History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches, Part 52

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 52

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IRVING.

This name was given to the settlement at the old ferry, where the railroad dépôt now is. The village now includes what was formerly called La Grange, one mile above the old ferrying place. It was named in honor of La Fay- ette, who resided at La Grange, in France. Irving gave promise of becoming a place of considerable importance. In the expectation of the terminus of the New York & Erie railroad being fixed near the mouth of Cattaraugus creek, a large village plot was surveyed by a company of capitalists, among whose members were Erastus Corning, Samuel B. Ruggles, Wm. L. Marcy, Oliver Lee, Addison Gardner, Heman J. Redfield, John Cotes, Thomas B. Stoddard, A. G. Stevens, Ezekiel B. Gurnsey, Dr. Henry P. Wilcox, and Wm. Samuel Johnson. Several appropriations for harbor improvement were made by Congress ; and Lieut. R. T. P. Allen, of the U. S. topographica. engineers, was superintendent. Dunkirk having been decided on for the

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terminus of the railroad, and Congress having withheld further appropriations, the city project and the prospective fortunes were never realized. A project of Joseph Ellicott was to tap the Cattaraugus about three miles above its mouth, and conduct the water along the side of the hill, to furnish a good water power at Irving. This company revived the project, which, for the reasons mentioned, failed with the general enterprise. It was intended to make Irving a great manufacturing place.

Smith's Mills is a small post village a short distance east from Hanover Center, near the Erie railroad, and was the residence of the late Rodney R. Smith, whose sketch will be found on another page. It contains a hotel, a school-house, and the usual mechanic shops. In 1865, Martin & Co. estab- lished a tannery there, which affords employment to upwards of 20 persons, and is said to consume annually 2,500 cords of bark, and to tan 30,000 sides of leather. Its population, in 1870, was 128.

Nashville is situated on the east line of the town, and has a post-office, two churches, a store, a blacksmith shop, and a cheese factory, which uses the milk of 600 cows, and manufactures annually about 130,000 pounds of cheese. The place takes its name from Deacon Silas Nash, an early settler.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

CYRUS D. ANGELL, a native of Hanover, was born April 24, 1826. The Angell family was a pioneer, not only in the settlement of this county, but of the United States. The line is distinctly traced to one of that name who accompanied Roger Williams to America. In the dead of winter, 1836, Williams left Salem to seek among the Indians of Narragansett the Christian freedom denied him in Puritan Massachusetts. Although his church was numerous and devoted to him, and many did eventually cast their lot with his, but five persons followed him in his perilous midwinter journey. The intrepid clergyman records, that he was "sorely tossed for fourteen weeks, not knowing what bed or bread did mean." One of the five devoted fol- lowers was a lad of only 18 years. His name was Thomas Angell. He came from England with Williams in 1631, being then 13 years of age. Although he was one of the six original founders of the " Providence Planta- tion," his name does not appear on the deed of settlement, for the reason that being a minor, he was not eligible to receive and to hold property-a disa- bility that has been obtained against very few who have helped to found states ! He, however, received his allotment of land on attaining his major- ity, and held and occupied it until his death. The estate thus honorably acquired from the Indian owners, by purchase, and subsequently confirmed by royal patent of the British crown, the family of Thomas Angell hold in unbroken title to this day.

In 1652, he was appointed by the colonists to be one of the six commis- sioners to frame a code of laws for their governance; and he retained the confidence of his fellow-citizens to the day of his death, in 1694. He left two sons to perpetuate his name. His descendants seem to have inherited much

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of his patriotic qualities. The name appears frequently in the history of the old French and the Revolutionary wars. Col. Samuel Angell was in com- mand of the Rhode Island troops in 1857, in the attack on the Fort William Henry. Col. William Angell distinguished himself in the Revolution, by his gallantry and patriotism, for which he received two gold medals, one from Washington ; the other from Lafayette. Joseph Angell, a descendant of Thomas, was the author of legal works which have obtained such a recogni- tion in English courts as is accorded to few American law-writers. Another descendant is the late Hon. Anson Burlingame, late United States minister to China. The family genealogy is traced from the brave English lad, in the following line : Thomas Angell died in 1694 ; John Angell, in 1720; Daniel Angell, in 1750 ; Nedabiah Angell, in 1786; Esek Angell, in 1836; Ethan Angell, born in 1798 ; died in 1870; Cyrus D. Angell, born in 1826, now of Forestville.

Ethan Angell, father of Cyrus D. Angell, was born in Pownal, Vt. His childhood was passed in Berkshire Co., Mass., but he left home, in 1816, for the western wilds; and the boy pioneer joined his elder brother, Nedabiah, who had settled in Pomfret, [now Hanover,] in 1810, about four miles east of the present site of Forestville, and there resided until 1833, and again justified his family name, and departed for the wilderness, where now is Michigan. The locality of his choice in Hanover, has ever since borne the name of Angell Settlement.

Ethan Angell first settled upon a farm about a mile east of Hanover Cen- ter. In 1819, he married Margaret Dawley. Three children were born to them-two daughters and a son. In 1822, he removed to Angell Settlement, where he resided, a respected citizen, till the day of his death, June 18, 1870. The Angell homestead in Hanover, like that in Rhode Island, still remains in the family, being now the property of C. D. Angell.

The present representative of this long and honorable line, Cyrus D. An- gell, was born at Hanover Center, April 24, 1826. He was for several years engaged in farming, mercantile, and real estate affairs in Hanover. In 1863, he was elected supervisor of the town. He was postmaster at Forestville from 1861 until his resignation in 1869.

The discovery of petroleum in Western Pennsylvania, attracted enterprising men from all parts of the Union, among them Mr. Angell. He first explored for oil successfully in the river portion of Venango county, in 1867, and sub- sequently made fortunate ventures at Belle Isle, a little island in the Allegany river, 32 miles from Oil City. He studied the rationale of oil developments, and succeeded in tracing, on the earth's surface, the subterranean oil fields. This was done, not by the aid of any "divining rod " jugglery, but by a care- fully evolved theory, matured and demonstrated by successful "strikes." The plan of operating thus invented is known as the " Angell oil belt theory ;" and from the date of its promulgation, oil developments have proceeded upon its principles. Guided by this great idea, Mr. Angell and others struck out boldly into unknown territory ; and the result was the opening of the

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great oil fields of lower Venango, Armstrong, Butler, and other counties. This remarkable theory and the train of investigation that led to its inven- tion, may be found fully elucidated in an article published in the New York Tribune of June 8, 1870.

Mr. Angell was married at Belleville, Aug. 9, 1848, to Lucina A. Shepard, daughter of Rev. G. Shepard. They have three children : a son, Elgin A., and two daughters, Isabel and Georgie.

DR. AMOS R. AVERY was born in Brookfield, Madison Co., in 1805. His parents were from Conn. He came to Forestville in 1833, as a physician, and has remained here to the present time. There is now no practicing physician in the county who was in practice here when Dr. Avery came. He was a graduate of Fairfield Medical College, Herkimer Co., N. Y., and was married, in 1831, at Brownville, Jefferson Co., to Lucina Allen, of Turin, Lewis Co. His grandfather was at the memorable massacre at Wyoming. The family, consisting of 8 persons-parents and children-were taken pris- oners by the Indians ; were kept three days, and released, and returned to Connecticut. Dr. Avery has 2 children : Agnes, wife of John E. White, real estate clerk, in New York. Sherman S., a graduate of Cornell University, an attorney at law ; married Mary Swift, of Forestville, and resides at Petro- lia, and is cashier of Argyle savings bank.

WILLIAM COLVILL, from Scotland, in 1820, settled with his family at Forest- ville. He bought a farm, on which part of the village now stands, and the grist-mill early built by Jehiel Moore, which he greatly enlarged and im- proved. Mr. Colvill resided here until the time of his death. The children of Mr. Colvill were : Margery, the wife of Albert H. Camp; William, who married Mary Love; Daniel G., a physician at Forestville; George, who married Hannah Tubbs ; Jane, the wife of Ernest Mullett ; and Margaret, the wife of Augustus F. Corey, of Elmira.

WILLIAM COLVILL, JR., son of the above, was born in Scotland, in March, 1797, and emigrated with his father to this county in 1820, and continued his residence in Forestville until his death, August 9, 1874. He early formed a partnership with Albert H. Camp in the mercantile business, under the firm of Camp & Colvill. Mr. Colvill had other mercantile connections. In 1837, '46, '50, and '51, he was supervisor of Hanover. He was educa- ted in the best schools in his native land; and among his early tutors was the famous Thomas Carlyle. His wife died about four years ago. His children were : 1. Jane, wife of John D. Wheat, and has removed to Minne- sota. 2. Elizabeth, the wife of Wm. P. Tanner, in Minnesota. 3. Mary, the wife of Daniel Sherman, attorney at law, Forestville. 4. William, who served as colonel in the late war, and was disabled by a wound received in battle. He was since, for a time, editor of the Goodhue County Republican, at Red Wing, Minn., and now resides in that vicinity. 5. George, who resides at Forestville.

THOMAS G. ELLIS came from Madison Co. to Forestville in 1831, where he established himself in the cabinet-making business, which he continued

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until near the present time, when it was assumed by his son, Francis D. Ellis. He held for many years the office of justice of the peace in this town. He was married, in 1826, to Sophia Dickinson, of Jefferson Co. Their children were : Francis D., who was married, first, to Abi Phillips ; second, to Jennie Hall, of Portland ; Mary, who resides at home, unmarried; Irvine A., who went to California in 185r ; was inspector in the custom-house in San Fran- cisco ; assisted in surveying Southern California ; was a clerk of the senate of California ; quarter-master 4 years in the late war; and returned to the custom-house, where he was employed at the time of his death.

JEREMIAH ELLSWORTH ,was born in Charleston, N. Y., Dec. 16, 1800. His father, Alexander Ellsworth, was a native of Windsor, Conn. He was married to Tryphena Marshall, and removed to Charleston, N. Y., where he remained till 1801, when he removed to Decatur, Otsego Co., where he died in 1802. Jeremiah, who was then about two years old, remained with his mother until he was 16, when he left home to provide for himself. Though his early educational advantages were quite limited, he had acquired a good English education, and a sufficient knowledge of other languages to enable him to go through the study of medicine, and to graduate with honor after having attended three courses of lectures at the Berkshire Medical Institute, Mass. After having paid, from his own earnings, the entire 'expense of his educational course, he had the means of procuring a good outfit of a horse and carriage, and a good medical library, and to pay for a year's board. In July, 1828, he came to Chautauqua Co., and commenced practice ; and, May 13, 1829, he was married to Relief Holman, of Worcester Co., Mass., and settled at Silver Creek. In 1846, he removed to Ellington ; in 1854 to Gerry ; in 1856 to Panama, where he resided until 1864, when he removed to Corry, Pa., where he now resides. While he resided in Ellington, he was elected twice to the assembly, and at the last session was the candidate of the minority party for speaker. In 1873, at the age of 73, he was unani- mously elected mayor of the city of Corry. In Chautauqua county, he was several times elected to the office of justice of the peace. He had Io chil- dren : 1. Jerome, who married Mary Leet, of Ellington, and died there in 1851. 2. Byron, who married Alice Mckenzie, of Mayville. He was treasurer of Chautauqua county, and now resides in Corry, Pa. 3. Irving, who died in Iowa, unmarried. 4. LeRoy, who married Gelany Edict, and died in Union, Pa. 5. Levantia, died in infancy. 6. Sarah Elvira, wife of Fred Saxton, Corry, Pa. 7. Celestia Helen, wife of Alexander McKenzie, of May- ville. 8, 9. Edward and Elizabeth, twins, died inf. 10. Frank D., who married Hattie Hart, and resides in Corry.

DANIEL FARNHAM, from Madison Co., in 1811, settled on lot 51, on land bought in 1810. He had 6 sons : Daniel, Porter, Fry, Harmon H., Thomas H., John W., in Wisconsin. Only Fry and John are living. Fry is a carpen- ter and joiner ; has 4 daughters : Sylvia, wife of Newton Smith, Grand Rapids, Mich. ; Annisteen, wife of Rodney B. Scott, Hanover ; Ellen, who married Jas. D. Nutting, Silver Creek ; Ella, wife of Bristol Carrington, Forestville.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

CHARLES B. GAGE was born in Hanover, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., May 21, 1820. His grandfather, Asa Gage, was born at Milford, Mass., in 1756, and served nearly 7 years in the war for American independence. His wife was Mary Boton, born Feb. 22, 1762. They had 13 children, all born within the space of 20 years and 8 months ; the first having been born July 4, 1782 ; the last, March 13, 1803. From 1782 to 1788, there was a birth every year, except 1785. There were 8 sons and 5 daughters. Jones Gage, a son, the father of Charles B. Gage, was born March 4, 1787, and was married to Philena Cook, who was born Nov. 14, 1790. He removed from Jamaica, Vt., to Hanover, one mile west from Silver Creek, and three years after to . the south-west part of the town, lot 48. In 1843, he removed to Wisconsin, where he died. He also had 13 children, 10 sons and 3 daughters. Of these, 12 passed the age of infancy, of whom 7 are living. Only Charles B. remains in the county, the rest having removed to the western states. Chas. B. Gage was married, Dec. 11, 1842, to Electa A. Sage, who was born Nov. 16, 1817, and died May 22, 1844, leaving a daughter, Clarissa A., who mar- ried James Melvin, and had twin children, Charles L. and Daisey Adelia ; both parents deceased. Mr. Gage married, second, Adelia M. Sage, Oct. 8, 1844. Their children were: Malcom W., who died in the army in the late war, of sickness ; Eliza J., Ora C., Belinda S., De Ette A. Mr. Gage resides on the farm on which his father permanently settled in 1820, and where he re- sided 51 years.

WHIPPLE HAWKINS was born at Providence, R. I., March 15, 1787 ; re- moved to Newport, Herkimer Co., N. Y., at the age of 5 years. He was married at Brownville, Jefferson Co., to Mary Brown ; removed to Buffalo in 1817 ; to Boston, Erie Co., in 1822 ; thence to Forestville, May 1, 1822 ; and in 1828 to Pennsylvania, where he died at the residence of a daughter, in 1866. Mrs. Hawkins died in Aurora, Ill., in 1854. They had 11 chil- dren-5 sons and 6 daughters ; of whom only one, Henry H., remained in this county.

HENRY H. HAWKINS, son of Whipple Hawkins, was born Dec. 7, 1809. Having served an apprenticeship at the blacksmith's trade with his father, he formed a partnership with Elijah Dewey in 1830 ; established the business at Irving in the spring of 1831, and continued it there until 1846. He was for some time a farmer near Hanover Center. He left the farm and came to Silver Creek, where, in partnership with William R. Greenleaf, he was en- gaged in the manufacture of steam engines and mill machinery for about 5 years. In 1857, he went into the mercantile business alone, continuing his interest in the machine manufacture until 1859; and has continued the mer- cantile business till the present time. He was elected a justice of the peace in Hanover, in 1838 ; supervisor, in 1847; and was a loan commissioner 6 years. He was often intrusted with the responsible business of settling estates. He was married to Sarah K. Thorn, and had five children, of whom three are living. 1. Portia Thom, wife of George A. Hodson, and resides at Clinton, Iowa. 2. Sarah Elizabeth, wife of Theodore Stewart,

Strobridge & Co.Litr.cin.U.

b. B. Gage.

Comhas RLeland

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HANOVER.

assistant cashier of the Bank of Silver Creek. 3. Marcus Henry. Two died in infancy.

OLIVER LEE was born in Lebanon, Conn., Dec. 23, 1791. He came to Genesee county in 1813, and settled in Orangeville, now Wyoming county, and opened up a farm, on which he lived many years. He was an early constable, and was subsequently appointed a deputy sheriff, when the county of Genesee extended east to Genesee river, and north to Lake Ontario. He removed to Warsaw, where he kept a public house a few years. In 1823, he went into the mercantile business in Sheldon, and continued it for one year. In 1825, he came to Westfield, where, in partnership with John Mc- Whorter, he pursued the same business several years. In the fall of 1827, he commenced trade at Silver Creek, having purchased the mill and farm previously owned by John E. Howard. In 1828, he removed his family thither, and in the same year took into partnership Clark C. Swift, and, under the firm name of Lee & Swift, continued business until 1832. He again resumed business, and in 1840, he took as partner his son Charles H. Lee, and retired from the mercantile business a few years after. In 1839, he es- tablished the Bank of Silver Creek, and in 1844 Oliver Lee & Co.'s Bank of Buffalo. He died suddenly in Buffalo, July 28, 1846. Mr. Lee was married in Connecticut, Oct. 30, 1813, to Eliza Downer, who was born July 22, 1794. They had 9 children, besides two who died in infancy. I. Eunice, who was the wife of Clark C. Swift, and died March 6, 1866. 2. Caroline, who resides at Silver Creek. 3. Charles H. 4. Eliza, wife of Wm. H. Abell, of Buffalo. 5. James H., who married Lucretia M. Clark, and lives in Buffalo, and is engaged there with his brother Charles, in mercantile and other business. 6. Franklin, who married Marianne Waith, daughter of the late Rev. Wm. Waith, Sr., and resides at Lancaster ; is a coal merchant, [firm of Lee & Loomis,] Buffalo. 7. Helen, wife of Henry Montgomery, of the firm of Clark, Holland & Co., in the planing business, Buffalo. 8. John M., now in California. 9. Maria L., wife of Chauncey G. Talcott, a tanner and currier, at Silver Creek.

CEPHAS R. LELAND had his descent from Henry Leland, the common an- cestor of the Leland family in America. Of this family was John Leland, an eminent minister of the Baptist denomination. C. R. Leland, in 1827, removed with his father, Asa Leland, from Chester, Vt., to Otto, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. Having, for a short period of time, attended the academy in his native place, and for a few months the academy at Springville, Erie Co., he engaged in the study of law, and in teaching school to obtain funds to defray the expense of his education, and to support some helpless members of his father's family. In 1832, he made a profession of religion and became a member of the Baptist church. He was admitted as an attorney and coun- sellor at law in 1835, and settled at Irving. He held for many years the office of postmaster at that place; and in 1846 he was appointed, by Gov. Wright, attorney for the Seneca nation of Indians. The temperance cause had the benefit of his example, exhortations, and writings. An active

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member of the church, the sabbath school system was an instrument through which he lent his influence for good. The third church of Hanover was organized in his house ; and from that time till his removal thence, it received the aid of his prayers and his substance. The religious and benevolent insti- tutions of the day found in him a patriotism alike practical and discerning. In August, 1850, he removed with his family to Milwaukee, Wis., where he died suddenly on the 8th of September, about four weeks after his arrival. In 1835, he was married to Orphea Powers, his fifth cousin, who also was connected with the common ancestry. She was born in Sempronius, N. Y., February 22, 1810, and resided in that town and Lansing until 1833. She was married at Gowanda, and immediately removed to Irving with her hus- band. She was educated at the academies in Moravia and Ithaca, N. Y. She made a profession of religion in 1827, and became a member of the Episcopal church ; and in 1839 she joined the Baptist church. She died August 1, 1870. Mr. Leland had two children : Cyrus P., who was born at Irving, July 31, 1836, and is now auditor of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Company, living at Cleveland, O., the sole survivor of the family ; and Jennie, born August 28, 1838, and was married to George W. Perry, Esq., of Superior, Wis., Aug. 7, 1856, and died July 9, 1863.

GEORGE LOVE, from Madison Co., settled near Forestville in 1820, where he resided until his death. He is said to have first suggested the present name of the village,. He was a brother of Thomas C. Love, of Buffalo, many years since a member of Congress from that district. The children of George Love were: Mary, wife of Wm. Colvill, Jr .; Maria, who died at 19 ; Levi, married, and lives in Ohio ; Louisa, unmarried ; Hannah, who resides in Minn. ; George W., who married Abby Love, and resides at Forestville ; Laura, wife of James D. Warren, of Buffalo, co-proprietor of the Commercial Advertiser ; Melissa, wife of Hiram Smith, of Jamestown; Maria, who died at 6 ; and Albert T., who married Mary Warren, Newstead.

NATHAN MIXER was born in Framingham, Mass., May 4, 1786, and re- moved with his father's family to Madison Co .; and thence, in 1817, to Hanover, having bought the year previous of Jonathan Bartoo his mill.prop- erty, and the farm on which John A., son of Nathan Mixer, now resides, near Forestville, where he resided until his death, Jan. 11, 1871. He was super- visor of the town ten years. In 1825, '28 and '29, he was a member of assembly, and for a number of years an associate judge of the county court. He became a member of the Baptist church, and gave to it during the remainder of his life an active and efficient support, and was a friend and promoter of benevolent institutions generally. He was married in Madison Co., June 20, 1808, to Rhoda Frink, and in 1817 removed to this town, as above stated. Mrs. Mixer was born Feb. 19, 1791. The children of Na- than and Rhoda Mixer were: 1. Sarah, wife of Moses Sperry, deceased ; she resides in Rochester. 2. Sylvia, who married Levi Warren ; they reside in California. 3. Nancy, wife of John B. McClanathan, of Fredonia. 4. Elbridge G., who married Nancy Walker, of Fredonia, moved to Detroit,

ـى

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where he died Sept. 1, 1855 ; both deceased. 5. Henry, who married Emily F. Curtis, of New York, and died in Brooklyn, where the family resides. 6. Sylvester F., who married Mary E. Knowlton ; is a physician at Buffalo. 7. Harriet, who died in 1860, unmarried. 8. Jane, widow of Silas S. Calen- dar, and resides in Rochester. 9. John A., who married Helen L. Sheldon, and resides on the homestead. 10. Albert H., who married Jane L. Morse. He is a graduate of Madison University, and is now professor of modern lan- guages in the University of Rochester. 11. Warren N., who removed to California. He was a machinist, and was employed in the construction of a steamboat for the Russian government, on Amoor river. On his return voyage, and within a day's sail of San Francisco, he was drowned in the Pacific by falling overboard. 12. Rhoda, unmarried, died Sept. 18, 1848. 13. Emily, who married Henry M. Todd, and resides in Milwaukee. 14. Byron S., unmarried, at Rochester.

NIRAM SACKETT was born October 31, 1797, at Stanford, Dutchess Co., N. Y. He was married at Washington, in that county, Sept. 30, 1824, to Catharine Thorn, who was born Dec. 19, 1806. He was commissioned by Gov. De Witt Clinton a captain of the militia in 1822 ; and by Gov. Joseph C. Yates as colonel in 1824. He was called out with his regiment to attend at the reception of Gen. La Fayette at Poughkeepsie in 1824. At an early age he commenced the mercantile business at Mabbettsville, which he con- tinued until 1829, when he removed with his father-in-law, John I. Thorn, to Chautauqua Co., and settled on Cattaraugus Flats, [now Irving.] He was elected for several terms a justice of the peace in Hanover, and was for many years an associate judge of the county courts. He died at Irving, the 22d of Oct., 1869, of disease of the heart, aged 72. In the obituary no- tice accompanying the announcement of his death, he is represented as " affable and courteous in his manner, decided in his convictions, a man of strict integrity and of comprehensive mind, and scrupulously just ; evincing, in his judicial character, those qualities of mind and heart which made him both the able and the just judge." His principal business during his residence in the county was farming, in which he was successful ; leaving his family abundantly provided for. His death was deeply lamented by his family and the community generally.

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