USA > New York > Erie County > Sardinia > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 10
USA > New York > Erie County > Collins > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 10
USA > New York > Erie County > Concord > History of the original town of Concord : being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York > Part 10
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
101
THE HOME OF THE PIONEER.
its stead. The log cabins and hovels that they were com- pelled at first to occupy, in due time gave place to commodi- ous barns and comfortable dwellings.
And if the sons inherited the wisdom, courage and valor of the sires, what shall be said of the daughters? Endowed with the spirit and fortitude of the Spartan mothers, who. in times of extremity, became truly heroic ; still possessing the gentle- ness, tender solicitude and undying love, that has ever distin- guished the pure woman from the sterner sex. They cheer- fully shared all the toils, trials and dangers, incident to that period, and they were the guardian angels that watched over the pioneer's log cabin, ministering to him and his in sickness and caring for their comforts in health. Their thrifty and diligent hands, with wheel and distaff, supplied most all the creature-comforts that were enjoyed in their humble homes. And it was their province and mission to smooth the rugged pathway of progress; commencing in the great primeval forest and in the lowly bark-covered cabins and carried forward step by step and year by year, up to its present state of luxury and refinement, which many of them lived to enjoy. Those dear old mothers! their useful lives may have given them but few opportunities for culture and accomplishments. They may have known but little of letters or of the sciences, but there were two problems, that these sainted mothers had solved, that proved a benison to those around them-i. c. a sweet accept- ance of the life that is, and an unfaltering assurance of the life to come. This rendered them cheerful at all times, and made them a tower of strength in the darkest trials, and their toil- worn hands have smoothed many a sufferer's dying pillow, and their plain manner of speech has sustained many a sinking soul when called to meet " the hour and article of death." The deeds of the mothers should be hallowed in memory above all things else and may God bless them ; for most of them have fulfilled their mission ; and the wheels have ceased their turning, and for them the brittle thread on life's distaff has been broken. But never let the memory of them depart, in the glitter and glow of modern days. Give them the warmest place in your hearts, and whenever you breathe their names, let it be in the holy and sacred depths of affection.
102
FORMATION OF COUNTIES AND TOWNS.
THE PIONEER SETTLER UPON THE HOLLAND PUR- CHASE AND HIS PROGRESS.
" Through the deep wilderness, where scarce the sun Can cast his darts, along the winding path
The Pioneer is treading. In his grasp Is his keen ax, that wondrous instrument,
That like the talisman, transforms Deserts lo fields and cities. He has left
The home in which his early years were past,
And, led by hope, and full of restless strength, Has plunged within the forest, there to plant His destiny. Beside some rapid stream He rears his log-built cabin. When the chains
Of Winter fetter Nature, and no sound Disturbs the echoes of the dreary woods, Save when some stem cracks sharply with the frost ; Then merrily rings his ax, and tree on tree Crash to earth ; and when the long keen night Mantles the wilderness in solemn gloom, He sits beside his ruddy hearth, and hears The fierce wolf snarling at the cabin door, Or through the lowly casement sees his eye Gleam like a burning coal."
EARLY ORGANIZATION OF COUNTIES AND TOWNS.
All the Colony of New York west of the river counties, was nominally a tract of Albany county up to 1772. In 1784, Tryon county, of which Erie was nominally a part, was changed to Montgomery. In 1789, the County of Ontario was erected from Montgomery, including all west of Seneca lake-a territory now comprising thirteen or fourteen counties.
The Town of North Hampton covered all the Western part of the State. In the Spring of 1802, the County of Genesee was erected, comprising the whole of the State west of the Genesee river, and of a line running south from the mouth of the Canaseraga creek to the Pennsylvania linc. The Town of North Hampton was divided into four towns ; one of them was Batavia, which contained all of the Holland Purchase. The county seat was fixed at Batavia, a village that was to be. In 1804, Batavia was divided into four towns. The first, second and third ranges were called Batavia ; the fourth, fifth and sixth ranges were called Willink, and the seventh, eighth, ninth and
103
CONCORD AND OTHER TOWNS.
tenth ranges were called Erie; the remainder of the Purchase West was called Chautauqua. These ranges were six miles wide and running from the Pennsylvania line north to Lake Ontario, about one hundred miles in length. March 11, 1807, the Counties of Niagara, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua were taken from Genesee county.
In 1807, the County of Niagara was divided into three towns. All that part north of the Tonawanda creek was called Cambria; all the territory between the Tonawanda creek and the center of the Buffalo Creek reservation was called Clarence; all between the center of the Buffalo Creek reservation and the Cattaraugus creek was called Willink.
March 20, 1812, the Town of Willink was divided into four towns-Willink, Hamburg, Eden and Concord. The Town of Willink then comprised the Towns of Aurora, Wales, Holland and Colden. The Town of Hamburg comprised the present Towns of Hamburg and East Hamburg. The Town of Eden comprised the present Towns of Eden, Evans and Boston. Concord comprised the present Towns of Concord, Sardinia, Collins and North Collins. March 16, 1821, Concord was divided into Concord, Collins and Sardinia. April 2, 1821, Erie county was formed from Niagara, comprising all that part of Niagara county lying between the Tonawanda and Cattarau- gus crecks. On the 24th day of November, 1852, the Town of Shirley was formed from Collins, and the next Spring it was changed to North Collins.
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PIONEER SETTLERS
THE NAMES OF THE FIRST SETTLERS, THE TIME OF SETTLEMENT AND THE TIME OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SEVERAL TOWNS IN ERIE COUNTY.
NAME OF TOWN.
Year of Set- tlement.
NAMES OF THE FIRST SETTLERS IN FACH RESPECTIVE TOWN IN ERIE COUNTY.
Year of Or- ganization
Buffalo
1789
Cornelius Winney
1810
Clarence
1799
Asa Ransom.
1808
Amherst.
1801
John Thompson
1818
*Newstead
1 802
Peter Vandeventer
1823
Hamburg
1 803
+Dydimus Kinney
1812
Boston
1 804
Charles Johnson
1817
Evans.
1 804
Joel Harvey.
1821
East Hamburg
1 804
Ezekiel Smith, David Eddy 1 and others.
1850
Lancaster
1 804
James and Amos Woodward . .
1833
Aurora
1 804
and Henry Godfrey .
1818
Tonawanda .
I SO5
1 and John Hershey.
1836
Wales
1 806
1 Allen
Holland
1807
Arthur Humphrey and Ab- 1 ner Cumer.
1818
Concord.
1807
Christopher Stone and John i Albro
1812
Collins
1807
Jacob Taylor and others of i 1 the Quaker Mission .
1821
Eden
1808
Benj., Joseph and Sam'l Tubbs
1812
Cheektawaga
1808
Apollus Hitchcock.
1839
Sardinia
1 809
Geo. Richmond and Ezra Nott
I821
North Collins. .
1810
Tucker and Enos South- wick.
1852
Colden
1810
Richard Buffom
1827
Alden.
1810
Moses Fenno. .
1823
Brandt
1817
Moses Tucker . 1839
West Seneca ..
1826
Reuben Sackett
1851
Elma .
1827
Taber Earle.
1857
Marilla
1829
Jerry and Joseph Carpenter
1853
Grand Island.
Unknown
1852
Jabez Warren, Taber Earle ì
| Alex. Logan, John King
| Oliver Pattengil and William
1818
Stephen Sisson, Abram
* Organized as Erie ; changed to Newstead-, 1831.
+ Dydimus Kinney was the first white settler in the South Towns ; his house stood on Jere- miah Pierce's farm, on the left hand as you go towards White's Corners, and northwest of the orchard on a low ridge of land in the meadow.
105
EARLY TOWN OFFICERS.
THE OLD TOWN OF CONCORD.
The original Town of Concord was organized by the legis- lature March 20, 1812. It comprised the present towns of Sardinia, Concord, Collins, North Collins and part of Brant. It is to be regretted that there is no record of this town in existence. The great fire that occurred in Springville in the Summer of 1868, destroyed the old town book, and the author has to rely upon his memory of the records made in this book, and also the recollections of the old settlers. He is certain that the first record was, that the town meeting was held at the house of John Albro, in the Spring of 1812 ; that Thomas M. Barrett was chosen Supervisor, Amaziah Ashman, Town Clerk, Solomon Field, Collector, and Jonathan Townsend, Overseer of the Poor. The town bounds remained unchanged up to 1821 ; and the place of holding the town meetings was subject to the will of the electors. For four or five years these meet- ings were held at Springville, but the author learns from talking with some of the venerable men who have a distinct recollec- tion of those times, that it was once held on Townsend Hill. After a time, quite a spirit of dissatisfaction was manifested by those living in the east and west parts of the town, for Spring- ville and vicinity not only monopolized the place of holding these meetings, but it enabled them to secure also, the most of the important offices. This led to a fusion of the electors of the east and west parts, and upon one occasion they rallied their forces and voted the town meeting to Taylor Hollow, in the extreme west part of the town, and from thence it was adjourned to Sardinia, near the east bounds of the town, for the next year. The action of the electors in carrying these extreme measures caused those living in the central part of the town to consent to a division, which was soon after effected. For the first eight consecutive years after the organization of the town, there is no evidence that there was any other man except Thomas M. Barrett, who held the office of Supervisor. The author, in looking over the first records of the Town of Collins, bearing date 1821, finds it recorded, that a committee was appointed "to settle with Frederick Richmond, late Supervisor of the town," so it appears, that he at least held the office one year. During this time he learns that John Lanton, "Gen."
106
THE TIDE OF IMMIGRATION.
Knox, "Dea." Russell, and Mr. Abbey held the important office of Commissioner of Highways; and he also learns that Harry Sears succeeded Fields as Collector. The Justices of the Peace, were not elected by the people, but were appointed by the authorities at Albany.
COMING INTO THE COUNTRY-LOG HOUSES AND) DUTCHI
CHIMNEYS.
Most of the early settlers in these towns came from the New England states and the eastern part of the State of New York, but few came from New Jersey or Pennsylvania. More in pro- portion came from Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut than from New Hampshire or Maine. The route generally taken was through the Mohawk valley by Utica, Can- andaigua, Avon and Batavia to Buffalo, then out here. Some turned off near the Genesee river and came through on the " Fig Tree Road," that passes through Wales, Aurora and Ham- burg. Others turned off the main route near the Genesee and came through by Pike and Arcade. Others again came by the way of New York, across New Jersey and a corner of Pennsyl- vania to the Susquehanna river, and by different routes made their way here. Many came on foot, sometimes one alone and sometimes two or more in company. Some came with horses and sleighs, or horses and wagons, but more came with oxen and sleds, or oxen and wagons than any other way. It generally took them about twenty-five days to come from the New Eng- land states here.
"New-comers were always warmly welcomed by their prede- cessors, partly, doubtless, from motives of kindness, and partly because each new arrival helped to redeem the forest from its forbidding loneliness and add to the value of improvements already made." If there were already a few settlers in the locality, the emigrant's family was sheltered by one of them until notice could be given of a
LOG RAISING.
For log houses, the logs used were generally from eight to eighteen inches in diameter and twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eight- een and twenty feet in length. It required the assistance of a
107
BUILDING THE LOG CABIN.
dozen or more able-bodied men to put up the body of such a house, and, at first, the country had to be scoured for many miles to obtain that number (and sometimes half of that num- ber had to suffice). "The hands" were invited to come to the raising on a specified day - the logs were cut in ad- vance-and were drawn to the desired spot by oxen and four of the largest ones selected for the bottom logs. Four of the most active and experienced men were chosen to cut the cor- ners." They began by cutting a saddle at the ends of the two logs, a space twelve to eighteen inches long, shaped like the roof of a house. Notches to fit these saddles were cut near the ends of two other logs and then they were laid at right angles upon the first two. The operation was repeated again and again, the four axe men rising with the building and cutting saddles on the top near the end of the side logs and cutting notches in the end logs to fit them, as they were handed up to them by their comrades. After the building was up five feet or so, ropes or chains would be attached to the ends of the logs, and the men on the building would pull while the others lifted or pushed from below. And if they had no ropes or chains, they sometimes would cut a bush ten or twelve feet high and form a loop by withing the twigs together and slip it over the end of the logs and pull on that. They also, sometimes, used what was called a "horse," which was a crotched stick six feet or more long with the crotch at the upper end, and strong pins through the lower end to lift by.
Having arrived at the height of six or seven feet, notches were cut on the top of the two top side logs and poles six or seven inches in diameter laid across to serve as joists for the chamber for the chamber floor. Generally the building was raised one, two or three tiers of logs higher than the chamber floor. After the body of the house was raised to the required height, sometimes rafters made of poles from the forest were placed in position, and sometimes the gable ends were built up with logs, with poles running lengthwise of the building and about three feet apart, and fitted into them (the gables) for the support of the roof. Most of the earliest roofs were made of elm or other kinds of bark, laid rough side up, and held in its place by the weight of poles resting on top of it and running lengthwise
IOS
FIRE-PLACES AND DUTCH CHIMNEYS.
of the building. Some roofs were made of "shakes." that is. rough shingles three or more feet long, generally made of white ash, pine or oak. Another kind of roof was made by cutting small-sized basswood logs the desired length and splitting them through the center, and then digging out the inner side from end to end. "trough fashion." Then placing them on the roof one-half of them with the hollowed side up, and the other half with the hollowed side down and placed over the first in such a manner that the water that fell on the rounding side of the top ones would run into the grooves in the lower ones and from there to the ground. A place for a door was then sawed out and another for a window, and sometimes places for two win- dows. A blanket frequently served for a door in the Summer time the first year, and doors were sometimes made of plank or boards split out of white ash or basswood and hewed down. and hung on wooden hinges and held closed with a wooden latch and catch, with a "latch-string hanging outside the door.' Sometimes they had one or more windows with four or six lights of glass. but they were frequently compelled to use greased paper as a substitute for glass. Floors were made of " puncheons " split out of basswood logs and hewed down with a narrow axe. Cook stoves had not then been invented, and fire-places were universally used : brick were not to be had, and chimneys were made of stone, wood and mud. " Dutch chim- neys " were the most common among the early settlers; they consisted of a stone back built up about six feet high, more or less, and of about the same width. Instead of jams wooden arms, either straight or curving downwards, were fastened at their lower ends into the logs on each side of the stone back. about three feet from the floor, with their upper ends resting against the beam overhead on which the chamber floor was laid. On and from these arms the chimney was built up and topped out with sticks and mortar, and when thoroughly plas- tered from top to bottom was considered finished.
Some chimneys were built entirely of stone, and had jams to the fire places. A pole called the " lug pole " was put into and through all the early chimneys. It was placed directly over the fire and five or six feet above the hearth, which was made of flat stone. Sometimes a wooden hook from three to
109
PREPARING FOR THE FIRST CROP.
four feet long was hooked over the "lug pole," and which had one or more notches near the lower end in which to hang the bails of pots and kettles. And sometimes a chain would be used for the same purpose, and sometimes families that could afford the expense would have "trammels." They were made of two bars of iron, one thin and flat, and about two inches wide. with the top end bent over in a half circle, so as to hook over the "lug pole." and the remainder perforated with holes about half an inch in diameter and two or three inches apart. The other bar was about half an inch in diameter, with a hook at the lower end. and an inch or two of the upper end bent at right angles with the body of the bar. and made to fit into the holes in the flat bar so that the hook could be raised or lowered as occasion required.
The cracks between the logs were generally chinked up with three-cornered pieces of timber, split out of small basswood trees, fitted in and plastered with mud both outside and inside. Sometimes the cracks between the logs would be closed up with moss gathered in the woods. Occasionally houses were built with logs hewed on both sides before they were raised : these were called " block houses."
CLEARING LAND, CHOPPING TIMBER. BURNING BRUSH, LOG- GING AND LOGGING BEES.
After the pioneers had a house or shanty built. and had got rigged up ready to commence housekeeping, the next task was to clear some land. If the settler arrived very early in the season he would be able, and generally did, clear off a small piece in time to plant some corn and potatoes and sow some turnips: but his greatest ambition was to get several acres ready for Winter wheat in the Fall. To do this he worked hard. early and late, unless interrupted by sickness. The first business was to cut down the trees-in this many of the pioneers ac- quired great skill : they would so cut and guide a tree as to have it fall in most cases, exactly where they wanted it. In cutting timber for the purpose of clearing land, several differ- ent methods were practiced by the early settlers. One was to cut down the trees, then trim out the tops, that is. cut off the limbs and pile the brush into large heaps, then cut the bodies
BURNING A FALLOW.
up into logs of from twelve to twenty feet in length, depend- ing upon the size of the trees. This method was generally pursued when they intended to clear the land the same year.
Another method was to "windrow" the timber ; this was done by cutting all the trees on a strip of land four, five or six rods in width so that their tops would all fall from both sides of the strip into the center, and form a row the whole length of the strip, while the bodies of the trees on the right hand and left hand sides laid angling and at different angles with the center of the row. After the trees were felled, the limbs on the top side were generally cut off or lopped down. Windrows were made parallel to each other and were from four to six rods apart from center to center.
Another method of cutting timber for the purpose of clear- ing land, was "slashing it down." This consisted simply in cutting down the trees and letting them fall in any direction without trimming them out, or cutting up the bodies. Some- times choppers when slashing timber down would cut what was called a "drive" where the timber was thick and large, and the lay of the land and the range of the trees was favorable. They would commence at a certain point and cut all the trees partly down for a considerable distance and sometimes over an extent of several acres, and each successive tree was so cut that when it fell it was so guided or drawn as surely to strike the next intended tree, whether it stood straight ahead or sometimes to the right or left. When all was ready the large tree, which for its size and location had been selected for the "driver," was cut and fell against the next tree and that against the second, and the second against the third, and the third against the fourth, and so on, until they all went thundering and crashing down together.
After the timber on a piece of land had been cut down for the purpose of clearing the land, and left to lay a considerable time, it was called a " fallow," and when the brush was burned it was called " burning a fallow." After the timber had lain a sufficient length of time and the brush had become sufficiently dry to satisfy the owner, a day was selected when the weather was favorable to set on fire and " burn the fallow." "Fallows" were burned during a dry time, and on a day when the sun
CHOPPING AND LOGGING.
shone bright, and generally set from 12 to 2 o'clock P. M. They were usually set in several places about the same time : and presently the blaze would shoot up here and there in dif- ferent parts all over the fallow ; and rapidly extending and in- creasing the flames would sway to and fro, and at times rise nearly to the height of the tallest trees ; the heat, the glare, the crackling, the swaying, and the roar of the fierce and consum- ing flames, as witnessed at the burning of a large " fallow " presented a grand and exciting scene.
Timber that was slashed or windrowed was left a year and a half or two years or more, until it became very dry, before the brush was burned. And sometimes the brush and timber became so dry that when it was fired the brush was all burned up, and a considerable portion of the timber, besides the soil of the land being burned and materially injured by the fire in some instances.
After the brush had been burned on a piece of land where the timber had been "slashed " or " windrowed " the bodies of the trees had to be cut up the proper logging length before the logging commenced. The bodies of the trees were generally considerably seasoned and quite hard. A custom prevailed to some extent with the choppers to " nigger off " the largest logs while they were chopping up the smaller ones. It was done in this way: Notches were cut at proper distances on top of the large trees and places hollowed out, coals put on, a fire started and sticks laid across at right angles with the log and when they burned up other sticks of wood, brands or poles were laid across, and renewed from time to time until the large logs were burned through and off. After the fire got well started it was not much trouble to keep it going, and a man could at- tend to and "nigger off " twenty or thirty large logs while he was chopping up the remaining smaller ones in the vicinity.
After the brush had been burned and the trees cut into logs, the next business in order was the logging. When the piece to be logged was small and the pioneer owned a yoke of oxen, he would hire or change works with two or three helpers, and if he did not own a yoke of oxen he would hire or change works with some man that did, and with two or more neighbors, and
112
THE LOGGING BEE.
they together would "log " about an acre a day. Sometimes small pieces of land were so far cleared of timber as to produce crops without the use of any team whatever. Frequently land would be chopped and cleared by the job at a specified price per acre. Jobs of from five to ten acres were frequently let, and jobs of fifteen or twenty acres were let less frequently, and occasionally, but not often, jobs of from thirty to forty acres were cleared.
In pioneer times the practice of having "logging bees " was quite common. When a large tract was to be logged, the settlers for several miles around were invited to a " bee." At the appointed time from fifteen to thirty men would be present. About half a dozen would bring ox teams and the balance would be provided with hand-spikes or cant-hooks. To do the business up properly and expeditiously it required three or four hand-spike men to each team.
The owner of the land, or some other experienced man, would select places to build the different heaps, and the work began and the bee commenced.
The logs were rapidly drawn or "snaked " alongside the heap, and then the hand-spike men quickly rolled them to the proper place. Another and another was snaked up in rapid succession, the handspike men being always ready to unhitch it if it caught against a root or stump. As it tore along the ground, the black dust flew up in every direction. Soon every man was covered with a black coat of coal-dust and soot, involving clothes, hands and face in " outer darkness." But the work went on still more rapidly. The several gangs caught the spirit of rivalry, and each strove to make the quickest trips and the largest pile. The oxen would sometimes get as excited as the men, and would " snake" their loads into place with ever-increasing energy. Teams that understood their business would; stand quiet while the chain was being hitched, then spring with all their might, taking a bee-line to the log heap, and halt when they came to the right spot. Faster and faster sped the men and teams to and fro, harder strained the hand- spike men to increase the pile, higher flew the clouds of dust and soot, reckless of danger, men sprang in front of rolling logs
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