USA > New York > Orleans County > Pioneer history of Orleans County, New York, containing some account of the civil divisions of western New York > Part 14
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LARENDON comprises a portion of the one hundred thousand acre tract, and was formed from Sweden February 23d, 1821.
Owing in part to the difficulty of getting a good title to the land, which up to about 1811, was owned for several years by the State of Connecticut and the Pultney Estate jointly, settlers came in slowly at first.
The land was divided between the State of Connec- ticut and the Pultney Estate, in 1811; but the lots which fell to the Pultney Estate, were not surveyed and put in the market for sale until about the year 1821. Settlers were allowed to take posses- sion of land and make improvements with the expec- tation that when the lands came in market they would retain what they had so taken and then get a title. Some settlers located on these lands under these circumstances and cleared them up and built houses. When they finally came in market the set- tlers was charged $8 or $10 per acre, -a much higher price than he expected when he came in, and a higher price than the Holland Company charged for their - lands of like quality : but he was compelled to pay it or leave and lose his labor.
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Among the first settlers in Clarendon were Eldridge Farwell, John Cone. Bradstreet Spafford, Elisha Huntley, David Church, and Chauncey Robinson. Eldridge Farwell erected the first sawmill on Sandy Creek in 1811, and the first gristmill at the same place in 1813. A village grew up in the vicinity of these mills which, in honor of Mr. Farwell, was called and known as Farwell's Mills. Situated a little north- west of the center of the town, it has been the princi- pal place of trade and business.
Judge Eldridge Farwell was the pioneer settler. The next settler was Alanson Dudley, in 1812.
The first store was kept at Farwell's Mills by Fris- bie & Pierpont, in 1821.
The first school was taught by Mrs. Amanda Bills. The first school house built in Clarendon stood a little south of Farwell's Mills, or Clarendon, as the place is now being called, was built in 1813 of logs. and was fourteen by eighteen feet square.
Frisbie & Pierpont traded in the little red store building in which after they left, David Sturges sold goods for many years.
In addition to his business as a merchant with Mr. Frisbie, William Pierpont kept a tavern. After two or three years he moved away and Mr. Hiram Frisbie, his partner, succeeded to the store and tavern to which had been added an ashery, all three of which Mr. Frisbie carried on two or three years, and until he removed to Holley about the year 1828.
In 1815, Joseph Sturges built a distillery at Far- well's Mills, which he carried on with his brother David, eight or ten years. when Mr. Frisbie having moved away, and Joseph Sturges having died in March, 1828, David Sturges began to sell dry goods and groceries here. He was a sharp business man . and drove a large trade. He was the next merchant
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In town after Pierpont & Frisbie. He died in Septem- ber. 1848.
Judge Eldridge Farwell was the first postmaster in town, and Dr. Bussy the first physician.
On the 4th of February, 1823, a Presbyterian Church was organized in Clarendon. For several years it maintained a feeble existence, until in 1831, it united with the Presbyterian Church in Holley, and became extinct as an organization in Clarendon.
The first town meeting held in and for the town of Clarendon was at the school house at Farwell's Mills. April 4th, 1821.
Eldridge Farwell was a candidate for Supervisor on the Clinton ticket, and William Lewis on the Tompkins ticket. The Meeting was opened with prayer by Elder Stedman. The election of Supervi- sor was coneluded to be first in order. No chairman had been formally appointed, but on suggestion of somebody the entire meeting went out of doors in front of the school house. Some one held his hat and half a dozen voters stood by to see that nobody voted twice, or cast more than one ballot, and ballots for Supervisor were thrown into the hat by all the voters present. Eldridge Farwell was elected the first Su- pervisor, and JJoseph M. Hamilton, Town Clerk.
Jonas Davis made spinning wheels, and Alanson Dudley carried on tanning and shoemaking at Far- well's Mills, at an early day.
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS.
HORACE PECK.
"I was born in Farmington, Hartford Co., Conn., April 15, 1802. In the spring of 1817, I hired out to drive cattle, sheep and hogs to Buffalo, and went on with a drove. The mud was deep and I had a hard
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time wading through it after my drove. I went through however, and come back to Farwell's Mills in Clar- endon, expecting to meet my father and his family there, as they had made arrangements to move when I left them.
On my journey back from Buffalo, all I had to eat was six crackers, and I drank one glass of cider.
I found my father had not come on. I was alone, but fourteen years of age, had but four dollars in money, my pay for driving the drove, and had no acquaintances there. This was the next spring after the cold season. It was difficult for me to find a place to stay for the reason no one had anything to eat or to spare. I found friends, however, in Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Foster. They said I might stay with them till my folks came on. After that I fared well. They divided their best fare with me, which consisted of hoe cake and maple molasses, and we had to be sparing of that.
I stayed with my benefactors three weeks, when my parents and their family arrived. My father had prepared a small log cabin shingled with bark the summer before. We moved into it. All the provis- ion we had on hand to eat was half a barrel of very lean pork.
My father had no money left, owned no living crea- ture except his family. We had no table and only two chairs. We had an acre of cleared land on our lot sown with wheat. These were gloomy times to me. The first thing was to procure something to eat. I paid my four dollars to David Church for two bushels of wheat. The next thing was to get some straw to sleep on. This we got of our neighbor, Chauncey Robinson, for two cents a bundle.
We had hard fare until the next harvest. We ate bran bread and had not enough of that. After har- vest we had enough to eat, and I thought at this time,
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could I be sure of enough to eat hereafter I should be content.
The next year my father bought a two-year old cow, which helped us very much.
In the winter of 1818-19, my eldest brother, Luther C. Peck, taught a district school near where Holley now stands, for three months, for which he was to have thirty bushels of wheat after the next harvest.
When father received the wheat the price had fal- len. Father drew the wheat to Rochester, and re- ceived after deducting expenses, thirty-one cents per bushel.
In 1820 we bought a yoke of oxen. We then con- sidered ourselves well off. Previous to this I went to school winters. I went one winter to Farwell's Mills, three miles from my fathers. I worked summers chopping and logging with my father, working out for others when I could get an opportunity.
In the winter of 1819-20, I taught school on the fourth section road for ten dollars per month. I fol- lowed that business for ten winters-had higher wages as I advanced in experience.
During this time and up to my majority I began to consider myself a man, used to attend parties, would yoke the oxen and hitch them to a sled, go after the young ladies and wait on them very politely. And I enjoyed it as well and even better than in after times riding in a fashionable carriage.
I once thought it quite smart to visit a young lady who resided in Le Roy. On one occasion I had been to see her, had a very pleasant visit, time passed very agreeably, and before I was aware it was getting rather late. Sometime before daylight, however, I started for home on foot through the woods near three miles. When I came to about the middle of the woods, a wolf appeared in the road before me. I halloed right lustily, the wolf left the road rather
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leisurely, and I passed on rapidly. Soon a howling commenced, which was answered by other wolves at a distance, and before I got through the woods, a pack of these animals was on my track, and near to me judging by their cries. They made all sorts of noises but pleasant ones to me. I saved myself from them by the energetic use of my locomotive powers.
I came readily to the conclusion that this business of being out so late nights 'would not pay.
I married Miss Anna White January 22, 1829. She was born June 19, 1802, and died January 15, 1834. I married Miss Adaline Nichols January 31, 1836. She was born February 6, 1809.
Clarendon, 1871.
HORACE PECK."
BENJAMIN G. PETTINGILL.
"I was born in Lewiston, Lincoln county, in the State of Maine. In 1817, I started for the Genesee country with my paek on my back and walked to Portland, thirty-five miles, where I went on board a vessel and sailed to Boston. I left Boston on foot with my pack on my back for the place of my des- tination. My pack was not very heavy, but I had in it, among other things, forty silver dollars. After a hard journey I arrived at Ogden, Monroe county, on the first day of April. I stopped there a while with an uncle of mine, was very homesick, wished myself back in Maine many times.
I worked out that summer by the month, and in the fall bought some land in what is now Clarendon, Orleans county, then a part of Sweden.
I settled on my land. cleared it up, and in due time raised excellent crops, and in a few years found my- self out of debt and considered -myself rather 'fore- handed.
I labored hard in the commencement, had consider-
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able sickness in my family, but a good Providence has been mindful of me and mine, and in all my law- ful undertakings I have been blest, for which I feel truly grateful.
BENJAMIN G. PETTINGILL."
Clarendon, 1864.
BRADSTREET SPAFFORD.
Mrs. Harriet S. Merrill, a daughter of Mr. Spafford, gives the following account of him :
"My father came from Connecticut about the year 1811, and purchased a farm about a mile south of Holley, on which he resided until his death in 1828. He was twice married-my mother, Mrs. Eunice Dar- row, being his second wife. My father had but one child by his first wife, a daughter named Hester, who in after years became Mrs. Daniels, and is now Mrs. Blonden.
When this sister was four years old her mother died of consumption. At that time my father's house was the only one between Holley and Farwell's Mills. In other directions it was a mile to the nearest neigh- bors. During her last illness my father was her prin- cipal physician and nurse. He used frequently to say to his friends he feared she would die suddenly while alone with him.
It was arranged between my father and his nearest neighbors, that if anything more alarming occurred in her case, he should blow the horn as a signal for them to come.
Not long after, at midnight of a dark winter night, death knocked at his door; he took the tin horn and blew the warning notes ; but the winds were adverse, and nobody heard. Again and again he blew, lon- ger and louder, but no one heard or came. His wife soon expired. My father closed her eyes, placed a napkin about her head and covered her lifeless form
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more closely, fearing it would become rigid before he could obtain assistance to habit it in the winding sheet preparatory for the tomb, for such were the habili- ments used in those days.
He dressed his little daughter, placed her in her lit- tle chair by the fire, gave her her kitten to play with, and told her to sit there until he came back. He then went a mile to his nearest neighbors and roused them to come to his aid, and returned finding his little daughter as he had left her, alone with her dead mother.
I was one of the first children born in the town of Clarendon, being now 46 years of age.
HARRIET S. MERRILL."
Clarendon, June 1863.
NICHOLAS E. DARROW.
"I was born in the town of Chatham, Columbia county, N. Y., April 1st. 1808 ; have been a farmer by occupation. My father, John Darrow, came to Wheatland, Monroe county, N. Y., in 1811, and worked there two seasons, then returned to Columbia county, sold his farm and was nearly ready to move his family to the Genesee country when he was taken sick and died March 22d. 1813.
In June, 1815, my father's family removed to the farm he had bought two years previous. My mother, then a widow, married Mr. Bradstreet Spafford, who had settled in Clarendon, about the year 1811 or '12. I grew up among the hardships of the new country, and December 30th, 1830, was married to Sarah A. Sweet, daughter of Noah Sweet, who came to Claren- don from Saratoga county, in 1815. My wife was born in Saratoga county in 1812.
My father was a blacksmith by trade, but owned and worked a farm. He was one of the leading me- chanies who made the great chain which was put
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across the Hudson River to prevent the British fleet from coming up in the Revolutionary War, links of which are now in the State Library at Albany.
I have resided most of the time since 1815, in Clar- endon ; and for the last twenty-four years on the same farm. I lived a short time in Murray and a short time in Ohio.
I attended school in the first school house built in Clarendon. It stood a little south of Clarendon vil- lage, and was built in 1813, of logs, and in size was about fourteen by eighteen feet square, with slab floor and benches. The writing desks were made by bor- ing holes in the logs in the wall, driving in pins and putting boards on these.
We have ten children, nine of whom are living. My second son is now serving in the army of the Po- tomac in the war of the great rebellion.
I should have said in connection with my father's history, that himself and three of his brothers served in the Revolutionary War.
NICHOLAS E. DARROW."
Clarendon, April 1864.
ELDRIDGE FARWELL.
Eldridge Farwell was born in Vermont in 1770.
Sometime previous to 1811, Mr. Farwell located near Clarkson village on the Ridge road, but removed in that year to the town of Clarendon, then an un- broken wilderness, where he built the first saw mill in that town on Sandy Creek. This sawmill made the first boards had in all this region. In 1813, he built a grist mill on the same stream, which was the pioneer gristmill in that town.
On the organization of Orleans county, Mr. Farwell was appointed in 1825 one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, which office he held five years. The village sometimes called Farwell's Mills in the
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town of Clarendon, was so named in his honor he being the first to settle there.
He married a daughter of Judge John Lee, of Barre. Judge Farwell died October 15, 1843.
WILLIAM LEWIS.
William Lewis was a Deputy Sheriff of Genesee county. He was the first Sheriff of Orleans county. He had held the office of Supervisor and Justice of the Peace in Clarendon. He was a prompt and effi- vient officer, and a worthy man. He died July 23d, 1824, aged about 43 years.
MARTIN EVARTS.
Martin Evarts was born in Riga, Monroe county, N. Y., July 21st, 1812. He removed with his father's family to Clarendon in 1817. Until within a few years he resided on the farm originally taken up by his father. Mr. Evarts was Supervisor of Clarendon in 1863. He married Charlotte Burnham, August 19th, 1835. She died June 20th, 1862.
LEMUEL COOK.
Lemuel Cook was born in New Haven county, Ct., September 10th, 1763. His father died while Lemuel was a child, leaving his widow and children in desti- tute circumstances.
In the revolutionary war he with his two brothers entered the army, Lemuel enlisting November 1st, 1779, being then in his 17th year. He was honorably discharged June 11th, 1783. After leaving the army his poll tax was remitted to him by the Select Men of his town, on account of wounds he had received in battle while serving in the armies of his country. In 1792, he settled in Pompey, Onondaga county. In 1838, he removed to Bergen, Genesee county, and from
OF ORLEANS COUNTY. 209
thence to Clarendon, where he died May 20th, 1866. of old age, being 102 years, 8 months and 10 days old. He was probably the oldest man that has lived in Orleans county. He was a revolutionary pensioner.
ISAAC CADY.
Isaac Cady was born in Alstead, New Hampshire, July 26, 1793. He married Betsey Pierce, October 26th, 1816. He came to Clarendon in 1815, on foot, from Kingston, Vt., and located the land on which he afterwards settled and has since resided.
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CHAPTER XIX.
TOWN OF GAINES.
First Settlers-Case of Getting Fire-Noah Burgess-Mrs. Burgess- Cutting Logs for a House-First Orchard-First School House- Drake's Mill Dam and Saw Mill-Organization of McCarty's Mil- itia Company-Their Scout after British and Indians-Dr. Jesse Beach-Orange Butler-First Marriage-First Birth-First News- paper in Orleans County-First Tavern-Store-Grist Mill-First Merchants-James Mather Dealing in Black Salts, &c .- Business at Gaines Basin-Village of Gaines-Gaines Academy-Efforts to Lo- cate Court House Here-Trade in Other Localities-Biographies of Early Settlers.
AINES was formed from Ridgeway, Febrna- ry 14th, 1816, and included the town of Barre, and the principal part of Carlton, within its original limits. William J. Babbitt was prominently active in getting this town organized, and on his sug- gestion it was named Gaines, in honor of Gen. E. P. Gaines, of the U. S. Army.
A number of families had located along the Ridge Road before the war with England in 1812. One of the first settlers, if not the first, within the present bounds of the town of Gaines, was a Mr. Gilbert, who was living about two miles east of Gaines vil- lage, in 1809. He died in or about that year and was buried in Murray. A man who accompanied the widow and her niece home from the funeral, they being all the family, found their fire had gone out, and they had no means to kindle it, until this man, on his way home called and notified Mr. Elijah Downer, and he
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OF ORLEANS COUNTY.
sent his son several miles to carry them fire, they being the nearest neighbors.
The records of the Holland Land Company show that articles for land in the town of Gaines, parts of township fifteen, range two, were taken in the year 1809, by the following named persons : Andrew Ja- cox, Whitfield Rathbun, William Sibley, Cotton M. Leach, Noah Burgess, James Mather, and Henry Luce.
Turner's History of the Holland Purchase says : " Whitfield Rathbun was the pioneer upon all that part of the Ridge Road, in Orleans county, embraced in the Holland Purchase."
Noah Burgess came from Canada in a boat with his family and effects and landed at the head of Still- water, in Carlton. He located on the south side of the Ridge, on the farm now occupied by Hon. Robert Anderson and his son Nahum.
Mr. Burgess was sick and unable to work when he first arrived, and the widow Gilbert, above referred to. took her oxen and moved the family and effects of Mr. Burgess from Stillwater to his place on the Ridge. a distance of about four miles. Mrs. Burgess, who was a strong, athletic woman, then chopped down trees and cut logs for a log house, and Mrs. Gilbert drew them to the spot with her oxen, and the walls of the house were rolled up from these logs by men who came along to look for land. The house so built was occupied for a time by Mr. Burgess, and stood where the Ridge Road is now laid in front of the dwelling house of Nahum Anderson. Mrs. Burgess set out a small orchard of apple trees near her house, which is supposed to be the first orchard set in Gaines.
Mr. Burgess sold his land to William Bradner, and located a mile farther east, where he died some twen-
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ty years ago, and Mrs. Burgess, referred to, died in the summer of 1869.
The widow Gilbert was a hardy pioneer. The next winter after the death of her husband, aided by her niece, Amy Scott, she cut down trees to furnish browse for a yoke of oxen and some other cattle through the winter. She removed to Canandaigua in 1811.
Rowley, Wilcox, Leach, Adams, Rosier, Sprague, and Daniel Pratt were some of the settlers along the. Ridge in 1810.
Daniel Gates came in 1811 and bought an article. of a farm, about two miles west of the village of Gaines, on the south side of the Ridge, since known as. the Palmer farm.
A former proprietor had chopped down the trees on a small spot and built a cabin of logs, twelve feet square, with a single roof.
The Holland Company agreed with their settlers if' they would make a clearing and build a log house, they might have the land two years without paying interest on the purchase money.
This cabin was built to save such interest, and ac- quired additional notoriety from the fact that in this. building Orrin Gleason taught the first school in Gaines, in the winter of 1813.
Henry Drake came to Gaines in 1811. In 1812 he built a dam and sawmill on Otter Creek, a few rods north of the Ridge-the first sawmill in this. town.
When war with Great Britain was declared in 1812, the settlers in this vicinity apprehending danger from their proximity to the frontier, assembled together and elected Eleazer McCarty, one of their number, Captain, to lead them in their defence if the settle- ment was attacked by the enemy.
In December 1813, the British burned Lewiston,.
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OF ORLEANS COUNTY.
and news was brought to Capt. McCarty by the fleeing inhabitants, that British and Indians were coming east on the Ridge. He sent a messenger in the night to John Proctor, the only man who had a horse in the settlement, to carry the news to Murray, and call the men together to resist them. The next morning the company was en route towards the foe. The next night they came in sight of Molyneaux tavern, ten or 12 miles east of Lewiston, and saw a light in the house. Captain MeCarty halted his men and advanced him- self to reconnoiter. Approaching the place he saw British and Indians in the house, their guns standing in a corner. He' returned to his men and brought them cautiously forward ; selected a few to follow him into the house, and ordered the remainder to surround it and prevent the enemy from escaping. McCarty and his party rushed in at the door and sprang between the men and their guns and ordered them to surren- der.
The British soldiers and the Indians had been help- ing themselves to liquor in the tavern, and some were drunk and asleep on the floor. The surprise was complete. Most of the party surrendered ; a few In- dians showed fight with their knives and hatchets and tried to recover their guns, and several of them were killed in the melee. One soldier made a dash to get his gun and was killed by McCarty at a blow. The remainder surrendered and were put upon their march towards Lewiston, near which our army had then ar- rived. One prisoner would not walk. The soldiers dragged him forward on the ground awhile, and get- ting tired of that, Henry Luce, one of McCarty's men, declared with an oath, he would kill him, and was preparing for the act, when McCarty interfered and :saved his life.
MeCarty encamped a few miles east of Lewiston. While there he went out with a number of his men
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and captured a scouting party of British soldiers re- turning to Fort Niagara laden with plunder they had taken from the neighboring inhabitants. Mc- Carty compelled them to carry the plunder back to. its owners, and then sent them prisoners of war to. Batavia.
After fifteen or twenty days service, McCarty's- company was discharged and returned home. Most of his men resided in Gaines, and comprised nearly all the men in town.
The first regular practicing physician in Gaines was Dr. Jesse Beach.
The first licensed attorney was Orange Butler, who' settled here before it was determined whether the- county seat would be Gaines or Albion. Judge Eli- jah Foot and W. W. Ruggles followed soon after.
The first marriage in Gaines was that of Andrew Jacobs to Sally Wing, in the fall of 1810 or '11.
The first child born in Gaines was Samuel Crippen, Jr., in 1809.
The first printing press in Orleans county was lo- cated in Gaines, by Seymour Tracy, who published the first newspaper there. Tracy was succeeded by John Fisk.
The publication of this paper commenced about 1824, and continued about four years.
The first gristmill was built on Otter Creek, about the year 1822, by Jonathan Gates.
The first tavern was kept by William Sibley in 1811. The first store was kept by William Perry in 1815.
Among the early merchants were E. &. E. D. Nich- ols, V. R. Hawkins, and J. J. Walbridge.
James Mather, though he never kept a store of goods, was an active trader in " black salts," potash, and staves, which he purchased from the settlers and took to the month of Oak Orchard Creek, or Gene-
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OF ORLEANS COUNTY.
see River, and shipped to Montreal, for which he paid in iron, salt fish, leather, and some kinds of coarse goods most needed, and some money.
Money to pay taxes, and to meet the pressing wants of the pioneers in this vicinity, was for some time mainly derived from this source.
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