History of Chautauqua County, New York, Part 63

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 63

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531

DUNKIRK.

CHAPTER LII.

THE CITY OF, DUNKIRK.

T HE YEAR 1851 was the most important in the history of Dunkirk. From an obscure village struggling against adversity it suddenly became a cosmopolitan town of great expectations. Soon after the- road was completed the population greatly increased and consisted of people of many nationalities. The Irishmen were first upon the ground. They were soon followed by the Germans. They were not only strangers to cach other but strangers in a strange land. The great majority were poor and the dwellings they erected were cheap and clumsy, consequently the streets, architecture and surroundings of the place for many years were most uminvit- ing. As the greater part of the new population were poor emigrants they gave little promise for the future. Time however has proved that they were a substantial people. Among them and their descendants are many worthy and intelligent citizens. Some of them are among the most reliable and enterprising in Dunkirk, and none are more devoted to its interests. These people, so poor in the beginning, have been steadily saving their earnings, and a large proportion of the dwellings and places of business are now owned by their occupants, and no place in the county, and but few places anywhere, are based upon a more solid foundation.

Within a year after the New York & Erie was completed another import- ant railroad was in operation which gave increased importance to Dunkirk. The Buffalo & Eric railroad company was organized April 14, 1832. The route was surveyed and located nearly to the state line, but work was not commenced within four years as required by its charter, consequently the enterprise failed. This attempt to build a lake shore road was followed by the incorporation of the Buffalo & State Line railroad company June 6, 1849. The route was located at first through Fredonia, but was changed to pass through Dunkirk. It was opened from Dunkirk to the state line January 1, 1852, and to Buffalo February 22. By its consolidation with other roads has resulted the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad.

Dunkirk was a place of much commerce for some years after 1851. Its wharves and extensive warehouses were utilized to the fullest capacity, but after other branches of the Erie road were completed, notably the one from Hornellsville to Buffalo, its " western division " became of minor importance,

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

the Erie line of lake steamers were withdrawn, which reduced its importance as a lake port, and the offices of the road were removed to Buffalo.

1869 was an important year. The peculiar fate that followed the village from the time Solomon Chadwick first settled to the present, that of being periodically threatened with disaster, not merely the ordinary misfortunes that befall new towns, but a total overthrow of all prosperity, seemed now impending. Not only had the Erie line of steamers been withdrawn from the port, but in October Jay Gould, then president of the Erie Railway, ordered the Dunkirk machine and repair shops permanently closed, and the machinery removed to other locations. This action, if consunnnated, would have caused the removal of several hundred active workers and their fami- lies, materially reducing the population and entirely destroying business prosperity. While fate has seemed always to threaten Dunkirk, fortune has also favored it in the juncture. Horatio G. Brooks of Dunkirk, then super- intendent of motive power and machinery of the Erie road, to save so great a misfortune from falling upon his town, leased the machine shops, estab- lished locomotive manufacturing, and "came to the rescue " in Dunkirk's great need. November 13, 1868, the "Brooks Locomotive Works " were organized under the general manufacturing law of the state, with H. G. Brooks president, and M. L. Hinman secretary and treasurer. The capital stock was $350,000. At first the capacity was but one locomotive per month, bat this was soon greatly increased. The prosperity of Dunkirk has depended upon the success of these works, and the citizens have been as solic- itous for and as deeply interested in the trials and struggles through which it has passed as if its interests and its fortunes were their own.

Horatio G. Brooks, to whose enterprise and business ability the success of the works was chiefly due, was born in Portsmouth, N. H., October 30, 1828. In his youth he evinced a decided taste for the railway and locomo- tive service, and early acquired a thorough practical education as a machin- ist. In October, 1850, he left Boston in charge of a locomotive for the New York & Erie railroad, and brought it by the Erie canal and Lake Erie to Dunkirk where he arrived November 28, 1850. He blew the first locomotive whistle heard in the county. March 6, 1861, Mr. Brooks married Miss Julia A. Haggett in North Edgcomb, Me. He was a locomotive engineer until November, 1856, when was appointed master mechanic of the Ohio and Mississippi railroad, and, in 1862, superintendent of the western division of of the Erie railway. In 1865 he became superintendent of the motive power of the machinery of the entire Erie railway. He resigned to become presi- dent of the locomotive works, which position he held until his'death in April, 1887. He was three terms mayor of Dunkirk, and represented his town on the board of supervisors. The prosperity of Dunkirk for the last quarter of a century was mainly due to Horatio G. Brooks.

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June 22, 1871, the first passenger train was sent over the Dunkirk, Alle- gany Valley & Pittsburgh railroad. No event of more favorable importance to Dunkirk had occurred since the completion of the Erie road. The road runs southerly from Dunkirk along the picturesque grounds of the Spiritual- ists at Cassadaga Lake, through good agricultural lands in this county, and thence to Titusville. It is 90 miles long. Its connections with the railroads at Titusville, and with the intermediate roads before reaching that city, gives Dunkirk access to the coal, oil and lumber regions, and the road a good pass- enger business, and makes it an important feeder of the Central. The first public movement made towards building this road was a meeting held in the summer of 1866 by the citizens of Sinclairville, at which the Hon. C. J. Allen presided. Other meetings were soon held at Sinclairville, Dunkirk and Fredonia, at which preliminary steps were taken for organization and individual subscriptions were made to the capital stock. The next winter the company was organized as the Dunkirk, Warren & Pittsburgh railroad company. The officers first chosen were Timothy D. Copp, president ; George Barker, vice-president ; S. M. Newton, chief engineer ; T. R. Cole- man, treasurer ; and James Van Buren, secretary ; S. M. Newton, Win. Book- staver, Walter Finkle and Lee L. Hyde of Dunkirk, George Barker and Thomas Higgins of Fredonia, Ebenezer Moon of Stockton, T. D. Copp and Alonzo Langworthy of Sinclairville, B. F. Dennison of Gerry, Patrick Fal- coner of Ellicott, and Edwin Eaton and Win. H. H. Fenton of Carroll, directors. April 23, 1867, an act was passed by the legislature of New York authorizing the towns in this county to subscribe to the capital stock. June 17, 1867, the first work on the road was done. Obed Edson, surveyor ; Thomas Glisan, George Blackham, Stephen H. Allen, Walter Hyde and Charles Higgins assistants, commenced the preliminary survey at the north end of Cassadaga Lake, and completed it from Dunkirk to the state line dur- ing that year. The original contract for construction was made with T. M. Simpson and J. Condit Smith ; and grading was commenced at Ross's Mills October 3, 1867. In December, 1867, supervisors of towns issued town bonds and subscribed for stock as follows : George D. Hinckley, of Pomfret, $50,000 ; Obed Edson of Charlotte, and B. F. Dennison of Gerry, each $34,- 000 ; Jolin S. Beggs, of Dunkirk, $100,000 ; Win. H. H. Fenton, of Carroll, $20,000. This substantially constituted the capital on which the road was built. In 1868, 1869 and 1870 the road was graded. In 1870 the track was laid a little south of Laona ; June 1, 1871, to Sinclairville ; June 17 to Falconer, to which place the first passenger train passed over the road June 22, 1871. The small amount of capital stock subscribed, the difficulty of finding a feasible yet inexpensive route up the steep face of the ridge to Cas- sadaga lake, and the litigation arising out of the attempt to enforce the deliv- ery of the bonds of Stockton rendered the completion of the road a matter of

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

much doubt for a time. To the ability and vigilance of Stephen Miner New- ton, the chief engineer and a director for Dunkirk, was the completion of the road chiefly due. He not only superintended and personally attended to the preliminary survey but to the organization of the company, procuring the land titles, letting the contracts, and attending to all the details in the con- struetion and to the litigation in which it became involved, until the road was in successful operation to Titusville.

Stephen M. Newton was born at Bridgewater, Oneida county, September 7, 1828. He resided at Sinclairville during his youth, and at an early age developed a great love of study, particularly of mathematics. He was edu- cated at the Jamestown and Fredonia academies and Union college. He was first a teacher in the Fredonia academy, then a civil engineer. In 1850 he was employed by the New York & Erie railroad company to survey its lands for many miles eastward from Dunkirk. (Surveys of lands were then made by railroad companies with much greater particularity than in later years.) He was afterwards a civil engineer upon roads in Missouri and else- where. He was a man of unusual ability and force of character. His attain- ments were of the most solid kind. Without having regularly studied law, his knowledge of its elementary principles was equal to that of an able law- yer, especially upon real estate. His ability and strength of character fitted him to fill any position. His advice and opinion upon any subject to which he gave his attention was invaluable. He was strictly honest and truthful, and despised deceits and shams of every form and never hesitated to condemn them in plain and unmeasured terms. Those who knew him best esteemed him most. He died February 10, 1883. Mr. Newton married Elizabeth Marsden of Sinclairville. Their children were Elizabeth M. (dec.) and George M. a civil engineer. He is now city engineer of Dunkirk. He is also a real estate agent and a well known and prominent citizen. Mr. New- ton was for many years associated in real estate operations with William Bookstaver. Besides their real estate in Dunkirk they possessed large tracts of land in the western states.

Hon. William Bookstaver is a son of Abner and Ann S. Bookstaver, and was born at Montgomery, Orange county N. Y., and came to Dunkirk in 1855. He received his education at Montgomery Academy in which he was a teacher during 1853. He was also educated to the law and admitted to the bar. He relinquished this profession to devote his attention to deal- ing in real estate, of which he owns a large amount in Dunkirk, where he has been a leading and most influential citizen. There has been scarcely any enterprise designed to promote the growth and prosperity of Dunkirk in which he has not taken an active and prominent part. For 15 years he has represented the town on the board of supervisors, of which he has been a most prominent and influential member. He has also been three years mayor

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of Dunkirk. In 1887 he was appointed by Gov. David B. Hill a member of the prison labor reform committee of which he was chairman. He married Mary A. Leonard of Maine.

In 1873 Dunkirk was again threatened with disaster. The financial crisis that affected the whole country caused the suspension of the locomo- tive works. The capital of the company had been increased to $500,000. Under Mr. Brooks' management new facilities and improved machinery had been added, and it had become one of the greatest manufacturing enterprises in the state. The works covered about nine acres. The motive power was a 200 horse-power steam engine, 550 hands were employed, four-fifthis of whom were skilled workmen, and the works could turn ont seven engines per month. Although the works were compelled to suspend for a time, business was at length resumed and carried on although on a less extensive scale. The methods of construction had so improved that in 1880 100 were constructed and 200 in 1882.

The transportation facilities of Dunkirk have increased in later years by the construction of other railroads through the city. In 1882 the New York Chicago & St. Louis road was completed, and the Western New York & Pennsylvania railroad built. The station of these roads are near Central Avenue on the south side of the city.

Dunkirk was incorporated as a city, February 19th, ISSo. John Beggs was then president of the village, and held office as mayor until March, when Horatio G. Brooks was elected mayor and Daniel Scannell clerk. The mayors have been Horatio G. Brooks, 1880; Charles D. Murray, 1881; Hiram J. D. Miner elected March, 1882, (resigned and Richard Mulholland elected to fill vacancy, August 8, 1882); William Zimmermann, 1883 ; Thomas C. Jones, 1884; Marshall L. Hinman, 1885-1886-1887 ; William Bookstaver 1888-1889-1890; William Martin, 1891 ; Frank G. Gould, 1892 ; Charles G. Parker, 1893 ; Charles E. Hequembourg, 1894. Clerks. Daniel Scannell, 1880; Frank W. Conn, 1881 ; John H. Colgan, 1882 ; Louis L. Jolinson, 1883 ; Fred D. Light, 1884; John B. Murphy, 1885; Frank G. Gould, 1886-1887-1888 ; Edward Madigan, 1889-1890; Fred C. Nagle, 1891; John F. Maloney, 1892-1893-1894. The present officers are Charles E. Hequembourg, mayor ; Jolm F. Maloney, clerk ; common council, first ward, Jeremiah Meehan, Timothy J. Hogan ; second ward, Edward B. Swartz, James A. Holstein ; third ward, Horace L. Roberts, John Hilliard ; fourth ward, Charles J. Wirtner, Wallace McMaster ; street commissioner, Thomas C. Jones ; attorney, Lester F. Stearns ; treasurer, Peter J. Mulholland ; engi- neer, J. M. Hackett ; receiver of taxes, Frederick C. Nagle ; messenger, James Robinson ; health officer, F. S. Jackson, M. D. ; inspecting of plumbing and drainage, Alexander M. Mann.

The population in 1890 was 9,416. "A census, taken for Kirwin's direc-

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

tory for 1891 showed the population to be 10,319, and that the city had a dozen churches, an academy, an orphan asylum, excellent public schools, two national banks, club rooms, bands, musical societies, a score of secret socie- ties, express, telegraph and telephone companies, street car line, electric light, gas and water works, two large newspaper establishments-one of which runs a daily. It has five bakers, six barbers, six blacksmiths, three bookstores, seven shoe dealers, eight carpenters and contractors, three carri- age works, six cigar factories, ten clothing and merchant tailoring houses, six coal and wood dealers, four dentists, three druggists, four dress makers, eight dry goods houses, seven fancy goods and millinery houses, three fish dealers, seven flour, feed and grain dealers, three furniture dealers, over 30 groceries, seven hardware and stoves, six or eight hotels and as many board- ing houses, five insurance agents, four jewelers, two steam laundries, seven lawyers, two leather dealers, three liveries, four lumber dealers, eight meat markets, twelve physicians, three photographers, five real estate agents, over 50 saloons, crockery, harness, lime and ice dealers, music stores, plumbers, restaurants, sewing machines.

The public schools of Dunkirk are equal to any in the state. In 1858 a . union free school district was established. It has enumeration of 3,200 of school age, seven brick school houses, two frame buildings outside of the corporation and 41 teachers.

Dunkirk Water Works .- A board of commissioners was created for Dun- kirk in 1871 and the water works erected the succeeding year. The water is drawn through a crib in Lake Erie near the beacon light, and forced by the powerful Holly system through more than 20 miles of mains. The city is lighted by electric lights. Two thirty-five are dynamos, run by the boil- ers of the water works buildings furnish the power to light the city.

An electric street-car line connects Dunkirk with Fredonia.

The First Baptist Church was the first church organized in Dunkirk, and Reys. Joy Handy and Elisha Tucker were among the first to preach there. The church was organized May 5, 1830. The society worshipped in the school-house for many years. Later this church and others held ser- vices over Parsons' wagon shop, and 1856 built the present brick structure.

First Presbyterian Church .- In the beginning of 1830 there was in Din- kirk about 250 persons and no organized church. Rev. Joy Handy, a Bap- tist minister, preached in the new brick school-house on Third street, and people of various religious preferences nited in supporting him. As the fruit of a revival in the spring, the Baptist church was organized. The same spring, ten persons who were Congregationalists or Presbyterians petitioned Buffalo presbytery, which held its session in Sheridan in May, to organize them into a church. The petition was granted, and the church formally constituted. The first of the next September, Rev. Timothy Stillman, a

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graduate of Vale and of Auburn Theological Seminary, began his labors as pastor on a salary of $400 a year. Mr. Handy having gone to Buffalo the congregation worshipped in the schoolroom he had occupied. As the fruit of a revival in 1833, 30 were added to the church, and measures taken to erect a meetinghouse. This, a wooden structure on the corner of Center and Third streets, was completed in 1835. Rev. Mr. Stillman closed his labors as pastor in March 1838. *

* He was for over 50 years one of Dun- kirk's best-known citizens. He was succeeded by S. J. McCulloch and Geo. R. Rudd stated supplies. In June 1839, Rev. James B. Shaw became pastor and left in 1841. Rev. C. L. Hequembourg was pastor from 1841 to 1846, Rev. Louis Hamilton was pastor from 1849 to 1853, Rev. Heman R. Tinlow from 1853 to 1856, Rev. W. L. Hyde from 1856 to September 1862, when he asked leave of absence to accept a chaplaincy in the army. During his ministry the meetinghouse was moved to the corner of Fourth and Eagle. Rev. E. P. Willard " supplied " during 1864, and in May 1865, Rev. W. A. Fox became pastor till June 1869. He was succeeded by Rev. Myron Adams, during whose ministry the old wooden meetinghouse was supplanted by the very inviting brick structure on the same site. Mr. Adams closed his ministry June 1876, and was succeeded by his brother, Rev. E. P. Adams. In consequence of holding views of scripture truth at variance with the Pres- byterian creed, Rev. Mr. Adams was tried by Presbytery, and condenmed Oct. 18, 1880. A majority of the church and congregation followed him and constituted a new independent church. The old church has had as pas- tors since, though non-installed, W. L. Austin, W. Martin, F. S. Day, George Sexton. Rev. D. R. Eddy the present acting pastor came Dec. 1, 1889. There are about 100 members at present.

First Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first class was organized about IS33. The services were first held in the schoolhouse, later over Parsons' wagon shop. Before the civil war the church was ministered to by the Revs. Wright, Johnson, Osborne, Warren and Tibbitts. Under the latter the pres- ent church was built about 1858. Rev. Scott came in '61, Ingling '62, Lud- wig '64, Bray '66, Reno '68, Starrett '69, Martin '71, Steadman '72, Luse '73, Squiers '74, Kinner '75, Stubbs '78, Mead '81, Thoburn '83, Bates 'S4, and then Rev. E. M. Kernick, who came from England in 1869, and united with the Eric Conference in 1870.

St. John's Episcopal Church .- The Episcopal society was organized in 1850 by the Rev. Charles Arey, and two years later the old church building was erected. Succeeding Rev. Arey came Revs. Edson, Costelle, Kidder, Champlin, Raikes and Harris. In 1867 a lot was purchased on the corner of Eagle and Fourth streets, and the present church erected, which cost about $12.000. The new church was erected under the ministrations of Rev. P. P. Kidder.

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HISTORY OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N. Y.

St. John's German Evangelical Church was organized with 25 members in 1856, by Rev. Voight, of Buffalo, and the church erected two years later. The first pastor was Rev. Strauss, succeeded by Revs. Peters, Wasalsky, Althaus, Wolff, Seipel, Schaeffer, Simon, Krueger, Heiniger and Rueckert.

St. Peter's (Fourth Street) Lutheran .-- Under the ministrations of Rev. Theo. Krueger a disaffection occurred in the German United Evangelical Church, and with a portion of the members he formed the St. Peter's (Fourth street) Lutheran Church. The brick edifice formerly used by the Free Meth- odists was purchased for $2,750, and Rev. Crusius, of Westfield, has occupied the pulpit.

St. Peter's (Eagle Street) German Evangelican Lutheran church was organized in May, 1887, from members dissatisfied with the management of the Fourth Street church. Some 10 or 12 families uniting under the minis- trations of Rev. George Seel to form the nucleus for the organization. Wor- ship was first conducted in the old Free Methodist house on Fox and Fifth streets, but, through the generosity of Henry Fink, the new organization built a neat frame church on Eagle street, which, with grounds, cost $6,600. It was dedicated in December, 1887.

The Zion Evangelical AAssociation was organized in 1865 with nine mem- bers by Rev. J. J. Bernhardt, first pastor, and the church edifice was erected that year. Rev. C. A. Spies, of Canada, has officiated.

City Hall Congregation .- In 1880 Rev. E. P. Adams, who had been pas- tor of the First Presbyterian Church since 1876, by his liberal views on doc- trinal points rendered himself objectionable to the minority of his congrega- tion who adhered strictly to Presbyterian doctrines. The result was that he was deposed by the Buffalo Presbytery. A large number of the members however sympathized with the doctrines preached, and at their request Mr. Adams opened services in the city hall. Thus started into existence an independent congregation which bears no sectarian name, and whose services are very simple. Mr. Adams was originally from East Bloomfield, Ontario county, and is a graduate of Hamilton College and Auburn Theological Seminary.

St. Mary's Church .- Prior to 1851 Pomfret had no resident Catholic priest and no Catholic church. Rt. Rev. John Timon, bishop of Buffalo, was the only visitor to the few scattered Catholic families of this county. But when their numbers had sufficiently increased the Bishop sent them, time after time, a missionary priest who would gather around him the Catholics in some farm house and hold religious services. A small frame building was purchased in 1851 by Rev. W. Lannon for divine services; the location was by no means eligible to most of the Catholics of Dunkirk. In the fall of 1851 a new addition was necessary owing to the great influx of people who came with the Erie railway. In July of 1852 a new site was chosen for a church ;

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corner-stone of which was laid by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Timon. The church although not finished was opened for divine service March 17, 1854, and in November the Rt. Rev. Bishop Young, of Erie, Pa., dedicated the church under the invocation of the Seven Dolors of Mary. The building is of brick, large and spacious. Its architectural design is gothic. Its first pastor was Rev. Peter Colgan, who for nine years ministered to the wants of the con- gregation, identifying himself with it in all its spiritual and temporal pros- perity. In 1858 the Sisters of St. Joseph were brought to Dunkirk by Rev. Father Colgan to take charge of St. Mary's school and orphanage. This order was originally founded by Rev. Peter Medaille, at Puy, in France, in 1650. In 1836 six sisters formed in St. Louis the first house of their order in the United States. Twenty-two years later a convent was established in Dunkirk. Besids teaching the Catholic schools they have opened an orphanage for the Catholic children of the county. The old buildings have been removed largely through the generosity of H. Miner and larger and better adapted structures erected.

1860 marks the arrival of the Passionists Fathers in Dunkirk and opens for St. Mary's Church a new and grand epoch. Rev. Fr. Albinus, one of their number, was appointed pastor, and the congregation has since been under the care of a member of that order. Rev. Fr. Albinus was not only pastor of St. Mary's Church, but also superior of the monastery adjoining the church edifice-two offices which have always been united in the same per- son. The Discalced Clerks of the Most Holy Cross and Passion of our B. Lord, or " Passionists ", were founded by Rev. Paul Danai, at Mount Argen- taro, near Rome, in 1737. His object was to unite the spirit of the ascetic and the missionary orders, the contemplative and the active life, and form a congregation of missionary priests somewhat differing from any then existing in the Catholic church. The first New World colony of the Passionists fathers came to Pittsburgh, December 8, 1852. But though the congrega- tion laid its first foundation at Pittsburgh, and though this monastery is still the mother-house and novitiate in the United States, it was not to be cir- cumscribed within a single diocese. At the request of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Timon, " The Monastery of St. Mary's " was established at Dunkirk, May 26, 1861. It has been considerably enlarged, and it is used as a preparatory college for young men who desire to enter that religious order. It now con- tains five priests, eighteen students and two lay-brothers. Rev. John Baudi- nelli, late rector, having been chosen Provincial of the Passionists in the Americas, was succeeded by the present rector Rev. Felix Ward.

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History of Chautauqua County, New York, Part 63

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