Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 9

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 9

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In the spring of 1864 Grant came into command of the Army of the Potomac and on the 5th of May crossed the Rapidan to begin the mem - orable battle of the Wilderness. In that conflict the 15Ist made an honorable record and suffered its heaviest losses. Subsequently at Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor the regiment participated in the bloody struggles and saw more of its members fall.

On the 15th of June the 15Ist joined the movement across the James and became a part of the Union troops that invested Petersburg to be- gin the closing scenes in the great struggle. On the Ist of July the regiment was part of the force sent to head off Early in his movement towards Washington ; its services not being long demanded in that direction, it marched to Baltimore and thence to Monocacy. After the battle at that point it returned to Baltimore and went into camp near where it first wintered. A few weeks later it was in the Shenanhoah valley with Sheridan, participated in the engagements of Opequan, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, and in November was ordered back to the Army of the Potomac in front of Petersburg, where it went into camp for the winter. In the later well known campaign which ended the war the 15 Ist performed an honorable part. The regiment mus- tered out only 306 enlisted men.

In the 78th Infantry Company I was raised in this county and was commanded by Capt. Peter M. T. Mitchell, of Suspension Bridge ; most of the men were from Lewiston and Niagara. The record of the officers is as follows :

Captain, Peter M. T. Mitchell, Suspension Bridge, killed at Antietam; first lieu- tenant, Henry F. Pierce, Suspension Bridge; second lieutenant, Myron E. Dunlap, Suspension Bridge; first sergeant, Henry Stearns, Suspension Bridge; sergeants, Thomas Mayberry, Suspension Bridge; James H. Cleveland, Niagara City; corpor- als, Cornelius Mitchell, William O. Butler and Henry Williams, Suspension Bridge;

George H. Whitman, Lewiston; James Jones, William H. Seely, James Foster, and John B. Church, Suspension Bridge.

The regiment participated in the battles of Wahatchie, Lookout Mountain, Resaca, Dallas, Lost Mountain, Pine Knob, Kenesaw, Peach Tree Creek, and Atlanta. The date of its muster was October, 1861, to April, 1862.

Companies B, D, and H, of the 105th Regiment were largely com- posed of Niagara county men. This regiment was organized at Roch- ester and mustered in in March, 1862, was consolidated with the 94th in March, 1863, the latter organization being mustered out July 18, 1865. The first battle in which the 105th participated was at Cedar Mountain, and it subsequently performed good service at Rappahannock Station, Thoroughfare Gap, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Moun- tain, Antietam and Fredericksburg.

Several other infantry organizations contained larger or smaller num- bers of Niagara county men, and there were also, of course, many in- dividual enlistments of which no record can be given. The 96th mus- tered in February and March, 1862, contained a few men from this county. The 100th regiment, mustered from September, 1861, to Jan- uary, 1862, contained nearly 100 men, mostly from Wheatfield. The 132d, mustered October 4, 1862, contained over thirty Niagara men and officers and left a gallant record. Company B of the 164th was almost wholly from this county, under Capt. William Maroney of Lock- port. The regiment was mustered in November 19, 1862. Company G of the 194th was from this county and nearly all its members were from Lockport; it was mustered in from February to April, 1865. A few men in Company A, 178th regiment were from this county and a still smaller number in the 179th and 187th regiments.

Niagara county was honored in the artillery branch of the service, and especially so by the gallant career of the 8th Heavy Artillery. The companies of which this regiment was composed were raised in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee, by Col. Peter A. Porter, and was mus- tered in at Lockport, August 22, 1862. Companies B, D, E and F were principally from Niagara county. The regiment was officered as follows :

Colonel, Peter A. Porter, Niagara Falls; lieutenant-colonel, W. W. Bates, Orleans

county ; major, James M. Willett, Batavia; First Lieutenant E. L. Blake, adjutant, Lockport; First Lieutenant George B. Wilson, quartermaster, and Major James M. Leet, surgeon, Lockport; First Lieutenant H. C. Hill, assistant surgeon, Somerset ; Captain Gilbert De La Matyr, chaplain, Albion.

The officers of Niagara county companies were as follows :

Co. B-Captain, Joel B. Baker, Cambria; first lieutenant, James Low, Cambria; second lieutenant, Eli S. Nichols, Lockport; sergeants, Fayette S. Brown, D. L. Pitcher, Romeo G. Burns, W. H. Crowley, N. Z. Paterson; corporals, T. C. Ed- wards, L. C. Harwood, Lyman A. Pyle, John Root, W. H. Bennett, Newfane, en- listed July 23, 1862, mustered out February 25, 1865; Alexander Robb, Newfane, en- listed August, 1862, killed at Cold Harbor; Walter L. Martin, Job Cornell; musicians, William S. Pike, H. W. Olmstead; wagoner, C. Gardiner.

Co. D-Captain, James McGinnis, Lockport; first lieutenant, William Gardner; second, M. R. Blodgett, Lockport; first sergeant, John E. Owens, Royalton, enlisted August 22, 1862, discharged March 17, 1866; second, Arthur L. Chase; third, Horace J. McDonald; fourth, William F. Spalding, Royalton, enlisted in August, 1862, dis- charged in March, 1865; fifth, Charles B. Lackor, Royalton, enlisted August 6, 1862, discharged October 6, 1864; sergeant, W. H. H. Brown, Royalton, enlisted August 4, 1862, discharged June 5, 1865; first corporal, Almon Van Wagner; first corporal, J. Cooney, Royalton, enlisted August 1, 1862, discharged June 22, 1865; second, William George; third, Stephen H. Sim; fourth, John E. Carrington; fifth, Henry Murray ; sixth, Alfred Wakeman ; seventh, Hiram Carpenter ; drummer, John Greber.

Co. E-Captain, J. W. Holmes, Niagara Falls; first lieutenant, R. Baldwin, Wil- son ; second lieutenant, H. R. Swan, Suspension Bridge.

Co. F-Captain, William J. Hawkins; first lieutenant, Samuel Sully; second lieu- tenant, George W. Rector-all of Lockport.

This regiment was organized as the 129th N. Y. V., but was changed to the 8th Heavy Artillery in February, 1863, by order of the secretary of war. Two additional companies, L and M, were raised for the regi- ment in 1864. The regiment served from the time of its muster until the spring of 1864 in the defenses of Baltimore, with a short campaign to Harper's Ferry. On May 15, 1864, the regiment arrived in Wash- ington under orders for the field. Two days later it was on the march for Fredericksburg, and was soon connected with the Army of the Potomac. On the night of the 19th the men had their first en- counter with the enemy, meeting with a loss of thirty-two killed, wounded and missing. Between May 20 and June 2 the 8th per- formed arduous duty at Milford Station, the North Anna, and on the march to Cold Harbor. On that fateful day the sun went down for the last time to thousands of heroes. No organization did more gallant

service in that memorable battle than the 8th Artillery and its ranks were thinned. Colonel Porter fell, Major Willett was wounded, and a large number of line officers were killed or wounded. The body of Colonel Porter, who had fallen at the head of his troops, was not found until the next day. It lay midway between the two lines of troops, and was brought away by Le Roy Williams (afterwards lieutenant of Co G), and Samuel Traverse, of Co. B, at the risk of their lives. In that action the 8th lost in killed nine officers and 146 men ; wounded, 140 officers and 323 men ; missing, one officer and twelve men. From that time to the surrender the regiment participated in the operations around Petersburg, losing in the several more important engagements thirteen officers and sixty-five men killed ; fifteen officers and 230 men wounded ; four officers and 238 men missing. On June 4, 1865, Com- panies G. H, I and K were transferred to the 4th N. Y. Artillery ; Companies L and M to the 10th N. Y. Infantry, and the remaining six companies were mustered out June 5, 1865. Following is a record of official casualties :

Lieut .- Col. Willard W. Bates died June 25, 1864, of wounds received in action ; and Lieutenant-Colonel Blake died June 19 and Capt. George A. Hoyt, July 5, from the same cause. Capt. James McGinnis was killed at Ream's Station, August 25, 1864; Capt. William J. Hawkins died of wounds, June 23, 1864; Capt. Eldridge F. Sherman died of disease at City Point, July 30, 1864; Capt. Alexander Gardner was killed at Cold Harbor; Capt. Thomas Lowe died April 25, 1865, of wounds; First Lieut. Charles H. West, jr. was killed at Ream's Station; First Lieut. Henry R. Swan died of disease at Cold Harbor, June 14, 1864; First Lieut. George W. Rector was killed at Hatcher's Run, October 29, 1864; First Lieut. A. G. Clapp died of wounds November 21, 1864; Second Lieut. Fayette S. Brown was killed at Cold Harbor; Second Lieut. Arthur L. Chase was killed at Cold Harbor; Second Lieut. Walter P. Wright, in action before Petersburg, June 16, 1864; Second Lieut. Joseph W. Caldwell, Wallace B. Hard, Oliver M. Campbell and George W. Gladden were killed at Cold Harbor.

The 12th Battery of Artillery was organized at Albany by Capt. William H. Ellis, of Troy, but it contained many Niagara county men. It entered the service January 14, 1862, for three years and at the close of its term the original members were mustered out and the battery, composed of veterans and recruits, was retained in the service until June 14, 1865. The principal engagements in which this organization took part were Petersburg, Reams's Station, Kelly's Ford, Mine Run,

North Anna, Tolopotomoy, and Cold Harbor. Following is a list of Niagara county officers in the battery :

First lieutenant, Walter Shaw, Newfane, enlisted October 7, 1861, honorably dis- charged March 31, 1863; orderly sergeant, Elijah Ewing, Newfane, enlisted in Au- gust, 1861, mustered out with regiment; sergeants, Rollin G. Steele, Newfane; George Outwater, Newfane, enlisted October 11, 1861, mustered out December 19, 1865: corporals, William T. Slocum, Cambria; Charles Frink, Wilson; Matthias Hoffman, Hartland; bugler, Charles H. Newell, Newfane, enlisted October 12, 1861, mustered out July 21, 1865; carpenter, Elijah Dodge, Newfane, enlisted August 18, 1862.

In 1862, when the prospects of the Union cause were most depress- ing and the president had issued a call for 300,000 more men, of whom about 50,000 were to be raised in this State, Capt. William Stahl, of Lockport, began an effort early in August to enlist 142 men, as the 19th Independent Artillery. He was successful and before the end of September he found himself in command of 162 men, more than one hundred of whom were farmers; the excess over 142 was transferred to other organizations. The battery left its camp at Lockport on Oc- tober 23, proceeded to Washington and there went into the camp of instruction for the winter. In April, 1863, it shared in the operations around Suffolk, Va., and in general service during the remainder of that season. In September, 1863, Capt. Stahl died of fever near Wash- ington, and the command devolved upon Lieut. E. W. Rogers. In April, 1864, the battery joined the Army of the Potomac, in Burnside's Corps. In the terrible battle of the Wilderness the battery bore a con- spicuous part, and from that time forward until the surrender of Lee in April, 1865, was constantly employed in arduous service, suffering much in the operations around Petersburg, especially in the defense of Fort Steadman, March 25, 1865. After Lee's surrender the battery went to Alexandria, and remained to June 8, participating meanwhile in the grand review of June 5. This battery was officered as follows:

Captain, William H. Stahl, Lockport, died September 15, 1863; first lieutenant, Edward W. Rogers, Lockport, promoted captain October 23, mustered out June 17, 1865; second lieutenant, Peter McGraw, Lockport, discharged September 29, 1863; first sergeant, Henry J. J. Fassett, Lockport, discharged in January, 1863; quarter- master sergeant, George N. McCoy, Lockport, died December 9, 1862; sergeants. Henry H. Moore, Lockport, promoted to lieutenancy ; Michael Long, Lockport, pro- moted to lieutenancy; Gardner Corliss, Pendleton, wounded and discharged; corpo- rals, Aratus F. Pierce, Lockport; Alvin B. Baker, Lockport, deserted; James Rich-

ards and Willard Heath, Lockport; John W. Haskell, Porter; Lockwood S. Sher- wood, Lockport. killed July 29, 1864; W. Scott Hovey, Newfane, enlisted August 16, 1862, died December 8, 1862, at Washington; musicians, Richard A. Perry, Porter ; Charles A. Bowen, Lockport, deserted February 8, 1863; artificers, Elijah Dodge, Newfane, enlisted August 18, 1862, discharged August, 1863; W. C. Beck, Lockport.

Other batteries of artillery containing more or less Niagara county volunteers, were the 14th and the 25th. There were also many indi- vidual enlistments in various other organizations, the detail of which may be found in the State muster rolls in the various county clerk's offices.

In providing the large sums necessary to pay bounties to fill the quo- tas under the several calls, the supervisors of this county acted with patriotic promptness and liberality, and the brave deeds of the soldiers are remembered with gratitude.

An act of the Legislature was passed April 16, 1872, incorporated the Soldiers' Monument Society. The passage of the act was procured through a request which was signed by thirty prominent citizens of the county. The purpose of the society was to erect a suitable monument in commemoration of the deeds of Niagara county soldiers. A consid- erable sum of money was on hand which had been accumulated during the war for miscellaneous relief objects and not used. The law made this available for the erection of the monument. The commissioners named to carry out the provisions of the law were T. G. Hulett, Will- iam Samways, Benjamin Flagler, A. W. R. Henning, S. T. Murray, George S. Harris, and T. V. Welch. An imposing monument was purchased by the commissioners and erected at the intersection of Falls and Canal streets. Its dedication took place on August 22, 1876, the same day on which was held the reunion of the 8th Heavy Artillery, Col. Peter A. Porter's regiment. The dedication ceremonies consisted of a procession, with music, the singing of "America " by a chorus of ladies representing the States of the Union, and addresses by T. G. Hu- lett, Colonel James M. Willett, T. V. Welch and others.

There is little to add to the history of Niagara connty during the period since the war that is not included in subsequent chapters and town histories in this work. The country at large at the conclusion of the great civil struggle, was enjoying a high tide of apparent prosperity.

The destructive and costly war had demanded immense issues of cur- rency, which, although greatly depreciated, was comparatively easy to obtain, through high wages, business activity in every direction, rising markets and general inflation. These conditions led to the almost reckless establishment of many industries, public and private, extrava- gant ways of living, the free circulation of the debased money, and ul- timately caused the financial stringency of 1872-3. This apparent tide of prosperity was, of course, largely illusory and fictitious. In later years every community was forced to suffer for it, as industries of every nature and all values gradually assumed their normal condition.

Among the public improvements inaugurated in this county very soon after the close of the war and under State legislation, was the ex - tensive draining of large sections of lowlands in different localities. An act was passed April 22, 1866, which appointed James Van Horn, Andrew Hamblin, and John McCollum, commissioners to "drain cer- tain lowlands contiguous to Keg Creek," and directing them to make a map of the drains necessary for the purpose. In the same month Isaac Cook, Jesse P. Haines, and Lewis C. Beals were appointed by legislative act, commissioners to drain land in the town of Porter, extending from a certain described point to Six-mile Creek. Again, on April 25, 1867, Jesse P. Haines, Elijah C. Odell, and Philetus R. Perry, were appointed commissioners to drain lands in the town of Royalton, into Black Creek or Mud Creek. Within a few years these drainage improvements were continued in the towns of Lockport, Pendleton, Cambria and Hartland, and were the means of reclaiming and fitting for successful cultivation much land that had previously lain nearly idle.

On April 10, 1866, an act of the Legislature was passed organizing Buffalo, the village of Tonawanda and town of Wheatfield into the Ni- agara Frontier Police district. Vigorous opposition, voiced by the Buffalo Commercial and the Niagara Falls Gazette, caused the frontier towns and villages below Wheatfield to be stricken from the bill before passage. In this district police powers were to be vested in a board of commissioners and a regular police force properly officered created. The act provided for an equitable payment of the cost of maintaining the force by the city, villages and town, and other details.

On May 9, 1867, the Wilson Harbor Company was incorporated by

act of the Legislature, which named Vincent Seeley, William Hamblin, and Harvey N. Johnson to open subscriptions for $30,000 of stock. The title of the act explains its purpose.

On May 8, 1868, an act of the Legislature authorized the commis . sioners of highways of the towns of Lockport and Newfane to purchase what has long been known as the Long Causeway Turnpike, which ex- tends along the boundary between those two towns, and was formerly a toll road.

Railroad extension was active in all parts of the country after the close of the war, and many lines were projected in this State. In the spring of 1870 the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad Company was organized at Oswego, with the purpose of constructing a road along the south shore of Lake Ontario, which should eventually constitute part of a trunk line between Boston and the West. Many towns along the route were bonded in aid of the undertaking, amony them Somerset, in Ni- agara county. for $90,000; Newfane for $88,000 ; Wilson for $117,- 000, and Lewiston for $152,000. The road was built under discourag- ing circumstances and the work proceeded slowly. Litigation was commenced over some of the town bonds, which checked their sale and the company was finally so crippled that it could not complete the road. In May, 1874, the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Company as- sumed the undertaking and about a year later the last of the bridges on the western part of the road were put in place. In the latter part of July, 1875, the track was laid twenty miles west of the Genesee River and was carried through to Lewiston in the spring of 1876. The first passenger train passed over the western part of the line on June 12, of that year. The road has been of benefit as a part of the general devel- opment of this region.

In May, 1874, the Niagara River and Air Line Railroad Company was informally organized and elected directors from Orleans and Niagara counties, of whom J. W. Helmer, of Lockport, was chosen president. The company voted to disband a year later.

The Lockport and Buffalo Railroad Company was organized in 1876, with Thomas T. Flagler, president ; B. H. Fletcher, vice president ; and Elisha Moody, Lewis S. Payne and Benjamin Carpenter in the directorship Lockport issued bonds for $100,000 of the stock of the

company and in the following year most of the grading and bridge work as far as Tonawanda was completed. On July 9, 1877, the fol- lowing were elected directors of the company : T. T. Flagler, B. H. Fletcher, J. A. Ward, John Hodge, James Jackson, jr., Benjamin Car- penter, Lewis S. Payne, J. L. Breyfogle, Josiah H. Helmer, Elisha Moody, J. C. Jackson, L. F. Bowen and I. H. Babcock. The work of construction was pushed rapidly and the road was opened in 1878. It subsequently became a part of the Erie system.

A branch of the Erie Railway, extending from Buffalo to Suspension Bridge, was constructed in the fall and winter of 1870-71. The road was formally opened for business May 15, 1871.

During the progress of these public improvements a gradual change took place in agricultural methods and products in this county. This is particularly true respecting the growing of fruits. Niagara county has always been an important locality in this respect, and during the past quarter of a century has acquired fame throughout the country for the excellence and quantity of its native fruits, and especially its apples. Climate, soil and somewhat peculiar situation and surroundings of lake and river, early indicated that it could be developed into a great fruit- growing locality. Large apple orchards existed from early years, one of 700 trees having been planted by Nathan Comstock in 1817, within the present boundaries of Lockport. But it was not until 1845, about which time a large western demand came into existence, that the county began to assume its modern importance in this industry. From that time onward immense apple orchards were planted and Niagara fruit soon gained a wide reputation. Peaches and pears are also grown to a considerable extent. By the year 1875 Niagara county had a larger number of apple trees than any other county in the State, and this supremacy is still maintained.

It should not be inferred from the above that this county has neglected the cultivation of the grains which in early years constituted so large a part of its products. As late as 1874 the county produced more than 650,000 bushels of wheat, out of the 10,000,000 bushels in the State. For many years the county was also among a very few that produced the largest acreage of barley.

CHAPTER IX.

COUNTY INSTITUTIONS AND CIVIL LIST.

THE NIAGARA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY .- A county agri- cultural association was informally organized in this county at the court house in Lockport in 1841. The first president was William Parsons ; others who were conspicuous in the matter were M. C. Crapsey. Dr. W. A Townsend, Daniel Pomroy, Jabez Pomroy, Parkhurst Whitney, and Washington Hunt. The first fair of the society was held the same year in Lockport, and in succeeding years they were held in the various towns of the county. Those early fairs were reasonably successful and served to materially advance the interests of agriculture and fruit grow- ing in the county ; from 1846 to 1857 the records are not complete and the society was not very active, but in 1858 it was reorganized under the law of April 13, 1855, and has since held regular and very suc - cessful fairs. The first election of officers for the new organization took place January 5, 1859, and resulted as follows: President, Willard Weld ; secretary, S. S. Pomroy ; treasurer, Roland Sears. The con- stitution was so drawn as to provide for a president, twelve vice presi- dents (one from each town in the county), a secretary, treasurer, and six directors. The officers purchased grounds at the corner of Wash- burn and Willow streets in Lockport, which originally comprised about twenty acres ; subsequent additions were made, suitable buildings were erected, and improvements made from time to time, until now the society has a well equipped, up-to-date fair grounds plant-one of the best in the State. The membership list gives the names of over 500 of the solid and representative citizens of this county who have given active and helpful service in promoting the welfare of this legitimate county institution, whose aim is " to introduce in Niagara county new breeds of stock, encourage agriculture, horticulture and floriculture, recognize and award domestic manufactures, induce manufacturers of

agricultural implements from abroad to exhibit here for the information of the farming community, and to diffuse valuable agricultural and horticultural information in general." The annual county fair, telling the story of local progress, is considered a good thing for every com- munity and should have the support of every citizen. From the early one to two days' annual fair has come the interesting and instructive annual fall exhibit lasting four days, with large business and attractions of great variety.

During the season of 1896, at the suggestion of Joshua Wilber, of Lockport, a review of the local change and progress for the last seventy- five years was made a very interesting feature of the fair. A large number of rare and ancient relics of great historical interest and value were exhibited, and the officers were encouraged to continue " histori- cal day " a permanent feature of the annual county fair. Many other new features have recently been added to the general programme, which with liberal premiums and prizes in all classesshould bring out the good things of the neighborhood in a way to show forth the glories of Niagara county to the satisfaction and delight of every resident.

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Landmarks of Niagara County, New York, Part 9

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