USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Ellicott > The early history of the town of Ellicott, Chautauqua County, N.Y. > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
JEREMIAH GRIFFITH .- As we shall have a no more convenient opportunity, we propose here to place in the same yoke with Joseph Smiley his old friend and neighbor, Jeremiah Griffith. True, both of these men and Wm. Bemus, of whom we have spoken at some length, belonged to the town of Ellery, nevertheless a history of Ellicott that did not mention them would be incomplete. It is true they lived a mile or two beyond the east boundary of the town, but they were part and parcel of those early settlements and neighborhoods of which it has been our intent to speak of as among the early settlers of the town of Ellicott. We cannot con-
123
THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.
fine ourselves too closely to the limit of a town line.
Jeremiah Griffith. whose wife (Mary Crapsey) was an aunt of Mrs. Hiram Kinney, already spoken of, was a native of Connecticut. He came west when a young man, stopping first in the valley of the Mohawk, but during the first year of the present century became an inhabitant of Madison Co. In the winter of 1805 and 1806 he left Madison county with his wife and large family of children, on a sled drawn by oxen, in search of a more congenial home in the great wilderness of the west. With no location especially in view, he did not intend to stop until he had reached the state of Ohio. Being a native of Old Connecticut, it would be natural if he had fixed his mind on the New Connecticut, as the Western Reserve was commonly called. Arriv- ing at Batavia, that border town, in which so many had already been influenced to turn aside from and shorten their course, he was advised, when he arrived at the cross roads, to stop two or three days and take a look at the lands bordering on Chautauqua lake, one of the most beautiful bodies of water on the continent. There he would find the richest soil and one of the most healthy of locations; superior in every particular to any thing of which Ohio could boast.
Arriving at the cross roads he left his family at Widow McHenry's tavern, and, with his eldest sons, passed over the ridge into the valley of the Chautau- qua. Traveling on the ice of the lake they followed down near the shore looking at the land. Arriving at the Narrows they found Wm. Bemus and his family, who had been in their new log-house home only eight or nine days Mr. Bemus advised them to visit an old Indian camp about three miles down the lake from his house, and which he pronounced the most desirable
124
THE EARLY HISTORY OF
location on that side of the lake, next to his own. He said that near a small prominence jutting into the lake was a grove of second growth chestnuts, and a partial clearing of several acres, on which were old corn hills and other evidences of cultivation. That the place undoubtedly marked the location of a former Indian village, and that he had already learned to his satis- faction that Indians never made mistakes in locating their homes. That there was now no snow upon the ground. and that the ice was yet strong enough to make traveling on the lake with a horse safe, and that he would hitch up one of his horses and accompany them to the place indicated. The offer was accepted and the location examined, and Mr. Griffith decided to there make his home immediately, as his family were with him and he was compelled to have a home somewhere He returned to the cross roads, and in two or three days had his family, his ox team, and five head of cattle, among which were three cows and a few sheep, on the bank of the lake at Mayville. One of the boys drove the oxen and other stock along a trail near the beach to the Narrows; while Mr. Griffith and other children large enough, drew the sled containing the mother and smaller children and the household goods down the lake on the ice. The weather had become extremely cold and stormy, and the undertaking proved a very ardnous and perilous one. The snow storm was un- usually severe, and they considered themselves ex- tremely lucky in finding the shore,-whereabouts they knew not. By the side of a fallen tree they kindled a
fire of brush and there camped for the night. The next morning they reached Mr. Bemus's house, and he, with all the forces at his command, turned out and
125
THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.
assisted his only neighbor to reach his new home in the forest, and to build for him a shelter of hemlock brush, all they could then do for his comfort, except that one of the men turned hunter and brought in a fine fat deer, which was a great addition to their scanty means of subsistence. That night they occupied their brush shelter. It protected them from the severe cold and the heavy snow that had fallen. They were all alone in the dense wilderness, their nearest and only neigh- bor was three miles away, nevertheless they were con- tented and happy. After the day's hard labor the "wolf's long howl" was as soothing to the weary wander- ers as is the mother's soft lullaby to her infant child, and they slept soundly. They, unaided, built a log cabin into which at evening of the third day they moved from their shelter of brush. Although wanting many of the comforts of a good log house, they were happy and thankful after so many days wandering on an ox sled in an inclement winter, they were once more seated by their own protecting fireside. The thankful- ness of present contentment beamed in every face, and they retired to their humble cots to dream of other comforts to be added in the near future, as the rewards of their industry and perseverance.
They had already most clearly perceived, that if they were to live and prosper in their wilderness loca- tion, a lierculean labor was before them. They ac- cepted the situation and went cheerfully to work. Stout arms were moved by brave hearts, and during the short time intervening between their arrival in March and planting time, they cleared and made ready over six acres of the land for seed. Whether this was all or in part, on the partially cleared indian portion we are not informed. In due season corn, potatoes and
126
THE EARLY HISTORY OF
other vegetables were planted, and a couple of acres were sowed with oats; and a large garden was not forgot- ten. They planted with the full trust and expectation of reaping a rich autumnal harvest which would bountifully supply their wants during another winter. But starvation was already staring them in the face, a fact of which they did not seem conscious until its near approach. True, their three cows were furnishing them milk, the forest gave them venison, and the lake yielded fish, but to live without either bread or pota- toes was a contingency they had not weighed. They had become acquainted with the men who made occa- sional trips with Miles' canoe, and also with some south- ern boatman. They learned that potatoes and corn were procurable at Franklin and other places on the Allegheny river, and that furs, peltries and maple sugar could be sold at those places for fair prices. This information was not lost on the new settlers. In the spring Mr. Griffith and his sons had made a quantity of maple sugar, and could spare about fifty pounds of it. Being expert woodsmen they set themselves at work, and in a few days had a long, slim canoe added to their possessions. The sugar was placed in the canoe, and Mr. Griffith and his eldest son started for Franklin 120 miles distant as the water runs. Fifteen days afterwards a canoe was seen coming up the lake, and soon the voyagers stepped ashore at what is now known
as Martha's Vineyard. They had been successful, but they had made a voyage which they believed could never be successfully repeated, they had endured hard- ships they never had endured before, and the thoughts of the needy ones in a wildernesss home, had stimu- lated them to feats of strength and endurance which they would not believe if they had not experienced
127
THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.
them. But success had crowned their efforts, they took away with them 50 lbs. of maple sugar and brought back thirteen bushels of good hard corn, more than enough to furnish them all with hulled corn and milk and cracked corn pudding until their own crops yielded a supply. The autumn harvest was most abundant. Of sound corn 220 bushels were put into the rick. Of potatoes they had double the quantity their own wants would demand. The product of the garden was nearly enough to supply them a year. Of oats in the bundle enough to keep the stock through the winter with a small allowance of browse. Their rifles gave them plenty of venison, and an occasional roast of bear's meat. Millions of the finest ducksswam on the bosom of the lake, and abundance of fish, the best in the world, inhabited the deep waters below. Plenty of hard work, years of toil, wasstill before them, but haggard want was then and there banished from that home forever. When the chill November blasts began to blow, and the lake tossed as if by a tempest was covered with white caps, everything was genial warmth, peace and plenty, at that log house, for the cabin had been converted into a house during the warm season, the cattle and the sheep housed and pro- tected from the howling wolf, and the brave settler and his family, seated around the warm, blazing hearth, gave hearty thanks to Him from whom all blessings flow.
I have given nearly a full history of Mr. Griffith's moving in and of the early hardships experienced, be- cause he was one of the earliest comers, and settled by the side of the lake, and because with slight variations it would be the history of hundreds of our best, most determined, laborious early settlers.
128
THE EARLY HISTORY OF
SADDLES AND HARNESS.
We shall glance only at the commencements of this industry. How many harness shops we have to- day in our city we are not informed, but dare assert that fifty years ago there were fifty saddles made where one is now. Nearly all the traveling was on horseback previous to 1835. In 1820 William Knight opened a shop for the manufacture of saddles and harness in a small shop on the east side of Main street between Second and Third, near the center of the block on the lot where Broadhead & Sons' store now stands which is occupied by Whitley & Son. The next year his brother, Day Knight, worked with him and in the succeeding year, 1822, a dapper, pleasant young man came to town as a journeyman saddler and was employed by Knight. We shall always re- member the advent of Silas Shearman into town, for about that time our mother had wound a ball out of good yarn with a cork in the center to make it bound, had given us a " fip" and sent us to Knight's to get it covered. Arrived at the shop Knight was out, but this nice-looking young man was there and very pleasantly asked what was wanted. "I wish my ball covered and here is a fip to pay for it." Silas took the ball and sixpence, and said, "You come in to-morrow morning and I will have the ball ready for you." The next morning we were there, promptly on time. He handed us the finest, best-covered ball ever seen, and we went out in front of the shop and " played catch " for several minutes. Finally "Sile" said to me, "Do you like raisins?" to which we ro- plied, " Yes Sir." "Take this fip and go to Tiffany's and buy some raisins, and whenever you want a ball covered come to me." Shearman told us but a few
129
THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.
days ago that he well remembered covering the ball; we always have, and never shall forget it.
Silas Shearman is still living, smart and active, but no longer harnessed to the saddle-making busi- ness. He is now, as he always has been, one of our most busy active men. He has always been watch- ful of the interests of Jamestown. If any new scheme or project came up for the advancement of the town, Shearman was always on hand. If he thought it would benefit, it had his active support, if on the con- trary he thought it would prove injurious, it had his unqualified opposition. He has always been active politically, although he has never held, and so far as we are informed, never sought office. He has held many military commissions, from that of Captain of cavalry up to Major and Lieutenant Colonel of the 162d Reg., 43d Brigade of N. Y. State Militia. He was what was termed a rabid Abolitionist, at a day when it was very unpopular to be an active opposer of slavery, and was a conductor on the underground railroad. He has from the first been active in the temperance cause and to speak the plain truth his aggressive, energetic sup- port of what he considered right made him unpopular, with many, although as a citizen of Jamestown but few have been more respected. He was never a bigot or unreasonable, always social and brimfull of kindly feeling. Shearman has lived to see slavery abolished, and those who opposed him, his warmest friends. Ashe looks young and is still active, we hope he will live un- til the last drink of whiskey has gone down a fool's throat. He could then afford to lay quietly in mother earth up to that time which his religious views, set for the general awakening.
Afterwards a building was erected below Elisha
130
THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Allen's tavern which occupied the southeast corner of Main and Third streets, where now the Gifford build- ing stands, and this building was on the lot where Marble Hall stands. The front of the lower story was used as a horseshed, which was afterwards enclosed and made into two rooms facing the street. In the south room, Loring Johnson had his tailor shop, and in the north one James Harrison commenced his watch repairing business. A pair of stairs on the north side of the building between it and the tavern led into the second story which was divided into two fair-sized rooms. To these rooms Knight removed his shop and took his brother Day in as a partner. After- wards Shearman opened a shop of his own, and mar- ried Miss Marsh, a relative of Samuel Barrett, Esq. In 1832 Alvin Plumb and N. A. Lowry built a large three- story brick building on the northeast corner of Main and Third streets. This building consisted of two stores fronting on Main street, with a passageway be- tween, leading to the offices above, very much as the new building now there, is arranged. Silas Shearman at the same time erected a two-story brick building where Maj. H. Smith's insurance building now stands, with the second story extended east over the archway which gave entrance to the vacant space behind the Plumb & Lowry stores. This two-story building was at the same time extended east by Wmn. Hall to Pot- ter's alley. John P. Shearman who learned his trade with Silas, married Lamanda Marsh, a sister of his brother's wife, and in 1838 opened a shop in the Hawley block where the Hall block now stands. This block afterwards burned and William Hall erected the present building. During the next year J. P. Shear- man moved his shop into a building which stood on
131
THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.
the site of the upper store in the present Prendergast block proper, not including the store next to Dr. Ormes's. Charles Kennedy (afterwards sheriff of Chautauqua county ) and James Dinnin, Jr., (afterwards major of the 9th New York cavalry) and others com- menced the manufacture of saddles and harness in Jamestown as successors to John P. Shearman. We will now follow the subject further.
In the spring of 1841 the writer returned from New York city, a full-fledged M. D. John P. Shearman made him an excellent saddle and the finest pair of pill bags that ever a doctor straddled. One of the doc- tor's first calls was to see a child of Daniel S. Williams. Dan then lived in a house located near the west side of the Presbyterian church. The old house has been moved about fifty feet further west and is now used as a paint shop. As we went into Williams's house we saw a small and not very expensive nag hitched at the door. The saddle attracted our attention more than the power; horse. We went in and visited the child who was not very sick. We gave no medicine but promised to call again in the morning, (quite an usual custom among physicians-two fees are better than one, you know.) As we left the house Williams wished us to look at the horse, and finally to take a ride. We did so and rode to Lafayette street where we met Henry Baker and N. A. Lowry, both praised the horse and desired to know the value. We rode baek and Williams asked how we liked the animal. We repled, "He is an easy saddle horse. How much do you ask for him?" Williams replied, "I will make you a present of that horse if you think he is good enough to start with." We accepted with thanks. John P. Shearman stepped out of Williams's house with a
132
TIIE EARLY HISTORY OF
new pair of pill bags which he laid across the saddle and said, " Doctor, there are the saddle and pill bags you ordered me to make." Looking towards Main street we discovered our father, Major Barrett and several others standing near the present postoffice building en- joying the fun. We did not ride up Main street as we had intended, but turned down Cherry and made all haste to the barn on Mechanic's alley, between First and Second streets.
Instances similar to this are not uncommon. There are but few who cannot look back to something of the kind in their first start in life. In after years, when the toils of life are nearly ended, when we look back upon the long landscape of the past, such occurrences appear, as it were, mountains in the back- ground, speaking of good will to us, wishes of God- speed in the long journey on which we had entered, and we remember the actors with holy love and vener- ation. How pitiable it is that so many of us fail of any honorable distinction in making this journey, and as life draws to a close can say " Life has not been worth the living."
CHAPTER VI.
THE PICTURES OF MEMORY-DR. FOOTE'S PURCHASE OF A RESERVED SECTION .- EARLY BICKERINGS- BLACKSMITHS -THE HARVEYS-FATHER CRANE AND OTHERS-MANUFACTURE OF SCYTHE SNATHS AND AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS-CHAIR MAK- ING -CABINET WARE-MILL WRIGHTS - FAN- NING MILLS-WAGON MAKING -- TAILORS-SHOE- MAKERS-THE CRATE LAW-LABOR AND CAPITAL -CARPENTERS AND JOINERS-COOPERING-SHIN- GLE-WEAVING - MANUFACTURE OF AXES AND EDGE TOOLS -- GUN SMITHING-THE CHANGE FROM RIFLES TO SHOT GUNS.
VERY man's memory is a depository into which no other man can look ; a depository of pleas- ures and pains, joys and sorrows; precious to their own- er because they are all his own. Whenever the mind becomes excited, there are memories which rise unbid- den, and with them come up from the heart, fears, hopes and affections, as peculiar as the character and fortunes of the individual to whom they belong. And in like manner in reviewing the transactions of past years, especially if also engaged in writing them out, we find ourselves again in the company of individuals
134
THE EARLY HISTORY OF
whom we had ceased to hold in memory. As we pon- der over the incidents of the past, and recall scenes over which the passage of a half century of time has drawn its dark and heavy drapery, blotting from the mind seemingly, all but the faintest outlines of those scenes, the thick drapery begins to grow thin before our rigid scrutiny, and Memory from her deep recesses brings before our startled gaze pictures of hundreds we knew in the long ago; faces once familiar, at one mo- ment wreathed with the old accustomed smiles, at the next covered with frowns that fifty years have not been able to obliterate from the tablets of the mind. As we ponder more deeply, hundreds of familiar voices salute our ears, the old peculiar laugh of each forgotten one, vibrates in the air, and we again take the places we occupied when but children in age. The graver of time has cut deep furrows on our faces, but the heart is again young as in childhood. Those faces beam upon us with all their ancient kindness and cheer. The long journey of our life, with all of its vicissitudes and changes, its joys and sorrows, its pleasures and pains, its successes and its failures, is forgotten, and we live only in the long ago; the reality of the present becomes only a memory, and the pictures and voices of the im- agination caught from Memory's archives, become the reality.
The year 1822 was an unfortunate year for James- town and its inhabitants.
At an early day Joseph Ellicott reserved certain sections on which were water powers; deeming it might be to his interest to dispose of them afterwards, perhaps to the numerous members of his own family. The section east of the one sold to Judge Prendergast, on
135
THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.
which was the water power at the lower village, the Tiffany section, the Works section, and others on the waters of southern Chautauqua, were among these re- serves. Judge Prendergast was negotiating with Elli- cott through Judge Peacock for the section between his purchase and the Slippery Rock (Dexter's) in order not only to give to the town increased water power, but also to permit the growth of the town in that direction under his supervision. It had already become appa- rent that the land available for village purposes west of what is now called Prendergast avenue, a few rods east of which was his eastern boundary, was insuffi- cient. While the negotiations were being made, Dr. Foote quietly went to Philadelphia and bought this tract east of Prendergast's purchase of Paul Busti, who was higher in authority in the Holland Land company than either Ellicott or Peacock. Foote and Prender- gast, we may add, had become noted for their disa- greements. A difference of opinion and an uncon- querable dislike had grown up between them. Judge Prendergast could not extend his map of the village east beyond the boundary of his own purchase, and on this line was met by counter plans. Second street in- stead of continuing east in a direct line was there bent to the north, and between it and Fourth street the land was sold in a large block, on which barns and some residences were built in the line of Third street.
It was alleged by Foote that Prendergast would not sell water power and for this reason he was induced to purchase the reserve. The truth is that by the first sale of power to the cotton factory and the arrangement for using the balance, there wasno water power for sale. That was one of the reasons for Judge Prendergast de- siring to obtain this reserved section, and he did not
136
THE EARLY HISTORY OF
desire to adopt the plan afterward used at the lower dam, by which waste water privileges were sold to an extent that all the water running in the outlet during the highest flood would not be sufficient to turn all the wheels. The sale of waste water privileges was selling, in fact, something which did not exist. Judge Pren- dergast did accommodate everyone with water power who applied, much to his own inconvenience, plainly telling them that all power and even more was already disposed of, but so long as not in use, they could use it. Passing over the ill feeling produced at the time, the blocking of Third street, but a few years ago, gave rise to the fierce war waged at the opening of Third street, east from this avenue, causing the land to be bought by O. E. Jones, W. D. Shaw and others, and the street opened at their expense; and afterwards the fight over "Sine" Jones's barn when the town wanted the street but did not wish to pay for it. The notch on Fourth street, cast of Prendergast avenue, bears testimony of this feud of over sixty years ago, and always will re- main an everlasting monument to the parties engaged and a stareing disgrace to Jamestown. One of our prominent citizens, Sidney Jones, Esq., whose residence is opposite to the notch, says he has been frequently asked; "What was the meaning of that notch"-"Why is one portion of this otherwise beautiful avenue wide and the other narrow?" He says, that while his face mantles with shame, the only answer he can make is- "It is a monument." The quarrel about the location of the academy many years ago, the singular location of the old Methodist church and the clause in its deed intended to keep it on that ground, and very many more of early village bickerings in which the inhabit- ants warmly took sides, had their origin in that
137
THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.
transaction of 1823. What was of importance to our fathers and to the infant village is of less con- sequence to their children and to the city of James- town, but the cause of this blemish in a beautiful street should be recorded. With this slight historical notice we will leave the subject, and put aside the old bone over which our fathers contended.
BLACKSMITHS.
After two-thirds of a century have passed away, it is difficult to say of that necessary worker, the black- smith, who was the first to strike hot iron on an anvil; who made the first horse shoe, fashioned the first crane for some rude stick chimney, or turned and formed the trammel which attached the kettle of the early housewife to that crane; but we can come near enough to satisfy the most exact and particular secker after facts.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.