Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 26

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 820

USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 26

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).

259

Other prominent settlers in the town between 1820 and 1840 were Stephen Eaton, who came about 1820 and settled where his son subse- quently lived ; Charles Quade, who was the first settler on lot 51, and in 1830 built a tavern at what was then called Quade's Corners, and afterwards Ransomville ; Jonathan Moss, who came from Vermont in 1823 and took up 186 acres at Moss's Corners, a mile and a half west of Ransomville ; David Force, who settled on lot 25, in 1825; Horace Munson Durand, who arrived about 1823; the Jeffords family, who came in 1826, and purchased of Richard Cuddaback the farm occupied in later years by James Warren ; Jehial S. C. Ransom, after whom Ran- somville was named, who came from Ulster county on foot about 1826; he was the first postmaster at Ransomville; L. C. Beals, William Kyte, and John Hutchinson, who came in 1829; J. B. Clark, father of P. C. Clark, came in 1830; Charles G. Willie, who settled on lot 1I in 1831 ; Lyman Whittaker and Erastus Downer, both of whom settled in town in 1831 ; David Johnson, William C. McCormick, John Robertson, and David Johnson, all of whom came in 1832; Chester Balcom, John Powley, and William and John Whitfield, who settled in 1834; James Warren and Henry Balmer, who came in 1836. Many other families are represented in Part III of this work.

Among the prominent residents of the town are S. Park Baker, Peter S. Tower, Daniel Bradley, Samuel Brookins, E. S. Carter, John and Joseph Clapsaddle, Robert and William Clapsaddle, James M. Foster, Francis Kyte, Henry Lutz, Madison McCollum, Richard McCracken, George L. Moot, George Parker, H. B. Timothy, George P. Tower, H. B. Tower, John E. Reardon, William Smithson, Christopher Quade, George C. McCormick, N. D. Haskell, Nicholas and Frank Hoffman, Edward Calvert, Almeron Barker, Smith Bradley, Leander Dutton, A. J. Eaton, Charles R. Ayer.

A tannery was in existence in this town before the war on lot 9 of the Mile Reserve, and was owned by Burton & Son. John Clapsaddle built a small grist mill in 1817, which was operated some years, when the water power failed and the town was without a mill until the building of the one at Youngstown in 1840. Mr. Clapsaddle also built a saw mill about the time of the erection of the grist mill ; it long ago went to decay.

260

The village of Youngstown is one of the oldest on the frontier, as the reader has learned in earlier pages of this work. At the establishment of the Niagara customs district in 1799, the port of entry was located at Fort Niagara and remained there until 1811 when it was removed to Lewiston. Only a very small settlement was gathered at Youngstown at the time of the devastation of the frontier by the British in 1813, and that was wholly destroyed. After the war the locality again assumed considerable importance and activity ; the cutting of the fine oak timber in this section gave employment to many of the early settlers, and the shipment of large quantities of the timber to England for use in shipbuild- ing was a source of a considerable commercial interest here for some years. Later on a good deal of wheat was shipped from here to Oswego, and other business interests came into existence which contributed to the growth of the place.

Robert Grensit kept the first tavern in this town on the site of Youngstown, and the house was conducted by his widow after his death. Colonel Hathaway, a prominent early resident, kept a tavern as as early as 1815 on the site of the present Ontario House ; a small gro- cery was connected with the house. Peter Tower, before mentioned, opened a small public house here about 1819-20. John Young, who came from Niagara, Ont., probably kept the first store, and the village received its name from him; he was identified prominently with the early public interests of the place. A school was opened in the village in 1806 by William Cogswell, and the first school house was built about 1823. The village was a small and quiet hamlet until towards 1825, after which the business interests were extended more rapidly. The following decription of the place in 1823 is taken from another work;

The woods grew down to the rear of the lots on Main street, aud between this place and Lewiston the road passed through the forest that extended to the east- ward and to the edge of the river on the west. There were not more than a dozen frame houses within the limits of the present corporation, There was only one store, which from the color of the building in which it was kept, was called the "red store." It was conducted by two young men named Chittenden and Woodruff, but John Young furnished the merchandise, and the business was carried on in his interest. Of taverns there seems to have been more than the business of that time demanded, there being no less than three. The first was located at the north end of Main street and was kept by Phillips & Williams; the second about midway of

the street, was that of Col. Elijah Hathaway, and the third, which stood at the end of the street, was conducted by Robert Campbell. The accommodations were good for that day. There was one wagon shop and one blacksmith shop, the first being the property of two men named Squires & De Wolf, and the second that of Nathaniel Brown. Judge A. G. Hinman was the postmaster, the post-office being in his house, near the center of the settlement. Mail arrived daily by stage from Lewiston and points east and south.

The foregoing gives a clear picture of Youngstown in its early busi- ness existence, and is sufficient evidence that as late as 1820 the village was not one of great importance or bright prospects. Gordon Davis came from Connecticut in 1823 and soon afterward began 'business in the shoe and leather trade. David Burge came from New Hamp- shire to the village the same year and afterwards was a partner with Mr. Davis; they added other goods to their stock and for some years carried on a large trade. Mr. Davis retired from the firm in 1830 and Mr. Burge continued it.

Jason Davis, brother of Gordon, came to Youngstown in 1835, with his sons, Bradley D. and Nelson R. Davis. They had previously in 1830 spent one year in Lewiston, and returned to New Hampshire. Soon after their arrival in Youngstown the father and Bradley D. Davis opened a grocery under the firm name of J. Davis & Son. A general stock of goods was later added and for twenty years the firm did a large trade for the times; the firm was dissolved by the death of the senior member. Bradley D. Davis, and later the firm of B. D. Davis & Co. carried on the business.

Dr. John A. Hyde came to Youngstown in 1818, and for many years was the only physician there.

W. H. Doyle, who later became a member of the business firm of W. H. Doyle & Co., merchants, came to the village in 1835. Alfred Emer- son, at one period a member of the firm of Alfred Emerson & Co., settled early in the village, became a leading merchant and buyer of pro- duce. Alexander Barton, a painter, came to the village in 1823, worked at his trade for a time and afterwards opened a hotel, which was burned with other structures on the night of April 19-20, 1863, and was rebuilt by him. Ira Race settled in the place in 1826, followed farming until 1833, when he was chosen deputy sheriff and held the position three years; after that he held various local offices, and for

262

about forty seven years was a justice of the peace. He is still living (1897), with his wife, both being over ninety.

Judge A. G. Hinman was a conspicuous citizen of Youngstown for many years, was respected for his high character exhibited in his official life and his activity in promoting the early religious and educational in- stitutions of the town. George Swain was a son of Isaac Swain, the pioneer, and became a prominent citizen. He was born in the town in 1819, was a successful farmer and held various public offices; his brother William, born in 1821, also was prominent as a farmer and fruit grower.

The stone grist mill in the village was erected in 1840 by Heze- kiah H. Smith; it was burned on the night of February 22, 1851, but was soon afterward repaired and was operated by Jason and Nelson R. Davis, and still later by B. D. Davis. It is still standing, though used for other purposes.

In 1855 B. D. Davis & Co. erected their large brick block. The stone hotel (the Ontario House) was built in 1842 by Alexander Lane, near the site of the old Hathaway tavern; it subsequently became the property of Robert McKnight, and later of his heirs, and has been con- ducted under the name of the Ontario House by H. C. Root and oth- ers. It is now kept by Timothy J. Murphy. The El Dorado Hotel, of which Frank C. Steele is proprietor, was built about 1891.

A saw mill was built in Youngstown in 1866 by W. D. Clark. A foundry was established and long conducted by William Ripson & Co .; it is now conducted by Julius Ripson. D. & J. Onen manufactured barrels for a time. The present business interests of the village con- sists of Edward G. Hall, shoes, etc .; Charles L. Taylor, drugs ; John A. Haskell, George M. Carter, and L. C. Beals, groceries; William A. Hutchinson, general store; F. C. Thompson, dry goods; and W. R. Robinson, hardware.

The Youngstown News was started March 4, 1881, by Nelson D. Haskell, who on January I, 1889, was succeeded by G. Oliver Frick, the present editor and publisher. It is an eight-page weekly.

G. Oliver Frick, editor and proprietor of the Youngstown News, is the son of Joseph A. and Clara Elizabeth P. Frick, and was born in Pittsburg, Pa., January 26, 1872. He came to Wolcottsville, Niagara county, in 1880, and in 1884 removed to Youngstown, where he finish -

263

ed his education, which was supplemented by attendance at the public schools of Buffalo. When thirteen he began learning the printer's trade on the Youngstown News, then owned by Nelson D. Haskell, and he also spent one year in Buffalo in the book department of Matthews, Northrup & Co. On January 1, 1889, he purchased the Youngstown News, of which he has since been the editor and proprietor, and which he has placed in the front rank of Niagara county weekly newspapers. He was married in September, 1893, to Sarah W., daughter of Aaron Winchester, of Youngstown.

The village of Youngstown was incorporated April 18, 1854, upon the presentation of a petition to the Legislature prepared by the follow- ing persons: Ira Race, A. G. Skinner, W. H. Doyle and L. P. Babcock. The boundaries of the village were made to include Jots I and 2 and parts of lots 3 and 4 of the Mile Reserve. The first village election was held on the 4th of October, 1854, and the following officers chosen : President, George Swain; trustees, George Swain, Samuel Fosdick, Nelson R. Davis, Lewis C. Beals, and Alfred Emerson ; clerk, S. Olney; assessor, David Burge; collector, Paul Durfee; treasurer George C. Hotchkiss ; poundmaster, John Hart.

The present (1897) village officers are Frank C. Steele, president ; Charles Ripson, August Turner, and Patrick Fitzpatrick, trustees ; John W. Thompson, clerk.

The settlement on the site of Ransomville was of little importance until after the location there of Jehial C. S. Ransom in 1826, and the estab- lishment of the post-office. He opened a store and established a good business. Other pioneers here were Lambert Hall and Leverett Bris- tol

In 1839 William H. H. Ransom, a nephew of the pioneer, settled in the village and worked at his trade of carpenter until 1843, when he bought out his uncle's store, and was the leading merchant until his death ; his son, Elton T. Ransom, was associated with him under the firm name of W. H. H. Ransom & Son, which is still retained.

The Curtiss Brothers, before mentioned, have long been prom- inently identified with the business interests of the village. Besides conducting the hotel, the Ransomville House, they, in 1877, built the Excelsior elevator and grain storehouse with a capacity of 25,- 000 bushels, and are engaged largely in the handling of grain and fruit.

264

W. H. H. Ransom & Son built a large brick store in 1872, and in 1877 erected a brick storehouse on a side track to the R., W. & O. Railroad, which runs through the village. They carry on an extensive grain, produce and general mercantile business.

Fowler & Harwick built a brick store building, which passed to possession of James Bullock, who carried on mercantile business there. Other old merchants were C. A. Barnes, Clark Ransom, A. U. Gatchell, S. D. McCracken and George I. Eaman. The present merchants are W. H. H. Ransom & Son, William T. Gentle, Corwin & Hubbell, F. D. McCormick, A. J. Barry, Dwight Sanger and A B. Thompson & Sons.

David Bagley also has a cider and vinegar works. The Ransom- ville Basket Manufacturing Company was started in 1894 and gives em- ployment to a number of hands S. H. Morris is president and W. T. Gentle secretary and treasurer.

East Porter, Tryonville and Porter Center are hamlets in this town, the latter having a general store kept by C. C. Clapsaddle.

Fort Niagara is situated at the mouth and on the east bank of the Niagara River, and its historic periods are recorded in Peter A. Porter's book as follows :

Recognizing the title to the spot where Fort Niagara stands as vested in the Sen- ecas after their conquest of the Neuters in 1651, we may divide its history into the following periods: Indian ownership, 1651-1669; Indian ownership, French in- fluence predominating, 1669-1725; Indian ownership. French occupation, 1725-1759; Indian ownership, English occupation, 1759-1764; English ownership and occupa- tion, 1759-1783; American ownership, English occupation, the hold-over period, 1783-1796; American ownership and occupation (excepting December 19, 1813, to March 27, 1815), 1796-1896.

The history of the fort has been noticed in detail in earlier pages of this volume. It has been garrisoned, with the exception of a brief in- terim, since March 27, 1815, and the last defensive work of conse- quence-the brick facing of the bastions, facing east, dates from 1861. It is now the regimental headquarters of the 13th U. S. Infantry, Col. Alfred T. Smith commanding.

The village of Youngstown and vicinity in late years has attracted a number of summer residents, whose pretty homes have added much to the beauty of the place. In 1896 an electric railroad, known as the

265

" Old Fort Route," was built by the Lewiston and Youngstown Fron - tier Railway Company, of which Laurence D. Rumsey is president ; Henry C. Howard, vice president; Karl Evans, secretary ; George R. Teller, treasurer ; and Robert B. Goodman, superintendent. The main line, opened August II, 1896, is eight miles long ; a branch extends to Rumsey Park and Beach on Lake Ontario.

The first school in this town has been mentioned. The town was early divided into districts and school houses gradually built, to accom- modate the growing population. The first school house in Youngstown was built about 1823, and was subsequently moved away and a stone structure erected in its place. The first school house was used for re- ligious meetings until churches were built. For the last fifty years the number of districts has been eleven, and there is now a comfortable school house in each. The town with six others of the county consti- tutes the second commissioner's district. A graded school building was erected of brick in Youngstown about two years ago.

The first religious services in the town were held in very early years at the fort, but there was little attempt to hold regular meetings else- where until 1823. Methodist itinerants came into the town with more or less regularity and held meetings. In 1823 a preacher named Everett visited Youngstown and finding a few persons who were in- clined to co operate in the formation of a church, he appointed a meet- ing at the house of Judge A. G. Hinman for that purpose. The society was organized in the Presbyterian faith in 1823, with the following members : Mr. and Mrs. Bartol, Mr. Kelly, Mrs. Lutts. Mrs. Mc- Cormick, Mrs. Rebecca Hathaway and her daughter Pauline, and Judge Hinman. A church was built in 1836 under direction of Hezekiah H. Smith, John A. Hyde, Gordon Davis and David Burge. The building was enlarged in 1844 to accommodate the increasing membership. In 1896-97 this was replaced by the present structure.

The Baptist church at Ransomville was organized in March, 1834, with thirty seven members. The first pastor was Rev. Samuel J. Olney. The first church was built in 1840, of wood ; it was remodeled in 1870.

A Methodist church was organized at Porter Center, a hamlet in the

266

central part of the town, in March, 1838, with forty members. A church edifice was built in 1851. The first pastor was Rev. William Buck.

Another Methodist church was organized at East Porter, the class of which was formed in 1821; but the church (Fillmore chapel) was not built until 1852. The original members numbered fourteen. This society was in the Porter Center charge.

The Methodist church of Youngstown was regularly organized in June, 1852, with twenty members; meetings were held in the school house until 1854, when the church edifice, begun in the previous year, was finished. Through the prevailing division in this denomina- tion, which took place in 1869, this church was sold at auction, and was purchased by John Carter for the purpose of having services con- tinued. Regular meetings were held until 1869 after which no stated services were held. In July, 1872, regular meetings were renewed and in that year the conference united the Youngstown and Porter Center churches in one charge; they were again separated in 1876, in which year Mr. Carter deeded back the church building to the society under a favorable arrangement. It was re opened in May, 1877, and has since continued active.

St. John's Episcopal church at Youngstown is noticed in the chapter devoted to Lockport.

St: Bernard's Roman Catholic parish was organized in Youngstown about 1830, when a chapel was instituted, and services were conducted by priests from Suspension Bridge or Lewiston.

The Free Methodist church of Ransomville was built about 1880. The Wesleyan Methodists also have a church there.

267

CHAPTER XVI.

THE TOWN OF ROYALTON.

There were two towns set off from Hartland after its erection in 1812; these were Royalton in 1817, and Somerset in 1823. Royalton was erected on April 5, 1817, and was a little reduced in its area by setting off a portion to Lockport in 1824; it now contains 38,820 acres. It is the southeastern town of the county, and the most populous, excepting Lockport and Niagara, which include the two cities. The population as given by the census of 1892 was 4,768. There are at the present time seven post-offices in the town, as follows: Dysinger, Gasport, Middleport, McNalls (Corners), Orangeport, Royalton (Center), and Wolcottsville. The surface of the town is generally level or undulating, except the northern part, where the mountain ridge crosses it. The soil is principally a clayey loam and very productive in most parts. Tonawanda Creek forms the southern boundary, and Eighteen-mile and Johnson's Creeks, flowing northwardly, and Mud Creek, flowing south- west, have their sources in this town.

The first town meeting was held on the first Tuesday in April (the 7th), 1818, at the house of Almond H. Millard, a justice of the peace, who presided. The first officers, elected on that day, were :

Almond H. Millard, supervisor; William Smith, town clerk; Warren Rosenkrans, Henry Elsworth, and Asher Freeman, assessors; James Lyman and Nathan Com- stock, overseers of the poor; Allen Williams, Robert H. Henderson, and Benjamin H. Packard, commissioners of common schools; William Smith, Nathan Comstock, and Noah Brooks, commissioners of highways; Solomon Richardson and Samuel White, constables and collectors; Almond H. Millard, Burroughs Holmes, Nathan Comstock, Joel Amsden, and William Green, inspectors; and fifteen fenceviewers and overseers of highways; 1, Phalarius Russell; 2, James Williams, jr .; 3, Demas Hart; 4, Ezra Harwood ; 5, Cyrus Tripp; 6, James Webb; 7, Solomon Mead; 8, Wil- liam Letts; 9, Nathan Comstock; 10, Samuel White; 11, John Griswold; 12, Paul Sawyer; 13, David C. Culver; 14, Barney Allen; 18, Reuben Hayes.

The supervisors of the town have been :

268

1818-20, Almond H. Millard; 1821, Nathan Comstock; 1822-23, Daniel Washburn ; 1824-27, John Garnsey; 1828-30, Asher Freeman; 1831, D. S. Fenn; 1832, Asher Freeman; 1833, Ethan Fenn; 1834-37, James Baldwin; 1838-40, David Hurd; 1841, John McNall; 1842, David Hurd; 1843, Peter P. Murphy; 1844-45, Samuel Z. Ross; 1846, Grandus Davenport; 1847, William S. Fenn; 1848-49, Alfred Colwell; 1850, Samuel Z. Ross; 1851-52, Alonzo W. Newcomb; 1853, John Thorn; 1854-55, Oliver R. Brown; 1856-59, Alonzo W. Newcomb; 1860, Alfred Colwell; 1861-62, Rufus W. Briggs; 1862-65, Robert F. Pierson; 1866-67, Orrin L. Hudnut; 1868, Chauncey Shel- don; 1869-70, Marcus Mabee; 1871-72, Elijah H. Woodworth; 1873-74, Orrin L. Hudnut; 1875-76, John P. Brown; 1877-79, Francis Hunter; 1880-81, Ruthven Kill; 1882-84, George B. Holdridge; 1885-87, Racine C. Clark; 1888-90, Francis Hunter ; 1891-92, William W. Johnson; 1893-94, Caleb C. McNair; 1895-96. John L. Sheldon: 1897-98, Arza G. Sherwood.

The other town officers for 1897 are :

William E. Graham, town clerk since 1885, excepting one year ; W. H. Rhinehart, J. A. Good, George F. Thompson, and George Sayers, justice of the peace; Peter T. Turrell, Edward J. Behe, and Jacob Behe, assessors; Henry Siegler, highway com- missioner ; Charles W. Schubel and George H. Baker overseers of the poor; F. S. A. Coon, collector.

The first settlement within the limits of this town was the result of an accident, if tradition may be believed. Joshua Slaton was on his way from Vermont, his native State, to Canada, with his family, when his wagon broke down about two miles east of the Cold Springs. What he saw of this locality during his necessary delay pleased him and he took up land in the northwest corner of the town, cleared a part of it, and built a log house ; that was in the year 1800. His land included the site of Orangeport hamlet, and also of Slaton Settlement, about half a mile north of Orangeport. Thomas Slaton, brother of Joshua, came in with him or very soon after and was instrumental in founding the set- tlement. The Erie Canal and the Central Railroad both pass through land formerly owned by these men. Joshua Slaton was an able and in - fluential man, and generous in his efforts to promote the settlement. He gave land to Mr. Gaskill, the first blacksmith in town, on which to build a shop ; he donated, also, land on which was built the first church, and land for the earliest graveyard.

The little settlement was augmented in 1802 by the arrival of Stephen Bugbee and Andrew Brown, and in 1803 by Varney Gaskill and Will- iam Smith. In 1804 Benjamin Hale, Varnum Treadwell, and Marvin Harwood came in, all from the same town in Vermont. Stephen Bug

269

bee built the first frame house in 1 804 at the settlement, and Marvin Har. wood opened a store there in the same year.

In 1811 Asher Freeman, sr., purchased 500 acres of land about one and a half miles south of the site of Middleport, paying $3.25 per acre. He cleared a tract, sowed it to wheat in 1813, and in 1815 moved upon it and built a log house. He built his later brick house in 1824. Stephen Bugbee had already built one a little earlier at Orangeport. In 1815 there was no house between Mr. Freeman's and the Buffalo road. He was father of Asher Freeman, long a respected citizen.

Severus Swift came into the town early and located in the southern part on the farm afterwards owned by his son, J. C. Swift, half a mile north of the site of Wolcottsville, the old Indian trail crossing the farm. He came about 1818, at which time all south of him to Tonawanda was a wilderness. Other settlers now came in more rapidly, the clouds of war having passed away. Daniel Benedict settled on Tonawanda Creek soon after Mr. Swift's arrival, and Chauncey McKie located in 1816 north of the Lewiston or Niagara road on Griswold street. Eliphalet Edmunds and John Griswold came to that vicinity about the same time. In 1816 Benjamin Barlow was keeping a tavern half a mile south of Middleport site, what was early known by half a dozen names of Corners, but finally settled down to Freeman's Corners. Carrington Fisk opened a tavern in 1808 at Royalton Center, which was probably the first in the town. In 1818 John McNall opened a tavern west of Royalton Center, at what is now McNall's Corners, on the old Niagara road, and a little hamlet grew up there.

The old Indian trail that was used during the Revolution, and prob- ably long before, in approaching or leaving Niagara from the east, passed through this town, entering near the southeast corner in the Tonawanda Reservation, and running in a northwesterly direction, passing just north of the site of Wolcottsville. A little farther on the trail divided, the two branches going on either side of a swamp and coming together again just south of McNall's Corners. A little farther on it struck what became the Niagara road, and so passed on out of the town and through Lockport town. One of the earliest roads laid out in Royalton ran through Slaton Settlement in the northwest corner of the town. The most prominent highway in the town, or in this region, in

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.

Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 26

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed Publication date: 1897 Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 820

Author: Pool, William, 1825-1912, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: [Syracuse] : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 820