History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 167

Author: Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) cn; Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 1112

USA > New York > Chemung County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 167
USA > New York > Schuyler County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 167
USA > New York > Tioga County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 167
USA > New York > Tompkins County > History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York > Part 167

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).

Hector embraces an area of ten miles square ; 48,002 acres are improved. It has a population of 4970 inhabi- tants, according to the census of 1875.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

In 1779, by authority of Congress, an army of 5000 men was raised and placed under command of General Sul- livan, with orders to seek out the hiding-places of the Ini- dians, and by superior numbers and well-trained men over- power them, if possible, and put an end to the barbarous crueltics they had been inflicting on the brave pioneers. At Newtown, now Elmira, they met, and after a desperate engagement of several hours, both sides fighting bravely, the Indians were overpowered, and being confused, fled precipitately across the river, following the Chemung Val- ley and down the east side of Seneca Lake, Sullivan still pursuing. In this raid the principal villages of the Indians werc burned and their corn-fields destroyed.

Even in the hasty and impetuous rush through the wilderness, unsuited to observation, pictures were stamped upon their minds in the pauses of the march, or as they hurriedly passed through the open country, of the sloping up- lands, the dense forests, and the blue lake lying as if asleep in the blaze of the sun or mirroring the white clouds dreamily, the fertile fields even then improved by the hands of the Indian; and when, years after cession of these lands was made by the Iroquois to the State of New York, the country through which they had hastened was surveyed and opened to civilization, upsprang the seed then planted, and bore fruit, for Sullivan's soldiers found their way to the fertile fields again, and there effected settlements. 1

During the summer of 1790, a man whose name is un- known came into what is now this town, with his wife and child, and built a hut near the present village of Burdett, but being discouraged, or for some other reason, he left his wife in the wilderness during the winter and until the next summer, when he returned, and they moved to the eastern part of the State. The first permanent scttler was Wm. Wickham, who left Orange County with his wife and four children in the fall of 1790, and came as far as Tioga Point, now Athens, where they passed the winter. In the spring they again took up the line of march, loading their effects into a canoe, together with a barrel of flour he had purchased.

He paddled up the Chemung to Newtown, then work- ing their way through the pine swamp slowly and labo- riously, as best they could, to Catharinestown, then paddled on down the creek and the lake until they reached the point on lot No. 40, which Mr. Wickham had purchased of his brother at $1.25 per acre, and which is below the present residence of his grandson, M. L. Wickham, arriv-

MRS. WM. H. FISH

WM. H.FISH, M.D.

PHOTOS. BY R. D. CRUM.

LITH BY L H EVERTS, PHILADA

PARK PLACE, RESIDENCE OF WM. H. FISH, M. D. MECKLENBURG, SCHUYLER CON. Y

ELIZABETH BOYCE.

HENRY M. BOYCE .

PHOTOS BY RD CRUM

RESIDENCE OF HENRY M. BOYCE. HECTOR, SCHUYLER CO., N. Y.

LITH. BY L. H. EVERTS, PHILA.

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AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

ing here May 3, 1791. They climbed the hill a short dis- tance, and came to the road that had been made by Sulli- van's army, and is now known as the Lake Road. IIere he built a temporary hut and commeneed a clearing. As soon as a sufficient number of logs were prepared, he in- vited his neighbors-living at what is now Havana and Watkins-to assist him in raising his log house. It was com- menced Saturday morning and finished on Sunday. This undoubtedly was the first house built in the town, and stood a few rods south of M. L. Wickham's present resi- dence. The barrel of flour was left at the Point some time before it was brought up to the house.

One and a half acres of land were cut over and the brush burned the first spring, and corn planted wherever a space could be found. For three or four years the logs were burned, or left where they fell. For the first year or two his work of clearing was done without oxen. But he finally bought a yoke of oxen of a Deacon Waldron, and they were used by several families. The nearest blacksmith was at Newtown, and Mr. Wickham was so unfortunate at one time as to break the yoke-staple, and he was compelled to follow the Indian trail on foot to Newtown, to get it repaired.

They raised a large family of children,- Samuel, Wil- liam, Clark, Phebe, Fanny, and Mary, who married Harry Ely, who is still living at the age of ninety years. Richard Ely, of North Hector, is their son. Clark was born, lived, and died on the old homestead. His youngest daughter is the wife of William H. Wait, ex-County Treasurer of Schuyler County. William married Martha Hultz, of En- field, who was the mother of fourteen children. When the thirteenth child was still a babe, she journeyed on horse- back over the hills to visit a brother living at Ithaca. He inet her with the remark, " What ! another child, Patty ?" She replied, " Oh, yes, I have just eommeneed on my seeond dozen."

There are several descendants of William Wickham living in the town, among whom is Erastus Wiekhaw, of Bennetsbury. The old road from Culverstown (now Wat- kins) to Hamburg (now Burdett) crossed the head of the lake on a bar, which extended from near the traditional elm, diagonally to the point at Glen Excelsior. While erossing this bar, on the evening of Nov. 2, 1800, his horse lost his footing, and he was thrown into the lake. He was an exeellent swimmer, but in the darkness was unable to save himself, and, it is supposed, swam out into the lake, as his body was found next day some distance up the inlet. Mrs. Wickham was left with six children, and the farm unpaid for. At his death they had one eow. She was killed by a large tree falling upon her the next spring, leaving a heifer-ealf a few days old, which was raised on hay, tea, and eggs. From this ealf, as a beginning, Mrs. Wickham raised cattle, which she sent to Orange County, and paid for the farm. She was of a resolute and fearless nature, and it is related of her that on one occasion, while she lived in the frame house, which was also used as an iun, a half-drunken Indian eame in, and wanted more " fire-water." She declined to furnish him with it, judging that he had enough already ; and he seized a broom, and endeavored to enforee his argument with that. But as he 78

raised it to strike her it caught in the joists overhead, and threw lim forcibly to the floor. She promptly wrenched it from him, and turning his own weapon upon him, suc- ceeded in driving him from the house. John Livingston came into the town in 1791. Where he first settled was unknown, but later he lived where Lamoreaux Smith now resides. Ile was a well-educated man, and a surveyor. IIe was the first school-teacher in the town. His daughter, Betsey, married Stephen Pratt, a mason. Their daughter, Mary, is the mother of J. A. Wager, who lives about one mile west of Logan. Richard Ely Smith married a grand- daughter. Mr. Livingston afterwards moved to the West, with his family, and was drowned in Lake Erie.

Reuben Smith, with his sons Jabez and Harry, and Daniel Everts, left Salisbury, Conn., for the western coun- try, and arrived at what is now Peach Orchard, a short distanee north of Mr. Wickham, June 1, 1793. They commenced a elearing, built a temporary hut, did their own cooking. Venison, fish, and game of all kinds were abun- dant. They remained that season, putting in erops of corn and wheat. After harvest they returned to Connecticut. In the spring of 1794, Reuben Smith, with his wife and five children, and Daniel Everts, with his wife and cigl.t children, and Grover Smith, commenced their journey to the settlement; Jabez, the oldest son of Reuben Smith, and Grover Smith, going on foot, and driving cattle. The goods were packed on sleighs, which were drawn by oxen. Everts settled with his family on the next lot north of Wickham; Grover Smith, between Peach Orchard and North Hector. Reuben Smith had four sons-Jabez, Harry, Chauncey W., and Caleb-and one daughter, Amanda. Jabez married Betsey Ely. They had twelve children. He settled on the farm where Whitley J. Smith, his son, now lives, near Logan, in 1801.

Richard Ely Smith, the eldest son, is living at Burdett. Mrs. Julia E. Jaquish is also living at Burdett.

Harry married Melinda Warner; none of the family are living here. Amanda married Peter Hager; they had seven children, some of whom are living in town. Caleb married Luey Peek, and they had eleven children. A daughter, Hannah, married Wesley Reynolds; now living in town. Chauncey W. married Hester Smith ; they had six children, two of whom, Mrs. James Spencer and Phi- letus Smith, are living in town. Reuben Smith made im- provements and cleared many aeres on the lot he purchased, only to find his labors were in vain, for after 1799 a suit of ejectment was commeneed against him at Auburn, then in Cayuga County. He then purchased 80 aeres on lot No. 42, where he lived without molestation. Mr. Smith built a saw-mill on the Peach Orchard Creek in 1795-96.

Daniel Everts had eight children,-Aranthus, Charles, Polly, Daniel, John, Asena, and Abraham. Colonel Aran- thus Everts settled near Logan, on lot No. 42, buying 50 aeres. He had no team, and rolled the logs together by hand. He sold to Jacob Brichly, and the farm is now in possession of Wm. Couse. He married Margaret Matthews, daughter of Amasa Matthews. He was in the war of 1812, and had command of a fort, when a flag of truee was sent to him, and a demand for surrender, which was refused. The general in command sent word, " I want you to under-

618

HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

stand we will take our breakfast in this fort to-morrow morning." Colonel Everts replied, " If you undertake it you will take your supper in h-Il." Charles Everts set- tled first at Logan ; married Clarissa Peck. Polly married Amasa Matthews, and they lived where Milford Matthews now lives. Daniel married Mary Ann Wightman, and set- tled at Logan. John married Hannah Wightman. Asena married Jeremiah Howell, brother of Geo. Howell. Abra- ham married Rebecca German, daughter of Deacon Henry German, and settled where his daughter, Helen Everts, now lives at Logan.

Daniel Everts died in 1833, aged cighty-three years, hav- ing had two wives,-Polly, who died in 1817, aged sixty- three years, and Abigail, who died in 1831, aged sixty-two years. They are buried in a family cemetery on the Lake Road, on the farm he first cleared.

Grover Smith bought lot No. 21, containing 640 acres, where Alfred Everett and Hector Ely now live. He had four sons,-Reuben, William, Richard, and Ezra. He gave his son Reuben 150 acres, and moved to Cayuga Lake for a time. Reuben Smith's daughter married Aaron Hanley, and she is still living at Peach Orchard.

Samuel Hanley was a captain in the Revolutionary army, and for his services was entitled to lands. He selected, in township 21, lot No. 39, where Perry now is, and set- tled upon it, selling part of it to Elisha Trowbridge, in 1800. In 1811 he removed to the Lake Road, and settled where his grandson, Samuel Hanley, now lives. He had several sons, among whom was Aaron Hanley, who lived and died on the Lake Road.

Richard Ely and his wife and children, old neighbors of the Smiths and Everts in Salisbury, Conn., learning of the fertility of the soil, excellence of timber, and other advan- tages so desirable, determined to try their fortunes there, and, packing their goods, they started in the year 1795, and, after the usual trials incident to such a journey, ar- rived at the residence of their old friends, and were warmly greeted as a welcome addition to the new settlement. They soon located on the Lake Road, where Rice Ervey now lives. They had cight children,-Betsey, Richard, Au- gustus, Harry, William, Irena, Hector, and Calvin, the last being by a second wife. Betsey married Jabez Smith ; Richard married Sally Boardman ; Augustus married Olive Scoville. Their son, William Ely, lives near the homestead of his father, about a mile east of the Lake Road. Harry married Mary Wickham, and he is still living on the Lake Road, at the age of ninety years. William married Fanny Curry ; Irena married John King; Hector married Ann Hinckley. He was the first white child born in town, and has a son, Hector, living on the Lake Road. Calvin mar- ricd Julia Hager.

Even at this time the whole region was covered with dense forests of pine, oak, and maple. The woods abounded in berries, grapes, and plums.

" While here and there, in lazy columns, rise The woodman's smoke, like ineense, to the skies."

Far to the north stretched the broad expanse of Sencca Lake, its sparkling waters glittering in the sun or flecked with mirrored clouds, while

"Far-spreading forests from its shores aseend, And towering headlands rise."

Morning, noon, and night the far-reaching landscape varies, changing as the shifting lights and shadows play, through the first bright days of spring, the long, lovely days of summer, and the rich-toned days of autumn, while many an evening, " as the sun is setting, the mists rise suddenly in strange sweeps and spirals, and are smitten through with the golden fire, which, melting down through a thousand tints, passes with the rapidity of a dream into the cold purples of the night."

At this period no settlers had located east of the lots bordering on Sullivan's Road, in the town. Elisha Trow- bridge, with several other young men, left Cooperstown, Otsego Co., on a viewing expedition, first going to Cherry Valley, then across to the Delaware River. Not finding the country as they desired, his companions became dis- conraged and went back, but he pushed on with energy to the Lake country, and entered what is now this town from the east, by way of Goodwin's Point and Truman's Scttle- ment, now Trumansburg, and reached the present site of Perry, Jan. 28, 1798. He located on the southeast corner of lot 39, built a cabin of brush and bark, and soon had a piece of corn growing, which he harvested, and then re- turned to Cooperstown. He persuaded his father to sell his farm and go with him to the place he had chosen. Accordingly the household goods were loaded on a sled, with the family. They started with an ox-team, having $500 in silver, secreting it in various places, some in clothing, some in a caldron-kettle. The kettle and other relics are now in possession of William Trowbridge. They came by the way of Tioga Point, Owego, and the Indian trail to Ithaca; then to Trumansburg, and on West, as that was the route by which the early settlers had passed into that section. They passed one night of their journey under their sleigh-box and a large tree, which, considering the severity of the scason, was but a poor shelter. Ncar where they camped that night, between the forks of Meck- lenburg and Taghanic Crecks, there resided an old Indian, who had a cabin, and continued to ocenpy it some time after the first settlers came. The next day they finished their journey, and occupied the hut, arriving in February, 1799. Caleb Trowbridge, Elisha's father, built a small log house on lot 49, and spent most of his time hunting and fishing. He died at the age of eighty-six years, leaving seven children. Elisha married when he was thirty-two years old. He was an indefatigable hunter, and turned his skill to good account in the memorable winters of 1816 and '17, when the frosts had destroyed the crops, keeping seven families from starvation with the game he distributed among them. He lived five years in the bark shanty before he built his log house. His wife died at the age of eighty- three, and he at ninety ycars. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Pritchard, who came into the town about 1800, and settled on the same lot with Trowbridge, a little north of Perry, where Joshua Makeel lives. His family met with an accident while crossing Cayuga Lake, and came very near drowning. Pritchard had two daughters, Abigail and Susannah.

The Trowbridge brothers, Elisha and Hermion, were

Meal

OUWINY FERRY OF

LITH . BY L. H. EVERTS.PHILADA.

GROVE HOTEL AND GOODWIN'S FERRY.

PHOTOS. ST HALE

WM. H. JEFFERS

MRS. WM. H. JEFFERS.

LITH BY L. H. EVERTS. PHILADA

RESIDENCE OF WM. H. JEFFERS, HECTOR, SCHUYLER CO., N. Y.

JOHN C. SACKETT.

MRS. JOHN C. SACKETT.

PHOTOS. BY A. W. PORTER

EEE

RESIDENCE OF JOHN C. SACKETT, HECTOR, SCHUYLER CO N. Y.

LITH BY L. H. EVERTS PHILADA

RESIDENCE OF SPENCER WHEELER, BURDETT, HECTOR, SCHUYLER CON. Y.

RESIDENCE OF NATHAN C. FITZGERALD, HECTOR, N. Y.

LITH. BY L'H. EVERTS, PHILA.

PHOTO BY UFOIKI & PRAT

DAVID JONES.

PHOTO BY A.E TUBBS.

HANNAH JONES

ENOS CULVER.

PHOTO. BY R.D.CRUM.

PHOTO. BY R.D.GRUM.

MRS. GRACE P. CULVER.

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AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES, NEW YORK.

boiling sap one spring in a sugar-maple grove, on lot 38, the two sisters above mentioned assisting them. Under the sweet influenees of the occasion friendship soon ripened into love, and the two brothers married the two sisters. These marriages were the first in the eastern part of the town. It is related of Nathaniel Pritchard that while a boy he enlisted as a soldier in the Revolutionary army. He was one day placed on picket duty, and was accosted by Washington, who was dressed in citizen's dress, and who wished to go outside the piekets. Pritchard demanded the countersign, which Washington refused to give. Wish- ing to test the boy's mettle, he pressed eloser to him, in- sisting on passing through without the countersign, but he put the bayonet to his breast, aind ordered him baek at the peril of his life. He was sent for the next day to Wash- ington's headquarters, and praised for his soldierly qualities and persistence in obedience to military law.

Amasa Matthews, with his family, came to this town in 1798, when Aaron K. was nineteen years old, and Amasa twelve years. IIe settled on the Lake Road, and had sev- eral children. Aaron commeneed housekeeping when first married, and lived and died on the same farm, having reached the age of ninety-one years. Amasa married Polly Everts, the daughter of Daniel Everts. Mrs. William Himrod is a daughter. Milford Matthews lives on the farm. Amasa, where his father first settled. Amasa Mat- thews, Sr., died at the age of seventy-eight years. Daniel, Sylvenus, and Stephen Matthews, brothers, all located east of Polksville, or Logan, and lived with their wives until past eighty years.

Many of the family are buried in the Everts family eem- etery. Captain Jonathan Owen was an officer in the Rev- olntion, and entitled to a military lot. He lived at Mid- dletown, N. Y. William Bodle, Sr., the father of James, Jonathan, and William Bodle, Jr., was a neighbor, and he traded a horse with a soldier for his elaim. In loeating, one lot was selected in Ulysses, near the present site of Waterbury, and where Captain Jonathan Owen afterwards settled. The other lot was No. 65, in Hector township. They divided their lots, each taking the half of the lot. Mr. Owen selected the north half of lot 65, and gave it to his oldest son, Nathaniel. Iu the summer of 1798, Nathaniel, recently married to Miss Mehitable Tucker, eame here, cleared a small plat of ground, planted it with corn, erected a rude shanty covered with bark, which he finished during the season. After harvest he returned to his home in Mid- dletown, and made preparations for moving to his abode in the wilderness. In the spring of 1799, loading one horse with his wife and child, clothing, etc., started for his forest home. The place on which he settled is where Thomas W. Thompson, Deacon Henry Owen, and William B. Rey- molds now live, and the apple-trees in their orchards were raised from seed brought by him in his vest pocket from Orange County. His nearest neighbors were the Smiths, at Peach Orchard, and the Trowbridges, at Perry. The Indians were very friendly, and many a wrestling mateh did he have with them, and invariably came off victorious. They gave him the appellation of the "Stout Yankee." The Indians often borrowed a large iron kettle of him in the morning, and at night returned it with about a quart of

salt, but would never reveal the location of the spring from which they obtained the salt water. Mr. Owen raised a family of seven children,-four sous and three daughters,- William, Jonathan, Eleanor, Nancy, Alanson, Harry, and Caroline. Harry resides on the old homestead. Eleanor married Henry Rudy, and lives near Trumansburg. Nancy married Charles Cressman, and resides in Mecklenburg. Caroline married Jonas R. Neate, who died in Washing- ton, D. C., in 1863; afterwards married Nathan Fitzgerald, and now resides on lot 64. Nathaniel Owen died Sept. 6, 1862, at the age of eighty-nine years, and his wife at sev- enty.

In the year 1797, Henry Sayler, Sr., came up the Sns- quehanna River, in a flat-boat, with his family and one horse, and located at Painted Post, Steuben Co. He be- came acquainted with Nathaniel Owen, of Hector, who offered him fifty acres of land in that town if he would settle upon it, which offer Mr. Sayler accepted, and in the month of March, 1800, moved into town and settled on the northeast corner of lot 64. Mr. Owen intended to, and did, give Mr. Sayler the land in the northwest corner of lot 65, but through a mistake of the lines, he afterwards found that the land he actually settled upon belonged to another person.

His father was a Swedish sailor, who landed at New Castle, Del., before the Revolution. His mother was a French lady, by the name of La Roche. They settled at Frederick, Md., where they raised several children, one of whom was a soldier in the Revolution, and under General Morgan at the battle of Cowpens. Henry learned the gunsmith trade at Harrisburg, Pa., and after lie settled in this town his cabin was a rendezvous for hunters through- out that region, who would frequently spend two or three days at his house telling stories of their hunting days, while having their guns repaired. His old account book, now in the possession of his grandson, Henry Sayler, con- tains many interesting items. The following are a few of the accounts :

Hector Town, March 28, 1800 :

£ s. d.

Nethaniel Oan, To one Ox Yoke. 0 5 0

April the 9th, to tapping and mending a pair of shuse 0 4 0

August HI. To working at the hay and halling wheat, 3 dayse .. 15

August 14. To working 4 dayse at the thrashing flore 1 4 To making Sith Sneth. 6

Hector, Nov. 14th, 1812. Then settled with Joseph Hager Capt., all debts and book accounts, from the beginning of the world to this date, and found due to Henry Sayler the sum of.

0 15 3

This book dates as far baek as 1789.

While living at Harrisburg he married a German girl by the name of Catherine M. Slegl, by whom he had four sons and one daughter,-Jacob, Daniel, John, Henry, and Mehitabel.

Henry Sayler, Sr., died in April, 1821, aged sixty-three years. Catharine, his wife, died in 1822, aged fifty-five years. Jacob Sayler, his oldest sou, moved to Indiana. Daniel removed to Rossville, Carroll Co., Ind. He en- listed in the war of 1812, under General Seott. and was at the battle of Lundy's Lane. He enlisted in the regular army, and served five years. At the raising of Sullivan D. Ilubble's barn, about 1810, a squirrel pot-pie was served

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HISTORY OF TIOGA, CHEMUNG, TOMPKINS,

for supper, which contained forty-nine black squirrels, said to have been killed in fifty shots by Daniel Sayler.

John Sayler commenced housekeeping in part of his father's log house. He was elected to the Legislature in 1828, and held the office of justice of the peace for sixteen years. He was with Daniel in the war of 1812, and after the war he married Deborah Hanley, daughter of Captain Samuel Hanley, and they raised a family of twelve children. Many of them married and lived in the town. Henry Sayler, the youngest son of Henry Sayler, Sr., located on the farm his father first settled on through mistake. IIe had three wives. The first was Jane Potts, sister of James, who settled, about 1820, where Nathan Fitzgerald lives, and now lives in Burdett. His second wife, Hannah, is the daughter of Rev. James Reynolds.

Mehitable Sayler, the only daughter of Henry Sayler, Sr., married Otis Williams, and moved to Richmond.

Many incidents of Mr. Henry Sayler are told of the pioneer life. An old Seneca Indian named Taylor Bone, owing Mr. Sayler a few dollars for repairs on his gun, tried to avoid payment by pretending he had no money, remark- ing, "Me go 'way, what you do?" Mr. Sayler replied, " I will load up my rifle and follow you, and shoot you !" upon which statement of the case the Indian produced a buekskin wallet, with plenty of money in it, and paid the debt. He afterwards took lessons in hunting of the same Indian. One day he was lying in wait for a deer at a deer- lick ; a fine buck stepped into the open space, when he im- mediately fired and killed him. Springing from his hiding- place, he ran to cut his throat, leaving his gun against a tree. Searcely had he commenced the work of skinning the deer, when from behind the tree, where his gun stood unloaded, came a large bear, growling fiercely, eyeing the game on the ground, as if to dispute title with the hunter. His ammunition was nearly gone, but as the bear neither advanced nor receded, he concluded to obtain his gun and fight for his life, and save his game if possible. He went boldly and quickly to the tree, seized his gun, stepped back, loaded it hastily, and shot the bear, thus ending the dispute.

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History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler counties, New York, Part 167

Author: Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) cn; Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Ensign Number of Pages: 1112

Author: Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) cn; Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Ensign
Number of Pages: 1112