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 21
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The first marriage in the town was between Henry Ells- worth and Polly Cornish, in the spring of 1810.
The nearest postoffice was at Batavia, until 1826. when the post routes were established. The first postoffice in this town was at Reynales Basin, and as the town increased in population a demand for better mail accommodations sprung up, until nine postoffices were established in the town. The rural free delivery service was started in 1001, reducing the number of offices to two, Middleport and Gas- port, four routes starting from the former place and three from the latter.
The first religious meeting in the neighborhood of the Slayton Settlement was in 1808. Elder Toel Doubledav. of the Christian denomination, officiated. The church founded bv him is the first established upon the lands of the Holland Purchase, except the church built by Brant, at Lewiston. Dr. David Dunn was the first physician in that part of the town, Ezra Harwood the first merchant ; Thomas, or Joshua, Slayton raised the first crops; William Curtis planted the first orchard.
SUPERVISORS.
The Supervisors of the town have been as follows:
1818-20, Almond Millard; 1821, Nathan Comstock; 1822-23. Daniel Washburn ; 1824-27, John Garnsey : 1828-30, Asher Freeman; 1831, D. S. Fenn; 1832, Asher Freeman;
1833, Ethan Fenn; 1834-37, James Baldwin; 1838-40, Da- vid Hurd; 1841, John McNall; 1842, David Hurd; 1843, Pe- ter Murphy ; 1844-45, Samuel Z. Ross; 1846, Grandus Dav- enport; 1847, William S. Fenn; 1848-49, Alfred Colwell; 1850, Samuel Z. Ross; 1851-52, Alonzo W. Newcomb; 1853, John Thorn ; 1854-55, Oliver R. Brown; 1856-59, Alonz W. Newcomb; 1860, Alfred Colwell; 1861-62, Rufus W. Briggs; 1863-65, Robert F. Pierson; 1866-67, Orrin L. Hudnut; 1868, Chauncey Sheldon; 1869-70, Marcus Mabee; 1871-72, Elijah H. Woodworth; 1873-74, Orrin L. Hudnut ; 1875-76. John P. Brown; 1877-79, Francis Hunter; 1880-81, Ruth- ven Kill; 1882-84, George B. Holdridge ; 1885-87, Racine C. Clark ; 1888-90, Francis Hunter ; 1891-92, William W. John- son ; 1893-94, Caleb C. McNair; 1895-96, John L. Sheldon ; 1897-98, Arza G. Sherwood; 1898-1902, F. S. A. Coon.
MIDDLEPORT.
The Village of Middleport sprung into existence almost entirely because of the building of the canal. The only bus- iness near the place previous to that time was done at Free- man's Corners, a half mile to the southward. The village derived its name from the fact that it is about midway be- tween Lockport and Albion.
In "Landmarks of Niagara County" there are the fol- lowing statements relative to the early history of the town : "The land on which the village stands was formerly owned by Arunah Bennett, on the west side of Main street, south of the canal; by William Taylor, on the east side, south of the canal ; by Gad Mather, on the east side of Vernon street. north of the canal; and by F. B. Lane, on the west side of Vernon street, north of the canal. James Northam opened the first store in the village, in 1822, in a small frame build- ing, erected by him about where Main street crosses the ca- nal, and near the canal bank. A. S. Baker was his cierk. Mr. Northam subsequently sold out his business to John Craig and Thomas Dunlap, and they were succeeded by Lane & Baker. G. & E. Mather established a small tannery, in 1824, and also carried on a boot and shoe business. Smith & Calkins were blacksmiths, about 1820 and later. John Macker began here about 1830, as a tailor, the first in the place. He was followed by Messrs. Bridgeman, Stone, Snell and Charles Wilcox. In 1840 John Van Brocklin es- tablished a blast furnace, the first and only one ever in the village ; it was later operated by his son."
Among the physicians at Middleport have been Dr. Hurd and Dr Electus Cole, the latter being killed in a run- away accident, in 1885. Dr. C. W. Gould came to Middle- port in 1871, and enjoyed a large practice until 1885, when he removed to Chicago, where he is the representative in that city of the Gould Coupler Company. which he no doubt finds more profitable than the practice of medicine. Dr. C. M. Garland came to Middleport, in 1876, and went to Roch- ester, in 1888, and afterward to New York. Dr. John B. Hover has practiced since 1883, and has served two terms as president of the village. Dr. H. A. Wilmot came to Middle- port as the principal of the school, in 1873; he subsequently attended medical college, and began to practice in 1877; he was the first President of the Board of Education, and is the present health officer of the village. Dr. T. A. Addy came from Canada some two years ago.
EARLY SETTLERS NEAR MIDDLEPORT.
Among the early settlers in the vicinity of Middleport were the following :
James Lyman settled a mile southwest of Middleport, in 1806. He was accompanied by James Williams, who had
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
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learned the trade of blacksmithing, and married Mr. Ly- man's daughter, Sallie. From this union sprung the Wil- liams family, who are residents of Middleport at the pres- ent day. Erastus Williams, son of James and Sallie Wil- liams, is thought by many to have been the first white child born in the town, but as the date of his birth is stated to have been in the year 1814 the claim would appear not to be well founded.
Asher Freeman moved into the country around Middle- port about the year 1810, and raised a family of eleven, nine boys and two girls. Two of the former are still living in the vicinity. Seven of these sons were voters in the same local- ity at one time, all of them ardent Whigs, and, in 1840, they all cast their votes for William Henry Harrison. A son of Philip Freeman, one of their brothers, Frank B. Freeman,
road, running from Lockport to McNalls. Mr. Labar is a great reader and his eyes are yet so clear that he may be said to have attained his second sight. In connection with this sketch we reproduce a group picture, recently taken, which shows four generations of the family, the venerable great grandfather, his son and namesake, the daughters of the latter-Mrs. Chase, wife of Prof. E. H. Chase, superintend- ent of schools of Queensborough, Greater New York, and Mrs. H. C. Ketcham-and a child of each of the two latter. John W. Labar was a member of the Legislature of 1857- the first Republican Assemblyman from Niagara County. Mr. Labar moved to Griswold street, south of Middleport, in 1835. He has lived since in six towns of the County and owned property in seven. Mr. Labar's father, Joseph M. Labar, was born in Paris and came to this country with La
JOHN W. LABAR, JOHN W. LABAR, JR., AND FAMILY.
occupies a fine farm just south of the Village of Middleport.
William Ewings settled, in 1814, three miles south of Middleport, and, in 1815, sold out the article he took from the Holland Purchase Company to Joseph Odell. He then moved half a mile south of the village, where he lived and died. He left two sons, William and Isaac, and a daugh- ter, who became the wife of Daniel Van Brocklin.
Joseph Odell, who purchased from William Ewings the article to the first land he took up, moved in, in 1815, when his son, afterward Col. A. T. Odell, was five years old. Col. Odell had four other sons, William, Alanson, Erastus and Elijah, and four daughters. Col. A. T. Odell has three chil- dren living, C. W. and J. M. Odell, and a daugliter, Mrs. Adeline Chubbuck ........ A daughter of Joseph Odell married Philip Freeman, father of Frank B. Freeman. There are three other daughters, Mrs. Francis Hunter, Mrs. Isaac Ewings and Mrs. Burt Graves.
ROYALTON'S OLDEST CITIZEN
One of the oldest, if not the oldest, male resident of the County, is the venerable John W. Labar, who is how living in the Town of Royalton, at the age of 95. He was born in Montgomery County, New York, in 1807, and is now liv- ing with his son, John W. Labar, Jr., on the Chestnut Ridge
Fayette, and was on the firing line at Brandywine and York- town.
INDUSTRIES OF MIDDLEPORT.
The plant of the Hartland Paper Company is one of the most important industries of Middleport and has been for many years. The business originated about thirty years ago, having been established by Pierson McLean. The product was straw paper. Mr. McLean sold out the busi- ness, in 1884, to Messrs Sterrett, Eddy and Rowley, and, in 1886 he became sole owner. In 1891 Mr. Sterrett and a number of citizens of Lockport organized the Hartland Pa- per Company, with a capacity for the production of 2.500 tons a year. The company failed about a year ago, and for several months the business has been in charge of the re- ceiver, George E. Greene. For two months past it has been conducted by Howard Helmer, and in July of this year was merged into the United Box Board and Paper Company. into which huge corporation, capitalized at nearly $30,000,- 000, many of the plants of the kind throughout the country have been consolidated.
The sash and blind factory is a much more recent in- stitution, which, when in operation, furnished employment to a goodly number of hands. But this business has suffered
7
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
GEO. F. THOMPSON
GEO HUMPHREY
J. I. SHELDON, JR.
ABSOLOM MESLER.
C. E. METCALF
E. B. FRENCH.
WILLIAM G. RICHARDSON.
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
many vicissitudes. The plant was burned out and afterward rebuilt, but it has been closed down for some time.
The most important institution of Middleport is the canning factory, that was built there, in 1883, and, in 1884 went into possession of Charles H. Francis. The business has since been merged into that of the Batavia Preserving Company, who also have factories at Brockport and Bata- via. The Middleport plant is an immense receiver of fruit of all kinds, which is packed in glass and tin, and the factory is running constantly the year round. Mr. Francis is the manager of all three plants.
GASPORT AND VICINITY.
Reynales Basin, a mile east of Gasport, was in the early days of the canal quite a metropolis in its way. A great deal
advent of the Erie Canal. He was raised on the farm of his father, now known as the Failing farm, removing while in his teens to the Reynales Basin tavern, in which he suc- ceeded his father as proprietor, continuing there as tavern keeper and farmer until his removal to Lockport, in 1886, eight years before his death, which occurred on March 17, 1894.
Among the prominent families in the locality may be mentioned the Richardson, the Norris Brown, the Deuel and other families.
The growth of Gasport put an end to the progress of the thriving little "burg" of Reynales Basin, and also that of Orangeport, which was the center of influence of the region of the Slayton Settlement. Reynales Basin and Orangeport
BENJAMIN F. FREEMAN, LYDIA L. FREEMAN STEEL, DORRIS WINIFRED STEEL, BENJAMIN FREEMAN STEEL.
of produce was shipped from this point. J. W. Shaffer, in 1857, and a few years thereafter, operated a general store, and there are many people for miles around who remember trading with him. In 1870 he built his cold storage plant at that point. The place was named after George Reynale, who located there after the completion of the canal and opened a general store. The first postoffice in the town was estab- lished at Reynales Basin, and it is a fact worthy of note that Noah L. Bronson, one of the early postmasters, filled that office for twenty-three years, from 1863 to 1886, through Democratic and Republican administrations, though Mr. Bronson was a Republican. He was a son of Lee Bron- son and Amanda Upson Bronson, and was born at Man- lius, Onondaga County, New York, February 5, 1814. When six years of age he moved with his parents to Rev- nales Basin, Town of Royalton, some time previous to the
are nearly two miles apart. Gasport stands midway. This latter town owes its name to the fact that inflammable gas formerly arose from certain springs, that were subsequently destroyed in digging the canal. The gas was for a time piped to a store and warehouse at Gasport, and there was "light to burn."
STEALING THE DEPOT
The hydra-headed monopolists of Gasport were not satisfied with their natural advantages. They began to have designs upon the neighboring hamlets. In 1852 the Niagara Falls branch of the New York Central Railway was completed and stations were established. One was at May- bee's Crossing, near Reynales Basin, and another at Or- angeport. The Gasport people thought these stations were too near together and entirely too far for their own con- venience. Consequently some of the more enterprising
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spirits put their heads together and held some mighty de- ; tionary War, serving directly under Washington. He after- liberations. They secured the consent of the railway au- ward was for a time in the ranks during the War of 1812. He died in Hartland, Niagara County, July 18, 1824. Abra- ham Mesler, father of Absalom, was a native of Holland, and settled first on the Island of Manhattan, and later in New Jersey, where he died. . thorities and, becoming for the nonce buccaneers and fili- busterers, perfected a plan to actually steal the depot from under the eyes of the worthy burghers of Orangeport. They hied themselves to that peaceful hamlet, raised the depot on trucks, but were driven off by the wrathful feminine residents of the place, who sent a volley of decayed products of the THE ARMY AND NAVY. hen where they would do the most good. But the Gasport "bandits" were not easily discouraged. They returned to the attack the next day (Sunday) in larger numbers and suc- ceeded in putting the depot on a flat car, furnished by the railroad people, and bundled it off to Gasport, where it was duly installed. This was in 1854 or 1855. The new loca- tion of this portable station was so near to that of Maybee's that the latter was soon abandoned.
SOME OF THE OLDER RESIDENTS NEAR GASPORT.
John P. Sawyer is probably the oldest resident now living born in the town. He first saw the light in 1821, on the farm near where he now resides, in Gasport, on a beau- tiful elevation overlooking a fertile plain to the north. His father, Jason Sawyer, came hither from the Green Moun- tains, in 1816. John P. Sawyer was the first President of the Niagara County Farmers' Club.
Dr. Franklin L. Knapp, born in Genesee County, New York, in 1817, is one of the oldest citizens of the town, and has lived an active and influential life in the community. He is among the most ardent advocates of building good roads by economical methods. The doctor's father was a pioneer Universalist minister. His common schooling was obtained in Monroe County, after which the family moved into Niagara County, where he received his academic educa- tion, and in 1844 and 1845 attended the medical college in Geneva. Some time afterward Dr. Knapp received his diploma, and has since practiced in Gasport and the sur- rounding country up to a year ago, since which time he has devoted most of his leisure to agricultural pursuits.
The growth of horticulture in the County is well shown by the experience of J. W. Shafer, who lives about a mile east of Gasport. In 1860 he bought 16,000 barrels of fruit. which was practically all that was raised in Hartland and Royalton, and a good part of the product of Somerset. Ni agara County now often produces more than 1,000,000 bar- rels a year. In 1870 Mr. Shafer built the cold storage plant at Maybees, making him the pioneer in the cold stor- age business in this locality.
A number of years later the Dunbar and Pease cold storage plants were built at Gasport, and others at Middle- port, which are re-enforced by the new warehouse now being erected by A. P. Harrington, at the latter place.
One of the early settlers in the vicinity of Gasport, who lived to a green old age, was Absalom Mesler, who died on Christmas eve, 1900. He was born in New Jersey, October 3, 1812, and moved into this County in 1825. Mr. Mesler was turnkey under the first deputy sheriff of the County, Eli Bruce, and during Mr. Bruce's term of office the first prisoner was sentenced to State prison, and was conveyed from Lockport to Wright's Corners handcuffed to Mr. Mes- ler, both riding the same horse and the prisoner securely strapped to the horse, with Mr. Bruce closely following on horseback with revolver loaded and ready for any emer- gency. From Wright's Corners the prisoner was taken by Mr. Bruce, bv stage, to the State prison. Mr. Mesler's grandfather, Bergen Mesler, was a soldier in the Revolu-
One of the first in the town to enlist for the Civil War was Charles Volney Mesler, who enlisted in April, 1861. He was born October 12, 1836, in Barre, Orleans County, and moved to Niagara County with his parents when one year old. He served for three months, for which he en- listed, and was mustered out at Detroit in August, 1861. He returned to his old home and re-enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Fifth New York Volunteers, in October of the same year, and was at once appointed orderly ser- geant of the company, and was commissioned second lieu- tenant for meritorious conduct at the second battle of Bull Run. His bravery and daring at Cedar Mountain secured for him a first lieutenant's commission on November 23, 1862, and on January 1, 1865, he was promoted to captain of his company. Taken prisoner in August, 1864, he was for over six months a victim of the terrible outrages prac- ticed by the cruel keepers of Libby, Salisbury and Dansville prisons. Capt. Mesler, although wounded four times, was in nearly all the engagements that were participated in by the Army of the Potomac. He was mustered out of the ser- vice, at Albany, on July 28, 1865, having served 1,559 days.
The town can boast of several brave army boys, but only one of its number went to the navy and attained dis- tinction. Franklin Jeremiah Drake was born March 4. 1845. in Yates, Orleans County, New York, and moved with his people to Gasport, New York, in 1857. He graduated from Lockport High School at the age of fourteen, and commenced working for his father. Caleb Drake, on the Canadian Western Railroad. At the opening of the Civil War, Franklin, one of seventy-five aspirants who presented themselves for examination at Rochester University, was appointed to the vacant cadetship in the Naval Academy in February, 1863. In June, 1868, he was ordered into active service, in the West India squadron, where he served on board the United States Steamship "Gettysburg" and the gunboat "Penobscot." In the spring of 1870 he was or- dered to the frigate "Colorado," forty-seven guns, then fit- ting out, in New York, as flagship for the China station. On September 21, 1870, he was promoted to a master in the navy, and was transferred. at Shanghai, to the United States Steamship "Benicia." While serving here he commanded Company B of the landing force in the assault made upon the Corean forts at the mouth of Seoul River. He received special mention for meritorious conduct in action, and was presented with the flag carried by the landing partv, as a re- ward of personal bravery in rescuing it from the Coreans.
After his return to the United States. in 1872, he was promoted to a lieutenantcy in the navy and was sent out to resurvey the Pacific coast from the Columbia River to San Diego, California. There he was engaged till 1879, when he was ordered to the man-of-war "Ticonderoga" for a com- mercial cruise and survey around the world, which time oc- cupied three and a half years. During 1883-86 he was on duty at the Brooklyn navv vard, in the Bureau of Naviga- tion, and a member of the Advisory Board engaged in build- ing the first steel ships for the navy.
He was the first inspector of steel appointed by the
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Government. Later he was appointed Inspector of Ord- nance and Torpedo Officer of Navy.
In October, 1893, he was promoted to Lieutenant Com- mander, and was ordered to the United States Steamship "Albatros," of the Behring Sea fleet. In 1900 he was pro- moted to Commander and was ordered to the United States Steamship "Monterey," cruising on the Chinese coast.
THE SOUTHERN SECTION OF THE TOWN
Carrington Fisk opened the first tavern in the town, in 1808, at Royalton Center. He and a Mr. Dewey owned practically all the land at that place in the early days. The first postoffice in the town, at Reynales Basin, was subse- quently moved to Royalton Center, although another office was established at the former place at a later date. Allen Towne moved to the vicinity of Royalton Center, in 1809. His widow died about two years ago, in her ninety-fifth year.
Wolcottsville is a place with an individuality of its own. It was settled with none of the advantages accruing from proximity to the canal. The site of the place was secured, in 1847, by Anson Wolcott from the Holland Land Com- pany, who took up some 2,000 acres. In 1851 Mr. Wolcott sold his land to four trustees, Frederick and Christian Moll, Frederick Welland and Carl Martins, who laid it out in vil- lage lots. In 1872 and 1873 some seventy-five families, from Prussia, settled here and drew their locations by lot. They brought with them many of the characteristic customs of the country whence they came, which has imparted to Wolcottsville an individuality that is unique and which has drawn to it many visitors from the surrounding country, es- pecially on holidays when the people make merry in their own peculiar way.
Two miles west of Royalton Center is the hamlet of McNalls, where John McNall conducted a tavern, in 1818. A postoffice was maintained there a number of years, and also at Dysinger, situated to the south, which is named after the family of that name, of which there are many members in the neighborhood, some of whom are extensive growers of wheat and kindred crops, and have filled offices of public trust most worthily. There is a Baptist Church at Dysin- ger, though the name is more descriptive of a locality than of a place of business. South Royalton, besides a few houses, contains a frame Methodist Church.
Town of Porter. BY MISS ADELAIDE L. HARRIS.
HE TOWN OF PORTER, named in honor of Judge Augustus Porter, of Niagara Falls, orig- inally a part of the Town of Cambria, was organ- ized June 1, 1812, and included what is now the Town of Wilson. This latter was set off as a separate town, in 1818.
It is situated in the northwest corner of Niagara County and is bounded as follows : On the north by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Town of Wilson, on the south by the Town of Lewiston, on the west by Niagara River ; contains 19,872 acres of land for the assessment of taxes, and is known in legal documents as Township 15, Ranges eight and nine, of the Holland Land Company's survey, so called. It also contains Fort Niagara, which occupies the extreme northwest portion of the township, bordering upon both the lake and river.
The history of the town antedates its civil organization,
and it may be well to note that the events here presented may have reference to time preceding or succeeding such organization.
The town is entirely included in the ancient bed of Lake Ontario, and the soil is a sandy and gravelly loam, changing to a clay loam near the lake shore. It is crossed by the Four and Six-Mile Creeks and the west branch of the Twelve-Mile Creek.
In the beginning of the twentieth century the residents of this section enjoy the benefits of science and invention;
MISS ADELAIDE L. HARRIS.
their homes are comfortable and many of them luxurious. Railroads, trolleys, telephones, telegraphs, schools and churches combine to make life pass easily and pleasantly. The transition has been so gradual that we scarcely realize the difference between twenty-five years ago and now. How is it possible for the present generations to realize the conditions that existed a century ago. "A per- son in a boat floating down a rapid current, by looking at the water by his side can form no idea as to how fast he is going ; and only when he looks at the shore or some stationary ob- ject can he realize the velocity of the stream." To be able to judge of our progress the landmarks must be established by the historian ; and to be able to appreciate and honor the work done for us by other heroic pioneers who struggled with the forest, the elements and disease as they slowly transformed the wilderness to the garden of the world, as we are pleased to style our County today, we must know something of the story of their lives, their homes and their social relations.
The following description, written by Mrs. Hannah (Durand) Baker, widow of the late Daniel Baker, a pioneer of Porter, is typical of the settlement of a family in the new country :
"About the year 1822 or 1823 my father, who was then living at Canandaigua, decided to join some friends in the 'Far West,' and took out an article with the Holland Land Company. Preparations were made for a journey of 100 miles in wagons, and everything in the way of household necessities, dried fruit, flower and vegetable seeds, that could be taken were included.
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