Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 58

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017

USA > New York > Erie County > Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1) > Part 58

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).

There are eight churches in East Aurora. The Methodists erected an edifice in the Lower Village in 1827 which was long afterwards sold to James M. Boies and occupied for a time by the Evangelists and others; a new M. E. church was built in 1877. A Congregational church was organized about 1826 and with the Baptists erected an edifice at the Upper Village. On March 21, 1843, it became a Presbyterian body and in 1845 a new church was built; an opera house was erected on this site in 1893, a new Presbyterian church having been built in 1891. The Baptist church was organized with ten members October 17, 1810; in 1844 they became sole owners of the Congregational- Baptist edifice, and in 1883 moved it back and erected a new church on the site. The Universalists were organized and erected an edi-

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fice in 1844. The Disciples church was founded in 1856, with ten members, and in 1865 built an edifice in the east end of the village. St. Mathias Episcopal church was organized February 27, 1869; in 1870 they erected a church which was enlarged in 1897. The German Lutheran church was built in 1881 and the Roman Catholic in 1884.

East Aurora has enjoyed almost uninterrupted prosperity during the past fifteen or twenty years, and is an attractive, thrifty village with every local advantage. Many of its dwellings, business blocks, etc., are imposing and valuable. It seems unnecessary to enumerate the various business and other establishments because of their number and diversified character.

West Falls is a small village in the southwest corner of the town and a station on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad. It had its beginning in the grist mill of Abram Smith and store of Lawrence Read, both of which were started about 1818. For about thirty years it was known as Crockershire, from the Crocker family, and later for a brief time as Florence, but since the post-office was established it has been known as West Falls. The grist mill was successively owned by Miner Strope, Willard Berry, L. B. Clark, John Willey and John Snashell. Several saw mills have also been run by this water power, notably those of Henry Haight, Smith Decker and Mrs. L. C. Burr. Among the merchants of the past are Reuben Baker, Allen Holmes, Hiram Green, F. C. Thompson, Byron A. Churchill, Wheeler C. Holmes 2d, George T. Harvey and John J. Snyder; the latter was burned out October 26, 1897. Joseph M. Henshaw was a very early tavern keeper; the West Falls Hotel was built by James H. Ward about 1835. The first physician was Dr. F. F. Bishop, about 1840, and after him came Dr. O. C. Strong. The Methodists held services in the old school house until 1849, when a union church edifice was built. The First Free Baptist church was organized in 1858. The First Free Methodist church was formed in 1859 and in 1861 erected a meeting house. An Evangelical church was completed and dedicated June 26, 1892. A new school house was built in 1897. Besides these churches the village now contains a grist mill, a pickling establishment owned by W. & G. Klipfel, and a few stores, shops, etc.

Griffin's Mills is a small village on the west bank of Cazenove Creek, a little south of the west center of the town. It was originally known as Smith's Mills, from Abram Smith and his son Humphrey, who first

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developed the mill privileges there. During the war of 1812 Obadiah Griffin and his two sons, James and Robert, from Canada, purchased the property, carried on the business many years, and gave the place the name of Griffinshire or Griffin's Mills. About the same time Adam Paul opened a store and carried it on for about thirty years. The Griffins had a saw mill, grist mill, distillery and ashery. Robert Griffin opened a tavern, and in 1822 a brick hotel was erected. In 1825 the Griffins sold their property and moved away. The mills passed to Henry Hill and from him to Henry P. Darrow. James Ives opened the second store in 1825 and was succeeded by Harry L. Baker, the first postmaster. Other merchants were Aaron Riley, O. B. Baker, Theo- dore Henshaw, Joseph R. Brookins and S. D. Avery. Of the physi- cians there were Dr. D. J. Williams, Dr. Caspian R. Morrow and Dr. L. F. Boies. The West Aurora Congregational church was organized August 18, 1810, with nine members. This is now a Presbyterian church. An M. E. church was formed about 1850. About 1868 a Baptist church was organized, but it finally disbanded. The village now contains two stores and the grist mill of Ferdinand Wanneke.

Jewettville is a station on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Rail- road, in the west part of the town, and contains the hotel of Adrian Metz and the brick yard of Brush & Smith. In 1878 H. C. and Josiah Jewett established here one of the largest horse farms in the country, upon which they built immense barns and a mile race course entirely covered.

TOWN OF BOSTON.

The town of Boston was formed from Eden on the 5th of April, 1817, and includes all of township 8, range 7, of the Holland Company's survey, except the western tier of lots. It is nearly six miles square, contains 22, 730 acres, and lies in the center of the south part of the county, being bounded on the north by Hamburg and East Hamburg, on the east by Colden, on the south by Concord and North Collins, and on the west by Eden. The surface is hilly, and is broken by the valley of the north branch of Eighteen-mile Creek, which flows north- westerly through the center of the town. There are no railroads, the nearest railway station being Colden, a half mile east of the eastern boundary. Agriculture has always been the chief industry. The soil is very fertile and productive.

The first town meeting was held in the spring of 1818, when the fol- lowing officers were elected:

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Samuel Abbott, supervisor; Sylvester Clark, town clerk; Daniel Swain and Benja- min Kester, poormasters; Truman Cary, Luther Hibbard and John C. Twining, assessors; Asa Cary, Benjamin Kester and Matthew Middleditch, commissioners of highways; Lemuel Parmely, constable and collector; Lyman Drake, Charles John- son and John C. Twining, commissioners of common schools; Joseph Mayo and Will- iam Pierce, constables; John Britton, Truman Cary, Sylvester Clark, Lyman Drake, Augustus Hilliker, Aaron Knapp, Isaac Mills, Nicholas D. Rector, Luther Soule, John C. Twining, Silas Whiting and Alpheus Williams, overseers of highways; Charles Johnson, poundmaster.

In 1818 there were 153 taxable inhabitants in the town, and the fol- lowing Quakers were taxed $4 each in lieu of military duty: Aaron Hampton, John and Stephen Kester, David Laing, Matthew Middle- ditch, James Miller, William Pound and Thomas Twining, jr.

The following is a list of the supervisors of Boston and their years of service :

Samuel Abbott, 1818; John C. Twining, 1819-22; Truman Cary, 1823; John C. Twining, 1824-25; Truman Cary, 1826; Epaphras Steele, 1827-33; John C. Twining, 1834; Thomas Twining, 1835-37; Ezra Chaffee, 1838; Epaphras Steele, 1839-41; Ezra Chaffee, 1842; John Brooks, 1843; Orrin Lockwood, 1844; Epaphras Steele, 1845; Orrin Lockwood, 1846-47; Allen Griffith, 1848; Orrin Lockwood, 1849; Perez Cobb, 1850-51; Orrin Lockwood, 1852; Enos Blanchard, 1858; John Churchill, 1854; Palmer Skinner, 1855; Martin Keller, 1856-59: George Brindley, 1860-63; D. A. Cary, 1864-66; Enos Blanchard, 1867; Truman S. Cary, 1868-69; Dexter E. Fol- som, 1870; Enos Blanchard, 1871; James H. Fuller, 1872; Alonzo Lockwood, 1873; Ambrose Woodward, 1874-76; John Anthony, 1877-78; Martin Keller, 1879-81; Charles Baker, 1882-83; Martin Keller, 1884-87; George H. Blanchard, 1888-90; Edward F. Keller, 1891; Frederick Lehning, 1892-94; George H. Blanchard, 1895-97.

In the fall of 1803 Charles and Oliver Johnson, brothers, purchased a tract of land, upon which Charles settled with his family in the spring of 1804. This land was selected near the site of Boston Center and was afterward occupied by John Anthony. On a thirty-acre tract near there were then the ruins of an old fort. Oliver Johnson, Samuel Beebe and Samuel Eaton also located in the neighborhood in 1804. In 1805 Deacon Richard Cary, a Revolutionary soldier, came in with his wife and eight children; he was father of Calvin, Richard and Luther Cary and grandfather of Van Rensselaer R. Cary. Jonathan Bump, Calvin Doolittle, Job Palmer, Maj. Benjamin Whaley and Joseph Yaw were settlers of 1806; Serrill Alger, William Cook and Ethan Howard located in town in 1807; and Asa Carey, a brother of Richard, came in 1808. Joseph Yaw erected the first grist mill in Bos- ton, and in the same year Joel Beebe, a little son of Samuel, was acci-

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dentally killed by a falling log; this is thought to have been the first white death in the town. Dorastus and Edward Hatch, Benjamin Kester and Lemuel Parmely were settlers of 1811. Among other early citizens were Elihu Johnson, son of Charles; Hiram Yaw, for twenty years a justice of the peace; Truman Cary, father of D. A. and Tru- man S. Cary; and Jeremiah and John Kester, both long-time justices of the peace; the latter was father of Stephen Kester, also a magistrate.

Other prominent early settlers were John C. Twining, the Torrey family, Ed- ward Churchill, John Anthony, Diebold J. Heinrich, Erastus and Col. Uriah Torrey, and Talcott Patchin; among the later comers were George Brindley, Jesse and Orrin Lockwood, Martin Keller, Charles Baker, Jacob Bastian, Hiram A. Curran, William Curran, Dr. Lewis L. Davis, Elisha A. Griffith, Allen Griffith, Seymour J. Lockwood, Peter Murray, Aaron W. Skinner, Joseph Chapin, Frederick S. Jones, Perez Cobb, W. H. Lawrence, Walter B. Smith, William Olin, Frederick Siehl. Theodore Potter, Henry Smith, Joel Irish, Amos Rockwood, Comfort Knapp, Hiram Horton, James Rathbun, Joshua Agard, Oliver Dutton and Rufus Ingalls.

One of the most celebrated tragedies that was ever enacted in Erie county occurred near North Boston on December 15, 1824, when Nel- son, Isaac and Israel Thayer, jr., brothers, murdered John Love, an unmarried Scotchman, at the house of Israel Thayer, near which they buried his body in a shallow grave. The three Thayers were con- victed and executed on Niagara Square, Buffalo, on June 7, 1825, in the presence of an immense crowd of people. This case is too well known in history to require further notice here.

Patchin (locally known as Boston Center) is a postal hamlet near the center of the town and near the site of the first settlements. About 1820 Talcott Patchin established a tannery there which he carried on for several years. This was followed by another, which in 1857 passed to Michael Stephan, who was succeeded in 1874 by his sons, Anthony C., George L., Jacob P. and Michael S. The first hotel was erected by Frederick Jones. A post-office was established in 1850 with George Brindley as postmaster; Van Rensselaer R. Cary afterward held the office for fourteen years, and later Michael Flickenger was appointed. Within recent years William Curran established a small boot and shoe factory. Besides a store or two there is a saw mill owned by the Haab estate, the barrel factory of John Gasper, and the tannery above men- tioned. About 1811 a Baptist church was organized and a small meet- ting house erected near the present edifice, which was built by the Universalists.

Boston, or Boston Corners, was originally known as Torrey's Corners,

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from the Torrey family; in 1820 the post-office, named Boston, was established with Erastus Torrey as postmaster. It became the chief business center of the town. Demas Jenks started a distillery about 1818. In 1861 Anthony Weber established a hardware store; later merchants are Peter Murray, Canfield & Snyder, B. Canfield & Co., E. E. Blakeley and J. Besanson. S. N. Blakeley opened a harness shop several years ago. On October 29, 1893, a disastrous fire de- stroyed twelve buildings, including two hotels and the store of Peter Murray. The place now contains four churches, two general stores, a saw mill and barrel factory owned by Anthony Gasper, a tin and light hardware manufactory owned by Anthony Weber, and a few shops, etc. A Baptist church was organized April 4, 1812, with eleven mem- bers, and May 9, 1818, took the name of the "Baptist Church of Boston." An edifice was erected in 1834. The German Evangelical church was formed with twenty members in 1834, and for many years Rev. Jacob Bastian was its pastor. The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1840 and erected an edifice, which gave place. to a new structure in 1852. The Evangelical Lutheran St. Matthias church was organized April 14, 1854, with ten members, and erected a building on East Hill in 1861; a parsonage and parochial school was built in 1875. St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic church was organ- ized and erected a brick edifice in 1869; later a parochial school was added. Most of the communicants of this church are Germans.

North Boston is a small hamlet in the northern part of the town, and for many years was a favorite meeting place for political conventions. It has had a saw mill since about 1816, the present one being owned by Stephen Kester. About 1848 Martin Keller opened a general store and hotel, which he kept many years. The only other industry, be- sides a store or two and a few shops, is the cheese factory of Willis Jefferson. A Friends meeting house was erected here at a very early date. Rev. John Spencer organized a Presbyterian church which built an edifice in 1837; the building was finally sold to St. Paul's German United Evangelical church, which was incorporated in 1857.

TOWN OP BRANT.

Brant is the extreme southwest town in Erie county and is bounded on the north by Evans, on the east by North Collins, on the south by Chautauqua county, and on the west by Lake Erie. The total area of the town is about thirty two square miles; but from this should be de-

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ducted a tract in the southern part containing about nine square miles which is a part of the Cattaraugus Reservation, and over which town jurisdiction is nominal. The territory of the town north of the reserva- tion tract is the south part of township 8, range 9 of the Holland Com - pany's survey. The surface is generally level, except in the eastern part, where it is somewhat broken. Big Sister Creek flows northward through the eastern part; Delaware Creek flows northwesterly through the central part; Muddy Creek follows a similar course in the western part. Cattaraugus Creek forms the southern boundary for three miles.

The first settler in the territory of Brant was Moses Tucker, who, in 1816, located on the farm now occupied by Amos Stickney; he was a Quaker. In 1818 John Roberts, John West and Major Campbell settled in the town, and Ansel Smith and Robert and William Grannis came soon after. In 1819 Reuben Hussey settled near Mr. Tucker. Samuel Butts moved from Hamburg into this town in 1820 and in 1822 built the first saw mill. This mill was almost the only one in town, as the streams are sluggish, supplying little power; S. M. Butts now occupies the old homestead. In 1825 Joseph Hubbard opened the first tavern, east of the Center. Milton Morse built the first store at the Center in 1835, and the place was known for quite a period as Morse's Corners; he was also the first postmaster, the office being opened after the formation of the town. Jonathan Hascall, jr., who was supervisor of Evans before Brant was set off, and supervisor of Brant fourteen years, was a prominent citizen many years. Nathaniel K. Smith settled in the town in 1835, and was father of seven sons. By 1850 the town was quite well occupied by a prosperous class of farmers. The principal products of the town are produce for canning factories and the Buffalo market, and considerable cheese is made.

In February, 1852, the Buffalo and State Line Railroad (now part of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern) was completed across the town. It was of great benefit to the community and led to the found- ing of Farnham village. A second railroad was completed through the town in 1882, but it had no marked influence.

Brant Center -This is a pleasant village situated near the center of the town, but the active business of past years has much of it been transferred to Farnham, through the influence of the railroad. John Winters was a former merchant and was succeeded by Abram Dia- mond and he by George W. Koehler. Richard Sherman and Horatio P. Muffitt were still earlier merchants. J. H. McIntyre carried on

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business in a store which was burned. Alson S. Tracy was another former merchant. George Lehley started a wagonmaking business in 1877, and later went into hardware business. John Trapp was an early blacksmith. A hotel was formerly kept by John L. Flint, who was succeeded by Julius Lehley, and he by Sylvester Haberer, who was burned out and on the site a store was built by A. S. Tracy, who was succeeded by Peter Krebs; he converted the building into a hotel, and was succeeded by Horace Swetland. Another hotel was built by Julius Lehley. The Erie Preserving Company has a canning factory near the village, where a large business has been done for many years. A former vinegar factory and fruit dryer, conducted by Darius Odell, was discontinued. Lewis Flint established a cider mill and wine press in 1896, and Abram Diamond has a cider mill. In the village at the pres- ent time are 3 general stores, the canning factory, a hardware store, 2 saw and feed mills, 2 hotels, 2 cider mills, a cheese factory and several shops.

Farnham .- This village is situated in the western part of the town on the Lake Shore Railroad. Leroy Farnham was the first merchant there and was followed by Charles F. Goodman, W. W. Hammond (later county judge of Erie county), and Henry Slender. The second store was built in 1880 by George H. Walker. The first hotel was built in 1869 by Pius Schwert, and later passed to Frederick Paul. The sec- ond hotel was built in 1880 and has had different proprietors. The Erie Preserving Company has,a large and very successful canning fac- tory there, which was built in 1876. Henry C. Kuenze has been in the shoemaking business since 1883. The village now has 2 general stores, 1 hardware store, 1 shoe store, 3 hotels, and the canning factory.

The Sprague corn sheller manufactory was of considerable impor- tance, and was established to manufacture a machine under patents of Welcome Sprague, for taking green corn from the cob. Mr. Sprague began the business which afterwards passed to C. Clements and Daniel G. French. The buildings were burned in the spring of 1896 and not rebuilt, the machine being made elsewhere.

There is a prosperous graded school in the village, the building for which was erected in 1892. The school has two departments and two teachers. The old school building is now a dwelling.

Farnham village was incorporated January 11, the first officers being : A. H. Lytle, president; Henry C. Kuenze, Daniel Greaney and George Blend, trustees; John C. McIntyre succeeded Mr. Lytle as president. The boundaries of the village include one square mile.

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During the past few years many Italians settled in this town, prima- rily as laborers for the Erie Preserving Company. Of these a good many have bought small farms and are making fair progress. Their number is constantly increasing. This is the only town in the county where a similar rural condition exists.

A Methodist class was formed at Brant Center about 1841, and not long after aided in completing a house of worship which had been com- menced by the Baptists. The Methodists have no settled pastor. The Baptist society was organized a little earlier and began the church al- luded to in 1838; after its completion it was used alternately for a time by the two congregations, after which the Methodists built their own church.

St. Cross church (Evangelical Lutheran) at Farnham was organized in 1864. In 1870 a number of the members became dissatisfied and withdrew to organize a second congregation. The old one continued and in 1882 built a house of worship. The new organization was called the Second Evangelical Lutheran church and a small edifice was soon erected. Both are still in existence.

The town of Brant was formed from Evans and Collins on the 25th of March, 1839. The first town meeting was held at the house of Ansel Smith April 16, 1839, and the following officers elected :

Jonathan Hascall, jr., supervisor; Moses White, town clerk; Asa Wetherbee and John B. Steadwell, assessors; Patterson Kerr, collector; Reuben Fisk and Francis Pierce, commissioners of schools; Webster Balcom, overseer of the poor; A. D. Winslow and Lewis Varney, inspectors of schools; Patterson Kerr, William Stetson, Stubel Cross and B. Carpenter, constables; Kester Tracy, Salmon Hawley and Har- rison Maybee, justices of the peace.

The supervisors of Brant, with their years of service have been as follows:

Jonathan Hascall, jr., 1839-44; Job Southwick, 1845; Jonathan Hascall, jr., 1846-47; Horace Goodrich, 1848; Jonathan Hascall, jr., 1849-52; Kester Tracey, 1853; Na- thaniel Smith, 1854; Jonathan Hascall, jr., 1855-56; David Gail, 1857; Nathaniel Smith, 1858-59; Thomas Judson, 1860-62; Nathaniel Smith, 1863-65; William W. Hammond, 1866-67; D. H. Odell, 1868-69; William W. Hammond, 1870-73; Horatio P. Muffitt, 1874; William W. Hammond, 1875-77; W. H. Estes, 1878; John Wether- bee, 1879-83; Harrison B. Christy, 1884-85; James H. McIntyre, 1886-87; Benjamin Judson, 1888-89; George Lehley, 1890-97.

TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA.

Cheektowaga' was formed from Amherst on the 20th of March, 1829,

1 This name was suggested by Alexander Hitchcock, the first supervisor, and was intended to

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and on the formation of West Seneca on October 16, 1851, was re- duced to its present limits-about thirty-three square miles, or 18, 710 acres. It is bounded on the east by Lancaster, on the south by West Seneca, on the west by the city of Buffalo, and on the north by Am- herst; and embraces all of township 11, range 7, of the Holland Com- pany's survey, except the western two tiers of lots, and also includes an irregular strip averaging one and one-half miles in width taken from the Buffalo Creek Reservation. The principal streams are Scajaquada Creek, flowing westerly through the center of the town; Cayuga Creek, in the southern part; and Ellicott or Eleven-mile Creek, in the north- east corner. The surface is almost perfectly level, broken only by the valleys of these creeks; the soil is largely composed of clay and is fer- tile. The northeastern and southeastern parts of the town are devoted largely to farming or truck gardening, while the central portion is given up to railroads and allied enterprises. The western part is densely populated and in some respects closely identified with the city. The railroads which traverse the town are the West Shore, the New York Central & Hudson River, the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, the Lehigh Valley, and the Erie.

The first town meeting was held at the house of Elnathan Bennett on April 16, 1829, and the following officers were elected:

Alexander Hitchcock, supervisor; Jesse Vaughan, town clerk; John A. Dole, Israel N. Ely, and Abraham Hausen, justices of the peace; Elnathan Bennett, John A. Dole, and Apollos Hitchcock, assessors; Christopher Beam, Samuel Jenkins, and Amos Robinson, commissioners of highways; John B. Campbell, John A. Dole, and James N. Green, commissioners of schools; Matthew Campbell and John Hitchcock, overseers of the poor; Nelson Warner, collector; Jesse Vaughan, town sealer; El- nathan Bennett, Caleb Coatsworth, G. Beach, John A. Dole, Henry Deckhart, Michael Escherich, Asa Green, Philip Greiner, Samuel Jenkins, Jacob Kraise, Peter Light, Michael Keeble, John Moyer, Amos Richardson, Joseph Rowley, John Sand, Joseph Small, Jacob Kolo, William Schunerman, Samuel Warner, Matthew Van Dusen, and Jesse Vaughan, pathmasters.

The following is a list of the supervisors of Cheektowaga, with their years of service:

Alexander Hitchcock, 1839-41; Darius Kingley, 1842; Alexander Hitchcock, 1843- 44; James Warner, 1845; Manly Brown, 1846; Alexander Hitchcock, 1847; Manly Brown, 1848-49; E. P. Adams, 1850; Manly Brown, 1851; Israel N. Ely, 1852; Mar- vin Seamans, 1853-54; Gardner J. Kip, 1855; Frederick Loosen, 1856-57; Eldridge Farwell, 1858-62; Simeon H. Joslyn, 1863; E. Selden Ely, 1864-73; Joseph Duringer,

represent its Indian appellation, sometimes rendered "Ji-ik-do-wah-gah," which signifies "the place of the crab-apple tree."

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1874; E. Selden Ely, 1875; Pennock Winspear, 1876: Joseph Duringer, 1877-82; Frederick Stephan, 1883-88; John H. Stock, 1889-97.

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Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 58

Author: Truman C. White Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1017

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017