History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches, Part 64

Author: Doty, Lockwood R., 1858- [from old catalog] ed; Van Deusen, W. J., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Jackson, Mich., W. J. Van Deusen
Number of Pages: 1422

USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches > Part 64

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).

For the civil war Caledonia furnished 207 soldiers, including those who enlisted from other places to fill its draft quota. The record of each year, with bounties, is given as follows: August, 1862, 62 men, boun- ty $100 each; July, 1863, 22 men commuted; October, 1863, 28 men, bounty $423 each; February, 1864, 9 men, bounty for three $300 each, and for six $320 each; July, 1864, 33 men, bounty about $900 each ; December, 1864, 25 men, bounty $600 each and $100 hand money; also 28 men who enlisted at various towns without bounty, and with bounty from other towns. Thirty-five of the volunteers of 1862 enlist- ed in the 8th N. Y. Cavalry regiment.

It was not until the construction of the Erie canal, which was com- pleted in 1824, that the early Caledonia farmers found a remunerative market for their products. This great waterway increased the value of their land and brought them the prosperity they had been laboring for.

The supervisors of the town of Caledonia have been .as follows:

SOUTHAMPTON-NOW CALEDONIA.

Christopher Labourn. 1803-4-5-6

CALEDONIA.

Christopher Labourn. .1807

James Ganson. 1808-9-10-II

John Fincli ..

1812 Robert Mckay. .1813-15-16-17-18-19- 21-22-23-24-25-26-29-32

Powell Carpenter. 1814 Jolın Garbutt IS20

Federal Blakeslee. .1827-28-30-31

Donald McDonald 1833-34-35-36-37

Alexander Simpson

1838-39-40-4I

Wm. Barron ...... 1842-43-44-45-46-47-48- 49-50

Harlow W. Wells. 1851-52

Archibald Renwick 1853-54-55-72

Henry E. Rochester 1856-57-58-59

Hugh D. McColl. 1860-61-62

David Walker. 1863-64

I865-66-67-68-69-

Alexander Ferguson ... 70-71-73-74

Wm. Hamilton. 1875-76-77-78-79-80-82 Janies Frazer .. 1881

George Mckay

.1883

Angus Cameron

1881

Win. H. Walker.

1885-86-87-88

M. M. Campbell ... 1889-90-91-92-93-94-95 F. A. Cliristie .. 1896-97-98-99-00-01-02-03

657

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

Assessed valuations and tax rates have been as follows :

Assessed Valuation

Tax Rate on SIaco

Assessed Valuation

Tax Rate 011 $1000

Assessed Valnation

Tax Rate OII SIOCO

1860

1,182,679

6.92

1875

2,388,919

6.42

1890

2,112,625

5.55

1861

1,145,533

7.04

1876

2,271,575

4.56

1891

2,134,750

4.61

1862

1,235,814

9.80

1877

2,144,530

5.72

1892

2,045,355

5.41

1863

1, 180,09I

12.87

1878

2,054,598

4.36

1893

2,260,825

1864

1,199,608

15.50

IS79

1,894,440

5.09

1894

2,202,792

4.72

1865

1,158,923

44.00

1880

1,890,895

9.74

1895

2,214,629

5.70

1866

1,182,840

22.00

1881

1,884,943

3.97

1896

2,180,379

5.24

1867

1,177,930

21.00

1882

1,901,559

1897

2,197,695

5.30

1868

1,195,708

17.18

1883

2,084,284

4.78

1898

2, 198,985

4.79

1869

1,167,022

IO.II

1884

2,065,596

4.09

1899

2,222,994

6.06

1870

1, 145,447

12.74

I885

2,242,636

4.54

1900

2,222,684

4.95

1871

1,193,745

13.85

1886

2,230,607

5.63

1901

2,237,78I

4.22

1872

1,172,307

17.20

1887

2,192,875

5.98

1902

2,300,264

3.03

1873

1,045,2II

14.64

1888

2,197,018

5.04

1903

2,345,726

3.01

1874

2,222,941

14.49

1889

2,181,052

6.36

CALEDONIA CHURCHES.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of Caledonia, N. Y. was organized March 4, 1805, by the Rev. Jedediah Chapman of Geneva, N. Y., and consisted at that time of fifty-two members, forty- one of whom were received by certificate and eleven on confession. Its membership was made up mostly of the Scotch settlers from Johns- town who had made their homes in the neighborhood. The congrega- tion depended on pulpit supplies till 1808. On the eighth of August of that year Rev. Alexander DeNoon was installed pastor and con- tinued in that office till his death in 1850., The following are the names of his successors with the period of their pastorates:

Rev. John W. Major, 1854-1856. Rev. William E. Jones, 1857-1859; Rev. Malcom N. McLaren, D. D., 1860-1871; Rev. John K. Fowler, 1874-1877; Rev. Thomas Stevenson, 1878-1882; Rev. John M. Car- michael, 1882-1886; Rev. Johnson Henderson, 1888-1892; Rev. J. A. Sherrard, 1893-1899; Rev H. H. Barstow, 1900.

The first church building was destroyed by fire in 1855 and the present edifice replaced it. At the same time the present commodious parsonage was built. The membership of the church now is about two hundred and forty. In the spring of 1905 the church will celebrate its centennial anniversary.

658

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

THE FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH has also been a great power for good in 'Caledonia since its founding in the old pioneer days. The following sketch of this church, tracing its develop- ment from the days when the hardy Scotch settlers found it impossible to agree as to church polity has been furnished :

A number of families from Inverness, Scotland, settled on a tract of land called "The Forty Thousand Acre Tract, " owned by a company in Holland and lying next to the "Pulteney Estate." All these being of the saine religious faith with those in Caledonia, it was agreed after

FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

consultation to build a log house for Sabbath meeting on the two acre lot granted by the agent. Shortly after a preacher was procured from Scotland. But soon difficulties arose by which the people were divided into, two parties of about equal number. This division resulted in the existence of the two Presbyterian churches which, though never united under the same name, learned to live in peace and good will

659

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

with each other. The part opposed to the proceedings of the church and of the Presbytery (the General Assembly Presbytery) were firm in their determination not to submit, and so were left without church privileges.

After holding several meetings they concluded to strive for a union with the "Associate Reformed Church." In January, 1809 one of their number met a man from Geneseo who, after learning of the difficulties in Caledonia, advised him to seek the counsel of Mr. Wil- son, who kept the academy at Geneseo and who was also a minister of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian church. Several months of dis- couragement followed. Efforts to have Mr. Wilson visit the field and organize the congregation failed. At last an effort was made to reach Presbytery in connection with the Associate Reformed Synod. The moderator of Presbytery, who afterward proved a great friend of the congregation, was addressed by letter. The Presbytery of Saratoga was called and the letter read before it. Rev. Robert Forest was appointed to visit Caledonia and ascertain the condition and circum- stances of the petitioners. In June 1809, Rev. Forest visited Cale- donia and preached in a log barn to an eager audience. Three weeks from that day he again preached, and soon, when the Presbytery of Saratoga met, he presented the case of the congregation. The request of the people was granted. Mr. Wilson of Geneseo was appointed to organize the congregation and ordain elders. Mr. Wilson came the fourth Sabbath of October, 1810. Messrs. William Armstrong, Peter McKircher and John Mclean were elected and ordained as elders. Only about twenty- five persous partook of the Lord's Supper that day, since some were in suspense as to the duty of leaving the Presbyterian Church. The Presbytery paid careful attention to the congregation, sending able supplies. It was a rule that every man should pay twenty-five cents for every minister sent as supply.

In the spring of 1812 John Campbell of Scotland came as a supply. He was a student under the care of Dr. John M. Mason, well reported by all. His preaching gave such satisfaction that it was without a negative voice voted to give Mr. Campbell a call. It was accepted, and in 1813, in November, Mr. Campbell was settled as the first minister of the First Associate Reformed Church in Caledonia. A meeting house was built on the 40,000 acre tract. Mr. Campbell's salary was $500.00. Four hundred dollars of this was to be raised in

660

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

Caledonia, and the other hundred was to be raised in York where he also preached.

Mr. Campbell most faithfully performed his duties a spreacher and pastor for three years and went to his reward on the first of May, 1817. His body rests in the cemetery of the church. A new house of worship was built in 1816.

In the first year of Mr. Campbell's ministry three elders were chosen, viz., John Christie, Donald MePherson and Dr. Peter MePher- son. After the death of Mr. Campbell the church was without a pas- tor for about two years. Rev. William Boyce was settled over the Caledonia congregation in 1819. He served the congregation three or four years, and was dismissed by Presbytery at the request of the congregation. -

In May, 1826, Rev. Donald C. McLaren became pastor and con- tinued to serve the church for about twenty-six years. During his pastorate, in January of 1833, on a Sabbath, the church was burned. A substantial stone structure was erected by November of the same year, and was paid for with about $1,000 surplus left. Rev. Donald C. McLaren was a pioneer in temperance work. In 1852, on the 13th of November, a call was extended to Rev. W. S. MeLaren, son of Dr. Donald C. He continued as pastor till Sept 8, 1869. He was followed by Rev. D. F. Bonnar who remained in charge till January, 1884. In May of the same year a call was extended to Rev. R. M. Russell, a graduate of Allegheny Seminary. This pastorate continued till Oct. 12, 1890. Dr. Russell was followed by Rev. Henry W. Moore, who was installed June 14, 1893. Rev. Moore was succeeded by Rev. Huber Ferguson who served as pastor from July 21, 1896 till Feb. 19, 1899. The next pastor was Rev. Gilbert O. Miller, from Nov. 6, 1899 to June 16, 1902. Mr. Miller was followed by Rev. Edgar P. Smith, the present pastor, who began his pastoral labor Nov. 11, 1902.

NARRATIVE OF DONALD D. MCKENZIE.

The following narrative of Donald D. Mckenzie, described by him as "a few brief historical sketches of early settlement in the valley of the ancient Genesee river in the western part of the State of New York," is a literal reproduction of the original manuscript and appears to the editor to have sufficient interest to deserve its appearance here, not- withstanding its great length.

661

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

In order that the reader may be better able to understand this nar- rative and also myself better able to do justice to my subject, I must take the reader to the City of Inverness, in the north of Scotland, near which I was born. There was living there, about the commence- ment of the 19th century, a small band of intrepid men within short distances of that royal borrough, and who were at this period in the prime of life, and were also in what might there be called midling comfortable circumstances, but whose minds began to be allienated about this period and from several causes particularly the implacable unceasing and mortal enmity and strife between Great Britian and France. You can see in the history of those days how that the govern- ment of Great Britain disdained to treat with Boneparte, especially after his breach of the treaty of Amiens. I think it was the British Government swore then that he would not be permitted to rule one peaceful year on the throne which he had usurped, and in order to carry out this measure an immense sacrifice, of treasure and human lives must be yearly made, and also new victims must be furnished. In order to do this every kind of stratagems were used to enlist men and every species of taxation was resorted to. Every now and then modern rumor would have it that the French had landed or that they were on their way for that purpose. These things taken together made these men desirous of finding a more peaceful place of abode, some contiguity of shade, and which they were after some time and trouble fortunate in finding near the fertile and peaceful banks of the Genesee river, where they spent the remaining part of their lives in peace and contentment. Many of them are now reposing in the silent tomb, who died in the hope of a blessed and glorious immor- tality.

I had an uncle by the name of William Mckenzie, who taught a parish school before and after this period for about forty years, with good success and reputation, and who was in possession of Mr. Morse's large geography of America-the only history of this country, except Mackenzie's travels and some living monuments of the soldiers of the Revolution who had been in this country, and whose histories were various and contradictory, varying, I suppose, according to the differ- ent circumstances they happened to be in, in this country. Some of them represented it as a place unfit for civilized people to live in, that it was swarming with ferocious Indians, and that the people were

662

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

afflicted with all the plagues of Egypt and plagues that were not in Egypt, all of which was excusable in persons in their situation and employment. The pens of the ablest historians have failed to delin- ate but in a feeble degree the horrors and misery of war; imagination has to do the rest. I need not here take up time in relating the var- ious schemes and snares that those in authority resorted to in order to delude and ensnare the simple ambitious and unwary to enlist in the army or navy, thus following the pernicious principle which some ad- vocate at this day, viz., that necessity has no law. Be that as it may, I admit that every government has within itself ample authority over its own citizens, especially in cases of so much emergency as was this period. There were indeed many Godly and upright men then in that country, but very few of them were in authority. Matters continued in this way going from bad to worse, if possible, until we left in the summer of 1803. These few men which I mentioned before began seriously and prayerfully to talk of and also to prepare to emigrate to America, but were yet undecided which of the States they would choose for their future residence, until after two of their number made a journey to Grenock City, a seaport in Scotland, and I believe it is the nearest seaport in Scotland to America. After these faithful messengers returned, there was no further delay. Accordingly, about the middle of July in 1803 the following named heads of families, with their effects took up their long line of march: Donald Mackenzie, who afterwards was an Elder in Rev. Alexander Denoon's Church in Caledonia until his death in June, 1896, and his family; Simon Fraser, a truly pious and good man; Donald Fraser, his son, also an Elder in the same church, still living; John Clemons, now of Caledonia, and his young wife, having been married only a few months before that time, and who is alive yet; John Mckenzie and family, well known in all this region and was deservedly respected-he died June 15, 1840; Angus McBean, Esq., came to Grenock at the same time, but from some cause did not sail in the same ship, but came in a brig to Balti- more, thence he went to Ohio state, where he sojourned till the fall of 1804, when he came to the town of York where he has resided since and is alive, now old; John Fraser, as he has been familiarly called, and family-he died in 1848, I think; William Fraser, a pious young man and who was an Elder in Rev. Donald C. McLaren's Church-he died in 1843. There was still another truly pious young John

663

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

McDonald, that came in the same ship; he worked at Johnstown in Montgomery in this State, about two years, so that he did not come to this town till 1806. As I said, these persons took up their long line of march and a long line it was -- about four thousand miles-and here let mne remark that it was quite different then than what it is now to travel the same road; we were one week on the road between the cities of Invernys and Glasgow; we stayed one week in Glasgow and five weeks in Grenock waiting for an American ship then in port to get ready as there was but few vessels trading between that country and this then, as you can learn from the history of that time, the British government claiming the right of search which was indignantly objected to and opposed by the American gov- ernment and people, and which ended in the war of 1812. Free trade and sailors' rights was the toast and watch word them days. The ships name that we sailed in was the "Drapper of New York;" William Taylor, Captain. On the morning of the eighth of Septem- ber, 1803, she spread forth her joyful wings to the breeze which wafted us on our way to our destined home, as if proud of her precious load. I delight yet to think of the merry and cheerful "heo-heave" of the gallant sailors as they hove up her heavy and cumbrous anchor and let her loose like a thing of life before the breeze. She was over 500 tons burthen. In order to check emigration, ships were not allowed to take but a very limited number of passengers, and every emigrant ship was exposed to be searched by British ships or taken prisoners by the French, as many were. Consequently the price of passage was very high, forty dollars for a child not more than four months old, which Donald Mckenzie had to pay for one that would not weigh half as many pounds. The ship was a slow sailor, but well balanced, and the sailors were efficient and civil-all Americans. There might be about sixty persons on board all told. Mr. D. Mckenzie paid about 400 dollars for the passage of himself and family. My mother being sick during the passage, our condition was more uncomfortable. What- ever were the feelings of others, for my own part, I felt buoyant and cheerful. We were supplied with the ship's provisions which were very unpalatable indeed. As soon as we were fairly under way, application was made to the Capt. for the privilege of holding religious worship among the passengers, night and morning, which he readily granted, and religious exercises were observed during the six weeks

664

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

and three days of the voyage. I verily believe that the Capt. and his men felt a greater security and safety on account of this humble acknowledgement of God's protecting care over us and them. Al- though a journey across the wide ocean is tedious and monotonous, it is not devoid of interest to a contemplative mind. Sometimes you are becalmed for a number of days; then wild Occan looks like a molten sea of glass and is then a delightful scene to contemplate bounded by the outmost verge of the horizon-anon the stormy winds speed forth and awfully change the scene. There is not any comparison that I can make or description that I can give that would compare with the sublime description given by the Psalmist in the 107th Psalm 23rd verse where he says: "They that go down to the sea in ships that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord and his won- ders in the deep, for He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof; they mount up to Heaven, they go down again to the depths," etc., and to a beholder it would seem almost impossible to rise again from these yawning troughs of the sea. We encountered two of these terrible storms, one of which drove us a great distance out of our course and in the same storm shipped a tremendous wave which scattered the cooking utensils and floated some of the people about like empty casks and made the noble ship quiver in all her joints, struggling to throw it off-in the other the bowsprit was locsened by it on a Sabbath morning before daylight, and it was truly doleful to hear the sound of the sailors' voices heav- ing in the darkness amidst the furious storm, but which before long they were successful in fastening again. We did not meet but one ship to speak to, besides a British sloop of war named, Leander, of Halifax, which I have no doubt was there for the purpose of intercept- ing emigrant ships, which made us heave too, and undergo a search for men for some time after she hove in sight. The Captain was uncertain as to what nation she belonged as she did not hoist any colors. At first thought she was French, and would rob and take us prisoners; he advised the passengers to secure their money and disguise them- selves the best they could by wearing the most ragged and dirty clothes they had, which the most of them complied with and looked ridiculous enough. After nearing us a good deal, having fired a can- non several times, they hoisted the union jack, upon which the Capt. told us their object was to get men, but notwithstanding this declara-

665

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

tion of the Capt. the passengers breathed more freely, but continued to wear the disguises, all but two young men from Argileshire, brothers, who wore sailors' dress. After she came near enough she took position to the windward of us, her ports open and her broadside frowning on us. Her marines were paraded on her decks and their

music playing. She looked frowning enough as if she said "Capt. Taylor, you must obey, nolens volens, or do worse." Presently plunge went a large boat into the water and then another, which were imme- diately filled with officers and men. There did not but one of them come to us. Several of the officers came on board, who, after having examined the ship's papers told our captain they wanted men, and men they would have. Our captain told the other that his hands were all Americans and that he had none too many. After examining them he left them and ordered the passengers to be mustered, and which was no sooner done than, with an eagle eye, the man of wars man pounced on the two Argile men, and they and their chests were low- ered into his boat. Entreaty was in vain; the pathetic eloquence of Mr. Donald Mckenzie pleading in their behalf was also in vain; the unfeigned and gushing tears of these young men were also poured like rain in vain. Go they must and go they did, and the darkness of that night shut them finally from our view. As soon as it was dark the captain ordered all the lights to be extinguished, or put under cover, and the other ship lost sight of us, or did not choose to follow. The disguise used made even the most enterprising among us look like decrepit old men, and we saw no more of them. We had good weather the rest of the voyage, but were becalmed several days, which time was busily improved by the mariners in taking observations and in repairing the injuries which they received in the storms, in scraping the ship and painting her, so that they made her look quite trim. We received a pilot when yet a great distance from New York, the ship having a rich cargo for those days. Before reaching the quarantine grounds the captain ordered one and all to change their garments and put on their best, which was done, being in sight of land. The change and excitement made the passengers look well. Finally the doctor came; his surprise was visible to all; he complimented the captain, and left ordering him to land us. "Well," we exclaimed, "this is New York, which we so long looked for and so anxiously prayed to see, and how unlike the great cities we left behind. " The golden

666

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY

dreams of some began to vanish when they saw the dilapidated con- dition of many of the buildings near the wharves, together with the number of deserted houses and desolated streets caused by the raging of the yellow fever that season, which carried off great numbers of the people; all that could flee had fled and had not returned. Then there was no familiar voice or countenance to meet and congratulate or cheer and welcome the new comers. Our sojourn in New York was short, only two days. The party agreed with a man who had a rickety sloop to bring us to Albany for one dollar each, small and big, without any provision or accommodations of any kind. He said he would be there in a week but it took him longer. I suffered more hunger on that inland voyage than in all the time since, for when he had provi- sions he would not stop and where he had to stop we could get none, and he had none to give or sell. After much exposure and fatigue we arrived at last in Albany. I did not take much notice of anything in this place, excepting indeed the ancient Dutch church, which was so unique in its architecture, different from anything that I ever saw, it attracted my youthful curiosity a good deal. The different families separated in Albany for the first time in three months at least. The next place of rendezvous was to be Johnstown, Montgomery Co., where all arrived safe in a few days. We now began to breathe the free air of a free country, the smell of which was as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. Although we were far from being in comfortable circumstances, there was no murmuring indulged in. The winter was very severe, different from any that any of us ever saw before. We were thankful for being in a safe haven. The men were learning to chop, some threshed, and at times explored tracts of land which were offered for sale in that section, but which did not suit the new comers. The Genesee country was talked of, but there were

none there that could give correct information to us about it. They had a current report among the people there that it was very sickly, and which was partly true. Picturing the danger of living in the neighborhood of the Seneca Indians, by which all Western New York was thickly inhabited, far from every outward comfort, the picture to be sure did look dreary enough. They called it the West, yes, the far West, and so it was even on the confines of civilization. There were indeed a few families living in what was known then by the following names: Hartford, now Avon; Big Springs, now Caledonia; Ganson

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History of Livingston County, New York, from its earliest traditions to the present together with early town sketches, Part 64

Author: Doty, Lockwood R., 1858- [from old catalog] ed; Van Deusen, W. J., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Jackson, Mich., W. J. Van Deusen Number of Pages: 1422

Author: Doty, Lockwood R., 1858- [from old catalog] ed; Van Deusen, W. J., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Jackson, Mich., W. J. Van Deusen
Number of Pages: 1422