USA > New York > Niagara County > Souvenir history of Niagara County, New York : commemorative of the 25th anniversary of the Pioneer Association of Niagara County > Part 19
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Still another blessing and possibility for enlarged use- fulness has come to us this year in a laundry building, with machinery and every modern equipment and convenience, which can only be appreciated by those who know of the wearied method by which weekly the hundreds of garments were cleansed by the old hand-to-hand washtub and clothes- line process. This laundry is the result of the strenuous ef- forts of members of the Board of Directresses and friends of the Home in collecting, and the public in responding to the call, but this is not yet entirely paid for.
While the friends of this institution are striving to pro- vide for and place in homes these friendless little ones, with such gratifying results, there comes an earnest solicitation from many residents of the County for an endeavor to meet what seemingly is the next imperative and real demand of the present time, in our again taking up the work which, in the early history of the Home, was combined with the care of orphan children. We refer to the provision and main- tenance of aged women. For the first five years the Home for the Friendless took under its shelter, in its limited quar- ters, ten old ladies, whose gratitude and blessing more than repaid the ministry of patience and care which was given them. In accordance with the recommendation of J. P. Letchworth, Commissioner of the State Board of Charities, and also the lack of funds, the Home voted that it could not consistenly take any more old ladies while the children de- manding their care were increasing in numbers.
But an appeal, loud and long, from the bereft, sorrow- ing and lonely, unheeded by a cold world, causes to vibrate a responsive chord in the hearts of the friends who have toiled so faithfully, early and late, to bring comfort and hap- piness into the lives of these little motherless children.
Thus we are now confronted with this problem by those especially interested in the old and homeless, and our own conviction of its need as well. We are planning and long- ing for the time to come when the gifts from other generous and sympathizing hearts will enable us to found an Old La- dies Home, on the spacious grounds and in connection with the group of buildings at "Wyndham Lawn."
For the future and larger work, of which this institution is capable, we can only depend upon farther and more liberal
bequests from the charitably disposed people of this Senato- rial District.
Indeed, the future still beckons higher to a greater work that lies before us. Let the silver cord of more than a quar- ter of a century link the conception of the founders of this charity with our renewed interest and determined endeavor, that we may be enabled to meet the ever-increasing call, never more pathetic than from the lips of the aged or the mute pleadings of helpless infancy.
The following named persons constitute the corps of officers for the year 1902 :
BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
Hon. John E. Pound, President.
C. J. Townsend, Treasurer.
J. A. Ward, Secretary.
William A. Williams, Augustus Keep, Dr. S. W. Hurd, A. R. Ferguson, E. Ashley Smith, George H. Moody.
BOARD OF DIRECTRESSES.
Mrs. C. L. Hoag, President.
Mrs. Robert White, First Vice President.
Mrs. John Hodge, Second Vice President.
Mrs. C. N. Palmer, Third Vice President.
Mrs. William T. Rogers, Corresponding Secretary.
Mrs. E. Ashley Smith, Recording Secretary.
DIRECTRESSES.
Mrs. A. S. Beverly, Mrs. Edwin Emert, Mrs. A. R. Fer- guson, Mrs. H. F. Gaskill, Mrs. W. T. Herrick, Mrs. R. H. James, Mrs. Charles Keep, Mrs. G. G. Lansing, Miss M. Mc- Clellan, Miss Laura Moss, Mrs. John Pierson, Mrs. John E. Pound, Mrs. Laura Post, Miss D. Pierson, Mrs. F. N. Tre- vor, Mrs. J. A. Ward, Miss Jennie Liddle, Mrs. W. B. Cook.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTRESSES.
Mrs. John B. Arnold, Miss Harriet Buck, Mrs. J. Carl Jackson, Mrs. Fred Smith, Mrs. William E. McComb, Mrs. A. Ford Michael, Mrs. F. P. Weaver, Miss Mary White, Miss Carrie Webber, Miss Alice Crocker.
A Board of Auxiliary Vice Presidents to assist in the work in the surrounding towns is composed of the following :
Mrs. Emma Swan, Albion ; Mrs. L. H. DeGraff, North Tonawanda; Mrs. Clarence A. Ostrander, Knowlesville ; Mrs. D. Brookins, Newfane; Mrs. Eli Nichols, Niagara Falls ; Miss Elizabeth Trott, Niagara Falls ; Mrs. L. J. Gross, West Somerset ; Mrs. E. T. Ransom, Ransomville ; Mrs. Ed- ward Robinson, Pendleton ; Mrs. Marion Lawson, Royalton : Mrs. F. H. Hurd, Medina; Mrs. O. P. Scovell, Lewiston ; Mrs. Blackman, Warren's Corners ; Mrs. Mary F. Hopkins, La Salle ; Mrs. Grant Cuddaback, Wilson ; Mrs. H. M. Fales. Tonawanda.
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
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OFFICIALS OF NIAGARA COUNTY.
1-HON CHARLES HICKEY, County Judge and Surrogate. 2-BURT G. STOCKWELL, District Attorney.
4-FRANK P. WEAVER, County Treasurer. 5-HECTOR M. STOCUM, County Clerk.
7-ALMOND D. VAN CLEVE, School Commissioner. 8-ADELAIDE L. HARRIS, School Commissioner.
3-D. GURNEY SPALDING, Sheriff.
6-ALBERT H. LEE. Superintendent of the Poor.
9-JACOB P. HELWIG, Coroner.
10-HART SLOCUM, Coroner
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History of the Towns and Cities.
Town of Cambria.
BY ELISHA B. SWIFT.
EEMINGLY it is safe to say that only a few of the present generation realize the position the Town of Cambria held in the early settlement and history of Western New York. A debt of gratitude is due to Orsamus Turner, author of the "Holland Pur- chase ;" to William Pool, author of "Landmarks of Niag- ara County," and to all others who have sought to preserve and to perpetuate the early history of this Town and County and the surrounding portions of country. In commemor- ation of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Pioneer Asso- ciation, which was founded in 1877, my duty settles down to try and give Cambria its appropriate place in history. My
ELISHA B. SWIFT.
regret is, through the long years passed away, and some- times imperfect records, and the present state of my health, some allusions to incidents and persons may be omitted that deserve credit in these pages; especially the names of women who heroically shared the perils of ague and fever, and all the privations pertaining to this region in those early days. It will be necessary to quote from "Landmarks," and to gather from other sources, to which I desire here to give full credit.
The Town of Cambria is the mother of all the other towns in the County. By act of Legislature, March 8, 1808, all the lands now held by the twelve towns was set apart and directed to be named Cambria.
EARLY OFFICERS.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Joseph Hewett. Robert Lee presided. The election resulted as follows : Joseph Hewitt, Supervisor; James Harrison, Town Clerk; Benjamin Barton and Charles Wilber, Commission- ers of Highways: Lemuel Cooke, Silas Hopkins and John Dunn, Assessors; Stephen Hopkins, Collector; Philomen
Baldwin and Thomas Dayton, Overseers of the Poor; Silas Hopkins, Ray March, Stephen H. Baldwin and Alexander Haskins, Constables; Enoch Hitchcock and Thomas Hust- ler, Pound Masters; sixteen Overseers of Highways were chosen.
The next town meeting was held at Stephen Hopkins' house. Wolves were plentiful; $100 was raised for their destruction; a bounty of $5 for every one killed. The first vote for State Senator was sixteen. Peter B. Porter, for Member of Congress, received forty-three votes; Nathaniel W. Howell, twenty-eight, and Archibald Clark, two.
June 1, 1812, three new towns, Hartland, Niagara and Porter, were erected from the land of Cambria. In 1815 the remaining territory in Cambria was divided into nine school districts. On February 27, 1818, Lewiston was taken from the west part of Cambria. On February 2, 1824, Lockport was erected from Cambria and Royalton. The other towns in the County were formed by divisions of some of these towns.
Cambria is located west of the center of the County, is interior, and surrounded by her children and grandchil- dren. The town has two mountain ridges, called the upper and lower, running nearly east and west. The lower one crosses just south of the center and extends across the town. The upper one, upon which the Hamlet of Pekin is situated, passes nearly through. During the last few years the roads leading over these ridges have been much improved, at con- siderable expense to the town. There are two other ridges in the north part of the town, composed of sand and gravel ; the south ridge leading to Lewiston and the north ridge running northwesterly from the old Molyneux hotel towards Ransomville.
MOLYNEUX CORNERS.
In Pioneer days, before railroads were built, lines of stages did a thriving business from Rochester to Lewiston. Then the old Molyneux hotel and other places on the Ridge Road were full of activity. Even as late as the election of Buchanan, to the Presidency, scores of men were waiting at Molyneux's for the coming of the stage to get the news, It is to be anticipated that the electric road, now planned fron Rochester to Lockport and Buffalo, will build a branch along the Ridge Road to Lewiston and Niagara Falls-a paying investment.
The ways of farming and the products of the farm have materially changed in the last half century. Wheat and sheep for many years brought money enough into the far- mers' hands to ensure success. When the price of those commodities began to decline farmers turned their atten- tion to the growing of fruit. Large apple orchards were set, and, later, many different kinds of fruit. No better place for its growth can be found than that below the moun- tain in Cambria.
Molyneux's Corners, so well known in those early and later days, is about seven miles northwesterly from Lock- port, and is situated on the place where the south and north ridge intersect, leading to Ransomville. Here, in 1809, John Gould, father of John Gould, Jr., and other children,
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
and grandfather of Dr. William B. Gould, who died a few years ago, in Lockport, opened a tavern in a log house. In 18II he sold to one Odell and moved to Cambria Center, where he died. In 1812 Odell sold to Silas Hopkins, and Hopkins transferred his claim to William Molyneux, father of Charles, William and Robert, who carried on the hotel and farm till 1830, when the father died ; after which Charles Molyneux continued the hotel business till his decease. In 1826 the Molyneuxs built the frame hotel, now used for that purpose.
SOME EARLY SETTLERS.
The first pioneer permanent settlers of the town were Phillip Beach and two brothers, Jesse and John, who began, in 1802, at Howell's Creek, on the south ridge road, west of Molyneux. Phillip Beach had carried the mail from Batavia to Fort Niagara, was a good citizen, and died, in 1840, on a farm a little east of Molyneux's. In 1810 Jesse Beach settled on a farm on the north ridge, where his son, Cyrus, lived many years, and died, respected by all. In 18II Aaron Beach, an older brother, settled on the south ridge. Phillip Beach, in 1818, sold his farm to Joseph Hewitt, who two years later exchanged it with William Howell and moved to the mountain, above Lewiston. Here Mr. Howell built a sawmill, and kept a tavern, following those at Moly- neux and Warren's Corners. Since that time the place has been known as Howell's Creek.
At Molyneux Corners the first postoffice was estab- lished, and William Molyneux was the first postmaster in the town. His son, Charles (father of the present Chief of Police, of Lockport), succeeded him. Since his death the postoffice has been held in different places near by, till the free mail delivery was established. Joash Taylor was an early settler on the ridge, about a mile east of Molyneux's.
In 1808 Harvey Steadman settled on 190 acres near where the Ridge Road struck the then swamp. His daugh- ter, Adelia, married Homer, son of Joash Taylor. Mr. Steadman boarded those who built the log road across the swamp to Wright's Corners. In later years this road be- came a toll road.
John Forsyth settled at Warren's Corners, in 1805. The next year he opened a tavern. Ezra Warren, a soldier of 1812, married Mr. Forsyth's widow, and the place took its name from him. Settlers were few and often far apart at this time.
Dr. Artemus Baker, in 1815, settled near Warren's Corners. He was the first physician in the town. Before 1812 the settlers at and about Cambria Center were William Scott, Peter Nearpass, Enoch Hatch, Benjamin and Duchel Silly, David Waters and probably a few others not recorded.
William Scott settled on 500 acres, bought of the Hol- land Land Company, and cleared sixty acres of the same the first year. He soon after built and opened a tavern, much patronized for many years. After his death, in 1841, his widow and son, Homer, occupied it as a dwelling. William Scott, Jr., an older son, about this time came into posses- sion of 200 acres of the northwest part of this land, mar- ried Louisa, daughter of Smith Brown, and successfully car- ried on farming till he was killed by a stroke of lightning, in 1855. His widow, yet living, married Albert Flanders, who died May 10, 1902.
THE GOULD FAMILY.
When John Gould moved from Molyneux's Corners to Cambria Center, in 1812, he bought of Nearpass 240 acres of land, about a half mile east of the Center, on which, later, his son, John Gould, Jr., lived many years. In 1846, while
teaching school in his district, our acquaintance began with John Gould, Jr. He was a man of many valuable attain- ments, wrote a good hand, kept a daily diary, held many places of honor and trust, and died, leaving the world better for his having lived in it. John Gould, Sr., lived in later years, on a farm bordering on the southeast corner of Cam- bria Center, till his death, at an old age; after which another honored son, David Gould, owned and lived on the same farm till he died. His widow died at the same place.
THE HOWDER FAMILY.
In 1812 Christopher Howder settled on 150 acres, on the lower mountain road, one and a half miles east of Cam- bria Center. From him have sprung, in direct line, George, Sylvester, Lott (dentist in Buffalo) and other Howders, now living in the town. Here a flour mill was once built, also a sawmill ; the latter did some business up to 1845.
THE SWIFT FAMILY.
North of this place, on the road leading to Molyneux hotel, before 1820, Charles Sweet settled on 160 acres. He sold to Archa McNeil, and McNeil, in 1844, sold to Henry Swift, father of O. C., E. B., M. G. and W. H. Swift. In 1855 E. B., after selling his farm on Bear Ridge, in the Town of Pendleton, engaged with his brother, M. G., in the gro- cery trade, in Lockport. After nearly twenty years of bus- iness E. B. returned to Cambria, where he and his brother, Orrin C,, now own and live in the old home, from which father, mother, brother Moses and others have departed. My first wife was a sister of Albert Flanders. She died, in 1890, without children. In 1892 Ella May Travis became my wife, from which union three children, Elisha Barlow Swift, Jr., Milo Travis Swift and Evangeline Marie Swift, have been placed on the world's stage of action.
OTHER FAMILIES.
Nearly a mile west of the old Howder place, where the two roads branch to the east, William Campbell, father of Joshua, Ezekiel and a large family, in 1817, bought of Enoch Hotchkiss 138 acres, where he lived many years. In old age, at the home of his son-in-law, Amos Crosby, grand- father of Dr. Crosby, in Lockport, he fell from a fence and died from the fall. About half a mile east of this Howder farm, on the now stone road, John M. Eastman located early. Eastman's wife was also a daughter of William Campbell. She died in old age, having been the mother of eleven chil- dren.
We now return west, towards Cambria Center, and on the north side of the road find the old home of Charles H. Averill, father of Orlando and Lorenzo (all now dead), and grandfather of Charles, now living in Lockport.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
We now examine the records of the First Congrega- tional Church Society of Cambria Center, written by John Gould, Jr., and find the following names subscribed to the first constitution of this society, in 1824. They were loca- ted nearly all over the town. It is gratifying to be able to place so many of the early pioneers of Cambria in the first history of the association. They were as follows :
Thomas Chamberlain, Thomas Chamberlain, Jr., Wil- liam Towsly, William G. Hathaway, William Burnett, Jarvis Chamberlain, Adam Houstatter, Thomas Webber. John Houstatter, John Miles, Jr., Hezekiah Hill. Timothy Thompson. Wiley Bancroft, Jacob Houstatter. William Scott, Eliakim Hammond, Luther Crocker. Henry Saxton. Eben Kellogg, Timothy B. Goff, James Burnett, Elnathan Homes, John Gould, John Gould, Jr., Amasa Birchard, Jo-
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
siah Talbot, Solomon Crosby, Amos Crosby, Charles Ham- mond, William A. Scarborough, Daniel Beebe, Thomas Mighelles (Miles), Charles H. Averill, Abner Lay, Thomas Comstock, H. B. Scovell, H. Halsey.
The foregoing have all passed over the silent river. Soon after this time the names of Alvin Tennant and Calvin Thompson appear. Mr. Thompson, approaching the cen- tury mark, is one of the oldest left in town. A little farther west, on the south side of the road, Jacob Flanders, father of Lyman, Albert and a large family, settled, in 1820. We pass along by the old places, once held by the Schmecks,
CHARLES YOUNG.
Kittingers and Dodges, till we come to the once Dr. Myron Orton's farm. Here he settled, in 1815, and here he died, in 1873-
PEKIN.
Pekin is located on the upper mountain ridge, on the line between Cambria and Lewiston. Here a postoffice was established, in 1822, and named Mountain Ridge. John Jones was appointed postmaster. In 1831 the name of the place was changed to Pekin. When Lewiston was set off from Cambria, a portion of the place went with the trans- fer to Lewiston. The first settlers were the Reynolds and Carneys, and a little north of Pekin they were Beamer, Wil- son, Bridge, Earls, and, as before stated, Dr. Orton and Wil- liam Crosier settled a little east of the village, in 1821.
Among early settlers, in the southwest part of the town, were John Carney and Jairus Rose. Mr. Rose bought 600 acres, and soon added enough to make 2,000. In 1813 he planted two acres of apple seeds, and when they had grown fit to set, sold them at twelve cents each. His was the first nurseury in the County. He was the father of George P. Rose, who lived and died on a part of the same land.
Before 1810 Joshua Cowell and Russell Weaver settled in the town. Pomeroy Oliver, in 1815; John Hitchcock, 1816; Daniel P. Oliver, 1817, and, in early years in different parts of the town, John Ingersoll, Jason Lane, John Miles, Hezekiah Hill, Elijah Smith, Coonrod Keyser and Samuel Faxon. Col. Andrew Sutherland and Philo Cornell, about 1812. Among the other early settlers were Reuben Hurd and James Barnes. Before 1820, among others, were Jonas Chamberlain, Charles Trowbridge, Daniel Alvord, Obed Smith, Eli Bruce, Jabez Rogers, David Jeffers, Roderick Royce, Arthur Saxton, Thomas Fowler, Caleb Bugbee, Da-
vid Cross, Joshua Campbell, Ira Smith, Charles Sweet, Harry Hitchcock, Russel Scott, Jason Lane, Abel Baldwin, William Carney, Phillip Shaver, Aaron Rice and Alexander Freeman, father of John G. Freeman. Before 1830 they were Eliakim Hammond, Hiram McNeil (father of Hiram McNeil, once Mayor of Lockport), John Hills, James Bur- nett, Myron Orton, Jared Comstock, Edwin M. Clap, Eze- kiel Campbell, Isaac Canfield, Moses and David Beach, Cal- vin Wilson, David Gould, Frederick Saxton, Daniel Oliver, William G. Hathaway, Silas Belding, Henry Springsteen, George Rose, Thomas C. Judd, William Prey, Iva Gregory,
THERON S. ELTON.
Warren Chaffee, Ralph G. Warner, James G. White, Ste- phen Barnes. Before 1850 the residents were Sparrow S. Sage, S. Cady Murray, Thomas Root, John Pletcher, Heze- kiah A. Nichols, John M. Eastman, John G. Freeman, Wil- liam Elton, Josius T. Peterson, Josiah Pratt, Lorenzo Averill, David Gould, Calvin Thompson, Nathaniel Cook, Anson Eastman, Hunt Farnsworth, Hiram Flanders, Rich- ard Hall, A. H. Houstatter, Thomas and Nelson T. Mighells, George W. Rose, John Williams, Erastus Weaver, Alfred Eddy, James Dutton, Joseph Miller, Elijah Parker, William O. Rogers, Gilbert Budd, William S. Howe, Samuel Saddle- son, Henry Plate, Christopher and Ransom Saddleson, Louis Bevier, Nathaniel Brockway, David I. Brockway, Ransom Campbell, Lewis Burtch, in 1851.
CAMBRIA'S SEVEN CHURCHES.
There are seven churches in the Town of Cambria. The first Congregational Church was organized, in 1817, through David M. Smith, a minister at Lewiston. The Hol- land Land Company donated 100 acres of land to this, the first one established in town. This land was unimproved, and located at the head of the Gulf (now Town of Lock- port). It was sold, in 1827, and about thirty acres, bought of Elickim Hammond, lying along the now Blackman Hill Road. This, after some years, was also sold, and about five acres purchased, for a parsonage, across the road from the present curch building. Mrs. Thomas Comstock left $500, the interest of which was to be used by the church. Dea- con Lewis Daggett also left $200, to be used in the same way. A long history could be written on this old church.
There are four more churches in the town. The Meth- odist Episcopal Church, on the North Ridge, was built about
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1840, of cobble stones. Still further to the northwest is located the German Lutheran Church. On the north, and opposite side of the road, is a Catholic Church, and a little beyond these is the brick Universalist Church. The last has one of the finest burial grounds in the County.
The corporate name of the church at Pekin is "The Church of Christ." It was incorporated March 6, 1888, by Abraham Levan, John Bogwell, Clement J. Levan and Clif- ford D. Levan. Abraham Levan died several years since. The other incorporators, and Horace Allard, who is now a trustee in the society, are the leading members at present. The church building was erected, in 1888. The first pastor was Rev. James S. Bell, who served several years, and now his son, James L. Bell, is acting pastor of the society.
The corporate name of the German Church is "St. An- dreas Evangelical Lutheran Church. Articles of incorpora- tion were executed March 9, 1899, but not yet recorded in County Clerk's office. The minister who was serving the church at the time of the incorporation was Frederick O. Scholz. The present pastor is Rev. C. Franenstein. The church building was erected during the present year, 1902, and has recently been dedicated. The incorporators named are Frederick O. Scholz, August Werth, Christian Strass- burg, Herman Milke, O. August Wentt and Henry Witkop.
TOWN SUPERVISORS.
The following is the list of the Supervisors of the town : Joseph Hewitt, 1808-9; Silas Hopkins, 1810; William Moly- neux, 1811-12; Silas Hopkins, 1814; Bates Cooke, 3814; Jo- seph Hewitt, 1815-16; Rufus Spaulding, 1817; Asher Sax- ton, 1818; Daniel Pomeroy, 1819-20; Ephraim D. Richard- son, 1821-22; Eliakim Hammond, 1823-26; John Hills, 1827- 28; William Scott, 1829-30; John Hills, 1831; William Scott, 1832; William Molyneux, 1833-35; Charles Moly- neux, 1836; Darius Shaw, 1837; Hiram McNeil, 1838-40; Eli Y. Barnes, 1841 ; John Gould, Jr., 1842; John Whitbeck, 1843; Moses Bairsto, Jr., 1844-45; Henry Snyder, 1846; Charles Molyneux, 1847-48; Hiram McNeil, 1849; John Gould, Jr., 1850; Sparrow S. Sage, 1851-52; Hiran McNeil, 1853; John Freeman, 1854; Thomas Barnes, 1855; Lewis Daggett, 1850-59; Hezekiah W. Nichols, 1860-62; Artemus W. Comstock, 1863-64; Lewis Daggett, 1865; Thomas Barnes, 1866-67; Artemus W. Comstock, 1868-69; Thomas Root, 1870-71 ; James A. Pool, 1872-73; Samuel Kittenger, 1874; George W. Gould, 1875-76; Salem L. Town, 1877-81 ; George L. Freer, 1882; Edward Manning, 1883-85; Ed- ward Harmony, 1886-88; James L. Barnes, 1889-90; Edwin Harmony, 1891-92; Walter V. Peterson, 1893-98; William J. Baker, 1899-1902.
ELISHA B. SWIFT.
Elisha B. Swift, author of the foregoing sketch, of the Town of Cambria, is in his eightieth year, and hale and hearty. He is one of the ex-presidents of the Pioneer As- sociation, and at the meeting of 1892 read the following original poem in honor of the fathers, which we reproduce as illustrative of the days of the pioneers.
Hail, all hail! on this memorial day, The memory of those, who led the way
Over unbridged stream, and through forest deep,
And Freedom's Heritage, left us to keep.
Hail to the struggles of that by gone time, When riding after oxen was no crime ;
When peeled bark roofs, and floors that were split hewed, Did very well-with doors and windows crude,-
When with straight, notched logs, the buildings were made,
And chimneys of rived sticks, in mud were laid; The long, broad fire place, with a crane supplied, Held pots and kettles, hanging side by side,
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