USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 18
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In 1809 Enos Broughton came and opened a tavern in the Stedman
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house, from which Mr. Porter had removed to his new dwelling. Wil- liam Chapman and David Lindsay, rope makers; James Armington, carpenter ; William Van Norman, blacksmith ; and Ebenezer Brundage, sawyer, settled at the falls and began each his respective occupation. In 1808 James Field settled in the town, renting a farm of Judge Por- ter, and a little later purchased land between Schlosser and Cayuga Creek and moved upon it in 1810. He kept a well known tavern until his death in 1823, which was afterwards conducted by his widow. In the early days Field's tavern was a favorite meeting place for the pioneers and several of the town meetings were held there. Mr. Field held several offices, was a respected citizen and left four sons, two of whom were Spencer Field and Eldad Field, both long respected in the town.
In 1810 James Cowing, a shoemaker; Ezekiel Hill, an early school teacher ; Ralph Coffin, bookkeeper for Judge Porter; Joshua Fish, a carpenter; Oliver Udall, farmer, and Parkhurst Whitney became resi- dents. The latter purchased lot 53 of the Mile Strip and subsequently became one of the conspicuous figures of the town.
Among the early permanent settlers in this town, remote from the river, were John Young, who came from Pennsylvania in 1810, with his wife and five sons, two of whom were married, and two daughters. Their conveyance was a heavy wagon drawn by five horses, and their journey was full of interest. They settled on lot 17 in the Mile Strip a little east of the mouth of Gill Creek. In 1811 Samuel Young, one of the married sons, purchased land afterwards owned by his son Jonas, and Christian Young, the other married son, purchased land adjoining. They were driven away by the war of 1812, but returned after peace was declared.
John Witmer and his family came into the town in 1810, from Penn- sylvania. After arriving at Black Rock they proceeded down the river to Devil's Hole, from where Isaac Swain had chopped out a road to his clearing where the Military road crosses Gill Creek. Swain had partially cleared thirty or forty acres of land and built a good log house. This farm Mr. Witmer purchased and became one of the sub- stantial citizens of the town. In 1817 he built a saw mill on Gill Creek, in which lumber was sawed for many years. In early times it
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supplied most of the lumber for building the dwellings in that part of the town. He had nine children, all born in Pennsylvania, seven of whom were sons. Mr. Witmer died in 1842. His brother Abram came in one year later than John, bringing his wife and three sons ; five other children were born in Niagara county. One of the sons was Christian H. Witmer, who was prominently connected with the milling business at the falls and Suspension Bridge. He was acciden- tally drowned September 17, 1858.
The reader has already learned of the events that took place in this town and all along the frontier during the war of 1812. During that struggle immigration ceased, and most of those who had begun making their homes left for the interior upon the declaration of war in 1812; but most of these returned and remained until December, 1813, when the British laid waste the whole frontier, destroying improvements and leaving many, who escaped with their lives, in destitution. Nothing was left at the falls except two or three small dwellings and a log tavern. With the close of the war settlement again began and pro- gressed rapidly. In 1815 came among others, James Ballard, a cloth dresser, who settled on the river road. Samuel Tompkins, a Canadian volunteer, who had been banished from Canada and his property con- fiscated for his participation in the war against England, came across in 1815 and purchased lot 52 on the Mile Strip of Parkhurst Whitney. Philip Tufford came that year and settled near the Lockport road. " There were then a score or more of dwellers in what is now the town of Niagara and half of those were at the Falls. This was then the only trading point nearer than Black Rock and Lewiston, and here the only store was that of Judge De Veaux, then recently opened at the Falls ; he was also postmaster. There were three pioneer taverns- General Whitney's at the Falls ; one at Clarksville kept by Gad Pierce, aud James Field's, before mentioned. The only school was at the Falls and that was open only in the winter up to 1818. There was no physi- cian prior to 1820 nearer than Lewiston. Most of these settlers de- rived a large part of their business from the carrying of freight across the portage.
The so-called "cold summer " of 1816 and the great scarcity of pro- visions and money which continued about two years now came on with
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terrors for the pioneers little less afflicting than those of the war. All kinds of food products were extremely scarce and correspondingly high in price. Samuel Tompkins went to Canada in the spring of 1818 and paid $36 per barrel for pork ; $22 a barrel for flour. But better times soon dawned, settlers came in large numbers and by 1825 con- ditions were greatly improved.
In the year 1816 Eli Bruce settled on the Lockport road, and taught some of the early schools. Rev. David Smith came that year and preached alternately at Lewiston and the Falls. Ferris Angevine came in 1818 and purchased land on the Tonawanda road a little above the mouth of Cayuga Creek; later he bought on the Military road, built a log house and there began housekeeping in 1826, Epaphroditus Em- mons, one of the early justices, town clerk and tavern keeper, settled at Fort Schlosser about 1819, and built a temporary two-story structure around the old chimney which had stood at the end of the wing of the Stedman house; there he kept tavern a few years. About the same time Isaac Smith settled on the Portage road ; Aden Gay and Nathaniel Bowles, both blacksmiths, located at Schlosser ; and in 1820 Thomas W. Fanning, tavern keeper, James Pierce, miller, and Arah Osborn, carpen- ter, came in ; also William Bradner, cloth dresser, and Dr. Ambrose Thomas, the first resident physician. Peter Cowan and Andrew Huff - came in 1821. Stephen Childs settled near the whirlpool rapids in - 1822, and Aaron Childs, who was not related to Stephen, settled on the site of Suspension Bridge village. Theodore Whitney, nephew of Park- hurst Whitney, came from Ontario county in 1823, built a cabin and returned for his bride; they boarded with Samuel Young until his dwelling was finished.
Some of the more prominent settlers in the town between 1825 and 1850 were Henry H. Hill, on the Military road ; James Ward and Peter D. Bachman, on the River road; Daniel Remington, Charles Goff, George Shipman, all in 1825. In 1826 Rev. Horatio A. Parsons set- tled on the River road between the Falls and Cayuga Creek ; he was at one period pastor of a Presbyterian church at the Falls, devoted much time to the study of scientific farming and wrote for many agricultural papers. Martin Voght, who was father of a large family, came to the town in 1828; his son, Jacob J., was long a well known citizen. Joseph
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Graves settled within the limits of the present city at the Falls in 1833 ; he was father of Lyman C. Graves. Henry Ortt, a mason, came also in 1833 ; William Garrett in 1835, Daniel Dietrick in 1838. The names of other prominent citizens will appear further on.
In 1816 Augustus Porter purchased Goat Island of the State and built the first bridge connecting it with the shore. This bridge was partially carried away in the first winter. In 1818 another bridge was built on the site of the present one, which withstood the water and ice and was in use until 1856, when it was displaced by an iron bridge.
Among the early improvements in the little village at the falls was the starting of a cloth-dressing and wool carding factory by James Ballard in 1816, which was soon afterward enlarged by D. & S. Chapman and woolen cloths were made. In 1819-20 Parkhurst Whitney built a large addition to his tavern, giving it the name of the Eagle Tavern ; it was long a popular hostelry. In 1821 a forge, rolling mill and nail fac- tory were erected and operated by Bolls & Gay. In 1822 Augustus Porter built a large flouring mill, which subsequently passed to the Witmers. In 1823 a paper mill was built by Jesse Symonds near Goat Island bridge. In 1828 the upper race was extended and Ira Cook, William G, Tuttle, Chapin & Swallow, and others established works of different kinds upon it. In 1826 a large paper mill was built on Bath Island by Porter & Clark, which was afterwards purchased and enlarged by L. C. Woodruff.
Samuel De Veaux was long the leading merchant of the place. He was descended from the persecuted Huguenots who fled to this country. In 1803 he entered the land office of Phelps & Gorham at Canandaigua, and in 1807 was appointed commissary at Fort Niagara. Opening the first store at the Falls and investing in real estate, he became compara- tively wealthy. It was through his benevolence that De Veaux College was founded, as elsewhere described. Other early merchants were Christopher H. Smith, Charles Parsons, and others.
Between 1820 and 1840 the following men, in addition to those al- ready mentioned, located at the Falls and engaged in business of some nature and aided in laying the foundations of its later prosperity ; Enos Clark, a mason ; John Bradner, a shoemaker; Ansel B. Jacobs, one of the early gate keepers at Goat Island bridge ; Ziba Gay, blacksmith ;
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Solomon L. Ware, tanner; B. H. White, tailor, all in 1822. Henry W. Clark, Charles Clark and Jesse Symonds, paper makers, in 1823. Rich- ard Ayer, farmer ; Timothy Shaw, cloth-dresser, in 1824. In 1824 also Ira Cook, William G. Tuttle, cabinet maker and blacksmith re- spectively, and Thomas Chapin and A. M. Swallow, blacksmiths. John McDonald, cloth-dresser, came in 1830, with another physician in the person of Dr. Edwin Cook. Theodore S. Whitney came in 1831 ; Oramel and Lucien Johnson in 1834; Theodore G. Hulett, a black- smith, came at about this time and worked at his trade for a time. In 1847 he was engaged as superintendent of the first suspension bridge, and in later years he superintended the construction of several impor- tant bridges in the eastern part of the State. He was elected justice of the peace of this town in 1849, and continued in public office thirty years. He is still living.
Dexter R. Jerauld came to the village in 1835, well known as one of the proprietors of the Cataract Hotel. In 1836 came Samuel D. Ham- lin, Seth L. Burdick, William Griffith, F. C. Ford, James Davy, all of whom became identified with the business interests of the place. George Holland, George E. Hamlin, Joel R. Robinson and Andrew Murray became residents in 1837 ; and in 1838 W. E. Hulett and A. W. Allen. In 1840 came G. W. Holley, the well known author of a work on Ni- agara ; Michael Walsh, Charles Wilcox and John Doty.
Between 1840 and 1855 the village increased its population con- siderably ; among those who were connected with its business interests and who arrived in that period were Daniel J. Townsend, who came from Buffalo and established a screw factory ; James F. Trott, one of the firm of Whitney, Jerauld & Co .; Morris L. Fox, a groceryman ; Dr. Gennett Conger ; John Geagan, blacksmith ; William Sturdy, harness- maker; A. K. Fassett, hardware dealer; Alva Cluck, long proprietor of the Spencer House ; Worthy Curtis, Dayton G. Canfield, Osborn Canfield, John D. Hamlin, William F. Evans, Charles H. Piper, Thomas Tugby, still in business, and William Pool, the veteran pub- lisher.
Gen. Peter B. Porter, whose name has been made prominent in the account of the war of 1812, died at Niagara Falls in 1844. He had been a resident of the place only a few years, coming hither from Black
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Rock, where he had been a conspicuous personage since 1810. He was a younger brother of Augustus Porter, was a lawyer by profes- sion ; was clerk of Outario county in 1797, and was elected to the Legislature in 1802. In 1810 and again in 1814 he was elected to Congress and in 1815 was secretary of state for New York, and secre- tary of war in 1828. In the war he rose to the office of major-general.
Col. Peter A. Porter was a son of General Porter and was born at Black Rock in 1827. He received a university education both in this country and in Europe, was elected to the Assembly in 1861, and at the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion threw himself actively into the work of raising troops for the army. His career as com- mander of the 8th Heavy Artillery, which he raised in 1862, was honorable in the highest degree, and he fell at the head of his forces at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864. He left two sons, Peter A. Porter, jr., and George M. Porter.
Many other families of the city and town are properly noticed in Part III of this volume.
The first town meeting of this town was held at the tavern of James Field, April 7, 1812. The officers then elected were as follows :
Silas Hopkins, supervisor; Ezekiel Hill, town clerk; James Field, Ebenezer Hovey and William Scott, assessors; Parkhurst Whitney, Joshua Pettit and Augus- tus Porter, commissioners of highways; John Sims, constable and collector; Gad Pierce and John W. Stoughton, poormasters; Amos Park, Warren Saddler, John Patterson, Abner Hull, John Witmer, William Scott and Abram Witmer, path- masters.
The usual ordinances and regulations were voted for the simple gov- ernment of the town. The supervisor was authorized to build a pound near Schlosser, and it was finally determined that the yard of Joseph Hadley, or such enclosure as he might erect, should be considered a legal pound. The height of fences was fixed ; a bounty of five dol- lars was ordered for wolves killed in the town ; the sum of $250 was voted for the improvement of highways, and $25 for the support of the poor.
The town meeting of 1814 was held at the house of George Burger, and a sum of money, the amount not recorded, was voted for the establishment of common schools; but in the year 1816 the school fund was fixed at $20. In that year also an additional pound was
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ordered ; those institutions were very necessary in early years, when fences were few and domestic animals mostly ran at large.
In April, 1827, at the annual town meeting the supervisor and town clerk were directed to procure a map of the town, and to prepare and circulate a petition for the division of the town. This action resulted in the setting off of Pendleton, the old town to pay two-thirds of all obligations and the new town the remainder. Similar action was taken in May, 1836, when the town of Wheatfield was erected from Niagara.
The time at length arrived when it seemed desirable that Niagara Falls should be incorporated as a village. This was accomplished in 1847, and the first village officers elected were as follows : President, Parkhurst Whitney ; clerk, Charles H. Smith; trustees, Parkhurst Whitney, Augustus S. Porter, H. W. Clark, W. E. Hulett, G. Conger. The usual ordinances were adopted and subsequently were changed from time to time, as the growing needs of the place demanded. The population of the village in 1855 was almost 3,000, and the incresse of the next five years was 500. The number actually decreased during the period of the war.
During a considerable part of the period from the village incorpora- tion to 1890 the growth of the place in population was not rapid. It was not sought as a place of residence to the extent that its natural advan- tages warranted; and while business and manufacturing increased to a considerable extent, the energies of very many of the inhabitants were devoted largely to making money through the large annual influx of visitors from all parts of the world to see the great cataract But the time was at hand when all this was to be changed.
The great numbers of transient visitors to the falls led in early years to the erection of numerous hotels, and the place ultimately became the site of more public houses than any other village of its size in the coun- try, if not in the world. Many of these hotels were built to accommo- date an immense number of guests and were conducted on a magnifi- cent scale.
John Fairchilds was the pioneer landlord at Niagara Falls. His house was of logs, two stories in height and had a small frame addition, when it was purchased by Gen. Parkhurst Whitney in 1815. General Whit-
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ney settled at the Falls in 1810, and in 1814 opened a small tavern in a house belonging to Judge Porter ; in the following year he bought the Fairchilds house, which stood on the site of the later Eagle Hotel. General Whitney enlarged and improved the house at intervals, until 1831, when he purchased the Cataract House, which he occupied in 1835 ; in that year he added to it to the extent of 40 by 56 feet, four stories high; in 1842 he made another similar addition, and in 1845 another 42 by 133 feet, five stories high. Other minor additions were also made. This house is now conducted by Peter A. Porter.
The old Spencer House was a popular and widely known hostelry for many years ; it stood on the site of the present Gluck block, a location that had been occupied for hotel purposes a great many years. The Empire, the Clarendon, and the American all stood there, the latter having been burned January 25, 1863, was rebuilt and again burned. The Spencer House was opened in 1867 and was burned with a loss of over $100,000 March 16, 1892.
The great International Hotel was built in 1853 by B. F. Childs. It was enlarged by J. T. Bush, and later by the International Hotel Com- pany, and for many years has been recognized as one of the finest pub- lic houses in the State. It is now under the management of Samuel A. Greenwood, who acts in that capacity for the International Hotel Com- pany.
Other prominent hotels of the city are the Prospect House, D. Isaacs, proprietor ; the Hotel Imperial, C. N. Owen, proprietor ; the Columbia, C. R. Phelps, proprietor ; and many others of less importance.
The early mails of Niagara Falls were carried over the road from Buffalo to Lewiston. Augustus Porter was the first postmaster and Samuel De Veaux the next. The village was an early and important stage headquarters and Samuel D. Hamlin was long conspicuous in the business. He settled in the village in 1836, at the beginning of the era of speculation and inflation which soon brought disaster to many. It was at that time that Benjamin Rathbun began his operations in real estate here, in which he soon failed, inflicting ruin and a general cessa- tion of progress on the village. The coming of the railroads, which has been described, changed the whole aspect of travel and mail-carrying.
The first newspaper published in the village was the Niagara Falls
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Journal, which was issued in 1837 by Francis & Ward. lt lived only a few months. The publication of the Niagara Chronicle was begun by J. Simpson in 1838. Next came the Iris, which was published from 1846 to 1854 by George H. Hackstaff. In 1855 the Niagara Times was started by W. E. Tunis, who continued it until October, 1857. These papers have all passed out of existence.
On the 18th of May, 1854, William Pool and Benjamin F. Sleeper, under the firm name of Pool & Sleeper, started the Niagara Falls Ga- zette, which is still in existence. A daily was issued in connection with the weekly during a part of 1859-60. In 1864 Mr. Pool became sole proprietor, and continued at the head of the establishment until January, 1881, when he sold out to Peter A. Porter, who also published it semi-weekly and daily. He disposed of the establishment in 1895 to the Gazette Publishing Company, which discontinued the weekly and semi-weekly and published only the daily. Sherman Morse and Ernest H. Wands are the managers.
Sherman Morse, business manager of the Gazette Publishing Com- pany, of Niagara Falls, is a son of Elihu M. and Sarah (Sherman) Morse; and was born January 15, 1870, in Canandaigua, N. Y., where he attended the Fort Hill school. He was graduated from Yale Univer- sity in 1891, and afterward was successively connected with the staffs of the Buffalo Courier, Express, and Evening News, on the latter being first telegraph editor and later city editor. On September 16, 1895, he came to Niagara Falls, and with others, under the style of the Gazette Publishing Company, purchased the Daily and Semi-Weekly Gazette of Peter A. Porter. Mr Morse has since been a director and the busi- ness manager of the company, the officers of which are Tracey C. Becker, president; John C. Morgan, vice-president; Richard F. Ran- ' kine, secretary ; and Ernest H. Wands, treasurer and editor. In July, 1896, the semi-weekly was discontinued. The Daily Gazette is one of the best and brightest dailies in the county, and has been brought to a successful condition through the able management of its active officers. Mr. Morse was married November 28, 1894, to Katharine Douglas Lansing, daughter of Edward S. Lansing, of Burlington, N. J.
The Niagara Courier was started by Hon. William Pool on January I, 1884, and has always been recognized as one of the best weekly
JOHN W. CUTLER.
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newspapers in the county. Mr. Pool still continues as its editor and publisher.
The Daily Cataract was started soon after the incorporation of the city of Niagara Falls in 1892 by O. W. Cutler. It is now published by the Cataract Publishing Company, of which John W. Cutler is man - ager.
The Press was issued for several years, with more or less regularity, until recently, by B. H. Randolph.
In the Mist is published daily during the summer season by W. E. Tuttle.
CITY INCORPORATION .- The city of Niagara Falls has had only a comparatively brief existence. The subject of city incorporation re- ceived the customary agitation and discussion long before the measure was accomplished. Considerable opposition developed, the larger part of which was among the older and more conservative citizens; but this was directed not so much against the act itself, as in favor of postpone- ment a year or two. The matter finally crystallized in the action of a committee from the Business Men's Association, which body appeared before the regular meeting of the village trustees on February 24, 1892, and requested that a public meeting be called to consider the matter. The request was granted and the meeting called for March 4. It was numerously attended and Eugene Cary explained the im - portant features of the proposed city charter and the advantages that would probably follow its adoption. Thomas V. Welch addressed the meeting as a representative of the committee who had prepared the charter. At the close of these proceedings a vote was taken upon the adoption of the city charter and there was no dissent. A similar meet- ing was held on the following day at Suspension Bridge, with a result favorable to uniting with the larger village in founding the city of Ni- agara Falls. One of the provisions of the new charter was in effect, that the village officers then in power should hold their several positions until after the first city election, when both boards would meet in joint convention and the new government take the place of the old. The city election was held on April 19, and the change was effected on the 25th. The date of the incorporating act is March 17.
One provision of the act divided the new city into four wards. The
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law was amended May 4, 1893, and again on March 21, 1894, and in 1897. From the amended act the following are given as the boundaries of each of the wards :
First Ward .- The first ward shall include all that part of said city lying within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the point of intersection of the cen- ter line of the Niagara river by the center line of Niagara street in the present village of Niagara Falls, produced westerly; running thence easterly along said produced center line of Niagara street to the center line of the Portage road (so called); thence southeasterly along said center line of said Portage road to the center line of the plank roak (so called); thence easterly along said center line of said plank road to the center line of the Packard road (so called); thence northerly along said center line of said Packard road to its intersection with the easterly boundary line of said city ; thence southerly along said easterly boundary line of said city to its intersection with the center line of the Niagara river; thence down stream following the center line or thread of said Niagara river to the place of beginning.
Second Ward .- The second ward shall include all that part of said city lying . within the following boundaries, namely: Beginning at the point of intersection of the center line of the Niagara river by the center line of said Niagara street produced westerly; running thence easterly along said produced center line of Niagara street, and said center line of Niagara street to the center line of said Portage road; thence southeasterly along said line of said Portage road to the center line of said plank road; thence easterly along said center line of said plank road to the center line of the Packard road (so called); thence northeasterly along said center line of said Packard road to its intersection with the easterly boundary line of said city; thence northerly along said easterly boundary line to its point of intersection with the center line of La Salle street produced easterly to said boundary line, as said La Salle street is shown on a map made for Harry M. Clark by W. C. Johnson, and filed in Niagara county clerk's office; thence westerly along said produced center line of La Salle street and said center line of La Salle street and said center line produced westerly, to its point of intersection with the center line of the Portage road; thence south- easterly along said center line of the Portage road to its point of intersection with the center line of Elm street in the present village of Niagara Falls, produced east- erly; thence westerly along said produced center line of Elm street, said center line of Elm street and said center line produced westerly to its point of intersection with the center line of the Niagara river; thence up stream following the center line or thread of said Niagara river to the place of beginning.
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