USA > New York > Livingston County > History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 33
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111
Several families moved into the town during this and the two succeeding years, among whom were Amariah Hammond, Alexander Fullerton, David Sholl, the Faulkners, the Porters, the Van De- Venters, Samuel Stillwell and Thomas Macklen.
Amariah Hammond came here in 1795 on a prospecting tour, and "during his first visit to this place slept two nights under a pine tree, on premises which he afterwards purchased. 'I put a bell on my horse,' said he, 'that he might not stray beyond hearing ;' but it was unnecessary, as the horse came as often as every hour to where he lay and dis- turbed his sleep ; the horse seemed sensible of his lonely situation, and fearful in view of it."* He took up land on the main road to Geneseo, about three-fourths of a mile from the center of the vil- lage, where Henry Hammond now resides, and during that season put up a log house, into which he removed his family from Bath the following April. His family consisted of his wife and infant child, who made the journey on horseback.
Mr. Hammond afterwards acquired that portion of the Fullerton farm lying east of Main street.
ยท Miniature of Dansville Village.
He was the successful fariner of North Dansville, and though uneducated, was sagacious and made money and became influential. He was the first Supervisor of the town of Dansville, which was formed in March, 1796. Mr. Hammond used to re- late as one of the embarrassing incidents of pioneer life, that when his first grass needed cutting he had to go to Tioga Point to get scythes. He pur- chased two, which, with the expenses of the jour- ney, cost him eleven dollars. He continued to reside where he first settled till his death. He was born June 24, 1773, and died November 5, 1850. He was twice married. His first wife, named Catherine, died May 3, 1798, aged twenty-two. His second wife, named Elsie, died April 26, 18.42, aged sixty-seven. Mrs. Fannie Bradner, of Dans- ville, widow of Lester Bradner, is a daughter of his, and the only one of the children left here. Another daughter became the wife of the venerable Dr. James Faulkner, who is still living in Dans- ville, in his ninety-second year.
Lazarus Hammond, a brother of Amariah Ham- mond, came here soon after him and lived in a log house below him till 1806, when he sold to Har- man H. Hartman, who came here from Pennsyl- vania about that year. Lazarus Hammond was the first Clerk of the town of Dansville. Hartman died here June 1, 1811, aged 53. He left numer- ous descendants, principally in Dansville and its vicinity.
Alexander Fullerton, who was born of Scotch parents in Chester county, Pennsylvania, removed thence to this town and located in the north part of the village, near the residence of Jonathan B. Morey. He also sold to Harman H. Hartman and removed to the town of Sparta, where he died. He was something of a military character in his native county, and was the father of Gen. Wm. S. Fullerton, of Sparta, who represented Livingston county in the Assembly in 1846-7.
David Sholl came here from Pennsylvania like many of the pioneer settlers. He was a mill- wright and was engaged in that capacity by Capt. Williamson. He built the first saw-mill and grist- mill in Dansville for the Pultney estate, the former in 1795 and the latter in 1796. * The saw-mill, says one authority, stood on the site of the plan- ing-mill belonging to the Jesse Angell estate, and operated by Geo. W. DeLong. It went to decay many years ago-about 1824-6. The grist-mill occupied the site of the Readshaw mill, on the corner of Gibson and Main streets. It was burned
* French's Gazetteer of the State of New York.
160
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
soon after, before it was entirely finished," but was immediately rebuilt by Sholl. The frame of the second structure is a part of the present one, which was enlarged to its present size by Benj. I .. Readshaw, the present proprietor. Sholl was living in 1797 in a pine plank house, opposite the Readshaw grist-mill, which he afterwards pur- chased. He was a man of moderate capacity, but industrious and careful. He disposed of the mill property to Nathaniel Rochester and afterwards removed to Mt. Morris, where he built the pioneer grist-mill of that town. He subsequently went to Michigan, where he died.
Solomon Feustermacher was born at Northamp- ton, Penn., April 1, 1789, and came here from that State in 1805. Says a local writer: " He built 'Solomon's temple,' a large three-story building, the largest structure in Livingston county at that time, and so a great curiosity. Himself and his brother Isaac built a great part of early Dansville." He died Feb. 5, 1851.
There were three Faulkners t-brothers-Daniel P., Samuel and James. The former, if not the most worthy, seems to have been the most active and enterprising. Daniel P. and James Faulkner came here from Milton, Northumberland county, Pa., in 1795. The former, who brought with him $10,000, the proceeds of the sale of lands on the present site of Troupsburgh, Steuben county, pur- chased, in conjunction with three others, the west half of township No. 6, range 6, (including the original town of North Dansville,) and infused into the budding settlement an energy and enthusiasm characteristic of the man.
Daniel P. Faulkner settled on the site of the First National Bank of Dansville, and there erect- ed a plank house. With his acquisitions of land in this neighborhood he also became the owner of a saw-mill, which stood on the site of the well-curb factory about a mile above the Readshaw grist mill. He was lavish of his money and not a prudent business man. He possessed a taste for military display, and organized and became captain of a grenadier company numbering thirty men, whom he gaily uniformed at his own expense,# and " so beautiful a company," says a contemporary of his, " I [have] never seen since." This was Dans-
ville's first military company, and was highly ered- itable to the infant settlement and the enterprise of its ambitious projector. Mr. Faulkner brought the first store goods to Dansville by sleigh from Albany. But his injudicious enterprise was terminated by his failure in 1798. He then returned to Pennsyl- vania. He came back, however, in 1802, and died in the frame house erected on the site of his plank one by his brother Samuel, who came here from Washington county in 1797. This village and two towns perpetuate his name.
James Faulkner was an educated man and a graduate of Rush College, and was the pioneer physician of Dansville. He was, says McMaster, " an eminent physician, and a public man of saga- city and eccentricity." He lived near the Roches- ter paper-mill, built in 1809-10, and erected there in the fall of 1796 what is supposed to have been the first frame house in town, though there is doubt about this, as the frame house built by Cristopher Van DeVenter was erected about the same time. Neither of these were immediately finished, how- ever, it appears. Robert S. Faulkner, proprietor of a feed store in Dansville is a son of his.
Samuel Faulkner, who, as we have said, came here in 1797, bought several village lots of his brother Daniel P. Faulkner. He built for his resi- dence a two-story frame house which stood a little south of the Clinton house, near the vacant spot south of that house. It was the first frame house in the village that was finished. In this he com- meneed keeping tavern in the fall of 1797. It has been erroneously stated that he was the pioneer tavern keeper of Dansville. He was preceded, though but a short time, by John Van De Venter, who kept tavern in a small one-story plank house with two rooms, which occupied the site of Grant's store, across the way from the National Bank. This house of Faulkner's was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1798, and nearly everything in it con- sumed. Mr. Faulkner then removed to the Daniel l'. Faulkner residence, on the site of the National Bank, where he also kept tavern till 1801, when he removed to Geneseo and there continued that vo- cation till his death May 3, 1805. He had only two children-Jonathan Dorr and James. The former was an officer in the Commissary Depart- ment during the war of 1812, with the rank of captain, and died in LeRoy in 1815, from disease contracted by exposure in the army. James was an early physician and a prominent business man in Dansville during nearly the whole period of its existence, and is still a resident of that village.
* Turner says : "The mill was burned down soon after 1800, after which, before rebuilding, the neighborhood had to go to Bosley's mills," at the foot of Conesus Lake. Pioncer History of Phelps & Gorham's Purchase, 358.
t For a more extended account of the Faulkner family, and especially of Dr. James Faulkner, see biographical sketch of the latter at the close of this chapter.
# Statement of his nephew, Dr. James Faulkner of Dansville.
161
NORTH DANSVILLE-EARLY SETTLERS.
Capt. Nathaniel and William Porter, brothers, came here from New Jersey, under the auspices of Daniel P. Faulkner, in 1796. Nathaniel died the following year in a log house known as the " Cas- tle." It stood a little west of the German Lutheran church in Dansville village, and is supposed to have been built by the surveyors. All the early settlers in the vicinity of the village occupied it tempora- rily. Capt. Porter's death, which occurred March 12, 1797, at the age of 54, is said to have been the first in the town. This is probably the fact, as it is the earliest date preserved by the monuments in the village cemeteries. At least three others died the same year .* Capt. Porter's wife-Char- ity-died March 19, 1813, aged 64. They had a large family-James, the pioneer blacksmith, Peter, John, Matthew, William, David C. and Richard were sons of theirs, and all were then young men. One of their daughters was the wife of Daniel P. Faulkner ; a second became the wife of her cousin, Richard Porter, son of William Porter ; a third, the wife of Frederick Covert ; and a fourth, of James Koogan. Not one of them is living ; the last, David C., died in the fall of 1879, aged over 90. William Porter, brother to Nathaniel, settled where Matthias Kershner now lives, on the south line of the corporation of Dansville, and died there March 11, 1816, aged 77. Ann, his wife, died in Novem- ber, 1798, aged 54.
Christopher Van De Venter was another of the New Jersey settlers. He came in 1796, and settled in the village, where Charles Shepard now lives. He died of the Genesee fever, August 25, 1798, aged 67. He was the pioneer tanner, and built the first tannery on a small stream at the point where it crosses Perine street. His sons likewise were all tanners. They were John, Isaac and Christopher. John opened the first tavern in town, on the site of 'Timothy B. Grant's hardware store, opposite the National Bank, and kept it till his death, t which occurred Dec. 31, 1797, at the age of 27.
Samuel Stillwell settled first in North Dansville, but afterwards removed to Sparta, where he was a Justice of the Peace for a number of years.
Thomas Macklen, a Scotchman, who came from New Jersey, following the Faulkners, previous to 1797-probably one of the New Jersey settlers of 1796. He was the first school teacher, and taught here as early as 1798. The pioneer school house
* These were Ann, daughter of Richard W. Porter, Aug. 30, 1797, aged 3: John Van De Venter, Dec., 31, 1797, aged 27; and Catharine, wife of the latter, Sept. 12, 1797, aged 25.
t Statement of Dr. James Faulkner, who is unquestionably the best living authority, and who would not be likely to bestow upon another an honor which others have conferred on his father.
stood on the road to Geneseo, about a mile north of the center of the village of Dansville, just below and on the opposite side of the residence of Henry Hartman. Mr. Macklen was Dr. James Faulkner's first school teacher. In the winter of 1798, says the latter gentleman, "he had ten or twelve schol- ars. Gaylord had ten or twelve scholars in 1799." Macklen bought a farm on the Canisteo road, about three miles from Dansville village, in the town of Dansville, Steuben county. He married into the McCurdy family, and taught school here for many years. He died April 22, 1822, aged 54. Alexander Rea, a surveyor, was an early teacher here, but for only a short period. He was then a young single man, and made his home at the tavern of Samuel Faulkner in Dansville. He married a sister of Horatio Jones, the distinguished Indian interpreter, and was for many years engaged in surveying for the Holland Company. He was a Member of Assembly from the joint counties of Allegany, Geneseo and Ontario in 1807 ; a State Senator from the Western district in 1808-11 ; and Jan. 27, 1809, was appointed a member of the Council of Appointment.
Other early settlers in North Dansville previous to 1800 were Jacob Welch, Jacob Martz, Geo. Shirey, Frederick Barnhart, Wm. and Jno. Phenix, James Logan, Jared Irwin and Wm. Perine, and among the first, but in what year they came we do not know, were Jonathan Rowley, John Haas, Thomas Mcwhorter, Samuel Shannon, James Harrison, Daniel Hamsher, Matthew Dorr, and Oliver Warren, a nephew of Dr. Warren, of Revo- lutionary memory. The Fronks were also early settlers. One, a son of the pioneer, is still living on the crest of the east hill, aged 97 years.
William Perine, who served in the Pennsylvania line during the Revolution, came from Cambridge, Washington county, in 1797, and located at the ancient village of Williamsburgh. Two years after, in 1799, he removed to Dansville, and settled at the foot of the east hill, at the head of l'erine street, which derives its name from him. He took up three sections and sold out at a small advance all but about 150 acres, which has since been known as the Perine tract. The house standing on Health street, facing Perine street, was the Perine homestead. It is now owned by the heirs of his grand-daughter, the late Mrs. Charles S. Hall, who died four years ago. Mr. Perine was a farmer by occupation, and continued to reside there till his death in 18.47, at the advanced age of 93 years. He had ten children, only one of whom
162
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
is left-Peter Perine, of Dansville, who is 81 years old. He is a native of Dansville, and is believed to be the oldest native resident of the town. He is the father of Dr. Francis M. Perine, of Dansville. William Perine's children mostly settled in this locality, but many of them subsequently scattered over the Western States. His sons William and Robert continued to reside in the vicinity till their death, the former for a time in Dansville, Steuben county, and the latter in West Sparta. Mrs. Rob- ert Thompson, of Dansville was a daughter of his. The family evinced remarkable longevity, all the children living to be from 75 to 85 years old, except one, who died of pneumonia at the age of 40.
Jonathan Rowley was an early landlord in Dans- ville. He erected for a tavern the first brick house in the village,* and died here childless July 22, 1833, aged 60.
Col. Nathaniel Rochester, though not as early a settler as many, was a prominent character during the short period of his stay here and gave a great impulse to the commercial and manufacturing interests of the village. As early as 1800, he, in company with Charles Carroll and Col. William Fitzhugh, all of Hagerstown, Maryland, visited this country in quest of an eligible town site contiguous to a water power. Rochester took up his residence in Dansville in 1809, and purchased a large tract of land, embracing most of the water power within the village, including the mills built by Daniel Sholl for the Pultney estate. He added to the other mills a paper mill, which was the pioneer of its kind in Western New York. In 1814 he disposed of his property in Dansville, in part to Rev. Chris- tian Endress, of Easton, Penn., and in part to Jacob Opp, from the same place. Mr. Endress resided in Dansville but a year, when he returned and resumed charge of a German Lutheran church at Easton ; but two of his sons, Judge Isaac L. and Dr. Samuel L. Endress, were for many years dis- tinguished residents of Dansville. He sold his Dansville property, a tract of land and the paper- mill, to Dr. James Faulkner. He died in Lan- caster, Penn., in 1827. Jacob Opp's purchase, which embraced the present Readshaw mill and site, was made in January, 1814, and in May of that year he moved his family here from Easton. Ile con- tinued his interest in the mill property till about 1840, and died in Dansville in 1847, aged 844 years. Henry B. Opp is the only one of his family left here.
This town was for some years the place of resi- dence of Major Moses Van Campen, a character whose eventful life, replete with daring enterprises and thrilling adventures, has made his name familiar in all this section of country, and associated him with such notorious frontiersmen as Daniel Boone, Simon Girty, Lew Wetzel, Kenton, Timothy or "Big Foot" Murphy and others of that ilk. During his residence here he lived in the house now oc- cupied by John Schubmehl, which was removed from the site of the Star blacksmith shop on Ossian street ; and here he buried his second wife, Mary, the widow of Jonathan Stout, who died March 8, 1845, aged 78. A narrative of the life of this remarkable man was published in 1842, and from it the following facts were mainly condensed.
Moses Van Campen was the oldest of ten chil- dren, whose father was Cornelius Van Campen, a respectable farmer of Hunterdon county, N. J., where Moses was born Jan. 21, 1757. His mother, whose name was Depue, was descended from a family of French Protestants, who fled from re- ligious persecution at home to find refuge in the State of Pennsylvania, to which State his father moved soon after Moses' birth, to land purchased on the Delaware, a little above the famous Water Gap, whose charming scenery has since filled with admiration numberless travelers. He early be- came expert in the use of the rifle; and by his father's removal in 1773, to a tract of land on Fish- ing creek, eight miles above its mouth, he was brought in contact with the Indians, who came from the waters of the Genesee, and hunted for weeks at a time in this region, which abounded with deer, wild turkey and other game. He thus acquired a familiarity with Indian character, and an experience which fitted him for the distinguished services rendered in the impending struggle of the Revolution.
In 1776, Van Campen was appointed ensign in a regiment raised in Northumberland county, de- signed to join the Continental army under Wash- ington, who was then stationed in the vicinity of Boston, but he was prevailed on to resign his com- mission and remain on the frontier, where it was thought his services could be more advantageously used. He accordingly joined the regiment of Col. John Kelly, which was ordered up the river to Reid's Fort, opposite Big Island, from which point scouting parties were sent out to gain information of the movements of the Indians. In 1778 he was appointed Lieutenant of a company of six months' men raised for the protection of the frontier. With
* Pioneer History of l'helps and Gorham's Purchase, 360.
163
NORTH DANSVILLE-MOSES VAN CAMPEN.
twenty men he went up the north branch of the Susquehanna and erected a fort, to which the peo- ple might fly in case of danger; and scarcely was it finished before it was attacked, but the defense was so effectual that the Indians were compelled to retire. A month later, in May, the attack was re- newed. Van Campen shot the leader and the assailants retired in a panic. Various exciting events occurred during the year, among which was the capture of a band of lurking tories in a bar- ricaded log house, by Van Campen and five men.
In 1779, Van Campen was assigned to the army under Gen. Sullivan, and during the preparations of that officer for the campaign which was so im- portant in its results in this section of country, he was arduously engaged in the capacity of Quarter- master in the collection and distribution of military stores.
In 1780, Van Campen was taken prisoner by a party of Indians who invaded the vicinity of his old home on Fishing creek, and killed his father, a little brother, an uncle and cousin. He was bound, and by assuming an indifference he did not feel, caused the savages to desist tormenting him. He was soon after joined by another captive named Pike, whose wife and child was spared and reported the news at Wyoming on the 30th of March. On the journey they passed a spot where five Indians had been killed by two captives named Hammond and Bennett, the former of whom was an uncle of Amariah and Lazarus Hammond, early settlers in this town. They were afterwards joined by another captive named Peter Pence. Van Campen and his fellow-prisoners concerted a plan of escape, the origin and execution of which, mainly, were due to the former. It was arranged that Pike and Van Campen should use tomahawks, and Pence such guns as he was able to seize. About midnight, Van Campen cut the cords which bound himself and companions with a knife drop- ped by one of the savages, and which he had dex- terously concealed with his foot. The guns and other weapons were removed. Just as they were ready to strike, two of the savages assigned to Pike to dispatch awoke, and were getting up. Pike proved a coward ; but at this critical juncture Van Campen killed these two, and turning to the three assigned to him killed them before they were aroused. Just then Pence used the rifles with good effect, killing four. The only remaining one started up with a bound and went for a gun. Van Campen pursued and intercepted him, striking him in the back of the neck with a tomahawk, aimed at
his head. The Indian fell, and Van Campen slipped and fell also. The two clinched and strug- gled for the mastery, till Van Campen, while under the Indian, succeeded in getting his toes in the latter's belt, and threw him off. They rose togeth- er, and the Indian escaped by taking to the woods.
Years after Van Campen was visited by this same Indian, whose name was Mohawk, and who exhibited the scar from the ugly wound inflicted on his neck.
In 1781, Van Campen was again made a Lieu- tenant, and in the fall his company was sent in con- junction with other troops to guard prisoners at Reading. In the spring of 1782, he returned with his company to Northumberland, and from thence marched to Muncy, where he built a fort. While on a scout up the river with twenty men, he was surprised by a Tory, named Nellis, at the head of eighty-five Indians. A desperate fight ensued, in which nine of Van Campen's men were killed. Three escaped and the rest were made prisoners. These, Van Campen among the number, after a consultation among the Indians, in which it was decided that enough blood had been shed, were taken to Caneadea, on the Genesee, to the old council-house which now adorns the grounds of Hon. Wm. P. Letchworth, at Glen Iris, at the upper falls of the Genesee. Van Campen was deeply solicitous lest it should be discovered that he was the one who had killed so many when pre- viously captured. At Pigeon Woods, on the upper Genesee, he was for the first time accosted by Capt. Horatio Jones, who, himself a prisoner, quietly informed him that he and another, a Dutch- man named Housen, were the only ones who knew of his former exploit, and doubtless saved Van Campen's life by a timely admonition to Housen.
At Caneadea, the captives were compelled to run the gauntlet, a common mode of Indian pun- ishment, and one which sealed the fate of many a weary captive. The distance to be run was forty yards ; the goal of safety, the door of the council- house : but to reach it they had to pass between two lines of men, women and children, armed with knives, hatchets, sticks, stones, or any other con- venient offensive weapon, each of whom was at liberty to strike as often and severely as he or she pleased until the goal was reached, when all fur- ther demonstration ceased until the chiefs in coun- cil decided on the ultimate fate of the captive; and so highly was personal valor and bravery esteemed in a foe by these untutored savages, that the man- ner in which the prisoner bore himself during this
164
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
ordeal often affected the final judgment as to his fate.
Just before the word was given, Van Campen saw two young squaws with whips in their hands coming leisurely from the village to join in the sport. He was as active in mind as in body, and at once decided to make them the objects of his especial interest. When the word "joggo" was given he directed his course toward them, avoid- ing as best he could the blows aimed at him by the motley assailants. He passed swiftly over the in- tervening distance, though his hands were tied, and just before he reached the two who awaited with upraised whips, he gave a quick spring, and by two well-directed blows with his feet, sent them sprawling on the sod, himself falling with them. Regaining his feet, he again started for the goal, which he reached in safety. This piece of strategy, skillfully executed, so delighted the chiefs, that they rolled upon the ground convulsed with laughter ; it won for Van Campen a light judgment.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.