History of Monroe county, New York with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, Palatial residences, Part 30

Author: McIntosh, W. H. cn; Everts, Ensign, and Everts, Philadelphia, pub
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Ensign and Everts
Number of Pages: 976

USA > New York > Monroe County > History of Monroe county, New York with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, Palatial residences > Part 30

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One of Rochester's benefactors and most reputable and valued citizens was Silas O. Smith. Than be, few were more enterprising or successful. A native of New Marlborough, Massachusetts, he came early in March, 1810, and located at Han- ford's Landing, and saw of Rochester but an old mill in the midst of a cleared half-acre of ground. During the spring of 1813 he built the first store in the settlement then designated Rochesterville. The building was of wood, and was erected on Exchange street next north of the former site of the Rochester bank. During 1814, Smith cleared some four acres of land on which were later built two churches,-the First Presbyterian and St. Luke's,-the court-house. and school-house No. 1. This land was sowed in wheat whose harvesting was done by squirrels, raccoons, and other denizens of the forest, who took the crop for payment. Ere December of 1817, this land, destined to different use than tillage, was mainly covered with buildings, and the liberality of the proprietor found ample repayment. Mr. Smith lived to witness the origin and growth of a great city, and in later years withdrew from active life, and died in 1863. A son, L. Ward Smith, was member of Assembly from Mourne and acting adjutant-gen- eral of the State. Other sons were George H. and E. Meigs, and a daughter was the wife of Samuel Stevens, of Albany.

Matthew Mead, of Connecticut, arrived within the limits of Rochester on October 21, 1813. He came with Mr. Stoddard, a blacksmith, as his apprentice. The young man walked the entire distance, and with his ward occupied the old house of Enos Stone. After a few months, his apprenticeship ended, he hired as journeyman for somewhat over a year, and then established himself ia a shopon the corner of Buffalo and Front streets, and a few years later moved ap near the site of the " old pump." He has been known as the manufacturer of the French burr mill-tone, and with an ample fortune retired from business.

Three men, Harvey and Elisha Ely aml Josiah Bissell. Jr , constituted an carly business firm of Rochester. The Ely brothers were nephews of Justin Ely, a Massachusetts capitalist, who, having loaned money to Oliver P'helps, became proprietor in the twenty-thousand-uere truet. Elisha Ely first saw Rochester on June 1:t, 1813, and, standing upon the bridge ou that day, resolved to make the place bis future home. Ile went to Massachusetts, wheare he returned in th tuber following, accompanied by waen to build a suaw-mill on the west side of the river care by a small log cabin built by the workun on the bridge. Board could not be had, and. acting upin the suggestions of the Stones, a cabin in ase a a stable by S. O. Smith, Esq, and given up by him, was cleared uot and occu- find It is only within a few years that the house inhabited by Captun Ely, and

standing on the corner of South Saint Paul and Ely streets, has disappeared. In November, Harvey Ely, aged twenty-two, and very careful of his personal ap- perranee, came to the village, and about the same time Jo-iali Bissell, Jr., urade his advent from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He was a man of remarkable ability to plan and to execute, and it was not long before the firm of H. Ely & Co. was formed and the associates engaged in the mercantile business within a store build- ing which stood on the corner of Buffalo and Stato streets,-the same corner that is now the Elwood block. Provisions and machinery were brought on from New England, the stable was converted to a boarding-house, and the saw-mill which stood ou the present site of the old Childs' saw-mill on Aqueduct street was completed in December. It was thought the easiest way to dispose of the cabin by the mill would be to born it. Accordingly, it was set on fire, and it burned so well that it called for the utmost exertions of the population te prevent the combustion of the mill, which was saved, although several times on tire.

The pioneer blacksmith was James B. Carter, who located in 1812 upon the hundred-aere traet, and built a small one-and-a-half-story house na the corner later occupied by the Elwood block. His shop was on ground now part of Front street. The house was occupied in Mareb, 1814, by his brother, David K. Carter.

THE FIRST RELIGIOUS EXERCISES

in Rochester were held in the spring or summer of 1813, in the upper story of Jebiel Baruard's tailor-shop. During the year the population of the place had increased from eight or ten to fifteen or twenty families. The public worship of God on the Sabbath was first held at the instance of Mrs. Seraatom and Mrs. Wheelock, " women of faith and prayer," and the exercises consisted of extempore prayer, singing, and reading a sermon. Mr. Barnard, whose marriage to a daughter of Hamlet Seraotom was the first nuptial ceremony celebrated in Ro- chester, and Mr. Warren Brown. conducted these primary meetings. All denom- inations worshiped in the same ioeality, first in the upper, then in the lower mom of the shop, and afterwards in the school-house, finished for occupancy May, 1814. After some months, Rev. Daniel Brown, Baptist minister at Pittsford, and Rev. Mr. Parmalce, Congregational or Presbyterian minister at Vietor, came occasion- ally and preached to the people. During the summer of 1814, Rev. Comfort Williams was for a few months employed to preach for the people. Very rarely had missionaries visited this wild aod ill-reputed region; fishing and hunting were the usual ocenpatina of many of the valley settlers, and not anfrequently had the crack of the rifle broken the stillness of the Sabbath. At early meetings sectarian feelings were not indulged: Christians were only too glad to enjoy religious privi- leges. Mr. S. O. Smith, Episcopalian, had brought out from Massachusetts three books of common prayer. At the first meetings, Mr. Harford read the Episcopal service, Silas O. Smith gave ont the psalms, and Mr. Barnard and Delia Serantom were the principal if not the only singers. During the summer, Rev. Chauncey Cook, a relative of Mrs. Carter, visited Rochester and preached a few times. It is a subject worthy of notice that, till sufficiently numerous, all met together and contributed of their scanty means to the support of the gospel, and gave tintoal aid to build the first houses of worship. A harmonious and charitable spirit has always been a distinguishing characteristic of the various churches and congrega- tions organized in Rochester. A lesson is tanght of fraternal and generous spirit, whose exercise made each society self-supporting. It is said that so far as known oo religious budy ever received a dollar from abroad to aid in defraying the ex- pcoses of building churches or the salaries of ministers.

A PUBLIC WORK.

The importance of direct and well-constructed roads was early appreciated. but the State authorities failed to note the natural highway furnished by the Ridge until the construction of the first bridge at Rochester withdrew travel from the Buffalo road and gave an impetus to the construction of roads leading towards Rochester. As an intermediate crossing-place between Avon and the lake the bridge at the falls began to be known, and to rise in popular esteem. Ia 1813, the State legislature passed an act appropriating five thousand dollars to cut out the roadway aud to bridge the streams on the Ridge road hetween Rochester and Lewiston. The route being almost impassable, Gustavus Clark, who began busi- Dess in Clarkson in 1815, set out from Rochester for that place with a load of goods on the Ridge road, and the bridges were of such frail tenure that the wagon broke duwn most of thew, and this discloses the secret of non-travel on that aat. oral highway.

"COURSING,"

or sliding down-bill, was an amusement in the winter of 180:1-14, participated in by both Indian and white boys, and has always been a favorite pastime with New

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

England youth. The Indian method, practiced on Andrews street hill, is thus outlined : A strip of bark, a tout in width ond tour feet io length, was taken, and one end trimmed to a poiut and held in the brand. The courser stood . upon the bark, with knees half bent, head and arms thrust forward, and shot down the hill like an arrow-flight. A yelp of cxultation and delight accompanied each ten feet of progress, and at the base a ringing whoop woke the echoes of the forest. One after another performed the feat, which was repeated for hours. The white boys attempted competition, beginning at the lower part of the ascent. but disaster al- most invariably resulted. In March a heavy spray from the falls had settled over night on the snow and formed a glassy crust, apon which, next day. a young Indian made the trip from summit to base with almost incredible rapidity. The sliding-places used by the pioneer white boys were Brighton hill. before Starr aud others eut it down, and. in Franklin, down the Brown street hill, by Mot'racken's tavern. Exchange street hill was also used. sliding down to Eagle tavern. Of the boys and girls of that day but one of cach is recalled by Mr. Scrautom,- Benjamin F. Hall and Clarissa Stone; the rest are no more.

THE INDIANS.

Many of the Indians sojourned about the falls during 1812-13. They came here to pass the winter, and numerous families were scattered about the place. There were families camped on the ground north of the Episcopal church in Saint Paul street, where in 1838 stood the dwellings of the Messrs. Ward. Dr. Elwood, Mrs. Shearman, Judge Lee, Dr. Henry, Mr. Graves, Mr. Galusha, Charles M. Lee, S. G Andrews, Colonel Pratt. Robert Wilson, and Samuel Hamilton, In- diane resided about the hill in the southeast of the city, opon land owned by Mr. Tiffany, Charles J. Hill, and others. near the site of the later cemetery, and yet others of the race had their habitation about North street, near the later residences of Dr. E. O. Gibbs, Dr. Faulkner. MIr. Bardwell. Achilles, and others. Some of the leading mon of the Sences passed a portion of their time here .* The awemps back of the old Mansion House on the site of the market, and around the bathing-house on Buffalo street. between the Eagle tavern and United States Hotel, were filled with rabbits. partridges. and other game. Deer might be seen almost any day, by watching at the lick near the horticultural establishment of Reynolds & Bateham, at the corner of Buffalo and Sophia streets, and during 1813 a pioneer shot two deer where now is the heart of the city. one at the west end of the main bridge, the other near where Childs' buildings stand. opposite the Rochester House. The Indians came down from Buffalo creek for wild fruit. Cranberries were found in the fall very abundant at the mouth of Black creek, and often in later years could have been seen two or three squaws, single tile, coming from there into the village with baskets of cranberries hanging to their backs by a strap supported against their foreheads. The wigwams of Indian families graced the south and east sides of the elevation whereon may now ( 1838) be seen the Free Bethel church, and the residences of General Vincent Matthews, Jonathan Child, Mrs. Ira West, Mrs. N. Rochester, Thomas HI. Rochester. H B. Williams, William .. Bishop. Joseph Strong, Henry E. Rochester. Dr. Maltby Strong, Harvey Ely. Judge Chapin. and others of that date.

THE LAST SACRIFICE OF THE SENECAS.

At the encampment last located were celebrated the rites of the "sacrifice nf the dog." It was the final sacrifice of the Senecas upon ground i ww covered by the many thousand blocks and buildings which make up the city of Rochester, and occurred in January. 1813. Not as a revelation of Indian religious ceremo- nial, but as another manifestation of the changes from the heatlien rite to Chris- tian worship, from the repellent group almost the fires to the enlightened con- gregations seated within the three-score beautiful and sultantial churches of the eity, is quoted, from O'Reilley's " Rochester and Western New York," an account of this final Indian ceremonial. The final rites were seen by the few white settlers, and among them Edwin Serantom, a pri-ent resident of the city, whose account coincides with that of Rev. Kirkland, missionary among the Iroquois, and with that given by Mary .Jemison, the " white woman" of the Senecas It was a custom, when returned from hunting. for the Indians to appoint certain of their oumber to superintend the festival. " Preparations were made at the council-house or other place of meeting for the acentomodation of the tribe during the ceremonial. Nine days was the period. and two dous the number and kind of animals formerly required for the festival; though in these later days of re- form and retrenchunent the time has been curtailed to seven or five days, and a single dog was made the scapegoat to bear away the sins of the tribe. Two dogs, as nearly white as could be procured, were usually selected from those belonging

to the tribe, and were carefully killed at the door of the council-house by means of strangulation; for a sound on the animal, or an effusion of blood, would spoil the victim for the sacrificial purpose. The dogs were then fantastically painted with various colors, decorated with feathers, and suspended about twenty feet high at the council-house or near the centre of the camp. The ceremonial is then commenced, and the five, seven. or nine days of its continuaace are marked by feasting and dancing, as well as by sacritice and consultation. Two select bands, one of men and another of women, ornamented with trinkets and leithers, and each person furnished with an ear of corn in the right hand, dance in a circle around the council-fire. which is kindled for the occasion, and regulate their steps by rude music. Hence they procred to every wigwam in the camp, and, in like manner. dance circling around each fire. Afterward, on another day, several men clothe themselves in the skins of wild beasts, cover their faces with hideous masks and their hands with the shell of the tortoise, and in this garb they go among the wigwams, tuaking horrid noises, taking the fuel from the fire, and scattering the embers and ashes about the floor, for the purpose of driving away evil spirits. The persons engaged in these performances are supposed not only to drive of the evil spirit, but to concentrate within themselves all the sins of the tribe. These sins are afterwards all transferred into one of their own nember, who by some magical dexterity works off from himself into the dogs the con- centrated wickedness of the tribe. The sacrifice is then placed on a pile of wood, to which fire is applied, while the assembled tribe throws tobacco or other incense upon the flame. the scent of which is deemed co-operative with the sacrifice of the animals in the conciliation of the favor of Nau Wanew, or the Great Spirit. When the dogs are partly consumed, one is taken off and put into a large kettle with vegetables of various kinds, and all gathering around. eagerly devour the contents of the 'reeking caldron.' Finally the war and peace dances are per- formed, the calumet smoked, and all are ready for a new year."

ROCHESTER IN 1814.

To the inhabitants of Rochester during the year 1814 there was much to give discouragement. Improvements came to a stand; few families moved io, and some left. Doubt and depression mingled with apprehension, and all desired peace. In March, 1814, the settlement contained some fifteen houses, old and new log structures, a plank and a frame. There were three stores,-those of Silas O. Smith, Ira West, and' Harvey and Elisha Ely ; one grocery, kept by Abram Stark, who was by trade a brickmaker, and whose grocery occupied but a part of the house, the rest being used as a dwelling ; the blacksmith-shop of James B. Carter, the tailor-shop of Jehiel Barnard, the saddier-shop of Abelard Reynolds, and the law office of Joho Mastick ; besides there were the Ely saw- mill on the west side, and Stone's saw-mill on the east side of the river, end the tavern on the west side. owned by Colonel Isaac W. Stone. The nucleus of the town lay east of the present Powers block, upon the north side of the street. The forest surrounded closely on all sides from the river. Farthest north, on the west side of State street, was the store of Ira West. Upon the opposite side of the street southward stood Abram Stack's dwelling and grocery. Next south of Stack was the office of lawyer Mastick, and on the corner of State and Buffalo (now West Main) streets was Harvey and Elisha Ely's store. Next. eastward. in succession, were A. Reynolds' new house, his house and shop, and J. Barnard's tailor shop. Back a short distance from the street was the new house occupied by Ifamlet Scranton, Esq ; then, again on the line, the houses of Mr. Wheelock, joiner. Aaron Skinner, school-teacher, and D. K. t'arter, Esq., carpenter and mil- wright. and between him and the river James B. Carter's blacksmith-shop. Near the corner of Buffalo and Exchange streets, on the West side, stood the store of S. O. Smith, and southward. on the same side. was the dwelling of Dr. O. E. Gibbs. Westward ou Buffalo street, near the edge of the clearing, was a lime- kiln ; and near by was, soon after the date given. erected the primal school-house. and named from use also the pioneer inceting-house.

Such had been the progrew of two years, when savages menaced the whale country with desolation, and misfortune befill the American armies. Despite surroundings, some effort at improvement was made ; and Hamlet Scrantoni. writing cast to his father a letter intended for general information, says, " The village is flourishing beyond all expectation; price of lots has risen one-half; there are eleven families in the village : and not only has every lot on the walt etrret been taken up, but also a number of back lots. There must be twenty houses built during the next summer. Ely & Co., of Pittsfield. have bought a lot upon which is an attorney's office. They have a store, and opened their innwls on December 2, 1813. and raised a saw-inill March 11. 1814. Provisivas are dear, but not scarce. Wheat sells at one dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel ; corn, at one dollar : rye, used for distilling, has the same price ; pork, eight dol- lars per hundred ; beef, four dollars und fifty cents: und butter, eighteen cents

. O'Rolley's Sketches of Rochester.

FLATE VII.

RES. OF WM. H. CHENEY , LIVINGSTON PLACE, ROCHESTER, NY.

PLATE VIII.

RESIDENCE OF THOMAS LEIGHTON, EAST AVE ROCHESTER, NY

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

per pound. Lumbering, one-half pine, has been steadily continued, and has paid for edwing one dollar and eighty->even ceuts per thousand." Boarders were charged two dollars and twenty-five cents per werk ; and Barnard. the tulor, ww crowded with work. Warren Brown, in the adjacent settlement of Frank- fort, was supplied with a good assortiment of dry goods and groceries, and con- templated the addition of an apothecary store. Henry Scrantum, later a well- known Rochester merebant, was at this time clerking for Brown, who was a cousin to Captain Brown, the mill proprietor.

THE FIRST SCHOOL

organized in Rochester was taught by Miss Huldah M. Strong, sister to Mrs. Abelard Reynolds. For some time after her arrival she made her home with this relative, and occasionally officiated in the office as pustmistress. The school was made up of some fifteen or more pupils, some of whom came from a distance of three or four miles, and yet most lived within convenient limits. At the forum- tion of this school the children were seen to be too few to warrant employing a teacher. unless aid could be obtained from other than persons of family. There were found eight untarned men in the community, who respectively volunteered In pay the rate bill of a supposed pupil, and the school went on. As early as December 1, 1813, it was proposed to build a school-house during the next season. and the structure was erected and ready for use by May, 1814. Hamlet Seran- tom, as one of the trustees, was active in the work, which found some opposition. The first teacher employed was named Aaron Skinner. The building was of one story, and in dimensions fifteen by twenty-four fect. The old red school-house, standing on the site of seboul-house number one, was and is remembered. , having good teachers, striet in government, practical in instruction. Those pioneer school- children of Rochester were proficient in the useful rudiments, and found prompt employment whenever age and desire combined to make their services valuable. It was in 1816 that a spelling match was announced in the old first schoni-house on a Saturday afternoon. The teacher was Dr. Hammond, then a student of medicine with Drs. Elwood and Coleman. The school was joined by the Frank- fort school, then taught by Moses King. who is still living in Rochester. The "scholars chose sides, and all arose and stood; whoever missed took a seat. Two boys, brothers, were the last up, and kept the floor till dark, when to the younger was adjudged the first prize.

A PANIC.

The vicinity of Lake Ontario, upon which a British fleet beld mastery, gave rise to more than one scene. More especially was this the case after the burning of Buffalo. The Indians, with knife and hatchet. might at any moment be upon the settlers, and the flight from the frontier was general Daily. towards the last of December, families passed over the bridge with sleighs and wagons. Some had lost their all, and, destitute of provisions or money to purchase. with children bare- footed, depended for subsistence upon the charity of the people. On the 23d of Perumuber an express reached Rochester at daybreak, and reported the enemy as landing from their boats at Oak Orchard creek, forty miles distant, and proceed- ing inlarid, desolating the country. The settlers expected aunther force to land at the mouth of the Genesec. and the militia were called to arms. Captain Stone went messengers to assemble his company of dragoons, removed his children to Bbwanfield, and prepared to gather up valuables at short notice The merchants wrre busy packing their goods, and the villagers mainly either removed to the works nr prepared to do so at a moment's notice. Militia marched through the town towards the landing and the mouth of the river. and all was in suspense. It proval a false alarm, yet only two families remainel in the village that night; the rest had crossed the river.

It was in April that two cannon were sent from the arsenal at Canandaigua, by onler of Generid P. B. Porter, to the care of Captain I. W. Stone. One was an richtern-poundler, the other a four-pound piece. Seventeen yoke of oxen were employed to draw the heavier gun from Culver's to the falls on account of the ba.l roads. Powder and ball accompanied the guns. The villagers were desirous of t. - ting the executive capacity of the eightcen-pounder, and accordingly fur- Dishul the powder. The gun was planted oo Main street at the coroer, and, bwlel and aimed by E. Stone. F. Handford, and E Ely, was fired at a distant tv The mark was struck and the tree top, severed. fell. The boys found and brought back the ball. Report came that the British fleet threatened the enast. Captain Stone was commissioned colonel, with authority to enroll a regiment of dr ... ... With fifty meu he went to the mouth of the river, to which he ordered 1. staten punder sent, and directed the four-pounder to be planted at Deep Il : - bratr. All the available population were employed on a Sabbath, in thr. wing up a breastwork ou the south side of the bridge. The work was finished

by evening, and called Fort Bender, in honor of Mr. Bender, of Frankfurt, the planks of the bridge, which had been pinned down, were loosened, so as tu ba readily taken up, and every arrangement made for fight and thght. On May 14, about sunset, orders came to Elisha Kly, in command of the Rochester force, to notify the inhabitants that the British fleet was in sight, but that they need not come until morning. About eleven o'clock P.M. another order was received from Colonel Stone to march at once. Il. Ely & Co. had received fifty muskets and a supply of cartridges. Each man was supplied with a musket and twenty-four rounds. There were thirty-three men in the settlement; one way left to guide the women and children to the woods, if danger became pressing; one was non- combative, aod the rest set out at two o'clock in the morning, in a heavy rain and upon muddy roads, difficult of travel in the darkness. and reached the mouth of the river just after daylight. A fog covered the lake, upon which was heard the noise uf boats rowing trou vessel to vessel. It was proposed by Codonel Stone that Captain Francis Brown and Elisha Ely should man an old boat. unre used as a lighter and lying near, and make an attempt upon some of the British boats. The old craft was rowed by six seamen, handling muffled vary, out to sea. Twelve volunteers with muskets were concealed in the bottom of the bout. A . mile out and three shots were fired from the shore; the fog presently disappeared, and there in line were thirteen vessels of all sizes. The boat beaded for -hore, and a twelve-oared barge starting in pursuit gained rapidly. Presently the British boat stopped, and so did the American. Again starting, the one, fearing strategy, pulled for the fleet, the other returned to shore. About ten o'clock a flag-of-truce boat put off from the enemy's tag-ship, and Colonel Stone gave instructions to Captains Brown and Ely not to let them come into the river nor land. These men went up the lake just above the mouth of the stream, to where a large tree had fallen into the lake, and upon its trunk awaited the enemy. The boat came alongside the tree and an officer in full dress proposed going on shore, which was positively declined. A party of twelve men, armed, approached the lake shore, when the officer bearing the flag asked if it was their custom to receive a day of truce under aruns. He was told to excuse thetn, as they were out citizens, and the men were requested to retire. The officer then communicated the teruis of the commander, Sir James Yev, which were, " If publie property will be given Dp, private property shall be respected." A paper signed by O-wego citizens was produced, wherein it was stated that governtuent stores and munitions, left with- out adequate defensive forve, would not be defended by thew. Brown remained with the oficer while Ely took the message and paper to Colonel Stone, who sent back word that "The public property is in the hands of those who will defend it."

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History of Monroe county, New York with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, Palatial residences, Part 30

Author: McIntosh, W. H. cn; Everts, Ensign, and Everts, Philadelphia, pub Publication date: 1877 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Ensign and Everts Number of Pages: 976

Author: McIntosh, W. H. cn; Everts, Ensign, and Everts, Philadelphia, pub
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Ensign and Everts
Number of Pages: 976