History of Monroe county, New York with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, Palatial residences, Part 33

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 33

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ROCHESTER IN 1819.

The village of Rochesterville was of such promise by 1819 that the affix " ville" was removed, and childhoud had entered upon youth. "Coming events cast their shadows before," and the outlines of events for the years 1:18, 1819. and 1820, in commercial, public, religious. and benevolent measures, were true indices of the future.

A perusal of the village records shows a youthful vigor and a Franklin's pru- dence in ordinances for health, travel, trade, convenience, and security of property. On May 7, 1818, Matthew Brown, Jr., Roswell Hart, William P. Shernioo. Moses Chapin, Daniel Mack, and II. R. Benson were appointed street patrol, and from time to time appropriations made for defraying resultant expeoscy. An aqueduct was begun in December, 1819, starting from the flume of the grist- mill of Russell & Ely, extending to the central junction of Buffalo and Carroil streets, and continued and improved by later appropriations.

On May 1, 1820, a compen-ation of twenty dollars was voted to each village trustee for services during the preceding two years. These public-spirited tucn relinquishied the claim, and upon the hooks is inscribed a record of the thanks of the village for present liberality and for able and faithful discharge of duty. Acts looking to the purchase and preparation of a burial-ground, for the construc- tion of publie wells and of stone sidewalks, to purchase a hearse, to build a hospital. and to erect a publie market, reveal the emblematic meaning of the corporation seal,-an arm with a hand grasping a hatunier. It would be pleasurable and in- structive to trace the origin and development of the city as indicated by her records; hut the open field-broad, rich-elins its measure.

THE CARTHAGE BRIDGE.

As a daring feat in the construction of bridges -interesting in view of its site, fate, and ruins, -- the Carthage bridge is an antiquity of Rochester. We have named Elisha B. Strong as the proprietor nf Carthage. That gentleman, with Elisha Beach. Heman Norton, and Francis Albright, formed a joint stock cum- pany to ercet a bridge over the deep, wide gorge between the lower falls and the steamboat landing, where the rocks, rising precipitously two hundred feet. form the canon of the Geneser. Messes. Brainard and Chapman, architects. com- pleted their task in February, 1919. It is described by Jesse Hawley in the first directory published, in 1927, by Elideas Ely, as consisting " of an entire arch, the chord three hundred and fifty-two feet, versed vine fifty-four fert. The summit was one hundred and ninety six feet above the waters surfaer The length was seven hundred and eighten feet, width thirty fort, and four elbow-

Francis abbricht - my grandi- hatten" [Extent 3. allright] 1912

Page 82. -:

Page 82. Human Brainard moved to Join- ship of Heartland , Livingston Co . , Mich . in May 1835, and his wine Grace taught in her house the first Sunday School in the Town. in spring of 1838 father and family lives with them while builded a long about a mile dictant 6.7 albright. - 1912

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

braces at the extremities of the arch project fifteen feet on each side of it. The arch consisted of nine ribs, two feet four inches thick, contiveted by braced levelets above and below, und secured by eight hundred strong iron bolts. The feet of the arch rested upon the solid rock, shout sixty fect below the surface of the upper bank. It contained seventy thousand feet of' timber, running measure, besides sixty-four thousand

The completed bridge was regarded as seenre, and loaded teams with more chan thirteen tons' weight passed over on it without causing a tremor. This work. so creditable to the projectors and to the ingenuity of the builders, stood a year and a day. The day saved the builders loss, as their guarantee was for one year. The great weight of timber, not braced to prevent an upward spring of the arcb, threw it from its equilibrium, aod it fell with a crash to the waters below ; but one who saw it tall was alive in 1868. and he, Russel Green, had then become a resident of a western State. A few old timbers mark the site of that remarkable and temporarily magnificent bridge. At this place the attempted founders of Carthage built a public house opened by Ebenezer Spear. Harvey Kimball and Oliver Strong started stores, and Levi H. Clark located there as a lawyer ; but, like its famous namesake, its name and fame have become historic. Time was wben Hooker, Trowbridge, Hart, and others gave life and means to improvement, when the Carthage railroad ran-from the Water street mills to the bank at Car- thage, and discharged freight and passengers to the river's level with the lake by means of a truck over an inclined plane.

FIRST STEAMBOAT, MILLS, ETC

The steamboat " Ontario" commenced running from Sackett's Harbor to Lewis- town in 1818. and touched at the port of Genesee. Strong & Albright built a mill having four run of stone at Carthage, and yet the attempted rival of Roch- ester lived in expectation and exists as a project not realized. The year 1818 was a busy season in Rochester. New measures were begun, older ones com- pleted. Night and day the flour-mills ran. and a few hundreds in place of former scores were endeavoring to make provision for demands of business and accom- modation of families. Gilman & Sibley built a paper-mill on the river-bank, upon a site long occupied by J. ITall in the manufacture of threshing-machines. The Browns began their Frankfort mills, Pahuer Cleveland began his preparations for a mill, and Colonel Rochester, taking up his residence here, confirmed especta- tion and gave an inspiration to public and private work. In the fall of 1819. Frazer & Sheldon opened a hardware store ou State street, where Scrantom & Wetmore have their book store. They removed in 1822 to a site acar the grocery of Smith & Perkins. The store of Frazer & Sheldon was of brick ; the front was painted red, linea were draw a diagonally and crossed, forming diamond shapes, and this structure was advertised as the ". checkered store." The firm dissolved. Josiah Sheldon purchased a lot north side of the canal, fronting on Exchange street, and built a long, large stone structure. extending through to the street wear the First Prest yterian church, the whole roof sloping sonth. The building was constructed of st ne from the foundation and from the river-bed, and was used on the Ex- change front for an iron and hardware store, the rear for storage and mannfacture. The under story fronting the canal was divided into stores and rented, but Sheldon lost his money. left the stone store, which lately burnt. and ultimately was luid to rent in the necropolis of Rochester-the Mount Hope Cemetery.

GENESEE RIVER AND LAKE ONTARIO NAVIGATION.

I'rior to the days of canal or railroad, river and lake were the dependence for trans- portation, and the navigable waters of the Gencsce were of no slight importance. From the north limits of the city the lower part of the river is navigable to the lake, while from the south city line there was, in the days whereof we write, suthi- cient depth of water to enable vessels of light draught to ascend a distance of forty miles. It was a memorable event when a small steamboat, as noted in town history, came up the Genesee and touched at Scott-ville, Avon, York, and uther points, and for a couple of seasons plied between Rochester and those villages. The boat was utilized in towing freight-laden boats, which bore to market the chujce grain of the valley and its other accumulated prinluets. Warehouses were huilt at the lower villages, and flour manufacturers of this place, owning s num- ter of boats, brought vast quantities of wheat to their mills. The second steam- I- af to touch at the port of Rochester was the " Martha Ogden." About 1830

the best steamboats on the lake began to touch at this port, and travelers had 1 choice of conveyance by canal packet, lake steamboat. Ridge-road stages, and westward by railroad to Batavia. In 1838 the steamboat " United States," Cap- tain Van Cleve, the " Traveler." Captain Sutherland, and the " Oswego," were regular boats, and others made it possible to find a boat any day at Rochester bound up, dowe, or across the lake.

THE EXPORT TRADE

from the Genesee river for the Canada market, for the years 1818-20 inclusive, was as follows : In 1818. Hour, 26,000 barrels; pot and pearl ashes, 3653 bar- reis ; pork. 1173 barrela; whisky. 190 barrels; double-butt staves, 14,000, which, with smaller quantities of other articles, had a value of $580,000. The exports of 1819, during the season of navigation, amounted to 23,648 barrels of four. 1451 of pork, and 8673 of pot and pearl ashes, together with 500.000 staves. 50.000 feet square timber. and sundries, giving a total value of $100,000; and in 1820 the exports were of flour, 67.468 butrels ; pot and pearl ashes, 5310 barrels; beet and pork, 2043 barrels; whisky, 709 barrels, and bat 179,000 staves, the entire trude being estimated at $375,000. Prices fell greatly : flour brought but two dollars and twenty-five cents to two dollars and fifty cents per barrel ; wheat thirty- seven cents per bushel, and cora but twenty cento to twenty-five cents. The year 1821 saw trade diverted eastward to better markets, and the low prices in the Montreal market ceased to make transportation for the time remunerative.

CANAL MEASURES.

The years in question were marked on the part of the villagers by a deep in- terest in the great subject of internal improvement. Several of the most influ- ential agents in establishing the canal-policy were of their number. or lived in the adjacent country. The conformation of land. the interlocking of water-courses, the needs of trade and travel, all conduced to attract attention and cause reflection. Various parties canvassed the subject of a canal from Eric to the Hudson. A notable assemblage at Canandaigua, on January 8, 1817, refers ia culogistic terius to the efforts and language of Myron Holley. The canal bill passed the assembly on April 14. The route was uncertain, and, when the northern course was chosen, the particular point where the Genesee would be crossed became a matter of con- siderable moment and much discussion. The location had been male to Monte- zuma, when the question had to be decided. It was proposed to eross at Carthage and at Black ercek, and, while the uncertainty prevailed, a route by O-wego, Lake Ontario, and a canal around the Niagara Falls was advocated and received with a degree of favor. News came to Rochester that the canal board were undecided to take the land or the lake route. The citizens heard the report with alarm, and a meeting was called in the counting-room-of John G Bond, which resulted in a handbill drawn up by Enos Pomeroy, sigard by many citizens. printed, and circulated broadcast over the entire region. This Rochester hand- bill, issued just before the State clectivo, and favoring the election of De Witt Clinton as governor, and of his friends to the legislature, in ita carnest appeal to maintain the local interests in the west, probably decided the contest. The vote was close, as the contest had been determined. This handbill, entitled "Capal in Danger," as a matter of interesting reference at a period when a orw and powerful agency ontstrips the packet. as it had rendered obsolete the stige- coach and Pennsylvania wagon, becomes historical. It was signed by Roswell Hart, Thomas Kempshall, Ira West, Russell Eusworth, Ralph Parker, Charles J. Hill. D. D. Ilatch, J. Ludden, Benjatuin and Euus Blossom, John G. Buad. Charles Harford, Auson House, Solomon Close. Oliver Culver, Enos Stone, Azel Ens- worth, and Samuel J. Acdrews, -Rochester's ablest and best men.

A DEN OF SERPENTS.

One or more glimpses backward, and then turn we to the future, golden with promise, rich in the fruition.

As residents of the olden time are aware, the milla, the churches, the houses, areh, aqueduct, wall, and bridge found their material from the river-bank and bed. Swift as an exhalation, solid as the monuments defying time, Rochester rose from the ground upon which its chief works of value stand. In the old world, decayed cities relapsed to ruin become the abode of the venomous reptile; upon the banks af the Genesce, at the Falls, the dens of serpents have given way to a beautiful and substantial city .- the site of manufacture, the location of public institutions, the happy hours of an industrious and intelligent people.

On the high bank opposite Carthage is the old quarry where the stone was obtained to construct the first aqueduct. Juab Britton, a contractor, brought on his men aud teams, put in a number of blasts near the top of the bank and det

.. ..

Page 83. I often saw the remains of this bridge when visiting grand. father Wheelers who live about a half mile above. E. 7 albright. 1912

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

them off. The workmen, while throwing over the brink, the debris of fragen, nts. dislodged a large flat stone whose removal disclosed a cavity filled with rattle- onakes. The discovery was made at the close of a cold December day, and all bands quit work. Nest morning the stones were removed. and with rakes wany of the torpid reptiles were lifted out and thrown down the bank. The number was so great that the news was taken to the village, sud all the male population was attracted to the spot. While standing in doubt, a man drove up with a lumber wagon and asked for a number of the stakes, to get their oil. The crowd, with forked sticks, sana filled the bottom of his wayun with rattlesnakes, and, as he drove off into an uhscurity which hides his nawie and the result of his enter- prise, # shout was raised by the men, who returned to the den aod cleared it uf occupants, some thrown over the bank, others burned in a large log-heap fired for the purpose. The story is a verity, and few of the old citizens but brar willing testimony, and this instance was but coe of the many told of that day.

AN INDLLY " RING."

Reptiles inhabited the rocks, Indians camped in the vicinity of the village, and wolves prowled through the forests surrounding. In 1818-20 a bounty. ranging from six dollars to ten dollars, was paid for the scalp of each wolf killed in the county, and any justice, on presentation of the trophy, was authorized to make the payment. The Indians apparently became very successful in hunting. A dozen at a time assembled at the office of Mastick & Pomeroy, and the magistrate was astounded to End the country so full of wolves. Suspicioo was aroused ; examination followed, and it was discovered that the scalps were mainly of dugs, and the Indians had furmed a " ring" to utilize the bounty.

THE EAGLE TAVERN.

The building on the lot Nu. 1 was, in 1818, moved hack, and used as a atable for a large wooden house, built on the corner, sod named the Ensworth house, after the proprietor, Dr. Azel Ensworth. Additions were put on, and hoarders were numerous. Later an attic was built, and this was the first room in Rochester used for a public hull. Whether for ball, lecture, theatre. or concert, its services were required, and, in 1824. Philip Phillips therein gave the first concert heard in the city. The building was removed in 1820. and .A. M. Schermerhorn, on its site, built the Eagle hotel, known far and wide forty years as a popular resort of the public. The first landlord. Mr. Crane. was succeeded by K. H Van Rens- selser, nephew of the Aibany patroon. He was followed by Coleman and Stetson, younger brother of the Astor and the Coleman iu New York. These men stayed a brief period, and gave place, on January 1, 1539, to Hall and Thompson. Thompson retired, and I. M. Hall. in 1849. passed the hotel to S. D. Walbridge, who became its purchaser and landlord till 1863. when it was changed to a business block. Excavations for the present noble structure were made in ISCS, and the work was completed in September, 1872.

A SABBATH-SCHOOL

As an evidence of s religious faith in God and Heaven, and a true index of the culture and refinement of the people, a Sabbath-school was first organized at Rochester in the summer of 1818, with thirty pupils. and. save a few months after its original establishment, has continued to the present. The plan at first adopted was a stimulus for each pupil to learn the largest possible number uf verses. Many would memorize ten to twelve hundred verses per week The number of pupils in 1819 was one hundred and twenty, and in 1820 one hun- dred. There was no superintendent during any of these years. The school was beld in the old school-house near St. Luke's church. and was directed, among others, by Mesers. l'eck and Schofield. The pioncer school, after a few weeks, was closed on account of cold weather. but resumed, and, as will be hereafter abown, had a growth which has made the agency potential to the best interests of the churches ..

AQUEDUCT WAREHOUSE.

"The future who can tell ? This spot may, after a few years, be a populous mart, or-a wilderness again. The present appearances. to the fondness of human fancy, promise that here the blessings of piety aud virtue. of peace and plenty. of civilization and liberty, may be long enjoyed; and giving sempre to imagination in the regions of probability, we may see rising from this place divines and I gis- lators, philosophers and heroes, who shall adora their country, -hall alern mati- kind." Thus spoke the Rev. Joseph Penny, in the spring of led, at the laying of the corner stone of the First Presbyterian chunch, and ere IS60, the year of

his decease, he saw a realization. The year IS21 was marked by nev iurrutia, to exertion, oud astonishing results Mill, store, and dvelling were built bryan! the space for description. and the log cabins of the pioneer stage disappeared for. ever. A furore uf emigration brought in a constant tide of population, ami buildings went up by hundreds with sonular increase in number, stability, sudd size.

From 1818 efforts had been made to erect a new county from the western towns of Ontario and the eastern of Genesee. Success came in 1521, did on February 20 the State legislature passed a law erecting the new county of Monroe. Morris $ Miller, Robert S. Rose, and Nathan Williams beror apjaanti commissioners for the location of county buildings, selected Rochester, and uns lot donated for the purpose by Rochester, Fitzhugh, and Carroll, the corner-state of the first court-house was laid on the 4th of September. Court was held at the house of Azel Ensworth, but no issues were triedl.

The cuoal was Laid to cross the Genesee at Rochester, upon an aqueduct then considered a great work. Joub Britton was hired to get out and furnish stone. and engaged the labor of thirty convicts from the Auburn State prison. Tin work on the aqueduct was begun by the contractor, Alfred Hovey, on July 17. 1922, and completed September 11, 1823. The cost of this work was eighty- three thousand dollars, and from a census taken in September, 1822. four hundred and thirty laborers were employed upon public works in the village. The old aqueduet has passed away years ago, and left behind slight, if any, reminder; but viewed in the light of those times it held rauk as first in interest and importance. and is entitled to a brief description as given by its superintending civil engineer " This stupendous fabric is built on a rift of the falls, about righty ruds south of the great fall. The Erie canal approaches the river from the east upon a stecp. bold bank, at whose foot ran u raceway. This artificial water-way was placed outside the canal, till, at crossing, it is passed under oo an arch of twenty-six feet chord. The river is surmounted by the race. the race by the Erie canal. andl the canal by the table-land. ou whose edge is a main thoroughfare of East Roches- ter. The aqueduct, between extremities of parapet walls, is eight hundred and four feet long, and is built on eleven arches; the one named, pine of fifty fert chord, and one on the west. side of thirty feet, under which water for mills and manufactories in West Rochester passes. The structure rests on solid rock. The piers are thirty six feet long, ton wide, and ornawieuted. The height of pier- four and a half feet, rise of. arch eleven feet. thickness at the foot three, and ar the apex two and a half feet. Parapet walls are five and a half feet high. The whole building is of cut stone, many of which are of great size. Iron bolt, trenail them to the rock, and the miss has immense strength. The material is red sandstone, the pilasters and coping of gray silicevus limestone. The north: wall is sufficiently thick for a tuning-path, and the whole is af wuust solid and elegant workmanship. With pride the citizen regarded this structure; yet the soul of man, never content, soon found occupation in the planning and execution of other and greater achievements.

EVENTS TO 1828.

The construction of the canal rendering this the point of shipment. the nere .. sity of warehouses was apparent, and their building began. The Jack ... Leavitt & Hill warehouse was the irst structure uf the kind built in the village. C. J. Hill and Andrew V. T. ILavitt were leading merchants on the north side of Buffalo, near the bridge. During 1821. Hill caused a warehouse to In erected near the present weigh-lock. The building was seventy-tive by one han dred feet, and the frame was correspondingly strong. J. Jackson became a part. Der, and the following notice appeared in the Rochester Telegraph of March 11. 1822 :

Storage on the Erie. Ginnl. at Rochester .-- The subscribers are completing 1 spacious warehouse on a basin cas. side of the Genesee river, and will be prepared inside of the present weck, to receive property in store, destined for the eastern and northern markets. JACKSON, LEAVITT & HILL ..

Later, James Seymour became a partoer, and the firm were in connection with 8. Dennison & Co., at Hanford's Landing, the great point for northern and Can- ada trade. J. Seymour was the first sheriff of Monroe, and for years was pri -i. dent of the oll Bank of Rochester. Mr. Hill is the oldest miller in Rochester and the sole survivor of that first company to engage in the canal trade. . M one time the large warerooms were nearly filled with feel shipped through the canal by the Northwest Canal Crunpany. The warehouse was hnaily removed to make room for the weigh-lock The old stone warehouse of John thibert we the second built ; it stowed at the first of the feeder, at its junction with the e-mail. and was used as a distributing depot for freight brought from the east. Patil. Evan, and William Griffith, brothers, were the first storage, forwarding. aud com

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

mission merchants in this building. Chill'« basin was the carly mill-yard of Allen. When the aqueduct was completed, the basin became a public benefit aud a source of private revende. Lirge warchoux's were built, and a heavy business dune in the shipment of goods, grain, and pot and pearl ashes. The west and north sides of the busin were almost sididly occupied by stores and warehouses. Thomas II. Rochester and Harvey Montgomery erected mills with three run of stone, and, in the same year, Harvey Fly built mills at the first falls, with four run of stone. The price of produce sank low; four during January and February was four dollars a barrel, and in March three dollars and . w.venty-five cents,-the tide was at its luwest chb.

The genius of Rochester was early manifested by the patents originating in this city. Prior to 1860, neatly one hundred and fifty patents had been granted to her citizens. The first recorded patents bear date 1821, and are John G. Vonglt's pills, and Elisha Rugeles Stow's fire-readers. Ou the #!tb of Octo- ber, 1822. the first canal-boat left the basis for Little Falls, on the Mobawk ; the aqueduct being incumplete, and the canal navigable no farther than the point natured, eastward. The boat was loaded with flour, and the canal transportation had begun. On February 5. 1822. the mills of Rochester and Carthage took in seven thousand bushels of wheat,-a fact speaking volumes for the great interest which made Rochester famous for the number of its mills, the quantity of manu- facture, and the superior excellence of its flour. A censos taken in September gave a permanent population of two thousand seven hundred. The third house for public worship was built by the Friends, and the fourth. a brick chapel. was commenced by the Methodists. The Female Charitable Society met February 26, 1822, and organized ; its object, the relief of the poor, sick, and distressed, and the establishment of a charity school. At the end of five years, forty chil- dren had been admitted to gratuitous instruction, Mrs. Saddler being the teacher in charge. A school-house was erected by the society on Franklin street, upon a lot donated by William Fitzhugh.

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History of Monroe county, New York with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, Palatial residences, Part 33

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