USA > New York > Monroe County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Allegany County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming > Part 17
USA > New York > Livingston County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Yates County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Ontario County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Wyoming County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Steuben County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Wayne County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
USA > New York > Orleans County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 17
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honestly enough promulgated at first, while the image of its creation absorbed all her thoughts and threw around her a spell that reason could not dissipate, attracted the attention of the superstitious and credulous, and, perhaps, the designing. The motives of worldly ambition, power, distinction; the desire to rule, came upon her when the paroxism of disease in body and mind had subsided, and made her what history must say she was, an impostor and false pretender.
And yet there were many evidences that motives of benevolence, a kindly spirit, a wish to promote the temporal wellfare of her fol- lowers, was mixed up with her impositions. Her character was a compound. If she was conscious herself of imposition, as we must suppose she was, her perseverence was most extraordinary. Never through her long career did she for one moment yield the preten- sions she made upon rising from her sick bed and going out upon her mission. With gravity and dignity of demeanor, she would confront cavillers and disbelievers, and parry their assaults upon her motives and pretensions; almost awing them to a surren- der of their doubts and disbelief. Always self-possessed, no evidence could ever be obtained of any misgivings with her, touching her spiritual claims. Upon one occasion James Wadsworth called to see her. At the close of the interview, she said :- " Thou art a lawyer ; thou hast plead for others ; hast thou ever plead for thyself to the Lord ?" Mr. Wadsworth made a courteous reply, when re- questing all present to kneel with her, she prayed fervently, after which she rose, shook hands with Mr. Wadsworth, and retired to her apartment.
The reader must make some allowances for the strong prejudices of the French Duke, who upon the whole, made but poor returns for the hospitalities he acknowledges. He says : - " She is con- stantly engaged in personating the part she has assumed ; she des- canted in a sanctimonious, mystic tone, on death, and on the happi- ness of having been an instrument to others, in the way of their salvation. She gave us a rhapsody of prophecies to read, ascribed to Dr. Love, who was beheaded in Cromwell's time. Her hypoc- risy may be traced in all her discourses, actions and conduct, and even in the very manner in which she manages her countenance .. "
The Friend's community, at first flourishing and successful, began to decline in early years. The seclusion and separation from the
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world, contemplated by its founders was not realized. They had selected too fine a region to make a monopoly of it. The tide of emigration reached them, and before they had got fairly under way, they were surrounded with neighbors who had little faith in The Friend, or sympathy with her followers. The relations of neigh- borhood, town and county soon clashed, militia musters came, and the followers refused the service; fines were imposed and their property sold. The Friend was a long time harrassed with indict- ments for blasphemy, but never convicted. While she could keep most of her older followers in the harness, the younger ones remind- ed of the restraints imposed upon them, by contrasting their privi- leges with their disbelieving neighbors, would unharness themselves ; one after another following the early example of Benedict Robinson. Two of that early class of methodist circuit preachers,* that were so indefatiguable in threading the wood's roads of this western forest, as were their Jesuit predecessors a century before them, found the retreat, and getting a foothold, in a log school house, gradually drew many of the young people to their meetings. Many of the sons and daughters of the followers abjured the faith.
Jemima Wilkinson died in 1819, or departed, went away, as the implicit believers in her divine character would have it. Rachel Malin, her successor in spiritual as well as worldly affairs, died about three years since. She kept up the meetings until a few years previous to her death. James Brown, and George Clark, who married heirs of Rachel Malin, own the property that she inherited from The Friend. The peculiar sect may be said to be extinct ; not more than three or four are living who even hold lightly to the original faith. Even the immediate successors of Jemima and Rachel, the inheritors of the property, and those who should be conservators of their memories, if not of their faith, are forgetful of their teachings. The old homestead, the very sanctuary of the Universal Friend, once with all things appertaining to it, so chast- ened by her rigid discipline ; is even desecrated. During this present winter the sounds of music and dancing have come from within its once consecrated and venerated walls. DOFor an interesting sketch of Jemima Wilkinson and her followers, copied from the manuscripts of Thomas Morris, see Appendix, No. 7.
* Revs. James Smith and John Broadhead.
PART THIRD.
CHAPTER I.
.
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COMMENCEMENT OF SURVEYS, AND SETTLEMENT OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY.
[ Pioneer settlements will be taken up in this connection, by counties, as they now exist. The arrangement will not allow of strict reference to the order of time in which events occurred ; but it will be found more convenient for the reader than any other that could be adopted.
After Mr. Phelps had concluded the treaty,- before leaving the country he made arrangements for its survey into Ranges and Town- ships. This was done under contract, by Col. Hugh Maxwell, who completed most of the northern portion of it previous to the close of the year 1788; and in the year 1789, with the assistance of Judge Porter, he completed the whole. The survey of townships into farm lots, in cases where whole townships were sold, was done at the expense of the purchasers. Judge Porter, Frederick Saxton, Jenkins, were among the earliest surveyors of the subdivis- ions.
Mr. Phelps having selected the foot of Canandaigua Lake, as a central locality in the purchase, and as combining all the advanta- ges which has since made it pre-eminent, even among the beautiful villages of western New York, erected a building for a store house on the bank of the Lake. The next movement was to make some primitive roads, to get to and from the site that had been selected. Men were employed at Geneva, who underbrushed and continued a sleigh road, from where it had been previously made on Flint creek, to the foot of Canandaigua Lake, following pretty much the old
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Indian trail. When this was done, a wagon road was made near where Manchester now is, the head of navigation on the Canandai- gua outlet. No one wintered at Canandaigua in 1788, '9. Early in the spring of 1789, before the snow was off the ground, Joseph Smith moved his family from Geneva, and occupied the log store house ; thus making himself the first settler, west of Seneca Lake. Soon after his arrival he built a block house upon Main street, upon the rise of ground from the Lake, where he opened a tavern. His first stock of liquors was obtained from Niagara, U. C. He went after them from the mouth of Genesee river, in a canoe ; on his return, his frail craft was foundered in a gale, at the mouth of the Oak Orchard creek ; but he saved most of his stock, and carried it to Canandaigua on pack horses. This primitive tavern, and the rude store house on the Lake, furnished a temporary stopping place for those who arrived in the spring and summer of 1789.
Early in May 1789, Gen. Israel Chapin arrived at Canandaigua, and selected it as his residence, erecting a log house near the outlet ; - connected with him, and with surveys and land sales that were contemplated. were some eight or ten others, who came at the same time. They came by water, even into the lake, though this was about the only instance that batteaux went higher up the out-let than Manchester. There were, of these early adventurers, besides Gen. Chapin : - Nathaniel Gorham jr., Frederick Saxton, Benjamin Gardner, and Daniel Gates. Soon after Mr. Walker, an agent of Phelps and Gorham arrived with a party, built and opened a log land office on the site which Mr. Phelps afterwards selected for his residence. Others came during the summer, who will be named in another connection, and before the sitting in of winter there was a pretty good beginning of a new settlement. Judge John H. Jones, a brother of Capt. Horatio Jones, - who still survives to remember
NOTE .- Joseph Smith was captured by the Indians at Cherry Valley, during the Border Wars. Like others he had chosen to remain among them. His stay at Canandaigua was but a brief one, as he was soon employed as an Indian interpreter. At the Morris treaty at Geneseo, the Indians gave to him and Horatio Jones six square miles of land on the Genesee river. They sold one half of the traet to Oliver Phelps and Daniel Penfield, and Smith soon after parted with his remaining quarter. He was an open hearted generous man, possessed in fact of many good qualities ; endorsed for his friends, was somewhat improvident, and soon lost most of the rich gift of the Indi- ans. He was well known upon the river in some of the earliest years of settlement. He died in early years; his death was occasioned by an accident at a ball play, in Leicester. A daughter of his-a Mrs. Dutton, resides at Utica with her son-in-law, Dr. Bissell, late Canal Commissioner.
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with great distinctness, early events, was one of the party who opened the road from Geneva to Canandaigua, and from Canandai- gua to the landing place on the outlet, in 1788, revisited the locality again in August, in 1799. He says : -- " There was a great change. When we left in the fall of '88 there was not a solitary person there ; when I returned fourteen months afterwards the place was full of people :-- residents, surveyors, explorers, adventurers ; houses were going up; it was a busy, thriving place."
Mrs. Hannah Sanborn, is now the oldest surviving resident of the village ; and with few exceptions, the oldest upon Phelps and Gorham's purchase. She is now in her 88th year, exhibiting but little of the usual infirmities of that advanced age, with faculties, especially that of memory of early events, but slightly impaired. The author found her in high spirits, even gay and humorous, en- joying the hearty laugh of middle age, when her memory called up some mirthful reminiscence. Upon her table were some of the latest publications, and she alluded in conversation to Headly's fine descriptions in his "Sacred Mountains," as if she had enjoyed them with all the zest of her younger days. She had just finished a letter in a fair hand, shewing but little of the tremor of age, which was to be addressed to a great grand daughter. To her, is the author largely indebted for reminiscences of early Pioneer events at Can- andaigua.
Early in the spring of 1790, Mr. Sanborn came with his wife and two young children to Schenectady, where he joined Judah Colt, and the two chartered a boat, with which they came to the head of navigation on the Canandaigua outlet .* Mr. Sanborn moved
NOTE .- Nathaniel Sanborn, the husband of Mrs. Sanborn, died in 1814. There is scarcely a pioneer settler in the Genesee country, that did not know the early landlord and landlady. Mrs. S. was the daughter of James Gould, of Lyme Conn., is the aunt of James Gould of Albany. Her son Jolm and William reside in Illinois. Her eldest daughter -the first born in Canandaigua, - now over 60 years of age, is the wife of Dr. Jacobs of Canandaigua; another daughter is the wife of Henry Fellows Esq. of Penfield; another, is Mrs. Erastus Granger of Buffalo; and a fourth is a maiden daughter, residing with her mother.
* Mrs. S. gives a graphic account of this journey. The last house the party 'slept in after leaving Schenectady until they arrived at the cabin on the Canandaigua out- let, was the then one log house in Utica. It was crowded with boatmen from Niag- ara. Mrs. S. spread her bed upon the floor for herself, husband and children, and the wearied boatmen begged the privilege of laying their heads upon its borders, The floor was covered. After that they camped wherever night overtook them. On the Oswego River they took possessien of a deserted camp, and just as they had got their supper prepared two stout Indians came who claimed the camp and threatened a sum-
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into the log hut that he had built in the Robinson neighborhood, where they staid but a short time, the place looking " forbidding and lone- some." Mrs. S. chose to go where she could have more than one neighbor within eight miles. They removed to Canandaigua. Mrs. S. says she found there in May, 1790, Joseph Smith, living on bank of Lake, Daniel Brainard in a little log house near the pres- ent cemetry, Capt. Martin Dudley, in the house built by Mr. Walk- er, James D. Fish in a log house down near the Lake ; Gen. Chapin who had been on the fall before had built a small framed house for his family, a few rods below Bemis' Bookstore. Mr. Sanborn moved into it until a small framed house was erected on the Atwater corner, of which he became the occupant, opening a tavern, which with the exception of what Joseph Smith had done in the way of entertainment, was the first tavern west of Seneca Lake, and was the only one for four years. It was the home of the young men who came to Canandaigua for settlement ; of adventurers, emigrants, who would stop at Canandaigua with their families a few days to prepare for pushing here and there into the wilderness ; land surveyors and explorers ; Judges of the early courts, and law- yers ; the Indian'chiefs Red Jacket, Brant, Farmer's Brother, Corn- planter, who were called to Canandaigua often in early years to transact business with Gen. Chapin, the Superintendent ; in short the primitive tavern that now would be deemed of inadequate dimensions for an inn at some four corners in the country, had for guests all the prominent men of that early period ; and of many eminent in their day, and even now blended with all the early his- tory of the Genesee Country. Mrs. Sanborn enumerates among her early guests, many of them as boarders : - Oliver Phelps, Charles Williamson, Aaron Burr, Thomas Morris, Rev. Mr. Kirk- land, Augustus and Peter B. Porter, James and William Wadsworth, the early Judges of the Supreme court of this State, Bishop Chase, Joseph and Benj. Ellicott, Philip Church, Louis Le Couteleux, Charles and Dugald Cameron, Vincent Matthews, Nathaniel W. Howell, John Greig, Horatio and John H. Jones, Robert Troup, Jeremiah Mason, Philetus and John Swift, Wm Howe Cuyler, Elias Cost, Herman Bogert, Samuel Haight, Timothy Hosmer,
mary ejectment. The conflicting claim was amicably adjdusted, but Mrs. S. says it was the first of the race she had ever seen, and they cost her a little fright. The party saw none but Indians and boatmen in all of the long journey west of Utica.
PITELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE. 167
Arnold Potter, Benedict Robinson, Jemima Wilkinson, Samuel B. Ogden, John Butler, Samuel Street, and Timothy Pickering. Few of all of them are now living, and yet the busy stirring landlady, of whom they were guests, most of them in their early years, lives to remember them and speak familiarly of their advents to this region.
Mrs. Sanborn well remembers the Pickering treaty of '94. As it was known that Col. Pickering, the agent, would come prepared to give them a grand feast, and distribute among them a large amount of money and clothing, the attendance was very general. For weeks before the treaty, they were arriving in squads from all of their villages and constructing their camps in the woods, upon the Lake shore, and around the court house square. The little village of whites, was invested, over run with the wild natives. It seemed as if they had deserted all their villages and transferred even their old men, women, and children, to the feast, the carousal, and the place of gifts. The night scenes were wild and picturesque ; their camp fires lighting up the forest, and their whoops and yells creating a sensation of novelty, not unmingled with fear, with the far inferior in numbers who composed the citizens of the pioneer village, and the sojourners of their own race. At first, all was peace and quiet, and the treaty was in progress, beeves had been slaughter- ed sufficient to supply them all with meat, and liquor had been care- fully excluded ; but an avaricious liquor dealer, secretly dealt out to them the means of intoxication, and the council was interrupted, and many of the Indians became troublesome and riotous. Gen. Chapin however suppressed the liquor shop, harmony was restored, and the treaty concluded and the gifts dispensed. A general ca- rousal followed, but no outrages were committed. They lingered for weeks after the council, displaying their new broadcloths and blankets, silver bands and broaches .*
Samuel Gardner was the first merchant in Canandaigua ; he married a sister of Wm Antis; his store was in a log building. Thaddeus Chapin was the next.
* Judge Porter was then in Canandaigua acting as the agent of Phelps and Gorham, in the name of his principals, he had to make them presents of provisions and whiskey when they came to Canandaigua, and that was pretty often. On the occasion alluded to he denied an Indian whiskey, telling hint it was all gone. "No, no," replied the Indian, "Genesee Falls never dry." This was a shrewd allusion to the gift to Phelps and Gorham of the enormous "Mill Lot," which embraced the Genesee Falls.
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During the summer of 1790, Caleb Walker, the brother of the agent, who had been down and made a beginning in Perinton, died. It was the first death and funeral in Canandaigua. The nearest physician was a Dr. Adams of Geneva, who came but was destitute of medicine ; some was obtained by breaking open a chest that had been left by a traveller. At the funeral, the physician being an Episcopalian, the church service was read, which was the first relig- ious exercises after settlement han commenced, in the Genesee Coun- try. In the same year religious meetings were organized, using Judge Phelp's barn for the meetings. Sermons were read by John Call ; Mr. Sanborn led the singing ; - prayers were omitted, there being no one to make them. After the sermon of Rev. Mr. Smith,* who is mentioned in connection with the Pitts family, the next was preached by the Rev. Mr. Guernsey.
- In all early years at Canandaigua, the forest afforded a plenty of vension, and the Lake and small streams a plenty of fish. The hills on either side of the Lake, abounded in deer, which were easi- lv driven into the Lake and caught. Some hunters would kill from eighty to an hundred in a season ; and the Indians, when they visited the place, would generally have vension to barter for flour or bread. Wild fruits - whortleberries, blackberries, wild plums, crab-appjes, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries - were plenty in their seasons, and furnished a pretty good substitute for cultivated fruits. The Indian orchard on Canandaigua Lake, at the Old Cas- tle near Geneva, at Honeove and Conesus, afforded a stinted supply of poor apples. Apples and peaches in small quantities, began to be produced from the young orchards, in '95 and '6. The first dish of currants produced in the Genesee country, were served in a tea- saucer, by Mrs. Sanborn, in 1794, at a tea-party, and was a thing much talked of ; it marked an era.
Ebenezer Allan is well remembered at Canandaigua, as he is in all the Pioneer settlements. Mrs. Sanborn speaks of his being her guest on his way to Philadelphia, after the Morris treaty, to place his two half-blood daughters in school. He had his waiter along, and was at that period what the Senecas would have called a
* On the second visit to the country, in 1701, Mr. Smith called together such as were members of churches in all the Genesee Country organized a church and admin- istered the sacrament. The first church organization and the first celebration of the Lord's supper, in the Genesee Country. The church organization was however, not a permanent one.
PHELPS AND GORIIAM'S PURCHASE, 169
"Shin-ne-wa-na," (a gentleman ; ) but stories of his barbarity in the Border Wars, were then so rife, that he was treated with but little respect. Sally, the Seneca mother, with all a mother's fondness, came as far as Canandaigua to bid her daughters good bye.
In July, 1790, the heads of families in T. 10, R. 3, (Canandai- gua ) were as follows : - Nathaniel Gorham, jr., Nathaniel Sanborn; John Fellows, James D. Fish, Joseph Smith, Israel Chapin, John Clark, Martin Dudley, Phineas Bates, Caleb Walker, Judah Colt, Abner Barlow, Daniel Brainard, Seth Holcomb, James Brockle- bank, Lemuel Castle, Benjamin Wells, John Freeman. Before the close of 1790, there was a considerable accession to the popula- tion.
The first town meeting of the town of Canandaigua, was held in April, 1791. It was "opened and superintended by Israel Chapin," who was chosen Supervisor ; and James D. Fish was chosen Town Clerk. The other town officers were as follows : - John Call, Enos Boughton, Seth Reed, Nathan Comstock, James Austin, Arnold Pot- ter, Nathaniel Potter, Israel Chapin, John Codding, James Latta, Joshua Whitney, John Swift, Daniel Gates, Gamaliel Wilder, Isaac Hathaway, Phineas Bates, John Codding, Nathaniel Sanborn, Jared Boughton, Phineas Bates, Othniel Taylor, Joseph Smith, Benjamin Wells, Hezekiah Boughton, Eber Norton, William Gooding, John D. Robinson, Jabez French, Abner Barlowv.
"Voted. That swine, two months old and upwards, going at large, shall have good and sufficient yokes."
" Voted, That for every full-grown wolf killed in the town, a bounty of thirty shillings shall be paid."
The reader, with names and locations that have occurred and will occur, will observe that these primitive town officers were spread over most of all the eastern portion of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase. It was the first occasion to bring the Pioneers together. Mutual acquaintances were made ; friendship, good feeling, hiliari- ty, athletic games, (says Mrs. Sanborn,) were the order of the day.
NOTE. --- When the Senecas, at the Morris treaty, deeded four square miles at Mount Morris, to Allan, in trust for Chloe and Sally Allan, one condition of the trust was, that he should have them taught "reading and writing, sewing, and other useful arts, ac- cording to the custom of white people."
11
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In April, 1792, the town meeting was "opened and inspected by Israel Chapin and Moses Atwater, Esqs." Most of the officers were re-elected. Eighty pounds were raised to defray the expen- ses of the town. In this year, the record of a road was made, which ran from " Joseph Kilbourn's house to the shore of the Lake ;" and another, from "Swift's ashery to west line of No. 12, R. 2, near Webb Harwood's ;" another, " from Swift's to Canandaigua ;" and others, leading "from the square in Canandaigua," in different directions.
Town meeting, 1793, it was voted that fence viewers "examine the size and dimensions of hog yokes ;" the wolf bounty was raised to $5. In this year, twelve scalps were produced; among the names of those who claimed bounty, were : - Thaddeus Chapin, William Markham, Benjamin Keys, Gamaliel Wilder, Daniel Cha- pin, Israel Reed. Roads from "Canandaigua to John Coddings ;" " from Nathan Comstock's to Webb Harwood's ;" " from old pre- emption line to Canandaigua Mills ;" " from Mud Creek Hollow to Capt. Peter Pitts' ;" and many others, were surveyed this year. The early road surveyors were : - Gideon Pitts, Jairus Rose, Jonathan Edwards, Jabez French.
By the town records of 1794, it would seem that Annanias M. Miller had a mill in operation on Mud Creek. Roads were recorded this year, "from Canandaigua to Jerusalem ;" "from Jerusalem to Gerundegut." This year, Othniel Taylor presented six wolf scalps.
Gen. Israel Chapin was Supervisor till 1795, when he was suc- ceeded by Abner Barlow. There is recorded this year, the sale of several slaves, the property of the citizens of Canandaigua.
Although the county of Ontario, embracing all of the Genesee country, was set off from Montgomery, during the session of the legislature in 1789, '90, no organization of the courts was had until 1793. In June of that year, a court of Oyer and Terminer was held at "Patterson's Tavern in Geneva." The presiding judge was John Stop Hobart, one of the three Supreme Court judges ap- pointed after the organization of the Judiciary in 1777. A grand jury was called and charged, but no indictments preferred. The first court of Common Pleas and General Sessions, was held at the house of Nathaniel Sanborn in Canandaigua, in November, 1794. The presiding judges were, Timothy Hosmer and Charles William- son, associated with whom, as assistant justice, was Enos Bough-
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