a representative in Congress; Benjamin F., editor and post- master at Painesville, O .; Timothy Bryant, a lawyer, and is connected with railroad business.

John Mason came to Chautauqua early, and finally settled at Dewittville, on the lot originally bought by Filer Sackett, in 1805, where he now resides. He married Maria, daughter of Capt. Anson Leet. Their children are : Arion, unmarried, with his father ; George, at Waterloo, Ia. ; Julia Ann, wife of Simeon Brownell, Ellery ; and John, married, also with his father.

In the south-east part of township 4, range 13, John Miles, about 18ro, with a large family, settled on lot 9, near the east line of the town. His sons were : Rand, Orrin, Corey, Daniel, and Ammi, all of whom settled in the neighborhood; only Daniel and Ammi are living, and reside in the town. Arnon, another son, was killed by a log rolling over him. John, son of Ammi, owns the homestead of his grandfather.

Philo Hopson, from Herkimer Co., settled about a mile north of Hart- field, on land bought in 1809. His sons, Lyman, Linus, and Stephen, settled and died in the township; Harry and Philo removed to the south with their father. Philo, Sr., and Wm. Bateman early built a saw-mill at Hartfield. Zaccheus Hanchett settled on lot 28. His son Ambrose lives near Hartfield. Dexter Barnes, a noted axe-maker, settled early in Stockton; afterwards removed to Hartfield, where he died. He had 3 sons : Hiram and Perry, who reside in Mayville; and Loman, not living.

Darius Dexter, from Herkimer Co., came to this county in the spring of 1808, and took the job of Mr. Ellicott, to cut and clear out a mile and a half of the road from the head of Chautauqua lake through the village of Mayville towards Westfield. He cut 6 rods wide and cleared 3'rods; and also cleared off the Public Square. He returned to the East in the fall, and came back the next spring, with a wife; and, in the fall, purchased a part of lot 20, tp. 4, r. 13, in the town of Chautauqua, about 4 miles north-east from May- ville; other parts of the lot being taken by Wm. Dexter and John W. Winsor, at the same time. Mr. Dexter served in the war of 1812, under Capt. John Silsby; and since the war attained the office of colonel. He removed to Perry, Pike Co., Ill.

The brothers of Darius Dexter were: John, William, Daniel, Winsor, Otis, Samuel, George, and Stephen. All, it is believed, came to the county with Darius in 1809, and within a few years after, Samuel articled lot 17, tp. 4, r. 13, Sept., 1809. John and Darius each "booked" a village lot in Mayville; but it does not appear that they were paid for. John was an early clerk of the county, which office he held, at different times, for 13 years. He and Darius had a store and ashery at. Dewittville. They removed about 1830, to the east part of Jamestown, and built mills; the place taking the name of Dexterville. John removed to Wisconsin; Darius to Illinois. He served in the war of 18r2, and was at the battle of Black Rock.

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Jonathan Thompson came from Saratoga Co. to Mayville in 1810, and was appointed, in 1811, as one of the first associate judges of the county. He removed, in 1814, to the state of Pennsylvania, near the New York state line, having bought John Meddock's farm, adjoining that of John Russell. He died there of consumption, leaving a widow and a large family of children. The widow was living in 1864; but nearly all of the children had died of the same disease as that of their father.

The first town-meeting in Chautauqua was held at the Cross Roads, [now Westfield,] April 2, 1805. The following are the names of officers elected :

Supervisor-John McMahan. Town Clerk-James Montgomery. Asses- sors-James McMahan, Benj. Barrett, Wm. Alexander. Com'rs of High- ways-Thomas Mcclintock, James Dunn, Arthur Bell. Constable-John Lyon. Fence Viewer-James Perry. Overseers of Poor-Zattu Cushing, Abraham Frederick. Poundmaster-David Kinkaid. Overseers of High- ways -- Orsamus Holmes, Peter Kane, Samnel Harrison.

The proceedings of the town-meeting in 1805, were rendered of no effect by a mistake in the name of the town; and the appointment of officers de- volved upon three justices of the peace, who appointed the same persons to the offices to which they had been elected, except Zattu Cushing, in whose place Orsamus Holmes was appointed. Mr. Cushing was appointed as an additional fence viewer. The' mistake was in the spelling of the name of the town, "Chataughque." A justice who resided beyond Buffalo came and administered the oaths of office to the first town officers. Justices of the peace were then appointed by a council of appointment, composed of a senator from each of the four senate districts, and the governor.

In 1806, the town-meeting was held at Canadaway, [now Fredonia.] The following are the names of the persons elected :

Supervisor-John McMahan. Town Clerk-James Montgomery. Asses- sors-William Alexander, John S. Bellows, Thomas Prendergast. Com'rs of Highways-James Dunn, Abraham Frederick, Thomas Mcclintock. Collec- tor-John Lyon. Constables-Abner Holmes, Andrew Spear. Pound- masters-Thomas McClintock, Abraham Frederick. Fence Viewers-David Eason, George Whitehill, Basil Burgess.

Voted, that two pounds be erected, 24 feet square, 7 feet high ; fence viewers to have the same compensation as constable, 6 pence for each mile, and one shilling for each view ; a lawful fence to be made of good materials, 412 feet high, and for the height of 2 feet to be only 4 inches between rails or logs.

In 1814, was the first election of school officers under the act establishing a school system. John E. Marshall and Henry P. Sartwell were elected in- spectors of common schools. It was voted to raise in the town double the amount received from the state fund.

In August following, the town of Chautauqua was divided into school districts, by Abijah Bennett, Anselm Potter, and Reuben Slayton, com- missioners.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

We find on the record the following "Certificate of Freedom :"

" Chautauqua, April 28, 1814. To whom it may concern : This may certify that Wm. Harris, of the county and town above mentioned, aged. 47 years, about 5 ft. 7 in. high, of a black complexion, born of free parents in the state of Rhode Island, town of Scituate, hath made before me such proof of his freedom, that I am fully convinced of his freedom, as to the pretense of any person to the contrary notwithstanding.

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