History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches, Part 41

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 41

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CHURCHES.

A Baptist Church was formed in 1808, at West Ellery, by Elder Jones, then a resident of Ellery, at the house of John Putnam, who was for many years a deacon. [See churches in Stockton.]

The Baptist Church at Ellery Center was organized with nine members, in 1814, by Elder Asa Turner, the first pastor. The first house of worship was built in 1830 ; the present, in 1862.

The First Universalist Church of Ellery was organized with twenty-three members, by Lewis C. Todd, the first pastor, in 1817. Their house was built in 1858.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, at West Ellery, was organized with twelve members, by Messrs. Chandler and Barnes, in 1831. Their first church edifice was erected in 1836; the present, in 1861. The first pastor was Rev. Wm. Chandler.

The M. E. Church, at Pickard Hill, was formed about forty years ago. In 1817, they united with the United Brethren, and built a union church. It is owned and occupied by both societies.

The United Brethren Church, at Pickard Hill, was organized in 1869, with eight members, by Rev. Lansing McIntyre, the first pastor. As stated above, they united, in 1871, with the Methodists, in building a house of worship.

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ELLICOTT.

ELLICOTT was formed from Pomfret, June 1, 1812, at a second session of the legislature, which met on the 21st day of May, having been prorogued to that day by Gov. Tompkins, on the 27th of March. The town comprised townships 1 and 2 in the roth and 11th ranges, a territory 12 miles square. In this tract of four townships, there is now but one town bounded by orig- inal township lines-Poland. In the formation of Busti, in 1823, the west half of tp. 1, r. 11, was taken off. In 1825, Carroll was taken off, which embraced the full tp. I, r. 10, and the east half of tp. I, r. 11. In 1832, Poland was formed of township I, r. 10. Ellicott did not long remain cir- cumscribed within the bounds of a single township. With the view, proba- bly, to give scope for the expansion of Jamestown within town limits, a tier of lots [8 in number] from tp. I, was annexed on the south ; the western 4 lots being taken from Busti, in 1845 ; the 4 eastern, about the same time, from Carroll ; leaving for Kiantone, on its formation in 1853, only 7 lots in each of the 4 tiers of tp. I. The surface of Ellicott is described as a hilly upland, with a gentle inclination toward the south-west. The foot of Chau- tauqua lake extends into the south-west corner ; and the outlet flows east through the south part of the town, receiving Cassadaga as a tributary. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam.

Original Purchases in Township 2, Range II.

1807. October, Matthew Prendergast, 33, 34, 41, 42.

1808. May, William Wilson, 5, 12.

1809. November, John Arthur, 4. George W. Fenton, 4.

1810. Jan., Henry Babcock, 59. Sam'l Gibson, 58. Nathaniel Bird, 57.

18II. April, Wm. Deland, 49. May, Zebulon Peterson, 45. September, John M. Pierce, 61. John Hunt, 61.

1814. May, Reuben Woodward, I. James Frew, 6. Nathan Cass, 18, 19. July, Giles Taylor, 37. September, James Prendergast, 33, 34. Benj. Wilson, I. October, Samuel Bliss, 9. Thomas Russell, 7.

1815. January, Amos Ferguson, 50. March, Jonathan Cheney, 15. April, John Frew, 14. Robert Little, 9. June, Henry Babcock, 36. July, Henry Bliss, 2. October, Wm. Hall, Sr., 21. Jonathan Thompson, 24.

1816. May, Ebenezer Sherwin, 49. August, Augustus Moon, 37. Sept., Benjamin Ross, 30. . November, Henry Strunk, 53.

1817. March, Nathan Cass, 45. May, Elial T. Foote, 25. August, Ebenezer Allen, 54. Sept., Stanton Brown, 2. Oct., Samuel Budlong, 26. 1818. January, Samuel A. Brown, 26. July, E. T. Foote, 23, 31. Dec., John Loucks, 63.

1819. April, Thomas and Joseph Walkup, 48. Sept., Phineas Allen, 3.

1820. August, William Clark, 26.

182 1. November, Joseph S. Holman, 40. Samuel Moon, 38.

I822. April, Henry Baker, 44. " July, Joseph S. Cook, 52. August, Emrick Evans, 64. Sept., Walter Simmons, 26. Elial T. Foote, 25, 26.

1823. February, Warren Moore, 16. July, James White, 44. December, James Portman, 23.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

1825. June, Wm. Knight, 17. July, Loring Sherman, 17. September, John H. Akin, 5. November, Isaac Eddy, 17.

1827. May, Platt B. King, 38. Henry Martin, 32. June, Alvin C. Deland, 49. September, Stephen A. Ferguson, 61. Gideon Moon, 36. October, James Prendergast, 42.

1828. January, Elisha Allen and Benj. Ross, 39.

1829. November, John Strunk, 2d, 36.

The first town-meeting for the election of town officers in Ellicott, was, pursuant to the act of the legislature, held on the first Tuesday of April, 1813, at the house of Joseph Akin, on Stillwater creek, now in Kiantone. John Silsby, the nearest justice, presided at the meeting, assisted by Laban Case, who was chosen moderator. The following are the names of the off- cers elected :

Supervisor-James Prendergast. Town Clerk-Ebenezer Davis. Assess- ors-Solomon Jones, Benj. Covell, Wm. Deland. Com'rs of Highways- Wm. Sears, Michael Frank, Laban Case. Overseers of Poor-Joseph Akin, Stephen Frank. Constable and Collector-James Hall. Constable-Laban Case. Fence Viewers-Ebenezer Cheney, Aaron Martin.

Voted, that cattle and hogs might run at large.

Voted, that a lawful fence be not less than 412 feet high, nor have cracks or spaces between the logs or rails more than 6 inches, within 3 feet of the ground.

Voted, that $250 be raised for bridges and roads.

Voted, that the supervisor solicit bridge money from the county.

Voted, that the next annual town-meeting be held at the house of Joseph Akin.

Roads were laid out this year as follows : From Joseph Akin's and Laban Case's, past the " Varnum place," James Akin's, Reuben Woodward's, to Culbertson's (afterward Col. Fenton's.) From near Jonas Simmons' to near Edward Work's mill. From near Dr. Shaw's to near Simmons'. From the mouth of Fairbank, past Sloan's, to Russell's mill, at the public highway. From the house, late Lawrence Frank's, to Stillwater. From the Simmons and Work's road, at a sapling, to James Prendergast's mills. From a small beech tree, on the bank of the creek, a few rods north of Wm. Sears', to Prendergast's mill.

Pursuant to the vote of the preceding year, the voters met at the house of Joseph Akin, in 1814, and adjourned to Laban Case's tavern. Theron Plumb was chosen moderator. Officers were elected as follows :

Supervisor-James Prendergast. Town Clerk-Ebenezer Davis. Assess- ors-Solomon Jones, Wm. Deland, Heman Bush. Overseers of Poor -- Joseph Akin, Stephen Frank. Com'rs of Highways-Caleb Thompson, Amos Bird, Theron Plumb. Constable and Collector-Henry L. Frank. Con- stable-Richard Covell. Fence Viewers-Joseph Akin, Heman Bush, Solo- mon Jones.

A school law having been passed by the legislature, officers were this year chosen to carry the law into effect. They were : Com'rs of Common Schools-

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ELLICOTT.

Heman Bush, Theron Plumb. Inspectors of Schools-James Prendergast, Solomon Jones, Theron Plumb .--

The commissioners divided the town into school districts. No town was entitled to a distributive share of the school fund, unless it raised an equal amount by a tax upon its inhabitants ; and it might, by a vote at the annual town-meeting, raise double that amount. The double amount was voted at this meeting.

It was voted, that swine should not run at large. The next year, the build- ing of a pound was authorized, and Joseph Akin was chosen pound-keeper ; and swine were again voted free commoners. In 1816, voted, "that hogs shant run at large in the town of Ellicott." These animals, it seems, were long made a special object of town legislation : for, in 1817, they were again voted free commoners, but with the restrictive " proviso," that they " wear yokes and rings."

The depredations of the wolves were sought to be abated by voting a town bounty of $10 a head for their destruction.

Roads were laid out this year as follows:

From Joel Tyler's (afterwards Otis Moore's,) to Connewango to a black oak, in October, 1814. From near William Sears' dwelling house, as for- merly laid out by courses and distances, "cross Esq. Jones' bridge" across Stillwater creek, to the bridge across the outlet of Chautauqua lake, "near and below James Prendergast's mills," October, 1814. From Work's mill to the bridge over Cassadaga, leading to Kennedy's mills, October, 1814. From Fish's (afterwards Goldthwait's,) to near J. Garfield's, October, 1814.

Supervisors from 1813 to 1874.

James Prendergast, 1813 to '15. John Frew, 1816, '17, 1819 to '22-6 years. James Hall, 1823 to '25. Solomon Jones, 1826, '28, '29. Nathan- iel Fenton, 1827, '30. Samuel Barrett, 1831 to '40, and 1844-11 years. Wm. Hall, 1841, '42. Horace Allen, 1843. Henry Baker, 1845, '46, '53, '54. Augustns F. Allen, 1847, '48, '52, '56, 1860 to '68, 1871 to '74-17 years. Charles Butler, 1840, '50. R. V. Cunningham, 1851. Simeon W. Parks, 1855. Francis W. Palmer, 1856. Lewis Hall, 1858, '59, '75. Jerome Preston, 1869, '70.

The first settler within the bounds of the present town of Ellicott, was William Wilson, from Pennsylvania, who is said to have settled on the north side of the outlet, first living in a "shanty," but removing, in June, into his log house. James Culbertson, from Meadville, Pa., is also said to have set- tled there early in 1806, "on the north side of the outlet, at its confluence with the Cassadaga." As the course of the outlet is almost exactly north at the junction or "confluence," it is not easy to determine the location. The townships in that section of the county had not yet been surveyed into lots. It will appear from the list of original purchases, that Mr. Wilson did not article his land until May, 1808, when he took some in the west part of lot 5, and in the east part of 12 ; and the larger portion of it lying some dis- tance from the mouth of the outlet, where the stream runs in a northern

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

direction, the designation "north side of the outlet" can not be correct. But the records do not show Culbertson as having articled land here at all. But we find him taking an article Dec. 1, 1808, of a part of lot 58, town- ship 2, range Io, now south-west part of Poland. Mr. Wilson died in 1850, on the farm on which he settled in 1806. As elsewhere stated, the survey of the townships 1 and 2 in the roth and rith ranges was made in 1807 and 1808, prior to which, lands had been located, and settlements com- menced in several places within the bounds of "old Ellicott," comprising the four townships. Among these was Joseph Akin, who selected lands on the north side of the Stillwater, township I, range II, in the west part of Kian- tone, to which he removed his family the same year, [1807,] while the sur- veyors were in the vicinity surveying lot lines.

Phineas Palmeter, a native of Rhode Island, moved from Frankfort, N. Y., in February, 1813. He subsequently bought on lot 64, tp. I, r. II, now in Ellicott, as appears on the Company's book, in Sept., 1814. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and died July 4, 1849, aged 84 years. His son, Phineas Palmeter, Jr., came in June, 1813. In 1819, he removed down the river to Indiana ; returned to Jamestown in 1822, and resided there till his death.

Eli Eames, a native of Holliston, Mass., removed with his family from Dover, Vt., in 1816, to Ellicott, now Carroll, and began in the woods, on the west 200 acres of lot 38. Mrs. Eames died suddenly in 1818. Mr. E. had on each hand five well-formed fingers and a natural thumb. His hands were very large. Some of his children, too, it is believed, had surplus fingers. He died a very painful death, from the filling up of his throat with a chronic swelling, which gradually strangled him to death. He died, Dec. 10, 1837, aged 54.

Benjamin Ross came to Ellicott at a pretty early day, from Pennsylvania, and married Margaret, daughter of John Armstrong, and sister of Mrs. John Frew. He built a new saw-mill, the first that was built on the Cassadaga in the town of Ellicott, on parts of lots 31 and 39. He was born in New Jersey, March 10, 1793, and died about 1824, in Cincinnati, Ohio, in and near which several of his brothers resided.

Robert Falconer emigrated from Scotland to New York, where he was for many years engaged in the cotton trade. In 1819, he removed with his family to Sugar Grove, Pa .; in 1829, to Warren, and about 1840 back to Sugar Grove, where he died in 1853. Though not a resident of Chautauqua county, he made investments in real estate at Worksburg and Dexterville, in Ellicott, and at Kennedy, in Poland.

Patrick Falconer, son of Robert, was born in Brooklyn, Jan. 5, 1814, and removed with his father to Sugar Grove, Pa., and in 1832 to Jamestown, where he studied law with Judge Hazeltine. In 1840, he bought his father's interest in his property at Dexterville and Worksburg ; and in 1844 he dis- posed of his interest at Dexterville, and became the sole owner of the Work property at Worksburg, where he finally settled, and where he now resides.

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ELLICOTT.

He married Martha T. Hallock, of Ulster Co., and had 6 children, of whom 4 are living : Martha Jane, William T., David H., and Allen.

First Independence Celebration in Ellicott .- A noteworthy celebration of independence in the town of Ellicott, was held at Stephen Frank's, [now in Busti,] July 4, 1816. Although the house was but a story and a half, the chamber was finished off for a ball-room, in which there was a ball in the evening. The day was pleasant, but cool. The roads were bad, and there were no pleasure carriages in the country. The married men, if they had horses, carried their wives behind them on horseback. Some of the young people went in the same manner, and many went off foot. There was a general turn-out, but more especially of the democrats, who had, at the preceding April town-meeting, elected their whole ticket for the first time since the town was organized. John Frew had been elected supervisor over Judge Prender- gast, by a majority of 76; and the federalists feeling sore on their defeat, did not enter into the spirit of the celebration. Some tried to get up a cele- bration at Jamestown, but failed.

Theron Plumb was president of the day, and Levi Leonard, orator. Lemuel Smith, of Sugar Grove, Pa., was attending clergyman, and offered praycr. The only music was the firing of an anvil, and a violin by Ebenezer Davis. The wine and brandy-there being no other in the country-was a home manufacture from old whisky, hemlock bark, etc., which sold at a high price, and was unfit for the sick, and too poor to be used even as a luxury. As for lemons and oranges, none had ever been seen in the county. There was, however, a plenty of Monongahela whisky, maple sugar, and milk ; and every one took what pleased him best-clear whisky, grog, sling, or milk punch. Many got merry, but few or none got what in that day would be called drunk.

The oration was pronounced under a large bower of green bushes on crotches and poles, under which the tables were afterwards spread with good fresh beef, mutton, roast pigs, and accompaniments, all for 25 cents each, although flour was $15 a barrel, and some other things were proportionally dear. The company dispersed in good season, except those who stayed to dance, among whom were some of the married people.

There were present the following named revolutionary soldiers : Jacob Fenton, - Wellman, John Owens, John Jasper Marsh, Stephen Wilcox, Joseph Loucks, Eliphalet Steward, and perhaps others. Of the men who attended that celebration, a number were yet living a few years since.

Notwithstanding some federalists were present, the democratic feeling ran so high, that some of the volunteer toasts were calculated to give offense, among which was the president's toast, in substance as follows : "May every federalist ride a hard trotting horse, with a porcupine saddle and a pair of cobweb trousers."

Before morning the weather was uncomfortably cold; and those who returned home the latter part of the night, especially the ladies in white dresses, complained much of the severity of the cold. The grass was frozen

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

stiff, and the ground quite hard. All the more tender vegetation was badly injured. The corn was all destroyed, except where the early morning fog saved it. On the 6th day of June of that year-still referred to as the " cold season "-there was a snow storm, which loaded the tree-tops heavily with snow.

WORKSBURG.

On the Ist of August, 1807, Messrs. Kennedy and Work purchased of the Holland Company about 1,260 acres of valuable land on both sides of the outlet below Dexterville, then known as "Slippery Rock," including the mill sites since occupied at Worksburg and 'l'iffany's mills, and a tract of valuable timber land east of the Cassadaga river and Levant, along the Kennedy road. In the fall of 1807, Work erected his hewed log house on the north side of the outlet, a little north-east of the mill, where he resided until he built the frame house in which he died. In 1808, he built his saw-mills and put them in operation. The only inhabitants then on the outlet were Wm. Wilson, James Culbertson, and George W. Fenton. About this time, Kennedy and Work opened a road from Kennedy's mills to Work's mill, and built the first bridge across the Cassadaga. It was. about one-fourth of a mile above the site of the present village of Levant ; and the road was mostly north of the present road, and much more hilly. It passed near the residence of Wood- ley W. Chandler, and crossed Cheney's brook about half a mile north of where N. E. Cheney resided and Crosby kept a tavern, and did not intersect the present road till near Kennedy.

In 1809, Work built a grist-mill with one run of common rock stones, on the south side of his saw-mill. The mill-stones were split out of a large rock on the top of the ground. The erection of this grist-mill was required by Mr. Ellicott in the sale of the land ; and such, it is believed, was the fact respect- ing the first grist-mill at Kennedy's mills. The erection of Work's mill was a great accommodation to early settlers, and led to the opening of roads to early settlements about the foot of the lake and to Stillwater creek and Frank's settlement. These mills were built about three years before the first settle- ment at Jamestown, and when almost the only travel through the country was in keel boats and canoes on the Connewango, Cassadaga, and Chautauqua lake and its outlet, or by Indian trails. Large quantities of Onondaga salt were annually transported by water from Mayville to Pittsburgh, especially between the years 1805 and 1810. Some of the boats were built at Work's mill in 1808. The discovery of the salt springs on the Allegany, Kanawha and Ohio rivers caused the discontinuance of the salt trade by this route. The keel boats that came up for salt, were loaded with provisions, whisky, iron castings, nails, glass, dried fruit, and other articles from Pittsburgh and French Creek for the early settlers.

Kennedy and Work were both interested in the purchase of the land, but whether they were connected in the erection and running of the mills at Worksburg, the writer has not ascertained. In the division of the lands between Work and Kennedy's heirs, the heirs took the land afterwards pur-

Strobridge & Co.Lith .Cin. 0.

Woodley W. Chandler

Sketch p. 357

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ELLICOTT.

chased by Tiffany, and the timbered land east of the Cassadaga ; and Work retained the mills and the land in that vicinity.

Work ran boards from his mill to New Orleans in the manner he had done from Kennedy's mills. A change, however, had taken place in the naviga- tion of the Mississippi. When boats arrived at Natchez, he added to his lading bales of cotton to the extent of the capacity of his boat, receiving a dollar per bale for freight to. New Orleans for that carried under deck, and seventy-five cents for that on deck. The empty boats were sold at New Orleans for lumber for more than their cost. Work furnished boards at his mill for seventy-five cents a hundred feet to finish the log houses of early set- tlers ; and his little grist-mill, with common rock stones, made excellent flour from good grain. When at home, he was usually his own miller.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

OLIVER SHERMAN, born in Portsmouth, R. I., July 1, 1768, after a resi- . dence at Cambridge, N. Y., from 1792 till 1828, removed to Ellicott, and set- tled on the farm first purchased of the Holland Company by Amos Bird, being lots 57 and 58, tp. 2, r. 11. He was able to pay for his farm and stock it. He was a good farmer, and had a strong mathematical mind. He could solve difficult problems in his mind without pen or pencil. He was a justice of the peace in Busti, while his farm was in that town, and also held some town offices. He came to Chautauqua county a widower, and never married again. His daughters kept house for him. He had a son, Philip. He said he saw the first cotton spinning in the United States. It was done by the celebrated Slayter, of Rhode Island ; and the machinery was propelled by horse-power. The Sherman family were remarkable for longevity. Oliver's father was over 80 when he died. His mother, whose maiden name was Ann Sessions, also died at an advanced age. Oliver, in 1851, then 83, informed a friend, that his sister Elizabeth died in Rhode Island at 83 ; Samuel, his eldest brother, at 82. The rest were living : Sarah, wife of Joseph Lawton, in Pittstown, at 96; Joseph, in Busti, at 90; Mary, in Cambridge, at 87; Job, in Cambridge, at 77; James, at Fall River, Mass., at 72; Peleg, in Wirt, N. Y., at 70.

WILLIAM H. STRUNK, son of Jacob and Elizabeth Strunk, was born in 1807, and came with his parents to Ellicott, in 1816. They settled, in 1817, on the farm where they now reside, three miles north-west from Jamestown. William H. was married, in 1834, to Jane Ann Van Vleck, by Rev. Erastus J. Gillett, of Jamestown. He had ten children, of whom one died at the age of 27 years ; another at the age of two years. Of the others, two remain at home ; the rest are married, and are settled near the old homestead.

SAMUEL WHITTEMORE, from Concord, N. H., came to Fluvanna in 1826, and purchased an interest in the pottery of Wm. H. Fenton; and the busi- ness was continued by them until 1844 or '45. He was appointed post- master about a year after his settlement there, and held the office by reap- pointment until his resignation, a few days before his death, in 1875, a period

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

of 47 or 48 years. His bailors at his first appointment were Henry Martin and Henry Strunk, who continued such during the whole of this period, and are both still living. The first oath of office was administered by Wm. H. Fenton, Esq., on the first and every succeeding appointment until 1871. He also is still living. Mr. Whittemore was an early friend and promoter of the temperance cause, and was mainly instrumental in forming, at an early day, a temperance society in his neighborhood. He also kept early a hotel, which he continued until his death, and in which spirituous liquors were never sold. His house was for many years a summer resort for persons seeking recreation and health from remote parts of the country, and is still continued by his son Henry. Another son, Francis, died at the age of about 17.

EDWARD WORK was born in Franklin county, Pa., Dec. 3, 1773. He studied law in Carlisle, Pa .; was admitted to the bar, and settled at Mead- ville, Crawford county, about 1798, where he was appointed postmaster by. Gideon Granger, postmaster-general. 'He was also deputy prothonotary under Dr. Thomas R. Kennedy, and subsequently prosecuting-attorney. Dr. Kennedy, of Meadville, having purchased land of the Holland Com- pany and built mills in this county, Mr. Work became connected with him in business. In the spring of 1816, at the age of 43, he married Mrs. Jane Cameron, widow of Joseph Cameron, from French Creek, Pa. She had four sons, all living with her at the time of her second marriage. Three of her sisters married pioneer settlers of this county: Mrs. John Frew, Mrs. Benj. Ross, and Mrs. James Conic, formerly Mrs. Simeon Scowden. Mrs. Work had one son, Edward F., and two daughters, Jane and Laura, all long since deceased. She died of consumption, Sept. 17, 1833, aged 53. On the 27th of October, 1841, Mr. Work married Mrs. Permelia Jeffers, who had one daughter, Fidelia, who was married to his son, Edward Fillmore, who died at Worksburg, Feb. 16, 1844, aged 24. His wife died there March 3, 1852, aged 26. Their only child, Jane Amozette, born Dec. 14, 1842, was in 1858, the only surviving descendant of Edward Work.

About the year 1818, Mr. Work and his first wife united with the Metho- dist Episcopal church. They were prominent and efficient members of that communion, and their house was a home for the itinerant ministry. He be- came an earnest advocate of the temperance cause. He was long an exces- sive smoker, but finally abandoned that habit also. During his residence in Chautauqua county, he aspired to no political station, and uniformly declin- ed the solicitations of his friends to be a candidate for any office. About the year 1836, he sold his mills and real estate at Worksburg, except his family residence and a few acres of land, and retired, with a competence, from active life. He died July 10, 1857, aged 831/2 years.

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