History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches, Part 36

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 36

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).

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one log for a door, he sent his wife 8 miles on horseback, through the wilder- ness, with no guide but marked trees, with one child in her arms and another behind her, to take possession of the new house. She first put the children through the hole, then crawled in herself with the saddle. With flint and spunk previously provided, she started a fire, and passed the night with no other company, and within the hearing of no voice but that of wolves. The house soon after received the addition of a door, and a floor made of split logs, probably hewed on one side.

Mr. Kent, with his son George, Nancy, his eldest daughter, and John P. Kent, a nephew, cleared the first acre that was cleared in the town, and raised from it a good crop of potatoes the same year-the first crop raised in the town. The next spring, destitute of a supply of provisions and money, stern want began to stare him earnestly in the face. His faculty of invention, however, proved sufficient for the exigency. He felled a pine tree, the stump of which still remains, and made from the trunk a canoe 60 feet in length, launched it in the Connewango river, put into it about 1,500 pounds of maple sugar and a quantity of black salts, and ran it down to Pittsburgh. He there exchanged his cargo for flour and salt, and, with the help of his son George, pushed his vessel with pike poles back to Cherry Creek, having spent three weeks in performing the voyage. The family, during his absence, sub- sisted chiefly on sugar and milk. Oliver Bugbee, a settler in Ellington, and brother of Mrs. Kent, was at this time doing a job of chopping for Mr. Kent; and having fancied himself growing weak on this diet, proposed, by way of change, an addition to his meals of a mess of boiled greens. Cow- cabbage and leeks were duly prepared, and, at the next meal, were placed beside the sugar and milk ; and to use his own words, he " made a wolf meal." Whether owing to the unwholesome nature of the greens, or to the want of affinity between the articles of this strange mixture, the colonel could not tell : suffice it to say, that, being unable to dwell quietly together, they violently escaped from their confinement by the way by which they had en- tered. He remarked that, " from that day to this, I have never hankered for greens."

Joshua Bentley, Jr., according to our informant, was the second settler. He was from Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., and settled on lot 15, Sept. I, 1815. He had previously settled early in the town of Ellery, about the year 1808. [His name, however, does not appear on the Company's books as a purchaser there.] He was one of the corps of surveyors that ran the lines in this part of the county previously to its settlement. The center of the township was found, in the survey, to be on a little island in the stream, where was a small red cherry tree. Mr. Bentley, the axe-man, cut it down, drove down a stake, and named the stream "Cherry creek," which afterwards also gave name to the town. Mr. Bentley seemed to have a relish for forest life and forest scenery. He settled several miles from any inhabitant. After several years of enjoyment of "life in the woods," it was suddenly embit- tered by a most distressing bereavement. On a clear sabbath morning, the

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2d day of April, 1822, a little daughter, in her fourth year, strayed into the forest, and was never seen afterward. Mrs. Bentley, with two of the older children, started out to pick some cowslips, leaving her husband asleep on the floor, and the little girl at play in the door-way. She was not missed until Mrs. Bentley's return, about an hour afterward. A search was com- menced, and continued by the inhabitants of the surrounding country, but without discovering the least trace of the child. That she had been taken by the Indians, or that she had wandered away into the woods and been de- voured by wild beasts, was among the conjectures concerning her fate.

James Bates, from Mass. to Onondaga Co., in 1803, came with his family to this county in April, 1815, but did not settle permanently until early in the fall. His son, James Bates, Jr., in 1870, in giving a sketch of their settle- ment, states that when they first came, there was in the town Joshua Bentley, Jr., who lived in a small log shanty on the old Chautauqua road, 50 rods west of Olds' Corners ; that no other persons lived in the town when they came in on the Indian trail the first time ; and that Wyman Bugbee came in the fall of 1815. He says Samuel McConnell and his family settled, in the spring of 1816, on lot 47, in the north-west part of the town; and a little later, the same spring, Benj. Follett, in the north part of the town; and G. Redington, near Wyman Bugbee's. Although the dates at which some of the men above named are said to have settled, do not all exactly agree with the dates of their purchases, Mr. Bates has probably stated them correctly. There were many who did not settle on their lands until a year or two years after their purchases had been made. Mr. Bates gives the name of the first settler as Joshua Bentley, Jr. The Company's books show four different sales to have been made to Joshua Bentley ; and in no case is the junior attached to the name. The son probably never was an original purchaser, but is believed to have settled on land taken up by his father, who had arti- cled in Ellington, in 1814, lot 7, and in 1815 lot 15 ; and in Cherry Creek, in 1815, lots 15 and 9. [See original purchases in Ellington and Cherry Creek. ]

Mr. Bates also relates the particulars of an encounter with a wolf, in 1816, when he was 15 years of age. He and a brother were going home through the woods. The brother had got some distance ahead and out of sight, and was heard to scream, and came back with his pantaloons torn. James got a heavy club, and went on till he saw an animal which he supposed to be a dog, sitting in this woods road. He tried in vain to get him out of the road, either by coaxing or by rough talk. He then struck him with the stick, and knocked out some of his teeth. This turned him out of the road. Bates followed him, striking a heavy blow across the back, which sent him under the tops of some fallen trees. He followed him, and there beat him until he thought he was dead ; all the while supposing him to be a dog. Wyman Bugbee, hearing him relate the story, said it was probably a wolf, for the kill- ing of which he was entitled to a bounty of $40. Bugbee, on an offer of $ro to attend to the business, went to the place, and found the wolf still alive. He was soon dispatched ; and in due time the bounty was obtained.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

Daniel Hadley came with his family to Chautauqua county, in Nov., 1817. He had 6 or 7 children, most of them, if not all, full grown. Four of them were sons, three of whom settled in Cherry Creek : Niles, Alvah, and John P .; all of whom settled on different parts of lot 41. John P. still resides in the town. He took an active part in laying out and cutting out early roads in the town ; and in getting the town set off from Ellington, in 1829. He has also frequently served the town in official capacity, and now [1874] holds the office of town clerk.

In the south part, early settlers were : Daniel L. Waggoner, Moses Ells, Clark Losee, Isaac C. Brown, Wm. S. Bullock, George W. Hitchcock, the last of whom removed to the village and died there.

In the north-west part were : Ira B. Tanner, Elkanah Steward, Anson Newton, Alva Bannister, Ora Parks, John Essex, J. Richardson, Eben Abbey, Putnam Farrington, who was a general in the war of 1812 ; one of whose sons, Vassal, remained and died in town. Enos A. Bronson, a native of Conn., came from Wayne Co., N. Y., to Cherry Creek, lot 56, near the north line, in 1825, where he died in 1858. His sons were : William, killed by the falling of a tree; Horace, also deceased ; Allen Lee, in Villenova ; and Munson M., in Pennsylvania.

In the south-east part of the town, Wanton King settled on lot 9. His sons are : Thomas, who resides on lot 18, a mile south of the village ; Ward, 2d, in Leon, Cattaraugus Co .; and Obadiah, in Ellington. On lot 18, Josiah Crumb and Enos Matteson settled. The latter purchased in 1828. Of his three sons, John and James reside in Ellington ; Almanson, in Texas. Aury Cronk, in 1825, on the south line of the town. His sons, Charles and De- lance, are still in town.

In the north-east part of the town, Thomas W. Wilcox, from Hanover, was an early settler on the north line, about 1819. He was noted for his indus- try, and for his having taken many jobs of clearing land. His sons, Daniel, Erastus, and Alfred, reside in Villenova ; Harlow, lives in Chicago. Isaac Curtis, from Stephentown, Rens. Co., settled, in 1816, on lot 23, bought in 1815 ; had a son and several daughters, none believed to be living. Stephen Curtis, brother of Isaac, on land adjoining his brother's. He had two sons, Henry L. and John H .; both reside in town; John with his father on the homestead. Of his four daughters, two are living. James Carr, from Otsego Co., settled, in 1823, on lot 15, land bought of Joshua Bentley, Jr., and afterwards kept a store in the village. He died in Iowa. He was supervisor of Ellington, in 1828-29, and the first supervisor of Cherry Creek after its formation. He had one son, Andrew J., who went to Iowa; and four daughters : Louisa, who married Silas Vinton, builder of the county poor- house and appurtenant buildings, and several years, 1855, '59, '60, supervisor of Cherry Creek, now living in Gowanda; Lydia, and Amelia, both married, and removed to the West; and Mary. Wm .. G. Carr, brother of James, came in October, 1829, with his wife and two children, and settled on lot 15. A son, S. Hopkins, is married, and lives in Villenova ; Truman B., in this

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town, on lot 24; Willis, died in manhood, unmarried ; a daughter, wife of Jackson Berry, resides in the village. Wm. G. Carr was supervisor of Cherry Creek in 1839.

Daniel B. Parsons, a native of Madison Co., settled, in 1850, on lot 23, where he died several years since. He was a farmer and drover. A son, Reuben W., came with his father, and resides in the village. Jairus Nash, from Stephentown, on lot 23, where he and his son William reside. Gardner Crandall, on lot 23, bought in 1815. He was married twice, and had 21 children. Jared Ingalls, from Otsego Co., settled on lot 22, about 1826, and built a saw-mill. A son, Edmund, resides in the town ; another, Cyrus, not living. Four daughters : Eunice, wife of Ezekiel Mount, in the village; Nancy, wife of Wm. S. Bullock, resides in the town; Sally, who married Furman Mount, and lives in the village ; Olive, who married Willis Hyatt, and lives in Pennsylvania. Wm. Weaver, from Otsego Co., came in 1817, and, a year or two after, settled on lot 14, where he died.

In the central part of the town, Thomas Mount, from New Jersey, came with a wife and 14 children-8 sons and 6 daughters. Ezekiel, John, Hezekiah, Furman, and Samuel, reside in the town ; also Rebecca, a daughter, wife of Archibald F. Robbins. Anthony Morian, in 1835, settled on lot 44, and now resides in the village. Robert James, from Brookfield, N. Y., settled, in 1821, on lot 36, and died there. Of his sons, Robert, Jr., was supervisor of the town in 1831, '32. Harry died in Cherry Creek ; Jona- than, a physician, also died here. Several other sons removed from the county.

In the south-west part, among the early settlers were : Ward, and his sons William, On, and Ai; Niles Hadley, Alva Hadley, whose son, Ozro A., was for a time acting governor of Arkansas ; Hudson Smith, John Howard, Na- thaniel Dunham, Arthur Hines, Addison Phillips, John Luce, Reuben A. Bullock, Myron Field, Horatio Hill, Lawrence E. Shattuck. Joseph Price, on lot 42, had 3 sons: John, who resides in town; Lawrence and David, re- moved from the county.

In the village and vicinity, among the early settlers were : Geo. H. Frost, who kept the first tavern in the village, and was the first postmaster ; Alfred Goodrich ; Welcome C. Carpenter, who has a cheese factory on the site of the old log tavern of G. H. Frost; Wm. Green, who removed to Illinois ; John P. Hadley, Thomas Berry, Abraham Hall, James D. Wheeler, a justice of the peace; and Jotham Godfrey, who, about 1826, settled west of the village, and was for a number of years a justice of the peace, and whose son Jeffrey T. W. resides three and a quarter miles south of the village. David Myers, whose sons were David and John, who are in the West, and Oliver, in the village. Randall Spencer, whose sons, George and -, both re- moved West. Seth S. Chase, whose son Olin C. resides at Cattaraugus station. Alvin Bannister, who Had two sons: Henry, merchant in the village ; and Gideon, deceased. On Powers' Hill, George Sheffield settled on lot 29, where Aaron, a son, now resides ; other sons, Hiram Ontario Co. ; Alanson,

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

deceased ; and Judson, in the village. Daniel Powers, a son-in-law, from whom the Hill takes its name, who settled on the same lot, is now in Cattar- augus county.

The first birth in the town was that of Lydia, daughter of Joseph M. and Patty Kent, in 1816, who became the wife of Hon. Charles B. Green, of Ellington.

The first marriage was that of James Battles and Rachel Hadley, daughter of Daniel Hadley, June 6, 1819. They reside in Arkwright.

The first death was that of Rufus Hitchcock, in 1820. He fell from the roof of his house just as he had completed it, striking his head upon a root of a stump and fracturing the skull.

The first school was taught by Reuben Cheney, in the south part of the town. The first summer school was taught by Angeline Pickering in school district No. 1, near the center.

George H. Frost kept the first inn, in 1823 ; and Seth Grover, the first store, in the village. Present innkeeper, Judson Sheffield.

The earliest saw-mill was built by Wm. Kilbourn, in 1824, on Cherry creek, near the village. He attached to his mill, the next year, a shop for making spinning-wheels, chairs, etc. The second saw-mill was built about 1833, on the same stream, half a mile below the former, by Robert James and Wm. Green, where a mill has been continued to the present time. Another mill was built by John Jones ; afterwards owned by Alfred Story ; now by Wm. Weaver. Joseph Kent built a saw-mill, in 1835, in the south- east part of the town ; was run about 20 years. Joseph Kent, about 1838, built a saw-mill and a grist-mill, half a mile above the Kilbourn mill. The water was conveyed by a ditch from the creek, about half a mile above the mill to a natural basin or hollow, near the mill, the water in this dam cover- ing about five acres, and being conveyed by a deep cut to the mill, thus forming one of the best mill sites in the country, the fall being 25 to 30 feet. Alfred Stone built a saw-mill on Dry creek, about 2 miles above the village ; now owned by John Price. Jared Ingalls built a saw-mill about 272 miles north of the village. A mill is still continued there, owned by Darius Had- ley. The first grist-mill was built by Hall Nickerson, about the year 1828, near the site of Stone's saw-mill. It had one run of stones, and was used only for corn. In 1848, Joseph Kent built at his saw-mill a grist-mill with the modern appliances, with three run of stones, for grinding all kinds of grain. This mill was destroyed by fire in 1869, and rebuilt in 1870 by Silas Vinton, who had previously bought the site. In 1861, Joseph Kent built a steam saw-mill, on the Connewango, near Andrew J. Arnold's, in the south- east part of the town. It has the capacity of sawil, g 10,000 to 15,000 feet of boards per day. Attached to the mill is machinery for the manufacture of lath and pickets.

The first blacksmith in this town was Joseph M. Kent, the first settler. The next was Pliny Shattuck, 112 m. west of the village, in 1831.

A tannery, the first in the town, was established about 1823, in connection

Strotage & Co SiEn Fun C.

Stephen Aleschell

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CHERRY CREEK.

with a shoe-shop, by Thomas Carter, near where Wm. Kilbourn's saw-mill was afterwards built. After he had carried on the business one or two years, he sold the property to Kilbourn. Charles A. Spencer established a tannery in the village, in 1833, and continued it for many years. John Davidson erected a tannery about the year 1848, near the site of Frost's old tavern stand. It was conducted on a large scale for about fifteen or twenty years.

Welcome C. Carpenter was an early carpenter and joiner, and soon after Samuel Newton and Samuel Mount.

Among the early tailors were Jonathan Greenman and Russell Bartlett. Present one, Alfred W. Knapp.

Present harness maker, Charles T. Reed.

The first physician was Horace Morgan, about 1830. The settlers had been previously served by Dr. Thomas J. Wheeler, of Rutledge. After Dr. Morgan, came Oliver B. Main, Edwin G. Bly, John B. Woodworth, Timothy G. Walker, and the present physicians, Francis M. Rich and Dr. Bishop.

The first merchant in Cherry Creek was Seth Grover, in 1831, who had, in connection with his store, pot and pearl asheries. Later were Cyrus Thatcher and George H. Frost. Present merchants : Dry goods-Henry Bannister, John Delany. Drugs and medicines-Charles L. Wheeler. Drugs and groceries-Mason Allen, Lewis Ward. Groceries-Alvah Billings, Cyrus Mount. Hardware-Robertson & Mount, Carpenter & Smith. Tinner- Charles Shepard. Clothing and furnishing store-Anthony Morian.

The first town-meeting in Cherry Creek after its formation, was held at the hotel of George H. Frost, in March, 1830. The names of the officers elected are not ascertained, except those of James Carr, supervisor, and Robert James, town clerk.

Supervisors from 1830 to 1875.

James Carr, 1830, '33, '36, '40, '46, '52-6 years. Robert James, Jr., 1831, '32. George H. Frost, 1834, '35. Oliver Carpenter, 1837. Horace Brunson, 1838. Wm. G. Carr, 1839. Wm. Kilbourn, 1841 to '43-3 years. Archibald F. Robbins, 1844. Oliver G. Main, 1845, '49, '50. Charles A. Spencer, 1847, '48. Joseph Kent, 1851, '56. Daniel B. Parsons, 1853, '54. Silas Vinton, 1855, '59, '60, '68, '71-5 years. Horatio Hill, 1857, '58, '64. Reuben W. Parsons, 1861, '63, '65. Anthony Morian, 1862, '67. George N. Frost, 1866, '69, '72, '73. Welcome C. Carpenter, 1870. Harris Billings, 1874. George N. Frost, 1875.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

STEPHEN BLAISDELL was born in Gifford, N. H., Aug. 7, 1786. He re- mained there until he was about 20 years of age, when he made a public profession of religion. He soon after commenced preaching, and traveled extensively in the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut. He married, in 1810, Bathsheba Aldrich, in Templeton, Mass., who was born March 2, 1788. He removed to Leyden, Vt., where his family remained until he removed to this county, in March, 1824. He

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settled in Ellington, [then Gerry,] on lot 29. In the spring of 1827, he re- moved to Cherry Creek, on lot 28. He was connected with the Christian denomination, having been ordained to the ministry in 1808. In politics, he held to the principles inculcated by the Jeffersonian republicans. He had 6 children : 1. Sarah Ann, born July 14, 1812 ; was married to Isaac Allen, and removed to Wisconsin, where she died Jan. 1, 1862. She had 6 chil- dren : Amanda, George, Oliver, Justin, Harriet, Isaac. Oliver served in the late war. 2. Eliza, born Oct. 16, 1814, married Joseph Cummings, of Vil- lenova, who died in Randolph. She had 2 children, Sarah Ann and Stephen. 3. Amanda L., born Jan. 26, 1820, and was married to Palmer Northup ; both deceased. 4. William S., born Feb. 14, 1823 ; married, first, Lydia F. Shattuck, daughter of Lawrence E. Shattuck. She died June 24, 1860, leaving 2 children, Burke and Lydia, who died at the ages of 5 and 3 years. Mr. Blaisdell married, second, Mary Jane Harris, daughter of Otis Harris, of Gerry, by whom he has three children : Martha, William, and Alfred. 5. Bogardus A., born July 7, 1825; married Catharine, sister of Philip S. Cottle, of Fredonia, and had 3 children : Nettie, Harry, and one that died in infancy. Mr. Blaisdell died, March 29th, 1874, at Keokuk, Iowa. 6. Napoleon L., born April 2, 1830 ; married Anna Davis, of Cuba, N. Y., and had 3 chil- dren : Mary, Harriet, and George, who died at 7. The family removed to Missouri in 1865. Stephen Blaisdell died Sept. 9, 1854, aged 68 years.

GEORGE H. FROST, from Rensselaer Co., came to Cherry Creek, in 1823, and kept a tavern, afterwards store, and in 1838 or '39, settled on a farm about 3 miles north-west from the village, and returned to the village, where he died in 1873. He had been several years supervisor of the town. His sons were: George N., who was four years supervisor of the town; Charles, and Isbun, who resides at Titusville. Daughters : Selina, wife of Chas. A. Spencer; Fidelia, wife of Judson Sheffield ; she is deceased; Eliza, wife of Chandler Johnson, Corry; Mary, who married Wm. Mount, Corry ; Emeline, who married Wm. U. Edwards ; Lillis, wife of Alonzo Edwards, Forestville; Isa- dore, wife of Walter Griswold ; Helen, wife of Cyrus Mount.

HORATIO HILL was born in Berkshire, Franklin Co., Vt., in 1808. He came to Chautauqua Co., and settled in Cherry Creek, on the James Wheeler farm, in the year 1818. He was married, Jan. 1, 1833, to Seviah Wetherly, who was born in Edmeston, Otsego Co., N. Y., in 1810. They had 9 chil- dren : Nelson H., Lucinda, Josephine, Austin O., Orseba, Nora L., Orton, Orin, and Mary. Nelson H. married Maria Wilkins, and has a daughter, Mary. Lucinda married Byron Cleland, and has 4 children: Jennie, James, John, and Susie. Josephine married Silas Kent, and has a son, Elmer A. Nora L. married William S. Parsons ; removed to Illinois, and died there. Orin married Jennie Wright, of Lowell, Mich. Mary A. married J. S. Dan- iels, of Lowell, Mich., and has a daughter, Fannie. Austin O. died in the late war.

JOSEPH. KENT was born in Cortland Co., N. Y., January 22, 1814. His ancestors came from Kent Co., England, in 1649, after the success of Oliver

Joseph Rent

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Cromwell's armies. Two brothers Kent emigrated to America, and settled in Conn., where they erected a block house of hewn oak logs for the double purpose of a dwelling, and for protection against the Indians. John Kent, grandfather of Joseph, was married, in 1758, at Cape Cod, Mass., and set- tled, soon after, in Royalton, Vt. He had 6 sons and a daughter : John, father of Rev. John P. Kent; Elisha; Samuel ; Charles ; Joseph M. ; Ab- ner, father of Alonzo Kent, of Jamestown; and Lydia. Joseph M. Kent, son of John above mentioned, was born in 1774, and married Patty Bugbee in 1800, in Woodstock, Conn. Their children were: Nancy, wife of Elipha- let W. Wilcox; George, who married Phebe King; Dolly, wife of Ward King ; Polly, who married John S. Smith, and after his death, a Mr. Hinds ; Elisha, who married Lydia Ann Bentley, and lives in Illinois; Samuel B., who married Charlotte Green, and lives in Cherry Creek ; Joseph ; Lydia, wife of Charles B. Green ; and Ara W., who married Lucy Ann Neat ; had three children, and for some unexplained cause, went, without his family, to California, and is now living in Albany, Oregon. Joseph Kent, whose name commences this sketch, came to this county when about 3 years old, with his father, who settled on lot 9, in the south-east part of the town, the land hav- ing been taken up by Joshua Bentley in April, 1815. He has lived in Cherry Creek 57 years. His occupation besides that of farming, may be known from his having been named the "Lumber King of the Upper Con- newango." Joseph Kent was married Nov. 20, 1837, to Maria Vedder, formerly from Otsego Co., by whom he had a son, the mother dying in child- bed. The son, George A. S. Kent, married Martha, daughter of Anthony Morian, and has 2 sons, Grant Earl and Clare E. Joseph Kent married, Nov., 1839, for his second wife, Rachel E. Vedder, by whom he had 2 chil- dren : a daughter Mariam, and a son Emory. Mr. Kent and his wife are both living in Cherry Creek.

CHARLES A. SPENCER, born in Westmoreland, Oneida Co., June 30, 1810, settled in Cherry Creek in 1833, and commenced the tanning business, which he continued for about fifteen years. He still resides in the village. He was several years supervisor of the town; 21 years superintendent of the county poor ; and for about 25 years a justice of the peace. He was mar- ried to Selina Frost in 1840. They have 2 daughters : Francis, who married Melvin M. Mount, and lives in Penn .; and Adalaide, wife of Darwin M. Saunders, in Penn. They have 3 sons : Charles D., who married Celia Johnson, and resides in Arcade, Wyoming Co .; George, and Park ; both at home.

CHURCHES AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- A class was formed as early as 1817 or 1818. Among its members were Joseph M. Kent and Patty, his wife, and others whose names are not recollected, and, for the want of records, can not be ascertained. Meetings were at first held at the house of Mr. Kent. The place of meeting was afterwards moved to the Spencer school-house, west of the village. Among the early class leaders, were Randall Spencer, and

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