History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I, Part 16

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc.
Number of Pages: 649

USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 16

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commissioners when on their way to locate the county seat did not even stop to look at the place, but passed on and established the county seat in the woods where now is Mayville, and erected there "a large hemlock post" to mark the spot. To this act of the commissioners there came a protest, which was renewed from time to time with more or less emphasis.

The first meeting of the board of supervisors was held at John Scott's log tavern in May- ville in 1811. The board consisted of two members: William Prendergast, of Chau- tauqua; and Philo Orton, of Pomfret. The first business after the organization of the board, and the election of certain officers, was to raise money to build a court house and jail. Supervisor Orton, representing his Pomfret constituents, who were not favorable to raising money to erect public buildings on a rival site, remembering also the brusque treatment of the commissioners when they went to locate the county seat at Mayville, voted "no." Repeated efforts on the part of Supervisor Prendergast failed to secure a majority in favor of this essential measure. Finally, when Mr. Orton moved to raise money for expenditures that had been made for the benefit of the town of Pomfret, Mr. Prendergast refused to concur. The wheels of the infant government now ceased to revolve, and everything came to a dead standstill. After deliberating on the seri- ous aspect that affairs were taking, the board unanimously came to an agreement to raise money for the court house and jail, and also to pay the town taxes, and the clouds that had for a time darkened the prospects of our rising young county drifted away.

In 1812 three new towns-Ellicott, Hanover and Gerry-were erected out of the town of Pomfret, through the influence of Zattu Cush- ing and other citizens of Canadaway, it was said, in order to secure sufficient strength in the board of supervisors to remove the county seat to that place.

Efforts were made as early as 1831 to accom- plish a division of the county. In 1843 a more serious attempt was begun by citizens living in the north-eastern towns of Chautauqua, joined with citizens of Erie and Cattaraugus, to form a new county to be called Schuyler. Delegate conventions were held in each of the counties, and the legislature appealed to. Oli- ver Lee, then a very influential citizen of West- ern New York, the "Buffalo Courier," and Democrats in Buffalo, favored it with a view it is said of forming the Democratic county. A county convention was held in opposition, and the scheme terminated without success.

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CLOSE OF THE CENTURY-1875-1902

In 1844, so strong was the agitation for a division, that January 25 of that year a mass meeting was held in opposition, with Judge J. M. Edson, of Sinclairville, president, and many vice-presidents. A memorial to the Legislature was drafted and a vigilance committee ap- pointed to thwart it in every town. The project again failed. In 1846 the attempt was renewed ; February II, a meeting was held to remonstrate against all projects for a dismem- berment of the county ; Gen. Leverett Barker, Fredonia, chairman. Nearly all the towns of the county were represented. This movement to effect a division terminated like the others, without success.

In 1852 the New York & Erie railroad was completed, the Lake Shore was in process of construction, and the Atlantic & Great West- ern in contemplation. The consummation of these enterprises would secure railroad com- munication with all the principal parts of the county excepting Mayville. The difficulty of access to the county seat soon led to manv schemes for a division. One project was to erect a new county from Chautauqua, Catta- ragus and Erie, with the county seat at Forest- ville ; another, a Ridge division, provided for a county seat at Westfield ; while a fourth plan was proposed to divide the county by assem- bly districts as they then existed, with county seats at Mayville and Sinclairville. A meet- ing was held at Westfield with Judge Thomas B. Campbell as chairman, in opposition to al! divisions.

In the fall of 1852, dissatisfaction with the location of the county buildings took expres- sion in the board of supervisors. A resolution to remove them to Delanti in the town of Stockton was lost for the want of a two-thirds vote, required by law. A final and strong effort was made the succeeding year to divide the county. A bill passed to its third reading in the legislature of 1853. to organize the towns of Brandt, Collins, and Evans of Erie county ; the towns of Dayton, Leon, Perrysburgh and Persia of Cattaraugus county, and the towns of Arkwright, Charlotte, Cherry Creek, Hanover, Pomfret, Sheridan, and Villenova of Chau- tauqua county, into a new county to be called Marshall. During the winter, Ebenezer A. Lester, Augustus F. Allen and John M. Edson and other leading citizens went to Albany with a largely signed remonstrance in opposi- tion to the bill, which was lost on its third reading by a large majority. This was the last serious effort made to divide the county. The building of the Cross Cut railroad twelve years later gave better facilities for reaching May-

ville, which have been still further improved. At the special meeting of the board of super- visors on August 8th, 1893, a petition was pre- sented asking the removal of the county build- ings to Jamestown, to be located within one- half a mile from the intersection of Main and Third streets. A petition was also presented asking the removal of the county buildings to Dunkirk, to be located on Central avenue, on a plot of five acres of land on the west side of that street, opposite the dwelling built by James Gerrans, then owned by Andrew Dotter- weich. A proposition was also submitted for new county buildings in Mayville, including the offer of from two to five acres near the lake. The board finally passed a resolution to re- move the county seat from Mayville to James- town, and that the question of such a removal be submitted to the electors of the county at the next ensuing general election. The vote upon the subject of changing the site of the county buildings to Jamestown was lost at the election by a majority of 425 against it, 6,645 votes having been cast in favor, and 7,070 in opposition.

A committee appointed by the board of supervisors in the fall of 1883 to examine the accounts of Orren Sperry, county treasurer, found that he had received in 1883, the sum of $159,191.33, and had expended the sum of $154,821.86, leaving in his hands $4.370.07. Nothing appeared in this report to indicate but what his accounts were correct and in a normal state. But early in 1884 rumors were in circulation that he had lost in the oil coun- try by speculations, and had drawn out and loaned to others large sums of money belong- ing to the county, and in May of that year the community were startled to learn that Sperry had fled to parts unknown. Nothing so seri- ous affecting its finances had ever before hap- pened to the county. It was ultimately found that Sperry was a defaulter in the sum of $89,506.47, of which $26,093.85 were trust funds and $63.412.62 were cash arising from taxes. No sensation lasted so long, or so uni- versally disturbed the equanimity of the people of this county. In the counsels and conven- tions of the Republican party, of which Sperry was a member, his malfeasance was a disturb- ing element for many years. After his de- parture a special meeting of the board of super- visors was called, and at an adjourned special meeting a committee was appointed, who in- vestigated the books and accounts. Charges were then made and proceedings were insti- tuted against him for his malversations in office, resulting in his removal by Governor

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE

Cleveland. A reward of $2,000 was offered for the arrest and conviction of Sperry. Hon. Porter Sheldon and Charles D. Murray were employed as counsel for the county. At a meeting of the board of supervisors in the fall of 1884, measures were taken for a settlement or prosecution of suits against the bondsmen of Sperry, and other parties indebted to the county growing out of his defalcation. Six indictments were found against him at the September court of 1884, but the authorities were unable to find him, and he went without arrest. At a special meeting of the board of supervisors in May, 1885, a settlement was effected and the large claims of the county against the bondsmen of Sperry were compro- mised by accepting the sum of $35,000, and discharging the bondsmen from further liabili- ties. After leaving the United States, Sperry made his appearance in Mexico. Measures were taken to arrest him, but he found it out and disappeared from that country. He was next heard of in Canada, from where he opened correspondence with some of his friends at home, and some of them visited him there. While he was in Canada, an action was com menced by W. L. Sessions and C. D. Murray by the direction of the board of supervisors against Wilson, an oil broker of Oil City, to recover the amount of a certificate of deposit of $6,000, which had been assigned to him bv Sperry. The certificate was payable to Sperry as treasurer of Chautauqua county. This it was claimed was notice to Wilson that Sperry was using public funds. The attorneys of Sperry recommended the dismissal of the in- dictment against him, that he might feel sate to return to Chautauqua county and give his testimony as a witness in the action. The board of supervisors, with a few dissenting voices, endorsed the recommendation, but when the matter came before Justice Green, of the Supreme Court, he declined to dismiss the indictment, stating that in his judgment such a course would be opposed to good public morals. As there was a question as to the re- sponsibility of Wilson, the action was settled by the payment of $3,000 by Wilson's wife.

June Ist, 1893, Orren Sperry, nine years a fugitive from justice, suddenly appeared in Chautauqua county, and voluntarily surren- dered himself. At the May court in 1894, Sperry having pleaded guilty to the indictment against him, was sentenced by Judge Lambert to two years' imprisonment at Auburn. When he delivered himself up to the authorities, he was an old man about sixty-eight years of age, and his case now became again a matter of dis-

cussion throughout the county, and a feeling of pity took the place of censure among many of the people. A petition was circulated anc, was very numerously signed, for his pardon This greatly influenced Governor Flower, who pardoned him in June, 1894. Many believec Sperry had not been sufficiently punished, that his crime had been too lightly regarded. The "Jamestown Journal" pronounced his pardon. to be a travesty upon justice. The pardon was also severely condemned by the "Fredonia Censor," and the "Buffalo Express."

In December, 1894, a terrible tragedy oc- curred. Myron Sherman was a well-known. farmer and resident of Busti. He was a son of Daniel Sherman, former sheriff, and a brother of Daniel Sherman, a prominent law- yer and citizen, then serving the last month of his termi as its surrogate. On Friday, Decem- ber 7, Myron Sherman, with Mrs. Myron Sher- man and their little grandson, while driving across the railroad track between Ashville and Lakewood, were struck by the fast mail train and all were fatally injured. The grandchild was killed instantly ; he was buried the next Monday. Mr. Sherman died the following Wednesday ; Mrs. Sherman died the Friday after. Their burial was appointed for Satur- day afternoon, December 15. The unusual circumstances of their death attracted hun. dreds of people to their funerals.

Winslow Sherman, a farmer residing in Busti, a few miles from his kinsman, Myron. Sherman, his wife, Mrs. Winslow Sherman. his daughter, Mrs. Clinton Davis, and his son. Byron Sherman, were at their dwelling house in the forenoon of the day of the funeral. Winslow and Byron left the house about two' o'clock in the afternoon to attend the funeral About two hours later Byron returned. On his way he stopped at his neighbor's for his nephew, a boy of thirteen, the son of Mrs Davis, who rode home with him. On their arrival at Winslow Sherman's dwelling houses while Byron was putting up the horse the boy went to the house, and there beheld a fearful and ghastly sight; upon the kitchen floor, amidst pools of blood, he saw the dead body of his mother. On the bloodsoaked carpet of the sitting room his grandmother lay dead. It was found that both victims were killed with an ax or some instrument with a sharp edge. Mrs. Davis had many cuts upon her face, but a blow upon the back of her head evidently caused her death. A heavy blow upon the forehead caused the death of Mrs. Sherman. There were many cuts, how- ever, upon her face. Every room in the house

CLOSE OF THE CENTURY-1875-1902

seemed to have been ransacked. The bureau drawers were pulled out and their contents scattered upon the floor. There was two hun- dred fifty dollars in money hidden in a bureau drawer on the second floor, but it was not dis- covered by the robber. Footprints freshly made were found indicating that the murderer had entered the house through the woodshed, and departed the same way, no other clue or trace of the murderer was there found. Be- tween daylight and dark of Sunday, the day following, three thousand people visited the little brown house where the two gray-haired women lay dead. Although this murder was committed in the daytime, in a dwelling house in plain view of other inhabited houses, but a few miles from Jamestown, with a police force and public authorities very accessible, the per- petrator was not found and the Sherman mur- der remains a mystery to this day.

In 1895 Lakeside Assembly was established on the west shore of Findley's Lake, the sec- ond in size of the many beautiful sheets of water scattered over the county. The Assem- oly was founded by the Rev. C. G. Langdon, of the United Brethren church. A plot of ground was secured of Mr. J. A. Hill on the west side of the lake, and Mr. Langdon with his own hands began to cut the underbrush and clear away the logs from the first acre used. He in connection with Dr. F. E. Lilly, who ived upon the Lake, laid out the plot into lots, ind procured a large tent for the meetings, the irst of which was held in 1895. During that eason several small buildings were erected, ind about forty lots were sold. The society vas incorporated, and meetings held during everal succeeding years with much success. The moneys received were appropriated for he improvement of the grounds. The Lake- ide Assembly is modeled after the Chautauqua institution, and has been conducted with suc- ess and with benefit to those who have en- oyed its privileges. Dr. F. E. Lilly was its irst president ; after his removal to California te was succeeded by Ebenezer Skellie; upon tis decease, J. A. Hill was chosen.

Chautauqua county in 1896 was remarkable or its mild and pleasant weather, and great ruitfulness. Scarcely a frost occurred after he first day of April. By the first of June, eld strawberries were in the market, roses in ill bloom, the grass in the meadows thick and all, the corn rank and vigorous. The summer ras as beautiful as the spring. Thunderstorms revailed, purifying the air, and causing a ense growth of vegetation. August was a de-

lightful month, the woods, pastures and meadows were as green as in June, but of a deeper shade. Autumn fulfilled the promise of spring and summer. Never was there such a crop of apples. The orchards were so loaded with fruit that the limbs often broke and many apples were spoiled. Notwithstanding the apples were unusually large and perfect, they brought little or nothing in the market. Sev- enty-five cents a barrel was the average price for the best apples, the seller to furnish thic barrels. Cider mills were overstocked while running at full blast. There was an unusual production of grapes. By reason of the over production the crop was unprofitable to the producer. In 1897. during eight days in July, the thermometer early in the day rose above ninety degrees and there remained until late in the afternoon. Many times it reached onc hundred degrees. Seldom in the experience of a lifetime was the weather so continuously hot. The people were forced to cease business on account of the heat of the day.

The year 1897 seems to have been a year cf tragedies. A foul murder was committed in Sinclairville at an early hour of the morning of May 26. Axel Lawson, of Swedish birth, resided with Grant Edson, a farmer who lived on the Ellington road about two and one-halt miles east of Sinclairville. For some time he had bought farmers' produce around Sinclair- ville, marketing it at Jamestown. On May 25 he made his usual trip to Jamestown, sold his produce, and about ten o'clock in the evening set out from Jamestown to return. This was the last seen of him by his friends alive. About five o'clock in the morning of the 26th, Edson discovered Lawson's horse coming toward his barn without a driver. Examining the wagon, he found blood splashes on the dashboard and crossbar. Fearing some accident, Edson started in search of Lawson. At a secluded spot just beyond the outskirts of the village of Sinclairville, but within its corporate limits, where the road that leads around the north side of Cobb Hill, curves along the margin of a little ravine, and is there partly hidden by the foliage of scattered bushes and trees, he found the dead body of Lawson. Coroner Blood, District Attorney Green and Sheriff Gelmt were notified and quickly came. Royal E. Sheldon, president of the village, called the trustees together and a reward was offered for the arrest and conviction of the mur- derer. For many days the search was con- tinued from where the body was found. south across the meadowland to the road lead-

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE

ing over Cobb Hill. One footprint remained there in the dust as if the person who had made it was about to cross the road, but as this track neither continued across or up or down, it is believed that the person who made it, at this point stepped into some carriage awaiting him. Many citizens of the village liv- ing along the highway west of this place, about two o'clock in the morning heard a buggy come down Cobb Hill at a headlong speed, pass through the village, and with much noise cross the bridge on Railroad avenue and the railroad track at the station, and go on with undiminished speed along the road toward Cassadaga creek. Two parties saw the buggy with two occupants from their bedroom win- dows as it rapidly passed by. Notwithstand- ing the search was long continued, but like the Sherman murder of a few years before, the crime remained a deep mystery.

Another tragic event occurred on Saturday, November 27 of this year, at Jamestown. Be- tween three and four o'clock in the morning, fire was discovered in the Atlantic block annex at the corner of First street and Mechanics' alley. The fire department responded promptly and the flames were soon extinguished, but no: until three persons sleeping in the building were smothered with smoke or burned to death in the flames.

In the afternoon of November 30th, a homi- cide occurred in a dingy saloon on North Port- age street, in Westfield, as the result of a quar- rel between Judson E. Root, the proprietor, and William Drake, who was under the influ- ence of liquor. After some rough scuffling be- tween the parties, Drake sat down in a chair. Root then went out of the room, returned with a gun and shot Drake as he sat in his chair, killing him instantly.

Nearly one-half a million of dollars was ap- propriated by Congress for the improvement of Dunkirk Harbor through the influence of Hon. Warren B. Hooker, of Fredonia, Mem- ber of Congress, from the Chautauqua and Cattaraugus congressional district, and chair- man of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors.

In the spring an important improvement was also commenced in the eastern part of the county by which it was expected that twenty- five thousands of acres of practically worth- less land in the Conewango Swamp would be drained and made valuable by cutting a wide and deep ditch from the Kent road in the town of Cherry Creek, a distance of thirteen miles, to Waterloo, in the town of Poland.

The City Hall in Jamestown was completed

and first occupied in 1897. On June 27th of that year the short railroad connecting the Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley & Pittsburgh rail- road, near Falconer, with the Chautauqua Lake railroad, near Fluvanna, having been com- pleted, the cars were first regularly run upon it.

The grape crop of the county was this year unusually large and valuable ; 4,388 carloads of grapes, over 12,600,000 baskets, were shipped by the Grape Union in the space of six weeks. A very large quantity was shipped outside of the Union. Over one thousand carloads were shipped in the town of Portland alone.

Over thirty years had now passed in peace- ful pursuits since any citizen had been called upon to take up arms in the cause of his coun- try. Chautauqua county had been represented in nearly every, if not all the wars, in which the country had been engaged. In the early years of its history there were several of the soldiers of the old French and Indian wars liv- ing in the county, among them Samuel Shat- tuck, of Portland. His history has a special interest to us. He was not only a soldier of that old war, but a very romantic and exciting portion of his service rendered in it was actually performed in Chautauqua county, about fifty years before it was settled by white men. At one time during this old war he was one of Putnam's celebrated rangers, and served in the vicinity of Lake George, afterwards in the War of the Revolution and fought at Bunker Hill, Bennington and Yorktown, and other battles. His service in both wars amounted to twelve years. He came to Port- land, Chautauqua county, in November, 1823 to live, and died in that town September I 1827, and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery

John Owens, of Carroll, grandfather of Gov- ernor R. E. Fenton, was a remarkable pioneer of the county. He was with the English under Wolfe at the capture of Quebec, and with Ethan Allen in the Revolution at the capture of Ticonderoga. He died at Carroll, February 6th, 1843, at the remarkable age of 107 years probably the oldest citizen that has ever lived in the county, older than Mrs. Deborah Doty who died at Frewsburg, March 5th, 1902, at the advanced age of 106 years. Stephen Marther was a soldier of the old French War and har a very remarkable career.

The experience of the Frank family, of the town of Busti, in the French and Indian Wars, is worth relating. Eva Frank, tht wife of John Frank, Sr., of another Frank family, when she (Eva) was a small child, her sister Mary, who became the wife of Myers

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CLOSE OF THE CENTURY-1875-1902

the father of John Myers who was an early settler of Carroll, their mother, her little brother, Lawrence Frank, a maiden sister, and John Frank, Sr., of the other Frank family, were all captured in the Mohawk Valley by the Indians and taken to a place near Montreal and kept there among them three years before they were ransomed. Mary was detained four years, as she had the smallpox when her sister was exchanged. The mother had to carry the son, who was but eighteen months old, on the march to Montreal, and keep up with the party in order to keep him from being tomahawked. The maiden sister on her return from captivity had forgotten her mother tongue, and was taken from the Indians against her will, having been kept apart from her relatives, and had for- gotten them. All of these Franks became early settlers of the town of Busti. John Frank was again taken prisoner during the War of the Revolution. He escaped from his captors at Oneida Lake the first night after his capture, through the aid of friendly Oneida Indians, and safely reached his house at German Flats. Joseph Frank, of Busti, son of Lawrence above- mentioned, was with the Chautauqua regiment in the battle of Buffalo and was shot, killed and scalped by the Indians.

Orsamus Holmes was one of the earliest and most prominent settlers of the town of Sheri- dan. His father had been an officer in the old French War. He was himself a soldier under Ethan Allen, in the War of the Revolution. He was with Montgomery in the expedition against Quebec. He was afterwards captured by the British and taken to Canada and placed on board of a prison ship, but he and three others escaped in the night time, crossed the St. Lawrence, wandered seventeen days in the wilderness, suffering great hardships, and was finally captured with his companions by the Indians, taken back to Montreal and confined in prison. After a month's confinement he and two others overpowered the guard and escaped. They scaled the city wall, crossed the St. Law- rence, plunged into the forest, pursued by the Indians, and after encountering great dangers, at the end of fourteen days they reached the frontier settlements of Vermont.

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History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I, Part 16

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc. Number of Pages: 649

Author: Downs, John Phillips, 1853- ed. [from old catalog]; Hedley, Fenwick, Y., joint ed. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Boston, New York [etc.] American historical society, inc.
Number of Pages: 649