A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 66

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > Athens > A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania > Part 66

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John Keirnan & Sons of London. 8888

Jasone & Swartz of Naples. 3210 Joseph Sheets 1350

Swartz & Deagan of Leghorn 1160.50

Leigh & Sherlock of Liverpool 10000

Wm. Wellins 208

Andrew Dayton of London. 1160.50 Sticker & Beatty 1748

Campbell & Wheeler of Virginia 211

John Thomas 9748

As trustee for sundry persons in the United States & Great Britain, now supposed to be dead, absent or insolvent, who had claims against the said Rich'rd Caton in the year A. D. 1802, to be paid to the said persons, or their representatives, duly authorized, as the said Richard Caton shall direct, & Appoint, in default of such direction & appointment, or if after having been made, and due notice been given to the said persons, or their legal representa- tives, do not claim the sums to which they shall under the said appointment be entitled within 3 years after it shall have been made known to them, to be paid to the Bank of Maryland, the above mentioned persons being late creditors of the said Richard Caton to whom and for whose benefit, he, the said Richard surrendered all his property under the Bankrupt Law of the United States A. D. 1802, and received his certificate of discharge, dated May 4, 1803. The principal of the claims which the said creditors had against the said Richard in the year last above mentioned. And if the sums so received are not sufficient to pay the whole amount of the said claims, then to pay to the said creditors, as they shall be entitled to under the said claims provided that all such other sums as have been or may hereafter be received by virtue of any other lien, or by any of the said creditors shall be deducted from the said principal sum, and that the said dividends shall be for such sums only as shall remain after such de- duction; & the amount of such deduction shall be paid to the Bank of Maryland. And if the said lands shall sell for more, then the OVERPLUSAGE to be paid to the Bank of Mary- land. * * *

477

LOCKHART'S TITLE PREVAILED

The Caton lands were now sold with a good title assured, although only a small sum was realized from them.

Athens has been called a Connecticut town, and it has been care- lessly said that title prevailed generally except in the case of the Mat- thewsons; but careful investigation proves that while 319 acres were patented to applicants under Connecticut title on the Lockhart warrant, these patents were to only eleven persons, and but six of those were original Connecticut proprietors, to wit: John Franklin, Ira Stephens' heirs, Elisha Matthewson's heirs, Elisha Satterlee, John Shepard and Joseph Tyler. In the original town plot of 53 lots, only 17 Connecti- cut titles held, and those under the second grant of Ulster ; 19 were held under Lockhart's title, and 14 first sold under Connecticut title had to be repurchased from Henry Welles or Richard Caton. The proportion was even larger in the second and third divisions of lots, and thus it may well be said that Lockhart's title to the Indian Arrow prevailed, a statement never before in print. Henry Welles owned in the village, from just above present Chemung Street to opening of Elmira Street, west of Main, and from the Williston line on the west side of Main Street to the White Gate. Caton had about forty-three acres on the west side of Point below this, which Welles purchased, the deed being executed just two months before his death. To make this purchase he went to Baltimore in 1832, being "induced to make the request solely on the grounds of its interference with his land, and the constant neces- sity of protecting it with his from the encroachment of the frequent floods." Thus, before his death, he had the pleasure of seeing the Point farm nearly complete, seven acres on east side, just below White Gate,

being added by his son George. As long as he lived he assisted Mr. Caton's agents in disposing of his lands in and near Athens. In 1828 he reported the forests "as trackless as the sands of the Great Desert or the waves of the Atlantic." Allusion is made to a "Great Lick" on some of the Caton land, and the owner writes that if it prove salt he will send up persons to boil it and give Henry Welles an interest. In 1840 Oliver's trusteeship was assigned by his heirs to trustees appointed by the court of Baltimore. Richard Caton died in 1846. The last pur- chases found are of the upper part of warrant from old Ulster line, deeded from Caton trustees in 1845 and '46 to Guy Tozer and Francis Tyler, each 110 acres.

478

ADDITIONAL WELLES AND COOK HISTORY

After this book was in type we received a copy of a portrait of Ashbel Welles, also much additional family history from his granddaughter, Miss Lauraine Welles Cook. Sabrina Parsons, who married Ashbel Welles, evidently, after he came to Tioga Point, was the daugh- ter of Jacob Parsons and Lauraine Sedgewick, Connecticut people, who had settled in south- ern New York. Jacob Parsons was a sea merchant, and his wife was a sister of the well known Chief Justice Stephen Sedgewick of Strockbridge, Mass., descendants of Robert Sedgewick, Major General of Boston, a distinguished Englishman. Hannah, another daughter of Jacob Parsons, married Judge Williston.

After the death of Ashbel Welles, his widow married - -Dewitt, and lived in Athens many years, her history having been traced by the writer from old church records. All of Ashbel Welles' descendants left this locality prior to 1860, the last being the Cooks. From them we learn, in addition to matter on page 484, that David Mansfield Cook, Sr., of English descent, and fourth of his name, came to Athens with his wife, daughter, Eunice, and son, David, Jr., between 1815 and 1820. Both father and son were graduates of Yale. David, Jr., m. Lauraine Sedgewick Welles November, 1826, and they had eight children, born here or in Elmira, of whom three survive; Miss Lauraine, Mrs. Mary A. Hendrick, and Charles L., to whom we are indebted. There are also a number of descendants of the other children. The original portrait of Ashbel Welles was painted on wood, artist unknown, from which the copy (reproduced opposite page 353) was made some years ago. A portrait of David M. Cook, Jr., left in Athens, we have been unable to trace.

PART IV GENERAL HISTORY

1785-1860

NEW & CHEAP GOOD ..

The H of the land and county pioneers, wl fourth and ( construction included va Athens.

THE subscriber has just received from New York a large Supply of NEW GOODS, suitablefor the season, which in addition to his former stock makes his assortment of

Orn Boods, Groceries, Crockery, § Hard- Ware,

very extensive and complete .- He has also a large supply of DYE WOODS, & DYE STUFFS, among which are, Nicaragua, Logwood, Cam- wood, Fustic -- Madder-Copperas-Allum- Nutgall -Gum Arabic-Annatto-Blue Vitrol- Oil Vitrol-&c. ALSO, Paints-Drugs-and Medicines .-- A large stock of Sole Leather- Iron -- English Blister, American, and Crawley STEEL-4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, & 20d. NAILS- Window-Glass -- Looking-Glasses-all kinds of DOMESTIC STRIPES-Plaids-Shirtings -- Sheetings -- Cotton Yarn-Candle-Wicking- Ladies Silk & Straw BONNETS-Gentlemens' and Boy's common Knapt, Rorum, & Castor HATS-Scythes and Sickles-Also an extensive assortment of HOLLOW-WARE-Whiskey --- &c. &c. &c .- All of which will be sold at a much lower rate for CASH than any ever here- tofore offered in this village.

ISAAC TOMPKINS.

Tioga Point, July 8, 1822.

ded with the close d, relative to town the coming of later ave chosen for our Ilford County to the Var. There are also ga Point and Early

CHAPTER XIX

ANNALS OF EARLY ATHENS

1810-1860

The history of Tioga Point titles having been completed, let us retrace our steps and gather up the loose threads.

The years 1816 to 1819 were full of hardships for the pioneers, on account of severe seasons. There was frost in every month of 1816, and a heavy snow storm in June; this was long known as "the Cold Summer." Early frosts destroyed the corn, which froze and rotted so that even cattle refused it. The crops of grain, as well as vegetables, were almost entire failures ; and in the following Winter, rich and poor suffered alike, both from lack of food and the intense cold. Drought and scarcity prevailed for nearly three years, many cattle dying, and sickness increasing, recalling the famine of earlier times.

However, the community was progressing; the Academy was es- tablished, regular religious services were held, and the first Athens library was started about 1815 by David Paine. A postoffice and reg- ular stage route were also established, and merchants continued to come and go. Walter Herrick, who married Minerva Hopkins, had removed to Owego, but one of Col. Lindsley's sons had succeeded him. Jeremiah Decker had left and Peter P. Loop was agent for Matthias Hollenback.1

Ebenezer Backus came to town in this decade, probably about 1812. He was an old acquaintance of the Welles and Saltmarsh fam- ilies in Connecticut. As traveling agent for the Postoffice Department, he lived at Athens, Lindsleytown and Owego previous to 1816, and at Chenango Point in 1829. In 1814 the "Backus Hotel" in Owego was the terminus of the stage routes. In 1816 he purchased the house just completed by Jeremiah Decker on lot No. 38, who had built beyond his means. This was ever after known as "the Backus House," al- though the north wing was part of Dr. Hopkins' first home. It was a fine specimen of the architecture of the period, with panelled wain- scoting, many hand-carved mantels, and quaint doorways. It was demolished in 1901. Although Ebenezer Backus died in 1831, the house was occupied by his family for about fifty years, becoming eventually the property of his son, Henry R. Backus. Probably no lot in original village plot changed owners oftener than this, as there were ten previous to Mr. Backus. The name of Backus is not perpetuated in this vicinity.

We regret inability to reproduce the fine portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Backus, now in the possession of Mrs. Charlotte Morris (Coerr), daughter of Sarah Tompkins (Morris), who was the daughter of Isaac

1 A letter from Loop was found some years ago, dated 1817, in which he mentioned ar- rival of goods in John Griffin's boat, expressed himself as "wearied with the dullness of the town," and amusing himself by studying French-could not be content at Tioga Point were it not for the hope of returning to Wilkes-Barré.

481

The History of Old Tioga Point may be said to have ended with the close of the land controversy; but there is much of interest omitted, relative to town and county organization, the progress of improvements, and the coming of later pioneers, whose descendants are still here. Therefore we have chosen for our fourth and closing epoch the period from the erection of Bradford County to the construction of the railroads, and the outbreak of the Civil War. There are also included various chapters illustrative of pioneer life in Tioga Point and Early Athens.

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CHAPTER XIX

ANNALS OF EARLY ATHENS

1810-1860

The history of Tioga Point titles having been completed, let us retrace our steps and gather up the loose threads.

We regret inability to reproduce the fine portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Backus, now in the possession of Mrs. Charlotte Morris (Coerr), daughter of Sarah Tompkins (Morris), who was the daughter of Isaac

481

482

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

Tompkins and Helen Backus. We know nothing of Isaac Tompkins except that he was a merchant at Athens in 1820, and possibly still a resident in 1850, removing thence to Binghamton.

The Griffin family, Connecticut people of Welsh descent, settled in Canton, Pa., in 1798. One of the sons, John Griffin, Sr.,2 removed to Tioga Point about 1808, purchased the property now occupied by O. D. Kinney and N. C. Harris, and built a log house, where he evidently resided until 1820, having obtained both Connecticut and Pennsylvania titles. At the latter date he sold the town lots and purchased the Yarrington farm on the "Old Stage Road," where he built a sub- stantial residence, which he conducted as an inn after the fashion of the day, having also a dis- tillery. As he prospered, he purchased other farms in the vicinity, and all of this property still belongs to his heirs. The spacious house was the family homestead for seventy years or more, and we can personally bear witness to the innumerable heirlooms and rel- ics of early days that occupied the garret until a very recent date.

John griffino

Those who settled at Silver Lake, under Dr. Rose, soon found themselves grossly deceived, and about 1818 many removed to Athens Township; to wit, Samuel Warner,2* James Calkin of Nova Scotia, and a number who settled in Milltown. Although the Warners had not a continuous residence in the township, they were connected with the life of the valley for more than half a century. Samuel Warner soon after his arrival was made a deacon in the only church, and later an elder ; and the name of "Deacon Warner" is still revered by all the . pioneer families. No name more often occurs on the old church records than this, ten or more members of the family having been baptized, and many having been active members. Edward W. Warner lived in Athens village, and was also an elder in the church. His children were born here, and have preserved their affection for the valley. Frederick Welles Warner is now a well known business man of Rochester and Edward R. of Bay View, Michigan. William F. Warner, the last of the name in this vicinity, was long a resident of Waverly, a brilliant lawyer and active historian. The family vibrated between Athens, Mill-

2 John Griffin, Sr., was the son of Samuel, son of Samuel the emigrant, b. near Guilford, Connecticut, March 5, 1783; d. March 1, 1843; m. July 5, 1810, Betsy, dau. of Ezra Spalding of Plainfield, Conn. Their children were Eliza, Lucy, Hannah, John, Jr., Jane, Sarissa and Mary. John, Jr., m. Nancy, dau. of Isaac Morley, whose descendants are still here. Mary m. Abram, son of Isaac Morley, some of whose descendants are residents of the borough. The Griffin family have always been prosperous and highly esteemed, and have held various public offices. The accompanying silhouette evidently portrays the pioneer John as a young man. Samuel Griffin was a fifer in Capt. Clark's Company, 1st Regt., Connt., in 1776, and he was at the battle of Yorktown.

2* Samuel Warner was a Massachusetts man of English descent; his wife, Abigail Stevens Chamberlain, was a daughter of Moses Chamberlain. They had eight children; Mary, Abigail, Harriet, Samuel C., William F., Moses C., Anne Paine and Sarah Welles; Samuel had also three sons by a former marriage, Addison, Edward W. and James. Of these only Sarah, the youngest, now survives, a resident of the valley. Edward W., m. Mary Ann, dau. of Ashbel Welles.

483

ANNALS OF EARLY ATHENS

town and Owego, keeping in close touch with all the people. We are indebted to Wm. F. Warner for a most delightful sketch of Athens characters of this period, prefacing which he said it was "doubtful if another town of its size could furnish so many able and marked char- acters as Athens for a generation or more after 1818." Clement Paine, as years advanced, had become an eccentric.

In proper humor no one could surpass his pleasing social manners, but ordi- narily he chose to live apart, and was almost inseparable from his old horse Dick, a lank, ungainly roan who learned his master's peculiarities, and shared his moods. From a slow walk he would suddenly gambol, then amble, then gallop sharply, then resume the walk apparently without direction. Thus horse and man became inseparably associated for about twenty years, Mr. Paine's health at this period requiring an out door life. Many anecdotes are told of him, his austerity some- times becoming amusing even to himself."-W. F. W.

His wife was distinguished for her Christian character, intelligence and many virtues, known to the public by portions of her journal printed in "Early Times." Her letters, still in existence, were as volum- inous as they were remarkable, generally addressed to her sons. Francis Tyler, always an industrious lad, had become very prosperous, and in 1810 purchased of Clement Paine eighty acres, Mr. Paine allowing him "to improve the land, 1 ton plaster, 5 bushels spring wheat, 1 bushel peas, and 100 fruit trees from Paine's nursery", which was established between Paine Street and present L. V. R. R. Station. A curious reservation was one right in the shad fishing. For this property, according to Mr. Paine's memorandum, Mr. Tyler paid $4,000 cash, and later purchased adjacent lands at intervals, leaving to his de- scendants a goodly heritage. At this period came Uriah Wilson, from Kingsbridge, Westchester County, N. Y., a college-bred man of some importance in his native town. He purchased some school lands in the borough and built a house, still standing on Main Street. His wife was Mary Harkness. His son James, one of twelve children, born April 8, 1820, was, at the time of his death in 1905, the oldest native citizen of Athens, from whom we obtained many facts of interest.

In 1820 Ira H. Stephens and James Calkin were merchants in the village. Calkin purchased the home of George Welles, but was not long a resident. This year the Chemung bridge was completed, a great convenience to the country people; it was built a little south of the old ferry, necessitating the opening of Tioga Street. This year also the first known cabinet shop was built on the site of present Stimson House by Daniel Rote, who married a daughter of Elisha Matthewson. (As we are going to ELIZABETH MATTHEWSON press we learn that Mrs. Rote was not, as we supposed, Elizabeth Matthewson, one of the early belles

484

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

of Tioga Point, whose portrait is here introduced. Elizabeth, known as a masterful young woman, married Benjamin Mckean, of Troy.)

David M. Cook, a native of New Haven, Ct., came to Athens about 1818, and married Laura, daughter of Ashbel Welles. Little is known of his life or occupation here, further than that he built quite a pretentious house on the lot now occupied by N. C. Harris, which Cook purchased from Dr. Hopkins and John Griffin, Sr. The house was de- scribed as "large and commodious, with spacious chambers and broad halls, embracing all the modern improvements, and finished with Venetian blinds." It is shown in the picture of 1842, and is still stand- ing on the south side of Hopkins Street, now known as the Kinner House. Mr. Cook sold the place to Lemuel S. Ellsworth,3 and pur- chased a farm on the Plains, where he erected another house, east of the road, still standing, later occupied by a brother-in-law, George O. Welles, and sold in 1841 to Guy Tozer, Sr. He removed to Elmira, where he became editor and part proprietor of the Elmira Republican. "He was a conspicuous member of the great Whig party ; a true, faith- ful and able exponent of its principles. As a citizen, neighbor and friend he had the respect and warm regard of all who knew him." At his death, October 14, 1843, a remarkable obituary showed forth his ability and fidelity, and the esteem of all acquaintances. We find in the old burying-ground the graves of David and Hannah Cook, who were probably the parents of David M. A son and daughter now live at Clarksville, Tenn.

Justin Forbes, for many years a well known and enterprising cit- izen of Athens, came in the decade previous to 1820, and was a mer- chant, lumberman, mail carrier and stage driver until he went south with the Saltmarshes. His first property was the lot now occupied by M. P. Murray, purchased from John Redington, although no house ever seems to have been erected by either owner. Later Forbes had a store and residence in the house now owned by heirs of Hopkins Herrick. Little is known of either of these families, though Mr. Redington may have been the father of the far-famed beauties, "the Redington girls," of Marshall's Corners. In 1822 there came to town some Welshmen, who were long actively connected with the making of Athens. William Parry4 was one, and his friend and acquaintance, Thomas R. Davies,5

3 The house passed from Mr. Ellsworth to Isaac Tompkins. In 1851, his wife, Helen C. Tompkins, deeded the house and lot to Elizabeth, wife of Col. Charles F. Welles, who moved it to present position in 1854. It proved impossible to reproduce the old picture in possession of the writer.

4 William and Jannet Parry had five children; Ellen, Samuel, Mary, Margaret and Elizabeth. Samuel is still living at Galesburg, Ill .; Ellen m. William Fury, resided elsewhere; Mary, one of the loveliest women Athens ever knew, m. an Englishman, Mark Thompson, and lived here or in vicinity; Margaret m. William Fritcher and lived and died here; Elizabeth m. Charles W. Clapp, and has been a lifelong resident of the borough. Mrs. Parry survived her husband many years. She was greatly beloved and esteemed as a noble Christian woman, full of loving sympathy and untiring care for all her friends and neighbors; self-sacrificing, gener- ous and meek to an unusual extent. Her death was in 1871.

5 Thomas R. Davies, son of David Davies and Elizabeth Williams, b. 1795, in the parish of Lowes, South Wales; emigrated to America in 1819, settled in the valley in 1821; m., in 1822, Asenath, dau. of Moses Woodburn, an active Revolutionary soldier, and one of the New Sheshequin pioneers. Mr. and Mrs. Davies spent their lives in Athens, living to celebrate their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary, and both dying in 1883. They had three sons and seven daugh- ters; Eustace, decd .; Elizabeth, m. F. S. Elliott; Adelia, m. H. A. Phelps; Nancy M .; Jane, m. A. O. Snell; Thomas, decd .; Sarah, m. J. Rose; Heloise, m. O. P. Hyde; Malvina, m. E. A. Marsh, and Eugene. Two daughters, Mrs. Phelps and Miss Nancy Davies, are still resident here; also two granddaughters, children of Mrs. Jennie F. Snell, who, like her mother, was a graceful and accomplished writer.

485

SOME WELSH SETTLERS

the other. Probably they came to Philadelphia with a party of Welsh people. At any rate Mr. Parry married there in 1822, Jannet Jones, a wealthy Welsh girl of good family. One of her sisters settled also in Athens, and it was not long before Mother Jones drove up from Phila- delphia, and purchased a large plot of land for her daughters, covering the ground west of Main Street, now occupied by Universalist, Baptist and old Catholic Churches, later known as the Herrick plot. Mr. Parry at first was "general factotum" for Clement Paine, having charge of his many properties ; and it may be said he was never abashed by the auster- ity of his employer. In 1833 he became keeper of the Chemung bridge, and all the reminiscences of "Commodore Parry" are in the bridge house, where he spent twenty-five years of his life.

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A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 66

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.] Number of Pages: 726

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726