History of Monroe county, New York with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, Palatial residences, Part 85

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 85

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Daniel Conant and wife caine in 1818 from Herkimer county, and bought of a Mr. Bonestecl the farm upon which Jason and Harriet now reside. Cornelius Conant and wife, preceding hy three years, lived in the neighborhood about forty years. Jacob Conklin came about the same time, and settled on the farm of which his son Abram Conklin is owner. Ira Fuller settled the place bought of him in 1824 by Henry Easten, of Rhode Island, who, dying in 1847, left the property to his son, George W. Easten. Milis Marks had a blacksmith-shop upen one corner of this farm for five years. Park Brown was an early gettler of the place, succeeded by Miles Carter. who lived there many years. Richard Wolsey, of Dutchess county, moved in about IS16. While engaged in raising a log house. in 1821, he was accidentally killed, and his body was the second entombed in the new burying-ground. A son, Richard, lives upon the farm. Stephen Whitehorn, Jobn Chamberlain, and Jonathan Souls were settlers of an early day. It was on the farm of the last named that the celebrated Souls wheat originated. Mz. Souls one day notierd two stalks of wheat growing from the cavity of a rotting stomp in his field of flint: one head had red chaf. the other white. He saved and raised the grain from their heads, and so gave rise to a new variety Edurand Plumb, in 1817. bought the farm first settled by Daniel fiulds. He died in IS21, and his widow married Rov. Thomas Parker, a pioneer preacher. He delivered over eleven hundred funeral sermons, and died in Is6. agel seventy-ove years.

Isaiah Northrup, of Connecticut, settled west of Fairport in Ists, and soon after built a saw-mill on Thomas ereck, which ran through his farm, and sawed

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

lumber, from which he built him a frame hon- The mill was soll andl changed to a grist-mill, and subsequently to a plaster-mill, then again to a custom-mill, and is run by Frank .Jefferson. Andrew Northrup settledl adjoining his brother. mar- ried in 1814. and finally soll out and went west. Abel was a third of the family, and, arriving in 1810. located near his brothers. He died in 1820, and his widow became the wife of Thomas Scott, an early and prominent settler in the north part of the town.

Dr. E. Northrup came out in 1820, and settled near the Northrups, and for twenty years was a successful physician He removed to Michigan. Daniel and Roswell Terrell, of Connecticut in I-10, sertlel a little east of the Northrup tract. Michael Beach was a previous attler. Valentine Row .. Il settled in the vicinity, and ou his farm the first saw-will in this vetion was built. Aaron Sey- mour, the first cooper in the town, moved in prior to 1817. Hiram Hayes, of Connecticut, came in 1817. and purchased Inis present farm. A carpenter by trade, he has followed the business many years, and his been very popular. He is now eighty-two years of age. Bennett Joy. with parents and their family, came in 1808, and boarded temporarily with Caleb Lyndon while they cut a road across the Ferrinton swamp and then a half.mile east to their destination. They were the pioneers of this section. where they remained till 1824.

Ebenezer Jewells was an early settler npou the turiu. a part of which is owned by his grandson, Henry Jewells, theorge W. Datner. Sr., bought in 1816 the farm upon which his son George W. has resided for over half a century. A frame dwelling was built for him in 1818, by Mr. Dunning, and in this house Ira Bishop and Seth Madison, circuit preachers, held wertings. Milton Budlong came from Herkimer county in 1918. when a youth of seventeen years. He bought of Mr. Stone twenty-five seres, giving his note for one hundred dollars. which he met at maturity. His taxes were two cents on an acre. In 1822 he bought eighty acres of Asa Randolph, who had the land nearly cleared and a log house erected. Mr. Budlong has a present farm of six hundred acres. John Budlong came out in 1823, and a few years since sold to J. aud II. Howell and moved to Riga, where he died in 1575. Ephraim Iavlay came from Connecticut in 1807, and located in the Northrup settlement. A daughter. Charlotte Rowell, now seventy-one has resided on the old place since early childhood. Mr. Burr was a settler of 1311, on a farm cast of the Centre. James Pryor was a tavern- keeper at Bushnell's Basin in 1918. A man named Pardee was a settler here. and, when the Erie canal was surveyed. sold out to Oliver Hartwell and minved away. The place was known as Hartwell's Basin till William Bushnell purchasel, when it took his name. Here Lyman Wilmarth & Co. carried on a heavy mer- cantile and forwarding business, and gave employment to many clerks. Mr. Wooden, Josiah Bristol, and George Hepburn Were early settlers near the " Basin." Colonel Levi Treadwell settled in 1808, on the main road from Palmyra to Rochester, and lived eight years in a log house, and then inovel into a two-story brick house,-the first in the town. A brecher named Jesse moved in abunt the same time. Eben Stone was a settler on the Wheeler farmu. He was a wheel- wright hy trade. The farm adjoining had been settled since 1805 by Mr. Jackson, who, in 1810, erertel a barn forty hy sixty feet. It was the largest in town. Enoch Strong came in 182H from Oneida county. aud located upon the farm, upou which his relatives reside. He was a promment public mao. and served corice in the assembly of the State. Edward and Jucob Perrin came to the town in 1800. James Perrin, who has lived in the town for sixty-two years, is the only one of the name in town. David Cady and father. David L. Woisey. David Barker, and John Knickerbocker were other settlers. The form of the latter has been held by the family nearly seventy years. It is the home of Milton, a grandson of John. Olney Staples and his brother David came in 1809, and settled a little west of Egypt. About 1820 the former put up a frame tavern, which became a regular stage depot on the route from Palmyra to Rochester. The latter died on his farm from an injury received from a wounded hawk.

Richard Treadwell bought a farm in Faus near the Centre, and. later. sold to Jacob Howe. Mr. Burr bought it in IS18. and in 1826, Zerah Burr, his son, come into presesion, and occupied it for nearly fifty years. He was the pioneer unrseryman, and conducted the busines of growing trees, fruit, and flowers for sixty years.

James llamon settled in 1810 near filover Perrin, and io 1911 married Lu- cretin Packard, who had been a teacher in the Centre school. He died in 1871, and his companion in ISTO. A son. Jose, lives on the farm. The neighbor- bood bory the nature of Antioch. Multorl Butts. in 1519. Attled on the east purt of the Whitney firm. He had the first threshing machine in the town, amd threshed for himself and neighbors. Truman, s'son, lives on the farm.

FARMS OF FAIRPORT.

In the year 1817, Martin Sperlack. from Schenectady, settled ou a farm now within the corporate limits of Fairport. He improved the land, upon which he

residel till his death in 1841, agel eighty-four years. Peter Ripley moved about 1810. and made a brief sojourn in Peuteld, until he could prepin his house for occupation. The neighbors turned out and cut for him a roadway. He settled west of Main street. north of Thomas creek, and built a saw mill bele w the present grist-mill. A few years later he built the house occupied by J. Pany Lary Wilcox settled in 1816 on a farm across the sorvet frut Ripley. He ald to Solomon Ralph, ant soon after purchase! the farm on the hill. He cut the first trees to build his log house on a day celebrated in connection with the early canal achievements. Hiram Wilbur own, part of the fart. A son, Mortitorr has been the village postmaster a number of years. The farm was bought in 1826 by S. Ralph, a blacksmith. aud was by him much improved The farm east side of Main street was settled in 1816 by I-ae Beers. Its extent was from "hurch street to the section live near the creek. He also owned fifty seres west of Main and south of Church streets, and had a log house near Mr. Sperbeck. The sum- mer was cold. and he sold out one fifty and traded the other to Oliver Thomlinson. who settled here in 1820 and remainel many years. The old cemetery grounds were bought from this farm, and the owner. in 1833, donated one acre a> a site for the church of the Universalist society. On the southwest corner of this farmi was erected the first frame house raised in Fairport. It w.wy erected by Mr. Bert- in 1817, on the lut where JI. A. De Land's residence stands. Thomlinson sold hi- log house and one acre of land to Aseph Eldridge for a silver wareh and twenty- five dollars in cash. Ile had a blacksmith-shop where the saleratus works staml. and with others carried on trade. He was also an early tavern-keeper. A Nm. Victory, resides in the town. The farm opposite the one noted was owned by x Mallett, who in 1822 moved into a log house situated in what is now the yard .. f L. F. Howard's residence. He added to lay out the old cemetery. where he was the first to be buried. Colonel John Peters settled in 1820 on a farm opposite Sperr- beck's. He was a business man, met heavy busses. and drowned hituself in his well. The six farmis named, with as many log houses and one small frame, con- stituted Fairport in 1822.

Elisha Hadskin, Bedent Baird, and Andrew Lincoln were early and life-lon; residents of the town. In 1821, Mesers. Lincoln, Rich. and Lathtup built a fouring- and custom-mill, with three run of stones, -two for finnring and one for custom-work. A saw-mill had been built prior to this time.

TURK HILL

In the southern part of the town is a section of land whose elevation is greater than any other in the county. It commands a fine view, and is a valuable farm- ing region. In an early day it was held as of slight value, and was wcupied for years hy squatters, whose character gave them the name of Turks. whenre the name of the hill. From 1825 to 1835. men of energy and character settied the vari- ous farms of this section, and by intelligent labor gave present productiveness and value. Among the prominent settlers were William and Jonathan Calkins, with their father, Rev. Eliczer Calkins. David Guiles, Samuel Williams. Anson Iloa. ard, Christopher Winne, William Wilcox. Asher Conover. l'eter Johnson. aud Nathan B. Weston.

TOWN MEETING.

The first town meeting was held at Cyrus Packard'a, in Egypt, April 6, 1813. when the following officers were elected : Amasa Slocum, town clerk : Cyrus l'aekard, supervisor ; Elisha Slocum, Joseph Beal, atl Charles Aldrich. as-cars: Olney Staples, John Scott, and David Stout, commissioners of highways : Thou.as Ramsdell and Stephen Eaton, poor-masters : and Jesse Treadwell, constable and collector. He did not serve, and on January 14, 1814. Cyrus Packard. Invil Smith, and Asa Wilmarth. justices of the prace, appointed Elisha Slov am to the place. At a special meeting lichl May 23. 1813. C. Aldrich. G. Ramsdell. and .A. Slocum were chosen commissioners of schools. and A. Wilmarth, E. Sleute, ail C. Packard inspectors of schools. This meeting was held in C'eutre schon.1-house near Samuel Bennett's, where meetings were held for fifteen following year -. The following-nawied served as supervisors Charles Aldrich. Peter Ripley, t'yrus Packard. William Gregory. Bezben Wiley. and .I. D. Thompson. Place of meet- · ing was changed to various localities in the town without reference to orler. Su- pervisors to the present have been. from: 1831, Reuben Wiley. J. D. Thompson. Enoch Strong, John Peters, Abisha tindall. Anson Beardsley. Horace Ler. I. D. Ely, Darius Sahuan. J. F .Jones, William A. Lock wood. Charles II. Dickin- son, Jeremiah S. Baker, Thomas D. Walker, Gheorg L. t. Seeley. Jach B. Odell, Thomas Dickinson, William P. Chase. Elias B Strong, A. C. Hill. . hoith G. Aldrich, Jesse B. Haunan, Gleason F. Wilcox. George L. G. Sreley. the present officer, is un hiv weund term.

NATURAL CONDITION AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TOWN.

Settlement, we have seen, began in 1720. Perrinton was formed from Iterir May 20, 1812, and named in honor of its first settlers, Its area is about thirty

orch View

RESIDENCE OF H. A. DE LAND. FAIRPORT, MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

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sis square miles, its form a square. The surface is rolling, and the soil is pro- ductive. The timber in the eastern part was herch and maple, and oak with openings in the south and west. The ridge Known as Turk Hill terminates near the centre of the town. A little north of the centre, extending east and west, was & dense yellow-cedar swasp. Through this lowland wind, Thutust creek, draining the southeastern, northern, and central sections of the town. l'pon this streatu are . two fouring. and grist-mills. Irondequoit creek dows through and drains the western section, and furnished gold water privileges, which are employed by two touring- and grist bills. Years ago, there were many saw-mills on the stream ; Dow there are none. In 1522, the Erie canal was so for an actual fact that a flat- bottomed scow, called the " Myren Holly." came up from below and returned. The mute of the canal was not direct through the town. Iligh embank ments were built from sandy land, and, as a result, ten to twelve breaks have occurred. The first break was at Fullam's bridge. in 1826, the next year after its completion, which to repair cost two thousand one hundred dollars. Within a few years there was another at the embankment nurth of Bushnell's Basin. The largest break was at the Oshow, in 1950 This case ffe-three thousand dollars The pressure of the water carried a caval-boat three-tourths of a mile on the wave. The bow of the boat struck a tree in the woods, nineteen feet from the ground. as found by actual Diz-urutuent. The crew-consisting of the captain, who was accompanied by his wife, and the bonsinan-landed safe, though frightened. The disaster occurred at night, and the light on the boat continued to buru through- out. The original size of the canal was forty feet wide at the surface, and three and a half deep. It is now seventy feet wide and seven deep. The New York Centnd Railroad was finished for traffic in June, 1853. A second track was laid, and in 1873 and 1874 two others were added. By these two agencies, produce finds ready transportation. Shipments have been considerable of grain, potatoes, and apples. Gidevo Ram-dell and others have engaged in the cattle trade. Miton Bodlong has led in this business. He has had an annual average sale during the last forty years of twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars. In 1340 he drove to Albany and sold one thousand eight hundred head uf cattle. Potatis bave been extensively raised. Farmers have planted from twenty to fifty acres. Duncan Butler had under cultivation, during one year, one hundred and fifty acres on bis own farm, and for several years plantel upwards of fifty acres. Cash paid by produce-dealers during the last year sumounted to one hundred and sixty thousand dollars. The lumber trade has besvine extensive. The firm of Ginen & Me- Auliff alone have sold about twelve million feet. sis millino shinghs, and four millien latbs within six years, while De Land & Co. are scarcely inferior in atuoant of sales. The chief manufacture is that of saleratus, begun in 1852 by D. B. De Land, and since grown to enormous proportions. L. T. Huward & Co. are an old and sucess ful business firm. Mr. Hlowird came to Fairport from Turk Hill about 1841, and opened a wagon- and blacksmith-shop. The first wason he aided in building three canal-bouts. As years elapsed, business en- larged. In 1875, seventy-tive lumber-wagons were sold in this aod adjoining tuwns, showing home estimation. Their first sale of a steel-spring open buggy was to Ransom Palmer, of Outarin, and the first lumber-wagun to Mr. Thayer, of Webster.

YtLLy.

Joseph Richardson erveted the first gri-t-mill in the town, about 1810, which he ran several years. It was located on Irondequoit erek, where it eros-es the Rochester road, near what are now known as the Hayward Mills. The second grist-mill was that erected by Parkard & Watson in ISIS, fifty rods south of Cullen Loud's store in Egypt. It was built with two run of' stone, but was operated only a few years. The third was a flouring- and prist-mill, erected in 1821, with three run of stone, two for flouring purposes and one fur custom-work. It was built by Rich, Lincoln & Lathrop, on Iruodequoit ereck, in the northwest part of the town. and processed most excellent will privileges, with a beze pond covering twenty-five acri -. About 1836, Andrew Lincoln purchased the others' interests, and obtained full possession of the property, with which he did a large business. In 1847 he erected a larger mill at the same place, with four run of stone, and two overshot wheels, thus largely increasing its capacity. I'nder his energetic management, which continued for forty-five years, or until his death, November 26, 1866, it became a prominent business interest of the town, and a home market for large quantities of wheat. Four millers were constantly em- played in the mill, and several agents in selling his Hour, in New York. Boston, aod various other cities, It is now owned by W. Ii. Wowhull, amd still does a Large business. The fourth grist-mill was a small concern, on Thomas ereck, a little below the old sawmill. It was built, about 1>25. by t'haunery Ray, by whom it was run ten years, and then sold. The fifth was erreted awin afterwards on the samo stream, a short distance west, on the site of an old saw-mill ; and the sixth, located a little south uf the latter, was formerly a plaster-mill, bont wag reconstructed into a grist mill, and is now owned and run by Frank Jefferson.

The first saw-mill was erected by Peter Ripley, on Thomas creek, on his own farm, about 1812. The second was built by Ebenezer Lewis, a little farther west, on the ssDie streum, some time before 1817. The third saw-will was erveted soon after, on the Irondequoit, and about 1920 was known as the Bailey & Richard- son's mill. At the same time and place they ouned and operated a clothing-mull, -the only one in town. The fourth saw mill was built in the same neighborhood, on Thomas creek, by laish Northrup; and the fifth near Egypt, about the some time, by Oliver Loud, on the farm now owned by Josiah Allrich. The latter was built at a cost of about two thousand dollars. - a large expertise fur a saw-mali in those early days,-and very near 1825. The second in Egypt, and the sixth in the town, was built at a later date, in connection with a grist-mill; atl still another on the Palmyra road, and on frondequoit creek. These saw-wills have all ceased to exist. Springing up whenever and wherever desired by the carly settlers, to assist them in clearing up their lands and manufacturing the immense forests into lumber, they disappeared with the necessity fur their creation, having the country dotted with pleasdut homes, fences, cte., as the ouly traces of their existence. Four fouring. and custom-mills are in operation within the limits of the town, and are all doing a good business for the present hard times.

A large cider-till, with the machinery and facilities for manufacturing vinegar and rectifying cider, was established by Judson R. Hill. It does au extensive business, consutuing vast quantities of apples grown in the vicinity.

THE MERCHANTS OF PERRINTON.

The first store was opened on the spot where the old Pritchard tavern in Egypt Dow stands, in the year 1815, by Messrs. Gregory & Co. This firmu was bought out by Oliver Loud in 1816. He continued the business for two or more years. Smith & Dean started a store at that point in ISIS, and soon became prominent Dercbants of the town. Mr. Packard had a store where Cullen Loud's now stands. A store way kept quite early where Mr. Haithey lives, acar Ellsworth, where there was also a tavern. These were kept by Lyman Tripp. The first store in Fairport was carried on by Mir. Goodell. This was about 1822. Ile soon opened a regular store on the opposite side of the street, in a building owoed by Albert Parker. It was burned a few years since. Mir. Goodell as-u- ciated with him in the new store Mr. Aiken. The place and stuck were onl.l io 1828 to Charles Dickinson, who had been doing a small business at Bushnell s Busiu. His brother Thomas clerked for him a long tiure, and then became a partner. Finally the business passed to the firm of Hill & Hamilton. Jeremiah Chadwick has for thirty-five successive years been engaged in the ni reautile and produce business in the village. The business of the bakery and con- feetionery of James De Land is indicated by the sales, amounting to seventy- five thousand dollars during the past year.

THE CEMETERIES AND THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.

The first burial-place is believed to have been opened about 1800, on the mruer of Amasa Slocum's farm. More formality attended the opening of the wound grandt. which was laid out and couscerated to that purpose. It is located and known as the " Ceotre burying-ground," and was deeded in 1813 to Jese Perrin. Samuel Benmit. Abner Wright, Isane Munsoa. Lauson Barker, Asa Wilmarth, Jabez Sanborn. and twenty-one others, by Lyman Barker. There are other grounds in the town. son at Bushnell's Basin, one in the Pa mer and Conkling neighborhood, in the worth- east part, and opened about 1820, one mest of Fairport, one in Egypt. and om in the south settlement. The first "ground" in Fairport was taken fran the farm - O. Thoulinson, and opened in 1823. In it Solomon Mallett was first buriel. art Peter Ripley was next to follow him. The new cemetery on the hill was laid out and dedicated in 1865. Among others prominent in this connection were D. B De Land, Henry .A. De Land, Montaigne Morley, and Mesers. Hill, Newman, and Parce. Of omundients erectel, that to the memory of those who fell in the Lat. war is notable. It was created by the town in 1966, at a cost of two thousand dollars. It is a nest and appropriate inmemorial, and upon it are inscribed the names of thuse it thus acknowledges and commemorates.

INCIDENTS OF EARLY HISTORY.

In the carly settlements there were many ineidents of romantie coloring. as well .I- of the more sombre have of actual toil and hard-hip. No one who has nut partiet pated in them can appreciate the trials and privations of pioneer lite threw-quarter of a century agu. In the then chantie society, when the baser qualities ut non per .. dominated, or acknowledged no restraint, is required un exalted prim iple and tre rse of purpose to enable one to carry out in practic d life the thin-tian verts . E's.r enterprise in the beginning, or purper to be attained, went forward shows ani wen looked to years of effort for its consummation, while now they are nupatent if not accomplished in a season. Then the pholding osen were typual ut the alow march in improvement and agriculture, while now the rushing herunder

PLATE LXXXII.

L.CELAN

THE DE LANDS CEMETERY LOT.

RES. OF MRS. D. 8. DE LAND, FAIRPORT, N. Y.

ROCHESTER POWDER MILLS, RAND & CO., P.O. PITTSFORD, MONROE CO, N.Y.

M WADHAMS

PLATE LXXXII !.

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

ha+ seerlerated the sifiili 4 of all social and business activities. Honses were built and completed, but framed by the oll scribe rule. In some of the buildings still standing. notably Mr. Hamilton's barn, the marks are yet visible on every mortise. beam, and brace, which indicatedl the place cach was to occupy. In the paucity of amusements, sandwiched in incessant toil. the young America of to-lay occasionally showed its presence, though in ciubryo development. The high- blooded young men of Perrintun were avrustomed to gather in Egypt. with their fatbers' fastest roadsters, and run races over the long, smooth piece of road extend- ing through this valley. The practice becoming frequent caused great annoyance to Dencon Ramsdell, who, with his strict New England training and Quaker habits, regarding the practice as both cruel to the hopes and demoralizing to the young men. Being a man of action, and with a hack-bone equal to his convictions, be determined to break it up. Whenever the young men gathered for a race, he yuked his oxen to his cart, and went to work on the road, taking care to be stretched across the road as the racers started or were coming in on the home- stretch. He finally succeeded through bis persisteney.

Mr. Ramsdell was a reformer. and generally in the lead, for which he possessed an abundance of moral courage. Through the influence of bis Quaker wife he joined that evet, which regarded the use of whisky, then universal, as an ununiti- gated evil. When he built his house he resolved to permit no whisky at the raising. His neighbors ridiculed the idea, and assured him that it would be int- possible to obtain assistance,-that unless he supplied it the frame would never be put up. But when once determined be was immovable, and the result showel the wisdom of bis resolution. The work was accomplished better and sooner. and the men departed sober, in a happier mond and more neighborly spirit than usual. It was the first practical temperance lecture given in the town, . 1 its in- fluence in revolutionizing the habits of life and business was invaluable aud sig- Dificant.

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History of Monroe county, New York with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, Palatial residences, Part 85

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