History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 60

Author: Smith, James Hadden. [from old catalog]; Cale, Hume H., [from old catalog] joint author; Mason, D., and company, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 744

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 60

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Allen procured a boat-load of goods in Philadel- phia and bartered them with the Indians for gin- seng and furs, being at the same time engaged in agricultural pursuits. The old Indian council tree, under which he exposed his first stock of goods, was blown down during the storm of Saturday, June 9, 1866. It measured twenty-three feet in circumference. After harvesting his crops he re- moved to the locality of Scottsville, near the mouth of Oatka or Allen's creek, which derived the latter name from him. He soon after removed to the falls of the Genesee, on the site of the city of Rochester, and built there, in 1789, a saw and grist-mill, receiving in consideration therefor from Messrs. Phelps and Gorham, what is known as the Hundred Acre Tract, including the mill site and a part of the site of Rochester. In 1792, he dis- posed of his interest in this property and returned to Mt. Morris. His long log cabin "which," says Rev. Darwin Chichester, “combined a store, a tavern and a harem," (for Allen had several wives of vari- ous colors,) stood near the site of the residence of the late Judge George Hastings. He also com- bined trading with agriculture.

288

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

"Ebenezer Allen," says the author just quoted, "was a bad man. He had courage, talent and energy ; was remarkable for accomplishing his ends ; knew how to please, and had great influence over the Indians; but he was guilty of many crimes. His hands were stained with the blood of the in- nocent." According to Mary Jemison, the history of whose life contains a chapter devoted to him, he was a monster of iniquity, capable of dragging an infant from the breast of its mother and dashing out its brains before her agonized eyes. In 1797. "as white settlements increased," says Mr. Chi- chester, "he fled from those whose vengeance he had provoked" to Canada, and died at Grand River in 1814.

In 1791, at his solicitation, the Senecas deeded to Allen the Mt. Morris Tract,* for the reasons set forth in the instrument in the following lan- guage :-

" Whereas, Kyendanent, our Seneca squaw, Sal- ly, has two daughters born of her body by our brother Jenushshio, named in English, Ebeneezer Allan. The names of said daughters being, in English, Mary Allan and Chloe Allan. The daugh- ters here mentioned are to be sent to school and instructed in reading, writing, sewing and other useful arts, according to the customs of white peo- ple. Sally, the mother, to have a comfortable maintenance during her natural life, or as long as she remains unjoined to any other man."

The deed is signed by the Sachems of the Sen- eca nation, and by Timothy Pickering, U. S. Com- missioner. It is witnessed by Horatio Jones, Jos. Parish, Oliver Phelps and Ebenezer Bowman.

Within a reasonable time Allen commenced to execute his trust. He sent his daughters to school in Philadelphia, where they remained about two years. In 1793 Allen sold this tract, for a nominal sum paid in goods, to Robert Morris, whose ac- quaintance he made during his frequent visits to Philadelphia in marketing peltry. It has never been satisfactorily explained how Mr. Morris was induced to make the purchase with no better title than a trust deed, which reverted when the trust was broken, though it has been asserted that Allen by fraudulent practices procured a valid title. Be this as it may, there can be little doubt that Mr. Morris' title was confirmed by the Big Tree treaty, and effectually bars the numerous claims which have been made by persons claiming relationship to Allen, among them the two daughters, one of whom was living till within a few years in Canada.

Robert Morris dying insolvent in 1806, the Bank of North America, holding as collateral security an assignment of the title papers to this tract from Mr. Morris, for loans and advances made to him, caused it to be surveyed the same year, Stephen Rogers. a familiar name to the early settlers, as surveyor.

In 1807 the Bank of- North America sold an eighth interest in the Mt. Morris Tract to each of the following persons, retaining an eighth interest itself: John R. Murray, (grandfather of John R. Murray, of Mt. Morris,) merchant, of New York city, and Harriet, his wife, William Ogden, mer- chant, of New York city, and Susan, his wife, John Tremball, James Wadsworth and Naomi Wads- worth, his wife. In 1810 they made a partition of that part of the tract which lies south and east of the river, excepting the public square in Mt. Mor- ris village, which lies nearly in the geographical centre of the tract, and a certain lot and mill seat which were held in common, Peter J. Monroe, Esq., acting in behalf of the bank. It was laid out into lots numbered from 1 to 241 inclusive, and subdivided into eight parts for distribution.

Mark Hopkins was the first land agent for the Mt. Morris Tract, acting for Messrs. Murray, Og- den and Rogers,* the latter having purchased an interest therein. He came to Mt. Morris in the summer of ISU, in company with his father, Sam- uel Hopkins, Deacon Jesse Stanley and his two sons, Oliver and Leman. His father, who was born in Waterbury, Conn., in 1748, died March 19, 1818, aged 69, and was buried in the old cemetery in the village of Mt. Morris. " He was an honor- able, high-minded, worthy Christian man, and a gentleman of the olen school." His wife died in Geneseo, Sept. 19, 1811, aged 58. On her ar- rival in Geneseo her husband lay very sick in that village with the Genesee fever, but recovered. She contracted the same disease and perished through her efforts to save her husband. Mark Hopkins relinquished his land agency in 1817, and removed to Strong Bridge, Huron county, Ohio. He subse- quently removed to Chillicothe in that State, where he died in 1831, aged 53 years, "honored and re- spected for his high sense of honor, strict integrity and social qualities."

The next settler in Mt. Morris, (with the excep- tion of a dissolute mason named Clark Cleveland,) and the first permanent white settler, was William A. Mills, son of Rev. Samuel J. Mills, the pioneer

* This tract is also known as the "Indian Allen Tract." the " Four Miles Square Tract," and the "T'en Thousand Acre Tract." For the history here given of it we are indebted to the versatile pen of Corn Plant- er, (Dr. M. H. Mills, of Mt. Morris).

* In 1810 Benjamin W. Rogers and Samuel Miles Hopkins, both of New York city, purchased jointly the interest of the Bank of North America in the Mt. Morris Tract.

LITTLE

JOHN SMITH,

John Smith, the subject of this sketch was born in Maryland, in the year 1794, and removed with his parents to Cayuga county about 1801.

In the year 1823, he was married to Harriet, daughter of Othniel Allen, of Saratoga county. Being energetic, and having a strong constitution, he resolved to leave the fertile lands of Cayuga and seek a fortune elsewhere. To this end he removed westward, about eighty miles, to Mt. Morris, Livingston county, and there purchased an "article" of a hundred acres of almost wild land. Having used all of his money in the pur- chase, his situation here was not very flattering; but being strong of limb and possessing a brave heart, he very soon built for himself a comfortable home. Here he resided about fifty years, be- coming quite an extensive land holder. He died June 4, 1872.

He was noted throughout life for his energy and perseverance in business, and for the strictest hon- esty and integrity in all of his dealings with man. The poor always found in him their friend, helper and advisor.

He was a good husband and a kind, indulgent parent. He was the father of the following eight children :- Angeline B., Harrison W., Kate M., Sarah M., Susie A., Lida I., Frances Adelia and Emma Amelia, the last two of whom are twins. Only four of these children are now living, viz :- Harrison W., a prominent attorney in the village of Castile, Wyoming county, and Susie, Lida and Emma, residing in Mt. Morris.

Mrs. Smith, wife of John, died September 12, 1851. She was a noble example of a Christian mother, beloved by all, and her death was lament- ed by all that knew her.

280

MOUNT MORRIS-EARLY SETTLERS.

preacher of the Genesee Valley, who came in 1793. Rev. Samuel J. Mills was a Baptist clergyman, and preached during the summer in a large barn erected by Col. Williamson, at Williamsburgh, and in the winter in private houses. He also conducted the first religious services held in Mt. Morris. His sons, Samuel, Jr., Alexander, Lewis, Philo and William A., all men grown, resided with him, and afterwards settled in this vicinity.

William A. Mills was born at Patterson, Putnam county, N. Y., May 27, 1777, and in 1794, at the early age of seventeen, without means, he took up his abode at Mt. Morris, then known as Allen's Hill. He built and kept bachelor's hall in a small cabin which stood near the residence of the late David A. Miller, upon the sightly eminence over- looking the beautiful river valley and the noble flats, portions of which he rented on easy terms and cultivated in common with the Indians, whose language he soon acquired. He gradually won the respect and confidence of his dusky neigh- bors, whose counselor he afterwards became in their dealings with the white settlers, and an arbi- trator in controversies among themselves. They bestowed on him the name of Sanungewah, mean- ing "big kettle," and indicating the generous hos- pitality dispensed at his home, which they fre- quented in after years.

In March, 1803, Wm. A. Mills married Susan- nah H., daughter of Jonathan and Lodema Harris, of Connecticut, and brought her on horseback from her home at Tioga Point, Pa. She was an estima- ble woman and endeared herself to the community by her excellent social qualities and great benevo- lence. She died April 26, 1840, aged fifty-eight years.

Their youngest son, Dr. Myron H. Mills, who, after an absence of some years in the West, has returned to the parental homestead, is a worthy representative of this highly respected family. For a more extended mention of the Mills family we would refer to the close of this chapter.

But very few additions were made to the settle- ments in Mt. Morris during the first ten or fifteen years after Gen. Mills located in the town. Many, indeed, came and located here, but were soon driven away by the fever and ague, which was then fearfully prevalent.

Among the early settlers who located in the town prior to 1810, were Benedict Satterlee, Isaac Bald- win, Squire Solomon, Grice Holland, Jonathan Harris, Chappel, Eaton, Wilson, Adam Holtslander, Ganon, Erwin, Manier, Simeon Kittle, William

Haskell, Isaac Powell, Gifford Simmons, Col. Damon and the McNairs.

William McNair came from Northumberland county, Pa., in 1798, and after stopping for a few months at Williamsburgh, removed thence to Son- yea, in this town. He drove from Pennsylvania thirty head of cattle, being assisted by his son, James H. McNair, who was born in Northumber- land county and was then ten years old. On arriving at Mt. Morris they found there Gen. Wm. A. Mills, Louis Mills, Jonathan Harris, David Marsh, Grice Holland, Adam Holtslander, and two others named Fuller and Sanford. In plowing on the farm in Sonyea they found gun barrels, hatchets and other articles. James H. McNair was in many respects a model man, a pattern of industry, and of incorruptible integrity. He was highly esteemed for his kindness of heart and generous impulses. He died January 8, 1874. He was a brother to Robert and Andrew McNair, of Groveland, in company with whom, for many years, he carted wheat to Rochester with ox teams, frequently re- ceiving only thirty cents per bushel. Robert, who was born in Allentownship, Pa., May 28, 1793, died at Groveland, June 26, 1863. They were brothers to Mrs. McCurdy, of Dansville.

Adam Holtslander, the famous rail-splitter, was born in Goshen, Orange county, in 1783, and re- moved to Mt. Morris in 1799. In 1808 he mar- ried Betsey Sash, who came to Mt. Morris with her father's family in 1802, at the age of fifteen years. They lived, until their removal to Michigan in 1849, in a log house which stood on the high ground a mile to the west of the village, and for many years isolated from other settlers. Mr. Holtslander was one of the few residents of this town who volunteered his services and went to the frontier in 1812 ; but the threatened danger being over he returned to his home after an absence of only a few days. He was a tall man, standing six feet and four inches in his stocking feet, and very straight, with a muscular and bony frame, strikingly marked features, and a good constitution, rendered more hardy by pioneer life and the primitive man- ner of living in those early days. He furnished the rails to fence a large share of the original improve- ments in this locality. He helped to build the first dam across the Genesee to divert its waters to the village ; also the mill-race, which completed that enterprise. He raised a large family, most of whom reside in Michigan, and died in Mt. Morris in that State, (named by his and other families who re- moved there from this town,) February 27, 1872.

290

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

His wife died at the same place November 28, 1877, in her ninetieth year.

Deacon Jesse Stanley, Oliver Stanley, Luman Stanley, Deacon Jonathan Beach, the father of nine sons and two daughters, Oliver Beach, Martin Beach, Elisha Parmelee, Dr. Abraham Camp, Rus- sell Sheldon, Isaac Seymour. Sterling Case and Mr. Coe, each the head of a family, came about 1811, from Goshen, Conn., bringing with them the New England habits of thrift and religious worship. They gave an impulse to religious influences which culminated in 1814 in the formation of the Presby- terian church of Mt. Morris. They gave a tone to society, in a religious point of view, the influences of which are still felt in the community. There were other persons of a similar character from Ver- mont, such as Luther and Russel Parker, with their families, who came about the same period.

Jesse Stanley, "than whom," says Rev. Mr. l'ar- sons, "there was perhaps no other one so influen- tial in laying the foundations of religious institu- tions in this place," came in 181r, and erected the first frame house in the village of Mt. Morris, and subsequently the present residence of Norman A. Seymour, in front of which it stood. This first house was removed and a part of it is now to be found on Murray street, just east of the residence of the late Philo Thompson. One of the principal streets in the village bears his name. He died June 24, 1845, aged eighty-seven years. He had three wives-Eunice, who died January 26, 1813, aged 57; Sarah, who died September 22, 1821, aged 64; and Mary, who died January 14, 1840, aged 73. Luman and Oliver were sons of his. The former died Oct. 14, 1839, aged 60, and the latter, Oct. 24, 1851, aged 74.

Russell Sheldon died about 1850; and Sterling Case, April 4, 1846, aged 78.

Between 1811 and 1820 came the families of Enos Baldwin, Sr. and Jr., Daniel and Amos Bald- win, each of whom was the head of a family, Ben- jamin and William Begole, Joseph Cowding, Aaron Adams, Adam and David A. Miller, Adino Bailey, Riley Scoville, J. Miller, Sr. and Jr., Allen, Orrin and Horace Miller, each the head of a family, Samuel Learned, Chester Foote, David Sanger, Horatio Read, Phineas Lake, Samuel Rankins, James B. Mower, John Brown, John C. Jones, William Lemmon, Asa Woodford, David H. Pear- son, Richard W. Gates, Eli Lake, Dr. Charles Bingham, Joseph Thompson, Vincent Cothrell, the Whitings, Starkweathers, Pratts and others.

"From 1820 to 1835," says Dr. Mills, in an ad-

dress delivered at the farmers' pie-nie held in Begole's woods, Sept. 2, 1876, "came the list of farmers and their descendants, who to-day are the bone and sinew of the town of Mt. Morris, paying a large share of the burden of taxation and who are on this occasion assembled, under the guidance and direction of the officers of your association, and especially your venerable and esteemed Presi- dent, Mr. Jacob Chilson, who, commeneing life as a farmer bare-handed in this town when a young man, nearly a half a century ago, has by industry, prudence, economy * * * and upright deal- ing acquired a competeney, and still retains through all these long years, the confidence and respect of his neighbors and all who know him."

Mr. Chilson was a native of Cayuga county, and came to Mt. Morris in 1829, but disliking the ap- pearanee of things, he returned to his former home. Two years later, however, he had overcome his re- pugnance, and in the spring of 1832 brought in his family, consisting of his wife and one child a few months old. "At that time the town presented the appearance of an unbroken wilderness, except the Genesee flats, there being but few pieces of the up- land cleared and cultivated." There was a cordu- roy wagon road from the Ridge to Brooks Grove, but the land was heavily timbered, level and wet ; also one from the foot of the mill-hill well out on the flats. There was a warehouse on Canaseraga creek to receive grain and flour for shipment by boat down the creek into the river, and thenee down to Rochester. Mr. Chilson, though a black- smith by trade, followed the business of farming. He died in 1879, aged 76 years.

The first town meeting was held the first Tues. day in April, 1819, and the following named officers were elected : - William A. Mills, Super- visor ; Horatio Read, Clerk ; Allen Ayrault, Jesse Stanley, Aaron Adams, Assessors ; Allen Ayrault + and Oliver Stanley, Overseers of the Poor; Samuel Learned, Phineas Lake, Samuel Rankins, Com- missioners of Highways; Horatio Read, Aaron Adams, James B. Mower, Commissioners of Com- mon Schools; John Brown, Constable and Col- lector ; Phineas Lake, . Amos Baldwin, Wm. A. Mills, James H. McNair, Aaron Adams, John C. Jones, William Lemmon, Fence Viewers; Ebe- nezer Damon, Dist. No. 1, Asa Woodford, Dist. No. 2, John Sanford, Dist. No. 3, David H. Pear- son, Dist. No. 4, Sterling Case, Dist. No. 5, Road Masters ; Abraham Camp, James H. McNair,

* James Coe was elected Overseer of the Poor, September 25, 1819, in place of Allen Ayrault removed.

291

MOUNT MORRIS-TOWN OFFICERS.

Richard W. Gates, Eli Lake, Inspectors of Com- mon Schools; Enos Baldwin, Poundkeeper.

Among the legislative enactments at that meet- ing, in addition to the imposition of certain re- strictions on the running at large of cattle, etc., was one which evinced the careful husbandry which has since characterized the farming opera- tions in that town. It provided that no person should knowingly suffer Canada thistles to go to seed on his premises under a penalty of five dollars. It was also voted to raise twenty-five dollars for the support of the poor ;* and "money sufficient to obtain the public school from the State."

At the annual election held April 27, 28 and 29, 1819, the following votes were cast, and serve to indicate the political character of the population t of the town at that time :-

For Gideon Granger, for Senator 33

" Lyman Paine, 66

" Robert Mckay, Assemblyman 76

" Gideon T. Jenkins, " 78 66

" Joseph Sibley,

" Fitch Chipman, 66

The following have been the Supervisors and Clerks of Mt. Morris, from 1819 to 1880 :--

Supervisors.

Town Clerks.

1819. William A. Mills. Horatio Reed.

1820.

David A. Miller.

1821.

do Phineas Lake.

1822.

do Eli Lake.

1823. David A. Miller. do

1824-6. William A. Mills.

Reuben Sleeper.

1827.

Othneil Allen.

1828

Riley Scoville. do

1829.

William A. Mills. do

1830-1. 1832-3.

George Hastings.

-1834-6. Riley Scoville.

James H. Rogers.

1837.

Orrin D. Lake.

Reuben P. Wisner.

1838.

James H. Rogers.

259

1839.

do George H. Elliott.

1840-1. 18.42. Alfred Hubbard. do

1843. do

Hugh Harding.

Number of acres of improved land 16,179}

of neat cattle

2,841

of horses

1,100

of sheep

5,833

66 of hogs 3,548

66 of yards of fulled cloth manuf'd. 5,862₺

66 of 6 flannel

5,985

of linen, cotton, etc., “ 4,428 2

Grist Mills,

value of raw material $ 4,878

manufactured articles 60, 115

Saw Mills

value of raw material 3,350

manufactured articles. 6,800

* The number of paupers from Mt. Morris remaining in the county house, November 1, 1879, was 23, a larger number than from any other town in the county ; while the amount expended for the temporary relief of indigent persons in this town during the year ending October 31, 1879, was $132.53.

t The population of the town in 1821, three years after its formation, was "1002 : 267 farmers, 35 mechanics, 1 slave ; taxable property, $232,754 : 6 schools, 8 months in 12 ; $129.37 ; 304 : 322 ; 153 electors, 2, 500 acres improved land, 882 cattle, 98 horses, 981 sheep ; 4,443 yards cloth : I grist-mill, 1 fulling mill, 1 carding machine, 5 distilleries, 3 asheries."-Spafford's Gazetteer, 1824.

1853-60. Jared P. Dodge. Hugh Harding.

1861-5. Abraham Wigg. do

1866-70. McNeil Seymour. do

1871. John Simerson. do

1872-4. Thomas J. Gamble. do

1875-6. do Charles Harding.

1877. Orrin D. Lake. Carlos A. Miller.

1878. George W. Phelps. Hugh Harding.

1879-80. Hugh Harding .* do

The following officers were elected April 5, 1881 :- Supervisor, Thomas J. Gamble; Town Clerk, Charles J. Perry; Justice of the Peace, James L. Skillman; Highway Commissioner, Amos O. Dalrymple ; Assessor, William Petrie ; Overseers of Poor, John Olp, Frederick Lehman; Collector, Paul R. Kingston ; Constables, Cor- nelius O'Leary, James Gamble, James Patten, Michael Powers, Richard Dunning; Game Con- stable, Nicholas Myers; Excise Commissioner, Archibald McCarthur ; Inspectors of Election, District No. 1, Clinton Sutphen, Thomas McNam- ara; District No. 2, John L. Gamble, Deloss Williams; District No. 3, Edward M. Petrie, Barkley Miller.

The following census of Mt. Morris taken in July, 1835, by Levi L. Totten, is of interest, as showing the rapid increase in the population of the town and the development of its varied in- dustries :-

Whole number of families in town. 598

Males 1797

Females 1702

3,499

Persons subject to military duty

362

66 qualified to vote at election . 740

Aliens not naturalized . 27 2

Persons of color not taxed.

Married females under the age of 45 yrs. Unmarried females between 16 and 45 . . 66 under 16 ..

830

Marriages occurring within the last year. 143 Births-Males 72, Females 71, Total .. . Deaths-Males 22, Females 27, Total .. 49

1844. Orrin D. Lake. do

1845.

Lucius C. Bingham.

1846. Geo. T. Olyphant. do

1847-8. do

James T. Norton

1849. Jesse Peterson.

1850-2. do

Hugh Harding.

C. Hangerford.

Lucius C. Bingham.

Abner Dean.

485

* In 1879, Myron H. Mills and George W. Phelps each received 397 votes. The Board of Canvassers appointed Hugh Harding.

292

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Fulling Mills. 3

value of raw material. 9,000

manufactured articles 11,750

Carding Machines, . . 3

value of raw material .

6,875

manufactured articles 7,867

Distilleries . .

value of raw material . 1,000

manufactured articles

1,400

Asheries, .

value of raw material. 1,050

manufactured articles

1,860

Tanneries .

value of raw material. 2,600

manufactured articles

4,700

Blind persons, 1 ; deaf and dumb persons. 1; idiots, 5 ; lunatics, 1 ; paupers, o.

"On the bank of the river in this town an ancient mound or barrow was discovered and opened in 1845, in which were some human skele- tons in a very decayed state, with some stone arrowheads, stone knife and cleaver, and a copper skewer about the size of a pipe shank, flattened at one end and slightly twisted. The knife was of a fine, hard stone of the thickness of a quire of paper with sharpened edges. The cleaver was of slate. The articles were of the rudest workmanship."*

These relics and others which have been met with in the town are doubtless referable to the Indians, who had a considerable town near the village of Mt. Morris, and resided in this vicinity for many years after the white settlers came in, and. in considerable numbers. Their principal chief was Tall Chief, a fine specimen of his race, physi- cally and otherwise.

MOUNT MORRIS.

Mount Morris, generally known to the Indians, even to the present day, as Sanungewage, from Sanungewah, a name given by them to Gen. Wil- liam A. Mills, is beautifully situated in the north part of the town, on the margin of the high terrace which overlooks the broad, fertile flats bordering the river and its confluent streams, and is the southern terminus of the Avon, Geneseo and Mt. Morris Railroad, the northern terminus of the Erie and Genesee Valley Railroad to Dansville, and on the line of the proposed Rochester, Nunda and Pennsylvania Railroad. The abandoned Gen- esee Valley canal extends through the northeast portion of the village, which, when in operation, connected with the Erie at Rochester, thirty-eight and one half miles distant. It is distant six miles southwest of Geneseo, the county seat. Its streets are regular, handsomely shaded, and lighted with oil, and being based on a sandy soil are generally

* Gazetteer of New York, Thomas F. Gordon, 1836.

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History of Livingston County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 60

Author: Smith, James Hadden. [from old catalog]; Cale, Hume H., [from old catalog] joint author; Mason, D., and company, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co. Number of Pages: 744

Author: Smith, James Hadden. [from old catalog]; Cale, Hume H., [from old catalog] joint author; Mason, D., and company, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 744