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 37
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 37
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 37
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I learn that he went back that June, and I take the " old family record," and I found it duly written out in his own bold. plain hand, that Jeremiah Richardson was married to Anna Webster, Nov. 29, 1818. Not much for one here to weave into the warp of his stern, earnest life-the threads of romance : but I knew him so well: knew that he who was oak and rock in storm, was in sunshine as gentle and tender as the flowers that to-day bloom above his grave.
The next February I learn that he returned, bringing with him Anna and his brother Elijah, who was a blacksmith ; he located at Nichols Corners, and if I am informed right, he was the first one of his trade here.
For nearly fourteen years, Anna Webster lived to bless his home, when the star-light of his boyhood went out in the dark night-clouds of death, Sept. 2, 1832. By this dispensation. seven little children were left to his care, viz .:
Jeremiah T., born Jan. 8. 1821.
Clarinda, born July 10, 1822.
Dianah, born July 4, 1824. David M., born Jan. 30, 1826.
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Alanson M., born Jan. 17, 1828.
Anna Jane, born Oct. 5, 1830.
Levi, born Jan. 23, 1832.
These children are all now living but Anna Jane, who died June 11, 1869.
I learn that for nearly two years he was left alone with these children. Then he found another Anna who would take the place of the lost one, and on the third day of February, 1834, he was married to Anna Jane Woodward, and she journeyed on with him near unto thirty-five years, when she too became weary of the burden and lay down to rest. When death, the friend of the sick and the sorrowing, kissed down her eyelids still. May 26, 1868. She had borne him eight children, viz .:
Mary C., born March 8, 1837.
Eliza, born June 11, 1838.
Harvey W., born May 3, 1840.
Francis, born Aug. 11, 1842.
Preston C., born May 14, 1844.
Charles H., born March 11, 1846.
George, born June 4, 1851.
Cornelia A., born Sept. 21, 1856.
These children are all living but Charles H., who died April 26, 1876. Previous to her death Mr. Richardson had enter- tained thoughts of retiring from the active duties of his large farm.
For over fifty years had he been on duty, and he felt that the evening had come and he sought rest. Half of his real estate was divided up among the children of Anna Webster. Soon after he sold the remainder, and this will go to the chil- dren of Anna Woodward. For four years, the toil-worn pio- neer walked on alone with his two youngest children, but his house was not the refuge of former years, and to fill it he realized that he needed the love and care of some good being to cheer the latter days of his long and useful life. This being he found in the person of Mrs. Selina Webster, to whom he was married Nov. 14, 1872. This was a happy union. She cared for him as tenderly as a fond mother does for her child, and until his last sickness he enjoyed the comforts of a pleas- ant and happy home.
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When he felt that his life was drawing to a close, he called his children about him and bade them good-bye, and such was his faith that even in the hour and agony of death, he consid- ered the pains of his dissolution nothing but the breaking down of the partition that stood between his soul and the image of his Creator.
At 5 o'clock P. M., Dec. 4, 1879, Mr. Richardson ceased to breathe. On the seventh, his mortal remains were laid away in the grave, and very soon all that the world will know of him will be gleaned from a perusal of this short sketch.
Deacon John Russell.
Deacon John Russell, another of the pioneers of this town, first came here but a few weeks after Samuel Cochran, in the Fall of 1808. His history during the early settlement of this town is so closely connected with the history of Cochran that the history of one is to a great extent the history of the other, and if written separately would prove but a repetition. But there is so much of real worth, of moral greatness and true herosim about the life and character of Deacon Russell that he deserves more than a passing notice. It is true he was not a great man in the worldly acceptation of that term. He was no genius, but he was strongly marked as a man of strength. He bore in his character and mental and moral physiognomy cre- dentials showing that he was appointed by a high power. He possessed the power of endurance. and was capable of pursuing an undeviating course or line of conduct for years, never yield- ing to discouragement, but patiently removing the obstacles in the way and rising superior to all opposition. The number of men are very small who have left behind them so straight and undeviating a line of conduct, and few men ever lived in this town, to whose influence the community are more indebted for their life-work for the good of society.
Deacon John Russell was born in New Hartford, Litchfield county, Conn., Oct. 17, 1779. His father was an insane man and consequently John, from early childhood, was compelled to toil to the full extent of his ability. He often said he had never known what it was to enjoy leisure hours and have time for recreation and amusement. The insanity of the father
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rendered the family hearth not only a place of danger but also an undesirable place to rear children. This, together with the poverty of the family, rendered it necessary to commit the rearing of John to the hands of strangers, and at the age of eight, he was indentured to a farmer till he should attain his majority. He was, therefore, virtually fatherless from his earliest recollection ; he enjoyed occasional interviews with his mother, but of very short duration ; yet, he did not leave the man to whom he was indentured till a fortnight after he was twenty-one, when, with his pack on his back, he started a lonely, yet heroic wayfarer for Oncida county, N. Y., where he arrived in the Fall of 1800. Here he remained nearly two years, working by the month, and here he was married to Miss Merinda Austin, the daughter of the man for whom he labored. In 1802, he left Oneida county for Madison county, and bought a piece of land, in company with one of his broth- ers, near Cazenovia. He remained here, working upon his land 'till the Fall of 1808, at which time, in the month of No- vember, he removed to this place, where he resided until his death. He, therefore, reached the place of his final destination a few days after he was thirty years of age and on the month he died.
This place was then an entire wilderness, with but one family in the limits of the present town of Concord. A man by the name of Stone had made a beginning a year before. John Albro had also been here but had left a few days before on account of the death of his wife, but returned again the next year. Samuel Cochran had been here the month previous, taken up land, cut and rolled up logs for a shanty, but had gone after his family. On his return there were three families to spend the winter of 1808 and 1809 together. Two of these families only proved permanent citizens, Stone soon after leav- ing for new scenes.
In the Spring af 1809, there were four families in town : Rus- sell, Cochran, Stone and Albro, who had married again and re- turned to his former place to remain a few years longer, Here we have the foundation of our thriving, growing, spreading and prosperous community. These men labored for the building up of society and both of them have long since gone to their
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rest, leaving not one of the first settlers of this town in our midst, and but a few of what may be called the early settlers. They are all passing away like the dew of the morning and soon the marble and the sod will tell us that they are all gone.
The mother of Deacon Russell was a woman of very ardent piety and her influence was felt on John, and as soon as there were settlers enough to enjoy the forms of religious meeting, he collected them together and read to them sermons and engaged in singing, although there were none among them that could pray. The first religious impulse given to this commu- nity was by Russell, although not a christian himself. The first man who could be induced to pray was a Unitarian, whose name is forgotten. So desirous were these pioneers to enjoy religious service that Deacon Russell and wife went to Boston on foot to attend a meeting and Russell worked hard to gather together all the religious influence in this community until 1816, when the Congregational Church was formed and he became its first Deacon and really its first pastor until his death.
Deacon Russell lost his first wife several years before his death and was married again. He had but two children : Mrs. Deacon Eaton Bensley, the mother of George Eaton and John Russell Bensley and Mrs. Joseph Harkins, the mother of Mrs. R. W. Tanner and Mrs. Dighton Louck.
Silas Rushmore.
Silas Rushmore was a highly respected citizen of Concord for many years. He married a daughter of Samuel Bradley of this place. They had two sons-Chester and Charles. Ches- ter lives in Illinois and Charles is dead. Mr. Rushmore resides in Illinois and is nearly ninety years of age. At my request, he sent me the following statement. (Mr. Rushmore has since died):
1. My father's family lived in Greene county, N. Y., until I was ten or twelve years of age; moved from there to Oneida county, near Utica ; lived there until I was of age.
2. I served in the war of 1812; went to Sackett's Harbor ; was gone from home about six weeks; went to Oswego ; was gone but a few days. At that time was living in Manlius, Onondaga county.
ยท
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3. Came to Springville in the Fall of 1816.
4. The families living in Springville and vicinity when I came, according to my recollection, were Rufus Eaton, Benja- min Gardner, Daniel Ingals, Varney Ingals (bachelor), David Leroy (the noted violinist), Samuel Cochran, Samuel Burgess, Isaac Knox, Frederick Richmond, Truman White, Francis White, Moses White (twin brothers), John Albro, Giles Church- ill, John Russell, Benjamin Rhodes, Eliakim Rhodes, Julius Bement, Phineas Scott and John Williams.
5. The first saw-mill built by Eaton ; first grist-mill by Ben- jamin Gardner.
6. Gardner's mill was built before I came; so was Eaton's saw-mill.
7. Eaton's grist-mill built about 1818.
8. The hotel on Franklin street, fronting the park, built by David Stanard about 1817.
9. The first woolen factory built by Samuel Bradley about 1820.
IO. The first tannery built by Jacob and Silas Rushmore about 1817.
II. Second tannery built by Hoveland & Towsley about 1823 or 1824.
12. First distillery built by Frederick Richmond about 1818.
13. Second distillery built by Silas Rushmore.
14. First ashery built by Frederick Richmond before I came.
15. Rufus C. Eaton was the first postmaster.
The first town-meeting that I remember, was held in Collins. At that time Concord included Collins, North Collins and Sar- dinia.
.A. F. Rust.
Mr. Rust was born in Bremen, Germany, in 1840. His ances- tors followed the sea and were experts at their calling. He came to America in 1854, on a sailing vessel which was forty- five days in crossing the Atlantic. Ile came to Yorkshire, N. Y., and worked two years for his uncle, Henry Butt, as pay- ment for his passage from Germany ; his uncle having paid his fare over, which was $42.00. He attended district school sev- eral winters and three terms at the Springville Academy, under the principalship of David Copeland.
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In 1861 he entered the store of Richmond & Holman, at Springville, as clerk. After clerking three years he engaged in the livery business with his brother Richard, which they fol- lowed until 1870, when, in company with Abraham Dygert, they bought the old Springville House of Em. Pierce. Rust brothers soon bought Mr. Dygert's interest and conducted the hotel until 1876, when the subject of this sketch engaged in the grocery business at Springville.
Mr. Rust was married in 1868, to Miss Carrie Moore. They have four children living: Lottie, Henry, Altha May and Nettie,
George Reuter.
George Reuter, son of Adam and Magdela Reuter, was born in Baden, Germany, Sept. 12, 1818. He landed in New York city July 6, 1854; came to Concord the same year, where he located, and now owns and occupies a farm three miles west of Springville.
In July, 1849, he married Elizabeth Smith, also a native of Baden, Germany. Before emigrating to America Mr. Reuter served ten years in the German army. The following is the family record of his children :
Lany, born Jan. 15, 1844 ; married Nicholas Street : died Oct. 25, 1874.
William, born Oct. 18, 1849 ; married Ellen Baily.
Frederick, born Nov. 19, 1850 ; married Lizzie Zimmerman.
Sophia, born March 17, 1852.
Lebold, born May 28, 1855.
Joseph, born June 24, 1859.
Mary, born Feb. 25, 1862.
Louisa, born Nov. 30, 1863.
John, born Sept. 18, 1869.
He has two grandchildren living with him :
Mary Street, born Jan. 6, 1866.
Lizzie Street, born Nov. 8, 1868.
John Reed.
Mr. Reed's paternal grandfather was a sea captain and an artist. His father Daniel Reed was born in Connecticut His
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mother's maiden name was Prudence Shephard. They re- moved to the town of Glen, Montgomery county, N. Y., where Mr. Reed was born, Oct. 22, 1829. The family came to this town about 1838, where Mr. Reed has resided most of the time since. He has been engaged for many years in the boot and shoe and leather trade in Springville. He was married in 1849 to Mary Jane Hicks. They have three children :
Edward T., Ida L., John J.
Nicholas Rassel.
Nicholas Rassel was born at Brandenburgh, Canton of Dikirch, Luxemburg, in 1837 ; came to this country in 1856. Embarked at Antwerp and landed at New York. Lived in Minnesota two years and in Illinois three years. In the Fall of 1861 he enlisted in the army and served over three years and was in eighteen different skirmishes and engagements. Was at Island No. 10. Shiloh, Tannington, Corinth, Natchez, Mem- phis. Cayuga, Jackson, Vicksburg and in the Red River expedi- tions. After the close of the war he came to Buffalo, and in 1869 returned to the old country on a visit. Was in business in Buffalo nine years. Came to Springville in the Spring of 1876. He is a butcher, and keeps a meat market at No. 112 Main street. He was married to Kate Winter in 1871 ; she died in 1872. Was married to his present wife. Susan Hein, in 1874. They have two children :
Nicholas F ..
Barbara Ann Kate.
George A. Richmond.
George A. Richmond was born in the Town of Sardinia in 1854. His father's name was George Richmond ; his mother's maiden name was Emily White ; his grandfather's name was also George Richmond ; came here from Vermont in 1807, and selected land on the Cattaraugus creek in the southwest corner of Sardinia, and in 1809 moved his family on to it and built a log house, as all the settlers at that time were obliged to, and commenced keeping tavern and clearing up a farm. In early times Richmond's log tavern was widely known and was used for public gatherings of various kinds. In after years George
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Richmond, the second, kept hotel in a frame building near by, and was also extensively and successfully engaged in farming, and at the time of his death owned over fifteen hundred acres of land.
George A. has been a farmer and also kept hotel in Spring- ville. He was married in 1874 to Miss Cecelia Wilgus, of Whitestown, N. Y.
Jacob Rushmore.
Jacob Rushmore was a very early settler here. He and his brother built a tannery in 1817 between Elk and Pearl streets in Springville. He built and lived in an old yellow house just above the present residence of J. P. Myres. He afterward built the house where Edwin Wright now lives, and during his life-time acquired considerable property.
He had six children, all of whom are now dead except two. who live in San Francisco, Cal.
He died April 5, 1855, aged sixty-six years.
His wife died March 13, 1849, aged fifty-nine years.
Emory Sampson.
Emory Sampson was born at Harvard, Mass., Oct. 31. 1791. Here was his home until he had reached the years of manhood. Some time in the year 1813 he was united in marriage to Miss Susannah Herrick, who was born at Northumberland, N. H .. Oct. 16, 1792. From here the young couple went to New Hartford, N. Y., where they remained about one year, and from thence to West Bloomfield, same state. The next we learn of the young pioneer he had taken a squatter's claim near the village of Batavia ; the low, marshy grounds that sur- rounded the village at that time caused a great deal of sickness. mostly of a malarial type, and the young adventurer after suf- fering several "shakes" and doing considerable work, left his claim and went to the Town of China, Wyoming county. In the month of December, 1817, he located one hundred acres on lot thirty-six, township seven, range seven, in the town of Concord. This was the year after the ever-to-be-remembered cold season, and Mr. Sampson, suffered in common with the rest of the settlers ; he was a cooper by trade, but as there was
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but little demand for his services here he sought for work in Buffalo. Mrs. Sampson and her two little children would be left alone during the week, but when Saturday night came the young mechanic would receive his wages, and so strong was his love for those who waited for his coming that he would set out on foot and alone to make that night journey of nearly thirty miles, through the woods, and he seldom failed to accom- plish it before sunrise the next morning. He lived in this town about thirty years, and cleared up a good-sized farm. In 1846, Mr. Sampson sold this place and moved to Wisconsin, where he died Sept. 20, 1852. His wife survived him a few years and died July 18, 1859.
Thirteen children were born to them, of whom nine are now living, viz .;
Mary Ann, born Feb. 11, 1814.
William A., born Nov. 7, 1815.
Perrin, born Dec. 15, 1818.
Sarah M., born April 28, 1820.
John G., born Oct. 28, 1821.
Nancy S., born Oct. 15, 1825.
Henry W., born Sept. 25, 1827.
Aseneth S., born March 4, 1830. Asa E., born Dec. 4, 1831.
Mr. Sampson held the office of Justice of the Peace and other town offices, and he served as a soldier in the war of 1812-15. He also held the office of Captain in the militia.
Alexander Scoby
Came to the town of Otto, from Herkimer county, in 1824, and found a home with his brother-in-law, Abram Gibbs, father of ex-Governor Gibbs, of Oregon. Otto was then but little better than a wilderness, and the young and strong adventurer proved of inestimable value to the pioneer in reducing his claim to a habitable state. In 1827, he was married to Miss Sarepta Boss. This proved to be a very congenial union, and their united efforts established one of the happiest homes that ever fails to the lot of mortals. A year or so after we find the young couple located on the Cattaraugus, in the Town of Ashford, at a place known as the " Transit Falls," but since changed to the " Scoby
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Mills." Here he built a saw and grist mill, and, for nearly forty years, he very successfully carried on these industries, together with that of bridge building. Besides seeing to his own concerns, he represented his town for several years on the Board of Supervisors, was President of the Cattaraugus county Agricultural Society one year, and also served in a like capac- ity for the Springville Agricultural Society. He possessed to the last an inexhaustable fund of wit and humor that drew friends around him, and he also dispensed an open-hearted hos- pitality that was inherent to his nature, and made him a favor- ite of old and young, and scarcely ever was his home on the creek without one or more guests. But hard work and the exposure that he constantly endured in and about his mills. impaired his health and induced him to sell out on the creek, and take up his residence in Springville. Here he continued to enjoy the society of his friends and the creature-comforts of his happy home, but alas, like all things mortal, a great shadow fell across his pathway, and the light and joy and sunshine of that home was forever darkened by the death of Mrs. Scoby. who had been his faithful companion for nearly half a century. Her death occured June 30, 1874. Nine children were the fruits of their union, viz :
Madison C., married Agnes Bensley ; Chicago.
Maryette, married Thomas Pierce : Springville.
Emeline E., married E. Smith ; died 1870.
Emma Jane, married A. Oyer ; died 1865.
William G., married Francis A. Eddy ; Mansfield, Cattar- augus county.
Louisa A., married W. F. Lincoln : East Otto, Cattaraugus county.
Adaline L., married William H. Warner ; Springville.
Herbert D., married Sophia A. 'Bensley ; Fort Scott, Kansas. Marshall D., married Addella Thomas ; Springville.
The death of his wife left him alone, for his children all had homes of their own. In view of this he rented his place in Springville, and the remainder of his days were passed with his younger son, Marshall D., who was then living at San- dusky, N. Y. He died June 24, 1880, aged seventy-three years and eleven days.
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Pliny Smith.
Fifty-two years the roth day of September, 1883, Pliny Smith, wife and little son, came to this town on the lumbering old stage coach, which ran over Townsend hill. They stopped the first night in a house where Mrs. Post now lives. Here they stopped for a number of years. Mr. Smith came here as a dry goods merchant and commenced business where the Meth- odist church now stands. A few years afterwards he sold out and bought a farm, after which he was part of the time engaged in trade and the remainder in farming. Mr. Smith was well educated for the times in which he lived, and what- ever business or office of trust he undertook, he performed its duties faithfully and well. He was for thirty years treasurer of the Springville Academy, and was also Justice of the Peace eight years. He was a faithful friend to the Academy and did all in his power to aid and strengthen it. Mr. Smith was born in Orwell, Rutland county, Vt., in 1804, and died in Spring- ville Jan. 3, 1878. His wife, Rebecca (Murray) Smith died in Springville, 1883. They had three children :
Orville, the eldest, born in 1828, married Chastine D. Sleeper and lives in Springville.
Emeline, born in 1831, married William Reed, a hardware merchant, of Buffalo. After his death she was married to F. C. Hill, of Buffalo, also a hardware merchant.
Ann, born in 1836, married Charles Vaughn, and lives in Concord.
Albert Steele.
David Steel, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Concord in 1823 ; he married Julia Hawks, who was born in 1831. They had five children :
Solomon, David Jr., Albert, Sarah and Myron.
Albert was born in Concord in 1847, and married Nina Blake- ley in 1874, and is at the present time farming in Concord. They have four children :
Edna, born in 1875. Lloyd, born in 1877.
Irene, born in 1880. Julia, born in 1882.
Mr. Steele's father died in 1867 : his mother died in 1875.
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Luke Simonds.
Of that sturdy band of heroic pioneers who sixty and seventy years ago left their New England homes to come into this then almost primeval forest to prepare the way for the harvest field, the church spire and the school-house, Mr. Simonds is one of but few that still survive.
The son of a Revolutionary soldier, he was born at Worcester. Mass., July, 1798. In the Fall of 1820, he, in company with his brother Zebedee and John and Masury Giles, came to West Concord. The four walked the entire distance from Worcester to Concord, averaging about thirty miles each day-cach carry- ing his worldly effects on his back. They were all young, un- married men, and located on lot thirty-four, township seven, range seven. On their arrival, they stopped at Lewis Nichols', who had settled at Nichols Corners, while they could build them a log shanty; in this shanty, Luke and his brother Zebedee and John Giles spent the Winter. The following Spring, Zebedee built a house on his land and returned to Massachusetts and was married.
Luke built a house on his portion about a year and a half after coming.
The wild animals common to the country were then abun- dant. Mr. Simonds.tells of following a panther from carly dawn one day till darkies prevented his taking aim on his gun, when he abandoned the pursuit. He speaks of seeing wolves in what is now hi front yard.
Mr. Simonds give the following information relating to the early history of his part of the town : First saw mill, built by John and Masiniy Gikes in 1825, near where the Bolender mills now are: firt grist mill, built by Simeon Holton in 1824; first blacksmith shop, by Elijah Richardson in 1821 ; brick first made by Pliny Wilson in 1820; fir. t black salts made by Luke Simon's whenko ma ade boots and shoes, and frequently went to Buffalo on foot after the Father; the first school was taught by Philip Payne in the Winder of 1820 and '21. The first Sum- mer school was ta ight by Ro mond Samp .on.
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