CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924025959531 PIONEER HISTORY OP ORLEAI^S COUNTY, OSr E "W^ YORK. CONTAINING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE CIVIL DIVISIONS OF WESTERN NEW YORK, "WITH BKIBB' BIOGKAPHICAIi NOTICES OP EARLY SETTLERS, AND Oi' THE HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS THET ENDURED, THE ORGANIZATION OP THE TOWNS IN THE COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH LISTS OF TOWN AND COUNTY OFFICERS. SINCE THE COUNTY WAS ORGANIZED, Wirn ANECDOTES AND nEMIKlSCENCES, lELUSTRATIKG THE CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE, EY ARAB THOMAS.. ALBION, N. Y.. H. A. BRUHER, ORLEANS AMERICAN STEAM PRESS PRINT. 1S71. 06 lot 7 / Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by ARAD THOMAS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Northern District of New York. Jebication. TO THE OBIiEANS COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION, BY BEQUEST OF MANY OF WHOSE MEMBERS THIS WOKK WAS UNDERTAKEN, BY WHOM THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN GREATLY AIDED IN PREPARING IT, AND TO WHOM HE FEELS UNDER OBLIGATIONS FOR MANY PERSONAL FAVORS, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. PKEFACE. " The origin of this book is briefly this : The Orleans: County Pioneer Association had collected a volume in manuscript of local history of many of its members, written by themselves, which they desired to have published. Some difficulty existed in getting out the work- by the Association, and the author was requested by- many of his friends to get up a b.ook on his own ac- count, which should contain the substance of the his- tories referred to, and such other matter connected with i;he Pioneer History of Orleans County, as might be of general interest to readers. The author has used the records of the Association, taking some histories of Pioneers in full, as written by themselves ; and extracting and condensing from others such parts as he thought of more general inter- est, and as his space would aUow. Many of his facts he has collected from his own knowledge, and from the testimony of early settlers, and others acquainted with the matter. To those who have so kindly aided him by such in- formation as they possessed, he return's his sincerest thanks, particularly to Messrs. Asa Sanford, Matthew Gregory and Hon. Eobert Anderson, for their gener- ous contributions of material for this book. The character of this book being local, many names of persons, and events of private history have been in- troduced, of little interest perhaps out of the families and neighborhood o'f the parties ; but with these the author has endeavored to collect and, preserve the- PREFACE. memory of such events of a i more public character, as marked the;' progress of settlement of this portion of the Holland Purchase, and as may be worthy of remembrance. TW this purpose O'Reiley's Sketches of Rochester, Turner's History of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and of the Holland Purchase, and French's Gazetteer of New York, have been consulted, and such extracts and compilations made as could be found there. It has been an object, kept in view, to collect as much personal reminiscence as possible, for the grat- ification of the older inhabitants of Orleans County, for whom the book was more particularly designed. Errors in dates, events, names and narratives, no doubt may be found in the work. Such errors are unavoidable in giving details of statements of aged people, often conflicting in their character, and the in- telligent reader may sometimes regret that he finds no notice here of facts and incidents in the Pioneer His- tory of this region of country, which he may deem of more importance than much of the matter the book contains. Some such facts and incidents may not have come to th^ notice of the author, and he has been compeU- <ed to omit much matter of interest, lest his work should be too. large, beyond the plan proposed. Much as apology may seem to be needed, the au- thor has little to make, more than to say he is not a professional book maker, and has no hope of found- ing a literary reputation on this work. He has little fear therefore of critics, and will be happy, if by this labor he has pleased the old settlers of Orleans County and done his part to save from oblivion, good matter for history, fast passing away ; for in the beautiful language of Whittier— " still from the hurrying train of life, fly backward far and fast, The mile stones of the fathers,—the landmarks of the past." CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. The Indians of Western New-York—Their Traditionary History—An- cient Fortifications in Shelby—Their Friendship for the White Man in the War of 1813—Fishing and Hunting. CHAPTER II. Phelps and Gtorham's Purchase—When made—Territory Included in —Consolidated Securities—Their Sale to' Robert Morris—Divisions of their Purchase—The Triangle. CHAPTER III. The 100,000 Acre Tract—Boundaries—Dr. Levi Ward—Levi A. Ward —Joseph Fellows—Transit Line. , CHAPTER IV. The Holland Purchase—Names of Company—Location of Tract—Sur- veys—Ceded by Indians—Counties in New-York One Hundred Years Ago—Genesee Country—Genesee County and its Subdivisions—Jo- seph EUicott and brother Benj., Surveyors—Agent of the Company —^Land Office—Where Located—Practice in Locating Land—Arti- cles—Clemency of the Land Company—Deeding Lots for School Houses—Land Given to Religious Societies—Anecdote of Mr. Busti Rev. Andrew Rawson—Route ot Travel to Orleans County—Oak Orchard Creek and Johnson's Creek—Why so Named—Kinds of Forest Trees—Wild Animals—Salmon and other Fish—Rattlesnakes —Raccoons and Hedgehogs—Beaver Dams—Fruits—EflFeot of Clear- ing Land on Climate—The Tonawanda Swamps. CHAPTER V. The Log House—Description—How Built-Windows and Door—Walls Raised at a Bee—Chimneys—Ovens-Cellars—Double Log House- Copied after Indian Wigwam—Fires—Great Back Log—Lights- CHAPTER YI. Log House Furniture—Beds and Bedding—Fire Place—Hooks and Trammel—Bake Pan—Table—Chairs—Pewter Spoons—Blue Edged. Plates—Black Earthen Tea Pots. * CHAPTER VII. Clearing Land and First Crops—Cutting down the Trees—Black Salts —Slashing—Olearihg—Fallow—Planting and Sowing—Harvesting; and Cleaning Up—How Done. — — CONTENTS. Til .CHAPTEB VIII. Hardships and Privsitions—Want of Breadstuff—Scarcity of Mills Difficulty of getting Grain Ground—Mill on a Stump—Fever and Ague—Quinine" and Blue Pill—No Post Offlce-r-Keeping Cattle Difficulty Keeping Fire—^Instance ot Fire Ou^-Want of GJood Water —No Highways—Discouragement from Sickness—Social Amuse- ments—Hospitality—Early Merchants—Their Stores and Goods- Domestic Manufactures—^Post Offices and Mails. CHAPTER IX. The Erie Canal—^When Begun—Effect—Eisein Price of Everything— Progress of Improvement—Carriages on Springs. CHAPTER X Puhlic Highways—The Ridge Road—When Laid Out—Appropriation —Oak Orchard Road—Opened by Holland Company—Road from Shelby to Oak Orchard in Barre—Salt Works Roads—State Road along Canal—Judge Porter's Account of first Tracing the Ridge Road. CHAPTER XI. Railroads—^Medina and Darien—Medina and Lake Ontario—Roches- ter, Lockport and Niagara Palls. CHAPTER XII. State of Education—School Houses—Description—Gaines Academy Otjier Academies and Schools. , CHAPTER XIII. State of Religion—Religious Peeling among -the People—^Ministers and Missionaries—Meeting House In Gaines—First in County—Building. CHAPTER XIV. Burying Grounds—^Mount Albion Cemetery—^Boxwood Cemetery. ' CHAPTER XV. Town ,of BarreT—First settled along Oak Ov'chard Road—Land Given by the Holland Company to Congregational Society—Congregational Church—Presbyterian Church in Albion—First Tavern—First Store —First Lawyer—First Doctor—First Deed of Land to Settler—Deeds of Land in Albion—First House in Albion—Death of Mrs. McCallis- ter—First Warehouse—First Saw Mill—First Grist Mill—Trade in Lumber—First Ball—First Town Meeting—Fourth of July, 1831— First Wedding in Albion—Story—Biographies of Early Settlers. CHAPTER XVI. Village of^Albion—^First Inhabitants—First Business Men—Strife with Gaines for Court House—Strategy used by Albion men to get Court House 'Barst Court House—Second Court House—County Jail First Hotel—^Pirst Warehouse—Stone Flouring Mill—Lawyers—Drs. Nichoson and White—^First Tanyard—First Blacksmiths—Name of the Village. —— TTll CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVII. Town of Carlton—Name—Lumber Trade—First Settlement of White Men in County—James Walsworth—Village of Majiilla—Names of Persons who took Articles of Land in Carlton in 1803, 1804 and 1805 —Matthew Dunham-Curious Mill to Pound Corn—Dunham's Saw Mill and Grist Mill—First in County-First Frame Barn—The Union Company—Death of Elijah Brown—First Children Born in Town First Store—Biographies of Early Settlers. CHAPTER XVIII. Town of Clarendon—Difficulty in getting Titles from Pultney Estate— Eldi-edge Farwell—Farwell's Mills—First School—First Merchants —J. and D. Sturgess—First Postmaster—First Physician—Presbyte- rian Church—First Town Meeting—Biographies of Early Settlers. CHAPTER XIX. 'Town of Gaines—First Settlers—Case of Getting Fire—NoahJBurgess —Mrs. Burgess—Cutting Logs for a House—First Orchard—First School House—Drake's Mill Dam and Saw Mill—Organization of McCarty's Militia Company—Their Scout after British and Indians —Dr. Jesse Beach—Orange Butler—First Marriage—First Birth First Newspaper in Orleans County—First Tayern—-Store—Grist Mill—First Merchants—James Mather Dealing in Black Salts, &c. Business at Gaines Basin— Villfige of Gaines—Gaines Academy—Ef- forts to Locate Court House Here—Trade in Other Localities—Biog- raphies of Early Settlers.