USA > New York > Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of western New York : embracing some account of the ancient remains > Part 39
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four farms on the road leading north towards Farmington. In running them out as it was necessary I should, I caught a severe cold in the swamps through which I was obliged to make my way by wading. From this circumstance I date the commencement of my deafness, which has since so much afflicted me.
During the winter past, (of 1797,) Gideon King and Zadock Granger, two of the proprietors of the tract of 20,000 acres in the north part of township one, short range, (which included the land on which Rochester now stands, ) and two or three other families from Suffield. had gone to the tract and commenced thereon a settlement. Mr. Phelps, my brother Peter B., and myself, were also proprietors. This 20,000 acre tract was sold originally by Phelps and Gorham, in 1790, to a company of gentlemen of Spring- field and Northampton, Massachusetts, among whom was Ebenezer Hunt, Quartus Pomeroy and Justin Ely. The tract was bounded north and west by the north and west lines of the township, east by the Genesee river, and south by a line parallel with the north line, so far distant therefrom as to contain 20,000 acres, excepting and reserving therefrom 100 acres, which had been previously sold to Ebenezer Allan, for the purpose of erecting a mill thereon, which one hundred acres was to be located in as near a square form as the windings of the river would permit, commencing at the centre of the mill, and extending an equal distance up and down the river, then back so far as to contain the 100 acres in the above form. The lines of this 20,000 acres had been run by Frederick Saxton in the summer of 1790. It may not be uninter- esting to state here that this 100 acres embraces the most densely and valuably built part of the city of Rochester ;- and that all the titles within it are derived from Allan, who never himself had any other known paper title than that which is derived by implication from the exception above mentioned in Phelps and Gorham's deed to the Springfield and Northampton Company.
I omitted to mention in the proper place, that in returning to Can- andaigua, after completing the survey for Robert Morris, in company with Joseph Ellicott, we traveled down the lake to Buffalo, chiefly on the beach, there being no road, and as yet, none other than an Indian trail from Buffalo to Canawagus (now Avon.) There was then (1797) but one dwelling house between the two places, which was owned by a Mr. Wilbur. It was situated at the point where Mr. John Ganson afterwards built a large house, and kept a tavern many years, and is about one mile and a half cast of Le Roy.
In 1800, I built a dwelling house in Canandaigua, opposite the Academy, in which I resided until the year 1806, when, on remov- ing with my family to this place, I sold it to John Greig, Esq., by whom it was occupied many years. Here, except during the war of 1812, I have continuously resided. In 1813, an invasion by the
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British troops took place, which resulted in laying all the settle- ments on the frontier, Buffalo included, in ashes. My dwelling, mills, &c., at this place, shared in the common desolation. The alledged justification of this system of warfare, was the burning of Newark, (now Niagara) by troops of the United States, under the command of Gen. George McClure, on his evacuating Fort George, a few weeks previous.
During the last years of my residence in Canandaigua, I was interested with Mr. Phelps and Nathaniel and Birdseye Norton, in a contract with the United States for the supply of provisions to the garrisons of Niagara, Detroit, Mackinaw, Chicago, and Fort Wayne. This connection with Mr. Phelps, continued until his death, which occurred in the winter of 1809. In 1810, I took this contract in my own name, and supplied the above posts until 1813, except during the period of their occupation by the enemy, after the surrender of Detroit, by Gen. Hull. These transactions led to my early connection with the commerce of the lakes, some account of which is contained in a communication I furnished to the editors of the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, and which was published in that paper under date of 27th March, 1846.
So much interest appears to have been recently manifested for collecting and preserving the early incidents of western settlement, and so many contributions are about to be offered in aid of this object, by others, that I think it advisable to leave to them (who will no doubt perform the duty far more acceptably than I can,) the task of presenting matters of subsequent occurrence, to the close of the last century. My early cotemporaries in western life, (with so far as I can learn, two or three solitary exceptions,) are in their graves. On account of my advanced age, and the busy though humble part I have borne as one of the very earliest of the Pioneers of Western New York, I can well imagine that a record of my experience and adventures might be supposed to possess some interest with those who are seeking such materials for preservation from an actor himself. What I have written, I am sensible, will fall very far short of expectation, but I must, in justice to myself, say, that it is but the hitherto unwritten remin- iscences of a very aged man, prepared without memoranda, and without the opportunity, by reference to, and consultation with, a solitary cotemporary, of quickening my recollection of many events, doubtless of some interest, but which have long since faded from my memory. Truth is, of course, my aim; and it may be supposed I incur some hazard in drawing on my memory alone at this late period in life. To this I will only say, that having been personally an actor and participator in most by far, of the events spoken of, I feel a strong degree of confidence in claiming, for this simple narrative the concession of at least ordinary authenticity.
I cannot close what I have to say without expressing the gratitude I have ever felt, for the kind and friendly treatment, patronage, and
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confidence, extended to me on my first arrival in the Genesee country in 1789, by many of the most distinguished of the early Pioneers. Among these I refer with pleasure to the names of Gen. ISRAEL CHAPIN, Judge OLIVER PHELPS, Judge NATHANIEL GOR- HAM, Major ADAM HOOPS, THOMAS MORRIS, Esq. JAMES WADS- WORTH, Esq. and CHARLES WILLIAMSON, Esq.
TIMOTHY HOSMER.
The early advent and prominent position held by this gentleman as a pioneer in Western New York, as well as his numerous descendants, the elder generation of whom may well be classed among the junior pioneers, entitles him to some biogaphical notice.
The subject of this memoir was born in Hartford, Conn., in Sept. 1745. He passed through a course of medical studies with Dr. Diekinson in Middletown, and settled in Farmington, in the same State, and married his wife, soon after his admission to practice.
About this period the troubles precursory to the American Revo- lution commenced, and he was one of the earliest to resist the encroachments of British power. He, together with John Tread- well (afterwards Governor of Connecticut,) and one or two others, openly proclaimed resistance to oppression in that then loyal town, so that they were for some time in great personal peril, from the violence of their loyal neighbors; but they persevered in retaining their patriotic position, until that town became distin- guished for its zeal in the cause of the Revolution.
Dr. Hosmer early entered the public service as a surgeon of the sixth continental regiment. On the appearance of the small pox in the army, he was assigned to the charge of the Hospital in Dan- bury, and the subjects sent there for inocculation, he being one of the few phycians who at that time, were acquainted with the practice of inocculation, wherein he was singularly successful. He was with the army throughout the struggle on Long Island, and on its retreat.
At the close of the war he retired from the service happy in the recollection of the glorious result, but poor and pennyless, with a growing family dependant on his professional exertions for support.
His extensive acquaintance formed in the army, rendered him personally and professionally known, to most of the families in the state, the consequence of which was, that he at once entered into
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an extensive practice, which continued to the time of his remov- ing to Western New York.
He first came into this country in 1789, or '90 and with four others, purchased Township No. 10, in the 7th Range, now the town of Avon, Livingston county, at one shilling and six pence per aere; and in the early part of 1792, he moved with his family to the banks of the Genesee river where he remained until his death, which happened Nov. 29th, 1815, being a few weeks over seventy years of age.
Upon the organization of the county of Ontario he was appointed one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for said county, and upon Oliver Phelps declining to accept the office of first Judge of that court, he received that appointment, and continued to hold that office until he arrived at the age of sixty years, when he was incapacitated from longer holding the same by the constitution of the state. In taking leave of the bench and bar, he received the most gratifying testimonials of their respect and kindness.
The Indians early experienced the benefits of his services in the treatment of diseases; for which they were ever grateful: nor is their memory of him yet dimmed, for in numerous instances, they have manifested their gratitude to his surviving descendants. In the wilds of Wisconsin they have cordially greeted the children of At-a-gus, (healer of diseases,) by which name he was known.
He was distinguished for a lively and cheerful disposition, for his active benevolence, ready wit and indifference to the acquisition of wealth; his professional services were as readily extended to the poor and helpless, as to the wealthy; his philanthrophy made all who knew him his friends, and it is not known that he ever had a per- sonal enemy. He died as he had lived, in peace with all men, and in reconciliation with his Creator.
NOTE. - A venerable pioneer, an early neighbor of Judge Hosmer, in a few words, furnished the author an eulogy to his memory, worthy of record: - " He was" said he, "an excellent hearted man: he practised medicine all through the valley; and was kind and obliging to all the new settlers." And not forgetting the wife of the Judge, he said she was a practical sister of charity and benevolence, in the new settlement.
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JARED BOUGHTON.
This gentleman who was an inhabitant of Stockbridge, Mass. in the month of July, 1788, started on an exploring expedition to find himself a new home in the western country. He attended the Indian council at Geneva, in which Phelps and Gorham extin- guished the Indian title to their Genesee Purchase. Being satisfied with the appearance of the country, but being unable to purchase until the country was surveyed, he returned to Stockbridge. His brother Enos Boughton who was the clerk and an assistant to William Walker, Phelps and Gorham's surveyor, purchased that fall, Township No 11, Range 4, of that tract, now the town of Victor, Ontario county, at the price of twenty cents per acre.
In the spring of 1789, Mr. Boughton, his brother Enos Boughton, a brother-in law, Horatio Jones, surveyor, and several hired hands, went on to the township purchased by Enos. They surveyed it into lots and prepared it for retailing. Jared Boughton commenced the first improvement made by white labor in this town. He cleared the land, raised two acres of buckwheat, sowed three acres of wheat, and built a log cabin, on what has since been called "Boughton Hill." At the approach of winter the whole party returned to Stockbridge, except Jacob Lobdell, who stayed to feed and take care of thirteen or fourteen head of cattle belonging to the Boughton family. These cattle were wintered on grass cut the season before on an old clearing on Boughton Hill, supposed to be the site of an ancient Indian village .*
In February, 1790, Mr. Boughton started from Stockbridge for his new home, with his wife, two children and his younger brother Seymour Boughton, as an assistant on the journey and to return with the horses and sleigh. After a long and fatiguing journey through an uninhabited wilderness, in which formidable obstacles were to be surmounted, they arrived at Boughton Hill on the 7th day of March. This was the first white family, and Mrs. Bough- ton and her infant daughter Malania, were the first white females who settled in the town of Victor, and Mrs. Boughton's second son Frederick was the first white child born in that town; his birth was on the first of June next after their arrival :-
* See " Gaosaehgaah," in account of De Nonville's expedition, p. 151.
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" I will give you my own experience of settling a new country, which has probably been similar to that of hundreds of others. I came from Stockbridge with my family in the winter of 1790, in a sleigh, by the way of Schenectady. At Utica there was a small frame store, old John Post, an Indian trader-and a large log house kept as a tavern. There were one or two families, the Blackmores, at Westmoreland. Two or three families between Westmoreland and Utica-Esquire Blackman's was the last house until we arrived at Oneida Castle. It was but a wood's road. At Oneida Castle, there was a Dutchman, who had hired an Indian house to accommodate travellers. We arrived there about 12 o'clock at night and found no lodgings except the floor, all the beds being occupied by emigrating families. The road was very bad. We got our sleigh 'stuck,' which henderedus a day. We came to Onondaga Hollow-no settlement between Oneida Castle and there-arrived at Col. Danforth's, who kept a tavern. Comfort Tyler and Ephraim Webster, an Indian interpreter, with his squaw wife lived there; they were the only inhabitants.
"We travelled thirteen miles the day we left Col. Danforth's. Col. Reed's family and mine, fourteen in number, camped that night under a hemlock tree, built a camp of hemlock boughs, had a warm brisk fire-made chocolate-and although my wife had a young child, we had a comfortable time of it.
"Next night we arrived at the east shore of Cayuga lake-there were two families there-Judge Richardson's was one-we stayed with him all night, and crossed the lake on the ice in the morning. The next night we got to the foot of Seneca lake-found there a man by the name of Earl; he had a log cabin, but no floor in it; we stayed there all night; Earl had a scow to ferry us across the outlet of the lake. Next morning we went home with Mrs. Reed and family-found Col. Reed at home, waiting for the arrival of his family. His house stood on the bank of the lake, in Geneva; the place then contained ten or twelve families.
"From Geneva to Canandaigua there was no house; Flint creek, half way between those places was very high, and frozen at the edges; there was no bridge; had to fall trees to get my family, sleigh, and goods over; had to draw the horses over with ropes. About five miles from Canandaigua, we stayed all night at ' Wells' cabin;' Wells had been there and sowed wheat, but had left; the weather was very cold. Next morning we arrived at Canan- daigua; the outlet of the lake was not bridged, and we had a hard time in getting over. From Canandaigua, we pursued our journey to Boughton Hill, where we arrived in good health, March 7, 1790. "Although we were somewhat prepared for living, we still had to bring on our supplies-very little flour, however, as we had buckwheat, and wheat harvest was not far off. A small log mill had been set in motion for grinding corn, in the present town of Avon, by a Mr. Ganson. The stones were of the native rock,
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no doubt; to this mill I carried my buckwheat, on horse-back, twenty miles.
"As wheat harvest approached, some preparations for the event were necessary. A floor was to be laid, of split basswood or linden, with such joints as the axe and drawing-knife could produce, the surface smoothed by the axe and carpenter's adz; cradles and rakes to be made by very unskillful hands-nay, further, we found on examination, that there was chaff growing with our wheat, and, as none of the thousand and one pedlars of fanning-mills happened along at that juncture, we were compelled to devise some plan to separate the two articles.
"A large oak tree was felled, a piece split from it, dressed to the thickness of a half bushel rim, six or eight feet long and twelve or thirteen inches wide in the widest part. This forms the curve or back-side of the machine. The bottom or horizontal part was made of part of a pine sleigh-box, and two semi-circular handles com- pleted the article. This we presumed to denominate a Corn Fan. The sieve or riddle was of black ash splinters."
The subject of the previous biographical remarks, and writer of the foregoing graphic sketches of a woodsman's life; together with his wife, the long tried partner of his sorrows and his joys, of his toils and their fruits, now reside in East Bloomfield, Ontario county, to which place they lately moved from Victor-himself 82 years of age, and his wife 79, having raised twelve children, and being now the ancestors of fifty five living descendants, are spending the remainder of their days in the midst of peace and competency.
A Scotch colony in the vicinity of Caledonia Springs, were among the earliest adventurers west of Genesee river. Their advent was in 1798. They came from Broadalbin, in the Highlands of Perth- shire; arriving first at a settlement of their countrymen at Johns- `town, Montgomery county; they were induced by the solicitations of Col. Williamson to settle at Caledonia. They were Presbyte- rians of the "Old Kirk," poor, with little to help them make their
NOTE - Few family names are more blended in the history of Western New York, than that of BOUGHTON. The four brothers that helped to commence settlement on Phelps and Gorham's purchase, were: - Enos, Jared, Seymour and Hezekiah. The last named died as early as 1793; he was the father of the late Col. Claudius V. Boughton, of Victor, and of George H. Bonghton, Esq. of Lockport. Col. Seymour Boughton was killed at the battle of Black Rock, in the war of 1812. Enos Boughton, died at Lock- port, in 1-26. At the great celebration, the year previous, he was introduced to Gov. Clinton as the man who built the first framed barn, the first stick chimney, and planted the first orchard west of Seneca lake. The author has been shown a letter, from Heze- kiah Boughton, dated in the Genesee country, in the winter of 1793, to his wife in Stockbridge. He mentions that there had not been sleighing enough for a "single team to venture to Onondaga for salt;" and says he is about to start for Niagara, and has been "fortunate enough to secure company through the woods." The father of the four brothers, came to Victor in 1790, aged 65 years, and died in '98.
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way in a new country, but stout hearts, industry and frugality. Col. Williamson sold them their land at three dollars per acre, on a credit of ten years, supplied them with a year's provisions, some teams, cows, &c. The five of their number who came out to make the selection of lands, were :- John M'Vean, Hugh M'Der- mott, Donald M'Pherson, James M'Laren, and John Anderson.
In their new location the early Scotch adventurers had been preceded by one who had given the place a very bad reputation. His name was Peterson, a Dane, had been a sea captain-and tradition says, a pirate. He built a house, near the spring and entertained travellers, cooking himself and affording very good fare; afterwards marrying a girl that lived with Dugan, at Dugan's creek. He was strongly suspected of taking advantage of his secluded position, for the purpose of robbery and murder; and a surviving witness states that Dugan, once during a quarrel with him charged him with a specific offence, naming the victim. There was much uneasiness among the new settlers in reference to him, and their suspicions at one time led to an arrest and com- mitment to the jail at Canandaigua. He was finally obliged to run away, and afterwards died at sea. He was the first tavern keeper west of the Genesee river; certainly, a very untoward commencement of that branch of business.
Mrs. Chamberlin, the wife of Deacon Chamberlin, whose narra- tive has already been introduced, is one of the few survivors of the original colonists. Her first husband, was Malcolm M'Laren. The other survivors, are; John M'Naughton, Mrs. M'Vean, widow of Donald M'Vean, and Hugh M'Dermott.
The introduction here of portions of a narrative furnished by JOHN M'KAY, Esq. of Caledonia, will not only afford some glimpses of early settlement there, but of previous events upon the Genesee river.
"I came to what is now Groveland, on the Genesee river, in 1793, in my 16th year. Col. Williamson had laid out a village at Wil- liamsburgh, (near Geneseo;) fifteen or twenty buildings were erec- ted there. I remained at Groveland, for several years working at the carpenter's trade. Among the carly events that now occur to me, was the firing of lands by the Indians for the purpose of taking game. It was in 1795. The Indians to the number of at least five hundred assembled. At 12 o'clock in the day, they set a train of fire which enclosed an area of about seven miles square, of the oak openings between the Canascraga and Conesus lake. Pla-
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cing themselves inside of the area as the fire advanced and lessened its size, the game was driven in and shot. It was a brisk time during the afternoon; seventeen deer, several bear, and a large amount of other game, was the result of the fire hunt. Shanks, a celebrated Indian hunter, came in contact with a bear during the afternoon, that he had wounded. It was fight Indian, fight bear; the bear getting decidedly the advantage. He sprang upon Shanks, tore and lacerated his flesh-actually eating off the calves of his legs! The Indians found Shanks almost lifeless; the bear having left him for dead. He was cured of his wounds by Indian reme- dies, and lived for many years.
"I was at Morris' treaty; should think there were three thousand Indians assembled for several days. Those who were there to effect the treaty, bought up beef cattle and distributed the beef freely to the Indians.
"I came to Caledonia in 1803; there was then but two houses at the Springs. I purchased two hundred acres of land, including the Big Spring and the mill site at Slab City, (or Mumfordville;) Capt. Williamson had built a small grist mill, with one run of stones, to accommodate the Scotch settlers, about eighteen months before I came. I paid for the whole property, a little over two thousand dollars. My customers for some time, were from most of the then settled portions of the Holland Purchase; they came from as far as Buffalo, when they could not cross the river to Canada, on account of the ice; in fact, at times, from all the region west of me. The next mills built were those of the Holland Company, at Batavia, and Stoddard and Platt's, at Leroy. The first merchant at Cale- donia was John Cameron; he came with a few goods in 1804 or '5.
" When I first came to the springs, trout were abundant in it; and it will surprise trout fishers of the present day-and would perhaps old Isaac Walton himself, if he were living-to learn that they were comparatively tame. When we wanted them, we used frequently to catch them with our hands, as they lay under the roots of the cedar trees that grew along the banks. There would be occasionally one weighing as high as three pounds. It is the habit of the speckled trout to breed in none but running water, consequently they would never breed in the spring, but resorted to its outlet. There was never any other fish in the spring; they have been gradually diminishing, not only in numbers, but in size .*
"My brother Robert came here in 1808, had been a clerk for some of the early merchants in Geneseo.
This last resort, almost, of the speckled trout in all the northern portion of Western New York, has within a few years, been threatened with entire desertion, or extinction. There is now a law in operation, limited to three years duration, which makes fishing in the spring or its outlet, a penal offence. The trout, as if ready to co-operate in this attempt to protect them in this their seeming " Reservation," are now rapidly in- creasing in numbers and size. It is almost a wonder that some greedy Pre-emp- tionists - say a shoal of horned " Bull Pouts "- are not contesting their rights.
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" I have often heard of buying wives, but have known, I think, of but one actual sale, and afterwards peaceable and quiet posses- sion. Phelps, the early settler at Queenston, was a Ranger. In 1794, or '5, getting tired of a bachelor's life, he went down to Geneva, bought the wife of one Jennings, for six hundred dollars, cash down, taking her directly to Queenston. I have heard that the transfer was a fortunate one for all concerned; she making him a good wife.
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