USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > The history of Erie County, Pennsylvania, from its first settlement > Part 9
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Henry Hill
22 21
9 66
Wesley ville
Samuel L. Potter
82 36
23 83
West Springfield.
Gilbert Hurd.
63
59 08
Springfield X Roads
Timothy S. Cowles
153 92
75 22
Edinboro
Marcus Saley
Carter Hill.
David White.
In 1861 one other office was added, that of Oak Grove. The distributing office at Erie was discontinued after Janu-
97
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
ary 1, 1838 ; afterward restored, and again discontinued in 1858. In order to defray expenses in 1860, the boxes were rented at two dollars each per annum.
In 1808 the county treasurer reported $9,890.31} ; of this, $4,055.84} was in the treasury, December 31, 1807. The county expenses amounted to $2,763.15. The same year $1,178.47} was expended in building and materials for the courthouse, and $20.20 appropriated to clear French Creek.
In 1860 the receipts of the county were $58,178.51, and the expenditures $50,592.91.
Courts and Judicial Districts .- Erie being a part of Craw- ford, for all county purposes, from 1800 to 1803, it belonged to the fifth judicial district.
By the judiciary act of February 24, 1806, Butler, Mercer, Venango, Crawford, and Erie composed the sixth judicial district.
In 1818 Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango, and Warren com- posed the sixth.
In 1830 Erie, Venango, Mercer, and Crawford were the sixth ; and afterward Erie, Crawford, and Warren became the sixth.
Jasper Yates held a circuit court in Erie on the 15th of October, 1806 ; Judge Breckenridge one in October, 1807.
In 1839 Crawford, Erie, and Venango had a district court, which was in 1841 extended also to Mercer County. Judge James Thompson presided. The court expired by limitation in five years.
David Derrickson was elected an additional president judge, with the same associates, in 1856.
A session of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court was held in Erie in 1854. Judges present : Lewis (president), Woodward, Lowrie, and Knox.
President Judges of the Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions .- Judge Addison, 1800; Jesse Moore, 1803; Henry Shippen, 1825 ; N. B. Eldred, 1839; Gaylord Church, 1849 ; John Galbraith, elected in 1851. Judge Galbraith died in 1860, and Rasselas Brown was appointed by Gov. Packer to fill the vacancy until the next election. S. P. Johnson was elected in 1860 ; L. D. Wetmore, 1870; J. P. Vincent, 1874; W. A. Gal- braith, 1877 ; Frank Gunnison, 1887.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Associate Judges .- John Bell, John Kelso, John Cochran, Wilson Smith, John Vincent, John Grubb, Myron Hutchin- son, John Brawley. In 1851 James Miles and J. M. Sterrett were elected, and in 1856 Samuel Hutchins and John Grier.
Erie is annexed to the western district of the Supreme Court.
In 1810 Erie, Beaver, Mercer, Crawford, Warren, and Ve- nango constituted a congressional district. In 1820 Beaver was apportioned to another district.
In 1830 Erie County, with Crawford, Mercer, Warren, and Venango formed the Eighteenth Congressional District.
In 1843 Erie, Warren McKean, Potter, Jefferson, and Clarion were constituted the Twenty-third Congressional District. It was styled the " Gerrymander," from Elbridge Gerry, as it was supposed to have been thus divided for politi- cal purposes. The Whigs, notwithstanding, elected their can- didate, C. M. Reed, by a majority of forty the same year.
In 1852 Erie, Crawford, and Warren became the Twenty- fifth Congressional District.
Members of Congress .- William Hoge; Samuel Smith ; Robert Moore ; Thomas Wilson ; Abner Lacock ; P. Farrelly, 1820 ; P. Farrelly died 1822, and T. H. Sill was elected to fill his unexpired term of one year ; Stephen Barlow, 1824 ; T. H. Sill, 1828 ; John Banks, 1830; John Galbraith, 1832-4; A. Plumer, 1836 ; John Galbraith, 1838 ; A. Plumer, 1840 ; Chas. M. Reed, 1842; J. W. Farrelly, 1848 ; James Thompson, 1845 ; C. B. Curtis ; John Dick, 1852-54-56; Elijah Babbitt, 1858-62.
In 1801 the State apportionment included twenty-five Sen- ators, and Crawford, Venango, Mercer, Warren, and Erie (forming one county under the name of Crawford, for all county purposes) elected one member, the returns being made at the courthouse in Meadville.
March 8, 1815, the State had thirty-one Senators, and Mercer, Erie, Warren, Venango, and Crawford still were en- titled to but one. In 1830 Erie, Crawford, and Mercer consti- tuted the Twenty-third Senatorial District. In 1843 Erie and Crawford became the Twenty-seventh, and entitled to one member. An apportionment in 1856 gave the State thirty- three Senators, Erie and Crawford being still entitled to but
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
one. In 1836 Erie and Crawford became the Twenty-first District. -
Members of State Senate .- William McArthur, 1801; Wm. Bell; Wilson Smith, 1809; Joseph Shannon, 1813; Henry Hurst, 1817 ; J. Herrington, 1821-22.
In 1820 the Twentieth Senatorial District was composed of Erie, Crawford, and Warren. Jacob Herrington, 1821-22-23 ; John Leach, 1825 to 1827 ; Thomas Cunningham, 1829 to 1836 ; J. M. Sterrett, 1837 to 1839 ; J. W. Farrelly, 1842; Elijah Babbitt, 1844 ; James D. Dunlap, 1845; J. B. Johnson, 1846 ; J. H. Walker, 1849-51 ; James Skinner, 1852-54; Darwin A. Finney, to 1860.
House of Representatives. - In 1800 Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Warren, and Venango jointly elected two members.
The Assembly in 1801 consisted of eighty-six members, the Counties of Crawford, Venango, Erie, Warren, and Mercer being entitled to one member.
In 1815 it had ninety-seven members, and the representation from Erie, Crawford, Venango, Warren, and Mercer was in- creased to three.
In 1843 Erie and Crawford were entitled to two members in the House.
In 1856 Erie became entitled to two members.
Members of Assembly .- Samuel Ewatt, District of all the Northwest, 1800 ; Alexander Buchanan, 1801 ; John Lytle, Jr., 1802; Wilson Smith, 1805; John Phillips and James Herrington, 1808 ; John Phillips and Roger Alden, 1809; John Phillips and Patrick Farrelly, 1811 ; James Weston and James Burchfield, 1813; Jacob Herrington, James Weston, and Ralph Marlin, 1815; S. Hays, R. Marlin, and J. Her- rington, 1816 ; S. Hays, Thomas Wilson, and R. Marlin, 1817 ;. J. Herrington, James Cochran, and J. Hackney, 1818; W. Smith, James Cochran, and William Connelly, 1819.
From the district composed of Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Ve- nango, and Warren-Wilson Smith, William McConnelly, Jacob Herrington, 1820 ; David Brown, James Cochran, George Moore, 1821; James Weston, 1822; T. H. Sill, from Erie and Warren, 1823; Gen. John Phillips, 1824; Stephen
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Woolverton, 1825-27 ; George Moore, 1828-29; John Riddel, 1831 ; J. H. Walker, 1832-35 ; E. Babbitt, J. K. Miller, 1836 ; Charles M. Reed, David Sawdy, 1837; William M. Watts, Samuel Hutchins, 1838; S. Skinner, J. D. Dunlap, 1840; Stephen Skinner, L. Robinson, 1842; J. D. Dunlap, David A. Gould, 1843 ; J. D. Dunlap, Mark Baldwin, 1844 ; J. B. John- son, L. Robinson, 1845; William Sanborn, D. A. Gould, 1846 ; G. J. Ball, William Sanborn, 1847; G. J. Ball, T. Ryman, 1848 ; J. C. Reid, L. Hart, 1849 ; J. C. Reid, A. W. Blaine, 1851 ; C. W. Kelso, A. W. Blaine, 1851 ; C. W. Kelso, H. A. Hill, 1852 ; W. Warner, G. J. Ball, 1853 ; G. J. Ball, James Thompson, 1854 ; G. J. Ball, M. Whallon, 1855 ; J. W. Campbell, W. Laird, 1858 ; J. Gunnison, H. Teller, 1859 ; H. Teller, G. J. Ball, 1860.
Previous to 1840, the offices of prothonotary and register and recorder were united, and the incumbent appointed by the Governor.
The first appointment was of Callender Irvine, 1803 ; James E. Herron, 1808 (Major Herron, U. S. A., died in Syracuse in 1818) ; John Kelso; Thomas Wilson, 1820, who died in 1824, and was succeeded by E. J. Kelso; William Kelley, 1836 ; James C. Marshall, 1839; Wilson King, 1842 and 1845 ; James Skinner, 1848 ; Samuel Perley, 1851 ; Alfred King, 1854 ; James Skinner, 1857 and 1860, and was re-elected and served to 1863 ; Samuel Rea, 1866.
In 1839 E. D. Gunnison was appointed first register and recorder, and held the office until after the fall election. William Kelly was elected 1839 and 1841; Thos. Moorhead, Jr. 1845; R. J. Sibley, 1849; D. McAllaster, 1851 and 1854 ; William P. Trimble, 1857 ; Samuel Rea, Jr., 1860-61.
Sheriffs .- Wilson Smith, 1804 ; Jacob Carmack, 1809; Jacob Spang, 1812; David Wallace, 1813 ; James Weston,1 1815 ; acting John C. Wallace, 1818; Thomas Laird, 1822; Stephen Woolverton, from 1816 and 1822-25; A. Thayer, 1826 ; A. W. Brewster, William Fleming, Thomas Mehaffy, 1835 ; A. Scott,2
1 James E. Herron received the same number of votes; the Governor being a Democrat, it was decided in favor of James Weston.
2 During Mr. Scott's term of office the sentence of the law was carried out in the execution of Henry Francisco, whose death warrant was issued December 12, 1837. This is the only instance of capital punishment in the history of Erie County, though others have doubtless been guilty of the crime of murder.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
1838 ; E. M. W. Blaine, William E. McNair, M. W. Caughey, 1846 ; Peter E. Burton, 1849; Thomas Vincent, 1852; J. Killpatrick, 1855 ; John W. McLane, 1858, and served to 1861.
Coroners .- Abraham Smith, October 26, 1803 ; John Milroy, November 14, 1806 ; John Gray, November 17, 1807; John C. Wallace, November 8, 1809 ; John McCord, December 21, 1813 ; John Morris, April 23, 1816 ; Benjamin Russell, January 8, 1822; Rufus S. Reed, February 8, 1825 ; William Fleming, 1827 ; David Wallace, 1830; David McNair, 1833 ; Samuel Keefer, 1836 ; J. K. Caldwell, 1839 ; H. Bates, 1841 ; Thomas Dillon, 1845 ; S. L. Forster, 1848 ; S. Dunn, 1851 ; D. Burton, 1854; T. Dillon, 1857; R. Gaggin, 1860.
In July, 1805, the first section of the town of Erie was erected into a borough, and the May following the first borough officers were chosen.
. In 1807 the sum of $2,000 was granted by the State to the
COURTHOUSE BUILT IN 1824.
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commissioners, to expend in erecting buildings for county purposes. This courthouse was destroyed by fire March 23, 1823, with all the records. Another was immediately erected
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
upon the same foundation, and after the same plan, which was not superseded until 1853. This second building served not only for courts and county purposes for thirty years, but for all lectures and public meetings of the citizens. Almost every church originated and held its meetings there, until otherwise provided. The famous railroad convocations were the last held there, and at that time it had become decidedly a gloomy and out-of-date edifice.
In 1852 the corner stone of the present commodious and im- posing structure was laid. Judge John Vincent, who was present at the ceremony, and had filled the office of associate judge since 1805, remarked that he himself had selected and purchased the ground for the county commissioners forty- eight years before.
The ground plan of the building is sixty-one feet by one hundred and thirty-two, and the height from the ground to the top of the vane one hundred and twenty-eight feet. It is of the Roman-Corinthian order, and was designed by Thomas H. Walter. The whole cost of the building was between $64,000 and $65,000.
March 20, 1811, an act passed the Legislature " that the beach of the lake from the upper corner of the garrison tract, and for twenty perches back from the water's edge, down the lake to the out lots, and from thence down the same, including all the land between the out lots and the water's edge to the tract of land No. 38, shall be and remain a public landing for the use of the inhabitants and others."
In 1833 the inhabitants of the borough petitioned for an alteration in the law incorporating the borough, "stating that on a fair experiment they had found the existing laws insuf- ficient to promote conveniency and good order and public utility." This resulted in the alteration of the whole charter, excepting a part of the tenth section.
In 1833 a fine was imposed, of five hundred dollars or im- prisonment not exceeding six months, for cutting timber on the peninsula or setting fire to the shrubbery. R. S. Reed was appointed superintendent for five years.
In 1833 the third section, belonging to the commonwealth, of in and out lots was granted to the borough of Erie to con-
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
struct a canal basin in the Bay of Presqu'ile opposite the borough of Erie ; provided that one hundred acres of the said land be reserved for the use of a county poorhouse, to be selected by three persons appointed by the county commissioners.
The question of having a poorhouse was put to vote soon after, and carried by a small majority. Suitable buildings were soon after erected. The number of inmates during the year 1860 was 107 ; the number of deaths, 4; 4 were bound out, and 44 discharged. The receipts and cash in the treasury, $10,375.94. Expenditures, which include some old debts and expenses for a new building, $7,629.14. A requisition of $8,000 annually has been made on the county for several years past, for the support of the institution.
In 1834 the bounds of the borough were extended north- wardly 1300 feet into the Bay of Presqu'ile.
In 1835 a resolution passed to proceed against any who might erect any tenement on the peninsula or upon any part of the work erected to deepen the entrance to the harbor, or to place wood or other materials upon the public works or any sandbar.
Also, in 1835, Erie was authorized to borrow $50,000 to supply the borough with water. This contemplated improve- ment was never carried out.
In 1841 Erie was supplied with water by wooden pipes com- municating with a spring a mile or two distant, the expenses being paid by the consumers.
In 1838 a sale of one row of water lots in the second section was authorized, to pay the expense of grading and improving the streets and grounds of the second section.
In 1841 an act passed the Legislature to prevent the picking or gathering of cranberries on the peninsula, between July and October, with a fine of not less than ten dollars or more than twenty-five against every person so offending.1
1 The first day of October has been from that time denominated " cran- berry day," and in the popular sense has become an "institution." Whole families cross, the night before, kindle a fire, and are in readiness by the earliest dawn to proceed to the marshes where the cranberry abounds. The uninitiated may search and wander the day long and scarcely find a handful, while many a thrifty family has been provided with comforts for the winter, or even their dwellings respectably furnished by this day's profits. The number of boats being limited, toward evening an undue eagerness sometimes results in the swamping of boats and other accidents, which are often aggravated by intemperance.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
In 1843 an act passed the Legislature repealing the Nicholson Court of Pleas, which had been instituted in 1840. Without affording time for investigation, this court threatened to sell many of the farms in Erie County, as well as in other parts of the State, and dispossess those who had resided upon them for more than forty years. John Nicholson, President of the Population Company, was also State Treasurer and a de- faulter ; hence, a lien was supposed to rest on the lands once held by him. In the central part of the State the plea was more plausible; most of the lands in Erie County having been purchased after John Nicholson was divested of all in- terest in them.
In 1851 the government of the borough of Erie was changed to that of a city, and divided into the East and West Wards. It now has four, bounded as follows : First Ward-East of State, and north of Eighth Streets ; Second Ward-East of State, and south of Eighth Streets ; Third Ward-West of State, and south of Eighth Streets ; Fourth Ward-West of State, and north of Eighth Streets.
Erie, in 1860, had 11,113 inhabitants within its city limits of about four square miles ; thirteen churches (particularly de- scribed in Chapter XII.) ; two fine public schoolhouses ; a flourishing academy, and several excellent select schools. There are no incorporated banks in the county at present, but six private banking houses. For manufactures in iron there are two foundries, and the Eagle Furnace of Atchison & Henry, just without the city limits. The "Erie City Iron Works" of Liddell & Marsh employs 90 men, and manufac- tures steam engines, freight and passenger cars, drilling tools and pipe for oil wells, agricultural implements, mill gearing, farm bells, etc. They have also a planing mill and moulding room in connection with the furnace. The " Old Furnace " of Barr & Johnson employs 60 men, and manufactures stoves, farming implements, and mill, building, and machinery cast- ings.
There are four grist mills in the city : Fairmount Mills, Crouch & Brother, has three runs of stone; Erie City, C. McSparren, four runs of stone ; Canal Mill, William Kelley, three runs of stone; and Reed's Mill, Mrs. R. S. Reed, two
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
runs of stone. Near the city are Elliot's Mill, J. Elliot, three 1 runs of stone ; Hopedale Mill, H. Gingrich, two runs of stone ; six flour and feed stores, one wholesale.
There are three planing mills, two machine shops, two sash, etc., two stone potteries, and several petroleum oil refineries in different stages of progress. A piano-forte manufactory of Wm. Willing sometimes employs twenty men ; the instru- ments are of a fine tone, and in demand. The pump manu- factory of L. W. Olds supplies the home market, and sends a large number West. Besides this there are five breweries, one brass foundry, one gun shop, five watch shops, five saddle and harness shops, three for hats and caps, three coffinmakers, five cabinet and furniture stores, two soap and candles, four tin shops, four drugstores, two book, five hardware, eight millinery, one shirt manufactory, four dentists, three confec- tionery, two carriage manufactories and several small wagon shops, four daguerrean artists, four commission merchants on the dock, eleven dry goods stores-wholesale and retail, eight shoe stores, five clothing stores, five wholesale groceries, twenty-one retail groceries, and ten dealers in bituminous coal.
The first borough election was held May 5, 1806, and re- sulted as follows : John C. Wallace, Burgess ; Judah Colt, Rufus S. Reed; George Buehler, Robert Hays, George Schantz, Town Council ; Robert Irwin, High Constable.
At the first meeting James E. Herron was appointed Town Clerk ; Thomas Forster, Wm. Wallace, James Baird, Street Commissioners ; Wm. Bell, Treasurer. Burgesses-Thomas Wilson, 1807; George Buehler, 1808 and 1809 ; John C. Wal- lace, 1810 and 1811; Samuel Hays, 1812; Judah Colt, 1813 ; George Moore, 1814 and 1815 ; Thomas H. Sill, 1816 and 1817 ; George Moore, 1818 and 1819 ; Judah Colt, 1820 and 1821 ; John Morris, 1822, 1823, and 1824; John C. Wallace, 1825, 1826, and 1827 ; Tabor Beebe, 1828 ; Thomas H. Sill, 1829 ; Wm. Johns, 1830 ; Geo. A. Elliot, 1831 ; Thomas Forster, chosen 1832, Tabor Beebe acted instead ; Thos. H. Sill, 1833 ; J. M. Sterrett, 1835 ; J. B. Laughead, 1836 and 1837 ; James L. White, March, 1838 ; Wm. Kelley, 1839; Myron Goodwin, 1840 ; Rufus S. Reed, 1841; Thomas Stewart, 1842; Thomas H. Sill, 1843 and 1844 ;
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Charles W. Kelso, 1845 ; Wm. Kelley, 1846 and 1847 ; Charles W. Kelso, 1848; A. W. Brewster, 1849; B. B. Vincent, 1850 ; Thomas G. Colt, first Mayor, 1851, from May acting Mayor ; M. Whallon, April, 1852; A. King, March, 1853 and 1854 ; W. Laird, 1855 and 1856 ; James Hoskinson, 1857 ; W. Laird, 1858 ; S. Smith, 1859 and 1860; P. Metcalf, 1862 to 1865; F. F. Farrar ; W. L. Scott, 1866 ; O. Noble, 1867 to 1871; W. L. Scott; C. M. Reed until H. Rawle, 1874 to 1875; J. W. Hammond, 1876 ; Selden Marvin, 1877; D. I. Jones, 1878 ; I. J. McCarter, 1881 to 1882; P. Becker, 1883 to 1884; F. F. Adams, 1885; F. A. Mizener, 1886 ; J. C. Brady, 1887 and 1888 ; Charles S. Clarke ; Walter Scott, 1893.
The first city officers were elected May 15, 1851.
Mayor-T. G. Colt.
High Constable-A. C. Landon.
Select Council-East Ward : A. W. Brewster, F. Sevin, Clark McSparren. West Ward : S. M. Carpenter, John Zim- merly, Wm. M. Gallagher.
Common Council-East Ward : P. Metcalf, L. L. Momeyer, O. D. Spafford, J. D. Dunlap, A. A. Craig, Josiah Kellogg. West Ward : James Skinner, Wilson King, Thomas Dillon, S. W. Keefer, D. G. Landon, Adam Atchison ..
Collectors of the Customs for the District of Presqu'ile- Thomas Forster, 1801 ; Edwin J. Kelso, 1836 ; Charles W. Kelso, 1845 ; William M. Gallagher, 1849; Murray Whallon ; James Lytle, 1853; John Brawley, 1857; Murray Whallon ; Charles M. Tibbals, 1859.
District of Presqu'ile embraces the whole coast line of the State of Pennsylvania on Lake Erie ; it contains about forty miles of shore, and has three shipping points-Erie, the port of entry, Northeast, and Elk Creek, the business of the two latter being principally the shipment of staves and lumber.
Postmasters in Erie-John Hay ; John Gray, 1809 ; Robert Knox, 1811, who resigned after having filled the office to gen- eral acceptance seventeen years ; James Hughes, 1828 ; Robert Cochran, 1833; Smith Jackson, 1840; Andrew Scott, 1842; Robert Cochran, 1845; T. H. Sill, 1849; B. F. Sloan, 1853 ; Joseph M. Sterrett, 1861.
CHAPTER IX.
First Road-Population Company Roads-Erie and Waterford Turnpike-Salt Trade-Gen. O' Hara's Contract-Road to Buffalo -First Coaches-Erie Canal-Railroads-Erie and Wattsburg Railroad-Sunbury and Erie-Erie and Northeast-Franklin Canal Company-Pittsburg and Erie Railroad-Plank Roads.
THE opening of the first road in Erie County, as we have seen in Chapter III., was by the French, in 1753, from Erie to Waterford. This is still a good road, and in use for seven miles in a southerly direction from Erie ; it is then scarcely traceable, but soon after is merged into the Erie and Water-
1 ford plank road, the site of the "new Shun-pike." In 1795, when the first settlers came to the Triangle, the traveled road was in pretty much the same location, as they allude to trees growing up in its path.1
The Pennsylvania Population Company made many of the roads. T. Rees, Esq., their agent, opened one in Harbor Creek in 1797, and Mr. Colt, who succeeded him, says : "June 3, 1797, set a number of men at opening roads leading to the intended station, nine and a half miles south of the mouth of Sixteen Mile Creek."
There was a road to Forster's mill (being the first erected in the county on Walnut Creek) ; to Conneauttee Lake, where Alexander Powers was located ; to Conneaut Creek, Col. Dun- ning McNair's station ; and to the headwaters of Beaver Creek, where Mr. Jabez Colt was assistant agent.
August, 1801 .- Mr. Colt says : "Gen. Paine called to obtain a subscription in money for the purpose of opening a road from
1 The first intention seemed to have been to make a military road, to level the hills and elevate the valleys; and cavities where the roots had been grubbed out, 'could be discerned for about half the distance from Erie. Hence it has been called the grubbed road, not as is usually sup- posed from the families of the name of Grubb on its line. Cannon balls, accoutrements, harness, and various implements were found along this route as late as 1825.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
the east end of the Triangle to Buffalo Creek, and presented a letter from Mr. Kirtland, agent of the Connecticut Land Company, on the subject." Mr. Colt waived the matter until he should write to his principals, and after dinner Gen. Paine was furnished with provisions to carry him through the woods to Buffalo. The latter part of October a road was coin- pleted from Buffalo, westward, eighteen miles, at the expense of the Connecticut Company.
In 1805 the first election was held at Waterford for officers of the Erie and Waterford Turnpike Company. Col. Thomas Forster was chosen President, and Henry Baldwin, John Vincent, Ralph Marlin, James E. Herron, John C. Wallace, Wm. Miles, James Brotherton, and Joseph Hackney, Mana- gers ; Judah Colt, Treasurer.
This road was completed in 1809, and was a desirable im- provement. Its location was less direct, and on higher ground than the French road, for the purpose of accommo- dating the farmers who were large shareholders.
The Waterford Turnpike was a particularly useful improve- ment, as all the salt for Pittsburg, and even down to the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville), passed from Erie to Waterford. Besides this, manufactures of iron and glass, whisky and flour from the Monongahela, and bacon from Kentucky, came up the Allegheny to Waterford, and from thence to Erie, which was then the depot for the lake country. The road was from two to five miles wide, diversified with stumps, logs, logheaps, and very deep mud holes. With such hin- drances by the way, and from four to six oxen to guide, it was not unusual for a load of salt or provisions to be four days crossing the portage of fifteen miles. Often a part of the burden had to be abandoned. An instance is related of a bar- rel of whisky having been rolled at least half the distance by one of our most persevering and wealthy citizens.
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