History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 54

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Lewis, Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 826

USA > New York > Steuben County > History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 54

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When scarcely twenty-one he married, in May, 1813, Sophia, daughter of Jonathan Tallmadge. She was born in Canaan, Conn., Oct. 13, 1791. This union was blessed with five children,-Rufus (deceased), Cyrus (deceased), Adeliza (Mrs. Iliram Merriman), Edgar, Augusta (Mrs. Geo. R. Curtis).

For twenty-seven years he conducted to a financial sue- cess, with and without partners, his extended business, in connection with lumbering interests in Essex County. In 1837, in connection with Mr. Hiram Merriman, he pur- chased the grist-mill, saw-mill, land, and lumbering interests of F. and W. Whitney, in Bradford, Steuben Co., N. Y. In 1838 he took up his residence in this wild locality, where Mr. and Mrs. Merriman had settled in March of the previous year.

No man for the succeeding forty years was more promi- nently identified with the growth and development of the town of Bradford than he. Building at once a larger grist- mill, he also commeneed lumbering and farming, and, with

the whole power of his energy, threw himself into the work of improvement. Under his management, acre after aere was cleared of its primeval forest, and from that day to the present the name of Munson has been attached to the heaviest business house of the town. For many years the firms of " J. Munson & Co.," " Merriman and Munson," and " Merriman, Munson & Co." transaeted the bulk of the business of that section. The same force was given to every scheme of improvement as to business. In education this was especially shown. The Bradford Academy was established by himself and Mr. Merriman, and a school of high grade furnished the settlement.

He contributed largely to the erection and support of the Episcopal church in Bradford, while other churches re- eeived his bounteous aid.

Mr. Munson never aspired to office, but in times when he was necessary to success in important matters, he was placed in such position, and never betrayed a trust. Ile served his town several terms as supervisor, and during the Rebellion assisted in raising the war quota of Bradford, giving from his own funds from ten to twenty-five dollars to each man. By his activity the qnota of Bradford was the first filled in the county.

Mr. Munson is of a quick, impulsive temperament, posi- tive in his likes and dislikes, strong in his friendships and attachments. Benevolent to a fault, no ery of' need went without relief. He is the unrelenting foe of intemperanee, and an instance in his early life will show the ardor of his convictions. He had said he would have no liquor but hot coffee in his harvest-field. This was then almost unheard of, but the work was commenced. One day, while visiting a field, he found a decanter of liquor. With indignation he seized it, and, without waiting for explanations, dashed it to atoms. In early life Mr. Munson was a Presbyterian, latterly an Episcopalian.

Politically, Mr. Munson has ever been a Democrat. In all circumstances he has elung to the constitution as the bulwark of our liberty, jealously resisted all intrusion upon its teachings, and has been one of the leading counselors of the party in the county.

Soon after the death of his wife, May 10, 1871, Mr. Munson gave up business, which had brought him more than a competency, and for several years has resided with his children, in Williamsport, Pa. He has lived to see his wilderness home " blossom like a rose," his memory cher- ished and honored, his children occupying high social and business positions, and can look back on an unusually long career of activity without a wish to blot or erase any acts written in the book of memory.

His son Rufus, who married Lavinia Early, Feb. 13, 1839, died Jan. 6, 1866 ; Cyrus, an Episcopal elergymen, died in Connecticut, Aug. 1, 1848; Edgar married, June 15, 1852, Lucy Maria Curtis, of Meriden, Conn, and is now one of the leading business men of Williamsport, Pa. Mr. Hiram Merriman, who married Adeliza, Sept. 22, 1836, is another of Williamsport's solid citizens. Both of the latter have been prominently connected with Steuben County in past years both by residenee aud business.

Augusta was married, May 22, 1855, to George R. Curtis, of Meriden, Conn.

201

TOWN OF CAMERON.

WILLIAM HEDGES.

William Hedges was born in Barrington, Yates Co., Aug. 6, 1827. He is the son of Caleb S. Hedges and Nancy MeDowell, and is of English descent. Caleb S. Hedges came from Yates County to Steuben County with his family,

WILLIAM HEDGES.

and settled in Cameron in 1830. In 1838 he moved to what then was Bradford, Steuben Co., now Orange, Schuy- ler Co., and settled upon the farm where he now resides. The subject of this sketch lived at home until he was eigh- teen years of age and worked upon his father's farmu, im- proving his advantages as best he could for obtaining a limited education. At the age of eighteen years, having a

desire to mingle with the world, and commence life's battle for himself, he purchased his time of his father for twenty-five dollars, with the understanding that he was going to learn the trade of boot- and shoe-making, and went to Penn Yan, Yates Co. Mr. IIedges served his apprenticeship in Penn Yan, Bradford, and Dundee. At the age of twenty-one years le was in the possession of his trade, which had been secured by determined perseverance. In 1849 he formed a part- nership with H. D. Rosenkrans, in the boot and shoe busi- ness, iu Bradford, N. Y., which partnership was continued until 1853. In 1854 he again formed a partnership, in the manufacture of boots and shoes, with E. S. Bennett. This partnership was dissolved in 1855, by Mr. Hedges buying the interest of his partner. He then continued in the manufacture of boots and shoes until 1862, when he began to enlarge his business by adding groceries. In 1869, Mr. Hedges formed a partnership with Jonathan Robie, of Bath, in the general mercantile business. and since that time has been a merchant in Bradford. The mercantile firm is now Wm. Hedges & Son. In politics he is a Republican. He has never allowed politics to interfere with his business, but has always been identified with the best interests of his party. He was appointed postmaster of Bradford in 1872, which office he still holds. Few merit the term of a self- made man more than does Mr. Wm. Hedges. Beginning life by learning a trade, entirely thrown upon his own re- sources, he has by perseverance, industry, and economy worked himself up step by step until now he is regarded as one of the solid business men of Bradford.

In 1850 he married Ruth Goble, of Bradford. They have had children as follows: Carrie A., who died in in- fancy ; Frank W., who is a partner with his father in busi- ness ; Mary E. and Lizzie L., who are young ladies and live at home. Besides his mercantile business Mr. Hedges has also a farm of one hundred and fifteen acres in Brad- ford, which receives something of his attention.

CAMERON.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

THIS town was named from Dugald Cameron, one of the first settlers of Bath, and afterwards an agent of the Pulte- ney estate. It was formed from Addison, April 16, 1822. Thurston was taken off in 1844, and part of Rathbone in 1856. It is bounded north by Bath, east by Thurston, south by Rathbone and Jasper, and west by Canisteo. The Canisteo River passes through the southwest part of the town. The northern part comprises the highlands between the Canisteo and Conhocton, from which creeks run south to the river. A portion of the country is some- what rough, broken into hills and ravines, but it is fairly productive, yielding good crops of grain, grass, and dairy products.

SETTLEMENT.

The first settlement in the town of Cameron was made in the year 1800 by Richard Iladley, also known as "The Second James," and Phones Green. Richard Hadley first lived on the Baker place, at the foot of the hill, near the present railroad-crossing, and it is said he was driven from that locality by a land-slide, which opened the gap in the hills at that point where before had been a high wall of unbroken rock, large masses of earth and rock falling into the valley, crushing down trees and closely threatening his cabin. Many high points of soft rock resembling chim- neys originally covered the slopes of these hills, and have been gradually disappearing until but few are left. The process of their formation is again going ou, portions of the

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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

disintegrating rock being held by the roots of a new growth of pine, while around the surface caving gradually away leaves a succession of pyramids of stone, each crowned with a single tree. Wild animals were plenty, and found a safe refuge among these almost inaccessible rocks. At a height of from eighty to one hundred and twenty feet above the level of the river a wall of scraggy rock projects in a straight line from the steep hill-side on each side of the valley. The tops of the hills rising three or four hundred feet above this wall, covered with a thin second growth of pine, form an almost level line where they shut off the lower valley, less than half a mile wide in its general course through the town. In passing through the valley the view is constantly obstructed by steep headlands and walls of rock, which give additional interest to the seenery. Phones Green lived below Baker's Mill, where the old reformation meetings were held. Ile was a grandfather of Capt. Luther White, the oldest resident of the town of Cameron now living. Baker's Mill, a mile below the vil- lage of Cameron, on the right bank of the river, was the site of the first saw- and grist-mill in the town. Mr. Had- ley built the saw-mill, and Capt. Samuel Baker, who came to the town in 1816, built the first grist-mill, in company with a Mr. Warden, the same year. Mr. Baker was ac- companied by his grandson, James B. Wheeler, then a boy of seven years, who succeeded to the mill, several times rebuilt, and now occupied by his sons, Grattan H. and John D. Wheeler. Urbane Baker, a son of the original owner, is still living upon the hill near by. A carding- machine was also erected there by Amos Caldwell, and operated by John Place several years. John Dean came from Massachusetts, and located near the mill soon after Mr. Baker. He is still living in the valley, at the ad- vaneed age of ninety years. His wife is eighty-four years of age.

Isaae Santee, father of John Santee, of Hornellsville, and William and Jesse Santee, of Cameron, settled in the valley, a mile from the Canisteo line, in 1820.

John Hallett, who kept tavern near the bridge, half a mile west of Cameron, Isaac Santee, Joseph Butler, and Michael Loughry, were the only residents in the town, west of Cameron Corners, when Capt. Luther White settled where he now lives, near the Santee place, in 1824. Amasa Downs kept a tavern at that time on his farm, and James Brownell, who was a professional constable, nearly always managing to get elected to that office, also lived there. John F. French had a custom tannery on the creek, near the Methodist parsonage. John French was married to Almira, daughter of Matthew Dickey, in 1820, this being the first marriage in Cameron of which we find a record. Captain White, who is still living where he first settled with his grandson John White, was for many years a prominent citizen and leading lumberman of the Canisteo Valley.

Elisha Leach, one of the first settlers in Cameron, south of the river, located on South Hill in 1825, and in 1835 was joined by his father-in-law, Ilirah Chase, a native of Rhode Island, who was the father of Elias D. Chase. Judah, Hirah, and John B. Chase, a Baptist preacher, came from Yates County, in 1832, and settled near Elisha

Leach, two miles south of the village of Cameron. Elias Chase, of Cameron, is a son of Hirah; Charles, Eli, and Levi Chase, farmers of Cameron, are sons of Judah Chase.

Reuben Drake, father of George W. Drake, of Cameron village, was an early settler on that part of the South Hill called " The Swale." Another son, Peter Il. Drake, occu- pies the old homestead.

Chauncey P. Hubbard, who entered the south part of Cameron in the extensive forests on the south branch of the Tuscarora Creek, in 1832, built a saw-mill, and became soon well known for his enterprise and publie spirit. It was mainly through his efforts that the Presbyterian Church of Cameron was organized, on the Canisteo River. The old water-mill, in the south part of the town, near his residence, is still running. His eldest son, Rev. Albert W. Hubbard, is a missionary in Turkey, under the American Board of Foreign Missions.

One of the earliest marriages in the town of Cameron was that of John French.

Among the first settlers in the north part of the town was Elias Mason, Esq., who came from Madison County, and in 1815 located on the farm now occupied by his son, C. W. Mason, as a dairy-farm and cheese-factory. At that date there was no inhabitant between Cameron Corners and the church ground, a mile and a half east. Elias Mason was postmaster of North Cameron for thirty years, the post-offiee being at his house until the cheese-factory was established, in 1870, when it was moved to the "Gulf." James and Henry Knickerbocker came from Chenango County, and settled on the ridge in northeastern Cameron, in 1826, and cleared ten acres of land, from which they obtained 305 bushels of wheat the next year, worth, at that time, fifty cents a bushel. Afterwards, Henry Knicker- bocker kept one of the numerous " Gulf" taverns for sev- eral years. Andrew Bates, also from Chenango County, joined them soon after their arrival, and John Shaw settled a mile north, towards the Big Gulf, where Leonard Porter kept a tavern, on the road from Cameron Corners ( Cameron . village) to Bath. Timothy Carpenter, father of Uriah, and Alva Carpenter, came from Yates County, and settled where Uriah Carpenter now lives, in the north part of the town, near the Thurston line, in 1825. Joseph Plaisted, from Rhode Island, settled a mile south, and N. Rouse farther west. Mr. Rouse is well remembered by the old settlers as the popular " fiddler " of his day. The Shingle school-house was built, near the Plaistead place, in 1828.

Samuel V. Pugsley came from Dutchess County, and settled in the north of Cameron, south of Stocking Creek, in 1841. John Barber was an early settler west on the ridge.

" The Gulf" is a deep, dark ravine forming the bed of Stocking Creek ; commenees some distance above the cheese- factory, and continues three miles below, including in its curve Bonny Hill, a circular hill three miles across, in the northern parts of Cameron and Thurston, and is filled with the original growth of hemlock. This deep, narrow gulf is crossed by roads only at two points-Yost's Mill, in Thurston, and at the North Cameron post-office on the old county road, where access to the bottom of the ravine is had. at the junction of a small branch from the south. The

203

TOWN OF CAMERON.

settlement consists of an old saw-mill and ten houses, four of which were built for the entertainment of travelers. It was here that H. Knickerbocker, J. D. Yost, Porter and others kept their taverns, and accommodated parties from Bath as well as travelers across the country. Harley Sears, a native of Seneca County, settled north of Timothy Car- penter in 1832, James Rowe, who came with him, joining him on the south. Eli Northrup, from Yates County, set- tled in the east part of the town in 1830. His son, Asahel Northrup, lives near by, and is a prosperous farmer. This is a separate family, and not connected with the Northrup in the south of the town.

Hiram Averill was an early settler in the north part of Cameron, on the high land which is known as Averill Hill, and has been from 1826 a leading man of the town, and for many years a magistrate. His son, William W. Averill, a graduate of West Point, early distinguished himself as a soldier while fighting the Kalamath Indians in the North- west, where he was wounded. At the outbreak of the war of 1861-65 he entered into active service, and distinguished himself as a brilliant cavalry offieer, obtaining a brigadier- general's commission before the close of the war. Samuel Watrous and Barnabas Robinson were carly settlers in North Cameron.

In 1831, John French settled on Averill Hill, his brother, David, father of Byron French, coming soon after. Timothy Hastings, David Thayer, and Isaac Hedges were early set- tlers.

From Averill Hill to the south and southwest may be obtained a fine view of the steep, broken hills bordering the Canisteo River, from two to four miles distant, forming a magnificent eircle around a lower pine-elad hill in front, while near by, on either side, cultivated farms slope toward a common centre. To the right, near the west line of the town, the distant hill is broken off abruptly by a bend in the river, leaving a prominent headland. Far to the south are blue lines of hills in Pennsylvania. Down in the river- · valley in front, on a sloping hill-side sixty feet above the river, is West Cameron, a hamlet of a dozen houses, a church, and a school-house. Here was the first home of Isaac Santee, David Ames, who came in 1825, and Luther White. The business has been transferred to Cameron, and the two stores changed, one to a church, and the other, more recently occupied, is used as a dwelling. The post- office of West Cameron was closed in 1874.

As late as 1804, Indians were seattered along the valley, their temporary camps occupying the sunny knolls along the north bank of the river. On these knolls they raised their little store of corn, which was carefully gathered for winter's use, braided together by the husks, and buried in hills raised above the surface of the ground. For some years they were more numerous than the white settlers, ex- pressing their astonishment at the appearance of the first arks with childlike simplicity, as they followed them along the banks. Amos White, the trapper and hunter, was a great favorite with them, teaching and learning from them the arts of wooderaft.

Milling trips were exeursions of pleasure down the river, in which several joined, taking their bags of grain and their rifles in a canoe, and watching through the night for deer

which came into the river to feed. Fish were so plenty in the river that it was not uncommon for a man to spear all he could carry, in a couple of hours.

Lumbering was commenced along the river by the early settlers selling the most accessible trees along its banks, and the manufacture of long shingles, two feet in length, which were put up in round, barrel-shaped bundles, and sent down the river in arks. In 1828-29, there began a general swarming of lumbermen at all the most accessible points, and mills were erected at every available point along the river. The boards were made into rafts and run down the river to Baltimore and Port Deposit, Md., for market. A boy did not consider himself to be a man, in those days, until he had been " down the river."

Sometimes belated rafts, lodged along the river by the falling current, would be carried away by late floods, entail- ing a loss of thousands of dollars. Making " grubs," which were pins of white oak, four feet in length, with heads formed from the root, was an oceupation for winter resi- dents on the hills. The rafts, composed of separate " plat- forms" of boards, laid each way to a depth of two feet, were fastened with grubs, which passing up through, were wedged in their places, and were joined by strong pieces built in from one platform to another. The rafts were wielded by strong oars fastened at either end of the raft, and propelled by the rapid current over falls and rapids, the ends being elevated by strong timbers to prevent them from dipping into the rough waters. Ten platforms, making a raft. 160 feet in length and 16 feet wide, were provided with a temporary cabin, some extra oar blades ; strong ropes to tie up with when landed, replaced the hickory withes of the first raftsmen, who had no ropes. A sheet-iron stove or platform of earth for a fire, bunks for the three men, cooking utensils, an axe, an auger, and a saw, completed the outfit, and when onee on the way, the country along the route furnished their provisions. Sometimes, in going over a fall, the front platform would plunge under the water and bring up fish, for which the men would scramble as soon as they could get free from the oars. On the first trip down, the novice was made the butt of many jokes, and was the laughing-stock of the older raftsmen.

Long, straight stems of Norway pine, 80 to 120 feet in length, and free from limbs or knots, were rafted whole, fastened together with withes, and run to the seaboard to be used for the masts of sailing-vessels. Rival erews, when far down the river, were always anxious to see who had the best man. When the rafts were disposed of, the crews were paid, and started on foot to return to their homes.

Among the leading lumbermen of earlier years were Capt. Luther White, who ran as many as 40 rafts of from 50,000 to 60,000 feet each in a season, James II. Miles, and Capt. James Young.

The village of Cameron is built on a narrow neck of land at the mouth of a ravine which breaks through the hill from the north, and is entirely surrounded by the high, pre- cipitous hills, which open only to admit the river at the the north, and closes again half a mile below.

A main street runs through the village, parallel with the river, and along this street are ranged the older residences and some fine modern ones, including the beautiful residence

204

HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.

of Dr. Charles E. Annabel. A street crossing this leads to the depot beside the river.

Daniel A. Ordway, who came to Cameron village in 1849, has kept the hotel near the depot since the opening of the railroad.

Near the central corner is the Pierson House, now closed, where, in 1830, Amasa Downs entertained travelers. Beyond, towards the church, a street, closely occupied by dwellings, leads past the old tannery of 1824, long since abandoned as unable to compete with factory work. The pioneer black- smith-shop of James Lawrence, whose custom came from far beyond the limits of the present town, in 1824, has been replaced by two blacksmith- and wagon-shops, both well supported by the work from their immediate neighbor- hood.

The log tavern of John Hallett, near the bridge, has given way for a more modern one near the depot, and the Briggs Hotel, near which Andrew P. Erwin kept the first store in the town, on the principal corner, around which are grouped the various other business houses of the place, con- sisting of four dry-goods stores, one of them kept by William Hallett, son of Nathan, and grandsou of John Hallett, the pioneer, another by Jesse Santee, town clerk, and son of Isaac Santee, a drug-store, furniture-store, hay-press, a general warehouse, and a shoe-shop. The Methodist Epis- eopal church occupies a conspicuous position in the west end of the village, while at the east end of the main street is a fine school-house divided into two graded departments, and the school taught by a faculty of two teachers. This school-house was erected in 1858, and supplies the place of the little building with sliding windows and rude benches, in which Malinda Willard, daughter of Stephen Willard, now the venerable Mrs. James B. Wheeler, taught the first school in the town of Cameron. The village contains 30 residences and 220 inhabitants.

ORGANIZATION.

The first annual election of the town of Cameron was held at the house of Samuel Pierson, a mile and a half from the village of Cameron, towards Bath, February, 1823. The old records and papers belonging to the town having been destroyed, it is impossible to obtain a full report of the action of this meeting, or a full list of the town officers. At this election Elias Mason was elected Supervisor ; Moses L. Pierson, Towu Clerk ; and James Brownell, Constable.

At the third annual election, commencing Nov. 7, 1825, for presidential electors, 49 votes were polled, including the present town of Thurston, which was a part of Cameron until 1844. Dexter Pratt, Elias Mason, Isaac Santee, Joseph Loughry, and Reuben W. Miller were inspectors of election. Only $972 of personal property was assessed in the town in 1823, although then including Thurston and part of Rathbone.

TOWN OFFICERS.

Supervisors. 1823. Elias Mason.

Town Clerks. (No Record.)

Collectors. Moses L. Pierson.

1824. ..

1825.

Joseph Longhry.

(No Record.)

Dexter Pratt.

Supervisors.

Town Clerks.

Collectors.

1828. Joseph Longhry.

George S. Pierson.

1829.

1830.

Moses L. Pierson.

1831. Moses L. Pierson. 1832. Andrew G. Pierson.

1833. Isaac Santee.

Henry Ilollett.

1834.

Jacob Thayer. ..

1835.

1836.

1837. C. P. Hubbard.

Eli R. Eddy.

1838. James H. Miles.

James Lawrence. Daniel Barber. " 66

1840.

Peter Chase.

IS41. Moses De Pue.

(No Record.)

William P. Dailey.

1842. James Lawrence.

Abram C. Yost.

1843.

James Barber.

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History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 54

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia, Lewis, Peck & co. Number of Pages: 826

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Lewis, Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 826