USA > New York > Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of western New York : embracing some account of the ancient remains > Part 67
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T. 12, R. 2, Batavia.
E. pt. ... T. 13, R. 2, Elba.
W. pt. ... T. 13, R. 2, Oakfield. T. 11, R. 3, Darien. T. 12, R. 3, Pembroke.
T. 13, R. 3, Alabama. T. 11, R 4, Darien. T. 12, R. 4, Pembroke. T. 13, R. 4, Alabama.
ยท
ORLEANS.
T. 14, R. 1, Barre.
S. pt. T. 15, R. 1, Barre.
N. pt. . T. 15, R. 1, Gaines. T. 16, R. 1, Carlton. T. 14, R. 2, Barre. W. tier lots ... . T. 15, R. 2, Ridgeway. S. E. pt .. . T. 15, R. 2, Barre.
N. E. pt. T. 15. R. 2, Gaines.
T. 16, R. 2, Carlton. T. 14, R. 3, Shelby.
T. 15, R. 3, Ridgeway. T. 16, R. 3, Yates.
T. 14, R. 4, Shelby. T. 15, R. 4, Ridgeway. T. 16, R. 4, Yates.
CATTARAUGUS.
T. 1, R. 3, Portville.
S. pt. . T. 2, R. 3, Portville. N. pt. T. 2, R. 3, Hinsdale.
S. pt. .T. 3, R. 3, Hinsdale,
N. pt. . T. 3, R. 3, Rice. T. 4, R. 3, Lyndon. T. 5, R. 3, Farmersville. T. 6, R. 3, Freedom. T. 1, R. 4, Olean. S. pt. . T. 2, R. 4, Olean. N. pt. .T. 2, R. 4, Hinsdale.
S. pt. .T. 3, R. 4, Hinsdale.
N. pt T. 3, R. 4, Rice.
E. pt. T. 4, R. 4, Lyndon.
W. pt .. . T. 4, R. 4, Franklinville. T. 5, R. 4, Farmersville. S. W. cor. lot, . T. 6, R. 4, Machias. Residue. .T. 6, R. 4, Freedom. T. 1, R. 5, Burton. T. 2, R. 5, Burton. T. 3, R. 5, Humphrey. T. 4, R. 5, Franklinville. T. 5, R. 5, Machias.
S. tier lot . T. 6, R. 5, Machias. Part. .T. 6, R. 5, Yorkshire. S. E. pt. T. 7, R. 5, Yorkshire. T. 1, R. 6, Carrolton. S. pt. .T. 2 R. 6, Carrolton,
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APPENDIX.
CATTARAUGUS, Continued.
N pt. . T. 2, R. 6, Great Valley.
T. 3, R. 6, Great Valley. T. 4, R. 6, Ellicottville.
S. pt .T. 5, R. 6, Ellicottville.
N. pt. T. 5, R. 6, Ashford.
S. pt. T. 6, R. 6, Ashford.
T. 1, R. 7, Little Valley.
T. 2, R. 7, Little Valley. T. 3, R. 7, Little Valley. T. 4, R. 7, Mansfiold.
T. 5, R. 7, Otto.
S. pt. .T. 6, R. 7, Otto.
T. 5, R. 9, Dayton.
T. 6, R. 9, Perrysburg.
ERIE.
N. W. pt ....... T. 6, R. 5, Sardinia.
N. &. W. pts ... T. 7, R. 5, Sardinia. T. 8, R. 5, Holland. T. 9, R. 5, Wales. T. 11, R. 5, Alden. T. 12, R. 5, Newstead.
S. pt .. T. 13, R. 5, Newstcad. N. E. pt. T. 6, R. 6, Sardinia.
N. W. pt .T. 6, R. 6, Concord.
E. pt. . T. 7, R. 6, Sardinia.
W. pt. T. 7, R. 6, Concord. T. 8, R. 6, Colden. T. 9, R. 6, Aurora. T. 11, R. 6, Lancaster. T. 12, R. 6, Clarenco.
S. pt. . T. 13, R. 6, Clarence.
N. E. pt. .T. 6, R. 7, Concord.
N. W. pt. . T. 6, R. 7, Collins.
E. pt,. T. 7, R. 7, Concord.
W. pt. T. 7, R. 7, Collins.
W. tier lots, .. T. 8, R. 7, Eden.
E. pt ......... T. 8, R. 7, Boston.
T. 9, R. 7, Hamburg.
W. 2 tier lots, T. 11, R. 7, Black Rock.
N. tier lots, .. . T. 11, R. 7, Amherst.
Residue, .
.T. 11, R. 7, Cheektowaga.
S. E. 2 lots, ..
.T. 12, R. 7, Tonawanda.
Residue,
. T. 12, R. 7, Amherst.
S. pt.
T. 13, R. 7, Amherst.
N. pt.
. T. 6, R. 8, Collins.
T. 7, R. 8, Collins. T. 8, R. 8, Eden.
S. W. pt.
.T. 9, R. 8, Evans.
Residue,
.T. 9, R. 8, Hamburg.
S. W. pt.
. T. 11, R. 8, Buffalo City.
Residue,
. T. 11, R. 8, Black Rock.
S. & E. pt ...
T. 12, R. 8, Tonawanda.
S. pt ..
.T. 8, R. 9, Brandt.
N. pt.
T. 8, R. 9, Evans.
NIAGARA.
N. pt. . T. 13, R. 5, Royalton.
T. 14, R. 5, Royalton. T. 15, R. 5, Hartland. T. 16, R. 5, Somerset.
N. E. pt. . T. 13, R. 6, Royalton.
N. W. pt. .T. 13, R. 6, Lockport. E. pt. . T. 14, R. 6, Royalton.
W. pt.
.T. 14, R. 6, Lockport.
E. pt. T. 15, R. 6, Hartland. W. pt. T. 15, R. 6, Newfane. E. pt. .T. 16, R. 6, Somerset. W. pt . T. 16, R. 6, Newfane.
N. pt. T. 13, R. 7, Pendleton.
E. pt.
T. 14, R. 7, Lockport.
W. pt.
T. 14, R. 7, Cambria.
E. pt.
T. 15, R. 7, Newfane.
W. pt.
.T. 15, R. 7, Wilson.
N. W. pt.
. T. 12, R. 8, Wheatfield.
T. 13, R. 8, Wheatfield.
E. pt. T. 14, R. 8, Cambria.
W. pt. T. 14, R. 8, Lewiston.
E. pt.
. T. 15, R. 8, Wilson.
W. pt.
. T. 15, R. 8, Porter.
T. 13, R. 9, Niagara.
T. 14, R. 9, Lewiston.
T. 15, R. 9, Porter.
CHAUTAUQUE.
T. 1, R. 10, Carrol.
T. 6, R. 10, Hanover. T. 2, R. 10, Poland.
T. 3, R. 10, Ellington. T. 4, R. 10, Cherry Creek. T. 5, R. 10, Villanovia.
N. tier lots, . . . T. 1, R. 11, Ellicott.
S. E. pt ...... T. 1, R. 11, Carrol. S. W. pt ..... T. 1, R 11, Busti. T. 2, R 11, Ellicott
. T. 6, R. 8, Otto.
S. W. pt. . T. 6, R. 8, Persia. T. 1, R. 9, South Valley.
T. 2, R. 9, Randolph.
T. 3, R. 9, Connewango. T. 4, R. 9, Leon.
Part .. . T. 6, R. 7, Ashford.
T. 1, R, 8, South Valley.
T. 2, R. 8, Cold Spring. T. 3, R. 8, Napoli.
T. 4, R. 8, New Albion.
E. pt .. .. T. 5, R. 8, Otto.
W. pt.
.T. 5, R. 8, Persia.
S. E. pt.
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APPENDIX.
CHAUTAUQUE, Continued.
T. 3, R. 11, Gerry.
N. E. lot, .... T. 3, R. 13, Stockton.
T. 4, R. 11, Charlotte.
Res. E. tier, .. T. 3, R. 13, Ellery.
Residue,
. T. 6, R. 11, Sheridan.
N. W. pt ..... T. 4, R. 13, Portland.
E. pt.
.T. 1, R. 12, Busti.
W. pt. . T. 1, R. 12, Harmony.
S. E. pt. . T. 2, R. 12, Busti.
T. 1, R. 14, Clymer. T. 2, R. 14, Sherman.
S. W. pt T. 2, R. 12, Harmony.
N. pt .. .T. 2, R. 12, Ellery.
N. tier T. 3, R. 12, Stockton.
Residue, .T. 3, R. 12, Ellery.
S. E. pt. . T. 4, R. 14, Chautauque.
T. 4, R. 12, Stockton.
Residue, .T. 4, R. 14, Westfield.
T. 5, R. 12, Pomfret.
T. 6, R. 12, Pomfret.
T. 1, R. 13, Harmony.
T. 3, R. 15, Ripley.
T. 2, R. 13, Harmony.
CANAL VILLAGES.
Although advancing somewhat beyond the Pioneer History of the Holland Purchase, as the construction of the Erie Canal has been included, some pioneer sketches of the villages it has created, are suggested :-
BLACK ROCK .- At an early period, as will have been observed, this was a place of some note, a prominent point of forriage over the Niagara river, and until 1823, the principal depot of lake commerce, at the foot of lake Erie. With its store house, tavern and ferry house, a few scattered dwellings, and soldiers' barracks and batteries, it was a busy, stirring place in the war of 1812; a battle ground upon two or three occasions. It recovered slowly after the burning and pillaging during the war. In the construction of the capacious harbor for lake and canal commerce, it seemed to have acquired advantages to ensure its rapid progress and permanent prosperity. During the progress of'the construction of the harbor, and for several years after the completion of the entire Canal, population increased rapidly, building was brisk, and business establish- ments followed one after another, in rapid succession. At one period there was no locality upon the Erie Canal that seemed to have acquired a better start.
The securing, however, of a harbor at Buffalo, and its gradual improvement, diverted the commerce of the lakes, and whereever that went, canal commerce was sure to follow. At a critical period of village rivalry, Buffalo was fortunate in the possession of men in her interests of extraordinary enterprise and perseverance; capital and ownership of lake craft began to centre there; and the scale turned in its favor. For a long period the village of Black Rock declined, or remained but stationary, in the lee or shadow of its successful and powerful rival; the traveler never failing to wonder, while passing up its capacious harbor, and witnessing the hydraulic power it created, why such advantages were so little improved.
In the mean time, its successful and over-shadowing rival, growing generous in its career of prosperity- forgetful of old controversies - has been expanding, and extend- ing a right arm to embrace and merge it in one continuous and consolidated CITY OF THE LAKES. And who that has witnessed the mighty influences of lake and canal commerce; that sees new states and territories becoming tributary to this most fortunate locality; the fertile regions of the west that are calling for more room at the foot of lake Erie; doubts the speedy consummation of the event that we have indicated?
TONAWANDA .- Previous to the construction of the Canal, there had been, upon the
T. 5, R. 11, Arkwright. ..
W. pt .. . T. 3, R. 13, Chautauque.
S. E. pt. 4 lots, . T. 6, R. 11, Hanover.
E. tier lots, ... T. 4, R. 13, Stockton.
Residue, .... . T. 4, R. 13, Chautauque. T. 5, R. 13, Portland.
E. pt. . T. 3, R. 14, Chautauque. W. pt. T. 3, R. 14, Westfield.
T. 1, R. 15, French Creek.
T. 2, R. 16, Mina.
654
APPENDIX.
site of Tonawanda village, but a small beginning in the way of farming, and a log tavern which was, in an early day, kept by Garrett Van Slyke, who afterwards moved up the creek. A toll bridgo was erected in 1825.
In 1823, William Williams, Latham A. Burrows, Samuel Wilkeson, Townsend & Coit, and Albert H. Tracy purchased five or six hundred acres of land, which embraced the site of the village, on the Erie side of the creek. Mr. Williams erected a saw mill upon the dam, in 1825. In 1824, John Sweeny and George Goundry purchased the land which embraces that part of the village which lies on the Niagara side of the creek; Mr. Sweeny erected a saw mill in 1825. The proprietors platted the village soon after their purchases.
With many business advantages, connected with lake, river, and canal commerce, the growth of the place was, in early years, seriously effected by the flooding of lands, consequent upon the raising of the water of the Tonawanda and Eleven Mile creeks, to perfect canal navigation. In 1840, the state constructed ditches, the effects of which have been to reclaim drowned lands, improve the health of the place, and give a start to improvements. The agricultural interests of the neighborhood, as in all similar cases, have suffered from the attention of a large portion of the population being diverted to the business of lumbering. That hindrance being gradually obviated, as the fine oak of the region has been exhausted, there are few portions of the Holland Purchase, which, for the last few years, have given more evident signs of improvement and progress, than the neighborhood of Tonawanda.
A new impetus has been given to the place within the present year. A company of capitalists from Cleveland, invited by the facilities that exist there for transhipments from lake craft to canal boats, have purchased thirteen or fourteen hundred acres of land on the Erie side of the creek, erected a capacious storehouse and elevator, a storehouse for rolling freight, and have other improvements projected. A new era may be said to have commenced at Tonawanda.
LOCKPORT .- This large flourishing village, now numbering its eight thousand inhab- itants, its five extensive flouring mills, and as many lumbering establishments, aside from a large cotton factory, and various other branches of manufactories; its Union School, liberally endowed, with its five and six hundred pupils; its fifty or sixty mercan- tile establishments; is the offspring wholly of the Erie Canal. The site was a wilder- ness, dotted with but two or three log houses, and stinted improvements, when the canal was located. Its pioncer history is all that is embraced in our present object.
The original proprietors of the village site, or those who purchased the lands from the Holland Company, were, Zeno Comstock, Nathan Comstock, Webster Thorn, Daniel Smith, Eseck Brown, Almon H. Millard, Reuben Haines, David Frink, John Com- stock, Nathan B. Rogers, Joseph Otis, Daniel Washburn, Asahel Smith, and James Conkey. IFScc page 551. The first saw mill (or machinery of any kind erected upon the village site) stood in the gulf just above the cotton factory. It was erected by Zeno Comstock, in 1819. David Frink built the first saw mill down the stream; War- ren Saddler the next, and Otis Hathaway the next.
The author cannot give, in any form, a more graphic account of primitive things, of the early pioneer period, in the history of Lockport, than is contained in the following sketch, furnished with reference to this work, by Morris H. Tucker, Esq. the pioneer merchant :-
" When I came to Lockport in the summer of 1821, there were some half dozen families residing in unfinished log houses, and a number of men were building small houses, expecting to bring their families as soon as they could finish the tenements.
" Eseck Brown kept the only tavern, in a log house, on the rise of ground a little west of the Lutheran Church. Here the canal contractors all boarded, and a happier set of
.
655
APPENDIX.
fellows I never saw collected together. John M'Kay and Claudius V. Boughton had the contract for a considerable distance of the rock cutting, were clearing and grubbing from the Main street bridgo, westwardly, and soon commenced excavating at the head of the locks.
" Jared Comstock and Eseck Brown were selling village lots on Main street. Brown's land was cleared from Genesee street to a little north of Caledonia street, and extended from Prospect street to the Transit. Jared Comstock's land was cleared from his south bounds to the north side of Niagara street. From the north side of Niagara street the land of Comstock was uncleared, and the land from the head of the locks, around the ravine, embracing all the Lower Town, and extending as far east as the residence of Judge Dayton, was a dense forest. Here Nathan Comstock's improve- ments commenced.
" In the summer or fall of 1821, Col. William M. Bond came on from New Hamp- shire and purchased several acres of Brown's land and laid it out into village lots. He united with John M'Kay, Henry Wright, (an engineer, son of Benjamin Wright, one of the early Principal Engineers, ) and myself, in persuading Brown to lay out a good part of his farm into village lots; and he was induced to add Niagara, Ontario, Caledonia, Genesee, Bond, and Prospect Streets, to his village plat. Jared Comstock also added, east of the Transit, Walnut, Genesee, Cottage, Pine, Locust, Elm, and Canal Streets, representing a large city on paper, causing much merriment to our elder neighbors of Buffalo, Lewiston, and the Falls; and they were not sparing of their jokes at our village, with its log taverns, including the noted log 'cottage.'
" I brought with me from Batavia an old stock of goods, which I stored at Eseck Brown's unti! I could build a store. There was no store nearer than Hartland Corners. When it became known to the women that I had good tea stored at Brown's, no excuse would answer, have it they would, and I was obliged to open shop. In two or three weeks I moved my goods into a new framed store, an imposing building at that time, twenty-two feet square, a story and a half high. Here for several weeks I had no opposition in trade. Soon, however, House & Boughton got their new store finished, and Libbeus Fish brought on goods from Batavia, and Lockport began to be a place of no little importance. Sheperd & Towner's shoe shop, George Rogers' blacksmith shop, Seaman & Batty's shoe shop, John Jackson's bakery, with several small groceries, were often named and counted over, when recommending our village to some new adventurer, to induce him to buy a village lot. That summer the rattle snakes were so numerous that they occasioned much alarm to the villagers."
The proprietors who had an interest in the village plat east of the Transit with Jared Comstock, (of whom Mr. Tucker speaks, ) were his brothers, Darius and Joseph, and Seymour Scovell, and Otis Hathaway. Joseph Comstock died in 1822. Jared Com- stock, however, had the largest interest, and the titles to the largest share of that portion of the village have come from him. Elias Ransom, Esq. becoming his agent at an early period, and generally perfecting the sales. The purchase that the above named proprietors made, was principally of Zeno Comstock, who had bought of Holland Com- pany. In possession of the most valuable portion of what now constitutes the Upper Town, he sold, and bought at the head of the gulf, a mile and a quarter west, at a time when there was a prospect of the canal taking that route.
Jesse Hawley early became interested with Wm. M. Bond, (of whom Mr. Tucker speaks,) with whom was associated John G. Bond, an early and prominent pioneer of Rochester, who became a resident of Lockport in 1822. They purchased most (if not all) of the original farm lot of Eseck Brown. They may be regarded as the founders and patroons of the village west of the Transit; while the Comstocks, Scovell, and Hathaway, bore that relation to the portion of the Upper.Village east of that line.
There had been a newspaper printed at Lewiston, for a short time previous to 1822, the first in the country, by Bartemus Ferguson. Some of the prominent citizens of Lockport purchased the printing materials and transferred them and its publisher to Lockport, early in that year. A paper was started, entitled the " Lockport Observa- tory." The author purchased the establishment, and became the editor and publisher of the paper, in August, of that year. And a rough and primitive village it then was, as any, perhaps, that ever gloried in an old fashioned Ramage press, and a few fonts of
656
APPENDIX.
worn-out type! The village had advanced considerably in one year, from the condition described by Mr. Tucker, and yet there were log heaps and huge piles of rocks in the principal streets. There were not over a dozen or fifteen frame buildings, and but one of stone, a store that had been erected by Sydney and Thomas Smith; the rest were of logs. The old Mansion House had first been erected by James M'Kain, and Samuel Jennings had built the framed tavern house, now standing, near the Eagle Tavern. The author well recollects that, on the evening of his arrival in the village, there was a dancing party at this last named "Lockport Hotel," highly pleased with the idea that they had got a matched and planed floor to dance on. It marked a new era. With the exception of Nathan Comstock's improvements, it was a dense forest from the present site of the American to Wright's Corners, on the Ridge Road. Culver and Maynard were clearing the timber from the slopes of the mountain, around the ravine, and exca- vating the first rock section; Childs and Hamlin were excavating the second section; Darius Comstock, the third; John Gilbert, the fourth; Norton, Bates, House, and Boughton, the fifth and last rock section. The dense forest between Lockport and Tonawanda creek looked as if a hurricane had passed through it, leaving a narrow belt of fallen timber, excavated stone and earth; and that, to complete the ragged scene, Jog boarding houses and Irish shanties had been strung along the whole distance. The blasting of rocks was going on briskly, on that part of the canal located upon the village site; rocks were flying in all directions; framed buildings, and the roofs of log buildings were battered by them, and huge piles of stone lay upon both banks of the canal, with a narrow opening to admit the passage of teams over a log bridge, on Main Street. Joseph Landon was grubbing the timber, preparatory to the construction of the first section, east of the locks. The first stone of the old locks was laid in the spring of 1823.
Two circumstances attending the construction of the canal through the Mountain Ridge are worthy of note :- As the rock excavation deepened, it baffled the ingenuity of commissioners and contractors, became expensive beyond all estimate; no greater facilities existed for raising the rock, than wheelbarrows and long runs. In this exigency, Orange Dibble, since widely known as a canal contractor on various public works of the United States, and as Post Master at Buffalo, with a brother-in-law of his, by the name of Olmsted, invented and introduced a simple crane, that revolutionized the work, vastly cheapened it, and in the end, was the means of completing the canal one year before it could have been done in the absence of it. In the original construc- tion of the locks, the contractors, at great expense, opened a road through the woods, to Williamsville, to procure their water lime. At the same time, in excavating the lock- pits and a portion of their rock section, they were removing immense quantities of stone capable of making an hydraulic cement equal in quality to the best that has been discovered in the United States. It was used in the construction of the new locks, and has become an article of commerce upon the canal and lakes, for use in public struc- tures, or whereever such a material is required. The credit of demonstrating its superior quality, and introducing it into extensive use, belongs to Mr. Seth Pierce, of Lockport.
The early merchants of Lockport, not named by Mr. Tucker, were Sidney and Thomas Smith, Jonathan Childs, Joel M'Collum, Lyman A. Spaulding, Harvey W. Campbell, Price & Rounds, Joel M. Parks, William and Seth Parsons, George W. Rogers, Hall & Barber, (W. Barron Williams, as agent for Van Rensselaer, of Utica,) Jacob Gould, Daniel O. Davis, and Cummings & M'Whorter. Among the early mechanics not before named, were Allen Skinner, Hull & Story, John Galt, Charles Belden, Levi Taylor, Lozier, - Long, John Moore. The early physicians were Isaac W. Smith, Webb, Stephen M. Potter, Lloyd Smith, Marlin Johnson,
657
APPENDIX.
George W. Palmer, Henry Maxwell. The early attornies have been named in another connection.
The pioneer movements in Lower Town commenced in March, 1827. Joel M' Collum, Seymour Scovell, Otis Hathaway, and Sylvester R. Hathaway, purchased three hundred acres of land of Nathan Comstock, which extended from Main Street, through to the old Lewiston road, and embraced nearly all of what is now designated as the Lower Town. These proprietors, after making considerable improvements, constructing roads, building saw mills, &c. sold an interest in their purchase, of seven- tenths, to Charles E. Dudley, Benjamin Knower, Thomas W. Olcott, William L. Marcy, and Lott Clark. These last named proprietors were what was termed the "Albany Company." They had, previous to this, by purchase from the Holland Com- pany, become the owners of all the unsold lands in Niagara, Orleans, and the north parts of Genesee and Erie; tracts comprising, in the aggregate, about eighty thousand acres. The agency was established in the Lower Town, Mr. Clark becoming the agent. In 1830, the bank, the Episcopal church, the large brick block, several fine dwellings were built, and other improvements made; Seymour Scovell making large additions to the old Lockport House that had been erected by - - Van Velzer. The Albany Company continued to retail these wild lands, until 1834 or '35; Washington Hunt entering the office of Mr. Clark, previous to his majority, and transacting most of the business appertaining to land sales. At the period above named, Judge Hunt, in com- pany with Henry Walbridge, purchased the unsold lands of the Albany Company, and under their anspices the lands have been sold and settled, upon terms of liberality and indulgence, that have materially aided the prosperity of the region in which they were located.
The early merchants in Lower Town were Tucker & Bissell, Otis Hathaway, John & Isaac Henning, Frederick Bissell, Stephen Gooding, Eaton & Brown, Stafford & Humphrey, G. W. Merchant, Scovell & Saxe. The earliest physician was J. K. Skinner. Among the earliest mechanics were Horace Birdsall, Daniel W. Ballou, Willis Peck, Asher Torrance, Stephen Brizee, William Olney, Harvey Norton, Stimpson, William Shepherd, Enos Steel, William Hewitt, Samuel Works, Warren Grant, Peter Besancon.
John Gooding was the patroon of what is known as "Pioneer Hill," and Samuel Allen and Otis Hathaway, of that portion of the village in the neighborhood of the Union School and the Catholic church.
In the process of canal enlargement, the old double tier of locks have been removed, and new ones erected, that surpass, in magnitude, and in the manner of construction, any work of the kind in the world. The contract for rebuilding was at first taken by Smith, Parmelee & Co. who, after getting the first tier in a considerable state of for- wardness, sold their contract to Judge Buel, of Rochester, by whom the work has been nearly completed. The magnificent structure has been made under the superintend- ence of the following engineers, who have, at different periods, had the superintendence of it :- Alfred Barrett, J. D. Fay, Thomas Evershed, Stephen F. Gooding. The cost of the work has been over $575,000.
MIDDLEPORT .- This flourishing, rural village, pleasant in its aspect, as any that are dotted along the Erie Canal, grew up on lands, and in the immediate neighborhood, of Pioneers that had preceded canal location; they were James Lyman, James Williams, Jr. Asher Freeman, Asa Sawtell, Philarius Williams, Russell Ewings, Arunah Bennett, William Taylor, Thomas T. Smith. Levi Cole became a resident there about the period of the canal letting, became a contractor and the pioneer tavern keeper. Benjamin Barlow, Jr. an early member of Assembly from Niagara, was a resident
658
APPENDIX.
there as early as 1820 or '21. Dr. Packard was the early physician. Dunlap & Craig, Francis B. Lane, Alden S. Baker, - - Northam were early merchants. Lane & Baker had been contractors on the canal at the Sulphur Springs, west of Lockport, settled at Middleport about the period of the completion of the canal, and have been conspicuously identified with its history and progress. Mr. Lane died during the last winter. Dr. Hurd settled there as a physician in an early day. Elijah Mathers and Thomas N. Lee were among the earliest mechanics. The village commands the prin- cipal trade of a fine region of country, and has kept pace with its rapid improvements.
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