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 90
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Just before he breathed his last, when asked by his eldest son if he had any fear, he replied, "O, no; my trust is in Jesus." Thus fearlessly and peacefully, on a quiet Sabbath afternoon, sur- rounded by all of his family, save one, the aged christian passed away from toil to triumph.
Mrs. Warren who still survives her husband, is now in her eightieth year, and retains her mental powers to a remarkable degree.
It is through the liberality of the sons, Josiah and H. P. Warren, that this portrait and sketch of their father are inserted in the pages of this work, a tribute to his memory.
DAVID DONNAN.
David Donnan, one of the representative farmers of Livingston county during more than half a century, was born in Amsterdam, Montgomery county, N. Y., Dec. 3, 18og. His father, Alexan- der Donnan, was a native of Galowayshire, Scot- land, and came to America the year after the in- dependence of our nation was declared. He set- tled in Amsterdam and there bought the farm on which the remainder of his days were spent.
David remained at home with his parents until twenty-one years of age, assisting his father in the
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SAMUEL WARREN.
Photo, by Merrell, Genesev.
SENATOR BLAKESLEE.
Photo la Merrell, Geneseo.
DAVID DONNAN.
425
DAVID DONNAN-SENATOR BLAKESLEE.
arduous duties of farming and acquiring such an education as he could obtain from the district schools of that day. Wishing to engage in business for himself, and having what seemed to him great wealth, he determined to visit the then famous Genesee country.
Being pleased with the prospect which there presented itself, he purchased a farm of one hun- dred and twelve acres, and settled in the town of Leicester. Here he began to build for himself that high reputation as a farmer which he now holds, and from that time onward, has ever shown him- self competent to secure the end he had in view, and worthy the praise accorded him.
He has added to his first purchase from time to time until now he is the owner of six hundred acres of the finest farming land in Leicester or York, which lies in part of both towns and is all in one body.
Mr. Donnan was married to Jane Milroy, daugh- ter of James and Mary Milroy, who were natives of Galowayshire, Scotland, and who settled in York at an early day. To Mr. and Mrs. Donnan have been born two children :- John A., who married Agnes Shannon, of York, now living at home; and Mary E., wife of Alexander McPher- son, of LeRoy, Genesee county, N. Y. Mr. Don- nan and his family are all conscientious adherents to the Presbyterian faith.
In politics Mr. Donnan is a Republican, having joined that party at its formation, and he has always been an ardent supporter of that party's prin- ciples, but has never allowed his name to be used in connection with any office, preferring to let his large farming interests occupy his time.
Mrs. Donnan was, like her husband, an ardent and consistent Christian, and was beloved by all who knew her for her true Christian virtues and kindness of heart. She died June 13, 1857. The husband who was thus deprived of his faithful as- sistant, is still living, in the seventy-second year of his age, and is able to conduct his business affairs with great promptness for one that has passed the alloted time, and he can say, what very few can, that in all of his business transactions through life he has never found it necessary or expedient to sue any person.
SENATOR BLAKESLEE.
Senator Blakeslee was born in Wallingford, New Haven county, Conn., March 25, 1799. His father, Joseph Blakeslee, was a native of Connecticut. He could trace his lineage back to two brothers of English origin, who came to this country in that old "nest-egg of freedom," the Mayflower. His wife, Mary Andrews, was also a native of Connecti- cut. They had six children of whom Senator, the subject of this sketch, was the fourth.
His early life was spent on his father's farm, and he received more of an education than the average
farmer's sons of those days, having attended a select school and an academy. When about twenty- one years of age he taught the school in his native town and district for two terms, receiving a remu- neration of ten dollars per month, and the last term the school consisted of one hundred scholars of whom he had the entire charge, there being no assistant. For six years he was a member of the Wallingford horse artillery of New Haven county, serving as a commissioned officer.
Mr. Blakeslee remained at home, saving from his earnings about one hundred dollars each year, till twenty-six years of age, when he purchased a farm in Litchfield, Conn., and then married Sally Morse of Litchfield. They had six children, four of whom are now living :- Merancy, Lyman, and Joseph, are residing in Kalamazoo, Mich., and Sarah, now Mrs. Dodge of Oswego county, N. Y. Mrs. Blakeslee died after being married about fifteen years.
Mr. Blakeslee continued to work his farm for eleven years, when he sold out and following in the footsteps of many before him, sought a farm in the West, but after spending quite a length of time in looking around he became somewhat discouraged, and decided to return east. He stopped at Chicago, which was then a mere hamlet, five days waiting for a boat and during that time was privileged in hearing the great orator, Daniel Webster, in one of the forts near there.
This was in 1837, and on his way to Connecti- cut he called on some of his acquaintances who used every available means to persuade him to locate in Livingston county, but all in vain. He returned to Wallingford and in the fall of the same year came to York where he purchased a farm of one hundred and fifty acres, and commenced busi- ness on the principle, that a good farm like good stock must be well fed in order to meet the expec- tation of the owner. In a few years he added twenty-five acres to his first purchase, and then five more, making a total of one hundred and eighty acres, all in one body.
In 1840, he was married to Lucy Hull, of Wal- lingford, Conn., by whom he had four children, three of whom are now living, viz :- Lucy, now Mrs. J. L. Dodge of Moscow ; Marietta, now Mrs. Geo. Green of Alder creek, Oneida county, and Henry K. married to Minnie Kellogg, of New Hartford, Oneida county, and residing on the homestead farm, and occupying the same house in which he was born. Mrs. Blakeslee died in 1865, and March 11th, 1866, Mr. Blakeslee was again married to Lucy Kendall his present wife.
Mr. Blakeslee built a beautiful residence with all the modern improvements, opposite the one he occupied so many years. He and his wife are both members of the Baptist Church, Mr. Blakes- lee having united with the same over sixty years ago.
He has been director of the Genesee River bank, the Mt. Morris bank, and is now one of the direc- tors of the Genesee Valley National bank. He is also a life member of the Livingston County Agri-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
cultural Society, having united with that body at its organization.
Mr. Blakeslee, now at the advanced age of eighty- two years is a genial, kind-hearted man, with many friends and respected by all who know him.
WILLIAM CRAIG.
William Craig was born in Dumfriesshire, parish of Hollywood, Scotland, in 1797. His parents were James and Agnes (Reed) Craig. They had eight children, of whom William was the second son.
When nine years of age he began working dur- ing the summer months for the farmers of his native heath, and remaining at home winters and attend- ing the district school. His parents took his earnings till he was nineteen years of age, when he emigrated to this country where he had an uncle in Amsterdam, Montgomery county, N. Y.
Having a great taste for mechanical work he concluded to become a carpenter and joiner, and engaged his services as an apprentice to Ezra Loomis.
In 1821, about the time that he finished his trade, a brother of Mr. Loomis' residing in Roch- ester, engaged him to come there and assist him in erecting the Monroe county jail and a house for the sheriff.
Feb. 14, 1822, Mr. Craig was united in marriage with Jane Stewart, of Amsterdam, and in 1823 came to the town of York and bought the fifty acres of land where he now lives. Here he re- sumed work at his trade, and such was his repu- tation as a builder that he sometimes had fourteen carpenters working at one time under his direc- tions.
He continued this business until 1838, and adding to his fifty acres, till now he is the owner of three hundred and six acres of as good land as the county contains.
He has four children, as follows :- James W., born Nov. 8, 1825, married Sarah J. Butterfield, is now a physician in Churchville, Monroe county, N. Y .; Elizabeth, born Sept. 9, 1827, married William Wilson, of York, and died July 24, 1868 ; Agnes Reid, born in July, 1829, is the wife of John McMartin, of York; and Duncan Stewart, born June 14, 1831, married Elizabeth Walker, of York.
Mr. Craig is a member of the United Presby- terian church of York.
In politics he is a Republican, having joined that party at its formation, and has been Assessor for his town and Highway Commissioner several years. He is now about eighty-four years of age, and can look back upon a life of toil and pleasure intermingled, and feel that thought many years have passed he does not regret them, but placing entire confidence in the Ruler of the Universe, looks cheerfully forward to the future. It is the wish of his many friends and acquaintances that he may yet be spared to them many years to come.
CHAPTER XXIX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AVON.
AV VON the central town upon the north border of the county is bounded upon the north by the town of Rush (Monroe county,) upon the east by Lima, upon the south by Livonia and Geneseo, and upon the west by York and Caledonia. It has an area of 24,891 acres, and contained a popula- tion in 1875 of 3,325.
The surface of the town consists mostly of rolling uplands while a small portion lies on the flats of the Genesee. The soil of the uplands consists mostly of a gravelly loam intermixed in places with clay making valuable wheat land. The assessed value of farm lands in this town is the highest of any in the county, thus sufficiently attesting not only the fertility of the soil but the high state of cultivation that it has been brought under.
The principal streams of the town are the Gene- see river which forms its western boundary and the Conesus outlet which flows through the south- western portions of the town furnishing valuable water power at several places in its course before it loses itself in the Genesee.
Avon was organized under an Act dated Jan. 27, 1789, by the name of Hartford, which was changed to Avon, in 1808. The name of Hartford was derived from that of Hartford, Conn., and the present one was taken from that of a town in Hart- ford county, Conn. It originally comprised the town of Rush, Monroe county, but the latter town was set off in 1818.
Gilbert R. Berry was the first permanent settler, coming in the spring of 1789. Dr. Timothy Hos- mer and Isaiah Thompson were the next settlers, and came in 1790, and were followed very soon by John Ganson, Benjamin, John, Jesse, Joseph and - David Pierson, brothers, Josiah Waters, John Beach, Stephen Rogers, Gad. Wadsworth, Pantry J. Moore, Joseph Rathbone and Gideon Dunham, and later by the Wiards, Bensons, Johnsons, Chap- pells, Chapels, Bonds, Riggs, Hendees, Millers, Demings, Littles, Todds, Pecks, Beckwiths and others mostly from Connecticut .*
The first permanent settler in the town was Gilbert R. Berry, who came in the spring of 1789. He was a prominent character in the town up to the time of his death which occurred in 1797. He was from Albany, and married the daughter of the early Indian trader, Wemple.
* From Address of Hon. A. A. Hendee, of Avon, before the Livingston County Pioneer Association Aug. 15, 1878.
Photo. by Merrell, Geneseo.
WILLIAM CRAIG.
427
AVON -EARLY SETTLERS.
William Rice was at Avon in the same year, and must have settled there soon after Mr. Berry. Morgan and William Desha were upon the " Desha Flats," as early as 1789, claiming under an Indian grant ; but the title failing, they re- moved to Canada. There were there in that year, besides, several heads of families, who are supposed not to have been permanent settlers. The son of the Wm. Rice named above, was the first born upon the Phelps and Gorham Pur- chase. He was named "Oliver Phelps Rice." Judge Phelps gave him an 100 acres of land in Livonia, which he occupied when he became of age.
Gilbert R. Berry being engaged in the Indian trade, located first at Geneva, and in 1789, re- moved to the Genesee river, erected a log-house on the west side of the river, near the present bridge, opened a trade with the Indian village of Canawangus, established a ferry, and entertained the few travelers that passed through on the old Niagara trail. He died in 1796 or 1797, and was succeeded by his widow. The Holland Purchase being opened for settlement soon afterwards, the " Widow Berry's " tavern was widely known in all early years west of the river ; and beside furnish- ing a comfortable resting place for early pioneers in her primitive tavern, some of the best wives and mothers of the Genesee country were reared and fitted for the duties of life. Her daughters be- came the wives of George Hosmer, Esq., of Avon, E. Clark Hickox, the early merchant of Batavia and Buffalo, John Mastick, Esq., the pioneer lawyer of Rochester, and George A. Tiffany, whose father was one of the early printers of Can- andaigua.
In 1795 the Duke de Liancourt, a French noble- man who visited this county in that year says: "At Canawangus, though there were but few in- habitants, I found one of the best inns I have seen for some time past. It was kept by a good civil man named Gilbert R. Berry.
Capt. John Ganson was the pioneer settler fol- lowing Mr. Berry. Holding a commission in the Revolutionary war, he had accompanied the ex- pedition of Gen. Sullivan. Before the treaty was concluded in 1788, he revisited the country, and selected a fine tract of land on the river, about two miles below Avon. His sons, John and James, passed the winter of 1788-89 in a cabin upon the premises ; and the father and family came on in the fall of 1789. During the following winter they erected a rude " tub-mill" on the small stream 1
that runs into the river on the Markham farm. It was a small log building ; no boards could be had ; the curb was made of hewed plank; the spindle was made by straightening out a section of a cart tire ; the stones were roughly carved out of native rock. There was no bolt, the substitute being hand sieves, made of splints. It was a rude, primitive concern ; but it wouldl mash the corn a little better than a wooden mortar and pestle, and was quite an acquisition to the country. It pre- ceded the Allen mill a few months, and if we shall call it a mill, it was the first in the Genesee Valley.
Capt. Ganson had claimed title either under the Indian grant, or under the lessees, which failed, and Col. Wm. Markham became his successor. He resided for several years afterwards four miles east of Avon, on the main road. As early as 1788, about the period of the commencement of surveys upon the Holland Purchase, Capt. Ganson had pushed on to the west side of the river, and purchased the pioneer tavern stand of Charles Wilbur, on the then verge of civilization, one mile east of the present village of LeRoy. In this location he was widely known in early years. His house was the home of early land agents, surveyors, explorers and pioneer settlers. He was both loved and feared by the Indians; they came to him for counsel and advice ; when they became turbulent in their drunken frolics and threatened outrage, he would quell them by his determined will, or with his strong arm.
Township 10, Range 7, (Avon, ) was sold by Mr. Phelps to Wadsworth, Lewis & Co. Those inter- ested in the purchase were :- William Wadsworth, of Farmington, Conn., (a cousin of James and William,) - Wells, of Hartford, Isaiah Thomp- son, Timothy Hosmer, and - - Lewis. The price paid was Is 6d., New England currency per acre ; a high price at the period, in consequence of the large amount of open flats. Dr. Hosmer and Thompson were the only ones of the proprie- tors who became residents. Major Thompson, who had not brought his family, died the first sea- son, of bilious fever. His son Charles afterwards became a resident, and died in Avon many years since.
Dr. Timothy Hosmer was a native of West Hartford, Conn. With a little more than an ordi- nary academical education, he became a student of medicine with Dr. Dickinson, of Middleton. But recently settled in practice in Farmington, at the breaking out of the Revolution, he entered the service of the colonies as a surgeon, in the Con-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
necticut line. Serving in that capacity through the eventful crisis, he retired happy in the recollection of its glorious result, but like most of those who had helped to achieve it, he was poor and penni- less, with a growing family dependent on his pro- fessional services for support. In the army he had acquired a high reputation in his profession, es- pecially for his successful treatment of the small- pox at Danbury, where an army hospital had been established for patients. The discovery of Jenner, having been but recently promulgated in Europe, its efficacy was a mooted question ; with a profes- sional boldness which was characteristic of the man, he espoused the new discovery, and used it with great success.
Personally acquainted with Mr. Phelps, and hearing of his purchase in the Genesee country, partly from a love of adventure and new enterprise, and partly to escape from a large practice, that was requiring too much of constant toil, in 1790, he visited this region in company with Maj. Thomp- son, with whom, for themselves and associates, he made the purchase of a township, spending the summer of 1790 in Avon and erecting a log house, (the first dwelling on the present site of Avon,) where Mr. Merrill's house afterwards stood. His whole family joined him in 1792. Coming into the wilderness, with other objects in view, he was forced by necessity-by the absence of others of his profession, to engage in practice, which he con- tinued until relieved by others.
The Indians early learned to appreciate his pro- fessional skill and personal good offices. They named him " At-ta-gus," the healer of disease. In a period of doubt as to their relations with the new settlers, he helped to reconcile them and avert a threatened danger.
When Ontario was organized he became one of its judges, and succeeded Mr. Phelps as First Judge, which office he held until he was sixty years of age, the constitutional limitation. He possessed nat- urally a fine literary taste; and his well selected library was an anomaly in the backwoods. In his correspondence with Messrs. Wadsworth and Wil- liamson, there are indications of the scholar, the poet, and always of ardent, enlightened patriotism.
Ile died in November, 1815, aged 70 years. Among his sons, most of whom came to the country as junior pioneers, may be mentioned William T .. , and George, of Avon, who in early years occupied a conspicuous position at the bar of Western New Vork, and who was the father of Wm. H. C. Hos- mer, the author of "Yonnondio," "Themes of
Song," and other poems; who is justly entitled to the position that has been awarded him in the front rank of American scholars and poets.
Geo. Hosmer pursued his early studies under the tuition of the Rev. Ebenezer Johnson, of Lima ; in 1799 entered the law office of Hon. Nathaniel W. Howell, as a student; and in 1802 was admit- ted to practice, opening his office in Avon, then the only lawyer west of Canandaigua. In the war of 1812 he was upon the frontier as the aid of Gen. Hall. He died in Chicago in March, 1861.
Timothy, the early and widely known landlord at Avon, afterward resided at the Four Mile creek, near Fort Niagara ; Sylvester, in Caledonia ; Albert in Hartland, Niagara county.
Frederick Hosmer, deceased, was a son of Judge Hosmer. He was the first merchant at Avon.
Colonel William Markham, who had first settled at Bloomfield, moved to Avon in 1790. In Bloom- field he had purchased a hundred acres of land, and paid for it with the proceeds of one acre of potatoes. With the proceeds of that land, he pur- chased and paid for the fine farm on the river, af- terwards owned by his son, Guy Markham, which has rented for $1,000 per year. He died in 1827 or 1828.
Gad Wadsworth was a distant connection of James and William, and came in with them in their primitive advent in 1790, in care, personally, of the stock. James and William having become, by purchase from first hands, land proprietors in Avon, he settled there in 1792, his farm being what was afterward the farms of his son, Henry Wads- worth, and Asa Nowlen, upon which are the Avon springs. He died soon after 1820, aged nearly So years. Another son of his, Richard, inhabited that part of the farm upon which the springs are situated, and sold to Mr. Nowlen. He emigrated to Sandusky.
Major Isaac Smith was the early and widely known landlord, four miles west of the river, com- mencing there as early as 1800. Under his roof, a large proportion of the pioneers west of the river, have found rest and refreshment.
The next landlord at Avon, after Gilbert R. Berry, was Nathan Perry. He built a framed house, north side of the square, on the site occu pied by the dwelling of Mr. Curtiss Hawley. Perry emigrated to the Connecticut Reserve, and was succeeded by Sidney Hosmer, who made additions to the house. In 1806 James Wadsworth built the hotel on the corner, and soon after sold it to Sid- ney and W. T. Hosmer, after which it was long
R ESIDENCE AND STOCK FARM OF F. B.
RSON, AVON, LIVINGSTON COUNTY, N. Y.
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AVON-EARLY SETTLERS.
known as the Hosmer Stand. During the war of 1812, and for many years after, it was kept by Timothy Hosmer.
The first school-house was a log one, erected a little north of the Episcopal church. Judge Hos- mer and the Wadsworths built saw mills on the Conesus as early as 1796. The first meetings were held in the log school-house,-Judge Hosmer usu- ally reading the Episcopal service. Mr. Crane, an Episcopal clergyman, and Rev. Samuel J. Mills, were early itinerant ministers.
Jehiel Kelsey was another of the early pioneers of Avon. In 1798 he brought the first cargo of salt that came from Onondaga by water, and around the portage at Genesee Falls. He paid for each bushel of salt a pound of pork, and sold his salt at $10 per barrel.
In 1805, a library was established at Avon. The trustees were :- A. Sidney Hosmer, Job Pierce, Joshua Lovejoy, Jehiel Kelsey, Elkanah Whitney, James Lawrence, William Markham, George Hos- mer, Stephen Rodgers.
In 1810 "a number of persons being stated hearers of Rev. John F. Bliss, of Avon," met and organized the "Avon Religious Society." Samuel Bliss and Asa Clark presided. Trustees :- John Pierson, George Hosmer, Nathaniel Bancroft, John Brown, Ezekiel Mosely, William Markham.
James Hosmer was a prominent citizen of Avon. He was born in Montville, now New London, Conn., Sept. 13, 1799, and came to Avon with his parents, Graves and Amy Hosmer, in 1801. He resided in the town of Avon continuously from that time until his death, which took place May II, 1880.
His father, Graves Hosmer, enlisted on board of the Continental frigate Trumbull as midshipman, in 1779, when it was lying in the port of New Lon- don. In the spring of 1780, the frigate sailed, and in the month of June fell in with the British ship Wasp. In the conflict that ensued, Mr. Hosmer was in command of eight men in the main-top all of whom were either killed or wounded, with the exception of himself. He only served one year. He was a native of Middletown, Conn.
Charles Kellogg came from Colchester, Conn., in 1810 and settled in the town of Geneseo. His family consisted of nine children, all born in Con- necticut. His daughter Mary was born in Octo- ber, 1800, and in 1818 she moved to the farmn just north of the cemetery at South Avon, where she still resides.
Benjamin Deming was an important addition to
the early pioneers. He located in the neighbor- hood of South Avon about 1806. Major Scott was another early settler in this section of the town and bought a large farm. None of his descend- ants are now here.
Hermann Ladd settled a short distance west of East Avon, as early as 1806, and died there. War- ren Ladd is a son of his. Pantry J. Moore settled upon the hill just east of Avon, previous to 1802. Chandler Pearson was one of the first settlers at East Avon, and was an early merchant there. Job Pierce came to Avon village as early as 1801.
Josiah Waters lived about one mile south of Avon, and settled there as early as 1805. He had located previous to this on a lot three-fourths of a mile east of East Avon, but not liking the land moved in 1805. Mrs. John Hall is a daughter of his. Among his children were Truman and Ed- ward, both dead. Edward Waters his brother, set- tled about one and three-fourths miles east of East Avon, as early as 1805, and died upon the same place. He had a large family all of whom are gone.
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