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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
The primitive religious meetings were held in the loft of Judge Church's store house, by the Rev. Andrew Grey. "He was a broad shouldered man," says Judge Church, " of extraordinary muscular power ; I remember his getting so earnest on one occasion, in en-
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forcing religious precepts upon his backwoods congregation, that in his gestures, he knocked our store desk to pieces, that we gave him for a pulpit."
That part of the Morris' Reserve, in Allegany, which constituted the Church Tract, was six miles wide, lying east of, and adjoining the Holland Company's lands. In the division among Mr. Morris' creditors, another tract, six miles wide, containing 150,000 acres, fell into the hands of Sterritt and Harrison, merchants of Philadel- phia ; and in turn, this was cut up into small tracts and divided among their creditors. This large tract was mostly kept out of market until after 1815. South of the Church and Sterritt tract, on the Pennsylvania line, is another tract of 37,000 acres, which fell into the hands of Willing & Francis, also merchants of Phila- delphia ; Mr. Willing, of the firm, was President of the old United States Bank.
The first settlement founded after Angelica, was at Van Campen's creek, in the direction of Olean. This name was given during the primitive advent of Mr. Church, in honor of his woods' companion, Mr. Van Campen. Harrison and Higgins were the first settlers. Six or seven miles up the river, above Philipsburgh, a settlement was commenced by Joseph and Silas Knight. The first settlement down the river, was founded by the Sandfords.
No new country has probably ever been opened for sale and set- tlement, that had as rugged features, as much of difficulty to over- come, as the territory which comprises the county of Allegany. Heavily timbered throughout, with the exception of small spots up- on the river, it was many years before the roots were out so as to admit of easy cultivation. The new settlements in all carly years, were extremely isolated. The wide forests of the Holland Pur- chase bordering upon them, had been but little broken into, as late as 1809 or '10, and after that for many years, settlement upon them advanced but slowly. When the settlers began to have any thing to dispose of, they had no market, but such as involved a ruinous cost of transportation, over long woods, roads, and up and down steep hills. The very earliest years, however, were far more pros- perous than a long period that succeeded. Black salts, pot and pearl ashes, and grain could be taken to Hornellsville, and from thence go to Baltimore, where it would command cash. This made for a few years, pretty brisk times ; but the navigation was precari-
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ous, and at best, had in each season but a short duration; and soon came on European wars, the embargo to bear especially heavy upon the enterprise and prosperity that had begun to dawn in the secluded backwoods. Pine lumber, was good for nothing, beyond the home uses of the new settlers. It was too far from the naviga- ble waters of the Allegany, even if there had been roads ; and too far from the northern older settlements, to allow of any considerable market in that direction. The best of pine trees, instead of being any help to the new settler, was a great hindrance, for they constitute the most difficult clearing of new lands that is encountered. The first considerable market for the pine lumber of Allegany, was at Mt. Morris and Dansville, after the completion of the Genese Val- ley canal to those points.
Independent of other hindrances to prosperity - or especially to agricultural improvement - two prominent ones have existed ; - The mountains, the valleys and the streams, had attractions for the hunter, the trapper and the fisherman, and slow progress in felling the forest, neglected fields, and dilapidated log tenements, were the consequences. The free use of whiskey in all the new settlements of the Genesee country, was a curse and a blight, the consequences of which - the manner that it retarded prosperity and improve- ment - the strong men that it made weak -the woe and the sor- row that it carried to the log cabins of the wilderness - would form a theme that might be regarded as an innovation here ; but elsewhere, in its appropriate place, would " point a moral," though it would not "adorn a tale." Especially was this an evil where men were attracted by the causes that have been named, from legitimate pur- suits. The other local hindrance succeeded when lumbering be- came a sufficient object to draw men away from agricultural im- provements.
Soon after 1807, a serious embarrassment was added to other difficulties upon the Church tract, which constituted nearly all the settled portions of Allegany. John B. Church, who was then resi- ding in New York, became embarrassed, principally in consequence of French spoliations upon American commerce ; having made large ventures as an underwriter .* The title of one half of the
* His heirs have now large, and as it would seem just claim upon our government, growing out of this. By Treaty with France, our government assumed payment of the claims.
..
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100,000 acre tract, was in his son, Philip Church, but there had been no division ; a mixed interest was assigned to trustees, for the benefit of his ereditors, and there was no final division and settlement until 1815. In all this time there was a distrust of title, which hin- dered settlement, and created an unsettled state of things, as the same cause always will.
The war of 1812 prostrated all of enterprise and progress in all the newly settled portions of the Genesee country, where they had no surplus produce, were consumers instead of producers. The new settlements of Allegany furnished their full quota of men for the frontier, drawn from feeble settlements, where they could least be well spared ; some were left upon battle fields, died in hospitals, or returned to die of disease contracted upon the frontier. Peace had but just been concluded, when the cold and untoward season of 1816, came upon them, its biting frosts upon hill and valley, de- stroying all their hopes of sustenance, creating distress and want, driving, in many instances, men to the game in the forest, the fish in the streams, and wild roots and herbs, as their only resources to ward off a famine. Independent of their own sufferings and privations, they had quartered upon them the poor Indians of Canaedea, who were reduced to the extremity of want. Then came propitious seasons. life and activity ; for a few years a tide of emigration flowed through their midst, on their way to Olean, and down the Allegany, creating a home market for their produce. This lasted, gradually declining, until the Erie canal had reached its western terminus, when emigra- tion was entirely diverted, and their main roads and public houses were deserted. The Erie canal so diffusive in its benefits, stimu- lating to life and activity, in all other localities of western New but came to crush the hopes, and depress the energies of the people of Allegany and Cattaraugus. Recovering from its first effects, gradually, and remotely, its benefits began to reach them, even be- fore the construction of the Valley canal.
It is after almost a half century's struggle, but for Allegany the " better time" has come. The whistle of the steam cars are start- ling the deer that yet linger in her forests ; the echoes of the boat- man's horn, ere these imperfect annals will issue from the press, will be sounding along the valley of the upper Genesee ; the dark forests are rapidly disappearing ; the neat framed house is taking the place of the moss covered log cabin ; all is putting on the appearance of re-
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newed enterprise and rapid progress. Long almost a " terra incogni- tia" her near neighbors on the " northern plains," her soil, her climate, pure water and pure atmosphere, is beginning to be appreciated ; and she will soon occupy a better relative position in the empire region of the Empire State.
,
CHAPTER X.
-
THE PIONEER PRINTERS AND NEWSPAPERS.
MR. WILLIAMSON was directly connected with the introduction of the printing press into the Genesee country. The two first newspapers were es- tablished under his auspices and patronage. Early in January, 1796, he pro- cured from Northumberland or Sunbury, in Pennsylvania, a second hand newspaper office, and enlisted as printers and publishers, Wm. Kersey * and James Edie. They issued "The Bath Gazette and Genesee Advertiser." This was the first newspaper published in western New York.
In the same year, he induced Lucius Carey, who had been publishing a paper at Newburg, to sell out and establish himself at Geneva. Mr. Carey forwarded his printing materials by water, and came himself, with his house- hold goods, by land. On his arrival, he wrote to Mr. Williamson at Albany, that he had ended a long and expensive journey; arrived, and found his house unfinished, and no room provided for his office.t He got settled during
* It is presumed that Mr. Kersey may have had a connection with the paper, not as printer, but as one of Mr. Williamson's agents at Bath. He was a Friend, as would appear by his letters. In one of them, written to Mr. Williamson at Albany, he speaks of having located some new settlers, and at the same time, asks for some new type, urging that the type they have brought from Pennsylvania is "old and worn." " We. on considering the case, conclude it is best to have a sufficient quantity of new type to complete the office, so that we may do business in good fashion ; therefore request that in addition to the order by Capt. Condry, thou may be pleased to send us as soon as may be, 200 weight of small pica or bourgeois. We have some encouragement to pur- sue the business, but many of our patrons complain of the badness of the print, and that not without sufficient cause." He was at the time oue of the Judges of Steuben, and informs Mr. Williamson that he and his associates had been indicted by the Grand Jury, "for not holding an election at the Painted Post for a representative in Con- gress."
t " The Pioneer printer was in ill humor. He says to Mr. Williamson : - I am now lying idle, and how long I shall, I cannot say, only for the want of a room to work in. My house was to be done in July, and it is a mortifying reflection to me to have
29
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the winter, however, and in April, 1797, brought out the first number of the " Ontario Gazette and Geneseo Advertiser." The paper was continued but about a year and a half at Geneva, after which it was removed to Canandai- gua, and continued until 1802, when the office was sold, and the name of the paper changed to "Western Repository and Geneseo Advertiser." Mr. Carey died in Canandaigua, in 1804.
James K. Gould was the immediate successor of Mr. Carey. In May, 1803, he issued "for the proprietors," the "Western Repository and Gene- see Advertiser." In August, 1803, Mr. Gould, in company with Russell E. Post, purchased the establishment, and changed the title to " Western Reposi- tory." In October, 1804, this partnership was dissolved, and James D. Bemis took the place of Mr. Post. Mr. Gould dying in March, 1808, the paper was continued by Mr. Bemis, with only a slight change of title, for twenty-one years. The paper is still published, being now the oldest news- paper in western New York. The immediate successors of Mr. Bemis were, Chauncey Morse and Samuel Ward, the former of whom was a brother-in- law of Mr. B., and the latter a nephew. Mr. - Harvey was at one period associated with Mr. Morse in its publication. The present editor and publisher, is George L. Whitney.
In 1803, Sylvester Tiffany established in Canandaigua, the Ontario Free- man. He was from New Hampshire; his wife, one of the well known fami- ly of Ralstons, of that State. For several years before settling at Canandai- gna, Mr. Tiffany had published a paper at Niagara, U. C. He was for sever- al years clerk of Ontario county. He died in 1811. His widow still sur- vives, a resident of Rochester. The surviving sons are: - Sylvester Tiffany, an early merchant in Le Roy; George A. Tiffany, who married a daughter of Mrs. Berry, at Avon, and now resides in Wisconsin; Alexander R. Tiffany, who studied law in Canandaigua, married a daughter of Dr. Gain Robinson, and is now Judge Tiffany, of Adrian, Michigan. Dean O. Tiffany, the youngest son, was a clerk in the book store of James D. Bemis, of Canandai- gua, and subsequently, in the Everingham store in Rochester; died at the south. Daughters became the wives of Stephen and William Charles, of Rochester, and John C. Ross, of C. W.
John A. Stevens was the successor of Mr. Tiffany, commencing the pub- lication of the Ontario Messenger in 1806. The Repository and Messenger, under the management of Messrs. Bemis and Stevens, were for a considerable period the leading papers of the respective parties whose interests they es- poused. "Mr. Stevens," says a brief biographer, * "was a kind, affection- ate, and good hearted man, and very generally esteemed by all who knew him." IIe died some twenty years since.
my parents hear that I must lay idle for the want of a house, when I had spoke so much in praise of the town, and been the means of a number coming to it since I was here in the winter." He says he almost repents of his bargain ; yet, with the loan of an $100, he thinks he can get a paper out, and move along, "if he can get a room." His dwelling house was finally furnished, and a far better one it must have been than Pioneer printers usually enjoy, as the amount paid for it by Mr. Williamson, was over $2,000
* Frederick Follett, Esq., who compiled the proceedings of the " Printers' Festival " in Rochester, held in 1847, and added a " History of the Press of Western New York."
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Of the large number of printers, most of whom have been, or are now, conductors of newspapers, who served their apprenticeships with Messrs. Bemis and Stevens, the names of the following oceur to the author: - Oran Follett, David M. Day, Lewis H. Redfield, Hezekiah and Smith Salisbury, A. H. Bennett, Thomas B. Barnum, Randall Meacham, John Van Sice, Ed- ward Van Cleve, John Gilbert, Elisha Starr, beside many others of a later period; and the Author of this work, in part.
Eben Eaton, a brother of General Eaton, was the successor of Mr. Carey at Geneva. He started a paper in 1800, called "The impartial Observer and Seneca Museum."
James Bogert came to Geneva in 1806. He served his apprenticeship in the old office of T. & J. Swords, New York. In November, 1806, he is- sued the first number of the " Expositor," which was continued until 1809, when he changed the title to "Geneva Gazette." He conducted the paper for over twenty-seven years, retiring from it in 1833. Next to Mr. Bemis, he is the oldest survivor of the conductors of the press in western New York. He was a good printer and editor, and in all respects, a worthy member of the " craft." He was upon the frontier in the war of 1812, bearing the com- mission of Captain in the regiment of Colonel Peter Allen, and was after- wards commissioned as a Colonel. After retiring from the Gazette, he was for five years Collector of Canal Tolls at Geneva.
JAMES D. BEMIS may justly be regared as the father of the press of west- ern New York: and this not only with reference to his early and long con- tinued connection with it, but with farther reference to the large number of printers who have gone out from under his instruction ; his character as a man, and as a member of a local craft, the dignity and respectability of which he has in so large a degree maintained. Ile was a native of New Hampshire; though, if the author rightly recollects, he served his apprenticeship in Al- bany. Soon after arriving at his majority, in the winter of 1803, he left Albany with a small stock of books and stationery, intending to locate in Canada, but arriving in Canandaigua, was induced by the favorable prospects held out there, to make it his permanent home. [See his own cotemporary account of his advent, Appendix, No. 19.] Soon engaging with Mr. Gould in the Repository, he sold his stock of books and stationery to Myron Holley ; but it was not long before he connected book-selling with printing, and for many years was not only the editor and publisher of the most successful newspaper in western New York, but he enjoyed almost a monopoly in the printing of handbills, blanks, in the sale of books, and in the business of book-binding, in a wide region. All of this was managed by a close applica- tion to business, in a careful, systematic manner, peculiar to the man. No one connected with the newspaper press in western New York, has been more successful, and no one better deserved success.
Mr. Bemis still survives, having reached his 70th year. Sincerely is it la- mented by a wide circle of friends - and especially by those who have known him most intimately ; many of whom owe him gratitude as well as respect- that the evening of his long and useful life is clouded with misfortune. He has been for a considerable period an inmate of an institution at Brattleboro, Vt., under treatment for the cure of physical infirmities, in which his once well balanced mind in some degree participates. * He married in early life; his wife still survives. An only son is George W. Bemis of Canandaigua,
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the successor of his father as a bookseller, who nas recently been appointed a Deputy U. S. Marshall. Daughters became the wives of Thaddeus Chapin. of Canandaigua, and Wm. B. Peck, a bookseller of New York, recently of Buffalo.
* In the absence of the infirmities alluded to, he would, perhaps, have been the his torian of this local region. In a letter to the author of this work, about the period he was commencing the history of the Holland Purchase, he commended the enterprise, and added : - " The western part of our great State is full of interest in its fifty years career, whether we consider the events of that period, or the character of men who acted their parts in transforming their country from a wilderness to what is now em- phatically the GARDEN OF THE STATE. I only wanted two things in my power to do, namely : to die as the oldest editor in western New York, (which I am,) and to write its history."
[END OF GENERAL HISTORY OF PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE. ]
TABLE OF CONTENTS,
OF
GENERAL HISTORY OF PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
[NOTE .- A table of contents which would embrace a reference to localities, persons and events, in regular order, was found far too elaborate, and occupying too much space. A shorter one has therefore been adopted, by which the reader, having refer- ence to localities, will be enabled to refer to any given subject, event or person, with little difficulty.]
PART FIRST.
CHAPTER I .- [Commencing page 9.]- Brief notices of Early Colonization - Pro- gress of the French upon the St. Lawrence -French and Indian, and French and English Wars - Progress of the French around the borders of the Western Lakes - Discovery of the Mississippi by Marquette and Joliet - First advent of our race to western New York - La Salle- First sail vessel upon the Upper Lakes- M. de La Barrie's invasion of the country of the Iroquois - De Nonville's inva- sion of the Seneca Country, in what is now Ontario County - Founding of Fort Niagara - French and English battles in the region of Lakes George and Cham- plain.
CHAPTER II .- [Com. page 46.]- Siege and Surrender of Fort Niagara - Con- quest of Western New York.
CHAPTER III .- [Com. page 56.] - Siege and Capture of Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Quebec and Montreal - Peace of 1763, end of French Dominion.
CHAPTER IV .- [Com. page 69.]- English Dominion - Border Wars of the Rev- olution -Sullivan's Campaign.
PART SECOND.
CHAPTER I .- [ Com. page 85.]-Our immediate predecessors, the Senecas, with a glance at the Iroquois - their wars with their own race, and with the French - their bravery and prowess - invasion of their country by De Nonville.
CHAPTER II. - [Com. page 99.]-Conflicting claims to western New York - In- dian Treaties- The Lessee Company -- The Military Tract.
CHAPTER III .-- [Com. page 127.] -- The Genesee Country at the period when set- tlement commenced -- its position in reference to contiguous territory - Condi- tion of the country generally after the Revolution.
CHAPTER IV .-- [Com. page 135.] - Phelps and Gorham's Purchase of Massachu- setts - Oliver Phelps, his advent to the Genesee Country, and his treaty with the Senecas - Nathaniel Gorham.
CHAPTER V .-- [Com. page 153.]- Jemima Wilkinson- Pioneer events in what is now Yates County.
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PART THIRD.
CHAPTER I .- [Com. page 164.]- Commencement of surveys and settlement of the Genesee Country -- Pioneer events at Canandaigua -- Mrs. Sanborn - Judge Howell -- other early Pioneers -- Bloomfield -- the Adams family -- other pioneer families -- Reminiscences of James Sperry - Micah Brooks -- West Bloomfield - Pittstown -Pitt's family - Other early Pioneers - Reminiscences of Mrs. Farnum -- The Chipmans and Allans- Gorham, Farmington, Manchester - Re- miniscences of Peleg Redfield -- The Mormons - Phelps - Geneva - James Reese.
CHAPTER II. -- [Com. page 240.]- Sale of Phelps and Gorham to Robert Morris - Re-sale to English Association - Advent of Charles Williamson - Events at Williamsburg, Bath, Geneva, Lyons, Sodus, Caledonia, Braddock's Bay -John Greig - Robert Troup - Joseph Fellows.
CHAPTER III .- [Com. page 284.] -- Indian difficulties- British interference - Indian councils - Gen. Israel Chapin - Jasper Parrish.
CHAPTER IV. - [Com. page 315. ] - Attempt of Gov. Simcoe to break up the set- tlement at Sodus Bay - British elaims to western New York - Wayne's Victory - Surrender of Forts Oswego and Niagara.
CHAPTER V .- [Com. page 324.] -- James and William Wadsworth -Horatio and John H. Jones -- The Indian villages on the Genesee River -Early orginization of the " District of Geneseo " -- Leicester, Moscow, Mt. Morris- Valley of the Can- aseraga - Dansville - Wm. Fitzhugh -- Charles Carroll -- Avon -- Reminiscen- ces of George Hosmer -- Lima.
CHAPTER VI. - [Com. page 378.] -- Pioneer events in what is now Wayne county -John Swift -- Harwood, Spears, Durfees, Rodgers, other early Pioneers -- Wm Howe Cuyler -- Lyons -- Dorseys, Van Wickles, Perrine, other early settlers - Ridge Road -- Sodus Bay -- Peregrine Fitzhugh - Dr. Lummis.
CHAPTER VII .-- [Com. page 403.]- Pioneer events in what is now Monroe- Peter Shaeffer -- Wm. Hencher -- Col. Fish -- Atchinsons - Braddock's Bay - King's settlement - Brighton - Lusks, Stones, Oliver Culver - Tryon's Town - Penfield -Gen. Fassett - Pittsford, Perrinton. [Omission supplied in reference to Victor, West Bloomfield and Bristol, page 431.]
CHAPTER VIII. - [Com. page 436.]-The Morris Treaty at Big Tree - Cession of the territory west of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase-Early Printers and Newspapers.
APPENDIX.
[NO. 1.]
EXTRACT FROM MANUSCRIPTS IN THE JESUITS' COLLEGE AT QUEBEC.
Ox the 5th of February, 1663, about half past five o'clock in the evening, a great rushing noise was heard throughout the whole extent of Canada. This noise caused the people to run out of their houses into the streets, as if their habitations had been on fire ; but, instead of flames or smoke, they were surprised to see the walls reeling backward and forward, and the stones moving as if they were detached from each other. The timbers, rafters and planks cracked. The earth trembled violently, and caused the stakes of the palisades and palings to dance, in a manner that would have been incredible, had we not actually seen it in many places. It was at this moment every one ran out of doors. Then were to be seen animals flying in every direction ; children crying and screaming in the streets; men and women, seized with affright, stood horror-struek with the dreadful scene before them, unable to move, and ignor- ant where to fly for refuge from the tottering walls and trembling earth, which threat- ened every instant to crush them to death, or sink them into a profound and immeas- urable abyss. Some threw themselves on their knees in the snow, cressing their breasts, and calling on their saints to relieve them from the danger with which they were sur- rounded. Others passed the rest of this dreadful night in prayer ; for the earthquake ceased not, but continued at short intervals, with a certain undulating impulse, resem- bling the waves of the ocean ; and the same qualmish sensations, or sickness at the stomach, was felt during the shocks, as is experienced in a vessel at sea.
" The violence of the earthquake was greatest in the forest, where it appeared as it there was a battle raging between the trees ; for not only their branches were destroy - ed, but even their trunks are said to have been detached from their places, and dashed against each other with inconceivable violence and confusion - so much so, that the Indians, in their figurative manner of speaking, declared that all the forests were drunk. The war also seemed to be carried on between the mountains, some of which were torn from their beds and thrown upon others, leaving immense chasms, in the places from whence they had issued, and the very trees with which they were covered, sunk down, leaving only their tops above the surface of the earth ; others were completely overturned, their branches buried in the earth, and the roots only remained above ground. During this general wreck of nature, the ice upward of six feet thick, was rent and thrown up in large pieces, and from the openings in many parts there isued thick clouds of smoke, or fountains of dirt and sand. which spouted up to a very considerable height. The springs were either choked up, or impregnated with sulphur ; many rivers were totally lost ; others were diverted from their courses, and
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