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 36
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 36
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 36
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Mrs. Pike tells of the first burial in the woods at Morton's Corners. It was that of a young man that committed suicide. His name for certain, was never ascertained, but it was sup- posed to be White, and the son of a widow. This was some time in May, 1822, for Mr. Richardson said the trees were in full leaf. He came to Mr. Battle's and put up a few days. There was nothing in his demeanor that would create any sus- picion that he contemplated such a rash act. A day or so be- fore he left here he made a trade with Battles, and became the owner of a pocket knife, with which he severed the veins of his arms. This was done on the trail between this place and Springville. There was no road then, only a bridle path and . he just stepped from the trail, and when found by Roswell Olcott, he was bleeding profusely. He was discovered sitting upon a log near where the steam saw mill of Watkin & Gay- lord now is. Mr. Olcott aroused the settlement and he was brought back to Battles' tavern and medical aid called, but the flow of blood had been so great that he died of prostration. He would not reveal anything of his history. A plain pine coffin was constructed by Caleb Knight. There were no under- takers then, and even if there had been, it would have been hard work for them to have reached here. The settlers gath- cred and bore him through the woods up to the grave yard, though it was not thought of as a church yard then. They buried him at the foot of the great maple, which then was but a sapling, not as large as a person's thigh. They thought if his friends should be found, this tree would mark his grave.
The next the settlers were called upon to carry there was Uncle Battles, mine host of the inn. They made his grave by the side of the other, and they have kept on carrying them there until there is left out of that pioneer band only myself and Uncle Luke Simmons, and it will not be long before you will have to take us there.
Now I have to recite the darkest day of my life's history, for it did appear as though the sun had been blotted out to me for- ever. That morning I had been called upon to go a few miles and visit the sick. My husband and three of the boys, Oliver. Marsden and Franklin, were to engage that day in getting out rails, and they had engaged the services of John Millis to assist
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them with his team. This was on the 23d day of January, 1845. It was a clear bright day, with just snow enough to make sleigh- ing good. Oliver and Marsden were splitting and Franklin and his father were piling and also aiding Mr. Millis in loading to haul out to the road. They were at work on lot eighty-three, now owned by T. J. Kerr ; just how it happened it was so long ago, it is hard for me to remember now. I know that a great many supposed that Oliver glanced his axe, but this was not so. The boys had quartered the cut, and Oliver, who was intent upon his work, was cutting away the slivers; his father had taken an axe to cut a small sapling that stood in the way near where Oliver was engaged, with his back towards Oliver, as he struck low on the sapling, he threw his hips back just in time to receive the fatal blow of Oliver's descending ax, in his left hip.
The wound was not large, but it was nevertheless fatal, for it had severed the main artery. As he received the blow he remarked to Oliver, "Look and see, I believe you have cut me." Oliver, unconscious of what he had done, replied, "I guess not." Mr. Pike was a man very easily affected at the sight of blood, and he spoke up quickly and told the boys to throw snow in his face as he was very faint. My boys hurriedly laid him down and tried every means to staunch the blood ; they put snow upon it, and then Oliver and Marsden pressed the wound together with their hands, but the blood shot up in a jet clear over their shoulders ; every means they tried were fruitless. Mr. Pike made the remark, " Boys, now do not be frightened, when I tell you this is my death blow."
By this time Mr. Millis had come for another load of rails, and he was tenderly placed upon the sleigh and carefully driven to the house. In the mean time a messenger had been dispatched for Dr. Bruce, who arrived in due time and began to sew up the wound, two or three stitches had been taken when he fainted and was gone-yes, dead. I did not get home in time to see him alive. He who had left me that morning so full of life and hope would never speak again, and I fully realized that my heart was widowed. Since then the shadows of death have crept thick and fast into my family of stalwart sons and daughters. There were thirteen of them, and I spun and wove and cared for them all once.
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Five are left now, eight having passed away. Jane went first, then Marsden ; Irving I gave to my country, and he sleeps where Southern vines creep o'er his grave. Oliver died in Illi- nois ; the rest of them near me here, and they lie buried up here. Yes, death is very cold and desolating. At times the past comes back to me as though it were but yesterday. I know it was the night that the Morton boys opened their new house by giving a grand ball. For weeks had the event been talked up and the young came from far and near, and I sup- pose it was a grand affair for that time. But for me, what a night ; how I looked ahead into the great black future and my heart cried out in the bitterness of its agony. How the tink- ling of those old-fashioned sleigh-bells smote my heart as the merry-makers went dashing by. I would not have anyone infer that I was neglected in my sorrow. Mr. Morton's people were more than kind, and they would have been glad to have post- poned their ball if they could. All my neighbors and friends stood by me then and tried to lighten my burden.
Harrison Pingry.
Harrison Pingry was born in the Town of Sardinia, June 5, 1840. His father's name is William Pingry, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Ann Wilder. He lived in Sardinia until 1866, when he purchased what has long been known as the Henman farm, on lot four, township six, range six, in this town, on which he has resided ever since. This farm was selected by Asa Cary, in 1809, who occupied it one season, and then traded for land in Boston, with Calvin Doolittle. Gov- ernor Smith occupied it in 1810; then it was owned and occu- pied by James Henman for many years.
Harrison Pingry was married, in May, 1863, to Josephine E. Wells, daughter of Asa Wells ; she was born in this town in 1841. Their children were :
Clara J., Mary E.
William Wells, who died in infancy.
H. Lee.
Nicholas Peters.
Nicholas Peters was born Nov. 29, 1882, in Luxemburg, Germany ; came to Concord in 1875 ; is a farmer by occupa- 20
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tion ; was married in 1867 to Mary Zihen, who was born in Prussia. His father's name was John Peters; his mother's maiden name was Margaret Oberlinkels. Nicholas Peters was in the Luxemburg army from nineteen years old until he was twenty-seven years of age ; previous to settling where he now lives, he lived near Collins Center about nine years.
Has one child, Nicholas, born June, 1867.
Frank Prior.
Mr. Prior was born Jan. 31, 1850, in Springville, N. Y., of which village he has always been a resident and where Jan. I, 1874, in company with Richard Holland, he engaged in the drug business. After an interval of three years, he purchased Mr. Holland's interest and still continues the business. He married Helen Wadsworth.
They have three children : Benjamin, John and Elizabeth.
Isaac Palmer.
Isaac Palmer was born in the year 1800. His father moved from Vermont to this town in 1817. A few years after, Isaac was married to Lucy Palmer, of Gowanda. They had five chil- dren :
Helen married Joseph Tice and moved to Wyoming county ; after his death, she married Henry Thyng.
Hiram married Jane Mayo, and lives in Springville.
Harriet died young.
Henry married Eugena Briggs ; after her death, he married Evaline Mayo; she died, and he married his present wife. Clemantine Hurd.
Marion married Jeremy Smith.
For a number of years, Mr. Palmer held the office of Town Collector, and was also Assessor, and was Captain of the Spring- ville Rifle company for many years. He died Dec. 2, 1869, respected by all.
Daniel Persons.
Daniel Persons was an early settler in this town and lived on the Genesee road, lot twenty-seven, township seven, range seven, for a great many years and here cleared up a good-sized farm.
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After he got to be an old man he sold the farm and moved to Nichols Corners, bought a lot and lived there until his death. He was a great many years Deacon in the Baptist church of Springville. He died Aug. 28, 1877, aged eighty-seven years, and his wife died Feb. 5. 1874, aged eighty years and ten months. They had two children :
Truman, lives in Colden.
Mary E., died when a young woman.
William Spencer Perigo.
Mr. Perigo's father, Lyman Perigo, was by occupation a tanner, currier and shoe-maker, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. He was born in Rutland county, Vermont, Oct. 1, 1792. He was married about 1818, in Vermont, to Susan Jones, who was born Feb. 3, 1798, in Rutland county, Vermont. They had three sons and three daughters, all born in Vermont. viz :
Susan A., born 1820; married Francis White; reside in Springville.
Martin A., born 1823 ; died in Iowa.
Mary V., born 1827 ; married John Ballou ; reside in Concord.
Alvira E., born 1830; married Abram Naudau.
William Spencer, born 1833 ; unmarried ; resides in Concord. Samuel W., born 1836; died Dec. 27, 1837.
The family removed to Springville, N. Y., about 1850, where the father, Lyman Perigo, lived until his death, April 12, 1880: his wife having died July 3, 1877.
James Quinn.
James Quinn came to Concord from Vermont in 1848. He was born in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Aug. 18, 1832. His father's name was James Quinn, his mother's maiden name was Sarah Butler. He was married in 1861, to Miss Charlotte Pal- mer, who died Nov. 15, 1872, after which he married Mrs. Lydia Perkins, April 8, 1880. He is a farmer and lives on his farm one mile south-easterly from Morton's corners. His father died nine days after their arrival in America. His mother lived to eighty-four years of age and died in Wisconsin Nov. 28, 1881.
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Life of Jeremiah Richardson.
Jeremiah Richardson was born at New Port, N. H., Dec. 30, 1796. Here was his home until his fifteenth year, when, upon the death of his father, he was sent to live with his grandfather at Milford, Mass. The summers were devoted to the labors on the farm and the winters to attending school. Mr. Rich- ardson remained here until his seventeenth birth-day, when he went to the town of Hubbardton, Rutland county, Vermont, where lived an uncle. This was in 1813, and the country was much disturbed over the prospect of a long and bloody con- flict with the mother country. Mr. Richardson says when he left the protecting care of his ancestors he left with the deter mination of being the architect of his own fortune. The most of young men at this age knowing that they were free agents, would have been allured by the enchantments of pleasure to have marked out a far different course of life, but his ambition was to be independent, and his ambition was laudable, for in after years it enabled him to build up every cause that was to better the condition of men. Mr. Richardson says that he had decided to follow the business of farming, and that the Hol- land Purchase with its cheap lands and easy terms of payment attracted his attention, and he left Massachusetts with the intention, after his visit in Vermont, to go directly to Batavia, the headquarters of the company. Through the entreaties of his friends there and the war-like aspect along the border, he consented to remain two years. The first year he found a home with his uncle, assisting him on the farm, and the next year he served a neighboring farmer in a similar capacity ; and he says, " At the end of my engagement, or when the Septem- ber sun was ripening off the corn, I tied up my scanty ward- robe in a pocket-handkerchief and set out on foot and alone to accomplish a journey of three hundred miles. I was fourteen days on the way, and every foot of it I had walked. At Bata- via I could have secured land, but I found one great objection, in almost every house I found a victim of the ague. Much of the land in the immediate vicinity of the village was under cul- tivation, and the crops far superior to anything I had ever seen before, but the fever sickened me of that place, and I inquired if there was not some part of the company's domain that was
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not afflicted with this scourge. I was told that there was in the Cattaraugus country, but it was only fit for Indians and wild beasts to live in. But I feared the fever more than I did these, and I went to the company's office, where, for the first time, I met Ebenezer Mix. He was then a young man, very familiar and genteel in his manners. I made known to him my business and asked him to show me a plot of the Cattarau- gus region. This was readily done, and I selected one hundred acres on the southeast corner of lot ninety-one, and I got a contract by paying ten dollars, which was at that time all the wealth I possessed.
I knew that it would not do for me to go out there penniless, so I hired out to chop wood a few days for the distillery at twenty-five cents per cord. I was something of a chopper, and about the middle of October I had saved up a few dollars. I bade my new-found friends good-bye and set out to find my claim. I came by the way of Buffalo and Boston. I found a very good road for footmen until I reached Townsend's mill, now Wheeler Hollow. Here I was directed to a trail that led me to Colonel Cook's, on lot thirty-three. Mr. Cook had been in there some time, for he had improvements, and I helped him to harvest some four acres of corn. At Cook's I was greeted with a warm welcome, and the friendship we formed then and there has been unbroken, and that was nearly or quite sixty years.
A man by the name of Nehemiah Paine had made a begin- ning on the corner of lot forty-one ; his log cabin stood near the residence of Nelson Nichols.
The next morning after partaking of my new-found friend's hospitality, I, in company with the Colonel, started out to look over my claim. We found it very heavily timbered by beech, maple and elm, and to most young men the task of redeeming these acres to a state of cultivation would have appeared her- culean ; but I was young and inured to toil and strong in hope and determination. So after assisting Mr. Cook for a few days I began work for myself right here where my house stands to- day ; this will be sixty-five years in November ; the first tree I cut was right here, and the first log-heap was down by the barn ; my well was on the lowest place in the orchard ; I had
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only to dig eight or nine feet and I had an abundance of water. That Fall I did not chop steady on my place, brt lent a day now and then to neighbor Cook, which he returned with his oxen when I had got ready to log off ; I chopped two acres, which we put into heaps ready for burning in the Spring. During this time I had lodged and boarded in Mr. Cook's fam- ily. He, though young, had a wife ; I saw that his house room was limited, and thought it might be as well for me to look out for another place to pass the winter.
About the last days of November I went back to Batavia and engaged in my old occupation of chopping wood for the distillery at twenty-five cents per cord. I was very steady, and though I could not cut so much per day as some, I generally made out as well as any who followed chopping. I was there about four months, and when we settled up I had over $50 my due for my Winter's work.
About the first of April I again returned to my claim, and about the first work I undertook for myself was to put up a house. The fall before I had cut logs of a suitable length for this pur- pose, and again I sought the aid of Cook's willing hands and in three days' time I had a home; humble as it was, only twelve feet square, with a bark roof, stick chimney and split basswood logs for a floor. I was very happy. About the first of May I burned my fallow and planted corn and potatoes. This proved to be the ever-remembered cold season, and my farming turned out to be barren and profitless. Every month during the year had more or less frost in it, and one night in July, I think it was the 13th, ice formed on a sap trough that happened to have water in it, full half an inch. To add to my other troubles, along about the middle of June I was taken down with the ague. To one of less hope, the outlook of my beginning would have been very discouraging. I was alone and had just begun on land that I knew the best years of my life would be consumed in making it habitable. I was sick with a disease that all told me I must wear out. I began to realize that there was a limit to my endurance, and I often thought that the fever would wear me out first. Notwith- standing I kept about only when the chill was on and did chop and girdle over some six acres. The girdling may not be plain
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to all, now I did not always when clearing cut the largest trees ; I would cut through the bark clear around the big trecs when in full leaf, this would cause them to die and sometimes these trees would remain standing for years. I remember that I left a large elm standing just below the upper orchard in the swail. This tree was the largest I ever saw, being some seven feet in diameter ; years after I gave it to John Millis, who cut it down and by placing smaller timber around it, he burned it to ashes and made these into salts. We did not always chop up the big trees after they were cut down. We would "nig- ger " them off with fire brands ; that is, we would take the half consumed brands and pile them across the big trees at the desired length we wished them, and the torch would be applied. In this way we saved a great deal of hard chopping. About the middle of August I visited Squire Frye, who lived in Zoar, while there I suffered a chill, this proved a blessing to me for it enlisted the sympathies of Mrs. Frye's feeling heart and was the means of my getting free of the ague. I wish to say here that Mrs. Jesse Frye was a noble woman, whose greatest pleasure was in giving relief to the sick and sorrowing. She induced me to remain all night and in the morning when about to leave, I found she had prepared for me a bottle of medicine. She took the inner bark of white ash and burned it to ashes, this was put into whisky and by partaking of this freely I broke the ague, though it had left my system in a weak condition.
The early frosts in September killed my corn and potatoes dead. The corn had just reached the state suitable for boiling and consequently was unfit for food, and my potatoes were but little better. My corn I cut, but it was so green and badly frozen that it decayed it a few days. My potatoes were not much better and the result of my farming that year might be summed up in four bushels of very small potatoes, but like Crusoe on his lone island, "I had extended my domain and taken more in my enclosure." Two acres were ready for the next year's crop and six more could very easily be added by a little logging and burning, part of this I accomplished that fall and after taking care of my potatoes, I set out again for Batavia where I found a place with the same man I had served the previous Winter. I engaged to chop for twelve dollars per
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month, hardly had a week passed before I was compelled to. give up. The fever had just about used me up ; I knew I must make some arrangements to get through the Winter. I made a proposition that I would remain until Spring, do what I could and I would leave it all to him in regard to remunera- tion. This he readily assented to. About the house I did chores, took care of the stock, and, in fact. I made myself very useful ; when I came to settle, he reckoned up my time and paid me twelve dollars per month in full. This was far better than I had anticipated, and it enabled me to pay up my interest, and left me a small sum to begin my Spring's work with.
That Spring Uncle Battles took up one hundred acres on lot eighty-two. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and a few years before he died he obtained a pension. He had a family of boys and girls. Battles put up quite an imposing log house where he entertained travelers. His house stood a little to the west of the present house built by the Morton brothers.
That Spring I cast my first vote. The town meeting was held at Townsend's, on the hill. I think Barrett was up for Supervisor, Gen. Knox for Commissioner. This made me fully realize that I had commenced the years of responsibility, and that I not only owed allegiance to my Country, but also to a higher power whose protecting care had watched over me, in my lonely cabin home. I began to read my Bible, and I verily believe if it had not been for the promises, I should have given up and gone back East. " If a man love me, he will keep my word ; and my Father will love, and he will come unto him, and make our abode with him." I began to realize that I was not alone in the deepest of solitude, and I felt that I was in company with the Greatest of Beings.
All kinds of provisions that Spring, were very scarce and dear. Corn that would actually grow was worth one dollar per peck. I planted six acres and used just a bushel. I had to get through the Summer with some thirty pounds of meal, twenty-two pounds of pork, and a small quantity of small pota- toes, that I must eke out until the new crop got large enough to use. I counted up the number of days and then I counted my potatoes and knew how much meal and pork I could use to make my scanty store last. But after all my caution,' I fell
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short some two weeks ; during that time I had to subsist on basswood and elm leaves, and by scraping off the inner bark of these trees. I actually suffered from the pangs of hunger. That year, though the season was late, the crops were good and I soon had an abundance with plenty to spare. Feelings of great thankfulness took possession of me.
In August, Elder Folsom held a series of meetings in Bos- ton. It was a good way to walk but I attended and became converted to the truths of Christianity. Since then I have always done what was in my power to do, to build up the cause. More than sixty years ago, I thought of a church and parsonage here, and I have lived to see it done.
That year after securing my crops, I turned my attention to digging sap troughs, and when the sugar time came I had over five hundred of these ready to set. The season proved a good one and I began early, I think I tapped a few trees about the middle of February, and made about forty pounds of sugar. This I put into a bag and threw across my shoulder, and with my dinner box in one hand, I walked to Buffalo the same day, sold my sugar for five dollars cash, and the next day I walked home again. All I was out for expenses was a shilling, for lodging, at the old Eagle Tavern. This inspired me with confidence in the profits of maple sugar, and I have since set as high as 2,800 buckets in one season. These buckets were the work of my own hands and were made during the Winter months. When I began Sugar making, I used five-pail kettles for boiling ; over fifty years ago I conceived the idea of evap- orating in sheet-iron pans, and myself and brother Elijah, con- structed the first one. Had I obtained a patent upon this it would have been very profitable, for since then they have come into general use : but I did not think of making money in any other way only by work. I have been thinking of my life of sugaring, and I have been reckoning up. I have made nearly, or quite one hundred tons of sugar, and upon an aver- age I have received ten cents per pound. This would amount to $20,000, and I think I am safe in saying that the profits of this industry have been as good as any that I have undertaken and I have made it a rule never to destroy a maple tree, unless it grew directly in my path. The boys that used to work for
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me in the bush, used to think me severe because I would not allow them to cut maple hand spikes. Those maple hand spikes to-day are large trees, and if put to use would make a good amount of sugar. Yes my maple orchard was full as profitable as my apple orchard, and I devoted a good deal of attention to it.
Mr. Richardson tells me that the Spring and early Summer of 1818, he spent in clearing. He had nearly twenty acres ready for cultivation, and that he began to think of visiting the East and getting his brothers to come here and settle. After talking with Colonel Cook, in relation to this period in Mr. Richardson's life-a suspicion that there was another and a stronger magnet that induced the young pioneer to take that long weary journey, afoot, than kindred ties, and that the hazel eyes of the gentle Anna Webster shone brighter and were more cheering to the lonely hours of the young pioneer than all the stars that shine in the vault of Heaven, for believe me, in every life and its history, there has been a woman in it sometime; be it so.
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