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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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John P. Patterson settled in Ogden in 1810. He was the first Supervisor of the town, and afterwards the Sheriff of Monroe. He emigrated to Illinois, where he died a few years since. Samuel Kilbourn, now of Brockport, was a brother-in-law of Sheriff Pat- terson, and settled in Ogden about the same period ; was an early Supervisor of the town, and a Justice of the Peace.
The first religious meeting in the town, was held at the house of Esq. Willey, in 1805; Revs. Mr. Mitchell, Jenks, Van Epps, Gatchell, Lane, were early Methodist circuit preachers, who visited the settlement. The first settled minister was the Rev. Ebenezer Everett. Dr. Gibbon Jewett was the first physician, and practiced for many years. He died at Parma Corners about 15 years since. The first school was kept by a sister of Esq. Willey, who became the wife of Judge Brown. Benajah Willey built the first framed house and barn ; pretty much all the settlers who came in in 1804, raised a few crops in 1805. The first born in town, was John Colby, a son of Abraham Colby.
The settlement of the town was pretty much arrested during the war of 1812 ; but after the war, was rapid, until the whole was set- tled. Mr. Wadsworth recommended the township to his New England friends, as one of the best in the Genesee country ; and well he might. The soil is uniformly of the best quality ; and what is a little remarkable, there is perhaps, not 50 acres of waste land in the township.
Charles Church was the first and the principal merchant in Og- den for over thirty years. He died in Rochester, in 1850, where his widow (who is a descendant of the Pioneer of Bloomfield, Dea- con John Adams.) now resides. He left but one son, a minor ; a daughter is the wife of F. T. Adams, of Rochester. Fairchilds and Richards were also early merchants in Ogden.
Many of the early settlers of Ogden were from Haddam, Conn. When Mr. Wadsworth had resolved upon commencing the settle- ment, he visited that part of New England, and in Haddam a pub- lic meeting was called to hear his description of the new town of "Fairfield." It was called the "Genesee meeting." Following this, Daniel Arnold came out, saw the township, and reported favor- ably. Emigration soon commenced.
The settlement of the town was carried on under the auspices of
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Mr. Wadsworth, until 1823, when Messrs. Murray and Ogden ap- pointed Mr. Willey their local agent, and he continued to act as their agent until the township was all sold and paid for. The father of Mr. Willey, (Benajah Willey) who it will be observed was the first purchaser in the township, settled in it in 1806. He died in early years.
The late Wm. H. Spencer, as will have been observed, located first in Ogden. He built a saw mill in 1805, which furnished the first boards used in that region.
PARMA.
" Gore in Parma, north of Fairfield."- This was the designation given by Mr. Wadsworth, under whose agency it was sold and settled, to all the south part of the town of Parma, on either side of the Ridge Road. Those who first purchased, or took contracts for land. upon this tract,commencing in 1805, and in the order named, were : - Abner Brockway Jr., James Egbert, Jonathan Ogden, Hope Davis, Lazarus Church, Samuel M. Moran, Daniel Brown, Bezaliel Atchinson, Jarvis Ring, Tillotson Ewer. It is not to be presumed that all these became settlers. The reminiscences of two Pioneers, as given to the author, will embrace the names of most. of the settlers, and most of the early events : -
REMINISCENCES OF LEVI TALMADGE.
I was a resident of Wolcott, N. H. In 1803, James Wadsworth visited that town, called a public meeting, gave us a description of the Genesee country, and urged us to emigrate. Thomas Wiard, Benni Bishop, - Stebbins, Seymour Welton and Abel Curtis, with their families, and Ash- bel Atkins, John Curtiss, and myself, unmarried men, formed an emigant party. There was 38 persons in all. We came with seven wagons, form- ing a considerable cavalcade ; were 21 days on the road. Geneseo was our destination ; when we arrived there we were all quartered in some log houses that belonged to Mr. Wadsworth ; were joyfully received by the settlers ; we liked the country ; and all were cheerful and happy.
I worked out by the month for a year or two ; was engaged for some time in a trading excursion with James Rodgers who had settled in Canan- daigua in an early day ; we traded with the Indians in Allegany and Cattaraugus. I resided in Bergen from 1809 until 1811, in which last. year, I came to Parma, and purchased the tavern stand and the small im- provement of Hope and Elisha Davis. They had been Pioneers at Parma Corners ; had built a comfortable block house. Hope died in 1846 ; his widow still survives ; Elisha Davis removed to Riga.
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There was settled at Parma Corners before the close of 1811, beside the Davises and myself :- Augustus Mather; he died four years since ; his widow still survives; Mrs. Amos Webster of Parma is his daughter. Lendell Curtiss; emigrated to Michigan, some years since ; Kinnicone Roberts died in early years; his widow is Mrs. Brewer of Ogden. Joshua Whitney, who in 1811 and '12, built a grist and saw mill on Salmon creek; he emi- grated to Michigan, where he now resides. These were all at the corners and west of them, on the Ridge. Josiah Fish had removed from the Allan mills at Rochester, and resided on the Ridge cast of the villige.
Our first merchants at Parma corners, were Joseph Thompson and David Tuttle; their successors were, John Rochester and Harvey Montgomery ; their successor was William M'Knight, now of Rochester. Dr. Gibbons Jewett, was our first physician; Gibbon H. Jewett, of Parma, is his son ; he was an early supervisor and magistrate. John D. Higgins was the first settled physician in Parma; remained but two or three years and removed to Bath. Dr. John Scott practiced here in several early years.
Zolved Stevens settled in Parma in 1813 or '14; was a merchant and distiller; a supervisor and magistrate; died 12 or 14 years since.
Settlement was entirely suspended during the war of 1812 ; some left, but none came; and yet the beating up of recruits, the marching of soldiers, the transportation of supplies for the army, made brisk times upon the Ridge Road. It was a constant state of excitement and alarm, and little was done in the way of improvements by those who remained in the country. Hope Da- vis, the early Pioneer I have named, raised a volunteer company, and went to the Frontier; was at the battle of Lundy's Lane, and in several other engagements. I have a cannon ball t at weighs sixty-eight pounds, that was fired from the British fleet, off the mouth of Genesee River. I saw where it struck, and went and picked it up.
The early tavern keeper, Mr. Talmadge, resides upon a fine farm a mile west of Parma Corners; is childless : his wife, who was the widow of David Franklin, whose sudden death is noticed by Mr. Pierson, died in 1842.
Samuel Castle settled in Parma, north of Ridge, in 1810, and was joined next year by his father, Abraham Castle. The old gentle- man died in 1812. Ilis surviving sons, other than the one named, are :- Jehiel Castle, of Parma ; Isaac Castle, of Greece. A daugh- ter of his became the wife of Arnold Markham, a brother of the early Pioneers in Avon and Rush. Samuel Castle has been one of the Judges of Monroe county.
REMINISCENCES OF SAMUEL CASTLE.
Our purchase of land when we came in, was of Birdseye & Norton ; the location had upon it a small improvement that had been made by Michael Beach, a previous occupant. He had been a salt boiler; had sev-
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eral kettles set; ruined his salt spring by endeavoring to get stronger water. Beach removed to Pittsford, died several years since in Clarendon. When our family came in, there was but one road leading from the Ridge Road to the Lake; it was called the " Canawaugus Road;" another road led from Braddock's Bay to " Deep Hollow Bridge." What was called the Canawaugus road is now the main road from Parma Corners to Parma Centre and Unionville. The inhabitants at that period north of Ridge, in Parma, other than those in the immediate Braddock's Bay settlement, were :- Alpheus Madden, near Parma Centre; died here, his family re- moved ; Timothy Madden, a little west of Castle's Corners; died 15 or 20 years since ; Silas Madden, of Parma, is his son; Mrs. Joseph Randall, of Parma, is his daughter. - Ilicks; died in early years; Van Rensse- lear and Benjamin Hicks, of Parma, are his sons. Joshua Hickson, Jeremiah Perry ; died here. Nehemiah Weston.
In 1810, there was no framed house or barn in Parma, north of Ridge, except in the Braddock's Bay settlement; there was but one house at Par- ma Corners. It was very sickly north of Ridge, in all the early years; in some localities, in the sickly seasons, there would not be well ones enough to take care of the sick; deaths sometimes occurred for the want of the ordinary nursing of the sick. I have often, when afflicted with the ague, promised I would leave the country when I got well enough; many did leave. The sickness used to prevail most at Braddock's Bay, and about the Ponds. A spirit of kindness prevailed among the new settlers, a sym- pathy for each others misfortunes; those who lived in settlements a little more favored, would go where sickness prevailed most, in whole households, and take care of the invalids day and night. The land north of Ridge, was heavily timbered, wet. It was so hard beginning, that men who had no means, could not take up land and pay for it; most that attempted to do so, failed; were obliged to sell their improvements for what they could get. I knew of one man, however, who persevered in this way, taking up land, making small improvemen's, and selling out, until he became the owner of a good farm. The proprietors of the land were very indulgent; had it been otherwise, but few of the early settlers could ever become free- holders. There was, in the earliest years of settlement, no market when the settlers had any thing to sell; in 1810, they had began to better their condition by the manufacture of pot-ash and black salts.
During the war, settlement was mostly suspended; some left who did not return; others would move off at periods of excitement and alarm, and return again. A singular circumstance occurred with one of our neigh- bors at the battle of Queenston :- Joseph Stoddard was shot in the fore- head; the army surgeons extracted a ball; he came home, and another was extracted; the two balls having made but one perforation of the skull.
Parma Centre is three miles north of Parma Corners; there is a post-office, two meeting houses, two stores, several machine shops, and a tavern house and dwellings. Unionville is two miles north of Parma Corners ; there at that point, two meeting houses, a store, several machine shops and dwellings. The village has started on
.
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the farms of Jason Tyler, and Jonathan Underwood. The last of whom, is especially remembered by many early Pioneers. He is a bachelor, nearly 70 years of age. He had a large improved farm, and in an early day raised large crops of grain. In seasons of scarcity he would withhold from those who had money to purchase, and trust it out to his neighbors who stood in need of it. Let those old neighbors. or their descendants, see that marble, as well as history records this fact.
The town of Parma was erected in 1808. At the first town meeting in 1809, Gibbons Jewett was elected Supervisor, Justin Worthington, town Clerk ; other town officers : - Jarvis Ring, Jonathan Underwood, Abraham Colby, Daniel C. Arnold, Joshua Wickson, Elisha U. Brown, Josiah Mather, Benjamin Freeman, Ephraim Colby, Hope Davis, Stephen Atchinson.
The north part of Parma was called by Mr. Wadsworth, " Brad- dock's Bay Township." It was surveyed in 1796, by Joseph Colt. Upon the original surveyor's map, many lots are marked as sold to "Thayer," and afterwards it is noted that they are "released by Thayer to Lady Bath." It would seem that Mr. Wadsworth's agency, in the township commenced in 1806, or rather that he first turned his attention to the sale and settlement of it in that year. - In September, of that year, he wrote to Mr. Troup : - " I have just been down to Braddock's Bay Township. Almost every man, woman and child was sick with the fever ; some of them were actually suffering. I supplied them with some articles of necessity. I am afraid the settlement will be abandoned." How changed ! The region which the enterprising patroon of new settlements then spoke of with so much despondency - where men, worn down by disease and all the trials incident to back-wood's life ; is now one of health and prosperity. It would take from $40 to $60 per acre, to induce its owners to " abandon" it now; and most of them are under no necessity of quitting it even at that rate.
GREECE.
In a preceding portion of the work, the early advent of William Hencher, the proprietors of the " 20,000 acre tract," and a few oth- ers, in what is now Greece, has been noticed. It remains in this connection to speak of pioneer events there at a later period.
Messrs. Troup and Wadsworth would seem to have contem- plated the making of the mouth of the river a commercial point, soon after Col. Troup succeeded to the agency of the Pulteney estate ; it is often a subject of discussion in their correspondence ; but it was not until a few years before the war of 1812, that any movements were made to that end. Samuel Latta was the first
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permanent settler there, as a local agent for the Pulteney estate, and the locality having been made a port of entry, he was appoin- ted a collector of customs, and had also a small mercantile establish- ment. The Latta family were early settlers at Geneva; Mrs. Benjamin Barton of Lewiston, was a member of it. Samuel Lat- ta died in Greece ; his widow is now Mrs. Beal, of that town ; John Latta of Brockport, is his son. George Latta, now the owner and occupant of the fine farm on the lake shore, near Charlotte, was a younger brother of Samuel; became a resident at Charlotte, in 1811.
Erastus Spalding, who had resided at or near Geneva, settled at the mouth of the river, under the auspices of Col. Troup, some time before the war of 1812. He built and opened the first hotel ; a building now standing on the bluff, a little up the river from the present steam boat landing ; had a small trading establishment ; built the first vessel at the point - the schooner Isabel, which was captured by the British, in the war of 1812 - and was the first to commence the purchase of butt staves, a business that became one of considerable magnitude at that point. Mr. Spalding afterwards became the owner and occupant of the farm on the river, which embraced the eligible plat of ground now called Lake View, near the city of Rochester. His son, Lyman A. Spalding, was one of the earliest merchants of Lockport and has been for many years one of the most enterprizing business men of W. N. York ; other surviving sons are, Holmes Spalding of Michigan ; Mark Spalding of Lockport, and Frederick Spalding of Rochester.
Frederick Bushnell, was established as a merchant at Charlotte, previous to, and during the war of 1812. Samuel Currier was an early tavern keeper at Charlotte, and had some connection with the lake commerce. It is mentioned as an extraordinary fact, that he was the husband of seven wives, five of whom are buried. at Char- lotte. He was drowned in the Genesee River, below the Falls.
The first steam boat that entered the mouth of the Genesee Riv- er, was the Ontario, in 1816-Capt. Eli Lusher was commander.
John Mastick, who afterwards settled at Rochester, was first located at Charlotte, previous to the war; was the Pioneer lawyer of all this local region. Giles H. Holden, Esq., now a resident at Charlotte, settled there at the close of the war. He remarks : - " As late as 1815, there were but few settlers at Charlotte. Sick- ness and the war had been the principal hindrances. When I came there were many deserted tenements in Greece, where the Pioneers had either died, or had left the country on account of sickness, or in fear of British invasion. For many years after, the ague and fever, and the billious fever were very general in July and Au- gust. In 1819, diseases were most fatal - many died - there were instances of three and four deaths in the same family. The prevalence of disease was attributed to the low grounds on the riv- er and lake ; to the ponds and marshes, of which there are over
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4000 acres in the town of Greece. I attribute it rather to the clearing up of land, the letting in of the sun upon wet lands, the consequent decomposition of vegetable matter ; for now that lands are cleared and dry, we have little of disease, and yet the ponds and marshes mostly remain as they were in the early settlement of the country."
Immediately after the war there was a considerable accession of inhabitants at Charlotte ; the purchase and shipping of lumber and pot ash, and a small business in the way of shipping flour and grain, made it a pretty busy place ; but as Rochester gradually sprung up, business declined there.
The mouth of the river was an exposed point during all of the war of 1812 ; in the fore fact of the war, the enemy had vastly the superiority in naval force upon the lake : and in fact, during the entire war, there was too little to prevent their landing where they chose, between Oswego and Niagara ; a fact however, that they were not at all times aware of. At the mouth of the river there was but little to attract them, and Rochester, as will be inferred, was of no magnitude that would have made its capture either glorious, or profitable. Although there were several instances of disembarking and embarking of American armies at Charlotte, and of temporary encampments, there was no regular force established there during the war. The defence of the position mainly devolving upon the local militia, and volunteer companies, who at some periods were exempt from going upon the Niagara Frontier in consequence of anticipate l exigencies nearer home.
Sir James Yeo, the British commander, made his first appearance off the mouth of the river, in June, 1813. He had contemplated an attack upon Oswego, but the weather proving unfavorable, he cruis d up the lake, anchored off the mouth of Genesee River, and sent a party on shore. Their entire errand was plunder ; no resis- tance was offered, for there was no military organization to offer it. The only restraint that was put upon a few captured citizens, was the preventing their going out to warn the inhabitants of the neighbor- hood of their presence.
In the store-house of Frederick Bushnell there was a quantity of salt, whiskey, and provisions, which they took off; in a business way, however, for they gave to the clerk, George Latta, a receipt for the property. The landing was made in an afternoon ; they remained over night, keeping out sentinels, and quietly retired early in the morning ; probably getting an intimation that an armed force was collecting at Handford's Landing. A body of armed men that had collected there marched down, arriving at the Charlotte landing just as the invaders were embarking on board their boats .- Some shots were fired upon them, but from too great a distance to be effective.
Toward the last of September, of the same year, both the British
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and Amertcan fleets were at the upper end of the lake, Commo- dore Chauncey making frequent demonstrations to Sir James Yeo, of his readiness to contend for the supremacy of the lake, but the latter declining, and gradually making his way down the lake. --- Arriving off the mouth of the Genesce River the fleet was becalm- ed and lay almost motionless upon the water. The inhabitants at Charlotte supposed the fleet had anchored preparatory to another landing, expresses were sent into the country ; men armed and unarmed flocked from the back-wood's settlements, and in a few hours a considerable number of men collected ready to fight or to run, as chances of invasion should make it expedient. While anxiously watching the British fleet, expecting every moment to see their boats coming toward the shore, a light breeze sprung up, and soon after, the fleet of Commodore Chauncey was seen rounding Bluff Point. It was a welcome advent, was hailed with joyous shouts from the shore ; at a moment when a weak force had supposed themselves about to engage with a vastly superior one, succor had come - a champion had stepped, or rather sailed in, quite equal to the task of defence, in fact seeking the opportunity that seemed to have occur- red. Commodore Chauncey brought his fleet within a mile from the shore, and when it was directly opposite the becalmed fleet of the enemy, he opened a tremendous fire upon it. At first a sheet of flame arose from the American fleet, and then a dense cloud of smoke, that rolling off before a light breeze, blowing off shore, as completely shut out the British fleet from view, as if the curtains of night had been suddenly drawn; while the American fleet remained in full view. The fire was returned, but as the breeze increased both moved down the lake, continuing to exchange shots until after dark. The fire upon the British fleet was pretty effect- ive, until by its superior sailing abilities it had got out of the reach of Commodore Chauncey's guns. The British fleet was a good deal disabled ; and an officer and ten men were either killed or woun- ded. A vessel of the American fleet got a few shots through its hull, but no one was either killed or wounded on board of it. "Sir James Yeo, ran into Amherst Bay where the American fleet was unable to follow him on account of the shoals."*
The next visit of Sir James Yeo, with his fleet, to the mouth of Genesee river, was in May, 1814. In anticipation of such an event, in addition to other organizations for defence in the neigh- borhood, Isaac W. Stone, one of the earliest Pioneers of Roch- ester, had been commissioned as a captain of dragoons, had en- listed a company of fifty men, and was stationed at Charlotte; and the further measure of defence had been the sending to captain Stone, by the orders of General P. B. Porter, from Canandaigua, an 18 and a 4 pound cannon. The 18 pounder had been taken
"Cooper's Naval History.
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down to the mouth of the river, and the 4 pounder planted upon a battery, or breast work. called " Fort Bender," which the citizens had thrown up on the River road to impede the crossing, by the in- vaders, of the bridge over Deep Hollow. The fleet was first deseried by captain Stone and the citizens of Charlotte, a litte after sunset, upon which expresses were sent into the settlements in different di- rections, calling for volunteers. In what is now the city of Roches- ter, there were then 32 men capable of bearing arms. These were organized during the forepart of the night, and armed with muskets that had been deposited with Ilarvey Ely & Co. ; or rather 30 of them, one refusing to volunteer, and another being held in reserve, with a cart, to take off the women and children ; so few in num- ber, that the means of conveyance was quite ample. The formida- ble foree, marching through deep mud, and in rain, arrived at Charlotte, at 2 o'clock in the morning. They had constituted Francis Brown and Elisha Ely their officers. In addition to the force of captain Stone, there was stationed at Charlotte, a volun- teer company, under command of captain Frederick Rowe: the men principally citizens of what is now the towns of Gates and Greece ; and Col. Atkinson's regiment, from what is now the north western towns of Monroe county, were either there previously, or as soon as the exigency required. The only fortification at Char- lotte, was a breast work, upon the bluff, near the old hotel, so loca- ted as to command the road leading up the bank from the wharf. It was composed of two tiers of ship timber, with a space between the tiers filled in with barn manure.
The hastily collected defenders of their country were so impatient to meet the invaders, that before any demonstrations were made from the fleet toward shore, a volunteer party went out in an old boat that had been used as a lighter, just after day light, in a heavy fog, to reconnoitre ; the fog suddenly clearing away, they found themselves within range and reach of the guns of the whole British fleet. A gun boat from the fleet put out after them, but they suc- ceeded in making good their retreat.
All things remained in a state of suspense until about ten o'clock in the forenoon, when a flag of truce was seen to leave the British fleet, and make toward the shore. At the request of captain Stone, captainsFrancis Brown and Elisha Ely went to receive it, with orders not to let the party who bore it enter the river, or dis- embark, but to communicate with them from the Lake shore. For this purpose, they went out upon a fallen tree, a short distance above the mouth of the river, and tied a white handkerchief to a stick, as a signal. The British boats' crew approached, proposed to land, as is usual with the bearers of flags of truce, but the orders of captain Stone were tenaciously obeyed. While the parley was going on, a small party of armed men approached, anxious to watch the progress of events. The British officer, a stickler for all the
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