• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection ^Chester in History Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection CANNOT BE PHOTOCOPIED ROCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY THE GIFT OF Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection HENKV CLAY MAINE Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection C. MAINE, Editor-in-Chief, now Deceased Contributors : Lieutenant-Colonel JOHN M. SWAN Major ARTHUR T. SMITH Captain CLARENCE BALL WILLIAM G. WATSON- WILLIAM F YUST MILTON NOYES WILLIAM E. MCCARTHY SYDNEY M. CROSSETT HUBERT S. THORPE PERCIVAL W GILLETTE. GILBERT J. C. MCCURDY Portraits b\ J. K. MOCK Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection Rochester in History WITH PORTRAITS and Our Part in the World War SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION 1922 Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection WECMAN-WALSH PRESS, INC. ROCHESTER, N.Y. R Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection PREFATORY HIS book is chiefly to represent the spirit and activities of Roch- Tester before, during and after the war in Europe. The labors and sacrifices of the pioneers are briefly described, forming what may be ) termed a partly nebulous background to the great world-shocking cal- f} amity of war. The work of those pioneers, able and devoted men, has ^ been outlined with much care, by our predecessors in the field of his- '_ tory and we have taken advantage of their admirable work in shaping a ^ brief outline of the principal episodes of early development. A great writer once said: "History is not written with a micro- scope." The microscope has not been used in the preparation of these pages, but an honest effort has been made to give a comprehensive out- - line of the conditions which have made present day Rochester possible. -4 "r Supplementing this is what is planned to be an adequate estimate of •v""the part Rochester played in the world conflict. Its preparation entailed jirO much difficulty. Many of the actors in those stirring scenes of but a few . years ago are reticent over the parts they played. For them the horrors ** ' of war are still too vivid, to relish discussion of them. Official documents, ^S press dispatches, official reports and the statements of trained observers have been relied upon to make this information complete. THE EDITORS Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection CHAPTER I THE DIM PAST VAST wilderness, unbroken except by the narrow trails of semi- A savage men of unknown origin; noble streams flowing with undi- minished waters to a great Mediterranean lake; cataracts of majestic power confined by gorges plowed in primeval rock; the floor of the rock planed and grooved by glacial action in a past so dim as to be in- calculable ; a range of hills supposed to have been piled by glacial drift in layers of sand and gravel; dividing the courses of streams and shel- tering the vast track northward from the downflow of frosty air to the lake level; a condition of climatic mildness that has been the marvel of a century; but faintly indicate the scenic and physical attractions on the site upon which has been built present day Rochester, N. Y. Nature invited the city and it struggled into existence, retarded somewhat by physical conditions that appalled and for some time thwarted the early pioneers. One hundred and fifty years ago the axe was not heard in the forests of the Genesee and the streams were un- vexed except by the canoes and fishing nets of the Iroquois. In sixty- four years, or in 1834, a city had sprung up in that hill protected place, overlooking cataracts. And it can be said, now that the city has spread and flourished for eighty-seven years that the site and surroundings are so far superior to the efforts of the early settlers and their successors to make Rochester equal to its opportunities; that long time and wis- dom are yet needful to adequate development. The causes of the rapid growth of the straggling hamlet of Roch- ester to a flourishing city of 300,000 inhabitants are not far to seek. There is no place on the map of the United States which combines so many beauties and so many possibilities as this city, which is still in its early youth. Iroquois statesmen and warriors, who built no houses and made no roads, but organized a confederacy more efficient and powerful than the ancient Amphictyonic council of the Greeks, first occupied the site of Rochester. The organization of this practical union of the five In- dian nations, known as the "League of the Iroquois," made up of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas, under a verbal constitution, is attributed to an Onondaga sachem, Hiawatha, by no means the wonder worker, made memorable by Longfellow. The Tus- caroras were admitted to the league in 1715. They, however, were not admitted to sit in the councils of the league, because the original com- pact of formation could not be altered. The Senecas ruled over Western New York and were the most active and powerful of the Five Nations. They played a great and very important part in the early history of the region between the [5] Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection ROCHESTER IN HISTORY Hudson river and Lake Erie. In 1613 the Iroquois entered into treaty and trade relations with the Dutch. In 1664 when the Dutch were forced to give over to the British, they too continued amicable relations with the Iroquois. In 1687 the Senecas were instrumental in saving for the British, Western New York, then menaced by a French expedition of 3,000 men under the command of Marquis de Denonville, governor of New France, in an effort to assure for the French king, the right of owner- ship which he claimed by virtue of the exploits of his explorers. The Duke of York, soon to become King of England, had appoint- ed Thomas Dongan, an Irish soldier, governor of the colony of New York. Given a hint of what the French contemplated Dongan prepared the Indians for the expected invasion. Powder and ball were doled out and the Indian war parties roamed the district seeking trace of the French expedition. Denonville had tried to deceive the New York gov- ernor as to his real purpose, but Dongan bided his time confident that from the northward a military menace portended, which it boded him to prepare for. Dongan had been warned to avoid an open clash with the French governor and heeded the warning but his secret prepara- tions continued. Thus it was that when the battle came the Senecas turned the tide for the British and saved this district for them. Denonville came up the St. Lawrence with that portion of his army which had been mobilized in Montreal, by small boats, which were dragged through the rapids. He reached Kingston, then known as Fort Frontenac, early in July, 1687. Preparations had been made for his reception and an effort made to enlist friendly Indians in his serv- ice. They refused and an effort was made to prevent their warning the Senecas. That effort failed for one managed to escape and crossing the lake in a canoe warned the Onondagas, who promptly informed the Senecas by runner, of the coming of the expedition. The Indians held at the fort were later ransomed or sent to Quebec for detention. A small force, some 500 men in all, from the upper lakes had mob- ilized at Niagara waiting orders from Denonville. He ordered them to meet the main expedition at Irondequoit bay. On July 1th the array at Frontenac embarked and crossed the lake, skirting the south shore until the headlands at Irondequoit were sighted. They arrived July 10th and on the same day the expedition arrived from Niagara and joined the main party. They landed on the sandy ridge which still sep- arates lake and bay, probably in close proximity to present day Sea Breeze. Seneca scouts witnessed the landing. The French fired a volley at them which did not harm. Runners were sent to the nearby villages, the women and children were sent into the recesses of the deep woods' and the Seneeas girded themselves for battle. In all they mustered a force of about 150 men. [8] Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection ROCHESTER IN HISTORY The French built a small log fort for the guard for the boats, which was their best means of retreat and at 3 o'clock on the afternoon of July 12th Denonville put his army in motion. The army followed a broad Indian trail which led from the lake toward the great Seneca town, almost on the site of present day Honeoye Falls. The route is believed to have been along the west shore of the bay. Denonville took possession of Western New York in the name of the King of France, but was not able to make his claim good. The following day found the French marching along Irondequoit Creek and in the afternoon on an intensely hot day they entered a dense forest, when scouts reported see- ing three or four Seneca women in a cornfield, and a quiet town ahead. The vanguard pushed forward rapidly hoping to surprise the place, not knowing that to their right in the thick forest, three hundred lusty warriors were in ambush.

Load more

  340

Copy Link