History of Chautauqua County, New York : from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches, Part 70

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 70

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).

Stephen Messenger, from Manlius Square, Onondaga Co., settled on lot 15, adjoining the lands of R. W. Fenner. Being a blacksmith, he worked at his trade, and at clearing his farm, assisted by his sons. In 1836, he sold his farm to Christopher C. Fenner, and removed to Chestnut Ridge, in Elli- cott. This family was visited with extraordinary mortality. In about ten years after their removal to Ellicott, the family, consisting of the parents and three sons and five daughters, all died, except the father and one son, George. Mr. Messenger died about 1860. All are buried in the Fluvanna graveyard.

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William, the oldest son, who lived at Williamsville, below Buffalo, while at his father's on a visit, was taken sick, and soon died. The same happened to three of his sisters. Another sister, while on a visit at her father's, her little daughter, at play on the woodpile in the yard, was crushed to death by a heavy log passing over her body. George, the only survivor, who had been engaged in lumbering on the Tionesta, came home and was taken sick. Ap- prehending that he, too, had been marked by death as his victim, arose from hiis sick-bed, against the remonstrances of his friends, and started for his home in Ridgeway, Pennsylvania, and speedily recovered. He was there engaged in lumbering, and was known as Judge Messenger, having served as a county judge.

Abel Beebe, born in Springfield, Mass., in 1783, from Buffalo in 1809, cut his way from Laona, about nine miles-the distance now about five miles- being engaged about 20 days in opening the road. Himself, Joel Fisher, and Othello Church, were the only three who wintered in the neighborhood during the winter of 1809-10.

The first birth in this town is said to have been that of Wm. Walker, Aug. 25, 1811. The first school was taught by Abigail Durfee, in the south part of the town, in the summer of 1815.

The first tavern was kept at Cassadaga, by Ichabod Fisher, in 1811. The first at Stockton was kept in a log house by Elijah Nelson, who afterwards built the frame house on the north-east corner. Abel Thompson, at the same time, built the present public house in 1824, now kept by Wm. Shepard.

The first store was kept by James Haywood, at Delanti, in 1816, says the State Gazetteer. Our informant says, the first merchant was James Haywood, soon after the town was formed, which did not take place until February, 1821. [It is probable the latter is more nearly correct.] It was kept in a small frame house, in the chamber of which was a shoe shop, and was after- ward removed to a log house, on the north-east corner. Mr. Crissey, in his historical sketch of Stockton, says: "Lazell had built a log shoe shop, where now stands the residence of John E. Tew. In the upper part of this shoe shop, James Haywood kept the first store." Later merchants were McClure & Holbrook, Aaron Waddington, and John Z. Saxton. Present merchants -Hiram D. Hart, and Oran Y. Brooks, and Truman Todd, and E. L. Mc- Cullough & Son. Druggist-Chauncey Winsor. Hardware-Joseph & Cor- nelius Russ. Grocery and boot and shoe store-Abraham Blackman.

The first blacksmith was James Haywood, I mile south of Delanti ; who afterwards bought of Luman Wickham a stone building for his trade, now owned by George Mowyer.

The first physician was Carleton Jones, 1818, [afterwards at Westfield ;] next, Elkanah P. Stedman, on the south line of the town, 1810; Waterman Ellsworth, in 1821 or 1822 ; Geo. S. Harrison, Humphrey Sherman, Justin Thompson, who was surgeon in the army in the late war, taken prisoner, and escaped by digging out under the wall. Present physicians-Joshua J. Towle, Darius G. Picket, Delanti ; Drs. Griffith and Pond, Cassadaga.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

Origen Crissey is said to have been the first wagon-maker. Levi Holmes, a few years since, built a wagon and carriage shop, at which an extensive business is done at present.

Hiram Shaw, a cabinet-maker, established a shop about 1830; and was suc- ceeded by Seth K. Duncan (?), who carried on the business some 30 years or longer. His son Charles died in the army in the late war.

A grist-mill and a saw-mill were built about the year 1817 or 1818, where now the village of Delanti is, by John Hines, Hiram Lazell, and Elijah Nelson. It was subsequently owned, in whole or in part, by Obed Taylor, Samuel Shepard, and David Sacket ; the last of whom built a new grist-mill, which was sold to Joseph S. Sacket, Truman Todd, and Milton Smith. Its present owners are Dascum Taylor and Newton Taylor. A grist-mill and a saw-mill were built at Cassadaga lake, about the year 1821, by David Sacket and Aaron Lyon ; the lake having been raised by a dam to furnish the nec- essary water-power. Sickness having been caused by the flowing and ebbing of the lake, the proprietors were indicted for nuisance, and were obliged to abandon their enterprise. A saw-mill was built, about the year 1829, about 5 miles below the lake, on Cassadaga creek, on lot 11, by Bela Todd, and sold to Charles D. Cooper, who also built a carding and cloth-dressing estab- lishment, which was run a number of years. A saw-mill is still there. A saw-inill was built about the year 1826, about 34 mile above the village, by Benjamin Miller, and is now owned by his son, William O. Miller. A steam saw-mill was built about 1868, by the Taylors above named, and soon sold to Harrison Price and Oren Miles. Attached to the mill at present are a planing-mill and a shingle-machine. A steam saw-mill was commenced, 3 or 4 miles south of Delanti, and completed by Philip Lazell in 1850. It was destroyed by fire in 1854. On the Bugbee brook, about 100 rods west of the preceding, a saw-mill was built in 1830, and burned in 1835.

In 1824, Resolved W. Fenner and his son Christopher, built a saw-mill 40 feet above the present grist-mill, on Cassadaga creek. In 1827, the first grist-mill in that part of the town was built by R. W. Fenner and Forbes Johnson. About 1835, these mills were bought by Henry Love; and, after his death, they became the property of Forbes Johnson and John A. Fenner. In 1839, the saw-mill was torn down, and a new one was built about 40 rods east of the first, on the site of the present mill of James Austin. About 1856, E. J. Spencer, Osmand Johnson, and John A. Fenner, became owners of the grist-mill, and annexed machinery for planing and matching boards. In 1868, a new grist-mill, with two runs of burr stones and modern improve- ments, was erected in the place of the old one, by Osmand Johnson and E. J. Spencer ; and in 1869, Spencer sold his interest, and left the mill in the hands of the present owners, Johnson & Fenner. Forbes Johnson and his sons Owen and Edwin, owned the saw-mill until 1869, when they exchanged it with James Austin for a dairy farm in Ellery. This mill is said to have turned out in a year 750,000 feet of lumber, besides large quantities of pine and hemlock shingles, and lath and wood manufactured from the slabs.

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The first town-meeting was held April 3, 1821. It was opened at Abel Thompson's, and adjourned to the school-house near D. Nelson's. The officers elected were :

Supervisor-Calvin Warren. Town Clerk-John Curtis. Assessors --- Ebenezer Smith, Jr., Hiram Lazell, John Tyler. Overseers of Poor-John Newbre, Joseph Sacket. Com'rs of Highways-David Sacket, Salmon Tyler, Levi G. Miller. . Collector-Hiram Lazell. Constables-Hiranı Lazell, New- ell Putnam. Com'rs of Schools-Ebenezer Smith, Jr., Calvin Tyler, Lewis C. Todd.

Supervisors from 1821 to 1875.

Calvin Warren, 1821, '22, '26. Henry Walker, 1823 to '25. Waterman Ellsworth, 1827, '31, '32. Aaron Lyon, 1828, '34. Hiram Lazell, 1829, '30. John Grant, 1333, '35. Calvin Smith, 1836, '37. Chauncey Warren, 1838, 39, '45, '47, '68, '69. Delos Beebe, 1840, '41. Philip Lazell, 1842, '60, '61. Thomas Rolph, 1843, '44. Eleazar Flagg, Jr., 1846. Milton Smith, 1848 to '53. George S. Harrison, 1854. Judge L. Bugbee, 1855, '59. Ebenezer Moon, 1856. Wm. P. Burdick, 1857, '58. Merrill Crissey, 1862, '63. Harlow Crissey, 1864, '65. Eliphalet Mitchell, 1866, :67. Walker Park- hurst, 1870, '7 1. Joseph Batcheler, 1872, '73. Lucien C. Warren, 1874, '75.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL.

JUDGE L. BUGBEE, son of Jonathan Bugbee, Jr., was born in Stockton, February 10, 1818, on the farm on which he now resides, and on which his father first settled. When he was eleven years old, his father died. The family then consisted of the widow and eight children-two sons and six daughters. Judge, the second son, remained at home, and contributed much, by his youthful labors on the farm, toward the support of the family. His education was obtained in the common schools of the town, and during a few months attendance at a select school. At the age of 17, he commenced teaching, having been elected by the older scholars attending school with him, to supply the place of the teacher, who was taken sick. This was the introduction to a successful course of teaching. At 22, he was elected a commissioner of common schools. This office was soon after abolished ; and he was appointed, by the town board, town superintendent of schools, and thereafter elected to that office the next four years, serving also the last year as assessor. He was twice elected supervisor ; and he has, for about 16 years, held the office of justice of the peace. He now holds, under the general government, the office of deputy collector of internal revenue in the 27th collection district of New York. He was married in Stockton, to Mary Ann Flagg, and has two children : Flora E., wife of Walter B. Horton, in Jamestown ; and J. Eugene, at home.

SAMUEL CRISSEY, born in Vermont, March 2, 1771, removed to Stockton in 1815, and settled in the north part of this town, on lot 39, where he re- sided until his death, March 1, 1848. He was married in Vermont, to Lucy Grovenor. He was one of the founders of the Baptist church in Delanti,

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

and served it as an occasional preacher. His children were : 1. Almira, wife of Ethan Cooley, both deceased, leaving a daughter, Generva, the wife of Mortimer Ely. 2. Harlow, who married Anna Shepard, and had four children : Newton, Samuel S., in Fredonia, Seward M., and Elverton B., in Missouri. 3. Jason, who married Roxana, daughter of Rev. Washington Winsor, and died in 1875. A son, Jirah, and a daughter, Mary, wife of Lucien C. Warren, reside in town ; and Sardis, a graduate in medicine, served in the late war, and is now in the department of the interior, in Washington. 4. Lucy, wife of Chauncey Winsor, Delanti, whose children are Wealthy Ann, wife of Hiram Lazell, Jr., in Stockton, and Washington, a merchant, in New York. 5. Cynthia, wife of Zalmon Jennings, removed to Pennsylvania, where she died. 6. Martha, who died at 12. 7. Samuel, who married Julia Grant, of Fredonia, and resides in Stockton ; has a daughter, Lucy, wife of Cassius Perrin, for several years a justice of the peace ; and a son, Forest. Of the seven children of Samuel Crissey, Sr., only Harlow and Samuel are living.

NATHANIEL and SYLVANUS CRISSEY, also from Vermont, were brothers of Samuel Crissey, Sr. Sons of Nathaniel were Alson, married, and died at 31 ; and Merrill, who married Eunice Tracy, and has been supervisor of the town ; had 5 children : a son, Florence, and two pairs of twin brothers, of whom one is deceased. Sylvanus Crissey removed with his family to the West.

GOULD CRISSEY settled on lot 45, bought in 1816. He was an early member of the Baptist church, and one of its first deacons. His children were Maria, Origen, Addison, Marilla, Stephen, Orson, Alson, Isaac, and Luthena ; none living in town.

WATERMAN ELLSWORTH was born in Hartwick, Otsego Co., Dec. 14, 1797. He was a son of Stukely Ellsworth, a state senator from that county, and a descendant from Abel Aylesworth, (as the name was then spelled,) whose wife was Amy Franklin, a sister of Benj. Franklin. Among his distinguished ancestors and relatives, may be named, Oliver Ellsworth, chief justice of the U. S. supreme court ; William W. Ellsworth, governor of Connecticut ; and Henry L. Ellsworth, commissioner of patents. When about 25 years of age, he became a resident of Stockton, where Delanti now stands, and remained there engaged in the active duties of his profession, until his death, Jan. 6, 1849. He was several years supervisor of Stockton, and in 1839 a member of assembly. In 1826, he married Rosina Lyon, sister of Mary Lyon, the founder of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. Mrs. Ellsworth died in 1832, leaving four sons, of whom Stukely and Hazelius live in Oregon ; Franklin, in San Francisco ; and Henry M., in Kelton, Utah. A plain, but substantial monument in the burying ground at Delanti, marks the resting place of his remains ; and all the early settlers of Stockton, and many others scattered over this wide country, hold him in grateful remembrance. He was married a second time ; his widow resides in Erie county.

ICHABOD FISHER, a native of Princeton, Mass., came from Oneida Co.,

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N. Y., in 1813, to Cassadaga, in the town of Stockton, in company with one of his sons, as will hereafter appear. He had two sons, Ichabod and Joel. He died in 1818, aged 72 years.

ICHABOD FISHER, JR., a native of Princeton, Mass., from Oneida Co., was an early settler at Cassadaga lake. He first came to this county in 1808, moving the family of his brother-in-law, Samuel Davis, and returned. In 1812, he came again, bringing a load of leather for Leverett Barker. Trav- eling on this side of Buffalo, on the beach of the lake, (there being no other road,) a company of 12 or 13 Canadians, who had come over in a long open boat for the purpose of plunder, were seen approaching the shore. Before they landed, however, and while firing at him, Mr. Fisher slipped his pocket- book in the crack of a rock, and covered it with stones. When they got on shore, they knocked him down, broke open his chest, and took out all his clothes, leaving him only the tow-cloth suit he had on ; telling him he ought to be thankful that he retained his ox-team. [The written statement before us does not say that the leather was taken ; but it is not probable that a portable article so valuable would have been left.] In 1813, he sold his farm in Paris, Oneida Co., with a view to his removal to this county. He hired two men to assist in removing his goods, each of them agreeing to de- liver a load, with his family, at Cassadaga, for which each was paid $50, in advance. At widow Adkins' tavern, five miles east of Buffalo, they left the goods and family, and started for home, by another road, to avoid meeting Mr. Fisher, who was on the way with a cart and oxen, and a horse forward ; a son, 9 years old, riding the horse, Mr. Fisher's father driving the oxen, and himself driving about 200 sheep and 4 cows. He was obliged to leave the family and goods until he had delivered his own load and live stock at Cas- sadaga. From Buffalo to the mouth of Canadaway creek, the family came by lake, in an open boat. When they were leaving Buffalo harbor on a moon- light evening, a long-boat load of British subjects came up along-side, and threatened firing upon them, but the captain of the American boat, who knew the British captain, hailed him in time to prevent the enemy from carrying their design into effect. Once the company were compelled, by a high wind. to camp over night on the beach. From the mouth of Canadaway creek, they were guided by marked trees, and felled trees across streams to get the goods over. They reached their destination Ang. 13, 1813. Mr. Fisher set- tled on land bought of Othello Church, afterwards murdered by Howe, in Allegany county. He died at Cassadaga, May 5, 1847, aged 75. His sons were Orrin H. and Willard W. The latter is at present postmaster at Cassadaga.

JOEL FISHER, son of Ichabod, Sr., was a native of Princeton, Mass., and removed from Oneida Co. to Stockton, in 1809. He died . May 23, 1847, aged 63 years. His sons were Asa, Joel, O. H. Perry, and Joseph.

CHAUNCEY GOODRICH was born in Middlebury, Vt., Dec. 17, 1803, and removed with his father to Cayuga Co., N. Y., in 1809, and in 1822 to Stock- ton, and settled on lot 52, bought in 1826. He was married to Phebe

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

Rogers, of Stockton. Their children are: Betsey Ann, wife of John E. Hassett, and resides in Chatfield, Minn .; Milo, who married Emily Babcock, of Busti, and resides in Sherman ; Henry R., who married Martha Geer, and lives at St. Joseph, Mo .; Ellen, wife of Henry Q. Ames, school commis- sioner of the first assembly district of the county ; Corydon, who married Nancy Ann King, of Stockton, and resides at Salt River, Mich .; Alice M., wife of Levi N. Flint, of Erie, Pa. Mr. Goodrich now resides at Delanti.

LINUS W. MILLER, son of Benjamin Miller, was born in Stockton, Dec. 28, 1817. In early life he was a law student in the office of the late Judge Mullett. At the age of 20, he joined the " Patriot " forces in Canada, in the spring of r838 ; was a staff officer of General McLeod, the commander in chief, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. After four months' active service, he was captured, tried at Niagara, and sentenced to death. The sentence was commuted to transportation for life to Van Dieman's Land ; he was confined at Fort Henry, U. C., until November of that year ; then shipped to England, in transitu, with 22 other political prisoners ; confined six months in Newgate prison, London, with rr others ; detained under writs of habeas corpus in the courts of Queen's Bench and Exchequer, at the instance and by the kind efforts of Lord Brougham, Roebuck, Joseph Hume, and others. He arrived at Hobart Town, Jan. 12, 1840, and was six years a prisoner on the island, suffering the first two years incredible hardships and cruelty ; but was afterwards treated with kindness by officers and the free inhabitants of the island. In 1845, through the intercession of the United States govern- ment, and the efforts of Hon. Wm. H. Seward, he was pardoned ; and, on the 28th of Jan., 1846, he arrived at home, after an absence of eight years. Soon after his return, he published his "Notes of an Exile," etc., etc., an octavo volume of 400 pages. An edition of 2,000 copies was sold readily ; and a second edition is in contemplation. Mr. Miller resides in Stockton, and is engaged in farming, and is an active and prominent member of the Dairymen's Association.

ANDREW PUTNAM, a native of Greenfield, Mass., removed, in 1795, with his wife and two children, Harriet and Newell, to Brookfield, Madison Co., where were born 8 sons : Gilbert, Lovell, Hiram, Olvin, Oren, Royal, Union, and Worthy. In February, 1817, he removed his family and effects to Chau- tauqua Co., with 4 yoke of oxen and 2 sleds, r span of horses and a sleigh, 13 cows and young cattle. They crossed the Genesee river at Rochester, and came by the southerly route, through Cattaraugus county. He settled on lot 24, tp. 3, r. 12, since annexed to tp. 4, in forming the present town of Stockton. On the organization of the town, in 1821, his is said to have been the only piece of land in the town deeded. His cattle, during the remainder of the winter, subsisted mainly on browse. The snow had scarcely disappeared, before they were permitted to luxuriate in the native pastures, in which they ranged at large, and which abounded with leeks and other green herbage. Mr. Putnam was in faith a Baptist. Soon after his settle- ment, he received a visit from his pastor at the East, Elder Joy Handy, of

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Canadaway, who preached in the neighborhood. He was noted for his hos- pitality, and had frequent occasion to " entertain strangers," who, especially if they were of the "household of faith," met with a hearty welcome. In May, 1828, he cut a small gash in his knee. Having taken cold, the wound became inflamed ; and he died on the 14th of June following. Mrs. Put- nam died Jan. 18, 1864, at the residence of Newell, her oldest son, in her 94th year.

Newell, the oldest son of Andrew Putnam, who had married Tacy Fenner, came with his father, and settled on lot 32, township 3, range 12, also now in Stockton, where he resided until, in 1868, he removed to Conneaut, O. Before his removal, he held several offices of trust in the town, serving two terms as justice of the peace. His only son, Welcome, died on the home- stead of his father, October 28, 1871. Gilbert, the second son, married Thankful Rogers, and settled on lot 33. They had 6 sons and 3 daughters, all of whom, except the two oldest sons, were living in 1872. Gilbert Put- nam died in 1859, aged 62. His youngest son, Delos, lives on the old homestead. Lovell, third son, died at 15. Hiram, fourth son, located in Ellington, in 1823 ; he had 2 sons and 2 daughters. Olvin, the oldest son, owns the farm, and the father resides at Ellington Center. Olvin, fifth son, bought of Jonathan Bugbee, in 1826, 50 acres, on which he lived until his death, in 1863. He had a son and a daughter. Alonzo, the son, resides in town. Oren, sixth son, located near his father-in-law, Shadrach Scofield, in the south-west part of Stockton, where he resided until 1856. He now re- sides at Sinclairville. Luman, his only son, died in the war of the rebellion. Royal Putnam owns and resides on a part of his father's old farm, with a second wife, by whom he has a pair of twin sons. Union, twin brother of Royal, settled on a part of the old farm of his father. He had two sons and two daughters, of whom only a son is living, in Minnesota ; the father resides in Rochester, Minn. Worthy Putnam, the youngest son of Andrew Putnam, is the most widely known of the family. He was an early and a successful teacher. He was from 1844 to 1848 county superintendent of schools. He went through a thorough course of study in medicine, and afterwards took up the law, and was, in 1859, admitted to practice in all the courts of the state. In 1860, he sold out his home at Sinclairville, and removed to Valparaiso, Ind., and continued the practice of law. He had, while in this county, published a work on elocution, to which he had given much attention ; and he soon accepted the professorship of elocution in the college at Valparaiso. In 1864, he removed to Berrien Springs, Mich., where he now resides. He has a son and a daughter. The daughter is the wife of Job Barnard, Esq., a lawyer at Washington, D. C .; the son a foreman in a printing house in Chicago.

ABNER PUTNAM, of another family, a cousin to Captain Andrew Putnam, settled in Stockton in 1818, about a mile south of Cassadaga lake. His wife's maiden name was Vesta Mallory. They had six sons and four daugh- ters, all of whom were living in 1872. Elisha, William, Allen, and Corydon

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY.

reside in Stockton ; Richmond, in Arkwright, and Edwin, in Charlotte. The father died in 1864; the widow, who resided on the homestead, died in 1873.

HENRY RHINEHART, born in Putnam county, May 13, 1789, came to Chautauqua county in 1824, and bought out Bela Todd, who still held an article of 100 acres of lot 33, on which were a good barn, 30 by 40 feet, a small horse barn, and a large log house, and on which about 75 acres had been cleared. For this property he paid $300, which was then considered a good sale; [the original purchase money, of course, remaining due at the land-office.] Mr. Rhinehart and his wife reared 15 children, 9 sons and 6 daughters. Their second daughter, wife of Pliny Smith, of Delanti, died October 20, 1849. George W. was a soldier in the late war under Captain Harmon J. Bliss, in the 72d regiment, and died of ,camp fever, and was buried at Camp Wood, November 27, 1861. Of the thirteen remaining children, Joseph and Henry reside in Warren county, Pa. ; Cornelius at Salem, Missouri ; Amos in Busti ; and the remainder in Stockton, the place of their nativity. John, the oldest son, was for several years a sailor, engag- ed a part of the time in whaling in the North Pacific ocean and the Kam- schatka sea. In 1845, his hardships having prostrated his health, he visited the Sandwich Islands, where he remained several months, and explored the entire group, visiting the burning mountain and other attractions of these islands. He has since made two trips across the plains to California, and returned in 1867 to take the care of his parents, who are still living in the village of Delanti.

EBENEZER SMITH, JR., from Mass., in the fall of 1816, settled on the west side of Cassadaga creek, 2 m. below the lake, on lot 6. He came in com- pany with David Whittemore and Philip Phillips, grandfather of the Messrs. Phillips, now at Cassadaga. His family consisted of himself, wife, four sons and three daughters. They moved with two yoke of oxen on one wagon. He moved in with Jeduthan Smith, a relative, till a cabin of rudest style was built. It was roofed with rafters, with poles called ribs, running crosswise, on which rough shingles four feet long, rived out of pine trees, were laid ; and probably, as was usually done, without being nailed, but fastened with heavy poles, called " weight-poles," laid across. Succeeding the "cold sum- mer," grain was scarce and high ; his wheat costing $2 per bushel, and corn $1; and his cattle were wintered on browse. His children were Aaron, Quartus, Fidelia, Gerry, Rebecca, Ebenezer, and Kezia, all of whom attain- ed the age of majority, and all came to Stockton. The daughters were mar- ried, as follows : Fidelia to Elijah Woods ; Rebecca to Freeman Richardson ; Kezia to Arunah Richardson.

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