History of Ontario Co., New York, Part 17

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 391

USA > New York > Ontario County > History of Ontario Co., New York > Part 17

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The first excitement subsided, and months went by, during which the popula- tion continued their accustomed avocations. Canandaigua became a military sta- tion ; barracks were erected opposite Bates' tavern ; martial music filled the air ; troops arrived, went into quarters, and again departed; baggage trains rattled through, and a market was opened for supplies.

The settlers feared the hostility of the Seneca Indians. Judge Erastus Gran- ger, government agent, called a council of the Senecas, and obtained pledges of neutrality. The tribe became fast friends to the Americans, and a number of their warriors took part in the ensuing battles of the war.

A peace meeting was held at Taylor's Hotel, in the village of Canandaigua, on September 10, 1812, at which every town in the county was represented by dele- gates from the friends of peace.

On June 4, 1813, Captain John Rochester was engaged in recruiting at the barracks, offering $8 per month, a bounty of $16, and clothing for one year. Meanwhile, disgrace and disaster had fallen upon our arms. A brief general reo- ord is all that our space will permit in this connection. The regulars were with- drawn from the frontier, and General McClure, of the State militia, was left in command. He burned Newark, a Canadian village, evacuated Fort George, and halted at Fort Niagara. He soon took up his quarters at Buffalo. Colonel Mur- ray, with a force of five hundred British and Indians, landed at Five-Mile Mead- ows before day. Indians, scouting in advance, reached Lewiston at sunrise. Here Major Bennett had a small force, in which were two sons of Horatio Jones. The Indians swarmed out of the woods, and a British detachment soon followed. Bennett fell back with a loss of half a dozen men. The enemy began to burn the houses, plunder them of valuables, and shoot down citizens. Among the slain in the attack on Lewiston were Dr. Alford, Miles Gillett and brother, Thos. Marsh, William Gardner, Tiffany, and Finch. The ridge road on this 19th of December presented a "woful scene. The people, men, women, and children, formed a column of retreat to the East. The Tuscarora Indians mingled in the flight. All in front was alarm. Onward the mass moved, while in the rear were deserted homes, and a few brave whites and Indians, who helped to check pursuit. At Howell's creek, the first four-corners west, was a small arsenal, where were stored several barrels of powder, a supply of fixed ammunition, and several hun- dred stand of arms. Here a halt was made, and the braver, demonstrating

heavily, turned back the Indians who had been in pursuit. The retreat of the column was made to Forsyth's, where a portion took the Lewiston road, and others came along the ridge road into what is now known as Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, and the north part of Ontario counties. Such a retreat must be memorable to such as took a part therein. A small party of Tuscarora Indians, firing from am- bush near their village, checked pursuit, and aided the escape of the Lewiston settlers. A British scouting party sallied from Fort Niagara, with orders to burn every house and destroy the mills of Judge Van Horn, where was some flour in- tended for army use. Houses were burnt, but the furniture was first removed ; the mill was fired, but a part of the flour was rolled out for the use of destitute families. The party returned to the fort. The news of the raid spread conster- nation. An advance on Buffalo, or a movement upon Batavia, was expected. General Hall, of Bloomfield, called about him quite a force from General Wada- worth's brigade, in Ontario ; volunteers came in from Genesee county, and head- quarters were for the time at Batavia. Here the command was organized, armed, and, on December 25, marched to Buffalo. On the next day Hall arrived at Buf- falo, and found dismay, confusion, and expectancy. Imperfect organization was effected. The number of men present was about two thousand; a few hundred more arrived before the 30th.

About midnight of December 29, it was reported that a mounted patrol, under command of Lieutenant Broughton, had been attacked by a British force that, crossing near the head of Grand Island, had taken a battery which stood upon the site of the lower village of Black Rock. The men were called to arms, Colonels Warren and Churchill at Black Rock were ordered by General Hall to drive the British to their boats, and as a result the attacking party was dispersed. The Buf- falo force was then ordered towards Black Rock. A second attack upon the Brit- ish in the battery resulted in failure and dispersal.

The following is an extract from an official account by General Hall to Governor Tompkins : " As day dawned, I discovered a detachment of the enemy's boats crossing to our shore, and bending their course towards the rear of General Porter's house. I immediately ordered Colonel Blakeslee to attack the enemy's force at the water's edge. I became satisfied as to the disposition and object of the enemy. Their left wing, composed of about one thousand regulars, militia and Indians, had been landed below the creek, under the cover of the night. With their centre, consisting of four hundred Royal Scots, commanded by Colonel Gordon, the battle was commenced. The right, which was purposely weak, was landed near the main battery, merely to divert our force; the whole under the immediate command of Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, and led on by Major- General Riall. They were attacked by four field-pieces in the battery at the water's edge; at the same time the battery from the other side of the river opened a heavy fire upon us of shells, hot shot, and ball. The whole force now opposed to the enemy was, at most, not over six hundred men, the remainder having fled in spite of the exertions of their officers. These few but brave men disputed every inch of ground with the steady coolness of veterans, at the expense of many valuable lives. The defection of the militia, by reason of the ground on which they must act, left the forces engaged exposed to the enemy's fire in front and flank. After standing their ground for half an hour, opposed by an overwhelming force, and nearly surrounded, a retreat became necessary to their safety, and was accordingly ordered. I then made every effort to rally the troops, with a view to attack their columns as they entered the village of Buffalo, but all in vain. Deserted by my principal force, I fell back that night to Eleven-Mile creek, and was forced to leave the flourishing villages of Black Rock and Buffalo a prey to the enemy, which they have pillaged and laid in ashes. They have gained but little plunder from the stores; the chief loss has fallen upon individuals."

This was the result of a reliance upon drafted militia, which have ever caused disaster, while the volunteer militia have invariably done good service and held honorable competition upon the battle-field with regular troops. By sunrise tidings had reached .Buffalo of the failure of the defense. Squads of flying militia confirmed the report, and wild terror and disorder ensued. Teams of horses and oxen were used to convey away some clothing with the families. Many set out on foot to tramp along through the snow for miles, before rest and shelter could be obtained, and in this hegira were women and children.

The British advanced near the village, and Indians were seen leaving the main army to fall upon the inhabitants, when Colonel Chapin, on horseback, with a white kerchief, sought General Riall. Terms were made, and the enemy entered the village. A few regulars, led by Lieutenant Riddle, gave grounds for breaking the treaty, and most of the buildings were burned. A Mrs. Lovejoy disputed with some Indians in search of plunder, was stabbed, and her body thrown upon the street ; it was put back into the house by Judge Walden, and consumed with the building next day. The enemy feared to remain, and evacuated during the afternoon. A party of British and Indians came back a day or so after, and burned every house but that of Mrs. St. John and Reece's blacksmith shop.

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The retreat continued long after its necessity had ceased. Batavia was made the rallying point for a remnant of an army and a multitude of homeless citizens. Away over the forest were clearings where had stood houses, and the domestic animals wandered aimlessly about, with none to feed them. The situation was pitiable, and called strongly for sympathy and relief.

Far eastward had gone the tidings of the attack on Buffalo, and regiments had reached Canandaigua on their way to repel invasion, when an express-rider brought tidings that the enemy had retired, and they, returning home, disbanded.

The residents of Canandaigua have ever attended to the cry for relief, and when the people of the settlements were driven back upon less exposed sections, and their necessities became apparent, they made the following appeal :

"CANANDAIGUA, January 8, 1814.

" GENTLEMEN,-Niagara county, and that part of Genesee which lies west of Batavia, are completely depopulated. All the settlements in a section forty miles square, and which contained more than twelve thousand souls, are effectually broken up. These facts you are undoubtedly acquainted with ; but the distresses they have produced none but an eye-witness can thoroughly appreciate. Our roads are filled with people, many of whom have been reduced from a state of competency and good prospects to the last degree of want and sorrow. So sudden was the blow by which they have been crushed that no provision could be made either to elude or to meet it. The fugitives from Niagara county especially were dis- persed under circumstances of so much terror that in some cases mothers find them- selves wandering with strange children, and children are seen accompanied by such as have no other sympathies with them than those of common sufferings. Of the families thus separated, all the members can never again meet in this life ; for the same violence which has made them beggars has forever deprived them of their heads, and others of their branches. Afflictions of the mind, so deep as has been allotted to these unhappy people, we cannot cure. They can probably be subdued only by His power who can wipe away all tears. But shall we not endeavor to assuage them ? To their bodily wants we can certainly administer. The inhabi- tants of this village have made large contributions for their relief, in provisions, clothing, and money, and we have been appointed, among other things, to solicit further relief for them from our wealthy and liberal-minded fellow-citizens. In pursuance of this appointment, we may ask you, gentlemen, to interest yourselves particularly in their behalf. We believe that no occasion has ever occurred in our country which presented stronger claims upon individual benevolence, and we humbly trust that whoever is willing to answer these claims will always entitle himself to the precious reward of active charity. We are, gentlemen, with great respect,

" WILLIAM SHEPARD,

" THADDEUS CHAPIN,

" MOSES ATWATER,

" N. GORHAM,

" MYRON HOLLEY,

" THOMAS BEALS,

" PHINEAS P. BATES,

" Committee of Safety and Relief at Canandaigua.

" To Hon. Philip 8. Van Rensselaer, Hon. James Kent, Hon. Ambrose Spencer, Stephen Van Rensselaer, Esq., Elisha Jenkins, Esq., Rev. Timothy Clowes, Rev. William Neill, Rev. John M. Bradford."

In response to this appeal the State Legislature appropriated fifty thousand dol- lars, the Council of Albany one thousand dollars, New York Common Council, three thousand dollars. Other help was given, so that the committee at Canan- daigua reported early in March a total receipt from various sources of thirteen thousand dollars. This, united to the State appropriation, made a total of sixty- three thousand dollars, a sum which did much timely and needed good.

The war continued, and, on June 25, 1814, a command known as " Colonel Dobbins' Regiment" was organized at Batavia, and proceeded to the frontier. At Black Rock they were joined by a regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers and a body of Seneca warriors. All were placed in command of General P. B. Porter. Shortly after their arrival at the front, the engagement at Chippewa took place, and they all-unused to contend with regular soldiers-were thrown into con- fusion and did little service. Scott's brigade crossed the Niagara and captured Fort Erie on July 3. An advance was then made upon the British line drawn up behind the Chippewa, a deep, still stream, whose course is at right angles with that of the Niagara. Ripley's brigade made the passage of the Niagara about midnight of the 4th, and Porter's on the morning of the 5th. The two armies lay about three-fourths of a mile apart. At four P.M., General Porter, on the extreme left, approached the Chippewa. The enemy, recognizing the force, as militia, boldly crossed the stream, and the engagement opened hotly. Clouds of dust and heavy firing indicated the state of affairs, and Scott's veterans were sent

forward. The brigade of Porter gave way, and could not be rallied during the action. After a desperate encounter the British fell back, and were driven over the Chippewa with heavy loss. Days passed in manœuvring. The British, gathering vessels, began to land troops at Lewiston and to threaten Schlosser. To check this movement, Scott was sent to demonstrate against the enemy at Queenstown. Abont sundown, July 25, he met and hotly engaged the entire British army. Porter's volunteers now advanced with ardor to Scott's support, took ground on the left in good order, and intrepidly held their position and repelled a resolute charge. Stimulated by the voices and example of officers, these raw but brave troops dashed down upon the British line and captured many prisoners. General Jacob Brown says, in his official report to the Secretary of War, " The militia volunteers of New York and Pennsylvania stood undismayed amidst the hottest fire, and repulsed the veterans opposed to them." The regi- ment won commendations for noble conduct at Erie, and was mustered out at Batavia, November 8, 1814. The tidings of peace were heard with gladness, and once more the avocations of industry were pursued. Still the old system of muster and drill was kept up, as was shown by the following :

" BRIGADE ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS, PALMYRA, August 10, 1822.

"The officers, non-commissioned officers, and musicians of the Twenty-fourth Brigade, New York Infantry, are ordered by the brigadier-general to rendezvous for military improvement at the times and places following: The Seventy-first at Vienna, September 2; the Forty-second at Geneva, September 3; the One Hundred and Third at Milo, September 4; the Eleventh, Colonel Dudley Marvin, at Canandaigua, September 5; the Thirty-ninth at Palmyra, Septem- ber 6. The battalion of riflemen, Major Bowen Whiting, at Phelps, August 30, and of infantry, Major Daniel Poppins, at Popper's Corners, September 7. The Seventy-first Regiment, commanded by Colonel Elias Cost, at Phelps, on September 9; the Forty-second Regiment, under Colonel Thomas Lee, at Geneva, September 10; the One Hundred and Third Regiment at Milo, Sep- tember 11; the Thirty-ninth, under Lieutenant-Colonel James S. Stoddard, September 13, at Rogers' Hall, Palmyra.

" By order of Brigadier-General THOMAS ROGERS. " WILLIAM A. MCLEAN, Aid-de-camp."

Old and young found enjoyment in general training, and the above notice will revive recollections of those days, fraught with much of pleasure to those who in their prime were enrolled in the ranks and took part in the evolutions.

CHAPTER XVII.

GEOGRAPHICAL : TOWNS, VILLAGES, SURFACE, SOIL, LAKES, STREAMS, AND SPRINGS-FISH, SQUIRRELS, AND REPTILES-AN INTERESTING AND ABLE LETTER.

ONTARIO COUNTY is centrally distant one hundred and eighty miles from Albany, and contains six hundred and forty square miles. It contains sixteen towns, in which are contained of villages and hamlets thirty-five. Five villages are incorporated. Geneva was incorporated in 1806. It is the largest village of the county, and has a fine location at the foot of Seneca lake. Here was started the pioneer newspaper ; here was established a model and still flourishing Union school. It is the seat of Hobart College. The Geneva Water-Cure and Hygienic Institute is a feature of the place. Extensive malt-works are located near the lake, and in the vicinity are iron-works of considerable importance. . The place has a national bank, fine churches, a reliable press, and many stately and beautiful residences, surrounded by tasty and ornamental grounds. It has a system of water- works, a good fire department, and by steamboat and rail-car has excellent means of communication with other places. It was long regarded as a leading business place in central New York, and is a pleasant resort for tourists. Canandaigua was incorporated in 1815. It is an important railroad station, and connects by steamer with Naples, at the head of Canandaigua lake. It contains a handsome court-house; a town-hall, in which is a large library ; an academy, founded in 1795; a private lunatic asylum, incorporated in 1859; three newspaper offices ; three banks, one national; an extensive brewery ; three large hotels, besides some others of less capacity; six churches; several handsome blocks, and many elegant private residences.

Phelps, early known as Vienna, was incorporated January 2, 1855. It is located near the junction of Flint creek with Canandaigua outlet. It contains a Union school of some reputation, a newspaper office, and six churches.

Naples, on Canandaigua inlet, is a recently incorporated village. A newspaper

Digitized by Google

HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

is published at the village, which is well supplied with churches, and is the seat of a thriving business. Clifton Springs was incorporated in 1859. It is notable as the seat of an extensive water-cure establishment, and the site of the celebrated Clifton Mineral Springs. East Bloomfield, in the town of the same name, has several manufactories, an academy, and several churches. Shortsville is a manu- facturing point in the town of Manchester, and is attracting some attention. Centerfield, Cheshire, Chapinville, Gorham, Victor, and West Bloomfield are other villages which, from historio vicinage, beauty of location, or future promise, are deserving of mention. Ontario presents a variety of surface and delightful scenery. Its towns are situated upon the extreme northern declivities of the cen- tral Allegheny range, and have a northerly inclination. The hills to the south have a general elevation of a thousand feet above the northern parts of the county. The region west and south of Canandaigua lake is hilly and broken. The ridges decline northward, and terminate in a pleasant-appearing, undulating region, which extends east to Geneva and north of Bristol. The elevations of this region are sufficient to insure thorough drainage. At right angles to the general range is a terrace with declivities, which extends through the north portions of East and West Bloomfield and the south port of Victor. In the extreme north drift, ridges exist of a kind similar to those of Wayne and Seneca counties. The surface of Bristol is a series of ridges, some of which reach an altitude of five hundred feet above the valley. These ridges are cut by deep precipitous ravines. Canadice has high upland, separated into ridges by Canadice lake. The west ridge bears the name of Bold Hill; the eastern has a more gradual alope. Canandaigua, hilly to the southward, is mainly level towards the north. East Bloomfield has a roll- ing surface. Farmington, mainly level in the south, is broken by drift ridges to- wards the north. Gorham has a rolling surface; its ridges have gradual slope, and rise only from twenty-eight to two hundred feet above the valleys. Hopewell has a level surface, and the same may be said mainly of Manchester. Naples has an elevated upland, with deep, narrow valleys. Hills rise six hundred to one thousand feet above the lake surface. The highest summits are High Point and Hatch Hill. Phelps has a rolling surface; Richmond is hilly; Seneca is much like Phelps. South Bristol is almost mountainous; it is divided into four ranges. Declivities are precipitous, and lake bluffs rise three hundred to four hundred feet. West Bloomfield is undulating, and Victor is occupied by drift ridges.

The soil is a composition of clay, sand, and gravel, formed from the drift de- posits. The valleys and the rolling regions extending through the central and north parts of the county contain a deep, rich loam, which forms one of the finest farming sections in the State. The hills had been regarded as of poor productive capacity, but experience has shown that some of the most valuable agricultural farms are found in such locations. The soil is a disintegrated shale and slate, forming an excellent grazing section. The drift hills in the west, covered by a deep, light sand, are moderately fertile. The gradual crumbling of the shale upon the hills, swept down and ground to sand and clay, has contributed to maintain. the soil in its productiveness in the valleys. The southern part of Farmington has a clay soil, and to the northward is a marshy, region, but the general summary of Ontario soil is that of more than ordinary productiveness. The scenery, sup- plied by uneven surface and varied soil, is beautiful. The eye may rest upon dia- tant hills, and in the interval see other hills, with checkered farms, woodlands, fields of grain, and comfortable dwellings. Ontario County had known an Indian tillage for centuries, and there was a time when wide areas were destitute of tim- ber; but when the pioneers of 1789 came in, they found an almost unbroken for- est stretching interminably westward to Erie and northward.to Ontario. Magni- ficent forest-trees towered skywards; the oaks presented trunks with sixty feet of rail-cuts to the limbs; the sugar-maple was rich with the juices of spring's rising sap; the cucumber, with highly colored fruit; the birch, from which the Senecas formed the coverings of the canoes which skimmed the surface of Seneca, Canan- daigua, and the lesser lakes; the sassafras, well known for healthful drink in spring-time; the slippery elm, with valued inner bark; the butternut, whose fibres gave color to the domestic cloths, and whose oval nuts were gathered for the win- ter's evening; the bass-wood, early used for puncheoned fioor; the hickory, whose bark made torches, carried to protect from wolves or light for evening household labor; and besides these were strips of noble pine and an intermingled growth of chestnut, cherry, and walnut, buttonwood, ash, white-wood, and many another specios valuable now, were they standing, but then indicative of fertility, and re- garded as an incubus. Upon the bluffs along the Canandaigua grew the red cedar, while the dark pines and hemlock were seen upon the banks of streams in the southern towns of Naples, Canadice, and Bristol. At Wilder's Point, Geneva, and other points, were orchards of the peach and apple, grown from time undated by the earlier occupants; plums, varied in kind and delicious of flavor, were com- mon to the swales, and the crab-apple offered its pungent fruit. From the hard maple the settler soon learned to make the sugar still held in great repute, and Morris early writes of a fine loaf sugar, excellent and pure, manufactured by the

pioneers. Williamson names the wild fruits as " the plum, cherry, mulberry, grape, raspberry, blackberry, huckleberry, gooseberry, cranberry, strawberry, and black haw." From the histories of towns we learn of apple-seeds brought on and planted by the first pioneers, and of young trees brought from Wilder's and the orchard at Geneva. The fruit was indifferent, but its cultivation was heavily prosecuted. The tavern-keepers occasionally purchased barrels of cider, and a dance in the ball-room of Pitta, Wilder, and others furnished enjoyment and re- laxation from the toil of farm and household.

The war of 1812 opened a way of profit to the settlers; orchards multiplied, and cider, brandy, and whisky were produced in large quantities. In 1810, there were fall seventy-six distilleries located within the limits of Ontario. The growth of the apple is a present industry, and orchards, old and new, are found on most farms, whose yield finds ready sale at remunerative prices. The wild grape has been eulogized, by old settlers, as the equal of present varie- ties, but the absence of a comparison, and the needs of the times, made all fruit seem palatable, and time has heightened the remembrance. Efforts have been made to grow the vine, and the hill-sides of Naples are becoming known as the location of large and profitable vineyards. At annual fairs fine fruit in great variety is exhibited, and the industry, spurred by success, extends its area until the hill-sides are dotted by vineyards, numerous and extensive. The vicinity of Geneva has grown famous as the seat of nurseries begun thirty odd years ago, --- enlarging as to the original plantera, and the example emulated by others, until at this time the number and sise of the Geneva nurseries may well attract the atten- tion of the writer, as well as the visitor, for trees to stock the orchard grounds of near and distant States. Lakes, streams, and springs diversify the scenery and promote the healthfulness of Ontario's territory. East of the town of Geneva lies the foot of Seneca lake. This body of water occupies a deep valley between ridges, and has a varied depth. Its length is about thirty-eight miles, while its width varies from one to four miles. It has been asserted that the lake has never been entirely frozen over, but observations noted have proved this otherwise, although the presence of springs, subaqueous and of large volume, tend to coun- teraot the influences of atmospheric temperature. The greatest depth of the lake is about six hundred and thirty feet, and the mean temperature about 54°.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Ontario Co., New York, Part 17

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 391

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 391