History of Chautauqua County, New York, Part 49

Author: Edson, Obed, 1832-; Merrill, Georgia Drew, editor
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Boston, Mass. : W.A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1068

USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York > Part 49

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).

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

ters, resembling the Isabella. In the spring of 1818 Mr. Fay made an effort to transplant this grape to Portland. About a dozen roots were planted, and the vines grew rapidly and luxuriantly. But disappointment was the only return, the fruit was small, of an inferior quality, and dropped from the cluster as soon as ripened. . In 1822 he dug up the vines and threw them away. (The writer had a similar experience in 1851, obtaining the roots from near his early home in New England, with the same result. The fruit in New England was large and Inscious, but in Portland small and worth- less, with a decidedly strong and unpleasant flavor.) In the spring of 1822, Mr. Fay obtained a few roots of Miller's Borgunda, Sweet Water and Ham- burg varieties, but the result was a worse failure. There was a fair growth of wood and fruit, but mildew covered the vines and fruit, scarcely a cluster making a healthy growth. After this Mr. Fay relinquished the idea of intro- ducing this fruit. The venture had cost him largely, and money was not an article to be lightly cast away. He allowed these vines to remain for some . years as a reminder of a foolish investment ; but, in 1824, he was induced to make a third trial obtaining roots of Isabellas and Catawbas, from W. R. Prince of Long Island. These varieties proved to be well adapted to the soil and climate. . \ plat of ground about two by six rods was planted, and they were the only grapes in town for many years, excepting a few in gardens. These vines were put up in a trellis of wood, and were largely productive. It appears singular that so little effort was made to cultivate this fruit by the settlers ; there was no market to be sure, and nothing by way of pecuniary incentive, but it would have been a pardonable luxury. Up to 1859 little progress was made in grape culture, but that year was a dawn of an epoch. Heretofore very few had faith in the culture. This however ought not to be a matter of surprise, as the fruit was deemed of value only for wine purposes ; and the conviction of the people was, that wine and wine-drinking would be the only result of the culture. It was loudly declaimed against by the more conservative citizens, who declared that all legitimate farming would come to be a matter of minor importance, and that already the influence of wine- drinking was plainly to be seen. Few had the enterprise and independence necessary to operate a business deemed by a majority of the citizens more than doubtful as to its moral status. Vet a few had come to believe that a great industry was to be inaugurated here in the near future for profitable results. They believed that the grape would rapidly come into use as a table luxury ; that a market would yet be found outside the wine house, and the industry meet the commendation of all. One of these was Lincoln Fay, son of Elisha Fay, one of the first settlers. As early as 1834, while yet a young man, he was furnishing the settlers with nursery stock, and by 1840 had a few vines growing ; but he did very little by way of marketing grape roots until 1850, and then for some years not extensively. He cultivated the Isa-

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GRAPES.

bella, the Catawba, and a few Ionas. Between 1850 and 1859 the Concord was introduced by Lincoln Fay and a lively contest was kept up as to the relative merits of the Isabella and the Concord, Mr. Fay declaring the Con- cord in every sense was " the grape for the million," while others pronounced for the Isabella. This contest continued until the spring of 1873, when the rigors of a very unusual winter settled the question of superiority, the Con- cord proving the most hardy-the Isabella making almost an entire failure.

From 1850 to 1859 the idea of marketing grapes for eating and domestic purposes grew in the minds of the people, and roots were set on many of the farms in Portland, though not extensively. Joseph B., a son of Elijah Fay, believed in the culture of the grape, and in 1851 he set out a vineyard of about seven acres of Isabella and Catawbas with the idea of engaging in wine making at the earliest moment possible. The project of a winehouse culmi- nated 8 years later. In the meantime, after his vineyard came to bearing, he experienced considerable difficulty in disposing of his fruit ; some of it being taken to Buffalo and Canada, but very little profit was realized. But his faith in the future of the grape was not shaken. H. A. Burton, now of Ripley, in 1857, set one-fourth of an acre of Isabellas to which he added until he had six acres. A wine house was built in 1859, providing a market. In this, as in all enterprises in their infancy, men were needed willing to risk largely in efforts to develope a favorite theory. Portland had such men. Until the winter of 1872-73, the old pioneer vines on the Fay homestead were strong and vigorous, and each year produced heavy crops, failing but twice after the first crop in 1825, and these were not entire failures. The severity of the winter of 1872-73, so far injured them that they . were event- ually removed.

The manufacture of wine by Mr. Fay proved a success, and gave an impe- tus to the grape culture that then seemed marvelous. In 1859, the date of the building of the winehouse of Fay, Ryckman and Haywood, twenty acres of bearing vines would be a fair estimate. Other varieties than the Isabellas and Catawbas, as the Iona and Delaware, had been introduced, but not exten- sively. A second impetus was given by the establishment of the wine house, and, at the close of 1864, there were at least 400 acres of vines in Portland. In the spring of 1865 the people anticipating large profits from the culture of the grape planted from half an acre to two or three acres of roots on nearly every farm in the northern part of Portland, but the idea of a market for all the fruit reasonably expected, for any other purpose than for wine-making, had not yet taken definite forin. A great change had come over the thoughts of the people on the wine question, and another revulsion, directly the oppo- site, was to follow. In the spring of 1865, a project was started at Brocton for building a wine house of more extended proportions, and to still farther encourage viniculture. The Lake Shore Wine Company went into opera-

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

tion in April, and a wine house was built that season. Fabulous prices for grapes were offered. Thirty cents per pound was actually paid for the Dela- ware, and the desire to be suddenly rich was the ruling passion, and there was a very large output of vines. The next spring, 1866, there were not less than 600 acres in Portland of bearing and young vines, and a very large pro- portion of these were Concords. But the promises of great and sudden wealth were not materialized. The wine company failed, and growers were driven to seek other markets. The revulsion was fearful, but coming so early it was the salvation of the people and the industry. Subsequently an outside market was found and the industry improved though not so rap- idly as before.

At this date, February 1893, there are 6,000 acres of bearing vines in Portland, with 1,200 acres additional planted and to be put up in the future. It is estimated that 800 acres of roots will be planted the present season, and that nine-tenths of the whole, old and young, will be of the Concord variety. Portland has an area of 20,749 aeres, 78 of which is within the " grape belt," and over one-third is now covered with vines. Besides the Concord, there are a few Catawbas, Isabellas, Delawares, Ionas, Clintons, Wordens, Moore's Early, Niagaras and some others. It is said that over ninety varieties have been tested here, but only six or eight are worthy of mention. Some of the most prominent vineyardists here are, Jonas Martin 154 acres ; G. E. Ryck- man 135 ; Dean Bros. 100 ; J. McFadden 50; M. L. Taylor 70 ; O. W. Powell So. Within a few years a new variety, the "Ohio," has been put upon the market by the C. S. Curtis Company of Portland Center. It is claimed to be ten days earlier than Moore's Early, but it is too early to speak definitely of it. The extent of this industry may be seen from the amount of fruit ship- ped, and the amount made into wine at home, an increase from a few thou- sand baskets in 1867 to 13,000 tons in 1891. This will give an impression as to its growth and value for the 27 years named, and from this also may a reasonable estimate be made of its future. Besides Portland, the towns in the grape belt are Ripley, Westfield, Pomfret, Dunkirk, Sheridan, Hanover and Arkwright. The belt extends east into Perrysburgh, Cattaraugus county, and west into North East and Harbor Creek, Pa. The territory is 55 miles in length and averages three and one-half miles in width.

RIPLEY .- Area of 30, 150 acres ; about one-fourth in the grape belt. Grapes were introduced about 1860 by Jolin B. Dinsmore, Walter Loomis and Joel Colvin. The Isabella were first planted and then the Catawba and Delaware. The Concord was introduced in 1869 by H. A. Barton and J. M. Johnson. The other varieties are the Delaware, Iona, Moore's Early, Pocklinton, Catawba and others, making about twenty-five varieties. The Concord is the only profitable one. This statement will answer for all of the other towns in the belt. Ripley has 1,774 acres of bearing vines, and 1,000

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acres yet to be put upon the wires. The most entensive vineyardists are F. N. Randall 67 acres ; W. L. Shortman 40; James Farrell 60 ; J. M. Johnson 50; J. M. Maltby 40. Grapes were shipped as early as 1863 in small lots. Since the formation of the Chautauqua Grape Growers' Shipping Association in 1886 it has handled nearly all the crop. For IS91 there were shipped 323 car lots. The average yield is three tous per acre, and the average price to growers was 15 cents per basket of nine pounds.

WESTFIELD .- Area of 28,990 acres ; about one-half in the belt. In 1850 R. H. Thompson set a small vineyard of Isabella and Catawba vines, and this was the only one of importance for many years. The Concord was only experimentally introduced until 1873, when it took the place of the Isabella which failed to withstand the previous winter. Other varieties were set but in small numbers. The Niagara was introduced in 1882, but has not attained prominence. The largest growers are A. S. Watson, 125 acres ; Rumsey Bros. 100 ; S. F. Nixon 75; D. G. Jillson 50; R. H. Thompson 50 ; John Farrell 100; A. E. Frazer & Co. 75. It was 1875 before the attention of growers was given to shipping grapes to distant markets, then there was a rapid development of the industry, and now, February 1893, there are 3,000 acres of bearing vines, and, it is estimated, 2,000 acres in addition planted. : 281 car loads were sent to market in 1891. 95 per cent. shipped by the " Chautauqua Grape Growers' Shipping Association " and local shippers. The average yield was three tons per acre.

POMFRET .- Area 28,Soo acres ; with 18,000 acres included in the belt. The Catawba and Isabella were first introduced, grown in small patches, as early as 1850. A. S. Moss and A. C. Cushing were foremost in planting the Concord, about 1859. From that date to 1867 the cultivation gradually extended. T. S. Hubbard was the first to plant a vineyard. This was located on the side of Prospect Hill, three miles from Fredonia. Mr. Hubbard writes : "Our vineyard was begun in 1866. We used over 100 acres of land, and first planted Concords, Catawbas, Isabellas and Delawares." (It is under- stood that the 100 acres were occupied in the business of propagating as well as for vines.) " I think I was the pioneer in shipping direct to grocers and merchants in country towns, my shipments extending the first two years to the leading towns in the oil regions of Pennsylvania, the coal regions, including Scranton and Carbondale, and the leading towns in the northern and northeastern parts of the state. I was able to market not only the pro- ducts of our own vineyard but a large quantity bought from others, shipping on orders, etc. This I followed until 1873 when I sold out and thereafter gave my attention to the nursery part of the business, then grown to large proportions." This enterprise of Mr. Hubbard was by most people consid- ered to be a foolish venture, but it proved a grand success. The culture . then extended rapidly, and at this date, May 1893, there are in town 2,000

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

acres of bearing vines, nineteen-twentieths being Concords. It is estimated that there are 500 acres yet to be put up. The first shipments in car lots was in 1887, 25 car lots ; in 1888 73; in 1889 83 ; in 1890 250; in 1891 300; Nearly the entire crop each year was sent to western markets. The Niagara was introduced in 1882 by the Niagara Grape Company, but there is not over twenty acres in town. The crop of 1893 was handled almost entirely by the C. & N. E. Union. Very little wine is made. The largest vineyard- ists are Jolin Farrell 150 acres ; Geo. M. Kinner 60; T. J. Sage 30 ; Simon Aldrich 30 ; D. H. Cowden 22; A. W. Bull 25; W. H. Ferguson 30 ; H. B. Benjamin 20 ; Harvey May 20.

DUNKIRK .- Area of 6,632 acres; all is claimed adapted to grape cul- ture, which was introduced by Ralph B. Day in 1850. The Catawba was first planted, then the Isabella, Delaware, and Iona. The Concord was later introduced. There are 300 acres of bearing vines, with 100 acres to be put up. 'Three-fourths of the fruit is sent to market ; the rest made into wine. Mr. Day owns roo acres in bearing condition. The largest vineyardists are R. B. Day, Thomas Cave, Fred Southwick, W. C. Candee, S. V. Hall, H. D. Arnold. About 125 baskets were harvested in 1853; in 1891 there were 25,000 baskets. In 1892 175 tons were shipped, nearly all by Mr. Day.

SHERIDAN,-Area 22,250 acres ; all is claimed to be in the grape belt. The grape was introduced in 1832 by E. Mead. This was a wild grape of little value from the banks of the Delaware river. In 1857 John I. Adams planted 1'2 acres to Isabellas which were torn up in a few years. Carpenter and Gardner introduced the Clinton in 1862, and planted 2 acres of the Concords. This was really the beginning of the industry. At this writing there are zoo acres of bearing vines, with 300 to be put on the wires. The acreage of the larger vineyards are : O. W. Newell 16 acres ; N. H. Garlock 7 ; R. Miller 10; W. A. Edmunds 25; Strickland Bros. 25; S. Butler 15; John Miller 25; Dr. Hopkins 30. . The increase was steady. In ISof the crop was 338 tons ; nearly all was sent from the county.

HANOVER .- Area 30,102 acres ; half may be included in the grape belt. The Isabella was the first variety, introduced between 1855 and 1860, by a Mr. Rogers. Others followed, so that in 1893 there were about 25 varieties. The Concord was introduced about 1865, and was in 1872 first shipped to market. In 1882 the Niagara was introduced, but was not a success, and does not exceed 50 acres. There are 800 acres of bearing vines, with 300 acres of young vines. The most extensive vineyards belong to R. J. Quale and the Hanover Grape Company, each having over 100 acres. Up to and including 1891 nearly the entire crop was marketed by the "Chautauqua Grape Growers' Shipping Association," and the " Western New York Ship- ping Association." In 1891 the shipments aggregated 40 car lots.

ARKWRIGHT .- Area 21,795 acres ; one-sixth in the grape belt. The cul-

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GRAPES.

tivation was introduced here by E. I. Wilcox in 1886, and the first sale of fruit was in 1889. The Concord is the only variety grown. Seven-eighths of the crop thus far has been shipped, the remainder being taken from town by teams. There are 50 acres of bearing vines, with 500 acres not yet bear- ing. The vineyards of note are those of Mr. Cable 250 acres, and Dr. Water- house 60 acres. The average yield per acre is three tons ; the average price received by growers in 1891 was 15 cents per basket.

NORTH EAST, PA. This town is in the grape belt. One half its area is adapted to grape cultivation. The first variety introduced was the Catawba by Win. Griffith and S. S. Hammond in 1852. The Niagara was intro- duced in 1886, but its cultivation is limited. There are 2,500 acres of bear- ing vines, and about 1,500 acres more planted. 200 car lots were marketed in 1891 ; 185 by individual shippers, remainder taken to market by teams or made into wine. The prominent vineyardists are, Price Bros. 100 acres; R. Dill 40; C. H. Matten 40; Caldwell and Moorehead 100; Crawford Bros. 50 ; G. N. Blaine 30 ; J. S. Hammond 75 ; J. A. Stetson 30. The average yield has been three tons per acre ; the average price reaching growers 16 cents per basket.

HARBOR CREEK, PA .- Area 20,200 acres, one-third is in the grape belt. The Isabella and Catawba grapes were introduced here in 1842 and the Con- cord about 1861, by Calvin Leet. About 1865 grapes were first marketed. The town has (1893) about 240 acres of vines. Some prominent vineyard- ists are J. A. Moorehead 40 acres ; A. N. Leet 30; J. M. Custar 25 ; George Metcalf 25. In 1865, 1,000 lbs. of fruit were shipped ; in 1891 28 car lots.

PERRYSBURGH .- Has 75 acres of bearing vines, and 125 acres to be put up. The Concord is the principal variety. 1,000 baskets is the average yield per acre. Some prominent growers are, O. Knowlton 24 acres ; H. Knowlton . 24 ; J. C. Hall 15; John Hall 6. A large area was planted in 1893.

The Chautauqua grape belt contains fully 122, 8So acres. In this county are 14,624 acres of bearing vines, and 5,900 acres more of young vines. There are 24,964 acres of vineyards in the belt outside this county, so over one-fifth of its area is already covered with vines.

WINE AND WINE HOUSES .- With the grape came the manufacture of wine. From Dea. Elijah Fay's small vineyard of Isabella and Catawba planted in 1824, he made from 5 to 8 gallons of wine in 1830. These vines were largely productive ; from year to year he added to his store of wine until (860, the year of his death, when his cellars contained about 2,000 gal- lons. In 1859 Joseph B. Fay, Garrett E. Ryckman and Rufus Haywood built a wine house at Brocton 30 by 70 feet, with a double cellar, each story being ten feet in depth, and 2,000 gallons of wine were made that fall. Their man- ufacture increased, and in 1865 the amount in store was 16,000 gallons. Mr. Fay retired from the firm in 1862 and the business was continued by Ryck-

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

man & Haywood. " The Lake Shore Wine Company " was formed in 1865, with a capital of $100,000. It went into operation on April I. Timothy Judson was president, J. B. Fay secretary, and Albert Haywood superinten- dent. This company purchased of Ryckman & Haywood their wine house and entire interest, real and otherwise, for $38,000. The brick portion of the wine house as now seen, 40x70 feet, was built in 1865, at a cost of $16,500. It was furnished with every appliance necessary for wine making, but the enter- prise was never prosperous. The company became involved, and G. E. Ryckman and R. B. Day, large creditors of the company commenced pro- ceedings for collection, and in 1868 they sold the personal property, and in 1869 the realty, and purchased nearly the whole plant. Ryckman & Day com- menced business in 1868. They bought at the sale 24,000 gallons of wine ; 45,000 gallons were made in 1870, and 42,000 in 1871. The grapes used were Catawba, Isabella, Clinton, Concord, Iona and Delaware, a large propor- tion Catawba and Isabella. In 1879 Mr. Ryckman became sole proprietor. The plant from time to time since then has been improved and additions made until it is one of the most perfect establishments of the kind in the state. The floor area of his cellars is 12,710 square feet. He has now in his cellars 175,000 gallons of wine and 3,000 gallons of pure brandy. Mr. Ryck- man has 135 acres of vines, a portion of the fruit is made into wine, and the rest either sent to market or manufactured into wine as the market indicates best for profit. He has one vineyard of 110 acres 2 miles south of Broc- ton. Most of his table grapes are sold on orders. He has a half-acre vine- yard of Niagaras near his winehouse, put upon ten feet posts and four wires, that in 1890 produced 12,657 pounds of fruit, showing what can be done by proper manipulation. Energy and a judicious expenditure of capital has placed his business on a firm footing, and the enterprise has become one of large and increasing profit.

PORTLAND WINE HOUSE .-- This is located at Portland Center, and was originated by R. D. Fuller. In 1867 Mr. Fuller manufactured from his own grapes 200 gallons of wine, in 1871 10,000 gallons, and in 1873 he had 14,000 gallons in his cellar. In 1879 J. A. H. Skimmer was admitted partner, when there were in store 27,500 gallons. In 1886 Mr. Fuller died, and his son, G. W. Fuller, has occupied his place in the firm. They have in store (February 1893), 50,000 gallons, and their wines find a ready sale. Their winehouse is an instance of individual enterprise, and is a credit to the business ener- gies of the original proprietor and his successors. Jonas Martin, Ernest Buckner and Charles Kinney have recently organized a wine company, and occupy the winehouse and cellar built by the Harris Community near Broc- ton station. The winehouse of R. B. Day is located in Dunkirk, and has in store 25,000 gallons. His first make was in 1853. Mr. Day has 100 acres of vines, and one-fourth of his fruit is made into wine. He claims the Diana

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to be the best wine grape. In Hanover there are two small wine houses yet in infancy, owned by R. J. Quale and the Hanover Grape Company. They report "a few thousand gallons in each." The manufacture of unfer- mented wines has engaged the attention of wine house proprietors at North East, Pa., to the extent of a car lot or two in 1892. Attention is being turned to this, and not far in the future it may become a leading feature.

SOIL, AND CLIMATE .- The soil of the grape belt along the lake border is a clay loam, in an average of two miles in width, next to this is a gravelly belt of one mile in width, bordered on the south and along the side hill by a heavy clay soil with flat gravel. This condition extends the entire length of the belt, of course varying somewhat as to its makeup and form. For many years it was not supposed that grapes could be grown upon the heavier soil of the southern portion of the belt, but experience has demon- strated that the soil of the tablelands and the side hill produces the better grape, especially for wine purposes, though the flavor may not be equal to that of those grown upon the middle and northern sections along the lake supposed to be owing to changes named further on. The opinion is formed after years of observation, that the quality of the fruit for wine will range from south to north from the heavier soil of the side hill to the lighter soils of the lake sections. The difference is small to be seen, and as a table grape no mention is made of it. Grapes grown upon either section named have a reputation for flavor in advance of those grown in any other section of the United States. At pomological and other exhibitions the expression has often been repeated by connoisseurs and others, that grapes grown upon the territory of the Chautauqua grape belt for flavor could not be excelled by those grown in any other locality. This for many years has been known to be a fact by the citizens of the belt, especially by those of Portland. A large amount of theorizing has been indulged in as to the cause of this well-defined fact but as yet few satisfactory reasons have been given. It is the opinion of the writer that climatic influences from location are the only reasons existing or that are necessary in the case. That the lake along the northern border of the belt has its influences in preventing late frosts in the spring and early frosts in the fall is conceded, no fact is more fimly established. That the nearness to the lake or otherwise of the hills on the south and their altitude lias a marked influence may be seen, for as the altitude of the hills becomes less, east or west, and their distance from the lake becomes greater, the peculiarities of the section for the culture of fine flavored grapes dimin- ishes, and frosts are much more imminent. This fact has been long known to the writer and is easily demonstrated. The less the altitude of the back- ground and the further removed from the lake on the north, the greater the liability to frosts. The Chautauqua belt is proverbially far from heavy dews, the moisture resting upon sections farther south and over the crest of the

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

highlands. The rain fall and moisture from dews is far less over the belt than at the upper lower sections of the lake. The topography of the belt has of course a decided influence upon atmospheric currents, overhead and otherwise, in fact controls them, so that it is hardly possible with proper precaution by way of ventilation, that mildew should exist to any extent, or that black rot should prevail and become a terror to growers. There is but little doubt, in fact none, that were the altitude of the hills on the south to be increased from 100 to 200 feet, the present contour being retained, there would be a more perfect scope for atmospheric currents, a greater mellowing influence peculiar to the section from a combination of influences known to exist, and the vineyardists of the Chautauqua belt, as far as fine flavored fruit is concerned, might well challenge the world. The conditions of the atmosphere to some extent influence the soil, and aside from this there does not appear to be any peculiarity of soil in any way affecting the production or quality of the fruit.

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History of Chautauqua County, New York, Part 49

Author: Edson, Obed, 1832-; Merrill, Georgia Drew, editor Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Boston, Mass. : W.A. Fergusson Number of Pages: 1068

Author: Edson, Obed, 1832-; Merrill, Georgia Drew, editor
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Boston, Mass. : W.A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1068