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 35
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Something of the history of Merchant's Gargling Oil and the Niagara white grape, without which this compilation would be incomplete, is given elsewhere by Mr. Wilbur.
And the Seven Sutherland Sisters, be it also remembered, were born near Lockport and have their home here.
IN CONCLUSION.
In November, 1901, City Clerk Van Valkenburg com- piled the following facts and figures, which were published at the time but which it is desirable to preserve in a work of this kind in permanent form :
Lockport was incorporated a city April II, 1865. Population, Census of 1900, was 16,581. Estimated popula- tion of 1891, on the basis of 4,349 voters, is 19,570.
Assessed valuation November 1, 1901, $7,467,142.
General city and school tax in 1901, $17.01 per $1,000. The amount raised for the year 1901-2, being for the follow-
ing purposes :
To pay bonds and interest $ 10,839 09
Schools 54,480 00
General city expenses 61,750 00
Total $127,069 09
The bonded debt November 4, 1901, was $223,608.16, viz :
"Water" bonds (31/2 per cent), $13,333.30, due $2,666.66 yearly, from November 1, 1901. Authorized by chapter 120, laws 1886.
"Union School" bonds, (31/2 per cent.), $125,000. due $10,000 yearly, from November 1, 1901. Authorized by chapter 203, laws 1888.
"Intermediate School" bonds (4 per cent.), $10,000, due November, 1916. Authorized by chapter 372, laws 1897.
"Emergency water supply" bonds (4 per cent), $7,000, due $1,000 yearly, from January 1, 1901. Authorized by chapter 693, laws 1897.
"Special necessity" bonds (4 per cent), $4,350, issued for fire, highway and street lighting purposes. Authorized by chapter 490, laws of 1898, due $1,450 yearly, from May 20, 1901.
"Certificate of indebtedness" and "local assessment" bonds (4 and 5 per cent), issued for and to be paid by as- sessments on property benefited by local improvements, $63,924.86, due yearly in three and nine years from date of issue. Authorized by chapter 120, laws of 1886, and amend- ments thereto.
Principal and interest payable at the City Treasurer's office, in New York drafts if desired. The sinking fund on November 4, 1901, amounted to $3,284, which is held for the purpose of retiring outstanding bonds.
The city has no floating indebtedness.
The city owns $10,000 stock of the Lockport Hydraulic Company, valued at par.
The city has never defaulted in the payment of interest or principal of its obligations.
Lockport, it will be seen, is having its share of the great development in manufacturing and transportation that is being felt throughout all Western New York. In the future electricity will play no small part in its progress. Not only is the current from Niagara disseminated to Lockport stores and workshops at very low rates for light and power, but the trolley lines operated by the International Railway Com- pany have brought the city in closer touch with Buffalo and have opened up in a way that was before unknown the rich section of country lying between Lockport and Lake On- tario. The International Railway Company, by its frequent and rapid service on both branches of its road and the im- provements that it has made and is making, has become one of the factors that are constantly enhancing the prosperity of the city.
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
179
CHARLES L. NICHOLLS, CITY ATTORNEY.
CHARLES MOLYNEUX, CHIEF OF POLICE. J. CHARLES HARRINGTON, CITY TREASURER.
HON. LOUIS E. HUSTON, MAYOR.
THOS. N. VAN VALKENBURGH, CITY CLERK.
SAMUEL CUNNINGHAM, CHIEF ENGINEER.
A. A. BRADLEY, POLICE JUSTICE.
DR. CARL BLACKLEY, CITY PHYSICIAN.
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Promising City of Niagara Falls. A Tale of Two Villages.
*BY ORRIN E. DUNLAP.
HILE the City of Niagara Falls has a record, a history that is thoroughly gratifying and pleasing, anything that may be said of it at this time must be considered similar to the his- tory of an infant who is destined to attain great prominence and high position in life. Events of the past have aided in creating the events of today. and it is generally recognized that the City of Niagara Falls is certain to advance to a wonderful degree in industrial greatness. The contemplation of this future is inspiring ;
ORKIN E DUNLAP.
it is impressive, and as one reviews the history of the locality renewed respect is felt for all who by accepting and adopting the section as their place of living have contributed in some degree in the development that has been and is yet to be.
THE TOWN OF NIAGARA.
So far as the City of Niagara Falls is concerned, it was incorporated on March 17, 1892. It was formed by merging the former villages of Niagara Falls and Suspen- sion Bridge and a portion of the Town of Niagara, the whole forming four wards, which have since been increased to six. Originally, the Town of Niagara was taken from the Town of Cambria, on June 1, 1812. At that time it was called "Schlosser," and continued to be known by this name until February 14, 1816, when it became the Town of Ni- agara. The area of the territory within the boundaries of the town were sufficient to allow of the creation of the Town of Pendleton in 1827, and in 1836 another division was made and Wheatfield was formed. Thus when the City of Niagara Falls was formed the Town of Niagara had its ter- ritory carved for the third time, and the territory within the boundaries of the city no longer constituted a part of the town. Previous to this the villages of Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge were in the Town of Niagara, and much that is historical of the Town of Niagara bears a similar relation to Niagara Falls.
VILLAGE INCORPORATED.
The village of Niagara Falls was incorporated on July 7, *(Copyright, 1902, by Orrin E. Dunlap-)
1848. Years before it was called "Schlosser," this name probably covering all the locality near-by, as is shown by the Town of Niagara having been so called. Later the name of Manchester was taken, and this gave way to Ni- agara Falls, a name known the world over.
The petition for incorporation was filed by Judge De Veaux and others on July 6, 1848. Parkhurst Whitney, father of Major S. M. N. Whitney, and grandfather of Drake Whitney, was the first President of the village ; the Trustees were Augustus S. Porter, Parkhurst Whitney, Henry W. Clark, W. E. Hulett and G. Conger, while Charles H. Smith was the first village clerk.
"SUSPENSION BRIDGE."
About two miles down the river from the Falls there was another settlement, and its first recorded name was Bellevue. On June 8, 1854, it was incorporated as a village and the name "Niagara City" adopted. It was known as Niagara Gity until along in the Sixties, by which time the name Suspension Bridge had been creeping into popularity, and was finally given preference to Niagara City. For a time both names were used, but eventually the admiration of the people for the great railroad suspension bridge erected over the gorge at that point became so prominent that the village was named Suspension Bridge. For about thirty years this name stood and the place became known as a leading railroad center.
In order that the name of one section included within the present boundaries of Niagara Falls may not be over- looked, it may be well to record that midway between the business sections of the former villages of Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge there was a section known as Clarks- ville. This was so called because the late Henry Clark owned a large farm, which he bought of the Porters. It was not an incorporated village, but to this day old residents frequently refer to this section of the city as Clarksville.
THE OLD PORTAGE.
The first occupation of the territory now within the City of Niagara Falls was by the French, and was supported by the business attached to the portage from the lower to the upper river. There is no doubt but the route of the road through the woods had been opened by the Indian settlers long before a white man made the trip. It is only necessary to review old documents relating to the French and English occupancy of the region to find many mentions of this portage, which was considered a valuable feature in connection with the fur trade then so great in and about section.
IN JOHN STEDMAN'S DAYS.
John Stedman appears to have been an important factor in the early day development of the territory now within the city limits. He enlarged the clearing about the landing at the upper end of the portage, and made another clearing on the mainland opposite Goat Island. He also cleared the upper section of Goat Island, which received its name from the fact that Stedman placed goats and other small animals on the island. All these animals but the goat are said to have perished during the winter of 1779-80.
AUGUSTUS PORTER WAS HERE IN 1795.
Up to this time nobody appears to have done much toward improving the locality but the Stedmans. Among the visitors to Niagara in 1795 was Augustus Porter, and the next year he came again as chief of a body of surveyors commissioned to lay out townships in the Western Re- serve, He was born in Salisbury, Connecticut, in January.
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1769. In 1800 he moved to Canandaigua. Having been favorably impressed by the prospects of Niagara, in 1805 he took part in the formation of Porter, Barton & Com- pany, to do a general portage business. The company con- sisted of Augustus Porter, Peter B. Porter, Benjamin Bar- ton, Jr., and Joseph Annin. This company leased the port- age from the Falls to Lewiston, and also the Stedman farm. Augustus Porter had come to Niagara with a view to
who died in 1872 ; Peter B. Porter, who died in 1871 ; Albert H. Porter, who died January 31, 1888; Miss Lavinia Porter, who died in 1863, and Mrs. Jane S. Townsend, who died October 4, 1890.
Augustus S. Porter married and had two children, Jane A. Porter and Mrs. Sarah F. Burrall. Albert H. Porter married, and his children are Mrs. Julia M. Osborne of Auburn; Jane H. Robinson, Rochester; Albert Augustus
-
AUGUSTUS PORTER
ALBERT AUGUSTUS PORTER.
aid in its development, and in his first year of residence, 1805, he erected a saw mill and blacksmith shop, and in 1807 a grist mill. This grist mill lessened the business of a similar mill in Canan- daigua, and made it possible for people of the locality to have their grist ground at the Falls. In June, 1806, Aug- ustus Porter moved his family, consisting of his wife and three sons, Albert H., Peter B., Jr., and Augustus S., from Canandaigua, and they took up their residence in the Sted- man house near Fort Schlosser.
Augustus Porter's children were Augustus S, Porter,
ALBERT HOWELL PORTER.
ALEXANDER JEFFREY PORTER. ALBERT AUGUSTUS PORTER.
Porter and Vincent M. Porter, deecased. Peter B. Porter. on of Augustus Porter, never married. Jane S. Townsend had three children, Mrs. Lavinia P. T. Pettebone, Mrs. Jane F. Wheeler, deceased, and Miss Elizabeth Townsend.
Residents of Niagara are well acquainted with the family of the late Albert Augustus Porter and know his sons to be. Alexander J. Porter, the local Commissioner of the State Reservation: Albert H. Porter, deceased ; Augustus G. Porter, Mrs. Bessie R. Edwards, Mrs. Julia M. Thayer and Mrs. Charlotte R. Buck. Albert Augustus Porter, son of Alexander J. Porter, is the fifth Augustus Porter Niagara
12
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
has known. Other children of Alexander J, Porter are Alexander Langmuir Porter, Margaret Jeffery Porter and Katharine Ralston Porter.
The general condition of things about the Falls when Augustus Porter first settled here was not encouraging. In fact the few log cabins up the river were going to decay and even the barracks at Fort Schlosser were in a dilapi- dated condition. Little had been done toward the develop- ment of the resources of the spot. All about the country was very wild. Wolves, deer, bears, foxes, etc., were nu- merous, and the river, both above and below the falls, abounded with ducks and geese. Fishing was excellent, and rattlesnakes kept settlers on the lookout.
THE PORTERS ENCOURAGED OTHERS.
A new and more hopeful existence appears to have been given to the few people about by the arrival of the Porters, and in truth the development of Niagara had not been started to any great degree until their influence was felt. The spirit that moved them was a desire to develop the place. Other residents in those early days were Jesse Ware. Willam Howell, Willam Miller, James Everingham, Stephen Hopkins, Joshua Fairbanks, Philemon Baldwin, Joseph Howell, Isaac Colt, Erastus Parks and James Murray. In 1807 a grist mill was erected by Porter, Barton & Com- pany. It had two runs of stones. Soldiers came up from Fort Niagara to assist in elevating the frame. This was the beginning of an active industrial period for Niagara, and men familiar with the trades began to move toward the settlement. Among those who located here in 1807 were Adoram Everingham, a miller by trade; Jacob Hovey. a carpenter ; John M. Stoughton, a cloth dresser; John Sims and William Voluntine, boat builders, and Gad Pierce, a farmer and inn-keeper, but it is recorded that Joshua Fairchilds was the the pioneer tavern keeper at Ni- agara.
AN OLD BUILDING.
Augustus Porter and family had been residents of Niagara but two years when he was inspired to add to its dwellings by erecting a substantial home in 1808. The site selected was at the southeast corner of what is now Buffalo Avenue and first Street. In 1813 this home was burned, but it was rebuilt in 1818, and it may be remarked that under its roof wonderful, generous, hospitality has ever been known. Here many notables have been enter- tained, all of whom have turned from Niagara with regret. The place began to look up. The residents felt that a boom had struck the spot, and in the next few years a rope-walk, a carding mill, a small tannery, a cloth dressing establish- ment and a log tavern had been acquired. In the rope- walk cordage for both American and English vessels was manufactured, the hemp being brought to the Falls from the flats of the Genesee River. Nearly a century later the people of Niagara are made happy by the location of new manufacturing plants in their midst, but it is doubtful if the rejoicing of today equals that of 1808. Then they were laying a foundation; today such things are accepted as a matter of course.
Those who knew the late James Field were glad of his friendship or acquaintance. He came to Niagara Falls in 1808, and his tavern up at Schlosser was a favorite meeting place for the residents. He died in 1823, but during the years he lived at the Falls he became honored for his en- terprise and usefulness as a citizen. When Augustus Porter completed his new residence, he moved his family from the Stedman house, and in 1809 it was opened as a tavern by
Enos Broughton. About this time there was an influx of carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers and others, and the growth was noticeable. In 1810 Parkhurst Whitney came from Phelps, New York, and settled on a farm; later, in 1812, moving into the village and renting the saw mill of Augustus Porter. Then an acre lot sold at $50, and the site of the village was a quarter of a mile above the falls and three-quarters of a mile from Fort Schlosser.
THE WHITNEY FAMILY.
Parkhurst Whitney was identified with the advance- ment of Niagara and in 1814 he succeeded Joshua Fairchild as proprietor of the first tavern. It was Mr. Whitney who kept the Old Eagle tavern, the log hostelry that stood on the site of the International Hotel of the present day. It was in the Old Eagle tavern that General LaFayette was entertained in 1825. Parkhurst Whitney was identified with the hotel interests of Niagara until 1845. when the firm of Whitney, Jerauld & Trott was formed to run the Cataract House, which was built in 1825, or thereabouts, by David Chapman. Parkhurst Whitney bought it in 1831 and used it as a lodging place for the surplus patronage of the Old Eagle. In 1835 Parkhurst Whitney moved into the Cataract House, leaving the Old Eagle. At this time he began a four story addition to the house in a stone wing that extends to the west. It was in the Old Eagle tavern that Niagara's oldest native born citizen first saw the light of day. This was on October 7, 1815, and the child of that clay is today known as Major S. M. N. Whitney, one of the highly esteemed resident of the city. Major Whitney is the oldest living native citizen of Niagara Falls. The Three Sister Islands were named in honor of Major Whitney's three sisters. Drake Whitney, son of Major Whitney, was born in 1843. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Society of Colonial Wars, Society of Mayflower Descendants and Theta Delta Chi College Fraternity. He has graduated at the Troy Polytechnic School, University of Gottingen, Germany; Freiberg, Saxony; Mining Academy and Ecole Des Mines, Paris. He was engaged in his pro- fession in Colorado and California in 1870, assistant engi- neer on Canada Southern and Michigan Midland Railways in 1871-72: corporation engineer of Niagara Falls until 1892. He now lives at the old Whitney homestead on Buffalo Av- enue, where four generations reside, all born in Niagara Falls, the only case on record. Edwin B. Whitney. his son was born in 1881 at the Falls and has always resided at the Whitney mansion. He is now with the General Electrical Company. His son, Roderick Beebe Whitney. was born 1901 and represents the fourth generation now living there and the fifth generation of the family that has made the fine old place their home.
BURNED BY THE BRITISH.
Each year the settlement grew, and the majority of the newcomers were given welcome. In 1813 a severe blow fell upon the place when the British burned the village. The residents had to seek places of safety, and after the British had left they returned and saved two or three dwel- lings and the old log tavern. Of course, this event was a set back, but with the renewal of peace new hope was re- vived in the hearts of all. When the rebuilding took place the class of material and style of architecture was somewhat improved. This was made possible by the fact that car- penters and others handy with tools had been coming to the place. So, about 1815, Niagara Falls began to get an improved class of buildings, crude at their best. Samuel Hooker and: Samuel. De. Veaux came to town about that
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
time. De Veaux has been recorded in history as having been the first merchant of the place, his store having been located on the corner of Main and Niagara Streets. In ad- dition to his mercantile pursuits he served as Judge and Legislator, and was several times elected to public office, having been Supervisor in 1816 and Town Clerk many times. Each year saw new acquisitions to the population of the place, notable arrivals in 1818 being William Murray and David and Stephen Chapman, the latter being woolen manu- facturers and the former a carpenter. The fame of Ni- agara continued to spread, and in 1821 Dr. Ambrose Thomas selected it as a place of practice. He was Ni- agara's first physician. Next year, 1822, brought Ziba Gay, a blacksmith; B. H. White, a tailor, and Solomon L. Ware, a tanner-men who took part in the development. White is especially remembered by some of the old resi- dents. In his latter years he was an active real estate
of the 200 acres called for by the instrument. It was in 1816 that the State gave them a deed to the property. In the year 1817 the Porters built the first bridge from the mainland to Goat Island. Its location was further up stream than the present bridges. During the winter of 1817-18 the ice from the lake swept the bridge away, but it was rebuilt during 1818, but the site was where crossing is at present made to the island. In 1855 an iron truss bridge supplanted the earlier structure, and in 1900-1901 the pres- ent beautiful rock-faced concrete arches were built. The island between the mainland and Goat Island was first called Bath Island, because of bathing places thereon, but on November 16, 1898, the name Bath Island gave way to Green Island, this latter name being given in honor of the Hon. Andrew H. Green, Chairman of the Board of Reserva- tion Commissioners.
In 1848 the Porter & Clark paper mill was sold to
RODERICK WHITNEY.
MAJ. S. M. N. WHITNEY.
agent, always ready to talk about the future of the Niagara locality, and induced many people to purchase lots which have since greatly increased in value. Gay became as- sociated with a man named Bolles, under the firm name of Gay & Bolles, in the operation of a foundry, forge, rolling mill and nail factory which stood on the lower side of the site of the bridge extending from the mainland to Goat Island. About this time Augustus Porter erected a grist mill on the upper race. This became known as the "old yellow grist mill." Peter D. Bachman was the miller, and afterwards it was operated by Christian H. Witmer and brother. In 1823 Jesse Symonds built a paper mill on the mainland near Goat Island bridge.
SOME ISLAND HISTORY.
In 1826 the industrial life of Niagara leaped the channel and established itself on Bath Island, where Albert H. Porter and Henry W. Clark erected a paper mill. Augustus Porter and Peter B. Porter had acquired Goat Island in 1816, and from that time this and the adjacent islands were brought into closer relations with the settle- ment on the mainland. The Porters had previously, in 1810, tried to gain control of these islands, but the Legislature would not give its consent. Finally the Porters, Augustus and Peter B., bought from Samuel Sherwood, a lawyer, a "float," which was a document that allowed the owner to locate 200 acres of any of the unsold or unappropriated land of the State. With this in their possession the Porter Brothers selected Goat and the adjacent islands as a part
DRAKE WHITNEY.
EDWIN . B. WHITNEY.
Benjamin and Chester Bradley. The late Stoughton Pet- tebone became interested with Benjamin Bradley in the mill under the name of the Niagara Falls Paper Manufac- turing Company. On August 12, 1858, the plant was des- troyed by fire. It was quickly rebuilt, but in 1881 it was again burned. L. C. Woodruff, of Buffalo, had succeeded Benjamin Bradley in the company, and in 1882 the late Stoughton Pettebone withdrew from the company and with his son, General Lauren W. Pettebone, organized the Pette- bone-Cataract Paper Company and erected a new mill on the lands of the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manu- facturing Company, the mill being completed about 1883. The Niagara Falls Paper Manufacturing Company con- tinued on Bath Island until the State took the property. The paper mill office was long allowed to stand on Green Island, and was used as an office by the Commissioners. However, on Monday, May 12, 1902, the work of tearing the structure down was commenced, and within a few days the last vestige of the former industrial life on the prop- erty acquired by the State was no more.
EARLY DAY INDUSTRIES.
The village was prosperous, and in 1826 the upper race was extended. This upper race was also known as the "wing dam," and extended from a point on the upper river, opposite Goat Island to Bridge Street. Its construction formed Willow Island. Later it was extended to a point on the high bank near the present gas house, the object being to use the flow of water to wash away the dirt so
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SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
that a road might be constructed down the bank to rival the one on the Canadian side. The rock was stripped, but the roadway was abandoned. At this time the only means of descent to the lower river was by means of a rude stair- way built in 1817 by Parkhurst Whitney. This stairway was on the site of the present park incline. In 1825 a spiral stairway was erected, and in 1844-45 the bank was cut away for the incline plane, which was afterwards arched over the roadway, as at present. When the idea of building a roadway to the water's edge in the gorge was abandoned, the flow of the upper race was cut off at what is now the corner of Falls and Prospect Streets. Power was obtain- able, the water passing into a conduit which carried it to a pulp mill operated by Hill & Murray and a foundry operated by William Landreth, located in what is now a part of Pros- pect Park. There was also a lower race, which started from a pier built out in the rapids near the Cataract House and ran to Goat Island bridge. It is understood that this power was used for the operation of the Symonds paper mill and the Gay & Bolles foundry. Later an Englishman, named Hard Muns, operated a foundry in one of the Gay & Bolles buildings.
JUDGE T. G. HULETT-A VENERABLE CITIZEN.
At this time the entire manufacturing locality of Ni- agara was situated between the head of Willow Island and a point within about 500 feet of the American Falls. Each new enterprise was encouraged. New residents were wel- comed as coming to enjoy the glorious future which then appeared to hover over Niagara. These were the condi- tions when Judge Theodore G. Hulett came to the Falls in 1833. Mr. Hulett was full of good ideas and sound sense, and he has grown to a ripe old age within sound of the roar of the falls. His has been a memorable and an honor- able career, and residents of Niagara realize that the locality was much enriched by his talents. Niagara can well afford to pay him tribute for the generous manner in which he has brought down to us the story of the past. He was one of the men commissioned by Governor Morgan to equip Colonel Peter A. Porter's regiment, and it was Judge Hulett who devised the scheme whereby "Old Hulett's blue backs" were issued to the families of absent soldiers during war time to help them live. These "blue backs" were audited in the fall of the year by the Town Board, and passed as money. Thus the families were relieved to the extent of $28,000 without bonding the town or creating an indebtedness. It was Judge Hulett who started the fund that built the Sold- iers' and Sailors' monument that now stands at the foot of Falls Street, and which was dedicated on Tuesday, Sep- tember 22, 1876.
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