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 34
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 34
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 34
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Byron Cochran now lives ; General Knox lived in a log house on Waverly street, south side; Samuel Burgess lived in a log house about where George Weeden lives now ; Samuel Lake had a small store where American hotel is; Samuel Bradley's factory was built, he lived near it ; Jarvis Bloomfield lived down by his mill; Robert Auger had a saw mill and lived below Bloomfield ; Truman White lived on the southwest corner of the Well's farm ; Francis White lived on the Allen Goodemote place ; the Shaw family lived in that neighborhood; Mr. Sim- mons lived near where Mrs. Melvin lives now. There was a log house where Orvil Smith lives, and a small house near where George Crandalls now lives, no other house on north side of Main street, east to Newman street ; Jacob Rushmore lived in old yellow house on side hill, just above John P. Myers's house ; Abel Holman had house and shop on the Shut- tleworth lot ; Joel White had shop and lived on the Badgeley lot ; the Benjamin Gardner house stood about where Orange Parmenter lives, no more houses east to corporation line ; Samuel and William Lake were here.
The McMillen Family.
Joseph McMillen was born Jan. 14, 1783. In 1811, he mar- ried Betsey Haskins. He removed from Manlius, Onondaga county, to this town in March, 1823. He had been here the Fall before and purchased of Rufus Eaton the Eaton Grist- mill, and the land on the north side of Main street, and from Mechanic street and the park east to Newman street, except three or four building lots that had been previously sold. The land extended north from Main street about one hundred rods. He paid for the mill and the land two thousand five hundred dollars. He run the grist mill about fifteen years. About 1828, he built a saw mill a little south of, and near the grist mill. The grist mill stood by the race and nearly east of the Leland hotel barn, and saw mill stood nearly east of Victor Collard's shop. During his life time he sold nearly all the land along Main street to Newman street out into village lots, reserving the land back from the street. He gave a piece to his son-in-law, Wells Brooks, and two lots to his son, William. About 1835 he, in company with William Watkins, built the
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tannery, which stood east of the Spring Brook, and north of Franklin street. He also bought of Jeremiah Willcox, fifty acres of land on the southwest corner of lot thirty-three, town- ship seven, range six, lately known as the Palmer lot. Mr. McMillen died March 15, 1846 ; his first wife died March 29, 1823 ; his second wife was Rachel Jones, who died March, 1863. His children were :
William.
Helen, died in Olean.
Henry, died in infancy.
Julia A.,
Marcus G., died in Olean in the Fall of 1882.
Betsey R., died Oct. 30, 1845.
Stewart G., lives in Monticello, Miss.
Eugenia, died May 1, 1843.
William McMillen's Family.
William McMillen married Lydia Sherman, Jan. 8, 1849. Their children are :
Clark S., Adelaide E., Charlotte R., Sarah E., and Emma L.
Clark S., married Francena Eastwood and lives in Saginaw, Michigan.
Adelaide E., married William McDuffie, her second husband was Wallace McMaster.
Charlotte R., married George McMillen, of Gowanda.
Jonathan Mayo.
Jonathan Mayo came to Concord in the Fall of 1816, from Oxford, Worcester county, Mass., with his family of six sons and three daughters, four of whom are now living. His oldest son, Jonathan, was killed while felling trees in 1825, and was the first person buried in the " Block School House," cemetery.
Hiram, Orrin, George and Nancy are dead.
Erastus married Nancy Curtis.
Harriet married the late Calvin Smith, senior.
Lucy married Orra D. Curtis.
The first night after Jonathan Mayo arrived in town with his family, he staid with Captain Wells on Vaughan street, then
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there was no road north to Griffith's Corners, except by follow- ing a line of marked trees. After a year or two of pioneering, he located on lot thirty-five, township seven, range seven, where he lived until his death in 1859, aged eighty-two ; his wife hav- ing died several years before. During the early days of Mr. Mayo's residence in town, he one day captured, while walking along, a young fawn, which he took home and domesticated. It was given its liberty and used to associate with the wild deer, which were very numerous. This fact lead to its being used by hunters as a decoy to facilitate the approach to wild deer, and as it wore something about its neck, it could be dis- tinguished from its wild companions ; but one day a careless hunter found it with two other deer and not recognizing it, shot all three of them.
Sanford Mayo.
Mr. Mayo was born in Oxford, Worcester county, Mass., in 1812; came to this town with his father's family, as before mentioned. He succeeded his father in the possession of the homestead, which he now owns. "He was married in 1839 to Lucy Stanbro, daughter of Amos Stanbro.
They have had six children :
Eveline, born Nov. 3, 1840; married in 1867 to Henry Palmer ; died in 1868.
Harry A., born Aug. 11, 1843 ; died in 1863.
Orrin D., born Oct. 8, 1847 ; married in 1872 to Emma J. Titus.
Hattie, born July 18, 1850 ; died in 1865.
Addie J., born Aug. 14, 1856; married in 1874 to Alfred Holman.
Nellie F., born Dec. 28, 1860.
Sanford Mayo died from injures received by being struck by a railroad car Oct. 1, 1883, aged seventy-one years, five months and twenty days.
George Mayo.
George Mayo was born in this town in 1822; he was married in 1845 to Minerva Minor.
They have two children :
Libbie L., who was a successful teacher ; she was at one time
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Preceptress in Griffith institute ; she is now married to Mr. E. J. Foster, and resides in Collins.
Charles Mayo, a cheese maker.
Mr. Mayo always resided in town, and nearly all of his ma- ture years have been spent in some official capacity. He was for twenty-five years a Constable, was Deputy Sheriff six years, and has been Collector. George Mayo died Oct. 17, 1880, aged fifty-eight years and two months.
William L. Mayo.
Mr. Mayo was born Dec. 10, 1832, in Concord, of which town he has since been a resident, with the exception of four years spent at Portsmouth, Ohio, from which place he enlisted April 25, 1861, in the First regiment Ohio volunteers, Co. G. He served four months in this regiment and then enlisted with the commission of First Lieutenant in the One Hundredth regiment New York volunteers, Company A; mustered into service Sept. 23. 1861, his commission dating from October Ist of the same year. He was in the hard fought battles in which his regiment took part. At the battle of Fair Oaks he was slightly wounded ; for gallant service he was commissioned Captain of Company A Oct. 11, 1862 ; he resigned his commission May 25, 1863, and in June following was mustered out of service and returned home. Mr. Mayo has served one term as Assessor of Concord, He was married in 1864 to Clarinda Williams; they have three children.
Joshua Mathewson.
Joshua Mathewson was born in February, 1771, in Massa- chusetts ; came to Sardinia from Vermont in 1811 ; his occu- pation was a farmer ; was married in 1791, and died March 6, 1823 ; his wife's maiden name was Margaret Hale, who was born about 1772 in Massachusetts, and died April 14, 1821.
They had twelve children :
Hale, was born in the year 1798; was married to Pruda Williams, and died in Aurora in 1875.
Elijah, was born in 1795 ; married to Polly Palmer in 1818; died in Orleans county, N. Y., Nov. 31, 1876.
Jonathan, was born in June, 1796.
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Joshua, was born in 1797; was married to Almira Flagg ; died in March, 1864.
Bethia, dicd young.
Anna, was born in 1801 ; married Asa Wells ; died in June, 1820.
Laura, was born about 1804; married Asa Wells: died in September, 1846.
Daisey, was born about 1809: married Delos Birdsley ; dicd at Arcade in 1880.
Phebc, born in 1810; died in Illinois.
George, born in December, 1812; married Patience Starks : she died ; he married a Mrs. Damon ; he died at Springville.
Frederick B., born in October, 1813; married Phœbe Squires, who died ; he married for his second wife Eliza Gibbs ; he lives in Concord.
May, born May 29, 1815 ; married to George Baker, who died in 1879; she lives in Iowa.
Joshua Mathewson settled where Byron Wells now lives, in 1812.
S. H. McEwen's Statement.
My father Timothy McEwen came to Buffalo in 1806 from Utica, where he was married. My mother's maiden name was Huldah Hoyt. Father was a shoemaker and leather dealer, and carried on that business in Buffalo on the east side of Main street, between Seneca and Exchange, where he owned an acre of land in the center of the block. He lived there and carried on business until the burning of Buffalo. On the morning of that day they packed up so much of their most valuable prop- erty as they could load into a one-horse sleigh, and my father bound me on his back with a blanket, and my mother took my sister Susan-fourteen months younger than I-on her back in the same way, and they drove the horse and walked in the snow through the woods to what is now Abbot's Corners, in Hamburgh. My father left his family at Mr. Titus' and returned to Buffalo on the evening of the next . day and found his property all burned up. He set to work immediately col- lecting materials for re-building. The next season he volun- teered and went over to Canada and assisted in taking Fort
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Erie. I was born Nov. 14, 1809. When I was six or seven years old, the Indian chief Farmer's Brother came to our house sick, and remained there sick till he died; I used to carry water to him. My mother died in the Spring of 1818; the next Fall I went to live with my uncle, Joseph D. Hoyt, and lived with him till I was twenty-one years of age. He carried on the tanning business in a tannery between Exchange and Carroll streets, and I learned my trade with him. I then went to Chippeway, Canada, and carried on the tanning and leather busi- ness during the years of 1834 and 1835. In the summer of 1836, I carried on the pelt and wool business with John Bush, father of Myron P. Bush. In the Fall of 1836 I came to Springville and bought an undivided half of the tannery ai.J stock of J. D. Hoyt. The tannery stood on the Shuttleworth lot, east of the mill race and between Main and Franklin streets. We ran the business together till 1845, when I sold out to the Hoyt estate. I then bought the old Lake store on Main street and ran the hide and leather business till 1366, when I sold the property to Ozro Churchill and went into partnership in the tanning business with Sampson & Willcox, and remained therein ten months, when I sold out to them and retired from the leather business. Since then I have been in poor health, and have occupied my time mainly on my small piece of land.
Mr. McEwen married Julia Ann Shultus; she died Dec. 5th, 1845. He married his second wife, Eliza Jane Smith, Jan. 5th, 1853. Their children are :
Ida Ann, born Dec. 22, 1853, and died Nov. 13, 1862.
Addie Jane, born Sept. 16, 1858, and died Sept. 21, 1872. Blanche, born Jan. 14, 1862.
Carrie H., born Feb. 16, 1864.
Seth II., born April 2, 1866,
Earle S., born Feb. 10, 1872.
Stephen McEwen died March 26, 1882, aged seventy-two years, four months and twelve days.
John H. Melvin.
John H. Melvin was born in Springville, N. Y., Jan 5, 1847 ; at an early age he was adopted into the family of Amos Mel- vin ; in 1860 he entered the office of J. B. Saxe, publisher of
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
the Springville Herald, as an apprentice to the printers' trade. After leaving the office of Mr. Saxe he worked as a journey- man printer in various localities in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and in the cities of Buffalo and New York, ex- periencing during the meantime the vicissitudes incident to the craft, until he associated himself with W. W. Blakeley on the Springville Journal and Herald in November, 1867 ; sold out his interest in 1873 and started the Pioncer printing office in Hamburg ; from there he opened a job office in Buffalo in 1876, which he conducted, together with engraving (he is also an artist and engraver), until the Fall of 1879, when. in connec- tion with T. G. Meyers, he commenced the publication of the Local News in Springville, N. Y. He was a member of the Seventy-fourth New York State National Guard, and accom- panied his regiment to Pennsylvania at the time of Lee's inva- sion. Mr. Melvin was married in 1872 to Zelia M. Smith, daughter of Calvin Smith. They have one child :
Lizzie, born June 5, 1874.
Mr. Melvin's mother, Mrs. Amos Melvin, was born in Ply- mouth, N. H., June 11, 1797 ; her maiden name was Relief Blodgett ; she was married in her native town in 1822 and five years after removed to Wayne county, N. Y., and from theie to Springville in 1833, where she has ever since resided. She retains her physical and mental powers remarkably well, and relates many interesting incidents connected with the pioneer history of that part of her native state where she lived ; among others she speaks of her father's going a distance of forty miles to the city of Concord to mill, with a hand-sled, it being the nearest mill at that time-1760.
Wendel Morton.
Wendel Morton was born May Ist, 1781, in the town of Stoughton, Mass. Here the years of his minority were passed. and after attaining his majority he was married to Miss Polly G. Southworth, of his native town, who was born April 14, 1779; in 1804 he moved to Onondaga county, N. Y., where he remained until the year 1826, when he disposed of his effects there and came to the town of Boston, Erie county, N. Y .; here he resided with his family for ten years, when he trans-
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ferred his property and bought again at West Concord, which has since been known as Morton's Corners.
Wendel Morton was a man far above mediocre, and possessed much native ability that rather tended to the humorous, which under more auspicious circumstances would have brought him before the public a prominent character. He was an own cousin to the indomitable Governor Morton, who for twenty successive years was the Democratic candidate for executive honors in the Bay state before he succeeded, and then only elected by one majority. Before leaving Onondaga county he filled several positions of an official character, and among these was that of Deputy Sheriff. During the preliminary examina- tion of the Thayer brothers before a Justice for the murder of John Love in the town of Boston, Dec. 24, 1824, Wendel Mor- ton was their keeper ; one day the Court was adjourned for dinner, leaving Morton, the prisoners and a few spectators in possession of the room; Israel Thayer stepped to the Justice's desk, and taking the Bible he presented it to Morton, saying with much bravado, " Elder, you preach us a sermon from a text." Morton received the book and deliberately opened it, when the first thing that his eye rested upon was this impressive pas- sage: which he rendered in a low and solemn voice " He that sheddeth man's blood by man his blood shall be shed." This fell upon the culprit's guilty conscience like a clap of thunder from a clear and cloudless sky, all his assumed stoicism fled at the just accusation, and he spitefully snatched the Bible from Morton's hand, saying with an oath, " You are a poor preacher and I don't want to hear any more of your talk." Morton said, " From the very looks of the accused one's face upon my reading this passage I became convinced that the right ones had been apprehended, as the sequel proved."
During the later days of his life he became partially blind, but this affliction did not destroy his genial nature, and almost up to the closing scene, he had always recourse to a fund of rich and racy anecdote to entertain his friends He died Oct. 4, 1868, after having compassed nearly four score years and ten.
Mrs. Morton was of the old school of gentlewomen, whose every day deportment made the humblest of homes a paradise, and not only this but it carried consolation to the homes of
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others in life's darkest hours. She cheerfully accepted each situation and made the most of it without a murmur. Her gentle, uniform kindness, combined with a nature that entered largely into the burdens and sorrows of others, won for her hosts of friends who mourned her death as a mother. She departed this life Aug. 7, 1858.
Five children were born to this union, viz. :
Eliza S., born Sept. 14, 1804 ; died Dec. 28, 1877.
Otis C., born
Alanson P., born April 14, 1811 ; died March 4, 1872.
Mary A., born 1816; died 1848.
Samuel A., born May 8, 1818.
Samuel A. Morton.
Samuel A. Morton was born in the town of Manlius, Onondaga county, N. Y., May 8, 1818, and came to this town (Concord) in the year 1830. For a term of years, he in company with his brother Alanson, carried on the business of hotel keeping at Morton's Corners together with that of farming. Mr. Mor- ton held a commission as Postmaster at Morton's Corners, under the administration of Franklin Pierce and also of James Buchanan, Sept. 27, 1853. He was united in matrimony to Miss Ursula P. Ostrander, who was born Nov. 5, 1827, in the town of Hoosic, Rensselaer county, N. Y., and he took his bride to the very place that has since been their home. Mr. Morton is what might be termed a progressive farmer, who, being fully impressed with the belief that the comforts of life may be enjoyed by those who till the soil as well as by those who live at careless case on an assured competence, has surrounded his home with every convenience that the age affords, and though his years now number more than three score, time has dealt leniently with him and finds him in possession of health, strength and vigor to prosecute the labors of his favorite and chosen calling.
Four children were born to this union, viz. :
Mary A., born Aug. 24, 1854 : died Oct. 9, 1854 .. Laura E., born Aug. 23, 1855. Wendell J., born March 30, 1859. Carroll G., born Dec. 25, 1860.
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John P. Myers.
John P. Myers was born in the town of Hume, Allegany county, July 4, 1843. He came to Springville in the year 1877 from Sardinia. He is a merchant and one of the firm of Beebe & Myers, extensive dealers in dry goods. He was married in the year 1870 to Miss Florence A. Beebe. They have had two children both of whom died young.
In October, 1861, Mr. Myers enlisted in the one hundred and fourth regiment, New York State Volunteers, to serve three years. He was engaged in nearly all the battles of the Army of the Potomac until the battle of Antietam, where he was wounded by a musket-ball shattering the bone near the ankle. The ball was taken out seven years afterward, which he has preserved in remembrance of Antietam. Was in the hospital five months when he was offered his discharge, but refused it preferring to rejoin his command. Was taken prisoner at Get- tysburg, July 1, 1863, and was taken to Belle Island near Rich- mond, where he remained about seven months, from there to Andersonville, where he remained until Sherman on his march to the sea, came so near to them that they were taken to Camp Millen, from there to Savannah, from there to Jacksonville. Fla., and from there back to Andersonville on Christmas day. where he remained until the close of the war, making him a prisoner twenty-two months. What he suffered during his long confinement in Rebel prisons, helps to make up one of the darkest pages in our American history.
Elisha Mack.
Elisha Mack came to this town in 1827. He was a lawyer and held the office of Justice of the Peace in the town a num- ber of years and also was Post Master in Springville twelve years. Hle engaged to some extent in the mercantile busines ; and built a store and dwelling house where the Presbyteri: 1 Church now stands. He was also a farmer and managed a farm on the east part of lot nine. He sold out his business in this town and moved to Illinois in 1846, and settled near Nauyco, where he died soon after. He had four children :
Sarah, James, Helen and Benjamin, who are all living in the west.
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Andrew McLin.
Andrew McLin settled on lot thirteen, on Townsend Hill, in 1817. He died a few years afterwards, leaving three children.
Jacob, was killed when a young man, by a falling tree while felling trees in the woods.
Polly, was a school teacher and married Asa R. Trevitt and died in the town of West Seneca.
Martha, married Levi Ballou and died in Buffalo.
Jacob Marsielja.
Jacob Marsielja was born in Holland, Europe, Dec. 22, 1837. Came to America when about eight years of age, and to Con- cord about 1865 ; married Margaret C. Baker in 1866. They have five children :
Sarah A., born May 22, 1872.
Charles E., born Feb. 26, 1874.
Ella M., born May 21, 1876.
Clyde J., born Aug. 27, 1877.
George A., born May 9, 1879.
Mrs. Marsielja's father, William Baker, one of Concord's early pioneers, was born in Orange, Franklin county, Mass., March 1, 1801. He came to Concord in 1817, and located near East Concord, and has been a resident of the town ever since.
He was married in Concord to Anstris Edwards, who was born in Providence, R. I., Nov. 9, 1798. She had been pre- viously married in New England, to Ansel Norcott, with whom she came to Concord about 1820. Mr. Norcott died leaving two daughters :
Nancy R., married James Fleming.
Catherine, married Dr. Henry Dye and since died.
By her second marriage, with Mr. Baker, they had eight children :
Lyman P., born 1826 : married Matilda Strickland.
Cynthia, born 1828 ; married Rev. Charles Shelling.
Ansel, born 1830; married Jennie Firman ; died 1869. Eldridge, born 1833 ; died young.
Ovanda, ;
twins, born 1835, married Frank Kester.
Ovinda, {
married William Wilcox.
Margaret C., born 1838 ; married Jacob Marsielja.
Mary E., born 1842; married William Power ; died 1866.
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Frederick Meyer.
Frederick Meyer was born May, 1836, in the City of Buffalo, and came to Concord in 1858. Was married June, 1856, to Magdalena Derrinberger, who was born in 1837. He is a farmer by occupation. His father's name is George Meyer : his mother's maiden name was Magdalena Haas. His father has lived in Boston seventeen years. Family record :
George, born March 27, 1857.
Frederick, born Aug. 13, 1859.
William A., born March 26, 1863.
Henrietta, born July 16, 1873.
Albert, born June 12, 1879.
William P. Mills.
William P. Mills was born Jan. 8, 1822, in Middletown, Orange county, New York. His father's name was Ebenezer Mills ; his mother's maiden name was Maria Coleman. For several years before reaching his majority, Mr. Mills was a mer- chant's clerk in his native village. He was married in May, 1845, to Deborah Clark, and, in the following December re- moved to this town with his father-in-law onto Townsend Hill. He has resided at different places in town ever since, and has been extensively engaged in farming, dairying and cheese-buy- ing. They have three children, viz .:
H. Eugene, married in 1873 to Lottie Crary, who has since died. Mr. Mills' present business is selling carriages.
Frances M. married Ralph Greene, dentist ; resides at Fre- donia, N. Y.
Clark W., drug clerk.
Sanford Mathewson.
His father's name was Charles Mathewson; his mother's maiden name was Cordelia French ; his grandfather's name was Jonathan Mathewson ; his grandmother's maiden name Lucy Crosby. He was born in the Town of Sardinia, Aug. 3. 1846. He was married in the year 1874 to Miss Jennie L. Otis, daughter of James Otis of Sardinia. He has resided in Sardinia, Yorkshire and Concord, and has followed the business of farming.
Their children are Gracie E. and James C.
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Abraham Middeaugh.
Abraham Middeaugh came here, bought and took a deed of lot nine, consisting of the south part of the Village of Springville, in 1817. He also articled other lands and returned home and began making preparations to move here. He had sent on a part of his goods, and while preparing to follow himself with the remainder; he had occasion to stay one night at a hotel ; he got up early and went out to the barn to take care of his horse, which kicked him, causing his death a short time after. Some of his friends came here and disposed of the goods already bought and also the land he had bought.
He was a brother of Mrs. Daniel Tice and Mrs. Joseph Ham- mond.
Hugh McAleese.
Hugh McAleese was born at Ballymana, County Antrim, Ire- land, in 1832. His father's name was Daniel and his mother's maiden name was Eliza Quinn. He came to this country on a sailing vessel in 1848; was nine weeks and three days cross- ing to New York; went to Kinderhook, Columbia county, and learned his trade in Kinderhook and Albany. He came to Springville in 1860, and has carried on the blacksmithing busi- ness here since that time.
His brother, John who was killed by the cars in Canada in 1859, came here before he did and run a blacksmith shop.
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