USA > New York > Chautauqua County > Ellicott > The early history of the town of Ellicott, Chautauqua County, N.Y. > Part 26
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* Fifty years ago and more Grammar Schools were common and there was a class of men who wandered through the country teaching them and generally they were well patronized.
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adults attended this school than those under twenty years of age. This was the first school taught in Jamestown for which Judge Prendergast did not pay every cent of the teacher's wages and he paid three- fourths of this. The school in 1820 was expected to be taught by Abraham Hazeltine (the late Dr. Abraham Hazeltine) but before the school commenced, a young man named Austin Nelson, a graduate of Hamilton College, came in, and desiring some occupation during the fall and winter, Hazeltine permitted Nelson to take his place. This school commenced early in the fall and was taught in the Prendergast Academy. In the fall of that year an epidemic of typhus fever broke out in Jamestown of which several died. Nearly every member of Solomon Jones's large family had this fever but all recovered. Nelson after teaching a short time also took the fever and died and the school was abandoned. In 1821 Thomas Walkup was employed to teach a summer and a fall and winter term of school in the academy, Judge Prendergast paying two-thirds of the teacher's wages and furnish wood which was near at hand on Fifth street between Main and Cherry. Much of the wood was cut by the large scholars and drawn to the academy by the smaller boys on their hand sleds. The wood cut was three to four feet long and burned in an enormous fire place. In those days there were several large, heavy hand sleds in town and many families cut and drew their own wood. No one would have to go far from his own door to find the best of wood which he was welcome to if he would cut and haul it away. True, in places the pine trees were cut out, but the hard wood and underbrush remained. Where the pine was cut out a heavy growth of pine bushes soon sprang up, in some places so dense that it
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was impossible to get through them. These bushes grew very rapidly and soon became of large size. In an early day the pine lands were considered almost valueless for farming purposes. If a person wanted a farm he would make for the beech and maple in Busti, or the oak and chestnut lands north and west from the rapids. Then the idea was, that not only the pine land was poor, but that the labor and expense of get- ting out the pine stumps, would be double the value of the land. But farmers were not long in learning that the pine lands were the best and as soon as the lands were really needed, Yankee invention rid the land of stumps in short order. Their value for fences more than half repaid their removal. The big pine stumps which would never decay, and which for many years they had no adequate appliances for pulling, helped to sell the lighter frosty soils of the beech and maple sections of the country.
Thomas Walkup had the honor of being the writer's second teacher; his mother was the first. She had thoroughly learned him his a, b, c's, his a, b, abs, the words in three letters, and those in two sylables, from baker to vocal in Webster's old spelling book, be- fore he ever saw Thomas Walkup and his watch and his switch.
We never thought it quite right, Ezra Jones and our- self,* and we vowed that we would never forgive Walkup, and if we lived to be big enough would whip him for that switching he gave us, the first we received at school. There was an upturned pine stump precisely where Harmis Willard erected his residence in 1823
* Rev. Ezra Jones, son of Solomon Jones, now resides in Lan- sing, Mich.
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and which for many years was the residence of the late Charles Butler on the northwest corner of Main and Fourth streets. Among the roots of that stump, partially concealed by a few tufts of grass and wild flowers was a nest containing four beautiful speckled eggs. We thought there was no harm in taking them away, we wanted to show them to our mothers, we did not know they would break so easily; we did not know when the old birds were screaming so pit- eously they were begging us to let the eggs alone; we did not intend to soil our aprons, and had not our mothers washed them when worse soiled than they were then? We pleaded innocence and ig- norance most eloquently, but all to no avail. We were there to be educated, and we got a lesson we have never forgotten. "Just as the twig is bent," you know. If we did not then know, we have ever since known, that it was wrong to rob a bird's nest. That was sixty five years ago, and we seldom if ever pass that house without feeling a tingling along up our back and down our legs. There is brought up from the deep memories of the long ago and placed before our eyes a picture. Yes, that is the same old stump, the nest is behind that clump of grass ; there are four beautiful speckled eggs in it; up there is one of the old birds sitting on that high, long root that reachesout towards the academy. We seldom see that house when we pass it, but we frequently see that old upturned pine stump. We see the nest and the eggs and the
birds. We see Thomas Walkup and that nice beech switch, and we feel it, too. There is one gratifying re- membrance. We promised Walkup we would never rob another bird's nest as long as we lived. We have
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the satisfaction of believing that this promise has been faithfully kept.
THE PINE STREET SCHOOL HOUSE was erected by subscription in 1822 by the " Junto " opposed to Judge Prendergast, the Academy, and the leadership of the Congregational church. It occupied the lots on the northeast corner of Pine and Fourth streets, now oc- cupied by the residence of Sheldon Broadhead. It afterwards passed into the hands of the school district in which it was situated. It for many years was a prominent school house, and the first efforts of the Methodists, and also of the Baptists, at separate exis- tence, are indissolubly connected with the "old Pine street school house." If any preacher, no matter of what denomination, or of no denomination, came to Jamestown and could not be accommodated at the old academy, the door of the "old Pine street" had no lock upon it, and he was welcome to enter without even asking permission.
Among the early school teachers here we men- tion Richard F. Fenton, Henry Gifford, Elisha Hall, Isaac Eddy, Jr., and Orrel Green as the principal ones. During the same time at the academy were Rev. Lewis C. Todd, Samuel Brown, of Ashville, and a person whose name we cannot recall. These are the princi- pal up to the removal of the academy to Fourth street in 1829. After its removal, J. Elliott Chapin was the teacher of the common school iu the lower room for several years.
REV. PHILLIP SMITH, said to be a Baptist clergy- man, came to Jamestown in 1825 and opened a select school in Keyes's shop chamber. This school was the last of the series included under the name of Prender- gast Academy. Smith was an educated man and a
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good teacher. He was a small, near-sighted man and
wore spectacles. He opened and closed each session of the school with a short prayer. He had certain set forms which he used, a peculiar posture and peculiar- ities of pronunciation which provoked the larger boys to imitate him, to his great annoyance. One peculiar- ity of pronunciation was, that such words as duty and dutiful he pronounced as if spelled juty and jutiful. Soon in consequence he was nicknamed " Juty Smith" and "Old Jutiful," and "Old Spectacles." For this disrespect the small boys got floggings, and the larger ones lectures on Christian deportment and juty. Smith very soon resorted to the plan of praying with his eyes open that he might detect those who mocked him. He soon found that this was not practical, for in watching his scholars he would forget his prayer and the room would be filled with a roar of laughter. He finally re- sorted to the plan of kneeling before his chair with his back to his unruly scholars, and after a short time the disturbance and mocking which had so annoyed him ceased. We have in a previous chapter described the situation of the Keyes shop-about eight feet below the house with the stairs filling this space between the two and going up to a wide platform at the west end, from which was the door into the schoolroom.
Silas Southland, who now resides on the lake this side of Lakewood, eldest son of Judson Southland who was a prominent citizen of Jamestown at an early day, attended this school. Silas was decidedly the fat boy of the town. His avoirdupois when ten years old was something tremendous-his diameter seemingly fully equalled his length, and his daring fully equalled his adipose; he was the butt as well as the pet of the school. Frank Waite one day said to him, "Let us see
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you ride down these stairs on your sled." "No, I guess not," says Silas, "I fear it would hurt me. You ride down, and if you don't break your neck, I will try it." Frank declared that he dare not try it, but thought that Silas dare attempt anything. "Well," says Silas, "as you own you are a coward, and we all know you are, else you would not mock 'Old Juty' when he is praying, I will try it." Laying down on his sled he told Frank to give him a start and down he went, head foremost, not stopping until he had reached the middle of the bridge at the foot of Main street. That day he received the name of "Old Put " -- a name that clung to him for many years, and to the present day for aught we know to the contrary. Mr. Southland will pardon us for bringing up this incident of his early life.
Mr. Smith taught a large and most excellent school for two years and then left for a more advan- tageous situation, we think in Ohio. A Miss Farnham then taught the school one term, but the school was not a success and she left. At the period we are now speaking of many objected to sending their children to the district schools, and Mrs. Charles R. Harvey-then Miss Rebecca Hayward-was induced to teach a se- lect school. After Miss Farnham left, Keyes's shop chamber was rented for a billiard saloon, and the first billiard tables ever in Jamestown were placed there in 1828. The second story of Tew's tin and sheet iron factory on the southeast corner of Main and Fourth streets was secured and made into a school room. In this Miss Hayward taught her large and successful school. How long it continued we do not just remem- ber, but we believe until near the time she was married to Col. Charles R. Harvey.
JOHN FOSTER ALLEN, a graduate of Middlebury
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College, Vt., was sent for and employed as principal of Prendergast Academy, to succeed Smith. Judge Foote contended that as there was no regular academic or- ganization the school should be called a select school; at all events it was high time to abandon the affix of Prendergast as applied to the school as there was no warrant for it; that Abner Hazeltine had given that name to the second school taught in Jamestown under peculiar circumstances; that that school was as much an academy as a common school, and that as Judge Prendergast furnished the school room and paid the teacher, it was perfectly correct to call it Prendergast Academy or anything else they chose, but to continue it longer when the village was paying the teachers, would create confusion and trouble, and that it should be abandoned. Henry Baker moved that the school be continued underthe old name. That he had nearly supported the schools for fifteen years, and accord- ing to his mind Prendergast should be the name of any Academy established here. Elias Haven moved it to be called Foote's Academy, and S. A. Brown sug- gested that it would be appropriately named if called Abner Hazeltine's Cotton Factory Academy. Of course every one laughed except Brown. Abner Hazeltine enquired if it would be satisfactory to call the new school the Jamestown Academy. He was willing to compromise on that, although he thought the name Prendergast should be retained. Although Mr. Ha- vens had given Judge Foote the credit of being fore- most in the move for a new Academy, he believed his fellow citizens who had been here much longer than Mr. Havens, would agree with him in saying that Judge Prendergast had done far more than any one else in Jamestown for the cause of education. He
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hoped the citizens would not do a wrong now, because he had applied the name of Prendergast Academy to our first feeble schools. Dr. Foote thought Academy would be shorter and better; that very soon there would be a legal organization with a board of trustees, and that the name then probably would be Jamestown Academy, and it would be better not to use that name until the legal organization took place. If at that time it was thought best to name it after some prominent citizen he should not object. He did think that the name Prendergast was too long, and that it was best to wait until they had a legal organization. On mo- tion of S. A. Brown, Esq., it was Resolved, that the select school to be taught by John.Foster Allen, A. M. in the old academy be called "The Academy," withoutany affix whatsoever. That it is the sense of this meeting that neither the name Prendergast, Foote, Hazeltine's Cotton Factory, or any other person, factory or mill, shall be affixed to the same until so authorized by a board of lawfully appointed trustees. A few only voted, and Mr. Brown's resolution was carried by one vote. Thus ended in the greatest good humor Prendergast academy, which had been in use for fifteen years. Miss Frances Bristol, of Dunkirk was made assistant teacher. Mr. Allen remained principal for about two years, and was then succeeded by James Boutelle, who remained until 1835. During the first three years of this academy the following young men were fitted for college; George T. Stoneman, afterward major general, now governor of California; Glenni W. Scofield, now judge of the Court of Claims, Washington, D. C .; Benj. W. Whicher, Episcopal minister, is now a Roman Catholic; his wife was known to literature as Widow Bedott; Zacharia Eddy, son of Rev. Isaac Eddy, now
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Rev. Dr. Eddy of Michigan; Hiram Eddy, son of Rev. Isaac Eddy, now Rev. Dr. Eddy of Connecticut; Thomas R. Hazzard, lawyer, settled at Monongehela City, dead; Orlando Havens, intended for the ministry, dead; Daniel Whicher, afterwards judge of the Su- preme Court of Western Virginia, dead; Charles G. Ha- zeltine, oldest son of Hon. Abner Hazeltine, professor, dead; Ezra Jones, Methodist minister, Lansing, Mich- igan; Darwin Dewey, intended for the ministry, dead; and the writer, who is privileged to write M. D. after his name. Twelve is a very fair number, It com- mences with names of persons who have a national reputation and does not taper immediately to a point by any means. Of over half of them Jamestown may well be proud.
Boutelle was the last who taught in the upper room of the old academy building, built in 1817 on the southwest corner of the lots now occupied by Geo. W. Tew, Esq., removed in 1829 to the northeast corner of Cherry and Fourth streets, and which after the academy had been removed from it was known for many years as the "old red school house," and which after the erection of the Union school building was sold to B. F. Lownsbery, together with the lots on which it stood, and the frame of which to-day consti- tutes the frame of the Lownsbery residence.
INFANT SCHOOL .- In 1832 an infant school was established here by a stock company of a number of citizens. Trustees were chosen and a lot purchased on Fifth street west of Spring street, and a large building erected on the corner of Fifth street and the alley. All the paraphernalia of an infant school were provided at a heavy expense to the projectors. Miss Brewster, an experienced teacher. was brought from New York to
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preside over the affairs of the institution. It was well patronized and flourished for about two years and then rapidly dwindled into nothingness. Parents soon be- came aware that they were ruining the health of their infant children for the sake of a little knowledge which they ought to gain at home. The building was used for the Jamestown academy during the erection of the new academy building on the corner of Fourth and Spring streets.
THE QUAKER BOARDING SCHOOL .- In 1833 Mrs. Mary E. Osborne, a widow lady and a Quakeress, came to Jamestown to establish a boarding school. She bought property of Gen, Allen on what was then known as the Frewsburg road, afterwards as Quaker street, and now as Foote's avenue. This purchase was on the west side of the street and about ten rods be- yond the intersection of Mechanic street. Upon the plot of ground here purchased she erected a fair sized but very plain building for boarding school pur- poses. The next season large additions were found necessary, and small additions of cheap buildings were made year after year, until the establishment had a rambling, peculiar and anything but a neat, Quaker-like appearance. Notwithstanding the un- inviting appearance of the buildings the school there taught was one of a very superior character. Teachers of a superior class for the most part were em- ployed and young ladies from all sections of the coun- try but especially of the state of New York were there yearly congregated. The methods of teaching there employed were superior to anything the writer had ever before met with-more like present methods so far as he is acquainted with them. Object teaching and by conversations was extensively adopted. If
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there were any possible means or appliances to illus- trate a lesson or fix it in the memory they were at once adopted. The question asked was not, whether the recitation was perfect, but was the lesson understood. Each class read up on, and talked over in familiar conversations, each subject presented until it was per- fectly understood by the dullest member of the class. The teachers for the most part were from abroad. Among these probably none ever stood higher than the three Misses Dennis. But the teachers changed fre- quently; most of them must have been under prior en- gagements before they came, for when their time was up they could not be induced to remain longer, and were married soon after their leaving. Among the home teachers were Miss Clarissa D. Wheeler who sub- sequently taught in the Academy and who afterwards: founded the Jamestown female seminary; Miss Eliza -. beth Breed, Miss Lucy Fletcher and the writer, who. was the only male teacher in the establishment and. was engaged to teach Botany, and to lecture on Physi- ology, Chemistry and Natural Philosophy. This. school was probably the most flourishing from 1836 to. 1841.
In 1843 a horrible tragedy was enacted here which destroyed the school. Alvin Cornell, brother of Mrs .. Osborne, cut his wife's throat and then cut his own .. Mrs. Cornell ran from the kitchen into the school room and there fell dead. Cornell, although he had cut his own throat from ear to ear, severing the wind -. pipe, singularly enough missed the carotid arteries. The writer sewed up Cornell's throat and dressed the wound. He was left in charge of Justice W. H. Fenton and ourself for about three weeks, when we delivered him up to the jailor at Mayville. He was tried, convicted
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and sentenced, but his sister clung to him and finally induced Governor Wright to commute his punishment to imprisonment for life, This horrible affair closed the Jamestown Quaker school forever.
JAMESTOWN ACADEMY.
We have considered it our duty to write up the schools of Jamestown to the commencement of the Union School and Collegiate Institute. The printers are now calling for copy and we are compelled to send what we have prepared to the press. In excuse we have this to offer. The subject to us was an extreme- ly painful one. There was a severe quarrel about the location of the Academy building, it was finally locat- ed on the southeast corner of Fourth and Spring streets. Lysander Farrar was the first principal, he was succeeded by George W. Parker. After Parker, Charles G. Hazeltine, eldest son of the late Hon. A. Hazeltine, had care of the institution until they could provide some one else. Edward A. Dickinson was finally procured. He was its principal for many years, and for a long time was assisted by one of the best of teachers, Miss Eliza Kent. For over fourteen years the writer was intimately connected with the institu- tion, but without remuneration. He spent over $1000 during that period for its benefit. He had a reward. Two persons well acquainted with all the facts in the case promised to write up what to us was a painful subject. Each after duly considering the subject de- clined. Although we have not at any time intended to shirk this duty perhaps it is quite as well that we are now compelled to pass it over.
CHAPTER XIV.
OUR EARLY MERCHANTS, J. & M. PRENDERGAST- RICHARD HILLER-SILAS TIFFANY-JEHIAL TIF- FANY-SAMUEL BARRETT-HENRY BAKER - AL- VIN PLUMB-J. E. & S. BUDLONG-ELISHA HALL -WM. H. TEW.
DR. JEDIAH AND MARTIN PRENDERGAST.
In the spring of 1814 bought one lot of their brother James on the northwest corner of Main and First streets and erected thereon a store 20 by 45 feet, one and one-half stories in height. The frame was of three-inch plank sealed with thin boards in the inside and covered with clapboards on the outside. There was in the east end facing Main street a stout battened door in the south corner, and in the center a large win- dow and a smaller one above; and on the south side facing First street two large windows with a door be- tween, and in the west end a window lighting the up- per floor. True, the building had for a foundation pine blocks and never was painted, but was substan- tial and large enough for the purpose intended. Why it should have been spoken of as a "shanty store" in some historical sketches of Jamestown we will not
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stop now to explain, for the explanation would not pay for the paper on which it was written. It was one of the most substantial buildings of those early times. A young man by the name of Thomas Disher was the first superintendent of this store, afterwards Richard Hiller for many years was the sole manager. So much so that many supposed he was the proprietor, and it was as frequently called Hiller's as Prendergast's store. The late Rufus Jones, when about 18 years old, en- tered this store as an assistant. Still later Isaac H. Hiller, half brother of Richard Hiller, was for many years assistant and remained such until the store closed in 1836. Neither Jediah or Martin Prendergast were ever residents of Jamestown, although both frequently visited the store.
They dealt in general merchandise, dry goods, groceries, hardware, liquors, and all goods required by the early settlers.
RICHARD HILLER
Was a lumberman as well as agent for this store. For many years he either alone or in company with Horace Bacon, a brother-in-law, bought a fleet of lum- ber of Prendergast, rafted it and ran it to Cincinnati. In those days Eliakim Garfield was the most promi- nent raftsman on the head waters of the Conewango. Richard Hiller married Hannah, the eldest daughter of Joseph Garfield and Horace Bacon married Anna, the second daughter. They had several children. After leaving the store Hiller removed to a farm in the town of Carroll, where both he and his wife died a few years ago.
It is proper here to mention that Wm. B. Allen, Johnson Goodwell and Elial T. Foote, erected, near the time the Prendergasts were building their store, a
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mere shanty on the northeast corner of Main and Sec- ond streets, and placed therein a few articles of mer- chandise. This concern was of short duration. While it existed it was in care of W. H. Fenton, who was then nearing manhood, and who is now the pat- riarch of the town. Who Allen and Goodwell were we have not been able to ascertain. We have several accounts of the closing up of this store, the most prob- able of which is that Foote and Fenton bought out Al- len and Goodwell and sold goods there for nearly a year, finally selling the remnants of their stock to Silas Tiffany, who had purchased the lots and soon af- ter erected a store.
SILAS TIFFANY
Was among the earliest of Ellicott's substantial settlers and for many years was one of Jamestown's most important citizens. The incidents of his jour- ney hither are related in his own laconic style, in the following letter written by him, and read at a meeting of old settlers, held at Fredonia in 1873.
Early settlers, friends and fellow citizens-It is with pleasure that I claim to be one of your number, and regret that I cannot be with you to-day.
More than half a century have I spent the days, months and years in your midst. In June, 1816, I left Buffalo for the "rapids" of Chautauqua outlet. Then the western trail was along the beach of Lake Erie and through the "Cattaraugus woods." The day's travel brought up at the old Cash stand. Left in the early morning after breakfasting on cat-fish and red potatoes. At Canadaway had a good meal at Abel's; at the Cross Roads ate with Perry Ellsworth. At Mayville stopped with Captain Scott over night; thence took pas- sage by canoe down the lake, old jolly Tinkham the oarsman and pilot-fare 50 cents to the rapids, then a hamlet consisting of Judge Prendergast's saw and grist mill, and J. & M. Prendergast's store, with some small dwellings. Then the time from Buffalo to the Rap- ids was three days; now from same point less than three hours to Jamestown with a population of 7,000 to 8,000, where the hum of a busy and varied industry greets and tells of progress. Where once
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