USA > New York > Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of western New York : embracing some account of the ancient remains > Part 43
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rendezvous, where to draw his supplies, and where to commence operations. Formulas were made out for cach surveyor, prescri- bing definitely the manner of his duties, of marking lines, keeping field notes, and generally embracing all the minutiæe of his opera- tions. It was as if the General of an army was acting as his own commissary, and putting a force into the field, distributing it, and making all things ready for a campaign; and the records of our war department would hardly furnish better examples of systematic and well ordered enterprises. Embraced in these preliminary proceed- ings, was a correspondence with Mr. Williamson in reference to a road from the west branch of the Susquehannah to the "Genesee country;" and with the Surveyor General of this state in reference to the laying out of towns at Lewiston and Fort Schlosser.
Mr. Ellicott arrived at Canandaigua, 12th June, 1798. The reader will best be enabled to catch glimpses of early events- those that attended the surveys, and preceded land sales and the commencement of settlement- by occasional references to, and extracts from his correspondence,- the only existing records.
A letter from Mr. Thompson to Mr. Ellicott, dated at Buffalo creek, states that the stores had all arrived safely at Schlosser, except what had been left with Mr. Brisbane at the "Chenesee" river; that Mr. Hoops, who had arrived in advance of him, had gone on to "Chetawque" * where he had been joined by Mr. Stoddard; that he himself was engaged in getting "axes ground and handled, and in sundry other things preparatory to going to the woods." Letters follow this very soon, by which it would seem that the camp was erected at "Chautauque creek," and all things prepared for active operations, as early as the 19th of June.
Messrs. Smedley and Egleston, were located at Buffalo creek, with surveying parties. In a letter to Mr. Ellicott, written from there, under date, June 27th, Mr. Egleston says the goods have arrived, and that the "family in the house on the hill" are about to move out, to make room for the surveyors. Mr. Ellicott, it would seem, had arrived at Schlosser. Anticipating his arrival at Buffalo, Mr. Egleston, very providently suggests that he had better bring with him some boards to make a mapping table, as there were none to be had in their new location-" Mr. Winne having carried off those that were in the partition."
* These are specimens of the early orthography of names of places; not introduced as errors of the writer, for he was well educated, and scientific in his profession.
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The two Frenchmen that have been named, made but poor help in the woods. While the other surveyors dashed off in different directions, located their camps, and soon reported themselves to Mr. Ellicott as actively engaged in their duties; making no com- plaints of hard fare; the Frenchmen were a constant annoyance, making complaints by letter as often as messengers could be found to carry them. Autrechy took up his quarters at "Fort Schlosser," from which place he reports himself to Mr. Ellicott:
" FORT SCHLOSSER, 4th July, 1798.
"This comes to acquaint you that I arrived here this morning, and find an agreeable place, but nothing here to eat or drink. I should be glad to know how I am to be sit- uated for provisions. I request you will let me know on the receipt of this, how I shall be accommodated for these articles. I would be glad to see you here yourself. Should that not be the case, please write me on the receipt of this. I left my companion Mr. Haudecaur at Fort Schlosser, and determined to go by water to take care of the instru- ments he brought with him.
I am, sir, yours, ALEX'R AUTRECHY."
Haudecour, in making some surveys at the Falls, on the Canada side, was arrested and detained as a spy, and afterwards by the American commandant at Niagara, upon suspicion that he was a "French emissary." His release in both instances, cost Mr. Ellicott a good deal of trouble.
It may not be uninteresting to the reader to see some account of the first assault and battery that occurred upon the Holland Pur- chase-our own race being the participants-of which we have any record. The unfortunate French "engineer and surveyor," seems to have had the especial faculty of disagreeing with his woods associates. Mr. Egleston makes the following candid report to Mr. Ellicott, of an affray which happened at his quarters. The reader will conclude that he makes out a good ex parte justification; a clear case of self-defence, and that not resorted to until he had complied with a portion of the scriptural injunction :--
JOSEPH ELLICOTT, ESQUIRE,
" BUFFALO CREEK, Nov. 22, 1798.
Dear Sir,- Yesterday, the 20th, about noon, Mr. Brown and myself walked out and staid a little longer than common dinner time, when we came back, we found that Haudecour had been swearing to the cooks, for not setting the table before we return- ed. I then came into the office, took up my pen and began to write an order; Haude- cour then began with me, he being a little vexed on account of my having sent on his matrass by the wagon, and other little disputes, and at the time of my writing, he put me out with his talking. I told him to go to -, and not to be bothering me. With this, he gave me a slap on the side of my face, and I turned the other side to him. He struck it a full stroke with his fist. I then perceived that he was in earnest. I caught
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up the first thing I could see, which happened to be a long walking stick. I retreated back so that I could get a good chance, and I let slip, which hit him on the head with the but end. He came up to me again. By that time I was fast in the corner of the office, without any kind of a weapon to defend myself with, for Mr. Pease had taken the stick from me, and was trying to part us. Whilst the rascal was kicking me with all' his might into my body, Mr. Brown then stepped up and we were soon parted. It happened very well for Haudecour that there were none of our hands in the house at the time that the affray happened. This he was well apprised of, for before he offered to strike me, he looked into the kitchen to see if any of them were there. He after- wards paid for it. The business soon got wind, and the hands that were at work in the neighborhood quickly came up. ¡ The old fellow was soon hustled out of the house, and he marched over to Palmer's. There was not one in the party but who wished to get the first stroke at him. I told them not to strike him, but to let him go about his business. The letters you gave me for him, when you went from here, I never have copied, on account of his coming in so quick after you went out. When he saw the letter lying on the desk, he took it up and has since detained it, though I have often asked him for it in the hearing of Mr. Pease, and he has as often promised me that he had no objection to my copying the letter, and would let me have it by and by. But God knows that he has not done any thing since he came from Schlosser, only wasting of paper. He says he will give you the the letter when he gets to your quarters. Mr. Brown was witness to the business.
I am, sir, with the greatest respect, your hbl. servt,
GEORGE EGLESTON.
It would appear that Mr. Ellicott was not long in discovering that he (or their general agent in Philadelphia,) had made a bad selection of men in these two instances, with reference to their adap- tation to life in the wilderness, and the surveyors' camp; their stay was short. We hear no more of Haudecour, after the affray at Buffalo, except the allusion to him and his associate, in a letter to Mr. Ellicott from J. G. Van Staphorst, a connection of one of the Dutch proprietors, who had been upon the Purchase at that early day. The letter is dated at "Oldenbarneveldt," (Oneida county,) November 19th, 1798. The extract is as follows :- " Mr. Autre- chy took a sketch of Cazenovia, at Mr. Linklaen's, and is now busy at that of Oldenbarneveldt; but is prevented by the badness of the roads from going to the Black river. I think I shall ged rid, how- ever, of his agreeable company; and really I wont be sorry for it. How does the other noble engineer, at Fort Schlosser? has he finished yet his canal ? and how did he digest your last letter from Buffalo creek, before we departed from there ? I am anxious to hear all that from yourself before I get to Philadelphia."*
The only clue the author can get to the objects of surveys at the Falls, is contained in the above extract. The inference is, that Mr. Cazenove, as an incipient measure upon the Holland Purchase, had employed the French engineers to make some tests of the practicability of a canal around the Falls. In a letter to Mr. Ellicott, Haudecour informs him that he had finished taking the levels upon Gill creek.
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Of these Pioneer adventurers one still survives,-JAMES BRIS- BANE, Esq. of Batavia, long known as an active, enterprising, business man; and even now, vigorous in mind and body, superin- tending a large estate, incident to which is a leading participation in a rail-road direction. He is the oldest living resident of the Holland Purchase,-or in other words, there is no person now living, who came in at as early a period of survey and settlement .*
To him the author is indebted for some reminiscences of the primitive advent. The party started from Philadelphia in April, 1798, taking different routes; Mr. Thompson, the principal in this expedition, and Mr. Brisbane, coming by the way of New York, with the stores and surveyor's instruments, and camp equipage.t When the batteaux with which they had came from Schenectady, arrived at the mouth of the Genesce river, the stores, &c. were divided, Mr. Thompson proceeding by the way of Niagara river, to Buffalo with a part of them, designed for use in the western portion of the Purchase; and Mr. Brisbane taking charge of the remainder to convey upon the eastern part of the Purchase, took them over the portage at the Genesee falls, and up the Genesee river to Williamsburg, where a surveyor's store house was just established.
It having heretofore been observed that an influence was exerted in Canada, detrimental to the progress of early settlement upon the Hol- land Purchase, it is but justice here to remark, that Mr. Ellicott upon his arrival here, found in no quarter more cordial cooperation and friendly offices, than he met at the hands of some of the prominent men upon the other side of the river. Among them were Judge Hamilton at Queenston, Clark & Street at Chippewa, Mr. Douglass the mer- chant, and Col. Warren the commandant at Fort Erie. In all their correspondence with Mr E., they seem to have wished well to the enterprise in which he was engaged, and to have considered rightly that the interest of their locality was to be vastly benefitted by the
* The statement is thus qualified, in consideration of the fact, that Judge Cook of Lewiston, whose name has been already introduced, came in the year previous - yet he was attached to the garrison at Niagara, aud had at first, no identity with survey or settlement; though, as will be seen in subsequent pages, his father's family and him- self, were early pioneer settlers.
t Mr. Brisbane mentions the fact that Mr. Thompson, had, previous to this advent, while connected with Andrew Ellicott in surveys in the neighborhood of Presque Isle, constructed a sail-boat there, with which he and others, had made the journey to Phila- delphia, via Niagara Falls, Oswego, Oneida lake, and New York. It was considered so remarkable an adventure, that the boat was put up in Independence Square, and kept as a show until it rotted down.
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settlement and improvement of this region. It will have been observed that Capt. Bruff, the commandant at Fort Niagara, had early intimated to the Indians, the necessity of opening a road from Lewiston to Tonawanda village. Judge Hamilton and a Mr. Canby at Queenston, followed up this suggestion by an early cooperation with Mr. Ellicott, in measures to secure the desirable object.
The first principal stations of the surveyors-their head quarters or depots- were at Buffalo creek and Williamsburgh; before the close of 1798, however, the principal establishment was located at the Transit line, (Stafford,) the locality designated as "Transit store house;" Mr. James Brisbane, moving his quarters from Wil- liamsburgh, continued as the principal clerk or agent. While upon the Purchase in 1798, Mr. Ellicott's time was principally spent at Buffalo creek, Williamsburgh, and upon the eastern Transit line.
In the spring of 1798, when the surveys of the Holland Purchase first commenced, all the travel between the Phelps and Gorham tract and Buffalo was on the old Indian trail; the winter previous, however, the legislature of this state passed an act appointing Charles Williamson a commissioner, to lay out and open a state road from Cannewagus on Genesee river to Buffalo creek on lake Erie, and to Lewiston on the Niagara river. To defray the expense of cutting out these roads, the Holland Company subscribed five thousand dollars. Mr. Williamson laid out and established the roads in 1798, generally adhering to the course of old Indian trails; but they were not opened throughout according to contract, under his superintendence. The first wagon track opened upon the Hol- land Purchase, was by Mr. Ellicott, as a preliminary step in com- mencing operations, early in the season of '98. He employed a gang of hands to improve the Indian trail, so that wagons could pass upon it, from the east transit to Buffalo creek. In 1801 he opened the road from transit line as far west as Vandeventer's. The whole road was opened to Le Roy before the close of 1802 .*
But little reference can be had to the order of time in noting the events of this period; up to the period of the commencement of land sales and settlements, our sketches must necessarily be desultory.
The Hon. NATHANIEL W. HOWELL of Canandaigua, was, as early as this season (1798) Mr. Ellicott's legal adviser, in several
* Not wholly upon the present route. The first road opened, was from Batavia, via Dunham's Openings, &c., coming out at Vandeventer's.
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matters connected with his primitive duties. Some embarrassment occurring connected with the Indian reservation at Cattaragus, he gave him, by letter, his legal opinion. This circumstance is noted principally, to observe, that the author has before him the paper above referred to, and a recent letter from the same hand, written plainly and legibly, and evincing a memory, and an intellect gen- erally, vigorous and unimpaired. Fifty years intervene between the dates of the two letters. There are but few instances of so extended a period of active participation in the affairs of life; and still fewer instances of a life that has so adorned the profession to which he belongs, and been as eminently useful and exemplary. To him, and to such as him-his early cotemporary, for instance- Gen. VINCENT MATTHEWS, (and others of his cotemporaries that could be named,) is the highly honorable profession of the law, in Western New York, indebted for early and long continued examples of those high aims, dignity, and exalted integrity, which should be . its chief and abiding characteristics. They have passed, and are passing away. If days of degeneracy should come upon the pro- fession-renovation become necessary-there are no better prece- dents and examples to consult, than the lives and practice of the pioneer lawyers.
Mr. Brisbane first saw Buffalo, in October, 1798. There was then the log house of Middaugh and Lane-a double log house- about two squares from Main street, a little north of the present line of Exchange street. Capt Johnston's half log and half framed house, stood a little east of the main building of the present Mansion House, near Washington street. There was a two story hewed log house, owned by Capt. Johnston, about where Exchange street now is, from six to cight rods west of Main street, where a tavern was kept by John Palmer. This was the first tavern in Buffalo. Palmer afterwards moved over to Canada, and kept a tavern there. Asa Ransom lived in a log house west of Western Hotel. Winne had a log house on bank of Little Buffalo, south of Mansion House. A Mr. Maybee, who afterwards went to Cattaragus, kept a little Indian store in a log building on west side of Main street, about twenty rods north of Exchange street. There was also a log house occupied by a man by the name of Robbins. The flats were open ground; a portion of them had been cultivated. Such was Buffalo-and all of Buffalo-in 1798.
Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton, were in '98, both contrac-
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tors for lands west of the Genesee river; the former for a tract upon the Holland Purchase. The following letter would indicate that Mr. Burr, regarded himself at its date, a land proprietor in this region: -
" SIR - 5 May, '98.
From the copy which you lately sent me of Mr. Ellicott's survey, it appears that the Tonawanta Bay falls within my tract on lake Ontario. If this Bay is as large as hath been represented to me, it ought not to be estimated as land, because it cannot belong to your company, and after any sale, will still be the property of the public. It will be necessary therefore, that Mr. Ellicott ascertain the figure and superficial contents of this Bay, which will enable us to determine the propriety of considering it as land.
I am, respectfully, your obd't serv't,
TH. CAZENOVE, ESQ'R
A. BURR ..
Mr. Burr had made the contract for the purchase of the tract, at twelve shillings per acre, at an early period of Holland Company ownership. The transaction was blended with other land specula- · tions, and eventually the purchase was abandoned. Out of it, however, had originated a bond for twenty thousand dollars, which was given up. The surrendering of the bond gave rise to reports that Col. Burr had been bribed by the agents of the Holland Company, to favor the passage of the alien bill in our state legislature; the one allowing foreigners to hold real estate. John B. Church, Esq. had in some way identified himself with this report. He received a challenge from Col. Burr; the parties met at Hoboken, exchanged an ineffectual shot; Mr. Church apologized; and thus ended the land speculation and the duel. *
The project of a town upon the Niagara river was early entertained by the public authorities of this state. The following letter from the Surveyor General had preceded Mr. Ellicott's
NOTE. - The tract must have been located in what is now Orleans county, and the mouth or " Bay " of Oak Orchard creek, must have been called "Tonawanta Bay," from the fact that the stream heads principally in the Tonawanda swamp.
* A good anecdote however, came of it. Judge Burke of South Carolina, was Col. Burr's second. "Previous to leaving the city of New York, Colonel Burr presented to Judge Burke his pistol-case. He explained to the Judge, that the balls were cast intentionally too small; that chamois leather was cut to the proper size, to put round them, but that the leather must be greased (for which purpose, grease was placed in the case, ) or that there would be difficulty in getting the ball home. After the parties had taken their stand, Colonel Burr noticed the Judge hammering the ramrod with a stone, and immediately suspected the cause. When the pistol was handed him by his friend, he drew the ramrod, and ascertained that the ball was not home, and so informed the Judge ; to which Mr. Burke replied, 'I forgot to grease the leather; but you see he is ready, don't keep him waiting ; just take a crack as it is; and I'll grease the next.' Colonel Burr bowed courteously, but made no reply, and discharged his pistol in the state it had been given to him. The anecdote for some time after, was the subject of merriment among those who had heard it." - Davis' Life of Burr.
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arrival. He recommended Lewiston as the site, and complied generally with the requirements of the letter.
SIR-
"ALBANY, 24th May, 1798.
Being directed by our legislature to make out and report the plan of a town to be erected in the most convenient place along the Niagara river, where the Indian title has been extinguished, I have to request the favor of you, while you are in that country, to examine where such town can be most conveniently placed, and to furnish me with a survey and map thereof, together with your ideas of the most eligible manner of laying it ont into streets, lots &c., as directed by the law enacted for that purpose.
The expense of such survey, I shall pay te your order.
I am with respect, Sir, your obd't serv't., S. DE WITT." MR. JOSEPH ELLICOTT.
The first crops raised upon the Holland Purchase, were at the Transit Store House. In the spring of '99, Mr. James Dewey was waiting there with a gang of hands, to start upon a surveying expedition as soon as the weather would permit. At the request of Mr. Brisbane, he cleared ten acres upon either side of the present road, twenty rods west of the Transit, which was mainly sowed with oats, though some potatoes and garden vegetables were planted. The early tavern keeper there-Mr. Walthers-reported by letter to Mr. Ellicott, that the yield was a good one, and fully demonstrated the goodness of the soil of the region he was surveying for settlement.
In the summer of 1799, there not being a house erected on the road from the eastern Transit line to Buffalo, Mr. Busti, the Agent General of the company, authorized Mr. Ellicott by a letter dated June 1st, 1799, to contract with six reputable individuals, to locate themselves on the road from the eastern Transit to Buffalo creek, about ten miles asunder, and open houses of entertainment for travelers, at their several locations, in consideration of which, they were to have a quantity of land, from fifty to one hundred and fifty acres cach, "at a liberal time for payment, without interest, at the lowest price the Company will sell their lands, when settlements shall be begun."
Three persons accepted of this offer, to wit, Frederick Walthers who was then residing on the land, took one hundred and fifty acres in township number twelve, range one, west of and adjoining the eastern Transit, including the Company's store house, and being where the village of Stafford now stands. Asa Ransom located himself Sept. 1st, 1799, on one hundred and fifty acres, in township number twelve, range six, at what is now known as Ransom's
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Grove, or Clarence Hollow. Garritt Davis located himself Sept. 16th, 1799, in township number thirteen, range two, on one hundred and fifty acres on the south line of said township, and east of and adjoining the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, (the Buffalo road then run through the reservation, some distance north of its present location.) These lots were severally laid out and surveyed for the purchasers, before the several townships in which they are located, were surveyed. These three persons erected and fur- nished comfortable houses for the purposes intended, as soon as practicable; which although not as splendid, yet were more eagerly sought, and cheerfully enjoyed by the forest traveler and land explorer, than any of the "Astor Houses," "Americans," or "Eagles " of the present day.
With the exception of those residing at Buffalo, Mrs. Garrett Davis and Mrs. Walthers, were the pioneer women upon the Holland Purchase. In 1800, Asa Ransom and Garrett Davis raised summer crops, which were second to those raised at the Transit Store House the year before.
Next to Messrs. Brisbane and Cook, Gen. TIMOTHY HOPKINS of Amherst, Erie county, has been longest a resident upon the Hol- land Purchase. He became a settler in March, 1799; his first business was the management of Johnston's saw mill. In company with Otis Ingalls, he cleared land two miles east of Clarence Hollow and raised wheat upon it in 1800-the first raised upon the Holland Purchase. The wheat was ground at Street's mill at the Falls. The General speaks of making an expensive trip to mill, the ferri- age for his three yoke of oxen at Black Rock, being twenty shil- lings each way; O'Neil, an Irishman, kept the ferry, the only resi- dent there. He built a framed house for Elias Ransom, seven miles east of Buffalo, which he thinks was the first framed building west of Batavia. It is now standing, and forms the rear of the dwelling house of a German settler, whose name is Baer. Mr. Ransom built the first framed barn, and set out the first orchard upon Holland Purchase. Douglass' store at Fort Erie furnished the glass and nails used by the first settlers. When the settlement first commenced, Fort Erie was garrisoned by a company of British soldiers.
Gen. Hopkins is now seventy-two years old; a fine specimen of hale, hearty, and contented old age. If one should see him who was not acquainted with the history of the Holland Purchase, and
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