USA > New York > Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of western New York : embracing some account of the ancient remains > Part 42
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Theophilus Cazenove, the agent general of the Holland Company, resident at Philadelphia, in July, 1797, had engaged Mr. Joseph Ellicott, as principal surveyor of the company's lands in Western New York, whenever their title should be perfected and possession obtained, and likewise, to attend the before-mentioned council and assist Messrs. W. Bayard and J. Linklaen, who were to attend and act as agents for the company, (sub rosa,) for the purpose of pro- moting the interests of their principals in any treaty which might be made with the Indians. Mr. Ellicott attended the council accord-
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ingly, and rendered valuable services to the purchasers. This period was the commencement of upwards of twenty years' regular active service rendered by Mr. Ellicott to the Holland Land Company, in conducting their affairs and executing laborious enter- prises for their benefit.
As soon as the favorable result of the proceedings of this council was known, Mr. Ellicott proceeded immediately to prepare for the traverse and survey of the north and northwest bounds of the tract. As soon as the necessary preparatory steps could be taken, Mr. Ellicott, as surveyor for the Holland Company, and Augustus Porter, in the same capacity, for Robert Morris, for the purpose of estimating the quantity of land in the tract, started a survey at the northeast corner of Phelps and Gorham's tract, west of Gen- esce river, and traversed the south shore of lake Ontario to the mouth of Niagara river; thence up the eastern shore of the Niagara river to lake Erie, thence along the southeast shore of lake Erie to the west bounds of the state of, New York, being a meridian line running due south from the west end of lake Ontario, which had been previously established by Andrew Ellicott, Sur- veyor General of the United States, assisted by said Joseph Ellicott. All which was perfected by the middle of November following.
Before Mr. Ellicott left Western New York for Philadelphia, he contracted with Thomas Morris to deliver on the Genesee river or shore of lake Ontario near the mouth of that river, one hundred barrels of pork, fifteen barrels of beef, and two hundred and seventy barrels of flour, for the supply of the surveyors and their assistants the ensuing season. Mr. Ellicott, at the request of the Agent General, made a list of articles to be provided for the next season's campaign, consisting of a diversity of articles, from pack-horses to horse shoes, nails and gimlets-from tents to towels -from barley and rice to chocolate, coffee and tea, and from camp- kettles to teacups; estimated to amount to $7,213 33. This state- ment, however, did not include medicine, or "wine, spirits, loaf sugar, &c., for head quarters." Mr. Ellicott likewise calculated the wages of surveyors and other hands for six months of the next season at $ 19,830.
Although the great divisions of the Holland Purchase was intended to consist of townships six miles square, the division of the tract among the three sets of proprietors, the Indian reserva- tions which were not included in the townships, as well as the
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offsets and sinuosities existing in most of the boundaries, prevent a large portion of the townships conforming to this standard. The townships are situated in ranges running from south to north. The townships in each range of townships beginning to number one at the south, raising regularly in number to the north, and the ranges of townships beginning to number one at the cast, and proceeding regularly west, to fifteen.
The first plan of the agent general of the company, relative to the subdivision of the townships, was to divide each township which was six miles square into sixteen portions one and a half miles square, to be called sections, and each section again subdivi- ded into twelve lots, each lot to be three fourths of a mile long (generally north and south,) and one fourth of a mile wide containing about one hundred and twenty acres each; presuming that a wealthy farmer would buy a section, whereon to locate himself and his progeny. Twenty four townships were surveyed or commenced to be surveyed in conformity to that plan, although the uniformity of the size and shape of lots was often departed from, where large streams, such as the Tonawanda running through the townships, were, for convenience, made boundaries of lots. From experience however it was ascertained that, in the purchase of land, each individual whether father, son, or son-in-law, would locate himself according to his own choice or fancy. That this formal and regular division of land into farms, seldom was found to be in conformity to the topography of the country, nor to the different requirements as to quantity, likewise that the addition of sections to townships and lots, rendered the descriptions of farms more complex, and increased the liability to err in defining any particular location; for which reasons, the practice of dividing townships into sections was abandoned, and thereafter, the townships were simply divided into lots of about sixty chains or three fourths of a mile square, which could be divided into farms to suit the topography of the land and quantity required by the purchasers. In those townships in which the surveys had been commenced to divide them into sec- tions, and not completed, the remaining sections were divided into four lots only of three fourths of a mile square each. These lots consequently contained about three hundred and sixty acres each, but could not be laid off exactly uniform in shape and area, for the same reason heretofore given in a note, why the townships could not be laid off exactly uniform.
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Early in the spring of 1788, Mr. Ellicott dispatched Adam Hoops, Jr., a nephew of Major Adam Hoops, from Philadelphia, to Western New York, with general powers to prepare for opening the approaching campaign of surveying the Holland Purchase, and to co-operate with Augustus Porter, who had previously been engaged to procure horses, employ hands, and transport stores from the places of their delivery by the contractor, Mr. Morris, to the places where they would be required for consumption.
The principal surveyors engaged during the active season of 1798, in township, meridian line and reservation surveys, and in lake and river traverses, were as follows :- Joseph and Benjamin Ellicott, John Thompson, Richard M. Stoddard, George Burgess, James Dewey, David Ellicott, Aaron Oakford, Jr. Augustus Porter, Seth Pease, James Smedly, William Shepherd, George Eggleston. In addition to these, were two Frenchmen, Messrs. Haudecaur, and Autrechy, who were employed in some surveys of Niagara river and the Falls. The last were rather engineers than surveyors. Mr. James Brisbane, then in his minority, came from Philadelphia, with Mr. Thompson, as clerk and store keeper.
Mr. Ellicott and his assistants having arrived on the territory, his first business was to ascertain and correctly establish the east line of the Purchase. He caused the Pennsylvania line to be accurately measured from the southwest corner of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, or the 82d mile stone, twelve miles west, and there erected a stone monument for the southeast corner of the Holland Purchase. The whole company was then divided into parties, to prosecute the undertaking to advantage. The principal surveyor Joseph Ellicott, assisted by Benjamin Ellicott, one other surveyor and the requisite number of hands, undertook to run the castern boundary line. The other surveyors, each with his quota of hands were assigned to run different township lines.
A line running due north from the monument established as the southeast corner by Mr. Ellicott, to the boundary line between the United States and the dominions of the King of Great Britain in lake Ontario, according to the deeds of conveyance from Robert Morris to the company, constitutes the east line of their purchase. To run a true meridian by the surveyors compass Mr. Ellicott knew to be impractible,* he therefore determined to run this line
* We make use of this strong asservation, being as we feel fully authorized by the following statement, which, although not originally written for this work, has been
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by an instrument, having for its basis the properties of the "Transit instrument" (an instrument made use of, to observe the transits of the heavenly bodies,) improved for this purpose by a newly invented manner of accurately arriving at the same; to effect this object, an instrument possessing all these qualities, was manufactured in Phil- adelphia by his brother, Benjamin Ellicott, as no instrument pos- sessing all the qualities desired, was then to be found in the United States.
This instrument has no magnetic necdle attached to it, but its peculiar qualities and prominent advantages are, that by means of
put in our hands by the writer. For the benefit of persons interested in the process of surveying, we publish the whole statement, although an extract from it would have fully sustained our assertion :-
VARIATION OF THE MAGNETIC NEEDLE.
From divers publications emanating from really scientific writers, but predicated on speculative theory, without any regard to practicability or the real excellencies or defects of the magnetic needle, when applied to practical purposes; many well informed people, on general subjects, have been led to believe that, that instrument really possesses talismanic attributes and unerring precision; that it is always governed by, and true to never failing and well understood laws; that although it varies from indi- cating the true meridian, that the variation from truth, progresses slowly, constantly and regularly, at a rate clearly conceived and well understood by the scientific surveyor. If this position was correct, the needle could be for all practical purposes, a true and perfect index, whereby to ascertain any point of the compass, for the sights could easily be adjusted to the known variation of the needle. But this fine spun theory, whatever it may amount to in a scientific point of view, is entirely merged and wholly lost in the practical variation of the needle from itself, or rather its uncertainty, variability, and mutability.
To support this position, I feel gratified that I have it in my power to produce an authority, which carries with it its own ponderous weight and relieves me from further urging my own views, or stating my own experience to prove the truth of the position. The following is an extract from a semi-official document prepared by the late Joseph Ellicott, who was principal surveyor, and I may say, sole engineer for the Holland Company in locating and surveying their large tract of land in Western New York.
The document referred to, was an explanatory accompaniment of Mr. Ellicott's report to the agent general at Philadelphia, of the survey of the Holland Purchase into town- ships. The deliberate and unqualified statement of so great a scientific and practical surveyor on such an important occasion, must be admitted as unquestionable authority. It will be seen that what Mr. Ellicott meant by "the variation of the needle," was nothing more nor less than its fickleness and uncertainty.
" The difference that is discernable in the size of the several townships, is occasioned by the variation of the needle, which from certain occult causes is found to differ essen- tially between any two stations that may be fixed on, and much more between some stations than others. Hence in taking the magnetic courses of any two townships, it will follow that a disproportion in size of the several townships will necessarily arise, as the needle is seldom known to preserve a uniform position, between places but a few hundred yards from each other: so that inaccuracies will arise though the greatest circumspection should be observed in correcting courses."
In the foregoing statement (although I confess it adds nothing comparatively to the weight of the original) I fully concur, and feel confident in asserting that if a surveyor, being guided by the magnetic needle only, strikes, or very nearly strikes his intended point, he has more reason to give credit to good luck, than to any scientific acquirements, or practical knowledge.
BATAVIA, Sept. 1848.
EBENEZER MIX.
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its telescopic tube and accurate manner of reversing, by it, a straight line can be correctly, and, comparatively speaking, expeditiously run. But such an instrument, by reason of its magnifying powers is as illy calculated to run a line through woods and underbrush, as would be a microscope to observe the transits of the satelites of Herschel. Therefore it became necessary to cut a vista through the woods on the highlands and on level ground, sufficiently wide to admit a clear and uninterrupted view.
Mr. Ellicott having provided himself with such an instrument, caused the vista to be cut, some three or four rods wide, ahead of the transit instrument, in a north direction as indicated by the com- pass, which sometimes led the axemen more than the width of the vista from the meridian sought; therefore the true meridian line, called the transit line, from the name of the instrument with which it was run, being of no width, runs sometimes on one side of the middle of the vista cut in advance, and sometimes on the other.
Thus prepared with a suitable instrument, Mr. Ellicott, assisted by his brother Benjamin Ellicott, together with surveyors and their assistants, established a true meridian line north from the corner monument, by astronomical observations, and pursued it with the transit instrument, taking new astronomical observations at different stations, to guard against accidental variations.
The progress in running this line was slow, as it could not be otherwise expected, considering the great amount of labor neces- sarily to be performed, in clearing the vista, and taking other pre- paratory measures, and above all, the vast importance of having it correctly established, which rendered anything like precipitance or haste an experiment too hazardous to be permitted. June 12th, the party on this line had advanced so far north that they established their store house at Williamsburg, (about three miles south of the village of Geneseo,) and soon after Mr. Ellicott made it his head quarters at Hugh M'Nair's in that vicinity. On the 22d day of November following, eighty-one and a half miles of the line was established, which brought them within about thirteen miles of the shore of lake Ontario; the precise date of its completion is unknown.
This line defined the west bounds of Mr. Church's hundred thousand acres, but passed through the Cotringer, Ogden, and Cragie tracts, about two miles from their west boundaries, as described in the deeds of conveyance from Robert Morris to the
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several grantees; but as their titles were of a later date than the conveyance to the Holland Company, no deviation from the first established meridian was made by Mr. Ellicott.
On arriving at the south line of the hundred thousand acre tract conveyed by Robert Morris to Leroy Bayard and M'Evers, now called the Connecticut tract (the conveyance of which, from Robert Morris, claimed seniority over that to the Holland Company,) Mr. Ellicott found that his meridian intersected the south line of that tract, one hundred sixty-six chains and thirty links east of its south-west corner, on which he moved his position that distance to the west, from which point he ran the transit due north to lake Ontario.
The clashing of the boundary lines of the several tracts, located from the north end of the Reserve, as conveyed by Mr. Morris, and the Holland Company's land which was located from the south, was arranged in the following manner, and taken possession of accord- ingly. The conveyance of the Connecticut tract by Mr. Morris, to Watson, Cragie and Greenleaf, being anterior to that of the Holland Purchase to Wilhelm Willink and others: that tract retained its full size and location, according to the description in the decd. The Ogden and Cotringer tracts, held their size and shape, but their location was moved about two miles east, and fixed according to the original intention of Mr. Morris, there being land sufficient in that direction, on the Reserve, not otherwise appro- priated by him. The conveyance of the Cragie tract being likewise subsequent to that of the Holland Purchase, about two miles of the western part of it was cut off by the location of that tract; and as the triangular tract, Phelps and Gorham's tract, west of Genesee river, and the forty thousand acre tract, with their prior conveyances and locations, bounding it on the east, which prevented its extension in that direction, was consequently reduced in area to between thirty-three and thirty-four thousand acres. The proprie- tors however not being content to rest quietly sustaining this loss, have since instituted suits in ejectment against the occupants of lands, west on the Holland Purchase and south on the Ogden tract, to try the legal interpretation of their rights, in extending their limits in one way or the other of those directions, but have failed in both.
Although the eastern bank of the Niagara river had been trav- ersed, the east bounds of the New York mile strip had not been ascertained, and the state would participate in it no further than to give the proprietors of the land adjoining, to wit: the Holland
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Company, liberty to run the line at their own expense, and if so run as to be approved by the Surveyor General of the state, it should be established as permanently located, and passed a law to that effect. This was, undoubtedly, the most difficult piece of surveying ever performed in the state. Some preliminary matters as to the construction of the terms of the treaty or agreement between New York and Massachusetts had to be first settled. At the north end where the river disembogued itself into the lake, at almost right angles with its shore, there could no doubts arise; but at the south end of the straits or river a different state of things existed; lake Erie narrowed gradually and became a river; where the lake ends and the river begins may be considered a difficult question; but it was finally agreed between the parties interested, the river should be deemed to extend to where the water was one mile wide and there cease; the line of the strip east of this point, extending to the shore of lake Erie on an arc of a circle, of one mile radius, the centre being in the eastern bank at the termination of the lake and head of the river, giving to the mile strip all the land lying within a mile of the river, whether east or south. For this arc of the circle, which could not be practically run, a repe- tition of short sides, making a section of a regular polygon, was substituted. Seth Pease, a scientific surveyor and astronomer, was engaged, in the fall of 1788, to run this line, who executed the survey in a masterly manner, and to the satisfaction of all the parties concerned.
During the year 1799 and 1800, few events transpired relative to the settlement of the Holland Purchase, which require a circum- stantial detail, or would admit of one which would be interesting to the reader. The surveyors and their assistants, under the direction of their principal, Joseph Ellicott, continued the same steady routine of encamping in the woods, pitching their tents, transporting pro- visions, surveying lines, and striking their tents and removing to new positions; and although at times many individuals, undoubtedly, suffered pain and endured hardships, such incidents must have been caused by accidental occurrences, unforeseen events, or careless- ness and imprudence in themselves or their companions, as the well supplied coffers of the Company, accompanied by their liberality, furnished sufficient means, and the provident care of Mr. Ellicott kept their store-houses well supplied with the best kind of provisions for that service, as well as all other necessaries and many of the
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comforts of life. This might be seen from Mr. Ellicott's catalogue of items, for the outfit of the first campaign, and its eost, heretofore refered to, which was adopted and its contents provided. Of those events, however, the following deserve notice.
The Indian treaty of 1797, in which the Indian title to the Hol- land Purchase was extinguished, except to certain reservations, as has been before stated, prescribed the quantities contained in, and general shape and location of each reservation, leaving the precise location of the boundary lines to be determined thereafter. The Indians reserved two hundred thousand acres, one indefinite portion of which was to be located on Buffalo creek, at the east end of lake Erie, and the remainder on the Tonawanda ereek. As the New York reservation excluded the Holland Company's land from the waters of Niagara river, and from the shore of lake Erie one mile southerly from the river, it became very important to the company to secure a landing place and harbor at the mouth of Buffalo ereek, and sufficient ground adjoining whereon to establish a commercial and manufacturing village or city.
Capt. William Johnston, an Indian trader and interpreter, settled himself near the mouth of the Buffalo creek at an early period, under the auspices of the British Government, and remained there until the Holland Company had effected their purchase. His dwelling house stood south of Exchange street and east of Wash- ington street; he had other buildings north of Exchange and east of Washington streets. Capt. Johnson had procured of the Indians by gift or purehase two square miles of land at the mouth of Buffalo creek, including a large portion of the territory on which now stands the city of Buffalo. He had also entered into an agreement with the Indians, which amounted to a life lease, of a certain mill site and the timbered land in its vieinity, on condition of supplying the Indians with all the boards and plank they wanted for building at, and near the creek. This site was about six miles east of the mouth of the ereek.
Although Johnston's title to this land was not considered to have the least validity, yet the Indians had the power and the inclination to inelude it within their reservation, unless a compromise was made with Johnston, and taking into consideration his influence with them, the agents of the company concluded to enter into the following agreement with him, which was afterwards fully complied with and performed by both of the parties :-
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Jonhston agreed to surrender his right to the said two square miles, and use his influence with the Indians to have that tract and his mill site left out of their reservation, in consideration of which the Holland Company agreed to convey by deed to said Johnston. six hundred and forty acres, including the said mill site and adjacent timbered land; together with forty-five and a half acres, being part of said two square miles, including the buildings and improvements, then owned by said Johnston, four acres of which was to be on the "point." These lands as afterwards definitely located, were a tract of forty one and a half acres, bounded north by Seneca street, west by Washington street, and south by the little Buffalo creek; the other tract was bounded, east by Main street, south-westerly by the Buffalo creek, and north-westerly by little Buffalo creek, containing about four acres. This matter will again be referred to, in connexion with some farther notice of early events in Buffalo.
Mr. Ellicott, before leaving Philadelphia-in the time that intervened between his appointment, and his departure- was actively engaged in making all the necessary preparations for the campaign. David Rittenhouse, the eminent American philosopher, was then of the firm of "Rittenhouse and Potts," mathematical and astronomical instrument makers, in Philadelphia; orders were given them for compasses, chains, and staffs- all things in their line, necessary to surveyor's outfits. Letters were written to Augustus Porter at Canandaigua, to have ready such provisions, pack-horses, axe-men and chainmen, as he had been ordered to provide; to Thomas Morris at the same place, requesting his prompt performance of some agencies that had been entrusted to him; to different persons at New York, Albany, Fort Schuyler, and Queenston, containing orders to facilitate the transportation of stores, and aid the surveying parties in getting upon the ground, and in supplying themselves with all things necessary for going into the woods. All things requisite were remembered, and provided for. Clark and Street, at Chippewa, were ordered to have ready, two yoke of oxen and a stout lumber wagon; (that was undoubtedly the pioneer ox team upon the Holland Purchase, other than such as had been used upon the portage;) even axe handles and tent poles were not forgotten. To each principal surveyor, or sub-agent, starting from Philadelphia or elsewhere, written orders were issued, what route to pursue, where to first
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