USA > New York > Livingston County > Conesus > History of the town of Conesus, Livingston Co., N. Y. : from its first settlement in 1793, to 1887, with a brief genealogical record of the Conesus families > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
Generally the good old mothers had to carry every pail of water from a spring, from five to fifty rods away. Often they would wash their cloths at the nearest brook, and hung them on poles to dry. Wells was dug as soon as they were able to have such luxuries! Then wo- men stooped down and drew up the pails of water with poles. The " well-curb," and the " well-sweep," was of a later date. Most of the log houses, was located near a spring.
When they had meeting, all people attended, traveling without shoes, and on foot; the aged and feeble, and the mother with her babe, on horseback. Young ladies walked five miles to church, if need be. It was their custom to worship all day. They had two sermons a
63
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
Sabbath, and each was often two hours long.
The women and girls were accustomed to work with the men in the field all day long, if occasion required. They not only raised their own flax, but they took care of the barn, milked and split wood at the door, raked hay, and reaped the grain. They would lend a hand at any job in the smartest possable way, and it was considered proper and honorable. Gen- erally the "girls " were the smartest reapers.
At their marriages a hundred years ago, they had great gatherings. When the guests had assembled, and all was ready for the cer- emony, the bridegroom was conducted into the room, and introduced formally, and put into the proper position before the minister. Then the bride was led in and placed at the bride- groom's right hand. The groomsman and bridesmaid took their immediately position be- hind the pair to be married. The service was very solemn and somewhat lengthy, always . comnenced with a prayer, and embraced the ceremony of " joining hands." Nor could they be gloved hands. Hence, to increase the precious formality of the occasion, the minis- ter, asking them to "join hands," waited ; and they, partly turning, each reached back the right hand to the attendant behind, to remove the glove. This was very elaborately done. Of course the two gloves must come off so as to free both at the same time. It was a mat- ter of very nice importance. Then the hands were "joined," some very wise remarks by the clergyman, and assent was given to a solemn marriage covenant. The whole was closed by a second prayer, after which the minister re- quested the husband to kiss his newlymade wife, which authoriative order was gracefully complied with. Then the minister proceeded to do the same thing. After him, the gentle- men in the company kissed the bride, and the
ladies the bridegroom. Then they set down to dinner, with abundances to eat aad drink, and lingered long at the board. The whole was closed by a " jolly good time," finishing up the day and evening. Often the great old kitchen was cleared for a dance. Ceremony was over, rules was dispensed with, and the laughing guests, the young and old, had their own way, and carried their jokes and pleasant- ries sometimes to extremes. The lapse of years has changed these methods very much. It is easy to get married now ; and seemingly the same, to become unmarried.
There were, however, exceptions to this rule of ceremonies. For sometimes couples went quietly to the minister and was married, after which they both mounted upon one horse, or proceed on foot to their proposed home.
Such an incident as this transpired in the northern part of the town. Davenport Alger, -then acting as justice of the peace for the town,-were surprised one bright summer day by a young couple coming to him on foot, and requesting him to unite them in the bonds of matrimony. He saw by their dress that they were poor, for upon their feet they wore no shoes, and carried upon their shoulders a coup- le of splint brooms, for to pay their way.
No sooner than they came into the presence of the justice, the bridegroom made known his errand by imforming the " venerable squire," that he was poor, and had no money to pay, but had brought along a couple splint brooms, to renumerate him for his services.
The justice being a man of deep thonght and intellectual power, after considering a moment, refused to marry them on the ground that a man who could not earn money enough to pay his marriage fees, would not be able to sup- port a wife, after he was united to one in mar- riage.
64
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
This refusal threw over the young couple, a dark cloud that shut out the light of a bright future prospect. With a downcast counte- nance and a heavy heart, the bridegroom once more shouldered his brooms and with his in- tended bride set out on their way home. As they reached the top of what is known as Hen- derson hill, who should they meet, but the honorable Esq. Blake, of Livonia, coming up the same, on his way home. The Esquire be- ing acquainted with the bridegroom, and as he rode up to him, saw by his countenance that he was full of sorrow and trouble, so he ac- costed him : "Henry, what is the matter ?"
" Ah," said Henry, "we have been up to Esquire Alger to get married, but having no money, but these splint brooms to pay the fees with, he refused to marry us."
" What," said Esquire Blake, " would not Esquire Alger take brooms for pay ?"
" No," said Henry in a sorrwful tone.
" I will," said Esquire Blake, jumping from his horse.
He then requested them to "join hands," and in a few minutes pronounced them man and wife, and sent thein on their way rejoicing. He threw the brooms over his shoulder and mounted his horse, and went on his way home, no poorer then when he started in the morning, for he had sent one couple on their way rejoice- ing.
TROUBLES OF THE EARLY SETTLERS.
We must not forget to mention the trials and tribulations of the first settlers of Conesus. They had many perplexities and inconveniences to discourage them. Their crops oftimes would fail them and the deers destroy them. Hard times would find them pennyless with a large family to support, and a cold winter be- fore them. Many miles to go, to reach the nearest mill, and this to be accomplished on
horseback, or on foot.
In the Spring of 1796, when Jacob Collar came to the town, they had no grain, only corn that they bought of the Indians. Wheat could not be had at any price. This corn, he paid at the rate of six shillings per bushel, and ground it in a hole of a stump.
In 1805, the settlers did the most of their trading at Dansville, a distance of nearly ten miles. At this time the merchants would not sell any person more than a quarter of a pound of tea, and two pounds of coffee to a time, and the price was from three to four shillings per pound for coffee, and from six to twelve shill- ings for tea. Sugar and molasses could not be got at any price. The northern part of the town at this time, did their trading at Lima. For the grinding of their wheat and corn, they went to Hemlock Lake, in the town of Livonia, taking their grist on the back of a horse as there were no roads but a foot path through the forest.
In 1805, the settlers was troubled with smut- ty wheat, although their crops were good. In this cold season, some of the inhabitants suf- fered for the want of provisions. Such was the case of Francis Richardson, who settled on lot No. 136. Mr. Richardson was a man of limited means, and became deeply involved in debt, and his creditors, as it was the custom in those days, placed him in jail for the same. While in jail his family suffered severely for the necessaries to sustain life, and when he would be released to return to his family, he could hardly reach his home circle, before he would find an officer waiting to convey him back to his old quarters again, upon other accounts.
Under this cruel treatment, it prayed heav- ily upon his mind, that he became insane. So procuring a rope, he went into the woods south of the present residence of Jotham Clark, Sen.,
.
65
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
and selected a large tree, with the limbs near to the ground, he placed one end of the rope over it, and the other end around his neck, and launched himself into eternity.
It was several days before he was found by those who was in search of him, and the body had become in a state of bad decomposition, that they dug a hole under him, and let him down in it, and buried him.
In the year of 1816, on account of a severe frost, which took place on the 13th of July of that year, destroyed all of the crops, and caused great sufferings among the settlers. Wheat was worth fourteen shillings a bushel, and corn ten shilling, and very hard to be ob- tained at those figures. Potatoes were worth one dollar per bushel, and was obtained from
Livonia.
The scarcity and high price of provisions, was the cause of great sufferings, among the settlers on the Marrowback hills. On these hills, there were some who did not have a mouthful of bread for three successive weeks. This fam- ine caused many men to become insane, on the account of the suffering of their families. Such was the fate of Micah Spencer, who settled lot No. 69; being a hard laboring man and of proud spirits, the sufferings of his family be- came so great, and the impression on his mind of their condition, soon made him a raving ma- niac. Now in closing this chapter, we must say, that we do not realize the sufferings of the early settlers, while laboring in the wild wooded forest of Conesus.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Boutes of the Carly Settlers.
HERE seems to have been two routes taken by the early settlers in coming to the town of Conesus, to settle. One of these routes entered the town from the north, and was used mostly by the settlers coming form the State of "Vermont. The southern route, has been better known, as the "old Bath road," used by the Pennsyl- vanians in their transit here. This route was opened at an early day by Col. Williamson, who employed a company of Germans to open a road through the wilderness, from Northum- berland county, Pa., to the Genesee river, near the residence of the late Col. Abell. In open- ing this route, they first started from Willams- port, Pa., passing up the Lycoming river, six- teen miles north of Trout Run, then followed up the run for twenty-five miles more to the foot of Laurel mountains, to the present sight of Blossburgh, Pa., striking the Tioga river and following the same down to Canisteo, and from there to Painted Post on the Cohocton river, and following the same up to a point some three miles east of the present village of Wayland.
The late William Scott, of Scottsburgh, N. Y., (who furnished me with the sketch of this road, says he thinks he saw it stated in the his-
tory of Steuben county, that the route after leaving Wayland, passed down through Dans- ville to Williamsburgh, which he says he knows to be incorrect.
After leaving Wayland it branched off leav- ing the Dansville road to the left, taking a north-westerly course and passing the head of the Springwater valley, hence over Chestnut Ridge in the town of Sparta, and passing down the hill, and entering upon the farm of Samuel Scott of the same town, crossing the gully some forty rods east of his house, (this part is now used as a farm road by him,) then down the hill and crossing the public highway from Co- nesus to Scottsburgh, about thirty rods south of the late residence of P. H. Conklin, of the above town. It then entered Conesus between lots No. 108 and 109, then crossed the head of the lake valley, to the late residence of Hector Mckay on lot No. 98, then passing around Groveland hill to its terminus on the Genesee.
The originator of this route was Colonel Williamson, who was a native of Scotland, and the first agent of the Pulteney estates in Amer- ica. When a youth he entered the British army, and during the Revolutionary war, held the Commission of Captain, in the 25th reg-
66
67
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
iment, on foot. His regiment was ordered to to America ; but on the way, was taken by a French privateer, and he was taken to Boston, and kept in confinement until the close of the war.
On his return to Europe, he made acquain- tance of the most distinguished men of Eng- land, and was often consulted, concerning the American's affairs. On the organizations of the association of Sir. William Pulteney and others, he was offered the appointment of their agent for the colonizing the Genesee forests.
Having landed at Baltimore, in 1791, he at once took the steps as required by the naturali- zation laws of this country, and received in his own name from Robert Morris, a conveyance of the Pulteney estates, and began at once his labor in settling the same.
In the winter after his arrival, he made a visit to the Genesee country by the way of Al- bany and the Mohawk river. In the valley of the Mohawk, he passed the last of the "old settlements." From these German Settle- ments, the road was but a lane, opened in the woods, passable only on horse or sled. A few cabins surrounded by scanty clearings, were the only indications of civilization which met his eyes till he stood among a group of cabins at the foot of the Seneca lake. Then the fa- mous Genesee estate laid before him. A small settlement had been commenced at Canandai- gua. The Wadsworths were at Big Tree. Beyond, was the meadows of the Genesee flats, and a dense forest unknown to the ax, which harbored several tribes of Savages bor- dering between war and peace.
In the summer of 1792, Capt. Williamson, determined to open a road from Northumber- land to the Genesee. At the same time, the association sent over to America, a large coloney of German emigrants, from Germany,
-
consisting of about two-hundred persons, men, women, and children, who was placed under the care of Capt. Williamson. Though stout and healthy enough, they were ignorant, and in- experienced people; accustomed to dig with a spade in the little gardens of their Fatherland, and as unfit for forest life of the frontiers as babes.
It was determined to send them over the mountains to the Tioga river, thence up the that Valley, and that of Conhocton, to Will- iamsburgh, on the Genesee. Benjamen Bennett -an old experienced hunter,-was at once selected as a suitable person, to take charge of them in their journey.
It was in the month of September, when the Emigrants appeared at the mouth of Lycoming creek ready for their march to their "North- ern Paradise." A little ways up the creek, they commenced cutting a road. Here, they took their first lesson in wood-craft. They were not ready apprentices, and never carried on the art to perfection. An old gentlemen who came over the road a few years afterwards says: "The trees look as if they had been gnawed down by Beavers."
Owing to their extreme ignorance of anything pertaining to wood-craft, their march pro- gressed slowly, and great suffering to them all, and they became mutinous. "I could com- pare my situation," said the guide, "to noth- ing, but of Moses with the Children of Israel. I would march them along a few miles, then they would rise up and rebell." Once when some of the men were very clamerous and even offered violence. Patterson (an assistant man- eger) stood with his back to a tree, and brand- ishing a tomahawk, furirously, said : "If you resist me, I will kill you-every one of you! This restored order once more.
They worked along slowly enough. At favor-
68
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
able places for an ecampment, they would build Block-houses, or "Plock," as the Germans called them, and then open the road some dis- tance in advance, before moving their families farther. These houses stood for many years, as landmarks in the wilderness. September and October passed, and it was far in Novem- ber, before they crossed the mountains.
At a place now called Blossburgh, they made a camp, and called it "Peter's" camp, after their cook. Here, Patterson dug from the rocks with his tomahawk, pieces of coal, which the Germans pronounced of good quality.
Pushing on seven miles farther, they made the " Canoe Camp," a few miles below the present Village of Mansfield, and when they reached this place, their supply of provisions fell short. Patterson killed a supply of game, and then with some of the young men, went down to Painted Post, some thirty miles dis- tant, and ordered provisions to be boated up to the place, from Tioga Point, and returned to camp with several canoes.
When he returned, he found the poor people in a state of utter despair. They lay in their tents, bewailing their misfortunes ; they said the Englishman had sent them here to die ; he had sent a ship to Hamsburgh, and had en- treed them away from their homes; he had brought them over the ocean on purpose that he might send them in the wilderness to starve. They refused to stir, and begged of Patterson to let them die. But he was merciless, and blus- tered about without ceremony, cut down the tent-poles with his thomahawk, aroused the dying to life, and at once drove the whole Col- oney to the river bank. When the Germans saw the slender canoes, they screamed with terror and loudly refused to entrust themselves to such sculls. The woodsmen, however, put the women, children, and the sick into the ca-
noes almost by full force, and launched them forth into the river, while the men followed by land ; thus making the journey to Painted Post.
It was now December. They had been three months in the wilderness, and were not in a condition to proceed any farther toward the Genesee. Patterson left them here, and taking about thirty of the most trusty ones, kept on and opened the road up the Cohocton to Will- iamsburgh, and the whole Coloney was con- ducted thither in the Spring.
When the emigrants reached Williamsburgh they were properly provided for. Each family received a house and fifty acres of land, with a stock of provisions for present use, and farm- ing utensils; cattle and sheep, was distribu- ted among them, and nothing remained for them, but to go to work and cultivate the land. But they were lazy and refused to do any thing for the sustainment of life, and became mu- tinous, until at last they dwindled away, or the Sheriff of Ontario, was sent to bring them unto submission. This ended the future days of Williamsburgh, in the town of Groveland.
Over this route, the Hendersons, Collars, Mckays, McNinches and other Pennsylvanians came, when they came here to settle. This gave the settlers many advantages in coming and going to their native state.
THE NORTHERN ROUTE.
The Northern Route, entered the town of Conesus from the north upon lot No. 6, near a former residence of Charles Hitchcock; then passing down the hill upon lot No. 5, and then upon lot No. 14, between the residence of Hiram Boyd and Charles Gifford, crossing the flats below and passing about thirty rods south of the present residence of James M. Alger ; then upon lot No. 134, situated on top of Tur- key hill, then upon lot No. 32, down the hill
,
69
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
terminating at the head of Conesus lake or up- on lot No. 40. This road was used to a large extent by the persons from the north, although there was another road at the same time, start- ing on lot No. 6 from this road, and went to Conesus Center, which was known by the set- tlers as a Lumberman's road. This is to-day used in part as highway between Livonia Cen- ter and Conesus Center.
Before the year of 1815, there was no road south of Conesus Center in what is now known
as Calabogue hollow. A few years after the road to the head of Conesus lake fron the north was open, there was one started from Foot's Corners (then known as May's Corners), pass- ing to the southwest across the flats, striking Turkey Hill near the present residence of Ezra W. Clark, then up the hill and intersecting the other road on top of the hill. A part of this roadway can be seen at the present day, where it crossed the flats, upon lands now owned by Ashabel Alger.
- CHAPTER IX. -
The Original Names of the Town, and the first Town Meeting.
EFORE the year of 1819, the town of Conesus was divided into two parts. YR All east of the line of lots running north and south between lots No. 5 and 6, on the north line, and lots No. 113 and 119, on the south line of the town, belonged to the town of Livonia, and all west of the above line, to the town of Groveland, then in the coun- ty of Ontario, N. Y., and since that time has been made part of the county of Livingston. All of the different articles of agreements for lands, &c., that were dated in what is now the town of Conesus, bore the indorsement of the County of Ontario, N. Y.
In 1819 the first attempt at the organization of the town took place. But on account of an irregularity in the date of calling the town meeting, it was not organized until 1820.
The first name given to the town, was that of Freeport. This name was derived, it is said, from the following circumstance: A squatter who had been a sailor, settled on a particular lot near the brow of the western hill. After fencing in a claim, and making some improve- ments he was forcibly driven off by the owner. The ejection provoked the landless pioneer, who, at some pains, published his version of the
story, urging that however ready other sections might be to welcome emigrants, this particular regiou was no "Free-port."
On the 26th of March, 1825, the Legisla- ture changed the name of the town to Bowers- ville, in the honor of the Bowers family, who then owned a large tract of land here. This change was made through the influence of a man named Buxby, who slyly circulated a petition, unknowned to the leading mnen of the town, and sent it to the Legislature, in the same purporting to be the wishes of the majority of the town. As soon as the leading mnen became aware of what had been done, they at once sent in a remonstrance against it, but for some cause it did not reach its destination until the act had passed.
The failure of the opposers to prevent the change, filled the Bowers family with joy. For having succeeded in having the act passed, they took it for granted that it could not be easily changed, and if so, the opposing parties could not gather power to do so.
The opposing were not idle. All through the proceeding summer, they formed their fu- ture plans secretly, and when the next winter cane, they sent in a petition to the Legislature,
70
71
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
that on the 15th of April, 1825, that honor- able body, changed the name to Conesus, after the beautiful lake on its western border.
THE FIRST TOWN MEETING.
The first town meeting ever held in the town of Conesus-according to the record kept in the "old town book," though disputed by some of the early settlers,-was in the spring of 1819. This proved to be illegal, for in the winter of that year, the legislature passed an act to take a part of Groveland and part of Livonia and form a new township, to be known as Freeport. In this act, there was a special clause that there should be no town meeting or election of officers until the next year.
In some way the news reached the town a few days after the act had passed that the two sections should be formed into a township. The inhabitants at once called a town meeting to be held at the head of Conesus lake, for the election of their town officers.
In assembling they found great difficulty in finding a man suitable for the office of Su- pervisor. They did not consider every man's qualification, suitable for that position. Yet, how were they to find out the person who pos- sessed these qualifications. After consulting among themselves for a long time, they at length selected Tommy Collar, to fill that im- portant position. Yet how were they to judge his qualifications. This was soon settled, by considering " a man who kept up as good fences as Mr. Collar did, was the right man for Su- pervisor." Under this evidences they elected him,-although Mr. Collar was not present at the time. They also elected Samuel Chapin Jr. as town clerk. This town meeting was held at the residence of Enoch Squibb.
After the meeting had passed by, Esq. Blake of the town of Livonia came here and informed
them they had been too fast and their proceed- ings were illegal. So by the town book, the first legal town meeting took place the 4th day of April, 1820, and the following officers were chosen :
For Supervisor, Devenport Alger.
For Town Clerk, Samuel Chapin,
For Assessors, Jessie McMillin.
Alexander Patterson.
Zenas Whiting.
For Overseer of the Poor, Hector Mckay. Alexander Patterson.
For Commissioners of Highways, Thomas Collar. Jessie McMillin. Joel Gilbert.
For Collector, Peter Stiles.
For Constable,
Peter Stiles. Reuben D. Jones.
For Commissioners of Schools, Jessie McMillin.
Joel Gilbert.
Erastus Wilcox.
For Inspectors of Schools, Andrew Arnold.
Samuel Chapin, Jr. Elias Clark.
The following Path-masters was also elected at the same Meeting:
District No. 1. Samuel Wisner.
2. Benjamin Whitney.
3. Benjamin Griswold.
4. John Culver.
5. Orin Remington.
72
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
66
6. Matthew McNinch.
" 7. Ephraim Wilcox.
8. Amos Root.
9. Levi Simons.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.