USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 50
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In 1810 ten Methodists formed a class con- sisting of the families of John Kent, John Ar- nold, and Eli Arnold. John and Eli Arnold were preachers. The class sent to the Genesee Conference at Lyons, asking for preaching. Three preachers were sent, including "Billy" Brown, a man of peculiarities, of great pray- ing powers. Elijah Metcalf, preacher over a long route, from Villenova to Warren, Pennsyl- vania. John Arnold's wife died in 1813, and Mr. Arnold devoted his life thereafter to preaching. Eli Arnold preached for over sixty years and led an exemplary Christian life. Rod- erick Wells, an early settler, was a man of piety and zeal. Religious services were held in pri- vate houses, most frequently at Daniel Whip- ple's. The Methodists formed the first church in 1812.
The Methodist Episcopal Church at Hamlet resulted from a class formed December 25, 1823, by Elder Daniel Prosser. The members were Obediah Warner, Rebecca Warner, Polly Smith. Taylor Judd, Polly Judd, Lewis and Maria Barmore, Lura Nunn, Diadema Warner, Polly Baker, Hiram Kingsley, Milton and Lois Foot and Brinty Congdon. Earlier than this a class was formed at Wright's Corners, which was embraced in the society at Hamlet. John P. Kent, Richard Wright, John Bull and James Ayres were among the early circuit preachers. Dwellings, and sometimes barns, were used for
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the holding of meetings. A church building was built in 1836.
A Wesleyan Methodist church was organ- ized in 1858, with twenty members. Rev. Mr. Sibley was the first pastor.
The Freewill Baptist church was organized in 1826, by Rev. Thomas Grinnell. The first members were: Enos and Mrs. Bronson, Judah and Mrs. Warner, Russell O. Smith and wife, Mrs. Stevens, and Amy Blackmar. A church was built in 1839 and the first parsonage in 1867. Rev. Washington Shepard was an early pastor of this church and served many years. The educational advantages of the town are good and many teachers of excellent qualifica- tions have served as educators in the town.
Supervisors-1823-24, Ezra Puffer ; 1825-30, Villeroy Balcom; 1831, Daniel Wright; 1832, Villeroy Balcom : 1833, Henry Allen ; 1834-36, Austin Pierce ; 1837, John C. Dibble ; 1838, Lu- ther Pierce ; 1839, Austin Pierce ; 1840, Nathan Gurney ; 1841, Daniel Wright ; 1842-43, Joseph G. Hopkins; 1844, Nathan Gurney ; 1845-47, George Hopkins ; 1848, Villeroy Balcom ; 1849, Austin Pierce; 1850-51, Timothy G. Walker; 1852, Martin Crowell; 1853, Hiram Cornell ; 1854-55, Martin Crowell; 1856-57, James Wright ; 1858-59-60-62, Martin Crowell; 1863, Horace Burgess; 1864, M. S. Corey ; 1865-67, Martin Crowell ; 1868-69, Tyler H. Searl ; 1870, Horatio G. Pope ; 1871, Rollin L. Shepard ; 1872- 73. Tyler H. Searl ; 1874. Julius A. Terry ; 1875- 76, David S. Bennett : 1877, Rollin L. Shepard ; 1878, Tyler H. Searl; 1879, Manley M. Ses- sions ; 1880, Tyler H. Searl; 1881, Eugene A. Dye; 1882, Horace Sanderson; 1883-84-85-86, Hamilton B. Parker; 1887. William E. Judd; 1888-89, Frank M. Waite ; 1890-91, Hamilton B. Parker; 1892-93, Austin P. Jay : 1894-95, Al- bert P. Libby ; 1896-97, Blair F. Simons; 1898- 99, Andrew N. Warner ; 1900-01, Andrew H. Libby : 1902-04, Wallace J. French ; 1905, An- drew N. Warner; 1906-09, Elbert J. Bronson ; IQIO-II. Andrew N. Warner ; 1912-17, Charles D. Clement : 1918-19, John D. Butcher ; 1920, Charles D. Clement.
Westfield-While Westfield is eighth in size among the towns of Chautauqua county, its area 29.341 acres, it is fourth in population, and among the incorporated villages of the county Westfield village is second in size only to Fredonia. About two-thirds of the area of the town is comprised in the gently rising plain sloping back from Lake Erie, and in Chautauqua's famous "grape belt." The south- ern part of the town is hilly and devoted prin- cipally to dairy farming. The soil is produc- tive and many thousands of Westfield's acres
are devoted to grape culture, the town's great industry. Westfield is peculiarly shaped. Lake Erie is its northern boundary, and its westerr a range line running directly south ten miles to the town of Sherman. The east line run: due north from Sherman two and three-tenth: miles to Chautauqua creek, which forms the boundary until about two miles south of the village of Westfield, where the line leaves the creek and runs nearly parallel to the shore o Lake Erie to the Portland line, thence due north to Lake Erie. Chautauqua creek in this town forms a gorge with steep, rocky side: towering upward in places to the height o sixty feet. Little Chautauqua creek unite with this stream about a mile south of the vil lage of Westfield and there are smaller streams all aiding in creating a picture of scenic beauty The drive between Mayville and Westfield i particularly pleasing, and from the hills com manding a view of the lake the prospect i charming. In Westfield, as in other towns c the county, there are relics left by a prehistori race and Indians were here in plenty after th white man came. Wild animals, whose fles furnished food and whose fur clothed the pic neers, once inhabited the heavy growth of tim ber along the streams and elsewhere.
James McMahan, a Pennsylvanian, wa destined to play an important part in the earl development of Westfield. He first visited th region in 1795 and in 1801, in company wit Andrew Smith, he visited the lake region an made a contract for his brother John to bu township 4, in range 14, which included all th village of Westfield and parts of the towns ( Westfield and Chautauqua. The lands wer bounded north by Lake Erie, east by the pre" ent town of Portland, south by a part of th present towns of Chautauqua and Westfield and west by Ripley, and contained 22,014 acre of unsurveyed lands, for which $2,050 was 1 be paid, $1,035 being paid down. James als bought for himself 4,074 acres in the preser town of Ripley. He selected for himself out ( his brother's township, lot 13, which extende east to the old "Crossroads," or crossing of th trail between Buffalo and Erie by the old Por age road. Here he settled about three-fourth of a mile west of Chautauqua creek, and built : 1882 the first home erected in Chautauqt county. For this purpose he had cleared te acres of land, where he proposed to build a vi lage to be called Northumberland, in honor ( his native county in Pennsylvania. He su veyed the first road of the county in 1805, estal lished the county's first postoffice, also Chat tauqua in 1806, and served as postmaster. E
THE MOMAHAN HOMESTEAD, NEAR WESTFIELD
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WHERE LAFAYETTE WAS ENTERTAINED, FREDONIA
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ward McHenry settled next to McMahan in 1802, and opened the first tavern in the county ; he was drowned in 1803. The history of West- field before 1829 is that of Portland and Ripley, the parent towns. The first settlers were im- mortalized with an inscription of their names on the west side of the monument at "The Crossroads." This monument of Berea sand- stone, with base, is a stone five feet high, two feet nine and one-half inches wide. At the ends of the base are two millstones used in the first gristmill in the county.
Purchases from John McMahan of lands in he tract bought by him from the Holland Com- any: 1801-November, John Allen, lot 4. 802-May, James McMahan, 13; W. and A. Murray, 25 ; July, Abram Frederick, 7; W. and 1. Fisher, 19; Martin and Nath. Dickey, 16; November, James Brannan, 3; David Kinkaid, 4. 1803-January, Arthur Bell, 3; John Chris- opher Dull, 27, 30; John Henry, 12: Jere. George, 3: James Morehead, 30; July, James Montgomery, 6; September, Andrew Straub, 6 or 17. 1804-July, Jacob George, 6, 13; September, Laughlin McNeil, 6; John Lyon, 0. 1805-June, John Degeer, 18; November, Alex. Montgomery, 2; Geo. Whitehill, 18. 1806 -June, Hezekiah Barker, 12. 1807-January, David Eason, 18; Low Miniger and John Dull, 8.
The following named persons bought of Mc- lahan by deed : 1806-February, Samuel frederick, 7 : Low Miniger, 26. 1809-Septem- er, Nathan S. Roberts, 17.
The number of acres in these several pur- hases was 6,185.
Original Purchases in Township 4, Range 14.
1810-April, James McMahan, 12; September, Rob- t Sweet, 25: Isaac Sweet, 25; John Allen, 4: Laugh- 1 McNeal, 6; John Lyon, 30; Isaac McClurg, 13: red. Rogers, 18; James Montgomery, 6; Arthur Bell, John Moorhead, 30; Thos. Gray, 12: Jacob George, 13; Nich. George, 3: Saralı Perry, 13, 18; James Mc- ahan, 15; Geo. Whitehill, 18: David Eason, 18; Wm. owry, 13: December, Hugh Whitehill, 18.
1811-February, David Eason, 18; May, John Eason, : Andrew Kelsey, 30; John Smith, 31; Thos. McClin- ck, 17: December, John Fay, 31.
1814-August, Jona. Nichols, 2.
1815-May, Harmon Culver, 2: Joel Loomis, 4: Rob- t Cochran, 2d, 4: June, Luther Thayer; October, Re- 1cca Mc Neil, 6; Stephen Rumsey, 4: November, David .night, 25: Absalom Peacock, 8.
1816-July, Eben. Harris, 29.
1817-March, Jona. Cass, 32: Gilbert Dean, 1; Calvin : Macomber, 31 ; James McMahan, 6. 20. June, Moses urlbut, 20; December, Hugh Whitehill, 19.
1818-January, Dyer Carver, 20; February, Jesse olley, 5; July, Charles Stanton, 5: October, Daniel S. uton, 33.
1810-February, John House, 29.
1821-Ju'y, Dolphus Babcock, 37; Eben. Harris, 29;
August, John Shipboy, 3: James McMahan, 6; Robt. Cochran, 4.
1823-January, Lyman llarrington, 16; March, Wm. T. Howell, 15: Wm. Sexton, 15: May, John Winchell, 29: Matthew McClintock, 10; Charles C. Tupper, 16. 1824-July, John Chamberlain, 20; October, Thomas B. Campbell, 18.
1826-October, Isaac Sweet, 25; llenry Abell, 18.
Original Purchases in Township 3, Range 14.
1817-April, Harmon Culver, 40; Benjamin Amsden, 40.
1821-October, Timothy Parker, 57, 58.
1822-April, Joel Loomis, 48; October, Henry A. Haight, 63.
1823-June, Norman Rexford, 46; Silas and Alex- ander Poor, 63: Ebenezer P. Poor, 62; July, William Tickner, 50; Samuel Adams, 61; Jacob Orcutt, 57; Sep- tember, Hazelton Winslow, 47.
1824-March, Levy Harrington, 53: Cyrus Bickford, 46; April, Ezra Bickford, 59; June, Larkin Harrington, 38; August, Moses Lancaster, 55: October, David Stan- ton, 59: Udney H. Jacobs, 52; November, Cyrus Dun- bar, 55. 56.
1825-February, IJenry Mulliner, 41; March, Asabel Root, 52; April, U'dney S. Jacobs, 44: May, Stephen Hoxie, 37; June, Allen Parker, 57: August, Allen W. Ingraham, 37; September, Herbert McLeod, 59; Octo- ber, Moses Porter, 51: November, Russell Rogers, 52; Elijah Porter, 44: December, Joseph Lyon, 42.
1826-January, William P. Adams, 60; April, John Parks, 40: William Pickard, 49; Mrs. Isaac Coon, 54: Walter Strong, 50; June, Isaac Porter, 55: July, David Y. Stanton, 51; September, Charles Granger, 42; Zal- non Ames, 64.
1827-April, Frederick Fox, 64: May, Selah Lanfear, 40.
Schools were early established, William Murray teaching in the town as early as 1803. There was a school open for several months in 1806 and Anna Eaton taught in 1807. These were the first schools in Chautauqua county. Town meetings were held in 1805-06-07 at the inn of Widow Sarah McHenry, at Portland Crossroads, the landlady becoming Mrs. Perry in 1807. Life was strenuous during those early years and hardship was a common lot, but set- tlers came rapidly after the first few years and as the forests retreated before the fields, grain became plenty. The settlers cleared, built and cultivated, but at the same time built saw and grist mills, carding mills and mills for the dressing of cloth. The first marriage in the town was celebrated June 30, 1805, James Montgomery and Sarah Taylor the happy couple. The first white child born in the town was John McHenry, who died in 1879. Dr. Lawton Richmond, a Methodist preacher, came to the crossroads in 1812, being the second physician in the county, and, furthermore, is said to have been the first Methodist to preach in the county. He came to Chautauqua in 1809 and had a large medical practice until 1834, when he moved to Pennsylvania.
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Dr. Ferrin Deming, a surgeon of the War of 1812, opened the first drug store in 1814. Other doctors who practiced in the community were Silas Spencer, a soldier and physician of high repute; Carlton Jones, Daniel Lee, Fred- erick Bradley, Kimball Henn, William S. Stock- ton, Oscar F. Jones, George A. Hall, Charles P. Graves and John Spencer, a commissioned army surgeon who served as president of the village of Westfield and member of the school board for several years.
After Colonel McMahan and Edward Mc- Henry, there came from Pennsylvania many settlers with families previous to 1815. Arthur Bell was a Revolutionary soldier. He and his son William were prominent Presbyterians. So also was James Montgomery (1803). Thomas McClintock (1807), was a tavern keeper. David Eason (1807) was first sheriff, and State Senator (1823-24). James McClurg was the first merchant and a man of financier- ing ability. Asa Hall, and sons George and Asa were soldiers of 1812. Jonathan Cass (18II), first tavern keeper of the village and merchant. Elizur Talcott (1812), cloth dresser ; Jonathan Nichols, Revolutionary soldier ; Amos Atwater (1813), wool carder, cloth dresser ; Eber Stone (1813), miller; Reuben Wright (1814), cloth dresser; Allen and Reuben G. Wright, his sons, prominent business men; Col. Nathan Bird (1815), a soldier of the Revo- lution, foremost in public enterprises of the county, originator of the Buffalo and Erie line of stages. He kept for years a "free tavern" at his house for emigrants. Every year valuable pioneers arrived. Thomas B. Campbell (1817) was a stirring business man, county clerk, judge. A great many who came following the pioneer period were New Englanders or of New England descent, from the eastern part of the State, while some were "Pennsylvania Dutch" from the Keystone State. Thomas Norton, who came in 1819, is said to have been the first cabinet maker in Westfield. For a few years beginning in 1824, Young says West- field received considerable new blood from Warsaw. Oliver Lee (who afterwards moved to Silver Creek), John McWhorter, Augustus U. Baldwin, merchants; Aaron Rumsey, tan- ner; Daniel Rockwell, hatter; Larned Gail, hotel keeper; James D. Carlish, tailor ; Calvin Rumsey, tanner; Lorenzo T. Phelps, harness maker, etc.
Westfield was erected a town March 29, 1829, being taken from both Portland and Rip- ley.
The first town meeting in the newly formed town was held at the Westfield Hotel, April 7,
1829, Asa Farnsworth then and for many years thereafter the proprietor of that hotel. The 1 officers elected were: Supervisor, Amos At- water ; town clerk, Daniel Rockwell ; assessors, Hiram Couch, Robert (2) Cochran, Jonathan Cass ; collector, Lyman Reddington ; overseers ! of the poor, Low Miniger, William Bell ; high- way commissioners, Seth G. Root, William Sex- ton, James Montgomery ; school commission- ers, Robert Dickson, Warren Couch, William Bell ; school inspectors, Russell Mallory, Austin Stone, Abram Dixon; constables, Robert P. Stetson, Lyman Reddington; fence viewers, Isaac Mallory, Low Miniger, Gervis Foot; poundmaster, James McClurg. It will be noted that there was quite a plentitude of officers, and here again is an opportunity for naming a large proportion of the prominent settlers, some of whom held several offices each. Austin Smith, a young man of sterling qualities, a law- yer who was destined for a long and useful life came here in 1830. Abram Dixon, lawyer, had at that time lived in the town quite a number of years ; his buildings were of brick, his house on the south side of Main street. Hon. David Hall and Joseph White were the other two lawyers; they were able men. John G. and Watson S. Hinckley, of Massachusetts lineage, practiced law in later years. John M. Keep was a teacher and an able lawyer. Zadoc C. Young was a lawyer. Sextus H. Hungerford made himself prominent and popular about 1837. In 1841 Hon. George W. Patterson came to town as agent for the Chautauqua land office and passed a long life of great usefulness, both as public official and private citizen. The com. ing of Dr. Francis B. Brewer in 1861 and Col Jeremiah Drake, who was mortally wounded af the battle of Cold Harbor, while in command of a brigade, was an example of the 90 soldiers Westfield sent to the front to uphold the Unior cause. The Lake Shore railroad was opened in 1852 and the prosperity which began abou 1840 has constantly attended the town.
While farming and grape growing are the towns great source of wealth, the business in terests of the town have always been impor tant.
The "hominy" mills were the first used ir Westfield and Chautauqua county. John Mc Mahan built the first gristmill near the mouth of Chautauqua creek, about 1804. Soon there after a sawmill was built. Nathan Cass buil a sawmill and a gristmill in 1811, where the Westfield mill was erected later. Mr. Vorc owned the property later, and reopened it afte a freshet carried away the dam. Amos At water and Eber Stone owned it next. In 18Il
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MAIN STREET, WESTFIELD
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WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL,
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TOWNS-WESTFIELD
another gristmill was built on the papermill site. Amos Atwater built a sawmill in 1820 and Simcon J. Porter soon after built an oilinill. Timothy Pope owned a sawmill that was built early on Chautauqua creek. Hiram Couch and Mr. Pope later had a carding and cloth-dressing mill there, which about 1850 was changed to a gristmill. Aaron Rumsey (1825) built a large tannery below the bridges east of the creek, and in 1840 William Tiffany started a tannery.
The Westfield Marble and Granite Works were established in 1846. Samuel Nixon and his sons, E. C. and S. Frederick Nixon became interested and carried on a business of rapidly growing proportions. Hiram Couch and Les- .er Stone built a woolen factory in 1848, south of the bridge, which was operated for many , ears. In 1852 the manufacture of agricultural implements was begun by Buck and Patchin. About 1853 Crossgrove, Kimball and Wells started a foundry and machine shop. The Chautauqua Company was formed next year o manufacture agricultural implements, which rom 1855 to 1860 included mowers and reap- I.S. George P. York manufactured Buckeye n wers, and William H. Wilson and Abel Patchen made the first oil tools used in the oil ountry and manufactured engines.
.An important manufacturing concern was he Townsend Manufacturing Company, or- anized in 1864, to manufacture locks : the com- any did a large business for many years. The Vestfield Manufacturing Company began to manufacture articles of wood in 1871. In 1874 he Shackleton Steam Heating Company was rganized. Andrew Burns engaged in the manufacture of grape baskets in 1884. Dexter . Morse operated a large manufactory, with eam sawmill, planing and other machinery. '. R. Mosher operated a shingle mill, and in $83 moved his business and added a lumber ard. The Westfield Papermill is the only one 1 the three western counties of this State. Its te was deeded by the Holland Company in ₹23 to Judge T. B. Campbell. Ephraim San- ord later bought the log dam and sawmill that ad been constructed. J. G. Harris and G. W. orton bought the property and built a grist- till. Soon after 1864 Allen Wright organized le Westfield Paper Company, which built a aper mill at considerable expense, where the rst "news" paper in Western New York was ade. In 1866 the mill began to turn out und paper boxes that were in great demand or packing grapes. In 1869 Reuben G. Wright came proprietor, rebuilt and enlarged the ·ill, which has since passed through various inds and seen changes and vicissitudes.
The Crowell Clutch and Pulley Company be- gan business in 1889 and prospered. The West- field Waterworks has many miles of mains and complete, approved apparatus for a fine grav- ity waterworks system to supply the village with filtered water from Chautauqua creck. George W. Patterson was the president of the board, the engineer of the work and the acting superintendent for years after the organiza- tion of the water board.
Barcelona began its existence in 1831, when the Barcelona Company laid it out as a city on Lake Erie, although the location was not de- signed by nature as a terminal or important gateway of either water or railroad traffic. But a brick hotel was erected, five stores established and a thriving business was done. Cattarau- gus, Mayville and Barcelona were surveyed into lots by the Holland Land Company, and they were regarded as the most important places in the county. Barcelona was made a port of entry and in 1828 Judge Truman B. Campbell erected a lighthouse for the govern- ment, which was lighted by natural gas car- ried in wooden pump logs from the noted gas spring about three-fourths of a mile east.
Previous to 1845 there was but one forward- ing house at Barcelona, which by excessive charges had repelled most of the traffic in pro- visions, etc. At this time Mr. E. T. Foote built a small wharf and began a forwarding business which soon commanded the bulk of the trade. In 1847 the increase of business had been so great that he built a wharf costing $20,000 on the north side of the point. Government ap- propriations for the harbor finally ceased and Mr. Foote built a long wharf and freight houses on the east side, inside the bar, suitable for the accommodation of small steamers and sail ves- sels, and carried on a trade in flour, salt, lime, etc., making lime from material brought from Canada. His property was finally sold by him to Stephen Rumsey for $12,000. Mr. Foote was a son of Stephen Foote and was born in Litchfield, Conn., in 1804. He came to West- field in 1816 with his father. The elder Foote took up lands on both branches of Chautauqua creek and built a log house on the old French road, near Glen mill. Gervis as a young man settled on the Peacock land, near the lake. where he lived thirty years, and made many improvements. From Barcelona he went with the general tide of business to Westfield and kept a grocery. Cynthia, his daughter, mar- ried A. K. Comstock. The Foote family, origi- nally from England, were extensive land own- ers in Connecticut. One member of the family
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married Rev. Dr. Lyman Beecher, and others married colonial governors.
Joshua La Due, an early resident of the county, who came from Auburn, was in 1846 appointed keeper of the lightouse at Barcelona, which position he held several years. General Joseph Farnsworth, who settled in Barcelona in 1816 and engaged in the mercantile trade, was born in Groton, Mass., in 1765. He built the houses and shops on the "Abbott Place," and manufactured plows, axes and edge tools for many years. David L. Cochran, a native of Pennsylvania, settled between Barcelona and Westfield, where he operated a sawmill and in- dulged in scientific studies. Mr. Cochran lived to the great age of ninety-four years, his death occurring in 1890.
The trade of Barcelona held up well for quite a number of years. The country was rich in natural resources and there were no competing harbors near enough to cause concern. The "William Peacock" steamboat was built in 1831, by a company principally of Westfield people, to transport passengers between Buf- falo and Erie, and the Barcelona Company was formed to develop the place. Among those in- terested were Smith and Macy, of Buffalo, Charles M. Reed, of Erie, Nathaniel A. Lowry, Elial T. Foote and Samuel Barrett, of James- town, Augustus U. Baldwin, Calvin Rumsey and Thomas B. Campbell, of Westfield. The building of the great railroad lines along the shore of Lake Erie, destroyed the importance of this port. The trade gravitated to Westfield naturally and that community grew so rapidly that in 1833 it was incorporated a village, this giving added impetus to that already prosper- ous center of trade. Business concerns multi- plied, new industries came in and Westfield in common with the entire "grape belt" has passed through three-quarters of a century of gratify- ing prosperity.
Sextus H. Hungerford organized a State bank in 1848, which was succeeded by the First National Bank of Westfield, the latter institu- tion organized in July, 1864, beginning busi- ness October I of that year, F. W. Brewer, president. Westfield Academy was chartered by the Legislature May 5, 1837. The "West- field Republican," founded by M. C. Rice claims the honor of being the first Republican news- paper in the State.
Presbyterian (1808), Methodist Episcopal (1831), Baptist (1825), Episcopal (1830), Uni- versalist (1833), German Evangelical (1861) and Roman Catholic churches flourish in the village, with the Academy Union School and
graded schools furnishing educational advan- tages of the best character. The village post- office was established June 15, 1818, on the east side of the creek, Fern Deming, postmas- ter. The first postoffice (Chautauqua) in the county, established on the west side of the creek, May 6, 1806, James McMahan, postmas- ter, was discontinued when the Westfield office was opened. The locality first occupied along Main and Portage streets has remained the business section, while the residence district has spread over a wide area of beautiful homes, lawns and well shaded streets. The churches and school buildings are handsome and in keeping with the general beauty of the village, gas, electric and water systems have been in- stalled and the Patterson Memorial Library, gift from Miss Hannah Patterson, testifies to the public spirit which distinguishes West- field's citizens. The fraternal orders are well represented and since 1883 William Sackett Post, Grand Army of the Republic, has been an institution of the village.
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