History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches, Part 48

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 48

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).

383

ELLINGTON.

The first town-meeting was held in the north part of the town, at the house of Lucretia French, March 1, 1825. The following are the names of the officers elected :

Supervisor-James . Thacher. Town Clerk-Cornelius H. Nicholson. Assessors-Robert James, Jr., John Leach, Charles Thacher. Overseers of Poor-Almanzo Hadley, Reuben Penhollow, Ward King. Com'rs of High- ways-Robert James, Ira Gates, Henry McConnell. Constables-Geo. H. Frost, Almanzo Hadley, Benj. Livermore. Com'rs of Schools-David C. Spear, Cornelius H. Nicholson, Parley Eaton. Inspectors of Schools-C. H. Nicholson, David C. Spear, Parley Eaton. Sealer-John P. Hadley. Pound Keepers-Benj. Ellsworth, Montgomery Evans, Nathan Brown. Fence View- ers-Daniel C. Green, Nathan Brown, Reuben Penhollow.

Supervisors from 1825 to 1875.

James Thacher, 1825. Cornelius H. Nicholson, 1826, 727. James Carr, 1828, '29. Gideon Evans, 1830. John Woodward, Jr., 1831 to '34, 1838 to '40-7 years. Benj. Barnard, 1835 to '37. George J. Phipany, 1841, '42, '43, '47. Jarvis B. Rice, 1844, '45, '46. John F. Farman, 1848 to '53: 1858,'59, '60-9 years. Mason D. Hatch, '55. Charles B. Green, 1856, '57, '61. John M. Farnham, 1862, '63. Samuel Griffith, 1864, '65, '72, '73. George Waith, 1866, '67. Philip M. Smith, 1868, '69. Cary Briggs, 1870, '71. Theodore A. Case, 1874, '75.

The first birth in town was that of Simon Lawrence, Jr., in 1817 ; the first marriage, that of Rufus Hitchcock and Ranah Hadley, in 1817; the first death, that of Mr. Hitchcock, who fell from a building and was killed, six weeks after his marriage.

The earliest blacksmith was in the Bentley neighborhood, in the north-east .

part of the town. For axes the settlers went for a time to Dexter Barnes, where Hartfield now is.

The first tannery was established about 1828, 2 m. below the village, by Elijah and Elliot Mason, who sold it to their foreman, Philip M. Smith, by whom it was continued about 20 years. It passed to subsequent proprietors, and was soon after discontinued. A tannery was established by Seth Hussey, and afterwards owned by R. W. Gates, Lewis Leet, and Harvey Nye, and de- stroyed by fire, and never rebuilt. Enoch Jenkins also built a tannery in the village, about 1830, perhaps later, which was continued by him 8 or 10 years.

The first physician who practiced in Ellington, is said to have been Sands M. Crumb, who resided in Cattaraugus Co .; afterwards Dr. Wm. Ware, in the east part of the town, Benj. Potwine, Jeremiah Ellsworth and others. Present physicians-James Brooks, N. F. Marsh.

The first tavern was kept by James Bates in the north-west part of the town ; and he was succeeded in the same place, by Almanson Hadley and Henry McConnell. Taverns were also kept early on the "old Chautauqua road," by Benjamin Follett, afterwards kept by Mrs. French, and another by Joshua Bentley, Sr., near Cattaraugus Co. line. The first tavern in the village was kept by Jeremiah Baldwin, about 1828. The present hotel, by Jay Terry.

384

HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

The first store, it is said, was kept by Lewis Holbrook, in the north-east part of the town, on the east line. The next, it is believed, was that of Ruggles and Ingersoll, at Clear Creek village. The first merchants in the village were Elisha and Levi Beardsley, agents of Benj. Vail, of Genesee Co., proprietor. George J. Phipany, from Genesee Co. about 1830, commenced trade in partnership with - Gates, [firm, Gates & Phipany.] Gates sold his interest to Phipany, who, subsequently, alone, and in connection with John F. Farman, [Farman & Phipany,] continued business, until 1839. Present merchants : Dry goods-D. S. Bailey & Son; John Benedict ; John Case. Hardware-Terry & Devoe. Druggist-James Wheeler & Co. Groceries-Sardius Frisbee, Charles A. Clapp. Groceries and hardware- Daniel Eigenbrodt. Millinery and dry goods-Mrs. Stockwell.

The first post-office was in the north-west part of the town, in the log house of Benj. Follett, on lot 40. Mrs. French, early, perhaps first, postmaster. The office was removed to the house of Vinal Bates, son of Abner Bates ; thence to Ellington Center. Present postmaster, Charles A. Clapp.

Ward King built the first grist-mill, [corn cracker,] near the north-west corner of the town, on Dry brook. The next was built by Elisha and Levi Beardsley for Benj. Vail, of Genesee Co., on land previously taken up by Frederic Love, being a part of lot 29, within the present bounds of the village. Another was built by Henry Wheeler on Clear creek, about a mile above Vail's. The first saw-mill was built by Simon Lawrence, on Clear creek, a little above Vail's, about 1820, and before Vail's grist-mill was built. The next was Vail's, near his grist-mill. Both of these mills, or those which replaced them, are still running there. A saw-mill was built early by John Stafford near the village, on lot 20, on Clear creek. It was injured by floods, and eventually discontinued. A saw-mill was also built or owned by Ira Day, in the east part of the town ; since owned by Philip M. Smith. Henry Wheeler owned a saw-mill on the same site. It was sold to R. & J. Gates, who are mentioned on a map of 1854, as owners of a grist-mill and a saw- mill, 172 m. above the village. On the same map are mentioned the mills of Jonathan Slater, 34 m. westerly from the village; of A. Porter, 34 m. above Slater's ; G. L. Gilbert's, on the south line of the town ; V. S. Hale's, a mile above the village; and J. Freeman's, in the north-west part of the town.

Joseph Wesley established, about 1864, in the village, a steam planing-mill, with which was connected a cheese hoop and butter firkin manufactory. It was burned in 1873, then owned by Lawrence and Shepardson. Henry Haman built in the village, in 1875, a steam saw-mill, to which is added machinery for planing, matching, and other purposes.

The first cloth-dressing was done by Lockwood & Co., above the village. Alvah Bates and Joseph B. Nessle afterwards established the carding and cloth-dressing business a little below Vail's mills. Mr. Nessle still resides in the village.

Strobridge & Co Ler Cin.O

Philip M Smith.

385

ELLINGTON.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

JOHN F. FARMAN, from Augusta, N. Y., came in 1827 to Ellington, and in 1839 commenced the mercantile business, which he continued until 1860. He has represented the town in the board of supervisors ro years. He was married to May, daughter of Ira Day, and resides in the village. He has two sons : Ira, who married Addie Griffith ; resides in the town, and is a farmer; and Erie, in Parker City, Pa .; and two daughters, Mary and Martha, at home.

DANIEL C. GREEN, from Rensselaer Co., settled, in 1823, on lot 24, where he died in 1847. He had 3 sons : Charles B., James J., and Dewitt C .; the last two live in Cherry Creek. He was early an apprentice at the millwright business; and has been engaged in the business of glass-blowing at Sandlake, and in ship-carpentry, at Greenbush, N. Y.

CHARLES B. GREEN came to this town at an early date. He studied law with the late James Mullett, in Fredonia ; was admitted as an attorney in the supreme court, and commenced practice in Ellington in 1844, where he still resides. In 1858, he was a member of assembly; was three years supervisor of the town ; and several terms a justice of the court of sessions. He mar- ried, first, Lydia, daughter of Joseph M. Kent, of Cherry Creek, and has two sons, both residing in the village. He married, second, Mrs. Abigail Barnes, of Ellington.

EBENEZER GREEN, from Pittsfield, Mass., came to Ellington in 1818, and in 1819 brought in his wife, and settled, as elsewhere stated [p. 382.] He was born Aug. 12, 1794, and was married to Roxana Francis. They had 12 children : Emily, Albert, Francis, Elijah, Keziah, Lorenzo, Emily D., Roxana, Myra, Theron, Lois, William. Emily died in infancy; Theron at 7 years. The others were all married. Albert and Francis died in Ellington; Elijah lives in Dunkirk ; Keziah, wife of Frank Deming, and William, in Vineland, N. J .; Lorenzo, in Ellington ; Emily D., wife of Freebun Corey, in Mass .; Roxana, wife of Hawley Smith, and Myra, wife of Frank Staples, both in Union, Pa .; and Lois, wife of Frank Bartholomew, in Titusville, Pa. Eben- ezer Green married, in 1860, a second wife, Mrs. Betsey Ann Grover.

PHILIP M. SMITH was born in Providence, R. I., May 7, 1805, and re- moved with his father to Dutchess Co., and from Madison Co. to Chautau- qua, in 1828. He worked in Mason's tannery at Clear Creek settlement a number of years, and was afterwards engaged in the several occupations of milling, lumbering, and farming, the last of which he has continued to the present time. He has resided several times alternately in Ellington, and in Connewango, Cattaraugus Co. He held in that county the office of super- visor in 1833 and '34, and held also the office of justice of the peace. He was supervisor of Ellington in 1868 and '69. He was active, in 1863 and '64, officially and in personal effort, in providing the means of carrying on the war. He resides on the farm formerly owned by Dr. Ware, half a mile west of Clear Creek post-office. He was married in this town, July 4, 1830,

386

HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

to Harriet A. Nichols, and had by her 3 sons and 7 daughters, of whom only four survived the period of infancy : 1. Jacob Albert, born April 23, 1831, and died January 14, 1860. 2. Eliza Ruby, born Oct. 20, 1835 ; died Feb. 3, 1851. 3. Maria Elizabeth, born Dec. 14, 1837, and was married to Andrew Ingraham, who was killed in the late war, at the battle of the Wil- derness. She died in October, 1866, having no children living. 4. Mary Gertrude, born Aug. 11, 1843 ; is the wife of Thomas B. Woodworth ; resides at Caseville, Mich., and has 3 sons living. Mrs. Harriet A. Smith died May 7, 1848. Mr. Smith married, second, Feb. 8, 1859, Nancy J. Hamilton, daughter of Harvey Hamilton, deceased, formerly of this town. She was born Dec. 21, 1835 ; and has 2 children : Elizabeth A., born Oct. 1, 1860 ; and Philip M., born Nov. 24, 1868.

GEORGE WAITH, a son of Rev. Wm. Waith, was born in England; came with his father from Cattaraugus Co. to the village of Ellington, in 18-, and still resides there. He enlisted in the late war as a private in the 8th com- pany of sharpshooters, and returned as Ist lieutenant, having served 3 years. He has since been twice elected supervisor-1866 and 1867.

JOHN WHITE was born in Washington Co., July 3, 1797. He removed to Genesee Co., and thence, in 1833, to Ellington, one mile south of the village, where he now resides. His grand parents were from the north part of Ire- land, usually distinguished as the "Scotch Irish." He married Margaret McKnight, by whom he had 7 children : Andrew, Maria, David, James, Elizabeth, John, and William. Andrew, James, and John reside at Randolph. Elizabeth, married, lives in Franklinville. David, and Maria, the wife of Ebenezer F. Green, reside in the town. William died in the army. Mr. White married a second wife, Sarah Curtis, who had 3 children : Jane, Wal- ter, and George, who is married, and is with his father on the homestead.

ANDREW P. WHITE, brother of John, was born in Washington Co., July 30, 1806 ; and after a short residence in Genesee Co., came to this county in 1834, and settled in the south-west part of the town, where Wmf Risley resides ; and removed, in 1853, to his present residence in the village. He held for the term of three years the office of commissioner of common schools for the eastern assembly district. In 1855-56, he was a clerk in the office of secretary of state of the state of New York ; and was for 9 years- 1863 to 1873-a clerk in the treasury department at Washington ; and for many years an inspector and town superintendent of schools in Ellington. He married Amelia Lathrop, in Bethany, Jan. 2, 1835, who was born Feb. 20, 1813. Their children are : 1. Margaret E., wife of Daniel S. Swan, who resides in Randolph. 2. Mary L., who married Rev. John H. Dillingham, and resides at Paola, Kansas. 3. Agnes, wife of Robert Boyd, of Greeley, Colorado. 4. Charles A.

CHURCHES.

The Christian Church of Ellington (then Gerry) was organized July 13, 1823, and was composed of seven members : Ira Gates, Noel C. Gates, Simon Lawrence, Clarissa Gates, Polly Gates. [It is believed that the first

387

ELLINGTON.

and third of the following named officers make up the seven original mem- bers.] Freeman Walden and Elisha Beardsley were chosen elders ; Seth S. Chase, deacon. No articles of faith were adopted ; the members simply agreeing "to take the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments for the rule of faith and practice at all times." From the time of the organization, for about ten years, the records are meagre, containing little else than the record of members received, and dismissions. Among the ministers who have served the church were - Walden, Stephen Blaisdell. The meet- ing-house was built about 1835. It was repaired in 1859, and dedicated anew, Jan. 5, 1860 ; sermon by E. B. Rollins.

The Congregational Church of Ellington was organized Feb. 4, 1828, at the house of Lucretia French, in the north part of the town-Rev. Wm. J. Wilcox, moderator of the meeting ; Benj. Ellsworth, clerk. The candidates presenting themselves for membership were : James Bates, Benj. Ellsworth, Israel Carpenter, Aaron Merrill, Josiah D. Bates, Lucretia French, Calista Ellsworth, Harriet Spear, Nancy Bates, Polly Landon. In March, Otis Page was received by letter, and elected a deacon. There were admitted, in addi- tion to the above, during the year 1828: Elizabeth Altenburg, Elizabeth Vader, Timothy Gross, Warren Mansfield, Wm. Ware, and Sally his wife, Daniel Bush, and Jane his wife, Mrs. A. B. Farman. In 1830, Daniel Bush was chosen deacon. In 1842, a house of worship was built. The first min- ister was Rev. Wm. J. Wilcox; term of service not definitely stated. Rev. Wm. Waith, from April, 1840, to August 30, 1847. He was succeeded by S. W. Edson, Wm. Todd, Charles A. Keeler, David Powell, Wm. D. Henry, W. J. Hunt, Henry Benson, H. O. Howland, Mr. Olds, the present pastor. This church was at first connected with, or represented in, the Buffalo Presbytery. This connection was subsequently dissolved. During the ministry of Rev. Wm. Waith, its government was changed to Presbyterian ; and was after- wards changed to its present form, purely Congregational.

The Free-will Baptist Church of Ellington was organized in 1828, by Elder Amos C. Andrus, a traveling preacher, who was the first minister. It was composed of eight members, who, with those who united soon after, were : Julius Dewey, John R. Felt, Joseph Seekins, and their wives ; - Wheeler ; Marsh and wife ; Adolphus Howard and wife, [from near Sinclairville;] Jeremiah Baldwin, Comfort Carpenter, and their wives ; and Daniel Hadley. The first settled pastor was Francis B. Tanner, who served the church about 20 years. After him were : - Jones, Elder Lighthall, Daniel McCoon, Benj. McCoon, and - Higbee. Present minister, A. P. Cook. The first deacon was Enoch Wallace ; present deacons, Winthrop Johnson, - Boss. The church edifice was built in 1840, as is said by the only surviving original member, or, as others think, a few years later.

388

HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

FRENCH CREEK.

FRENCH CREEK was formed from Clymer, April 23, 1829. It is the south- west corner town in the county. Its surface is hilly, and broken by the valleys of French creek and its tributaries. The main stream enters the town on the north line, on lot 24, about 2 miles from the north-east corner of the town, and, running in a south-westerly direction, leaves the town on lot 58, entering the state of Pennsylvania about 11/2 miles north of the south- west corner of the town. This stream, in its zigzag course, is a great annoy- ance to the inhabitants, on account of the height to which the water rises in times of freshets, requiring four large bridges to accommodate the public. The town, in the main, is cut by its valleys into three ridges ; two running nearly east and west, separated by the Beaver Meadow valley ; the other ridge running north and south, and separated from the former by the valley of French creek. These ridges rise, in some places, to the height of about 250 feet. Most of their sides is tillable, and well adapted to grazing ; but some places are steep and heavily timbered ; and one or two show the rocks, which underlie them, to be of the sandstone variety, from which some good building stone will probably be taken.

The soil of this town varies from a heavy clay to a gravelly loam ; but is mostly a heavy clay loam, though there are small deposits of muck along some parts of the creek. The hill tops are generally wet, being underlaid by stiff, hard clay, impregnated, more or less, with a solution or oxide of iron.

The French creek flat varies in width, from a pass but little wider than the bed of the stream, to about three-fourths of a mile, and is about 3 miles long. The beaver meadow flat is so called from the appearance of its having been occupied by beavers. The meadow was covered with alders. There are many pine and balsam of fir trees along the edges, and on what were islands at the time it was occupied by the beavers. In the south part of the town is another beaver meadow, a small one,-on lot 9, the dam of which is quite perfect. The water from this meadow flows into the stream known as Hare creek, which takes a southerly course into Pennsylvania. There was a third beaver meadow on the west branch of the creek, on lot 47, where the remains of the beavers' dam are yet to be seen.

This town is better adapted to dairying than to any other branch of agri- culture. Its cool nights and heavy dews have a tendency to keep the grass in better condition than the drier and more agreeable climate of the lake shore country, though many of the fruits can not be raised here, on account of the frost, which, in some years, makes its visits every month, though this is not common.

Near the south-west corner of lot 9 is a curious place, called the "Possum," [a contraction of opossum,] because of its deceptive appearance. Its first appearance is that of a circular meadow perfectly level, with a small pond in the center. On stepping upon it, however, you imagine yourself sinking.

389

FRENCH CREEK.

The ground trembles for yards around you; the water begins to gather around your feet, and you feel sure you are sinking. But, although the ground yields at every step, there is little danger of being submerged. The place proves to be a basin filled with water, over which-except a piece about 80 or 100 feet in diameter-low bush cranberries, mosses of several kinds, and several kinds of water plants have grown, all forming a covering strong enough, in most places, to bear up a person. This basin was fabled as bottomless; but it proves to be only 30 feet deep. It has no surface outlet or inlet, and is nearly surrounded by land from 12 to 20 feet higher than the water, except a narrow space on the west side. The basin is about 260 yards in diameter.

On the side of the ridge, on the north side of the beaver meadow, on lot 2 I, is a spring formerly called a sulphur spring. From this spring flow small quantities of heavy coal oil, or petroleum. A well was sunk near it in the hope of finding oil. The work was done at long intervals, and a depth of 1,500 feet was finally reached without success. It is thought, however, that, had the work been properly done and tested at the proper time, a satisfactory result might have been had, as there were sundry favorable indications.

The timber of this town was hemlock, beech, and maple, interspersed with cucumber, ash, cherry, basswood, and some pine on the flats, and a few scat- tering large pines on some of the upland. There was- considerable pine on lot 3, also on lot 20, and in the north part of the French creek valley. There is a pine tree on lot 12, which is 27 feet in circumference. It had three prongs, one of which is broken off, showing the tree to have been nearly 200 feet high. There is some indication of there having been three trees ; but they had grown together so perfectly as to make it questionable.

Mr. Turner, in his history, gives the following as the names of the persons, or some of the persons, who took contracts in township 1, range 15, in the year 1812, though not all settled on their lands the same year, and some of them, probably, never occupied them : Roswell Coe, Amon Beebe, Alanson Root, Abraham Pier, Andy Noble, Aaron Barney, Daniel Frisbee, George Hascall.

The following are the names of persons having taken contracts for land at the dates mentioned ; the dates, however, not in all cases corresponding with the years of their settlement in the town.

Original Purchases in Township I, Range 15.

1812. April, Amon Beebe, 45. Roswell Coe, 39. Alanson Root, 46. Andy Noble, 44. May, Abraham Pier, 38. July, Zadok Root, 39. Aug., Aaron Barney, 45.

1815. February, Andy Noble, 45. October, George Haskell, 45. 1816. March, Nathaniel Thompson, 31. Gardner Cleveland, Jr., 31. Paul Colburn, 52. September, Parley Bloss, 46.

1817. April, William Thompson, 31. May, Gardner Cleveland, Jr., 39.

1821. October, Benjamin Whitney, 64. Francis W. Colburn, 3. Nov., William Thompson, 3. Silas Terry, 2.

1822. September, Wm. Thompson, 3. George Adams, 43.

1823. October, William O. Graves, 32. November, Truman Terry, 2.

390

HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

1824. October, David Curtis, 16. December, Stephen Bemis, 4.

1825. March, Samuel French, 11. Nathaniel Thompson, 3. April, Harvey Kellogg, 13. December, Leonard Greeley, 2.

1826. January or February, Elisha Freeman, 24. March, Alexander Wilson, Jr., 23. April, Harvey Kellogg, 14.

1827. April, William Hooker, 13, 15, 22. June, William Hooker, 31. William Hooker, Jr., 39.

1829. March, Isaiah Golding, 53. June, Ashbel Goodrich, 40. Oct., David Rhodes, 4.

1830. February, Samuel French, 10. March, Parley Bloss, 35. July, Isaiah Golding, 37. Sept., Daniel Dean, 51. Nov., Warren A. Street, 20.

1831. March, Josiah Willis, 5. April, Alexander Wilson, Jr., 30. Joseph Austin, 18. June, Stephen Loveless, 21. Alfred White and Wm. H. White, 22, 29.

Parley Bloss and his family came from Pembroke, Genesee Co., in 1815, and settled on lot 46. He made a cart with a short axletree, which permit- ted his driving more easily among the trees and over rough ground, and with which he went to Union, Penn., to mill. This trip generally required three days' time, and more, if he were obliged to take his turn after many that were ahead of him. Some depended almost entirely on wild game for their meat. This was plenty; and the streams abounded with trout. He caught a pickerel in Finley's pond 5 feet 6 inches in length. In 1817, Mr. Bloss killed two bears, one of which weighed over 400 pounds. The meat was considered equal to the best pork. The only produce that could be sold for cash was black salts, for which $5 per 100 pounds were then paid. Money received for salts and wolf bounties, was all that settlers had to pay taxes and procure necessaries which could not be got on credit or for barter. He did some surveying with a pocket compass, and a piece of rope instead of a sur- veyor's chain. He was the first highway commissioner in French Creek. He died in 1852, in his 75th year. He had 10 children-7 sons and 3 daughters : Aden, Parley, William, Reuben, Calvin, Richard, Benjamin ; Hannah Caro- line, Sarah, and Marietta.

William Bloss, who now lives on lot 25, was a noted wood-chopper and marksman. He is about 5 feet 9 inches high ; his girth is 3972 in., and his usual weight 180 to 190 pounds. He once shot at a buck's head, (that being the only visible part of the deer,) at a distance of 22 rods, off hand, and killed him. At another time, he shot, off hand, a deer over 60 rods off. The ground was measured by Parley Bloss and Paul Colburn. His skill was acquired by shooting at pumpkins rolling down hill. Before he was 16 years old, he says, he shot a buck whose quarters weighed 200 pounds, wounding him in the neck so as to cause his head to drop forward. Not wishing to lose so valuable a deer, and not knowing just the nature of the wound, the young hero mounted the buck and took him by the horns, thinking he could hold him. A struggle ensued, in which William, in attempting to "knife " the deer, lost not only his Spanish dirk, but most of his clothing, and only succeeded in mastering his game by seizing a club and striking him on the head. He was so badly bruised as to be unable to work for a week.

391

FRENCH CREEK.

When William was 19 years old, he and his brother Reuben had the use of their father's open-sighted flint-lock rifle, each of them half the time during the winter. From the falling of the first snow till the first of January, William shot 49 deer. He made a business of felling and trimming the trees, piling the brush, and fitting the timber for logging, at the rate of an acre in 4 days of good weather. He cut 8 cords of 372 feet wood in one day of 10 hours, and split one-half of the same. This was done for N. G. Case, who lived on lot 19, and done on a strife with Joseph Austin, who cut 6 cords in 8 hours, but was obliged to stop, on account of having drunk some hard cider after a drink of brandy, which, with the excessive labor, made him sick, not drunk. At the age of 19, Bloss cut and split, on a wager, between Andy Noble and a man from Mayville, one cord of green beech, 3 feet long, in 55 minutes by the watch. And he cut 6, cords of black ash, 4 feet long, in less than 4 hours. This was done at Harbor Creek, on a bet of $50, of which he received $10. In 1870, at the age of 60, he walked one mile, cut 31/2 cords of 22 inch wood, (having felled the trees from which it was cut, in 472 hours.) There are many smiling acres in this town, which, if they could speak, would thank his sinewy arms for the sunshine they receive. At the age of 34, he married Mary Ann Thompson, aged 16, with whom he now lives.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.