USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Ellicott > The early history of the town of Ellicott, Chautauqua County, N.Y. > Part 20
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DR. HENRY SARGENT settled at an early day at Sinclairville. He afterwards removed to Sears's, now Kiantone, and practiced there for several years, He finally removed to Warren, Pa., and had a lucrative practice for years. He, like Dr. Foote, died suddenly.
DR. CHENEY for several years lived near Nelson Cheney's of whom he was probably a relative. What became of him we are not informed.
DR. CORNELIUS ORMES was induced by friends liv- ing in Panama to come and be their physician, I think in the year 1833. On his first arrival there, after see- ing what a wilderness country it was and how few inhabitants there were "to be sick and die that a phy- sician might live," the writer well remembers his say- ing to the late Dr. Hazeltine, "I shall not remain there long ;" and probably he would not have remained had he not made the acquaintance of Miss Angeline Moore, who acted as a lodestone to prevent his departure. He remained a year and a half in a state of great uncer- tainty, longing to depart but finding it exceedingly pleasant to remain; but love prevailed over self inter- est and ambition, and he married Miss Moore in 1835. The result was that he remained in Panama over thirty years in the successful practice of his profession. Four children were born to Dr. Ormes ; his eldest son Fran- cis D. Ormes is now a physician in Jamestown. Several years ago the writer had a conversation with the elder Dr. Ormes, chiefly about the early days of the profes- sion in southern Chautauqua. He said, "Doctor, this was a fearfully hard country to do business in; it is an . old saying that 'there is more pleasure in giving than receiving,' and as I think this applies especially to
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kicks, medicines and advice I remained in Panama." Dr. Ormes removed from Panama to Jamestown in 1863, where he continued in the active duties of the profession up to a short time before his death. He died at his residence in Jamestown April 20, 1886, aged 79 years.
DR. WILLIAM P. PROUDFIT came to Jamestown to reside in January, 1832. He was a thoroughly edu- cated physician, active and ambitious. He had not been here long before he declared that it was no place for him or for any other young man who desired to make more than a bare living. He said, "There is plenty of land to the acre here, but there are but few men to the acre, and not sufficient sickness among them to support the physicians previously on the ground. I shall get away just as soon as I can find a place. But he made the acquaintance of Elmer Freeman's second daughter, Maria, and as usual in such cases, this caused a delay, but not long. He married Maria Freeman in November of that year, and not long after, I think the next season, he removed to Milwaukee, which just at that time was becoming an important, place. A few years later, (1843) he died while yet a young man. Wm. II. Proudfit, our successful "big 33" clothing man, is the only son of Dr. Proudfit. An anecdote of the doctor, his old friends, we presume, will never forget. A woman in a neighboring town noted for her volubility and for always thinking she was sick, had almost pestered the life out of the other village doctors. One of them seeing her coming, told his stu- dent to send her to Proudfit, and hid himself in the back office. She had never heard of the new doctor and was well pleased to go. She was scarcely within
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the door when her tongue commenced running: "Doc- tor, I want you to prescribe for me." The doctor made a few inquiries and felt her pulse and said; " Madam, I think there is nothing the matter ; you only need rest." Her tongue started and she used up half an hour in telling the doctor about her aches and pains, where she went to meeting, what her neighbors said, where she bought her sugar and tea, what her husband said, what medicine she had taken, what the other doctors said, etc., etc. Proudfit got uneasy and began to pace up and down the office and finally said, " Madam, I am in a hurry; I cannot wait longer." "Wish you would not be in a hurry. I wish to tell you how I feel now, and how I have felt during the past week." The doctor put on his hat and partly opened the door. "Well, if you can't stay, look at my tongue, do look at my tongue, and give me something to take; just look at my tongue! look at it! Now, say, what does that need ?" The doctor looked at it. " Madam, I think that needs rest, too." "You do, you puppy," and greatly excited she raised her umbrella. Proudfit clutched his hat and left on the double quick, and did not stop until safely in Freeman's house and cosily seated by Maria. "What is the matter, Doctor ; you appear excited ?" "Nothing, nothing. Yes, a little something. Perhaps I am a trifle excited. I have just seen a woman's tongue."
DR. STEPHEN I. BROWN, not far from 1830, settled in Busti. Brown was a genius. His countenance always reminded us of the pictures which have been given of Oliver Goldsmith, and we apprehend that the two men had many characteristics in common. Brown was well read as a physician and a good practitioner,
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but he preferred law to medicine, and we are informed by a lawyer and a judge who was well acquainted with Brown and who ought to know, that he had a thor- oughly legal mind, a fine knowledge of law, and might have made an eminent lawyer. Brown was intemper- ate. It became necessary to amputate one of his legs on account of destructive disease in the foot and ankle. But age, assisted by intemperance and disease, had not left enough to insure the healing of the wound, and he died from its effects.
DR. ODIN BENEDICT was not only a physician but a prominent man in Chautauqua county for many years, settled in the town of Ellery in the year 1826, and was the first resident physician in that town. He immediately took high rank as a physician, and in the management of the affairs of the country. Soon after he came into the county he married a Miss Copp of Ellery. He had one son, Wm. C. Bendict, at the present time one of the prominent men of his native town. Willis Ben- edict, a prominent lawyer in our city, is a grandson of Dr. Benedict. Dr. Benedict was for many years supervisor of the town, and twice was sent to the state legislature, and for several of the last years of his life was presi- dent of a bank in Dunkirk. He died in 1874.
From about 1830 the country gradually filled up with physicians, as it increased in population; in fact, to the older physicians, this increase appeared to be far more rapid than the needs of the country required and much to the detriment of the community as well as the physician. Where previously a single professional visit was considered necessary, half a dozen became the rule.
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During the earlier years of this county's history, the practice of medicine was among the most laborious and fatigueing of pursuits. The roads were few and almost impassable; the traveling wasentirely on horse- back and mostly on old Indian trails, and the wilder- ness was full of howling wolves and screeching pan- thers. When a boy we have listened by the hour to the recital of adventures in the deep forests of those days, of Dr. Foote, Dr. Hazeltine, and others with the wild animals of the woods. And we well remember that in their opinion they were not so much to be dreaded as most people imagined; that they seldom attacked a man if they had a chance to get away, except when famished by extreme hunger. Panthers were seldon seen and probably were not numerous. The bear was considered the really dangerous animal in our forests. The doctors were frequently overtaken by the dark- ness when pursuing these paths or trails, and when miles distant from any road or habitation, and when their intelligent horses would stand still and refuse to go farther. They would then tie their horses to the nearest sapling and build a fire near some large tree ; seat themselves at its roots and place their saddles and saddle blankets over their legs for protection. So wearied were they that frequently they would sleep soundly, although the last sounds that saluted their ears were the deep howl of the wolf, the waillof the panther or the lynx, or the screech of the owl and the various noises of a well inhabited forest.
We shall always remember an instance related by Dr. Foote as occurring in his experience not far from what we now call Levant, in what was then known as the Mudd neighborhood, in which the wolves came so near that he struck one over the head with his
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heavy riding whip; and of their sudden leaving in an- swer to a call from some other portion of the woods; of his climbing into a low hemlock tree; of his hearing the barking of a dog in the carly morning and finding himself but a few rods from a log house where he found his horse which had broken loose and gone away dur- ing his scrimmage with the wolves.
During the first years, Dr. Hazeltine generally traveled with a small dog who he considered an almost infallible protection, and who on more than one occasion piloted him out of the woods. He found that his horse would readily follow the dog in the woods on a dark night, when he would not move a single step without him. In traveling these primitive woods the great danger consisted in leaving the old, well beaten trail to go around a wind-fall, or to seek a more prom- ising place to ford a stream, or foolishly thinking they could take a more direct course to the place they de- sired to reach. To leave the trail was generally a prep- aration for spending a night in the forest. Physicians frequently took rides that required two or three days to accomplish. Dr. Hazeltine frequently went to Warren and below, and on several occasions as far from home as to Franklin, Pa. It now seems almost impossible that any one could or would endure the hardships and dangers and privations which were the common lot of physicians when the country was a wilderness, and when the"pay"received for their services would not equal that received by a sawyer in one of the mills. If any class of human beings who have ever lived de- served the gratitude of their fellows and liberal pen- sions for benefits gratuitously bestowed, it was the pio- neer physicians of southern Chautauqua.
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DRUGS AND MEDICINES.
For many years the only medicines kept for sale in the village of Jamestown was at the pharmacies of Drs. Foote and Hazeltine which were kept in rooms in their residences. These pharmacies were adequate to supply all the ordinary needs of the country at that time, and were the sources of much profit to their own- ers. Dr. Hazeltine's pharmacy was much the larger and the one mostly patronized up to 1829, when Dr. Foote became postmaster. He then built a long, one- story building on Main street, 16x40, on the south por- tion of the lot now occupied by Proudfit's clothing store. Barrett & Baker's store was the next building north, and between the two was a 12-foot passage way to the store house back of the stores. Foote succeeded Hazeltine as postmaster and removed the postoffice to the back end of this building, using the front of it, it might be said, as the first drug store in Jamestown. In this he was succeeded first by Smith Seymour, a brother-in-law, and afterwards by Joseph Kenyon; both in turn became postmaster. After the Hall block was
built on the north side of Third street, the store next to Potter's alley was occupied by John S. Yates, the father of Henry Yates, Esq., and by J. Elliott Chapin, (both sons-in-law of Solomon Jones) as a drug store. Yates previously had studied medicine in Dr. Foote's office, but circumstances prevented his becoming a physician. Chapin was the first and for several years the teacher of the district school in the lower room of The Academy after its removal to the corner of Cherry and Fourth streets. For many years he was a minister of the Methodist church, but is now, I think, superan- nuated. During the summer Chapin and his wife occupy their fine cottage at Chautauqua, and no one
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appears to enjoy its great privileges more than they. Yates and Chapin sold out to Kenyon, and he moved the postoffice to that store in the fall of 1838. Nathan Sears about that time opened a drug and book store in the Plumb store where Scofield & Co's store now stands. The writer very distinctly remembers the commencement of Sears in business; for he traded with him his favorite gun "Old Kill Deer" for the first set of Waverly Novels, in twenty double volumes, that were ever brought to Jamestown. A year or so previously
Russell D. Shaw started a drug store in a small build- ing just above Fenner's shoe store. Russell D. Shaw was afterward succeeded by his brother, Warner D. Shaw, who later was for many years proprietor of Shaw's hotel. These were the only drug stores previ- ous to 1844 when Parsons of Westfield (Chauncey C. Burtch) bought out Kenyon who was then located on the northeast corner of Main and Third streets, and G. W. Hazeltine, (D. T. Brown & Co.,) opened a drug and book store in the Allen house on Main street in what would be now the southwest corner of the Gifford block occupied by Marble Hall.
The present is a good occasion to compare rents on Main street between the present and forty-two years ago. The store occupied was in an excellent brick building erected two years previous by A. F. and D. Allen, and then known as the Allen house. The store mentioned above as occupied by D. T. Brown & Co., was twenty-four feet wide, seventy-five feet deep, and fourteen feet from the floor to ceiling, with extra counters and shelving together with a light, airy cellar with a permanent floor, ten feet longer than the store. For this store the writer took a five-year's lease at $75 a year. At that time we think the rent of any other tore in town must have been less, for this was the best room for a store at that time in town.
CHAPTER XI.
HUMAN LIFE AN ALLEGORY-INN OF COURT-VOLUN- TEERS IN 1861-JAMESTOWN'S PATRIOTISM-SAM- UEL A. BROWN-ABNER HAZELTINE-E. F. WAR- REN-LORENZO MORRIS-GEO. W. TEW-R. P. MARVIN-JOSEPH WAITE-FRANKLIN H. WAITE MADISON BURNELL-ORSELL COOK.
HUMAN LIFE-AN ALLEGORY.
History, be it of a community, or more preten- tious and important, as of a state or an empire-is but the history of human life-the actors being the same, varying only as to the high stations some have been called to occupy during their earthly career. The history of the lesser personages will be read by an in- terested few, the most important of these only, follow- ing the same rule that governs the history of larger communities, of states and of empires. The conduct and the consequent station held, is truly the subject of history and not the human life in which it is devel- oped. And conduct, Matthew Arnold declares is two- thirds of human life. If this is even an approach to truth, of what vast importance is the healthy growth and right education not only to the individual but to the community, the state and the world.
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We have somewhere read an allegory, in which human life was likened to a journey over a hill, the sides of which are more or less precipitous, the ascent rugged and uneven, with pleasant looking groves con- stantly in sight but not quite on the beaten path the youthful traveler is advised and expected to take. In
these groves are seen lovely forms dancing to strains of sweetest music, or reclining on beds of flowers, and drinking from crystal cups a fluid, golden, or with the deepest hues of the dark-red rose. The guides who are to attend the company just setting out warn those in their charge against these apparently beautiful groves and point them to a beautiful castle on the brow above. That they should bend all of their energies towards reaching that edifice. It was true their route in portions of the way was somewhat rough and in no part quite as inviting in appearance as about these groves which were scattered along the entire distance, but that from the castle of Good Conduct all of the most desirable routes over the plain of human life be- yond, commenced; that those who took the pleasant looking paths through the groves seldom arrived at the castle and were obliged to travel less desirable routes over the plain, and which led to very undesir- able places on the other side from which to make their descent into the city of Monuments.
The party of which we were one, listened with lit- tle attention to what the guides said to us. We were impatient to commence the real work of life, we longed to be free from the sweet restraints in the flow- ery grove of infancy and childhood where a loving mother and a doting father had so far watched over us. Where every want had been supplied, where every pure desire satisfied. We made a hasty visit to the
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nursery to kiss good bye to our infant brothers and sis- ters, crawling on beds of violets, or sleeping on pillows of roses. They had just entered into human life, and they smiled the joy of their new-born existence. True many of them wept and wailed, but their weeping was of short duration ;- the presentation of a single flower, would cause a smile in the midst of their tears, so that nothing was more common than to see two tears standing like pearl drops on their eye lids or trickling down cheeks filled with dimples and smiles. We were delighted, and for a moment inclined to tarry and play with these new-born humans, which raised in our minds the idea of angels and cherubs, and we called them such, and we thought we heard a voice, seemingly in the clouds, saying, "Of such is the King- dom of Heaven," and then the thought came to us, that the more we retained and carried with us of this scene, the happier and more successful would be our journey.
We passed along and although daily admonished by our guides, found ourselves wandering contin- ually to the pleasant paths in the groves. Not unfre- quently we found ourselves in thickets of thistles and nettles. But these errors are not always irretriev- able, although they leave indellible marks and in- fluence the future. After numerous accidents by the way, we were among the few that arrived at the cas- tle and finally with many admonitions by the keep- ers in charge was allowed to enter. Here we were thoroughly schooled as to the dangers of the plain, the hidden pitfalls, the sloughs and the quicksands, the thickets of thorns and the rocks and the precipices. The best routes were plainly in view and thoroughly explained. The guides who came with us up to the
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plain were to attend us no longer, but guide books were placed in our hands and it was said to us. if we followed their direction we would have no difficulty. We advanced with eagerness, studied our guide books faithfully and for a time followed their direction. But some of the views we deemed old fogyish and we were quite certain that some more modern guides had pointed out more pleasant, more direct and less diffi- cult paths. We found ourselves continually exploring these new ways. We deviated without scruple from the old paths, to which but few faithfully adhered; and what greatly encouraged us was the fact that the best, the most gifted, and highest intelligences, who started with us at the nursery, were with us at the castle of Good Conduct and were with us now. Finally we concluded not to return to the old paths at all, al- though we were continually coming to paths which led to them. The most of us passed on, each by paths of his own choosing, for of these by-paths there were many; those we chose we found beset by many diffi- culties and dangers. The pitfalls were so many that more than once we stumbled into one, receiving ser- ious injuries, and finally became so maimed that we have traveled along on crutches ever since. Indeed, on that part of the route in which the traveler is most prone to travel in by-paths, the dangers and difficul- ties are the greatest. We saw the beauty of the flow- ers, we heard the music of the birds, and all nature appeared full of delight, but instead of plucking the modest sweet scented flowers in the best cultivated gardens, we wandered into the fields and forests and plucked the gaudy, scentless, poisonous, deadly night- shade, and the purple belladonna and the red and golden poppy. The music of the songsters of the
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grove gave place to the croak of the ill-boding crow and the screech of the owl. The sky became over- cast with clouds, obscuring the bright sun by day and through which the bright stars refused to twinkle by night. When we attempted to return we found that we could not find the way; our faces became clouded with weariness and care. Weary, footsore and crippled, we commenced the descent. From time to time we saw our companions fall into the pitfalls which abound in the down hill side of life; they were so weak and feeble and maimed that they made no attempt to get out and there perished. As we passed along in diminished numbers we beheld many de- lightful scenes, beautiful gardens, delightful song birds, but there appeared to be a gulf difficult of pas- sage, and we did not attempt it, although we saw many old friends who traveled with us up the hill and over part of the plain on the top beckoning to us with great solicitude and we could hear their voices saying, "Come over here; here we have plenty to eat and to drink and to wear; everything is delightful, the flow- ers never fairer, the music of the birds never so sweet. It is not as difficult to pass through that gulf as it seems, and we have a doctor over here who will cure your wounds and relieve you of your crutches." We consult our companions. They are too weary and too much crippled to make the attempt, and beg of us not to leave them. They gather around and bind heavy weights on our limbs and even take away the crutches on which we had depended. We continued to de- scend, crawling as best we could. We have not kept up with our companions; most of them have reached the foot of the hill. We do not see them, but we see beautiful quiet groves in which arise here and there
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equally beautiful spires and white marble structures which mark, we presume, their quiet homes. We are nearly down, will soon be there and equally quiet. Is not this a true picture in a majority of cases of human life and human destiny? Let every one who reads, re- flect, and make application for himself.
OUR COUNTRY'S DEFENDERS.
We had a much occupied building, which filled a space of about 20x30 feet on the southwest corner of Third street and Mechanic's allev. It was a two-story building with a basement, painted white. This, to- gether with Waite's stone law office which stood directly west of it, disappeared about twenty-five years ago in the same way that so many of Jamestown's carly buildings disappeared-in fire and smoke; the location of these and other early time buildings is now covered by the Sherman House. James Harrison erected the building in 1828 for his watch repairing and jewelry establishment. In 1831 it came into the possession of Wood & Curtis as a boot and shoe store, and not long afterwards was used for Lathrop's hat shop. After Lathrop ceased business C. W. Jackson used the lower rooms for gun repairing, and for finishing up house bells, and the basement as a bell foundry ; the upper rooms were used as a printing office, for the Under- current, the Liberty Star and the Jamestown Herald. After Jackson vacated the building, the lower story and basement were for a year or more used in a variety of ways, and by various persons. Finally the building was purchased by the Hon. R. P. Marvin, and the occupancy of it fell to the lawyers. It became a sort of lawyers' headquarters for a time-an Inn of Court, as it would be termed in London. Among the lawyers occupying this building at the same time was the Hon.
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R. P. Marvin, who then was judge of the Supreme court and occupied the back rooms; Madison Burnell, Capt. James M. Brown, (afterwards Col. James M. Brown, killed at Fair Oaks,) John F. Smith, (after- wards Col. Smith, killed at Fort Fisher) and others, and a number of law students. It was a busy place, and withal a patriotic place, at the breaking out of the late war. The Judge sent two sons to the country's defence-William was a sacrifice upon that bloody altar, the other is the present Gen. Selden E. Marvin of Albany. Burnell became the celebrated home ora- tor, urging the able bodied man to shoulder his musket and march forthwith to the front. Capt. Brown at the first alarm raised Jamestown's celebrated Co. B, and was among the first to report for action; he soon became Colonel of the 100th regiment of N. Y. Infantry; the last he was ever seen he stood on a stump on the battle field of Fair Oaks, waving his sword, for- saken by his men. As he was not mounted he prob-
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