USA > New York > Yates County > History of Yates County, N.Y. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 8
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88
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
laid beside the graves of those who had been followers of The Friend. But the necessities of later generations of occupants of the soil required these lands for agricultural uses, and the body was disinterred and re- moved for permanent burial to the cemetery at Penn Yan.
Because of the persecutions of The Friend by those who had been her former followers and adherents she felt it incumbent upon herself to remove from her first established home at the new Jerusalem to the remote locality in which her remaining life was spent. At the time or soon after the first of her society came to the Seneca country the region was given the name of new Jerusalem, and that name applied to the region inhabited by members of the society and was not a township so named, as has been erroneously supposed. But when The Friend had moved to her last abode the name Jerusalem had already been given the township. In 1789 Thomas Hathaway and Benedict Robinson made the purchase of the township, and in the same year it was duly organized and named. Very appropriately it was called Jerusalem, for it was then intended to become the permanent home of The Friend. To her and those of the society who held firmly to its tenets it was indeed a Jeru- salem, for in absolute control of all its lands they were safe from intru- sion by those who sought to destroy the power and influence of both society and leader. For a time only can it be said that The Friend and her following were so exempted from wordly troubles, for with the death of Sarah Richards, and the sale of portions of The Friend's estate by Enoch and Eliza Malin, there were ever afterward many vaxations and complications that disturbed the quiet community even until after The Friend had died and until the society itself was dissolved.
With the removal of The Friend to her new home in Jerusalem there went at the same time or soon afterward a fair proportion of her followers. Some of these bought lands for themselves, but many were given loca- tions on The Friend's tract, which was quite extensive, and which was so intended to be for the accommodation of those who sought to be near her and were not able to purchase. Still The Friend retained a consid - erable tract of land in the original location on the lake, some 300 acres ; and although residing some twelve miles distant from the scene of former labors she occasionally visited the old settlement and preached to those who still lived in the locality. In traveling to and
89
THE FRIEND'S CARRIAGE.
from her home and the old place The Friend would sometimes ride a horse, but as years advanced she betook herself to a three-seated vehicle, of almost ancient construction, as the most convenient and easy means of making the journey. In this old carriage, it is said on reliable authority, The Friend traveled from her home near Philadelphia to the new Jerusalem in 1791. During the earlier years of her residence here the carriage could not well be used, as the roads were then in a primitive state and almost impassable to such a cumbrous vehicle as was this. For this reason it was put aside for some years and The Friend made her journeys on horseback. She became, too, an expert rider and once eluded her persecutors, who sought to arrest her, by her skillful and rapid riding. But during the later years of her labors, being somewhat broken by overwork and suffering from a dropsical affliction, The Friend had recourse to her carriage to convey her about among the branches of the society. And the old carriage itself, having withstood the ravages of time is still in existence, and is kept as nearly as possible in its original appearance. It is now the property of William T. Remer, of Benton. To describe it understandingly to the reader would be a difficult task, but it is as it was when built except that the wheels have been reduced in size. On its back and sides are still seen The Friend's initials " U. F." in plain script, and also her coat of arms. The vehicle is entered by means of one door, and that on what farmers call the " nigh " side. The carriage is now more than 100 years old and is appearently as strong as when built. Frequently is the old carryall seen on the streets of Penn Yan and the town of Benton, but on none but public days and for occasional use at funerals.
Many of the persons who had once been the warmest friends and de- voted followers of the Universal Friend, after they had seceded from and severed their connection with the society, became her most unre- lenting and bitter persecutors ; and while it is not deemed within the proper scope of this narrative to refer at length to the many false and de- famatory charges brought against her and studiously circulated by the seceders it does become necessary to state the fact that she was once ar- rested upon the charge of blasphemy. Several times did the officers of the law attempt to arrest her, not that they feared she might escape the jurisdiction of the courts, but to make the fact public that she was under
12
90
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
arrest ; that she should be at least to that extent disgraced ; that if pos- sible she should be confined in jail at Canandaigua ; and that the tri- umph of their revengeful spirit might be complete. But The Friend was not to be taken unawares, neither did she fear the results of arrest and trial; but her people were determined she should not be unnecessarily detained nor in any manner disgraced, therefore they protected her against the persecutions of a relentless enemy. And when the time came right she quietly submitted to the service of legal process of ar- rest, and was provided with bondsmen and attorney and gave bail for her appearance without the necessity of leaving her own house. As required by the recognizance she duly appeared at the court at Can- andaigua, but the grand jury refused to indict her. At that time she was invited by the court and others to preach to them, which she did. After the sermon was ended Judge Spencer, being asked his opinion of the discourse, said : "We have heard good counsel, and if we live in harmony with what that woman has told us we shall be sure to be good people here and reach a final rest in Heaven."
" The Last Will and Testament of the person called the Universal Friend, of Jeru- salem, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York, who in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six was called Jemima Wilkinson, and ever since that time the Universal Friend, a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named. Con- sidering the uncertainty of this mortal life, and being of sound mind and memory, blessed to the Lord of Saboath and father of mercies therefor, I do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament.
" Ist. My will is that all my just debts be paid by my executors hereafter named.
" 2d. I give, bequeath, and devise unto Rachel Malin and Margaret Malin, now of said Jerusalem, all my earthly property, both real and personal, that is to say all my land lying in said Jerusalem and in Benton or elsewhere in the county of Ontario, to- gether with all the buildings thereon, to them the said Rachel and Margaret, and to their heirs and assigns forever, to be equally and amicably shared between them, the said Rachel and Margaret ; and I do also give and bequeath to the said Rachel Malin and Margaret Malin all my wearing apparel, all my household furniture, all my horses, cattle, sheep, and swine, of every kind and description, and also my carriages, wag- ons, and carts of every kind, together with all my farming tools and utensils, and all my movable property of every nature and description whatever.
" 3d. My will is that all the present members of my family, and each of them, be employed if they please, and, if employed, supported during natural life by the said Rachel and Margaret, and whenever any of them become unable to help themselves they are, according to such inability, kindly to be taken care of by the said Rachel and Margaret ; and my will also is that all poor persons belonging to the Society of Uni-
91
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF THE FRIEND.
versal Friends shall receive from the said Rachel and Margaret such assistance, com- fort, and support during natural life as they may need ; and in case any, either of my family or elsewhere in the Society, shall turn away, such shall forfeit the provisions herein made for them.
" 4th. I hereby ordain and appoint Rachel Malin and Margaret Malin executors of my Last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I, the person once called Jemima Wilkinson, but in and'ever since the year 1777 known and called the Public Universal Friend, hereunto set my name and seal the 25th day of the 2d mo. 1818.
" John Collins,
" Ann Collins,
"Sarah Gregory.
THE PUBLIC UNIVERSAL FRIEND. [L.S.]
" Be it remembered that in order to remove all doubts of the execution of the foregoing Last Will and Testament, being the person who in the year 1777 was known and called by the name of Jemima Wilkinson, but since that time as the Universal Friend, do make, publish, and declare the within instrument as my Last Will and Testa- ment, as witness my hand and seal the 7th day of the 7th mo. 1818.
" Thomas R. Gold,
" John Briggs,
" James Brown, jun'r.
her JEMIMA X WILKINSON. cross mark."
With the decease of The Friend, in conformity with the provisions of her will, the property and estate which had belonged to her were passed to the beneficiaries named in the will, Rachel and Margaret Malin. For some time all things went along smoothly and well, but the society was practically without a leader. And about this time, or some years after The Friend's death, there came to the community one Michael H. Barton, who evidently felt that he had a mission in life to accomplish. He found favor in the eyes of some of the society, but with others he was not so looked upon. He assumed the functions for- merly exercised by The Friend, preached at the meetings for several years, and otherwise took upon himself the care of the society. And the worthy Barton, too, seems to have been something of a politician, a practice hitherto not dreamed of in the society as a character becom- ing its leader ; he took the stump for Harrison in 1840, hoping to be rewarded for his services by an appointment to office, but the death of the successful candidate put an end to his aspirations in that direction. Michael H. Barton died in 1857 and the society received no substan- tial benefit or enlargement during his ministrations.
Succeeding Mr. Barton came two other prophets, self called as was their predecessor, and who, in endeavoring to infuse a new spirit
92
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
into the society, only succeeded in working its ruin. While Barton was the politician Hymes was the historian; but the latter was less success- ful in his rôle than the former had been in his, and he was dismissed by the society. George Clark set almost at naught the rigorous relig- ious discipline of the society and labored only for his own selfish ends and personal emolument. He survived the society he had sought to serve, in his own way, and afterward died in New York. But the greatest blow against the life of the now declining society came in the death of the faithful and zealous sisters, Margaret and Rachel Malin, the devisees under the will of The Friend and her immediate successors in the household. Margaret died in 1844, and by her will devised her interest in the estate to James Brown, jr., with the expressed desire that he replace her in the society and at the head of the late Friend's house- hold. By Margaret Malin's will James Brown became possessed of about 700 acres of The Friend's estate, together with several thousand dollars worth of personal property. Rachel Malin died in 1848, leaving her property to the descendants of her brothers and sisters. This last death and the disposition of property following divided effectually the estate of the Universal Friend, and from that time it may be said that the society became practically extinct. The division of the property was not as The Friend herself originally designed when she made Rachel and Margaret her heirs and successors, but with each successive year the strength of the society became less, and outside and worldly influ- ence were constantly working its disintegration with their final and un- avoidable results of effectual dissolution.
The preceding portion of the present chapter has related only the general outline history of The Friend and her society without regard to the individual members who comprised the society, and without ref- erence to the date of arrival in the region that was primarily called the new Jerusalem. Unfortunately there appears to be no record by which can be learned the date of settlement in this locality of the various fam - ilies that were allied to The Friend, but following the coming of the first representatives of the society in 1788 settlement by others became quite frequent, and during the first five or so years of the history of this county subsequent to 1788 there were probably no settlers in the region who were not in some manner identified with the society or in-
93
MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
fluenced in their immigration to the locality by the community estab- lished by The Friend. There has been preserved, however, a fairly accurate list of those who were adult members of the Society of Univer- sal Friends, and it is proper in connection with this chapter, and as a part of the pioneer history of Yates County, that mention should be made of each to the extent of recording individual names. A preced- ing historical and biographical work has at considerable length recorded the lives of the families and individuals comprising the society, where- fore it becomes this chapter of the present work to furnish not more than the roll of membership. It is as follows :
William Aldrich, Joseph Ballou, John Bartleson, Samuel Barnes, Samuel Barnes, jr., Elizur Barnes, Henry Barnes, Jonathan Botsford, sr., Jonathan Botsford, jr., Jonathan Botsford, brother of Elijah, Abel Botsford, Elijah Botsford, Benajah Botsford, son of Elnathan, John Briggs, sr., John Briggs, jr., Peleg Briggs, sr., Benjamin Brown, sr., Benjamin Brown, jr., George Brown, James Brown, Abraham Dayton, Castle Dains, Jonathan Dains, John Davis, Samuel Doolittle, John Gardner, Amos Gurnsey, sr., Amos Gurnsey, jr., Jonathan Gurnsey, Spencer Hall, Arnold Hazard, David Harris, Nathaniel Hathaway, sr., Nathaniel Hathaway, jr., Thomas Hathaway, James Hathaway, Jedediah Holmes, sr., Jedediah Holmes, jr., Adam Hunt, Silas Hunt, Abel Hunt, Eleazer Ingraham, Elisha In- graham, John Ingraham, Nathaniel Ingraham, Remington Kenyon, Ephraim Kinney, sr., Beloved Luther, Elisha Luther, Sheffield Luther, Stephen Luther, Elijah Malin, Meredith Mallory, sr., Isaac Nichols, George Nichols, Joseph Niles, Israel Perry, Samuel Potter, Abraham Richards, Asa Richards, Richard Smith, Silas Spink, Asahel Stone, sr., George Sisson, Gilbert Sisson, Joseph Turpin, John Tripp, David Wag- ener, Jacob Wagener, Jaud Weaver, John Willard, Eleazer Whipple, Benoni Wilkinson, Simon Wilkinson.
.
In the Society of Friends also were a number of persons, females, who adhered strictly to the life of celibacy advocated by The Friend, and these, too, are worthy of at least some mention. They were as follows: Sarah Richards, The Friend's intimate associate and counselor, who with her husband became members of the society during their married life; Mehitabel Smith, the sister of Richard Smith; Anna Wagener, sister of David Wagener; Lucy, sister of Daniel Brown; Rachel and
94
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Margaret Malin, The Friend's devisees and successors; Mercy Aldrich, wife of William Aldrich and elder sister of The Friend ; Patience Wilkinson, also The Friend's sister and wife of Thomas Hazard Potter ; Alice Hazard, daughter of William Potter and wife of George Hazard ; Lucina Goodspeed ; Susannah Spencer, sister of Peleg Briggs, sr .; Mar- tha Reynolds; Patience Allen ; Hannah Baldwin ; Sarah and Mary Briggs, sisters of Peleg Briggs, jr .; Lydia and Phebe Coggswell; Mary Gardner, widow, sister to Martha Reynolds; Mary Hunt, daughter of Adam Hunt; Lydia Davis, daughter of John Davis; Eunice Hatha- way, daughter of Freelove Hathaway ; Susannah Hathaway, widow; Mary, widow of James Hathaway ; Lavina Dains, daughter of Jonathan Dains, sr .; Elizabeth Carr, called in the society " Mother Carr"; Anna Styer ; Sarah Clark, widow; Mary Holmes, sister of Jedediah Holmes; Catharine White, better known as Aunt Katie White, widow; Mary Bean ; Eunice Beard; Lydia Wood, widow; Mary Ingraham, daughter of Nathaniel ; Rachel Ingraham, daughter of Eleazer Ingraham ; Chloe Towerhill, born in slavery, became the property of Benjamin Brown, and given freedom by The Friend's influence ; Elizabeth and Hannah Kenyon, mother and daughter-the daughter married George Nichols; Elizabeth Kinney, widow, mother of Ephraim, Isaac, Samuel, and Mary Kinney ; Rebecca Hartwell, mother of Samuel Hartwell; Eliza- beth Luther ; Elizabeth Ovett, sister of Abel, Jonathan, and Elnathan Botsford; Susannah Potter, daughter of Judge William Potter; Re- becca Scott, widowed mother of Orpha and Margaret Scott; Aphi and Margaret Comstock, sisters of Israel Comstock.
To those who have been mentioned in the above list Mr. Cleveland has given the appropriate name of "The Faithful Sisterhood," but to the roll so given adds as follows : " There was a noble array of devoted women not of this select band, who as wives and mothers, and true exponents of the highest morality and social virtue, illustrated the pioneer life with examples worthy to be held in honored remembrance, and gave The Friend's society a name for virtue, industry, and matronly worth of which no pen can speak in adequate praise." They are as follows :
Sarah Alsworth; Huldah Andrews; Susannah Avery, wife of Daniel Brown ; Abigail Barnes, mother of Henry Barnes ; Experience Barnes,
95
HONORED WOMEN OF THE FRIEND'S SOCIETY.
wife of Eleazer Barnes; Mary Bartleson, mother of Isaac and Bartle- son Shearman ; Elizabeth Botsford, wife of Jonathan Botsford ; Eliza- beth Botsford, daughter of Jonathan Botsford, jr., and wife of Abel Hunt; Lucy, wife of Elnathan Botsford ; Lucy, daughter of Elnathan Botsford ; Mary, wife of Abel Botsford ; Mary, daughter of Abel Bots ford ; Elizabeth, wife of Peleg Briggs, sr .; Esther Briggs; Anna Briggs; Margaret Briggs ; Lavina Briggs; Ruth Briggs, wife of Peleg Gifford ; Anna Brown ; Anna Brown, 2d ; Abigail Brown; Catharine Brown, wife of David Fish and daughter of Benjamin Brown, sr .; Charlotte Brown ; Desiah Brown ; Rachel Brown, daughter of Thomas Clark and wife of Henry Brown, of Benton; Sarah, daughter of Benjamin Brown, sr., and wife of Judge Arnold Potter; Susannah Brown; Zernah Brown, mother of James Brown, jr .; Hannah Buckingham ; Mabel Bush ; Susan- nah Clanford, sister of David Wagener and wife, first, of Peter Supplee and afterward of - - Clanford ; Sarah Comstock, mother of Aphi and Martha ; Bathsheba Cohoon; Abigail Congol; Eunice Crary; Phebe Carr; Mary Dains, wife of Jonathan Dains; Johanna Dains, wife of Castle Dains ; Abigail, wife of Abraham Dayton ; Dinah Dayton ; Anice Day- ton ; Anna Davis, wife of William Davis; Leah, wife of John Davis; Rachel, wife of Jonathan Davis ; Sinah Davis, wife of Stewart Cohoon ; Anna Fannin, Hannah Fisher, wife of Silas Hunt; Frances Gardner ; Mary Green; Kesiah Gurnsey; Mary Gurnsey, wife of Amos Gurnsey ; Mary Gurnsey, Fear Hathaway, daughter of Susannah Hathaway and wife of - Bruce ; Deborah Hathaway ; Freelove Hathaway ; Mary Hathaway; Mary Hall; Mary Hall, 2d ; Mary Malin Hopkins, wife of Jacob Rensselaer ; Abigail Holmes; Elizabeth Holmes, wife of Elisha Luther; Margaret and Lucy Holmes; Mary Hunt, wife of Adam Hunt; Sarah, daughter of Adam Hunt; Anna Ingraham, wife of John Ingraham ; Abigail Ingraham, daughter of Eleazer Ingraham ; Experience Ingraham, wife of Nathaniel Ingraham; Lydia, wife of Eleazer Ingraham; Lydia, daughter of Eleazer Ingraham ; Elizabeth Jaques ; Ruth Jailor ; Hannah Kenyon, wife of George Nichols; Candice and Eunice Kinney ; Martha Luther, sister of Beloved and Reuben Luther and wife of George Brown ; Mary Luther, wife of Reuben Hud- son ; Lydia Luther; Sarah Luther, wife of Beloved Luther ; Elizabeth Miller ; Sarah Negers; Anna Nichols, wife of Isaac Nichols ; Margaret
96
HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
Palmer; Mary Perry; Sarah, Hannah, Susan, and Armenia Potter ; Pen- elope, daughter of William Potter and wife of Benjamin Brown; Ruth Pritchard, wife of Justus P. Spencer; Orpha and Elizabeth Rose ; Bethany, wife of George Sisson; Lydia, daughter of George Sisson ; Mary Sisson; Tamar Stone, sister of John Davis; Elizabeth Stone ; Elizabeth and Rhoda Shearman ; Rachel, daughter of Peter Supplee and wife of Morris F. Sheppard ; Lydia and Mary Turpin ; Lydia and Mary Wall; Rhoda Wescott; Almy Wilkinson; Deborah Wilkinson, youngest sister of The Friend, wife first of Benajah Botsford and after- ward of Elijah Malin.
CHAPTER VIII.
Early efforts at Colonization and Settlement -- Extent of Ontario County -- Steu- ben County set Off -- Towns of Ontario and Steuben which were erected into Yates County -- How first organized and their Extent -- The District of Jerusalem -- Ben- ton and Milo set Off -- Italy formerly part of Middletown -- Middlesex originally part of Augusta -- Barrington and Starkey come from Steuben County - Torrey taken from Benton and Milo -- A Brief allusion to the War of 1812-15 -- Public sentiment in this Locality.
P RIOR to the year 1789 the region commonly called the Genesee country formed a part of Montgomery County. Therefore when Phelps and Gorham made their extensive purchase from Massachusetts and from the Six Nations they bought land in Montgomery County. But at that time there was no organization whatever in this part of the county ; there had not been made any surveys and the Indian title had not been extinguished. However there was a settlement within the country and in this locality-that of the Friends in the new Jerusalem and within what was afterward erected into Yates County. The pur- chase by Phelps and Gorham, the survey of their lands into townships, and the ready sale of these townships to speculators and others, some of whom were desirous of making actual settlement on the town lands, was the first great step toward the creation of a county out of the lands and territory of Western New York. When the worthy proprietors first made
97
ONTARIO COUNTY FORMED.
their purchase and came to view their lands they had no thought that Kanandesaga was not a part of their territory, wherefore, being a trad- ing village of some importance and the most direct and convenient en- trance to their tract, they established themselves at that point as a seat of operations.
The proprietors were correct in their conclusions that Kanandesaga was on their purchase, although through the selfish schemes of the les- sees the pre-emption line was so run as to fall west of the trading post and to bring that place within the territory claimed by the lessees. After the line had been established Mr. Phelps, the active proprietor of the association, although not perfectly satisfied with the survey, neverthe- less acquiesced and submitted, and changed his base of operations from Kanandesaga to Canandaigua. The result was that when Ontario County was erected, January 27, 1789, and the county seat established Canandaigua received the fortunate designation and the public build- ings were erected there.
Ontario County, when erected in 1789, comprehended the entire re- gion of the Phelps and Gorham purchase, and even all of the country known as Western New York. Therefore all the towns surveyed in this locality, and which were afterward formed into Yates County, were formerly a part of Ontario, although directly at least two towns now of Yates were taken from Steuben County. The last named county was formed from the mother county, Ontario, in 1796.
The towns which now comprise Yates County, and which lie west of the old or first pre- emption line, were surveyed and numbered during the years 1788 and 1789, but they were not generally named until they possessed a sufficient population to justify their organization. The Friends settlement extended over parts of the towns of Milo, Torrey, and per- haps a small portion of Starkey, and was called the new Jerusalem. This fact has led at least one writer of local history into an error, in that he states that the Friends settlement was organized into a town called Jerusalem, which embraced all the present county of Yates except Star- key and Barrington. The only town that was ever called Jerusalem, under proper or recognized authority, was that which still bears the name, and which was originally " township number seven, second range." But let us take a brief glance at the towns of old Ontario which afterward
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