F 34701% LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. PRESENTED BY UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. .^ c.^^ (^ ti-^"^ Z?/-^. .:2^^^ ^'>— -^^^— ^ * f « ^^^ — /^ 'tU^ ?v oh: ^' ^ J OHtBB®A»l?l#W OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, SINC'LAIRVILLE, N. Y., JULY 4, 1870, (N TPK SIXTY-KIOHTH YEAi: or the Si;TTI,K,Mi;NT OF THE TOWN OF M A R fit illl B I INOLUDlNd THE HISTORICAL ADDRESS BY OBED EDSON. WITH AN APPENDIX. i PUBLISHED BY DIRECTION OP THE COMMITTEE OP ARRANGE' MENTi. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, By OB ED ED SON, In the offic*'. of the Libraruin of Congnss, /.s/. iVo. 1(»— Henry T. Dunbar and wife, Wilson Ed- monds and wife, Jacob Lan<2:worthy and wife. /fist. No. 11 — Edwin Ciawford and wife, Lewis Sim- mons and wife. Joint Dist. Cliar/ottc ami Cherry Gink — Nathan M. Cle- land and wife, John M. L'win and wife, Edwin F. Lake anns, and other synibols of ]-ejoicing. Since then this day has not passed without such demonstrations. Its sacred observance has done mucb to perpetuate and preserve our liberties; to keep alive the patriotism of the peo])le, nerving them to re- sist the dangers that have threatened tjiem ; it has made them vigilant, and eternal vigilance is said to be the price of liberty. Our country during the century has been assailed l)y foes from without and within; we have been involved in continuous wars with the Lidian, England and Mexico; we have had a full .share of in- ternal trouble and dissensions; Shay's war in Massachu- Mts; the whiskey rebellion in Pennsylvania; the con- • .! <\u'y of l)urr; tbe Hai'tford convention convened it ; msimI in the interest of the enemy. Some of these ^ (1 (Inngeishavebeen averted bynegotiation,oth- \ i I 1 )y 1( n'co. ( )f a ■ ' ^ ■ > ' 1 ' (i cation of S( >uth Car- nMUfM-cdli ""^' and force ofwill ' Ihecountrvto ^^ '^01^ ^^^^ ^X . L>t5 Ilidory of (JharLoik. 5 meet and triumph over these difficulties, has been fos- tered by tlie annual recurrence and observance of our National Festival. The grand scale upon which it is being celebrated through the nation to-day, may not have been foreseen. When the remains of Bonaparte were removed from St. Helena to France, the enthusi- asm for his memory was mainly confined to those whose fortunes had been actually joined with him. The en- thusiasm of this day is more extended and better foun- iece. Obed Edson, of Sinclairville, delivered the following Address: ADDRESS: There may 1)0 nothing in the annals of a little com- niunity like ours, that entitles it to a place beside a na- tion's iiistory,for we can point to no famous battle-fields, or bloody wai's. Yet, if we but look, we may see close around us liere, fields where glorious victories have been won, peaceful victories, that have brought in their train, neither pestilence nor famine; that have made neither widows nor orphans. Here, where we stand, and on these verdant hills and green fields, within the century that closed with yesterday, there stood forest trees of majestic growth ; thickly standing as they had for centuries stood. He, who merely as a lover of na- ture, gazed upon these boundless woods, when they grew in their original grace, and saw them in the spring 6 Ifidm'y of Chorlotte. when robed in raiment of the brightest green, or in au- tumn, when time and frost had changed their vesture to silver and gold, this attractive scene could but invite and charm. But to the pioneer, who sought a home in this mighty forest, to grapple with and subdue it, it prof- fered only a lifetime of toil and privation; a constant and exhaustive struggle. Yet the forest has been van- quished, and there yet lingers with us the veteran rem- nants of the army, that fought this battle of the Wil- derness. It shall be the business of this day to recount the incidents of that struggle. Their exploits are not such as we find emblazoned u})- on the pages of history; no thrilling adventures — no hair-breadth escapes — no fierce encounters with human foes, and scarcely with the untamed denizens of the woods. Yet their achievements Avere not less manly, and the vii-tues that inspired them less noble, than those that animated the l)eroes of history. They had forti" tudc to bear tlie privationsincident tolife in the woods; coui-age and i-esolutioji tofaccthe innumeral)le dangers that i)esct tiieni; and better than all, hunianity to light- en tiic bu;-(hcns, and ]xlieve the wants, of those that sullered witli them in tlie wilderness. If the brief records of a town, fail to fill the breast with patiiotic pride, as do the annals of a nation; if the sinn)le story of our fi'icndsand townsmen, does not kin- dle the lolly cMnotif-ns ins[)ired by the victories of lau- loied heroes, they foster sim2)le and. tender affections; they savor more of the hearthstont^; and the suggestion was a wist! one, that on this One Hundredth Anniver- sary of the Country's birth, Ave should do honor, not on- ly ('> the ln.'roos tluit lielped to carve out our National . Inde|H'n(U-nce with the sword, and the statesmen that fVamed the wise system of government that this day will cease to Ixi j-egarded as only an experiment; l>ut also that we should go among our neighl)ors, and at the fii'esidc honoi' the [)ioneor who assisted to remove the forest, piopare the homes, and lay the foundations up- Ilidin-ij of Chdr/nlft . 7 on which tJie statesiiuni ha;? built, and which the .soldier defended. The achievements of the one, are e(|ual to those of the other; achievement.^ that move the l)rcast alike with o'eneroiLs emotions, and stir the lieart with an equal, but a ditferent pleasure. The nobler passions, and the inimble but cherished atfections of the heart, all in some degree are found in every human breast; nature has i)lanted them there, and they are rooted strong and deep; stronger than any human structure; so strong that a system of govern- ment that ignores the most exalted. <»r the luiniblest of these human instincts, must soon })erish. The most glorious and enduring fabrics ever reared, whether the creations of poetry, the woik of statesmen, or a system of philosophy, have been always built upon some natu- ral experience, or simple necessity common to every breast. The wi.se.st and most permanent governments that now exist, are tho.se that lespect these natural in- stincts, and that cherish tlie traditions that tend to fos- ter them. France alw.iys nourished in tlicbi'casts of her people a iKitiniKil love; her oi-ators. Iici- statesmen, her songs, and her Ahii'seilles Hynni, all tire the breast with na- tional pride. The Fi-enchman's })ati'iotism, is inspired by a love for his countrymen in the aggregate, and the ruling passion witli liim is the (dory of France. It is this sentiment, .so fostei'ed, that inspires valor in her soldiery; that im[)els her peoj)le to deeds of unexam- pled self sacrifice; that ri'tains within her own domain Jier vast population, and ivstrains them from seeking our western shores. While on the otiier hand, the con- verse is ti'ue of an Englishman. flis pride is not so centered in the (ilory (tf England. He exults not so much in the great achievements of his people as a na- tion, as in the pos.ses.sion by his countrymen of their civ- il rights. He glories in his imperial prerogatives and privileges of an Englishman, and points with pride to tl 10 Magna Charta, "the Trial by Jury, and the Kill of Riirhts. 8 Jl'istori/ of Charlotte. American statesmen thought to unite in harmony these opposite sentiments, to bind together for the pub- lic good, the ati'ection which men have for tlieir fire- sides, their families, and their personal rights; and which lie at the foundations of civil liberty, with the broad and exalted patriotism or love for one's wdiolc country, that lies at the foundations of national power. The}'' searched the pages of history for precedents for so great an experiment. They saw in the Achaian League, foriued in Greece 280 years B. C; the Hanse- atic League of German cities; and the Federal Union of the States of Switzerland, the germs of such a sys- tem as they conceived. Upon these hints, which they found thus scattered through the pages of history, they foj'med the mild, the strong, and the wise government under which we live; the Fedei-al Union of the States of America. A government which cheiishes with ten- der care the riglits of the humblest citizen, and prompt- ly maintains vvitli a strong arm the nation's honor. A government in wliich its ,s(n'oreign powers are divided iind distributed. To the genc^ral government is given general powers, among which is that of iirotecting it li-om its eneujies, and guarding its honor. While to states are resei'ved the exeix-ise of more extensive pow- ers; those which ]-elate to the civil )*ights and duties of the }>eo]>le and states. lvemend:»e]'ing that the primary purpose of government should be to protect the rights, and promote the hap})inessof its individuals, and mind- lul ol'the local wants and necessities of the people, States have tided upon the hint suggested by our liberal s^'stem of government,an(l extended governmcntto counties,and have even conferred, in a limited degree, sovereignty upon towns. .'vnd now let us al)rupt]y pause, and turn to the espe- cial business of the day, and relate the history and le- gends of a town; the smallest political community up- on wliicli sovereign powers have been conferred by the stau^ tfixfnni of Cftarloftf. 9 111 coiiiiiioii with some other })ortions of Western New York, the town of Charlotte was once inhabited by an ancient people, as the remains of old fortifications, rude implements of war, and human bones brought to light by the plow, bear the usual evidence. At the first settlement of Sinclairville, an earthen breastwork ex- tended westerly from a point near the stone blacksmith shop, and Baptist Church, for a distance of about forty" live rods parallel to the steep bank, at the northerly boundary of the plateau, upon which the central por- tion of the village is situated, and distant from the bank about two and one-half rods. Near this earthwork, and where the garden of the village tavern is situated, bu- ]-ied beneath the surface of the ground, were large quan- tities of stone that had l)een charred and broken by fire. I'iVen to this day, arrowheads of fiint, stone hatchets, aiul tAliL'v rude instruments of the stone age are found. Between this work and the steep bank of the hill, the first highway of the village once ran. Running for m ny rods eisterly and westerly, near to and parallel with the sr)uthe!-n Ixiundarv of this plateau, was a sim- ilar l)reastw()rk. Situated partly between these em- baidx-ments seemed to be the principal fortification. It was an extensive circular earthwork, having a trench upon the outside, and near the small rivulet that runs through the villa !:e along its southern side, was a gate- way. The little brook that crosses Main street, ran througii the iiortlu'i-n poi"tion of this fortification. It enclosed six or seven acres of what is now a ceiitral portion of the village. A part of Main street; portions of other streets, and the village green, all were inclu- ded within its boundaries. Its earthen walls, where they crossed Main street, nine or ten rods west of the village green, wci'e about four feet high, and required some labor to level tiieni when that street was first con- sti'ucted through the embankment. Upon the high bluir to the west, that rises precipitously from Mill cieek, was anoliiir tirrular earthwork witliin which 10 Jlidorf/ of (JliorlotU. was a deep excavation. At a few other points in tlio town, there were evidences of ancient occupation; and one mile south of Sinclairville, in the town of (lerrv, was an earthwork and an ancient burial ground, from which fifty years ago or more, as many as fifty human skeletons were exhumed on one occasion; twenty years ago as many as twenty -five skeletons more were disin- terred. The speaker was present u})()n the latter occa- sion. These ancient relics prove, that Sinclairville and vicinity were once the favorite i-esort of a primitive people. Long after the Mound Builders liad passed away, and prior to 1650, when Europeans lirstcamcto know Liike Erie, the regions around about it, which included the town of Charlotte, it is su})posed were the dominions of a singular race of people known as the Neutral Nation, called Kahkwas by the t^enecas; they were great hun- ters and were (>xtreniely superstitious and fei'ocious, wa- ging lierce wars against the Nation of Fire, and other Western Indians. Tl;ey were thelirst {Possessors of our i^oil of whom we iiave any account. In tlu> year 1('.."(), tlic Iio(|Uoiscommenced a savage wai' u[»on tliem, which resulted in the destruction of the Neutrals. Tlieir town> were cai)tured by the savage enemy, many of the peopie butchered and cariied into captivity, and the reniain- iler driven from the villages and eorntiebls, into the forests where multitudes of them i)erished from want and exposure. From the extermination of the Neutral nation to its settlement by the [»ioneers of the Holland I'urchase, this territory continued to be the reahn of theSenecas; the fiercest and most numerous tribe of the Iroquois nation. Wluni the first white men visited tl)e town of Char- lotte, but few settlements had been madeinthe Western half of the iState of New York. Chautauciua County was then a deep and unbroken wilderness, in the undis- puted [)ossession of its tirst liolders, the Indians, whose iiomes and well t]-odden ti'ails, whose hunting and lisli- aV" / \ have come within the 'imits of the town, were tlie early surveyors employed by the Holland Land Company to run its boundary lines. John Elliott, of Kadnor township, Delaware comi- ty, and State of INMinsylvania. a surveyor with a party consisting accorcling to th«: lecords ]>reserved by tlie Holland Land (ompanyj of Azariah W'inshall. Thomas Kennedy, chain hearers: I'etei' Douglass. .)e.sse( 'lark.son, axuien: James Kennt^dy. <»riHith .Iuim-s. tlagmen; Wil- liam Hailan and Thomas Wrigh'.. pack horsemen, while running the line between lhe<'lev«MUh and twelitlirange of townships, Hrst, arrived Mt the southwest corner of the town, late in the day on tin- 1 Itli of July. 17*.*S, and en(njmpek crosses the western boundary r»f the town. On the l:>th of July they completed the survey of (his lint;. The ea.stern boundary was survey- ed on the -iOth, 2Jst and 22d of July. 17J>8. by a party under Wareham Shepanl. The south line was survey- ed on the -iOth, -.Mst and 22(1 of July. ITDS, by a party under Aaion ()akford. JJie north line was the last e;*- tablished boundary; it was suiveyed by Aaron Oak- foid and his party oJi the 28th and 2J.>th of July of the .same year. Although the Holland Land Company, thus early completed the survey of the boundary lines of this and other towns of the county, only those portions of their territory more accessible for early settlement, were first surveyed into lots, and the land oti'ered for sale; conse- quently the few scattered settlements in this county, previous to the year 1808, were made principally in the 12 fh'sforjf of .( 'finrfnfft. extreme iiDrthern j);n'ls, and durinij; tlio ten year? that immediately siu-ceeded tliese original surveys, tlie deey> .solitude of the wildciMiess that cov(Med the town, was not disturhed hy tlie sound of the axe, oi- the presenee of the white man; and the only visits tlurl it received, were when I'ovinu' hands of Sem^-as whose. dominions once included these reoions, wandered through (tr teiri- poiarily encamped there. The evidcTice of the frequent presence of these people wei-e fresh at the Wmv of tlie first settlement; oh! wi^wain.s' that had l)een ,temi)o)'a- lily occupied hy their fishinsi, and huntinii" parties, re- mained in the woods. In Sinclaii'ville, just norllr of the southern boundary of the town, and along the east- ern hank of Mill creek, there stood a tine _«>rowth of ma|)le trees, Avith tiainks scari'ed with the marks of tlie Indian's hat<'het, made many years l)efore; lyini;' near them werethe remains of rude elm l)ark liuckets, and standing: in the vicinity, hut dea' from thenoj'th-east- eni [>art of the coui»tv, [>assed through the noj-th-easl- ern part of the town, ('harlotte Center, ainl southerly down Mill ci'eek, through the t<»wn in the direction ol" the huntino- oiounds of the Indians, in IVnnsylvania, on the I>)-okenstraw. This may he called the first high- way in tlu^ town, and was the only route of travel used foi- several years after the Hrst settlement, hetween Sin- clairville and I'^orestville, and the north-eastern pai't of the county. For many years aftei- the first .settlement, parties of Indians passed to and fro over this ancient path, often decked in their favorite ornaments of paint and feathers. In the year LSOS, the silence of the forest was again hi'oken. The surveyor, who.se position is ahvays in the van of civilization, again pitched his tents in these deep woods, and resumed his labors. John Lamberton H'idonj of ( 'harlofff . Ill of Genesee eoiinty, wns tin- siir\('V<»r it is helieved who allotted the town of ( hailottc; ho uilh a paitv of hkmi y these scanty settlements, miles away into the W(»ods south of the ridge. In March, LSOO, a party of eight young men, to wit: — John Pickett, his brother Daniel Pickett, and brother-in- 14 Hidorij of Cftarfoffc. law AivaO, Austin, from Chenango county; John and Taylor Gregg, and Abel Prior from Oneida county; — Abel Beebe, and Otliellow Church, ^^et out from the Holmes settlement in Sheridan, tliiee miles east of Can- adaway, now "Fredonia, to explore the wilderness, and select for themselves some favorable spot for a home. — They establishe«l their camp (m lot H4, near the north- west corner of the town, at a low wet place within the bt)undH of the highway as it now runs, a few rods south of the presentresidenceof Orville Dalrymple, and about 50 or 60 rods south of the noith line of the town; here they encamped two nights, and in the meantime made their explorations. Church selected lands near Casa- daga; Beebe chose the farm in the south-east corner of the town of Pomfret; the remainder of the party select- ed land adjoining each other on lots H'2 and Ho, in the town of Charlotte, near its westei-n boundary. They then returned to Fredonia. and Church went to Bata- via, and in Ai>ril, ISO'J, booked the land selected by them. On the first day of Apiil, bSOO, .John Pickett, Daniel Pickett, his wife and two chihlren. Arva O. Austin, his wife, Al)el Prior, his wife, John and Taylor (rregg, all arrived in Charlotte, and immediately commenced building a log cabin on the bank of the Pickelt Brook, upon lot ()'2, the laud that had been selected l>y John Pickett; being the farm upon which he resided until bis death, whicli occurred yester:o county, February 24, 1791. He was married to Phel)e Pickett, February 13, 180*.>, and two days afterwards set out for Chautauqua county. The first tree felled by the party, was a lar^e syca- more to form one side of their dwelling, which ready and willing hands soon completed. It stood beside the Pickett brook, and was but a rude cabin of logs, and it may be would be undeserving of our notice, had it not been the first building erected in the town of Charlotte. In this abode the whole party dwelt during most of the summer, and until other dwellings had been erected, Daniel Pickett made selection of the farm lately owned by Eliab Barnum, on lot ()o; he built a cabin upon it, into which he moved in the fall of that year. Arva O. Austin .selected the farm owned by VanRansalear Fish- ei" at his decease, on the same lot. He also in the fall moved into the dwelling that he had built upon his claim. Abel Prior took up the farm lately owned by Elijah Montague, upon lot 62, and Taylor (Tregg the farm now owned by Edwin Putnam, upon the same lot. While this settlement was being made in the Pickett district, another was commenced in the woods three miles east of it, at ('harlotte Center. Robert W. Seaver was born in Wooster county, Massachusetts, July 3, 1762, He enlisted when (juite young in a Massachusetts regi- ment, and served over six years in the Revolutionary war. He was in the action at King's Bi-idge near New York, and in other engagements; he was discharged in 1784, being then a sergeant. He was a prominent citi- zen of the town during its settlement, holding the of- fice of justice of the i)eace, and other positions. Ran- dolph W, Seaver now of Sinclairville is his son. He died in Charlotte, July 31, 1836. HeandBarna Edson, they then being residents of Oneida county, in the spring of 1809, came into the town of Charlotte. About 16' History of Charlotte, a week was spent by them in tracing the lines of the lots marked by the survey the previous year, to find a good location. The woods abounded with game, and the pure waters of the brooks were remarkably full of trout, many of which they caught for food. During their explorations, they both selected land at Charlotte Center, Edson ninety acres of the south-west part of lot 29, and Seaver the same amount, in the south-east part of lot 37. Edson immediately went to Batavia, and in May, 1800, booked the land, but did not return. Seaver remained and commenced clearing his claim, where the residence of the late Ezra Edmunds stands. Wil- liam Devine and his wife, came to Charlotte Center from Oneida county this season, at the request of Sea- ver, and took up the west part of lot 29, which included the claim of Edson. The fii*st building erected at Char- lotte Center, was the cabin built by Devine in 1809, up- on his claim; the dimensions were sixteen feet by eight- een; it had a bark roof, with one door and one window; it stood on lot 29, where the school house now stands. In the fall Seaver harvested his crops, consisting of a few bushels of ears of corn, put them into Devine's slianty, and he and Devine, and his wife w^ent back to Oneida county, to return however in the spring of 1810. When Mr. Seaver came to Charlotte, there stood on the bank of Mill creek, a gigantic sycamore, probably tiie largest tree in the town, and (jf such proportions as to rival the famous walnut that grew in the town of Hanover. In later years Mr. Joshua Jackson lost his cow, which after the lapse of several days was accident- ally found in the then hollow prostrate trunk of this ti'ee, thirty feet from its base. In tlie summer of 1809, Asa Durant located upon lot 40, about one mile easterly of the Pickett settlement. After chopping about three acres of land, he in the fall of 1809, abandoned his claim and left the town. In the fall of 1809, beginning was also made of the settlement of Sinclairville. Major Samuel Sinclair, Nistorif of Charlofh. 17 from whom tlie village derives its name, was born May 10, 1762, at Vassalborough, on the Kennebec river, in the State of Maine. His parents Joshua Sinclair and Mary Cilley, were married in Scotland, and came to America about the year 17G0. He was the fifth of nine children, and was a kinsman of ('illey, a Member of C'Ongress from Maine, who was killed near Washington, in the celebrated duel with Graves, of Kentucky, and a nephew of Gen. Joseph Gilley, an otticer of the Revo- lution, conspicuous foi- his bravery as colonel of the 1st New Hampshire regiment, at the battles of Bemis Heights and Monmouth. Mr. Sinclear went with the American Army as an attendant to his uncle Col. Cille}', and was with him as such one year. June 20, 1777, being then barely fifteen years of age, he enlisted in Cai)t. Amos Morrill's company, of his uncle's, Col. Cil- ley's regiment, in Gen. Enoch Poor's brigade, and ser- ved for three years. He was at Monmouth and other battles, and suffered with the An)erican army at Valley Forge. He served in Gen. Sullivan's campaign against the Indians, upon the frontiers of Pennsylvania and New York in 1779. At the expiration of his term of enli.stment, he received an honorable discharge, being then but eighteen years of age. After the close of the war he erected a saw mill on the Kenebec river, and engaged in getting out ship timber. In 1788, he re- moved to the state of New York, and resided succes- sively at Utica and Cherry Valley, and in 1796 became one of the first settlers in the town of Eaton, Madison county. He afterwards became the pioneer of the cen- tral part of Chautau([ua county, and the founder of the village of Sinclairville. He brought with him $(5,000 or $7,000, a large sum for that day, which he expended in building mills and making other improvements there, and purchasing lands, of which he in 1811 own- ed in Charlotte and Gerry 1530 acres. He was elected the first supervisor of Gerry, then comprising the pre- sent towns of ('harlotte, (ierry. Cherry Creek and El- 18 History of Charlotte. lington, and continued its supervisor for six years. Major Sinclair is described by a citijcen of an adjoin- ing town, who knew him well, as having a command- ing presence, being six feet high, with a well balanced head, black hair and eyes, a well formed nose, a round chin, full lips, and a mouth of medium size;, weight about 225 jwunds. His voice was full and loud, and when he s|x>ke, always commanded attention. His ut- terance was rapid, but always to the purpose. His face was fair and full in age, and in the prime of life, he was a perfect man in form and feature. He possessed great strength and resolution, and was a natural leader among his fellows. His long familiarity and rough ex" perience in frontier life; his integrity and sound judg- ment, made him a respected and influential citizen, and enabled him to contribute much to the settlement of this part of the county. He drew hither many ear-, ly settlers, assisted them in selecting locations, in erect- ing their log cabins, and starting them in their wilder- ness homes. He was a Revolutionary pensioner. He married for. his second wife, Fanny, the widow of Obed Edson, who died in Madison county in 1804. Maj. Sin- clair died at Sinclairville, February 8, 1827. Having sold the lands previously purchased by hint on l'"'rench Creek in the state of Pennsylvania, Maj. Sinclair in the fall of 1809 stopped at the land office in Batavia with a view of obtaining some land, and an isolated mill site. Ho examined the maps, and found that lot 41 where Sinclairville is situated, was the locar tion he desired; accordingly he took an article of the whole of lot 41, and also of lot 63, in the town of Gerry, and agreed to pay therefor at the rate of twenty shil- lings per acre. Ufxm his return to Madison county, lie formed a partnership witli William Berry of that coun- ty, in the enterprise of settling and building mills up- on his claims. Berry in pursuance of the arrangement, came to Chautauqua county, in the fall of 1800, and in November of that year, he, John and Daniel Pickett, Ilislnnj nf ClHiilolh. Ill Austin and ;i hired man. pusiicd luur miles t'ui-tlicT into the woods south ol' the I'ickett setth'mcnl, and in three (lays put Uj> the Ixxly of a lo^" house. Herrv the sanu' ■^fall returned to Madison e(»unty. These comprise all of the settlements made, oi at- tem))ted in the town of ( 'hariotte, dui'in^ the year 1805). By the elose of the yeai\ halt a dozen lou,' eahins had heen ereete' made that tiave promise to a s))eedy settiement of the town. Many of tho.se who cain(> dui'ino- tije spriuii' and summer, left howev(>r in the fall, and oidv seven p(M'sons remained throuii'h tin- lirst wintt'r. Tln-y were .lohn I'ickett, Daniel Pickett, Hannah I'ickett his wife. Daniel and Manilla his two children, .\v\i\ ( ). Austin and riieiie Austin his wWv. Here they dwelt in this lonely wilderness, who.se silence dui'inii' the lonu,- and dreary winter month.s re- mained undisturhed, except hv the howl of the wolf hy niii'ht; no ro;id oi- trai'k thiouuli the snow led from their rude cahin to that of their near(^st nei^hhor, who lived miles away throuiili the wooards brought from Canadaway, The ground floor of rough boards split and hewn from an ash tree standing near. A hole in the roof was left for the smoke to escape. The house was afterwards made more comfortable by the construction of a chim- ney of sticks and stone, doors and partitions, and a lad- der to ascend into the chamber. This house was built at Sinclairville, at the intersection of the street leading to Charlotte Center, with the street leading to Cherry Creek, on the spot where now stands the residence of Miss Dibble. It was the first building erected in Sin- claii'ville, and for many years was allotted to, and occu- j)ied by almost every settler and his family, upon their first arrival at Sinclairville. In it the first schools, and also the first religious meetings of the town were held. Immediately after moving into the log house, Maj. Sinclair commenced clearing the land now occupied by and adjoining the Cemetery. During the summer oth- er clearing-s were made, in all seven or eight acres of land were this year cleared in Sinclairville. Soon after his arrival here, Maj. Sinclair to supply his own neces- sities, and the wants of the settlers that would soon be established in these regions, commenced constructing the first saw mill built in the town, and in the v.'hole central and eastern portion of the county. It was erect' Hidwij of CharUfttt. 21 ed where the saw mill of Sainuel Briggs now stands, and was completed in the sunimei- of 1810. A portion of the remains of this dam is still visible. Maj. Sinclair having returned to Madison county, again on the 19th of September, 1810, left there with his family and live loads of goods and arrived at C'anadaway October 13th. His family remained at Canadaway, while he, with some hired hands, ex[)ended sixty-four day's work in cutting a wagon road from Canadaw^ay to Sinclai]'ville. This was the first wagon road constructed over the ridge in- to this part of the county. On the 'i'id of October Maj. Sinclair and his family, consistingof his children Sam- uel, David, Joseph, Nancy and Sally Sinclair, his wife Fanny and her children Obed, John M. and Fanny Edson, arrived at Sinclairville and moved into the log liouse; three or four weeks later he moved his family into a frame house that Mr. Nathaniel Holdridge, the lirst carpenter had during the fall been building for him, and \vhich he had then just completed. This was the lirst frame building erected in town, and was for many years afterwards the village tavern; it is still standing, and is used by Mr. James A. Clark as a barn. This frame tavern, the log house and the saw mill, were the only buildings erected in Sinclairville in 1810, and Maj. Sinclair, his family and hired help, consisting of about twenty persons, were all that remained in Sin- clairville during the winter of 1810 and 1811. Mr, Ber- ry not being satisfied wuth the country, had dissolved partnership with Maj, Sinclair, and returned with his family in the fall of 1810 to Madison county. During the summer of 1810, the woods were swarming with land hunters, so that Maj. Sinclair found no diffi- culty in raising his saw mill, by the aid of those tempo- ' rarily stopping at his settlement. Many of those visit- ing the town during this year, went away without taking any lands; many others booked huuls but never return- ed to claim them; many however became actual settlers. Besides the settlement at Sinclairville, and those made 22 1 1 i.^linij o/ ( 'fi the first grist jnill erected in all this part of the coun- tv: tho remains of its old dam, as well as the one built n few years latei- may still ht* seen. In the summer, Barney Cole died and was i)uried in the graveyard at Charlotte Outer, lie was the tirsi male person who dief a war with Enuland rather im])eded the jush of settlei-s: yet the town [cceiviMl so\\\p new acces- sions, among them Alnani Winsor a l>rother-in-law of Maj. Sinclaii'. from Madison county. In Marcii Nathan and Oliver Cleland, brothers of .John Cleland -Ir.. and ni ihc fall. Samuel anothei- biorher. with their father John ( 'leland. came and settled upon lot 54. TJje Cle- land l)roth<;rs ai'e living, aged as tbllows: Samuel 88 years. .]ohu 84, Oliver S'i and Nathan Sj. Samuel, John and Natiian still live in t(»wn. veneiable and respected citizens. Many of their des(en fii'st Supervisor. It appears hy tJie i-ecords of this meeting, that unusual privileges were extended lo swine. Tliey were declared to be free commoners, if pi-ovided with suital)le yokes? while wolves weic- less fa\-oi-ed. and a hounty of hve dol- lars otl'ei'ed for evei-y one killed or caught within the limits of the town. To secure the opening of the I'oads to a [>ro]K'r width, it was cnacien one occasion Judge Joel Burnelb after a warm contest was elected over him to the office of Su])ervisor, and Ahij. Sinclair, to enal)le him to hold the othce executed such deed to him. . June 1(S, 1S12, war was declared against England. — iMany of the settlers of Charlotte participated in it du- ring its continuance. Daniel Spencei-,a young man re- siding in ( 'harlotte, iu;ai- Sinclairville, was killed at the battle of (^ueenstown, on the loth of ( )ctober, 1812. He was pi'ol)ably a niendicr ol ("apt. Jehial Moore's Cliau- //i.stori/ nf ( 'luirlnth . 2.^ tauquH coniiuiiiy. wliieli Ix-lon^ctl t<» \\\o \S{\\ N. \. de- tiu-lied militia, c-nimuaiK.K'd bv Col. Uu^li W. l)(»l)ltiii. lie cro.ssc'il the Xiaj^ara livnr witli the Aiiierieaii loree, and wa;? of the ))artv who stoiiiied the heights of <.^uceii.s- tovvii, and was killed on the l>i(jw of tlK> hill. Me wa.s one; of the very lii>;t to fall in the hattle. (ioodi'ieh, a- young man in tin' employ of .Maj. Sinelaii'. read at night the [)i'oelamation of < 'ommodoif I'crry asking foi' assist- ance, and the ne.xt iiM»rning stai-ted from Sinclairville to join him; he cidisted, pai'ticipated in the naval battle on Lake JM'ie, ofthe lOth of ScplciiilxM-, iSl;!. was dis- linguisht'd for his gjdlant condurt. ami was rewarded therefor, lie returned afterwards lo Sinelaii'ville, with his liearing mueh impaired fiom his paitieipation in the battle. In l)eeend)er. isj:;, the l»)2d regiment of Chautauqua eounty militia, undei- ( 'oi. MeMahan, were called out rnmds.sr. to .lefend liuilalo. Several of the inhabitants of ( 'barlotte. who belonged to this regiment mai-cbed with it. and participated in the disastrous af- fair on the iJOtli of l)ecend»er. bsl;!, when Kulfalo was burned. The following are their names; V/ava White' .\brani Winsor. -loel Kurnell. Arva ( ). .Vustin. John l^iekett, Seely Pickett, .h.. Sanniel T. IJootli and Samuel \'aughn. Of the Chautaulack Koek, lUillalo and vicinity, to a.ssist in de- fending the frontier, man\ were from Cbai'lotte. Near- ly all the able bodied men residing in the town, of suf- licient age, at sometime during the war, went u])on the lines. It is said that in the as.sault ujton Kort b^rie, that when the tenitic exj)l()sion took [)lace that carried away tiie l)astion. the light was s(H'n by Maj. Sinclair at Sinelairville. ami he was enabled to predict the occur- rence of .some catastro[)he, long before the [jarticulars reached Sinclairvilh'. During the three years pieceding the war, the town rapidly increased in po|)ulalion. During the war it steadily deci-eased ; a few new .settlers came, but more 2f> Hidorfi of (Jfiarfofti . went away: some on acconnt of a|)).)iclK'nded dangers iVoin the Indians, oIIkm's to go on to tlie lines as soldiers . or camp followers. The retuin of peace revived the liopes, and renewed the coura,ge of the settlers. They anticipated new accessions to their numbers, and a speedy return to the abandoned clearings by those who had left during the war, to resume the work of settlement. In this they were doomed to disappointment; the Hol- land Land (Jompaiiy sohl their lands foi- two dollai'S and fifty cents and tlirec dollais iinacic. upon a credit; while g^ovei'umenl and othci' lands wei-e sohl at a less price for cash. Hence those who had means and were able to pay down for thoir I'arnis. sought fairer liomes among the fertile prairies and openings (tf Ohio and other parts of the West. ( onsecjuently the Holland Purchase, and particularly the county of Chautauqua^ was settled by the v(!i-v poorest class of men. l"'he most of those who came, cxpen(hMl Ihoirlast doharin pi'ocu- ring the article foi- their land, ami had to pay with their labor for the hrst l:)uslu;l of corn oi' potatot>s that their family used. Theie was no real wealth in thiM-ountv- rhe close of the wai* lendered worthless the Hood of shin})lasters that had been put in circulation ; the ori- ginal debt to the Holland Company for the land in most instances remained unpaid, with the interest steadily accumulating, (onse([uently hard tinu's followed. — .\n)ong the few who came during the war or immedi- ately thert>after, were Keuhen >Scott, Samuel Rrunson, du^ first blacksmith, ( 'hai'les JSniith fi'om Canada, the lii-st sluHimaker, and in ISIU, from Jefl'erson county, Nathaniel Johnson, the first miller, and father of Mrs, 8. L. Hender-son, all of whom settled in Sinclairville.. Edwartl Dalrymple came in from Washington county in 1815, and .settled upon lot ()4. Freeman Ellis came in early,and settled on the same lot. Sylvanus L. Hender- son from .Jeli'erson county, a soldier of the war of 1812, and the fatlier of W. W. Henderson of Siiudairville, settled in that village in 181 (>. At that time there were nislfiri/ nf (,'li(ir/(>lt( . 27 four families residing in tiuit part of Siiicluirvillc situ- ated ill the town of Charlolte, to wit: Major Sin dear's, Samuel Brunsoii's,Nathaniel Joinisoii's,aiid Abram Win- sor's. There wci'e thirty- one inliahitants in this part of the village. There was a frame tavern, grist mill, dwell- ing house, store and barn, two log dwelling houses, a log blaeksmith sliop, a log shoe shop and an aslicry; ten buildings in all. About twenty-live aeres of land was then cleared witlnn tiie boundaries of the village. Be.sidcs the hard times that followed the declaration of war, the settlers ex|)erienced other calamities. The summci" of LSlb was kimwn all through the Holland Purchase as the " cold season." The extraoi'dinary frost and cold of that yeai- occasioned the entire failure of the crop of coi-n upon which all mo.st I'clied. The suc- ceeding year was con,se(]ueHtly remarkable as one of great .scarcity, and might alniust be termed the " star- ving season." All suirerel ( 'li(iil(>((( . it not been for this coiniiioclitv. It was the chief staplf of the hill towii.s during the hrst thirty years of their history, and was the only ])rodiu-t that could be sold for cash, and was sure to l)e received in exchaji^e for f2;oods and ^I'oceries. It was made from the ashes of the oak, ma}»le, beech and other liard wood, which were gather- ed in boxes, in the fallows where the limber was burn- ed, and cairied by hand to rou.u'h leaches, usually made of bark, erected at a convenient place foi' water. The lye of these ashes was I'oiled in kettles, until it became a semi solid, Mdiich was called black salts. All of these made in Chai'lotte i)i'evi(>us to the war were sold at Mayville and Fi'edonia. In ISri, Captain Winsor built an ashery at Sinclairvillc near the lower saw mill, and he foi- many yeai's theieaftei- manufactured the black salts made in this section into pot aiul })earl-ash. Capt. Winsor was accustomed to transpoi't his jtotsand pearls thus made, to the hmdinii ))lace(>n the('assada.£^a creek, west of where the Methodist uieetin.o- house formerly stood on lot .l;') in the town of (Tcriy. and y)ut tliem aboard (»f his batteaux, and ship them to Pittsburiih. Tie would hrinii hack fi-oni ri.ttsl»ui.iih lobat-co. ijlass. nails and flour, whieh he at first delivei-ed to his custo- mers at Ross's Mills, in ICllieott. About the year .1817. he established the tii-st store in Sinclairville. and for a short time kept a limited stoc-k of yoods. mostly pur- chased at rittsl)uri;h. Sinclaii-vill(^ continued until about the yea I' LS4~). to ite an important point for the manufa(?ture of |>ot and ])eaj'!-ash. Every merchant besides his store, was accustonu'(l to have an ashery, where he received of liis customers black salts and ash- es, which he paid for in goods and money. There were sometimes three or four asheries in Sinclairville, using thirty thousaiul bushels of ashes annually, besides the black salts that were purchased by them. Subse(|uent to the yeai" 1824, pot and })ea]-l-ashes were sent by the merchants to Montreal, and in later years to New York, where tlH\v received for them Bills of Exchange on New History of Charlotte. I'W York and J.nndoii. which allorded them about the only jiieans t<» pay tor their .stock of tjoods. With the hip:3e of a little time from the close of the war, the town bej^an slowly to improve, and received some new comers. About the year LS17, the first saw- mi 11 was erected at Charlotte Center. At an early day a shop was built there upon Mill creek, by Edward Landa.s, for wool c>. The fir.st people who came to r'harlotte to reside, from a foreign land were Eng- lishmen. Saniuel Hurlev was the pioneer. He came as early as 1817. aii. .Jonas 8liurtleff and Justus Torry came from 1 Sports, such as a vip)rous and athletic people always flc- light in. Wrestling was a pojmlar amusement, and was universally practiced on raisinji, training and elec- tion daj's, and other occasions when the people assem- bled. Game was abundant in the ^'oods, and trout plen- ty in all the streams. Hunting wasconsequently much followed. The rifle was found in eveiy cabin, and its use was familiar to all from youth up. Its owner pos- sessed a steady nerve and quick eye. Venison was de- pended upon as an article of food, and deer hunting pursued as a labor of necessity, as well as a favorite di- version. In the winter deer were tracked through the snow and shot. In the summer they were killed while drinking at their licks of brackish water. Deer ceased to be plenty about 1835, but have been killed as late as 1844. There were many bears in the adjacent swamps, and occajsionally, one was. caught in early years, in strong steel traps, or by dead-falls as they were called, and sometimes shot with the rifle. John Cleland killed the first bears that were killed in the town by a white man. Wolves preyed upon the sheep and smaller ani- mals. These multiplied at first, with the settlement of the county. The Cassadaga valley, or swamp, as it was then called, bordered along the western edge of the town, and was here many miles in extent, untraversed by roads, and unbroken by clearings, but covered with a dark and dense forest of evergreens, filled with thick underbrush. For many years after the first settlement, the bear, wolf, and wild cat lurked among its dark thick- ets, and there securely made their lair. Often would the wolf sally forth to make a midnight banquet at the neighboring sheep-folds, and return at the break of day and hide himself among the thick alders and tamq- racks of the swamp. For a long time great havoc was made with thesheepof the townsadjacentto theswanif); sometimes a whole flock would be destroyed in a single night. The annoyance at length became so intolerable, that measures were resolved upon to exterminate them, 82 History of Charlotte. resulting in the years commencing with 1824, and end- ing with 1828, in a series of four wolf hunts, which were participated in by a large portion of the inhabitants of the northern and interior towns of the county. The interest and importance attaching to these hunts, well entitle them to a separate and full description would time allow. * Many wolves, bears and other wild ani- mals were destroyed, and as a final result the wolf wa,"^ *Thc following description of a wolf hunt is from the pen of Mr. Judge L. IJugboc, of Stockton : "The battle ground wus selected nearly oust of the fork of the Cassadaga and Bear creeks. The i)lan of battle was a simultaneous attack upon all sides of tlie swamp at once. On the east the line was formed on the town line, between Stockton and Charlotte; on tlic nortli ]>y the line of lots near Cooper's mill; on the west by the Cassadaga creek. and on the south by another line of lots near the swamp road, east of the residence of Alicl Brunson. The ground was prepared under the supervision of Col. Charles Hay- wood, of Eller3', assisted ])y Return Tabor. Bel;i Todd, and Royal Putnam. 'J'hesc lines were rendered very plain by blazing trees and lopping brush. "By previous arrangement, the forces met on the second day of October, 1824. The north line of atta(;k was com- manded by Gen. Leverett Barker, of Frcdonia. assisted by P^lijah Rislcy and Walter Smitli as lieutenants. Col. Obed Edson, of Sinclairville, witli Judge J . M . Hdson and Joy Handy, commanded the east division, Major Asael Lyon and Gen. George T. Camp on the west, and Col. Chnrles Haywood on the south, with Klius Clark, of Kllery. as his lieutenant. I'hcsc commanders all wore pistols in their belts to designate tlieir office, and were assisted by the four men as guides, who had prepaied the lines a short time before. Before going into the swamj), each division had chosen its i)lace of rendezvous: The east at Sinclair- ville. the north at Cassadaga village, the west at Delanti. and the south at the residence of Neweli Putnam, Esq.. in the south part of Stockton. Dr. Waterman KUswoith, of Delanti, was the captain of the men from Stockton, and very active in getting u[) the 'hunt.' "Early in the foicnoon the men were all uj)on the ground, forming a continuous line and encircling a goodly portion of the swamj). Mr. Royal Putnam, who assisted i mark- ing the lines on all sides, thinks the square was full one nnle and a half upon each side. The number of men on the lines were sufficient to be within easy speaking distance from each other. The signal fur advance was ' Boaz,' be- History of Charf.utfr. 33 nearly exterminated. The last wolf that frc(]uented the town of Charlotte, was killed in February, 1841. — It having killed a Hock of 12 sheep belonging to Mr. Hunter in the Conewango valley, and being pursued by him, fled into the wilderness country in the north-east part of Charlotte, from which point it visited the sheep-, folds in the Lake settlement, killing in one night two sheep of D. J. Quackenbush,and one of Daniel B. Lake. It was immediately pursued by Mr. Lake and others, ing given by Gen. Barker, and as it returned, the lines moved forward in splendid order, growing moie compact until they arrived on the battle grounds, forming a square about one mile in ch'cumfercncc, or eighty rods on a side. No man was to Hrc his gun until he received the pass-word from the general, and it was known that the lines were elosed up. The men now stood shoulder to shoulder. — ' Jachin,' the pass-word, (piickly made its round, and the signal gun was discharged, and in a moment the firing be t-amc general. After tlie first discharge of lirc-arms the doer and rabbits within the lines became frantic with fright, making the rounds and seeking an opening througli wliich to escape. One stately buck, making the rounds, gallant- ly charged the line, l)y forcing his head between the legs of Charles P. Young, from Ellery, and carrying him scve ral rods astride liis neck, then bounding away, unharmed, into the free wilderness, save perhaps a few sore ribs, from the numerous punches received b\ the muskets in the hands of the men. before they had time to reload their pieces. — After all the game had been disi)atched that could be seen, a committee of three or more was sent within the enclo- sure, to search under old logs and fallen trees to ascertain if any game had fied to any of these places for safety. — Dr. Ellsworth is the only man remembered :is being upon that committee. "After the return of the connnittee, themen, l')}* orders, moved towards the center of the inclosure, bringing in the game, consisting of two large wolves, one bear, several deer and a large number of ra])l)ils. The men were evi- dently disappointed in the number of wolves captured. l)ut after speeches from a numl)er of the officers, the woods rang with their hearty cheers, and they resolved for anoth- er hunt, which took place in about three weeks. "The county had offered a large bounty for the scalp of the wolf, fifty dollars or upward, and by resolution, Gen. Barker. Elijah Risley and Walter Smith were elected a com- mittee to forward the scalps, and obtain the mono;, and expend it in ammunition, provision and whisky to assist the men in future hunts." 34 History of Chorfoffe. but the next night it again visited the flock of Mr. Lake, and killed another of his sheep; from this time forward, its track was followed night and day by men chosen for the purpose, who would at intervals blow upon horns, to indicate the direction of its travels, and guide the people in the pursuit. It was hunted thirty-(tne days, and finally killed in the eastern part of Cattaraugus county. It was afterwards exhibited through the town of Charlotte. Besides the deer, wolf, bear, wild-cat, and an occasional panther, that would sometimes stray into the town, in early years, the wild turkey as late at least as 1832, and the pine martin and otter, as late as 1825, inhabited the woods. Among the early events long remembered, and that produced great excitement in this then thinly settled region, was when children were lost in the woods. On these occasions, the settlers would rally from far and near, organize themselves into companies, choose their leaders, enter the woods with each man properly posted, and make a systematic and faithful search, until the lost one was found. In early years Baluma Shurtleff, afterwards the wife of Nathan Lee, was lost in the woods near Sinclairville. There was a general gathering and a thorough search. For three days she subsisted on berries. She was finally found in the eastern part of the town. Mrs. Unclerhill while picking blackberries in the western part of the town, wandered to the edge of the Cassadaga swamp, and lost lier way. She re- mained in the woods three nights. A regular search was instituted by many people. She was found on the fourth day by Wilson Camp. These incidents serve to show the lively sympathy that existed among the early settlers. Isolated in a dis- tant wilderness, surrounded by common hardships, i)ar- ticipating in the same simple enjoyments, and living upon a complete social equality caused true friendship and genuine benevolence to be cultivated among them. Their charitv was not maniff'sted in cold ostentatioL ^*'' '*«tmn4 H i I ii ayments,and the opejiing 36 History of (J/iarfoffr. of the Erie Canal, wrought a great change. This west- ern country was brought by the canal directly in com- munication with the east, and the settlers thereafter found a market for much that before had no value. — They were for the first time able to supply themselves with the conveniences of life. A hundred large and prosperous villages sprang up in Western New York, and a score of great cities were ultimately founded along our western lakes, and millions of peo})le reside along their borders, all due to the constrnction of the Erie Canal. The advantages to be derived from the canal were an- ticipated, and business began to thrive before its com- pletion. About the year 1824 Walter Smith and George A. French opened a store at Sinclairville, and engaged in considerable trade. Many settlers came in 1824 and 1825, and they began to feel that its increasing popula- tion required the erection of a hew town, and accord- ingly, on the 1st day of April 1824, the town of Elling- ton, which included the pi*esent towns of Ellington and (■herry Creek, was taken from tlie old town of Gerry; and five years later Gerry was again sub-divided. On the 29th day of April, 1829, its nortliern half was erect- ed into a new town. At a meeting held at Charlotte ('enter, at the house of David Randall, in deference to the suggestion of Mi-. Randall, it was decided to name the new town Charlotte. It was so called from the town of Charlotte on Lake Champlain, in Chittenden coun- ty, Vermont. The first meeting for the new town, was held at the house of Mr. Randall at Charlotte Center, on the 2d day of March, 1830. Nathan Lake was the presiding jus- tice, and Peter Warren secretary. The following were the officers chosen for the principal offices : Nathan Lake supervisor, Walter Chester town clerk, John M. Edson, Adna Lampson and James S. Parkhurst Justices of the i>eace, and Barzilla Ellis collector. The popula- tion of Charlotte as appears by the census taken in 1830, Jlidorij of (Jhar/otfc. 37 had considerably increased, and was 88<). The greatly increased number of people who annu- ally settled ni the town, after the construction of the Eric canal, prevent the mention of but a few of the earlier ones, who now have descendants there. Among those who settled in the nmih and north-western \ydrt of the town, were Eliakim Barnum, Jacob Hall the lather of Dr. H. P. Hall, John Hall, David Hall the fa- ther of Wm. Hall of California, James (-ross, David Ames, Ebenczer Skinner, Adin Wait, Elijah Montague and Ambrose Horton. Peter 13. Landas early came from France, and settled on lot G4. He was followed by John B. Cardot, and Mr. Gillett, also from France. Afterwards there came in later years many other res- pectable families from that country, who generally set- tled in this part of the town. Kent Street, and the adjacent territory, were tirst settled by families from the south of England. Besides the Englishmen before mentioned who early settled in the town, there came John Thorn in 1834. John Reed the father of our townsmen William and Richard Reed, and father-in-law of Thomas Thompson, came in 1834. Richard Brock and Thomas D. Spiking came later. — The street leading from Charlotte CenU-r north to the town of Arkwright, was also largely .settled by Englishmen wholly from Yorkshire, in the north of England. — Tbomas Pear.son father of John Pearson of Sinclairville, .William Wright and their families, and Thomas Dick- inson, came over in one ship from Hull, and settled on this street in 1828. Matthew Freer settled on this street tbe .same year, and \Villiam Hilton in 1830. These FOnglishmen, their (k\scendants, and others who came still later from that countiy, constitute a large portion of the po{)ulation of the town; much lai'gcr than rep- resent any other foreign country. They are among the most intelligent and substantial citizens of the town. Among those who settled in the south-east part of the town, were David Sheldon IVom Monroe couniyin 1828 S8 History of Chnrfofte. Robert P. Robertson, Robert Robertson and Peter Rob- ertson, John Maynard, Andrew McCutchcon, Aaron McCutcbeon, John Luce and James Parsons. The Tor- ry cheese factory was built in this part of the town in the spring of 1876. The north-east part of the town remained a wilderness later than any other. Alan son Straight was the first to settle there and commence improvements. Nelson Chase came next, and a little later in the same year, Nathan Penhallow. Daniel Hoisington, William Luoe^ James P. Skiff, Hiram and Arba P. Straight, Wm. W. Rood, Elijah Lewis, Calvin Abbey, Neri Crampton, O. R. Matliowson, Asa Morse, Peter Odell and Nelson Mansfield, were all early settlers in this part of the town. In 1839, James Hopkins, Patrick Doran and Garrett Wheeler, from the west of Ireland settled there. John Wilkes built the first saw mill in 1865. A cheese factory was built in 1873, near the residence of Miv. A. J. Rood. Charlotte Center and mcinity continued to receive new settlers, among wliom were Stephen Lyman, the father of Perry Lyman of Sinclaii'ville, and brother-in-law of Mnj. Sinclair. David Randall, Thomas J. Allen, Ijcster Young and Charles Fox were early settlers. Peter Rose was born in Scotland. He served with the English ar- my at Cape Good Hope in Africa, and dui'ing Napole- on's wars, and also was in the l^attle of New Orleans, in the army of Gen. Packenham. He after the expiration, of his term of s(!i"vice, came to Cliai'lotte and settled there. James Houston from Ireland, early settled in Charlotte. Blythe Harper came next, and in 1838 his uncle Hugh Harper from the county of Donegal, Ire- land, settled a little south of Charlotte t'enter. A few years later, William H irper the brother of Hugh came, followed by Thomas and John Erwin from that coun- try. These and othei^s from Ireland, who settled in other parts, have numerous and respectable descendants now living in the town. Ahout 18.51, Joseph Landas Hidorii of ClwrhUt. 39 built and opened tlie Hist store at (^liailotte Center, although others for brief periods, lu«d sold there limited amounts of merchandise. In 1865>, a steam saw mill was erected bv Addison Lake and Edmund E. Tuttle. The Charlotte Center (.'heese Factoiv was erected bv the farmers of that vicinity in 1.SH8. The population of Charlotte Center in J87(> was lOo, and according to the census taken in 1875 it was 120. SinclairviUe and the moih-urdeni part of the town, also continued to receive new accessions. Asa Dunbar from Chenango county, in 1828, Bela Tracy, a brother of John Tracy formerly lieutenant-governor of this state, James Williams, Philip Link, Henry Cipperly, Wm. H- (xleason, William Brown, Nathan Lee, Henry Somber- gcr. Moses Campbell. Abel White father of O. A. White, formerly superintendent of schools in Chautauqua coun- ty, and now of Norwalk, Ohio, and Samuel F. Forbush, all settled in the south-west part. (Chester Wilson, the first Sadler and harness maker, and father of W. Thos. Wilson Esq., long a justice of sessions of the county, early settled in Sinclairville. Isaac Newton, Richard D. Sherman, Sylvanus Pickard, James Elliott, David Cobb, Elias S. Hedge.s, formerly exten.sively engaged in business as a tanner, all settled in Sinclairville. Par- don Sennett also, who many years ago erected a foun- dry there, and Chester Cole the first hatter. Forbes Johnson, son of Nathaniel Johnson, a member of the legislature in 1844, was for many years a resident of Sinclairville. The first German who came to Charlotte wa« William Heppner; he settled in Sinclairville in 1853. His brother Ernest came in 1854. They were followed in later years by many other worthy German families, who generally settled in Sinclairville. These Germans are industrious and law-abiding citizens, and now form a considerable portion of the p)opulation of the village. A few families from Sweden are now set- tled in the town. Peter John.son,a tailor, who came to Sinclairville a little previous to the late civil war is be- 40 Hi do I'll of ('finrfoffr. lieved to be the tirst. Albert Richmond, who came to Sinclairville in Au- gust 1833, was the first attoiney-at-law. He was during four years, commencing January 1855, surrogate of the county. S. Mervin Smith, E. B. Forbush, E. M. Peck and E. H. Sears were early attorneys residing at Sin- clairville. James A. Allen, now of Buffalo, and Wor- thy Putnam of Berrien Springs, Mich., were attorney's of a later date. Dr. Orange G. (/ampbell was the first physician. — Among the older physicians of Sinclairville were Dr„ Henry Sargent, H. B. Hedges, J. E. Kimbal, Gilbert Richmond, G. S. Harrison and A. P. Aumock, all of whom were successful, and widely known through the county. Samuel Sinclair, Jonathan Hedges a large land own- er in Sinclairville, and well known citizen, John Love, Elias Wheeler and Jarvis B. Rice, were among the ear- ly inn-keepers of the village. Abraham Winsor, George A. French, Joy Handy, Walter Chester, John M. Barl)our, Bela Tracy and Tho- mas J. Allen, formerly a niember of the legislature, were early merchants. Perez Dewey, who came to Sinclairville about 1833, was for many years the prin- cipal merchant, and most wealthy citizen of the place, C. J. Allen a brotherof Thomas J. Allen, Alonzo Lang- worthy, John Dewey and Nelson Mitchell, were mer- chants long in trade and well known. The first mails were carried in 1820 from Mayville to Ellicottville, by way of Sinclairville, by Sampson Crook- er, the father of Hon. O. A. S. Crookei-, who went through once a week on foot. The earliest postmaster was Dr. Henry Sargent, and the postoffice at Sinclairville was designated as the Gerry P, O. Between 1830 and 1835, a mail route was established between Sinclairville and Fredonia by the way of Charlotte Center, over which the mails were carried once or twice a week. Thomas J. Allen w^as the first postmaster. The route was sub- Hishni/ of Clidihtth . 41 sequently eliaiifiod .<(> that it run IVoiii Sinclairville by the way of Charlotte (Vnter to. Silver ("reek, and finally that part of thr route from < "harlnttc ( 'enter t(» Silver Creek was aV>an(loneart of the route between Sinelairville and Charlotte Center. Obed Edson who removed from Sinehiirville about 1828, and who now reside^< in Illinois, the brother of John M. Edson, in 1825, in conneetion with Reuben Scott, first established a semi-weekly line of stages be- tween Fredonia and Jamestown. ()l)ed Edson and Walter Eaton extended the line to Dunkirk and War- ren in 1826. This was regarded as a very important event at the time, by the people of Warren. Sinclair- ville then had a po{)ulation of not more than 75 or 100 persons. Previously it had been designated as "Major Sinclair's. ■ After this event, and about the time of tiie death of Maj. Sinclear. which occurred, early in 1827, it began to l)e ealled by common consent Sinclearville. — Notwith-standing the village was thereafter so called' the postottice retained the name of "'Gerry P. O." until March in the yeai- 1869, when it was changed to the " Sinclairville P. O." — the spelling being changed to Sinckwrvillefrom Sinclmrville the original orthography. Besides Maj. Sinclear of Sinclearville, and Ilobcrt If. iSeai'^r of Charlotte Center, the following early settlers served in the War of the Revolution: .hmph IHx, who resided in the Pickett district, served two years and one-half, in Capt. Martin's company, in the 15th Mas- sachusetts regiment — the latter {)art of his enlistment as a sergeant. He was in the battles fought with Bur- goyne, the battle of Princetown, and other engagements. He was born about 175o, and died September 16, 1822. John Cleland, the father of John, Nathan and Samuel Cleland, resided in the north part of the town. He en- listed in Col. Willi.s's regiment in February 1778, and served during the Revolution two years. He was born about 1758, and died February KJ, 1827. hJlijah (Jarfer, who resided north of Charlotte Center, enlisted in Mas- 42 Hi dor II of ('finrfofff. sachusetts for three year;^. He was at Ticonderoga- Valley Forge, and tlie Surrender of Burgoyne. He was born aljout the year 17H2. ('aleh ('(ark, the father of Orton and Adin Clark, who resided in the north part of the town, enlisted in the 2d New Hampshire regi- ment, and served four years and two months. He was at Trenton, and the pjincipal battles in New Jersey. — He was also in the battle of Stillwater. In the eastern part of the town resided Mr. Carpenter, who was also a soldier of the Revolution. The reminiscences of these old veterans, the rough and peculiar life led in the backwoods, and the famili- arity that the settleis acquired with the use of arms, were calculated to cultivate a martial taste, and conse- quently a military spirit ran high for many years. — Prior to the war of 1812, the- militia of the county was organized into one regiment, called the 162d, under ('Ol. John McMahan. One of the companies of this regiment was organized in this part of the county, pre- vious to the war of 1812. Abram Winsor was commis- sioned as first lieutenant in February of that year. Ez- ra White was said to be its captain. Its mu.stering {•lace for many years, was on the W^arren farm, on lot 52, two miles northerly of SincJairville. From its ranks were recruited the men who represented the town of Charlotte during the war of 1812. In April, 1815, Abraham Winsor was connnissioned captain of this company, and afterwards Joel Burnell. About 1816 or 1817, an independent riiiecompany was organized, with Obed Edson before najued, as its captain. About the year 1822 he was connni.ssioned as major of a batallion formed in this part of the county, and Wm. M. Wago- ner as adjutant. About 1H2H the 212th regiment was organized for the towns of Charlotte, Gerry, ('herry Creek, Ellington, \'illanova and Ellery, and Obed Ed- son was commissioned as its first colonel. The regiment continued in existence for twenty years, during which time nearly all the young men, the greater part of the Hislnri/ of <'lui,/ottr. 43 able bodied settlers of this part <>f the county, served in its ranks. The men and ottieei-s took pride in the performance of thcii' duties, and the regiment was well disciplined during many yeais after its tirst organiza- tion. On the tirst Monday of September, each compa- jiv of the regiment was annually assembled at some convenient point in the locality where it was organized, for drill. But no day of the yeai', not excepting the 4th t>f July, was so genei'ally obsei"ved as a holiday by the people, as the muster of the whole regiment, called '•General Training Day." On sucii occasions, nearly the whole [topulation would turn out to witness the sham tight, and othei' dis))lays. These general trainings were held at Sinclairville. and in later years at Elling- ton, and the Love stand, in the north i>art of (icrry near Sinclairville. * The succeeding colonels of the regiment were Reuben Penhallow, John M. Edson. John M. Baiboui-, now Jus- tice of the supreme court in N. Y. city, and Elias S. Hedges. The military spirit then began to wane, and the discipline to be relaxed. The officers were selected with less care, and the men began to regard the per- l(»rmance of military duty as a burden. The law re- (|uired them to furnish their own arms and equipments, * The tbllowiiio- extract is from a description of the Gen- eral Ti-aining-s in CiKuit:iU(iu;i coys of forty years ago knew ol' only a very few days of aniusement, and eonsi)ieuous among them was this military parade, with its stirring, cheering martial music, from its l)a8e and tenor drums in large numbers, led by whole |)la- toons of the shrill an to maintain himself in authority, are still fresh in re- membrance. Col. Knapp was the last in actual command of the regiment which went out about 1841:). Sylvan Lodge of Fi'eemasons of Sinclairville, was chartered about the year 1824. Samuel Sinclear was its first Master. James Scofield the grandfather of Maj. Gen. John M. Scofield, and Richard Stockton were also Masters. Its first charter was given up soon after the anti-masonic excitement commenced. It was i-echar- tered June 11, 1853, and John M. Edson was appointed its first master, under the new charter. Caleb J. Alleiiy (3scar Hale, W. W. Henderson, Obed Edson, A. D. Tompkins, W. I). Forbush, A. P. Brunsou, John H. (■lark and A. A. Stevens, Jr., were subsequent masters. V)oys would count over their pile of peiniics, with the viow to uscertuiii the ([uantity of each favorite ff< 45 An Odd Fellows Lod^e wasorgtanized about the year 1851, and held regular meetings during several years. Elias S. Hedges was the first Noble (Jrand. Sinelearville Division, No. 017, of the Sons of Teni- ])erance, was instituted July 2, 1850, and continued to liold meetings for several years. In 1833, the legislature passed an act by which the interest of the Holland Land Company in their lands in western New York, which before that time had been exempted from taxation became taxable. The compa- ny after the passage of this act, caused notices to be served upon such persons as had failed to make pay- ment of the amounts due the company upon their land contracts, to pay or arrange such balance, or to quit their premises within two months. The most of the lands in the towns of Charlotte and Gerry, and adja- cent towns, were held under these land contracts. The settlers had been unable to make payments fully upon their conti'acts, not from the want of industry or pro- per effort, but for the reason there was no market for their products, and by reason of their poverty and the scarcity of money. They had bestowed their labor un- stintedly however, in clearing and erecting Vjuildings. The land for which the company had paid but 32 cents an acre, and which they had sold to the settlers of (,'hautauqua county, at the average price of $2.50. — The improvements that had been made, and other cir- cumstances, had greatly enhanced the value of the land. The settlers in most instances were far behind in their payments. With the sacrifice of all their personal pro- })erty, it would have been impossible for them to have paid the amount due at the land office. The company also commenced to sell out the lands unsold. The first sale was made to Hinman Holden, of all unsold lands that it held in Charlotte. They also required new con- tracts to be made where the purchaser had failed to make payments when due, in wliich they materially advanced the price of the land, and exacted a payment 46 Htstory of {Jharfodr. down of one-eighth of the purchase money. These extraordinary requirements on the })art of the company, together with discriminations that they made in their deal with the settlers, unfavorable to those who were the most punctual in their payments, created great dissatisfaction and greatly excited the people in the poorer towns of the county. A public meeting of the settlers was held at Jamestown, and a committe con- sisting of E. T. Foote, Oliver Lee, Samuel Barrett, Lev- erett Barker and (reorgo T. Camp, were appointed to visit the proprietors of the Holland Land Company at Batavia, and ascertain their purposes with i-egard to the lands and the settlers. The committee were referred to Judge Peacock, their agent at Mayville. Another meel- ing was held at Mayville, of which Leverett Barker was chairman, and John M. Edson secretary. The meeting was addressed by Judge James Mullett, and Judge E, T. Foote and others, and a committee of seven was ap- pointed, to wl)ich was added the chairman and secreta- ry of the meeting, to confer with Judge Peacock. The committee performed the duty, but with no more favor- able result than l>eforo. The subsequent agitation of the subject among th(^ setth'rs, inclined them to more y>arsh and decisive mensures. A meeting was called at Hartfield, then known as the " Inlet." but few attended it. A little later anofhei' meeting was held at the In- let, on the ()tli of Fol)rua,i-y, \^'M\. iM-oni ::0() to 50t> persons wei'e asseinbhul thei'c, among wfintn were peo- ple from Chai'lotte. Resolute^ leadei-s were- a|)i>ointed, and the peo{>le started from the Inlet about dusk, and marched in onlerto Mayville, and tiled around the land office. Upon a signal from their principal leader, tiiey broke open the land office, and removed the books and papers; they then demolished the office, and returned to the Inlet, where they burned the books and papers. No move was ever made to prosecute the persons en- gaged in this unlawful proceeding, and the land pro- prietors, not long afterwards, established anew land of- //ijitorif itf Chtiiloffr. 47 fice at Westtield. with William II. 8c\vaid a;^ tlicii agent, but never aftorwaids attempted to enforce the extraordinary exactions ol what was called the "Gene- see Tariff," and no further trouble occurred between the settlers and the proprietors. Hardly had the first log caV)iii l)een icared in the wilderness, before it was visited by that early mission- ary, the Rev. John 8penccr. to cheer and encourage the pioneer in his struggle with the formidable dilticuities that surrounded him. " Priest Spencer's " life in the forest was an active and toilsome one. Every abode ni the town received fiom him frecjuent visits, and often would he on the sabbath, deliver a regular discourse to no other audience than a single family. He understood the duties of his calling well, and faithfully he perform- ed them. There are many anecdotes which illustrate the brightness of his intellect, and the kindness of his lieart. He was born at Spencertown, Columbia county, i!i this state, in 1758, and was of the same family as Hon. Ambrose Spencer, and nearly related to Joshua A. Spencer. He served in the war of the Revolution, and was for some time aid of the gallant Col. Willets. He was a congregationalist, and came to the Holland Pur- chase as a missionary of the Connecticut Missionary Society. He is described by Dr. Taylor as " plain and simple in his habits; as a preacher remarkably clear and logical. He dressed in the antique style of Revo- lutionary days, wore short breeches, with knee buckles, long stockings and boots quite up to the knees." Mr. Spencer founded thirteen churches. He died in Busti, August 24, 182G, and was buried in Sheridan, two miles west of the center. Rev. Asa Turner, a baptist preacher, was also an ear- ly mis.sionary here. He was social, and consequently popular among the settlers, and was always warmly welcomed bj' them. The fir.st religious meeting in the town, was held by the Rev. John Spei\cer, October 22, 1811, in the first log 48 History of (Jharfoffr. house built by Maj. Sinclear. Tlie first relijjious socie- ty organized, was the Methodist Episcopal. A class was formed about the year luiley an (tcca- sional preacher. The First Ba[)tist Church of Sim-JHirvillr. vvasoi'gaji- ized June 2, 182H. John McAllister and eleven others were its constituent members. The toHowiug is a list of the pastors of the church siiu-e it.'^ orgafii/.ation; — Rev. Mr. Blake, VV^oodbui-y, Be-avcr, .Jonathan Wilson. James Schofield, .Jr., Winsor, Fi'ink. William Look. W. H. Husted, A. Iro?is, (4eo IX Dcnvnry. B.C. Willough- by^B. H. Brasted, D. T. Lockwood, A. Kiiigsl)iiry. B. Morley, and J. L. Powell its present pastor In 18;!-J, at a cost of $2,000, a house of worship was? erected. — This was the first church edifice built in the town. The First Congregational Church of Sinclairville, was formed July 22, 1831, by Rev. Isaac Jones of May- ville, Rev. Timothy Stillman of Dunkirk, and the Rev.. Obediah C. Beardsley of Charlotte,, on the Presbvteriaa His'lmi/ of Chnrlottf. 49 plan. It consisted at tirst of twenty-three persons. — Rev. O. C. Beardslcy wiis its tirsl pastor. Rev. Joseph Emery. Mr. Wek-^ter. E. Tayloi-, Mr. Dnn forth /Edwin Hoyt and Timothy (iaie were succeeding pastors. April oO, 1842. it was changed from the Presbyterian form, and oigaiiizcd as a rongreg^ational Church, letters be- ing granted as a basis of the new organization to thir- teen memV)ers. September 2o, 184o. a hou.se of worsliip Avhich liad been that year erected, was publicly dedica- ted. Rev. Chester W. Carpenter was the first pastor under the congregational form. Rev. John H. Sage. N. H. Barnes. Richard B. Bull. Edward I), (-hapnian. E. P. .McElroy. 1. I). Stewart, were succeeding pastoi"??. and Rev. W. Vj. Lincohi is the j»resent pastoi*. The Eirst Univei-salist Sdriety of Charlotte was or- ganized .\ugust 2H. ISoiK and the Rev. Wm. W. King was its tirst pastor. In isr>l, ;i bouse of worship was erected there. Rev. Mr. Payne, O. B. Clark, have since been pastoi's. The First Universalist Society of Sin- clairville, was organized Feb. lo, 1859, and a house of worship erected at that village. Rev, Isaac George was its pastor. The United Brethren is a more recent religious or- ganization of the town. It has at present no church edifice, but has a considerable membership. St. Paul's Church of the Cross of Sinclairville, ( Cath- olic) is the last religious organization of the town. It was organized in 1871. Their houvse of worship is the church erected by the Universalist society in Sinclair- ville, which was purchased in that year. It was first under the pastoral care of Rev, Father Alfrancis. Early in 1849 a telegraph line was completed from Fredonia to Pittsburg, with a station at Sinclairville,— The line was not long in opei-ation. No event in the histoiy of Chautauqua county, ex- cept the construction of the Erie canal, contributed .so much to promote its material prosperity, as the comple- tion of the Erie Railwav. This road, the building of 50 Ilidory of (Jhadoftc which had been so loiif? and anxiously anticipated by the people of the county, was opened to Dunkirk May 14, 1851. The immediate eiiectwas to greatly advance the price of real estate, and also the principal staples of the county. Butter, which a few years before had a value of ten cents a pound, and at some times but six cents, advanced to twenty cents. This and othei- pro- ducts obtained a cash as well as a greatly oidiaiu-ed value; while often articles for which, before this event' there was no sale, acquired a market value and brought ready pay. For instance, before that event, largo num- bers of sheep were annually slaughtered in the interioi- towns of the county, and no other use could be made of their carcases than to try them into tallow. After this thay could be sold at New York, and the east, to supj)ly the markets there. Charlotte received the full benetit resulting from this great enterprise, and the growth of !Sinclairville was greater than it had been at any time before. A steam tannery, a church, several stores, and many dwelling houses were erected during the year 1851, and its population found to be 430 — an increase of 50 in one year. For many years the route of travel from the villages of Warren, in Pennsylvania, and Jamestown, in (Chau- tauqua County, to Buffalo, and, subsetjuent U) the com- pletion of the Frio Railroad to Duiikiik, was the high- way lettding through Sinclairville and tlie town of Char- lotte. All the freight and passengers passing between these |X)ints were carried through here. In the summer ©f 1851 the enteri>i"ise of the }>eople of Stockton had effected the completion of a plank r»>ad from Dunkirk, through Fredonia, Stockton, aud Delaiiti,. to the north line of the town of Ellicott, where it met a like road that had been constructed from Jamestown noi-therly. It was called the "Central Plank Road." The prospect that the tr ;vel that had pressed over the route leading through Sinclairville would be divertetl led the people- along the latter route to organize a company, with ti HistO)']! of ( 'hffiloftr. .M capital of $30,00(). for the construction of a plank road from Fredonia, through Cassada^a and Sinclairville, to meet the Jamestown plank road at the north line of the town of Ellicott. $11,000 were subscril>ed in Cliarlotte, Sf),000 in Gerry, «2,000 in ('assadajja, and S7,0(K) in Frc- df)nia. The company was organized in Novemher m December, 1851, and called the " Fredonia and yinclair- ville Plank Road Compuny." Perez Dewey was ciiosen its tirst president. The road was completed in Decem- ber 1852, and had the ettect to retain tiie travel that liad formerly passed through 8inclairville, and to con tribute to the growth and prosperity of Sinclairville and the adjacent country during succeeding years. Great rains prevailed during the year 1851, producing nnusual freshets — destroying crops, mills, and bridges. 'J'he loss in Sinclairville alone was estimated at $1,000. The summer of the succeeding year was in strong con- trast, being exceedingly dry: the streams and pa.stures dried up, tornadoes occurietl, one (»f great violence passed over Sinclairville, one building was blown down, several others unioofed, and the congi'egational church moved several feet from its foundations, besides other damage done. Soon after Maj. Sinclear came to Sinclairville, he do- nated a space of ground for burial purposes. It was situated on lot 41, near its northern boundary, on the west side of the road leading to Charlotte Center. It began to be used in 1811 or 181*2 for such purpose, but it had no definite boundary until many years after- wards, when Jonathan Hedges, who had succeeded Maj. Sinclear in the ownership of the lands, executed a deed of two acres, which included this, and a little addition- al lands that had been purchased by the public of him. The grounds were still further enlarged some years la- ter. The lapse of time, and the growth of the village and the surrounding country, rendered the grounds in- adequate, and a meeting was called, and the Evergreen Cemetery Association was incorporated June 21, 1802. 52 History of Charlotte. Lands were first purchased lying immediately north of the old burial grounds, and subsequently other landt* lying adjacent to, and west and south-west of it were purchased, which are enclosed with the old burial ground, constituting a tract of ten or twelve acres, beautifully and conveniently situated. At the organization of the association, six trustees were elected, and Barnarresident and superintendent. These i)Ositions he lias continued to till, giving his personal attention to improving and em- bellishing the grounds, which lie has accomplished with unusual taste and skill, rendering theju unrivalled for their beauty and adornments. On the 12tli day of April, 1861, the Intc civil Mar com- menced with the bombardment of Fort vSumptei-. Du- ring its continuance, the town of ( 'liailotte furnished its full shai'eof men and money. Xotown in the coun- ty, filled its quota with more j>r()mptnp«s, and in few towns did more citizens serve in the ratiks in propoi- tion to population, than from the town of Cliarlutte, Tln^ close of the wai' tbund its quotas tilled, and a surpluf* of funds provided. The first call for troops was made April lo. iSHl. tor 75,000 men, for three months. May 3, 18bl. a second call was made for 42,000 men, foi* three yefirs, and for ten regiments foi* the regular army. In response to these calls, Lucius B. Arnold in August. 1801, Hiram Waterman, and George W. Barbour, enlisted in the 41ith N. Y. Volunteers, commanded by CoL BidwelL This regiment was in McClellan's campaign on the peninsu- la. It participated in the battles of Antietam, (!han- cellorville, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness battles and other engagements of the war. Waterman, who was a sergeant, was killed October 10, 1864, at Gai- dar Creek, in the Shenandoah Valley. Arnold was con- stantly with his regiment until discharged in July, 1805- Alonzo W. Cross, William More, and his brother Mil- ton More, enlistetl iu the fall of 1801, in the 44th regi- Hi>ifo)f/ of ChnrloH,. 53 ment of X. Y. Inlaiitiy. ur 'Ellswoilli Zouaves." lor the town of Charlotte. ('ro.s« was the tirst of those who represented the town to fall in the wai. He was killed at the battle of Malvern Hill. Xoveinher IS. 18H2, Dan- iel H. DeLisle, Riehard La8elle. Alexander Hose. John D. Hill and Mahlon Denslow. enlisted at Sinelairville. in the 72d regiment of N. Y. \'olnnteeis. commanded by Col. Nelson Taylor. This was a veteran rei>iment. It served in the Army of the Potomac during McClel- lan's Peninsular Campaign, in Pope's Campaign, and also at Antietam and Gettysburg, and in other battles. In the month of Octobei', 1801, the following young men enlisted for the town of Charlotte, at Westtield, in the 9th N. Y. Cavalry, nearly all in (^o. K. of that reg- iment: Charles E. Dalrymple, Levi Pierce, Dewitt Squiers, Cyrus Torry, Thomas H. Torry, and George Phillips, and also E. M. Lee. Squiers and Phillips died in the service. The regiment was in McClellan's Pe- ninsular, and in Pope's campaign, at Chancellorville* the battles of the Wilderness, and in the Shenandoah Valley under Sheridan. A third call was made by the president in July, 1862, for 300,000 volunteers to serve tluee years, and in Au- gust of the .same year, a fourth call was made for a draft of 300,000 militia to .serve nine months. A military committee was formed in the county for the purpose of rai.sing recruits. Hon. A. F. Allen was chairman of this committee, and T. D. ('opp, of Charlotte, was one of its members. Under the supervision of this com- jnittee, the 112th and 154th regiments of N. Y. volun- teer.s, were raised in response to these calls. The follow- ing persons enlisted from the town of Charlotte, in Co. " B.," of the 112th : J. D. Maynard, tirst lieutenant un- til discharged at Sutfblk, May 28, 1863, for physical dis- ability; Manhattan Pickett, George A. Clark, James Al- verson, he died in the service; James H. Bellows, Hi- ram P. Bellows, Andrew J. Brewer, James A. (-ady, Norman S. Cook, died in the service on board of the 54 History of Char (off*!. steamer Arago, and was buried in the sea, Burnett W. Davison, George W. Fisher, George Gilien, Rosuoll W. Graves, Henry F. Holdridge, Willis Kilborn, Leland A. Kirk, died in the service, Sidney F. Stewart, Edward J. Thompson, Daniel Barhite, and John Essex. C'harles W. Smith enlisted in Co. "I," of tlie same regiment. — The 112th left Jamestown September 11th, 18P.2, and arrived the same month in Suffolk, Va., and participa- ted in the defence of that place, when attacked by Long- street. They remained in Virginia until August, 1888, when they sailed for Folly Island, near Charlestown, S. C. They remained there during the seige of Fort Sumpter, and until February, 1864, when they embark- ed for Jacksonville, Florida, They returned to Virgin- ia on the 4th of May of the same year, and joined the Army of the James. IXiring the summer they partici- pated in several severe engagements and battles, in the vicinity of Petersburg and James River, in which CoL Drake and Lieut. CoL Carpenter were killed. The loss of the regiment at Cold Harbor on the 1st of June, was 153 in killed and wounded, of whom 40 were killed. — They embarked at Bermuda Hundred, and on the 13th of December sailed for Wilmington, N. C, and partici- pated in the assault and capture of F'ort Fisher, in which the regiment lost 13 killed, including its Colonel, J. F. Smith,and 31 wounded. The regiment subsequently marched to Raleigh, and on the 13th of June, 1865, were mustered out of the service. The regiment when organized, was composed of 1009 men. They afterwards received 465 recruits. 169 died of disease, 125 died by casualties of battle. Of those who represented the town of Charlotte, nearly all weremembersof Co. '' B." com- manded by Capt. W. H. Chaddock. The following persons enlisted from the town of Char- lotte, and served in Co. "F," of the 154th: Thomas Don- nelly captain of the company. Homer A. Ames pi'omo- ted during service to second lieutenant, Eugene M. Shaw promoted during service to assistant surgeon. hiixftnlj uf ( '/lllilnHr. iV) George A. Tnvlnr j>roii)(»t«'(l to sciiiiMiii. iMkcu prisuiior at Gettysburg, jiiitl died in tlio iiiilit;iiy (nisou un lU'lIc Island; John M. I rwin sngcjinl. Iluj>li Krwin s('r.u«nnit. died in tin* .scrvite. William Allen killed at llie Itattle of (.'liaiicollorvillo. Kli UarjKM'. Blytlio Eruin, Tjntmas l^iwin. Monroe Vounu. ('Iiaile."- H. Brown, (iied in llie sei\ iei*. Mihin .1. (iriswold. I'ai gene Travi.^. .I. Spiking. A. M. \\ agoner. l»ol>eit MeKee. Willifj Dingley. Nelson J»ro(»ks. .lames < >. ('o|i[t. George Gitlen. \V. Devillo l''oil>nsli,MamiltoM Hudson. (.)liv4tli lelt .lames- lowii in SeptenduT \SiV2. tor the .•^eat ol' wai'. They rv- iiiained several weeks at .\rlington Heights, and Kaii- I'ttx Court House, and were tliere hrigatled and (•()nsli- tuted a part of the IOIeyent;h .\rmy ( 'or|>s, under ( ien. iSiegel. The. first battle in. which tln^v were engage killed. 7 wounded and 13 prisoners. 'J'hey were next engMged in the bat- tle of Gettysburg. They afterwai<]s l>eeame a part of (he Twentieth Army; Corps, untler (ivu. Hcwtker, ,'ind went .'joulh and formed a part of the army undei'(»en. Sherman, and marched with him to the .sea. They among other engagements, participated in the battles of Lookout N'alley. Get. 2i*. Ist;:;. Lijokout Mountain and Mission Ridge, N<»v. 2:!, 24 atid 2.'). lr). in Tennes- see, a I. so in tlw following battles in (reurgia: iJocky Paced Fiidge, May S. bStj4. Kesaea. .May b"). Dallas. Mav 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, Pine l\nol».fune 15. Kenesaw .liuie 28, Peaeli Tree Creek July 20. the investment of Atlan- ta from July 22 to Sept. 2. They marched to Savan- nah with the ai'iny of Sherman, and subsecjuentlv re- turned thi-ough the ( 'arolinas. Prior to the calls for men made in July and .August of 1802, no bounties were paid. Under these calls $25 56 History of Cluvrloite. was generally paid to each of the men enlisting in the 112th. This money was raised by subscription, and was never put into any tax. Jolin Dewey headed the ^Subscription list, and was active in raising tlie money. As tlie enlistments in the 112tii did not hll the (juota- an informal meeting was held by some of the citizens, !ind a more equal and effective plan agreed upon. \i was decided to raise and pay a bounty of $100 to each vokmteer. A note was accoi'dingly diawn for S'^,600. the amount necessary, anil was .s-igned f)y some of the citizens, and endorsed by Al<»nzo Langworthy. who, trusting to the faiiiiess of the citizens of the town for its repayment, when ti»c taxes should be collected in the fall, [)rocured the money and disbursed it. Boun- ties of ^100 were {>a,id U\ eacli of the men wlu> enlisted 171 the 154th. and the(|Uota of tlie town under the call of.july. lS(i2. was (illed. In the fall the sum of $;;,7.S,S 4:'/ i-aised, being the amount ol the note and tlie accumu- lated interest, was appoi-tiojied for payment atnong the tax payers. accor«ling to \\w amounts of their respec- tiveassessments. .\ Ithough [)arty sj)irit ran high thi'ough . the country, anti particularly so in the town of ('hai'- lotte during the progress of the war. the citizens sin- eerelyand radically differing in their fiolitical views, being about equally divided between deniocrats and re- publicans, yet this tax was paid without dissent, although it had no legal validity ,and no {)ower existed toenfoi-ce it. The country having failed to meet the calls of Au- gust for 300,000 men, C^ongress^ March 8, 18Go, passed an Enrollment Act, by which all able bodied male cit- izens, and aliens who had declared their intentions to become naturalized, between the ages of i'ie f-n rolled in tlHM<»\\n. •»! whom 178 wei-e in tlu> Hist class, and 114 WH\e in lln' second class. Under the call of .Vn^ust. ISH'J. the <|n(»ta lor the town, hased upon its populntion as Wxi-d liv the mil- itary committee ol" the county was oo. In June. l.StK), sj note for the j)ayn)ent of ^n,7i'>4 2(». was sioncd hy ma- ny citizens, and endor.sed. and the money i>l»tained hy Alonzo Langworthy, as in the year hcl'ore. for the pur- pose of payiu.u hounties. The draft was oidcre- cent was adclecl to the numher to he diawn, in ordei' topi'ovide againstex- emptions, and HS names were drawn from the first class,, which had heen reduced hy exempti<»ns to i;)9 jiames. The following is a list of those who were draftetJ: .John . Shoemaker. W'ahlo Hill. Levi K. Ward, (leorge ('ardot, . Royal E. Sheldon, .\lfred Kile, .lames H. Lewis, .John. H. liailey. Patrick MHloney,()hed Simmotis. Riciiard . 'I'hompson. A. H. Doty, (^has. \V. Seaver. Hamilton Hud- . son, Albert Thompson. Loren Stevens. Elisha Wilcox. Almond Ji. Stiaight. lulius Elliott. Addison Sprague. Stephen W'arner. Leander White, .James H. Lyon, Kd- gar A. Bronson. Geo W. Barher. Blythe Erwin. .lames Rose, .John F. Wood, Frank Langw(»ithy. Fied. H. Mal- lory, .las. !>. Woodworth, W'm. McNaughton, Wm. H. (tleason. .Joseph Duhurst, Orren Kohertson. Nathan I*. Newh^n. Daniel Kelley. .h>hn Odell. Of tho.se diawn. I(J were exempted for physical di.sahility. S foi- other causes, li furnished substitutes, 12 paid conunutations. none reported for duty, and five failed to report. The draft here, as everywhere else, failed to j)roduce men. and money only. In the counties of C^hautaucpia and Cattaraugus, only KKS of the 2t)2:> men drafted, report- ed for duty, and 1352 were exempted. The remainder 5R ffistory of Charloffr, furnished substitutes or commuted. October 17, 1868. the Hfth call was made IV.j- 3(l0,0(>O men. In the fall of this year the amount of \\ie note and interest, in all the sum of ^5,925 45, was appor- tioned among the tax-payers, and paid without dissent, as in the year before. To make up for tlie great losses that the army sustained the year before, on the 1st day of VA> ruary, 1864, a sixth call was made by the Piesideuf for 200,000 men, and for ttie deficiency under the las! call. February 9th, a law was passed by the liCgislature of I he State of New York, giving ample authority to towns to mise money to pay bounties to volunteers. I'nder this act special town meetings were held from time to time, during tl)e year 1864, for that [)urposK April '29th. Huch a town meeting was held at ReedV Hall, in Sin- clairville. June 7th a meeting was lield at the .sanu- place] at which, by a large vote, a resolution was adopt- ed t(> raise ^6.o0<>. to pay ixMuities. A ervisor oS the year ni which theijuota was to l)c hlled" and they were active in perfoiniing that duty. Tbe supervisors were aided by committees, that were ap- pointed from time to time, at the several town meet- ings. Among other citizens wlio .served upon these committees, were John Dewey. W' . W . Henders(m, and Henry C. Lake, all of whom rendered eihcieiit .service. The responsible charge of i)rocuring and disbursing the moneys directed to be raised by the town meetings, in llie })ayment of bounties and other war expenses, and the management of linancial matters growing out f>f the war, were by common consent imposed u}»on Alonzo Langworthy. These important cliarges, so in- trusted to him, were [)ciformed greatly to the advan- tage of the town. Besides the persons before named, wlio enlisted from 60 History of Charfoffc. tlie town, and represented it during the war, were Ed- win H. Ames, who enlisted in the 7th Co. of Sharp Shooters. He was killed in tJK^ hjiltle of the Wilder- ness. John Ames, G. Rogers, ami (iet)r/ieW Burroughs John Jones, and Albert W. Cummings, enlisted aiid served in the navy; Cummings, during-the latter part of the war upon the Giossbeak, which formed a j>art of the Mississippi squadron. From the data that we liave, the town of Chailotte furnished for the army and navy during the war, lioiu its own citizens, at least eighty men. Of these, 12 were killed in battle, or died in the service; a still greatei number were more or less severely wounded. About 30 citizens furnished substitutes, or })aid commutation money. The remainder of the men required to fill its (|Uotas, under tlie different calls of the president, were raised as in the most if not all of the othei' towns ofth< j-ounty, l)y the payment of l)ounties to recruits enlisted «)utside of the town. They were (>l)tained mostly b\ T. D. Copp. The number of men re(|uired to be laised by the town, under the vai"iou.>< calls of tijc president . was over 100. These ((Uotas were all tilled, with proba- bly an over[>lus of men iu favor of the town*, some ot whom by oversight oi- for other cause, wei-e not credit- ed to the town, as they justly should have been, and others who enlisted outsiart of (ici iv. and the c<'ntral )»or. tion of Charlotte. Fiom the ■ \'«>lunt«'<^r Fund."' raised bv private subscription, not included in any tax. uitli the exception *^\ S1o8. receiv<'d from ihe l«»\vn. were paid for bounties, tlie leliefof the families of volunteers, and other objects c(Uinected with the war. =t;912.o.J. The incidents tliat occurred in the town in Ihe year 1HH8, are of sutticient importance as lu entitle them to some mention in a town histoiy. in March (d' that year, Orton Clark, an old and respected citi/.en of the ♦own, and formei Suirogate of the county, wasaccident- ally drowned at Sinclairville. while attempting to cross the creek. In 1868. occurred the severest fire that ever visited Sinclairville. About one o'clock on the morn- ing of the 7tli of .\|>ril of that ycai-. the Rentiett block, situated on the south side of Main street was discovered 1o l)e on fire. Thiee stoi-es compiisinj; this block, oc- cupied respectively by Henry Sylvester. W. D. Forbush and L. Moniieimer. the Sinclairville hotel, owned V)y Levi Harrison, .situated on the nortii side of Main street, the dwelling house and barn of Ezra Richmond, a meat market, and shoe shop weie burned, and a harness shop torn down; in all seven buildings. During the sum- mer season of this year, unusual thunder storms pre- vailed, by which several barns in the town were struck by lightning, and their contents consumed. When the census was taken June 1st. 1870, the population of Sin- clairville. including those inliabitants of the village that lived in the town of Gerry, was found to be 575. The practicability of constructing a railroad from Dunkirk, by the way (.>f the Tassadaga and Cone wan go valleys, to Warren. Pa.,an2 Hidory of CfiaHottt. der considerjition, when a pulilic mcetiii":, of wliich C ^. Allen was cliairinan, was for the first time lield in the summer of lS()f), in the villaue of Sinelairville, to pro- mote the eiiterpiise. Subsequently other meetings were helreliniina)v steps weie taken foitiie organization of the )'oad. It was iinally organized tiie succeeding' winter, vmder the iiameol the Dunkirk, Warien (li" Pitts- l>nr£i Ivivilroini. 'V. D. ( '<>pp and Alon/o Lan^worlliv ol' Sinclairvillc, wcmc directors li'onv its oi'^a nidation t(v its (^om|)[etion. The ioiiiiei' Ix'ino,' duiing this timetlu^ president Their infhienee and well (iirecte(l ell'orls, ]ar<^ely aid<'d in cUci-tniii the const ruction of the road. April 2;)d, an act was passed Ity the legislature ol the State of New York, autliorizinf> th(> towns in (his coun- ty to subsi'.rihe to the capital st.ock of th(^ road, and un der this act foi, 000 ol st<>('k was so suhscrihed Ity tji< town of ( 'harlotte The lirst work was jK^'fonned on this road hy the en.<;ineers, June 17, 1ducts over loup, and te- dious r(Kids, had long" felt the disadvantages of their isolated locations, in the reduced prices of their farmin^i lands, as compai'cd with those that were no l)etter, but were situated in more favored localities. By the com- pletion of this road,, they sudroperty of the settlers in this vicinity, and its arrival at the postoffice at Fredonia was watched with great in- terest, and its contents eagerly ]»eriised and ])ublicly read. J. M. Ed.son who was then a i)oy. usually acted as the reader. This single sheet brought to them near- ly all that they knew of what was traiispiiing without the wilderness, of the principal events in the last war with England, and of the woiidejful campaign,'^ of Nn- poleon; which excited her*.- at this lisjied ain(»ng them. The first school was taught by William Gilmour, in the winter of ISll — 12, in the log house erected in 1809, by Ma.j. Sinelear in Sinclearville. The ischools there, had been previously ke{)t in a school house built in I-SIM, in the town of Gerry, adjacent to the village. The fiist shool houses in the other districts of the town were in- variably built of log.s. About lS2'liind bS25,book agents 64 History of CharloUc. appeared, and books began to be more plenty. The^ citizens of Charlotte Center and vicinity were well in- formed, and possessed a decided taste for l)ooks and mental iini)rovement. About the year 1832, a circula- ting library was founded there, which was called the "Charlotte (^enter Private Library Association." It contained 200 or 300 volumes of good books, and c(jn- tinued in existence until about the year bS42, when the library was dissolved, and the l)0(»ksdistri)>uted among its meiTd)ers. About lh(; year 1840, a circulating libra- ry was founded at Sinclaii'ville. It contained 75 or 100 volumes; it was dissolved about the yeai" 1842. A])0ut the year 185(5 or 7, the Parmer's Club of Hinclairville founded a siiudl }il)raiy, consisting of agricultui'al works; it continued in existence 'out a short time. — February t), 1870, the .Sinclairville Circulating Library was established, with Aion/>() Langwoi'tby as its presi- dent. It has boon c.\ce(!-dingly pi'ospei-ous^ and largely pati-onized, and is ra])idly extending a taste for reading. It now numbei-s ()00 volumes. 114 ditfe rent persons during the year (hiding Jannai'y 1, 187(5, received books fi'onl this library, and 2045 vokuncs during that year wei'e read. In early years, there was only n local mai-ke^t for but- ter and cheese, articles which have since become (he staples of tlie town. l*'a.rniors tiien b>ok little pains in selecting and kee])ing tlieii" slock, and farming in other respects was at a low ebb. The institution of agricul- tural fairs iiowever, began to awaken some interest. — The Cbautaucpia ( -ounty Agricultural Society was or- ganized January 4, 1837, and fairs were thereafter an- nually held at various points in Chautauqua county. — In 1849, the county fair was held at Sinclairville. an any other event. It enabled the butter and cheese, and most other farming products to find a regular market. Fences and buildings were put into better repair, and Jlidnrii nf ( 'IntfloHr. f>5 farmers begun to improve their breeds of eattle. A lew years later, when the mowinij: macliinc eaine into use. and better farming implements adopted, a still greater interest was manifested in agrieultural pursuits, and soon dairying, and the various branehes of agriculture reached a most pr{)sj)erous and thriving eonditioii. — Farmers, however, did not co-operate firt' several years, and each manufactured his own butter and clieese. — A.sahel Burnham was the first to inaugurates change in this respect. lie, in 18<)5, built and opened an ex- tensive cheese factory at Hinchiirville; believed to have been at that time the largest in the state; at which was manufactured into cheese in that year, 1,049,064 pounds of milk, from HoO cows, l)elonging to 120 patrons of •this cheese factory. Mr. Burnham made during that year, 7,250 cheeses, each weighing fJO pounds. Some of the time as many as HO cheeses in a day. He also built and owned several other cheese factories in the adjacent towns of Arkwi'iglit and Stockton. The first cheese .factory erected in the county, was built by him in Ark Wright; the second at Sinclairville. The facto- '"ies j>roduced a great change ni the pursuit of dairying, and cheese factories, and creameries for the manufac- ture of bulter,'sprung up in other parts of the town, and through the county. Now the farming community are fully alive to- everything which relates to their pursuit, and by intcivhangc of views, and other jvracticable me- thods, seek to promote its interests. Besides Vhiirying, the raising of horses, cattle and sheep, engage their at- tention. The Sinclairvillc Fariner's Grange was insti- tuted in Sinclairville this year. Allen A. Stevens is its master. The "Sinclairville Fair Ground Association " was or- ganized November 5, 1874, with H. F. Kimbe! as pres- ident. Over twenty acres of land have been procured, lying in Sinclairville in one body, u[)on lots 33, 34, 41, and 42. An excellent driving track has been comple- ted, and is now in use. Several acres have been set 6f> Ilistm-y of Chatlofk. apart for the display of stock, and other purposes^ upon which the buildings of the society have been erected The grounds are finely situated and in complete condi- tion, and are inclosed by a new and substantial fence. An annual fair was held there in 1875, and will be held ngain in September, 1876. Sinclairville, according to the census taken in 1875, had a total population of fi95, of which 608 were in (Tliarlotte, and 87 in Gerry. The town of Charlotte, by the same census, had a population of 1708. And now, having sketched the history of the town from its settlement on the 1st day of April, 180->, to tin- present year, the work assigned me is completed. In performing it^ I have presented facts and dates, with dry particularity. It may perhaps be thought that I liavf- been unnecessarily minute in giving them; but they were details that I had at command, and it was re(|ue?«t- ed that I should use them fully. They clearly liave en- abled me to give a more faithful history. * As the pui"pose declared by Congress for gathering : these assemblages to-day through the nation, is to ob- tain a complete record of the progress of the institu- tions of tliis country, it is proper for me to glance at the present condition of our town, and its piogress with in the century. The villages of Sinclairville and Char- lotte Center are now sustained principally by the trade and business that the surrounding country atford. The former is a principal station upon the Dunkirk, Allega- *To mv father .)ohn M . Ed.son. I um iiidehtecl lor many ijiiggostions. «nd very imrch of th«> djitji Irom wliit-h llii» «ketch lias l»ce»» prepared. As ho came to I'ljariolte in 1810. he has been for 66 yearn identified with the town, and it is well known, was familiar with the particulars of its set- tlement, and siihsctiuent history, rndctitcdness is also at- knowledgect to l». W. Seaver, John Pickett, the (Jleland brothers, and otherearly residents o)! the town for other facts given. To the same persons, and to early settlers of the town of 'lorry, shonld also be credited tlie materials, from which I prepared sketches of Charlotte and Gerry, published in Mr. A W, Young^s History of Chaulauqua Cotinty. ffiN(nr)/ of Clifir/otfi . r.T iiy Valley (V- Piitsbur^' Railroad, at which considerable quantities of pressed hay. huttej-. cheese, stock, apples, and other cinnniodities are annually sliijipt'd. The town IS an apjricultural town. Nearly every acre of its land is arable. Its soil is 'l)ctler titted for pasturage than til- lage. A fertile soil, streams, sup|tlied by sprinolises: Cincimuiti, Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco; and now oui" whole country, grown from three millions j^f people to- over forty millions, is laced together with a nctwoik of Railways, iron bonds, that bind the North to the Soutii, the East to the West, in an indissoluble union ! What century in the history of the world can show a change like this? Much as our countiy has added to her material i>ros- perity, it has not been gi'eater than her contributions to the world's advancement. What progress is implied in the mere mention of the discoveries and improvements that our couiitiviuen have made within the centurv I /fhtnri/ >>f ('h(trh,1(, r,0 What a burthen of toil lias l)e(')i lifted from the liuman race ! What a world of comfort litis hccn bestowed up- on it by the invention (»f the iciipinij; machine, the sew- ing machine, the cotton gin, the steamboat, and the telegraph ! But our festivities to-day commemorate by far the noblest achievements of the American People. The Declaration of Independence, the War of the Revolu- tion, and the Constitution of the United States, are con- tributions in the interest of the human race, that liave done more to lift it up, and shield it from oppression, than any other hi this, and perhaps than any century Before those events, the civilized world was divided in- fo great centralized Monarchies, which seem to have been created solely for the beneht of their rulers. The people were thought to have no rights. Patriotism con- sisted in loyalty to the king, who ruled by divine right But during the last century, writers and phiiosoidiers m France, put forth new ideas of the rights of man- kind, of the authority of kings, and of the purposes for which governments should be established. The divine 1 iglit of kings was denied, and the nialienable rights of ^ the people proclaimed. Yet these new and advanced ideas, rested wholly in theory, until Americans, blest by favoring circumstances, could give them force. They were first declared as a justification for a great ])olitical revolution by Jefferson, in the Declaration of Indepen- dence. They wore defended by Washington, and the patriots of the Revolution, at the cannon's mouth. They 'were embodied into a system of government by our first statesmen, in that masterly instrument, the Constitution of the United States, which secures to the People, a Gov- ernment by the People. These principles, our country- men have now upheld for a hundred years. Times will change — Laws will change — and creeds will change — but may we not trust that these sacred piinciples will remain unchanged when tJic (ireat Festival shall be held a century hence. 70 Charlotte Natiwud (Jcniamial. The Band played an appropriate piece of music. "Hail Our Country's Natal Morn," was sunu;': solo }n- Mrs. L. M. Lincoln; chorus hy the Glee Cluh. A vote was passed, dii'ectinij the ('(mnnittec to causp to be printed the Historical j\ddress of Obed Edson. The weather, which had been fair during the ceremo- nies, now chani^ed, and the lain beiiau slowly to fall — which prevented a basket ])icnic in the prove, which had been intended. Tlu^ nssejnl)la<2:c howevei- immedi- ately repaired to theample buildiiiijjsof t he Pair ( troun(i^ which were well provided with tal)k\>^. and otbei- ccinvc- niences, and partook of their I'cfresliiiicots, enjoying a social and pleasant hour, frequently enliv(^ned by mu- sic from the band. The a.ssembla^e comi)rised the greater portion ot the population of tlie town, besides many from the town or(Jeiiy, ;)nd other towns, not- withstanding like cei'emonies were h(>in<;had at James- town, and at othei- jtlaces in (he: ronniy. At suns(;t, a national salute wji.s rired. In the evenin*.;, a display of lirewoi'ks was made by the committee on tire woi-ks. The day wasobserved in ('hailolte with renin ika'ble. f;jood order and sol»riety, and i;ave iicm^ral satisfaction to all who in any way j)artici])ated in its ceremoines r.uU^lMi^^^. ^C/ APPENDIX. BUSINESS RECORD FOR JULY 4, 1876 SINCLAIRVILLE. Nelson MitclH'll,(TC'neral Store, Main street. Slieldon tV Williams, ( li. K Sheldon and Eduiu WillinniH,) (len eral Store, Main street. Thompson iSr Lapliam, ( l>. Iln,t Tliompson and, 11. W. Laphain,) General Store, eonier Main and Park streets. Billings Bros, {^r., a.ttd Wesfohy I>ari/ar. ) drug and grocery store, Main street. Alhert E. Phil lij)S, drug and grocery store, Main street, W, W, Hen- derson, drug store. Main street. Joscpli Tolenso. doth ing store, Main street. Chas. W. Hedges, t;ii!or sliop mid librarian ot the Sinclairville Library Association. Main street, F. ('hristian, tailor shop. Main street. — Mrs. H. A. Kirk, iniliinery and fancy goIe street. John (Trcshmei", sh^; — 'V* -^-^ ^' . / . -^^^ /%S-Z^.n^^(u^ "he^liiJ^^C^ /^^^^-..^^ fh'-^^y) /?*^~-^«>' /^ /3'^4^4.^,<^..^ ^Q.c...:e.e. ^c^^.u._ ^-^^<^-- -y /^y^^^ ?* ^'^^ 3 ^ ^ 3 /tJ- 3 3 3 ii* Ai 3S9 /t^t ^^^■/ii;^f^S^^i^^^Sj^aJ^ Hoy ^i^*^^— ^' /y^'«— -*- jii^ ^s^*--; -^^' ^.^ /r/^ S^e^a^ ^iS^ZZi. T'^ho^s ^^U.^y^(d^^)/^y v/ .a«*:V, — - 9 t-^IX. A^ <- ^-Ct--*.' V*-t,«^ , r ""^JiO-ijo _ X^Cs-*.j>^b~t.-rs, tx/. ^y^2.ajL*^,^ ^-£j , c ^ex-j- ,y?jfZj^ «.^^_?^^£jt^^^*^^ / / ^yi7 6iu^ ^-*^ 'iU^yr^ i^«'<-^<« ^^2^^t^^ ^J^^r^^ 5!^^7. ^ (9r-^^^ Le^^t^ j^^.^ /)fvy ^ ^*^y 'jl*^^-^ WL^^ r/i^^ /3 ^^~ /S^^ ^ . /5> :^A / S 5"^ " (-^o>^4^/fnTi. t^^ Ci^t^^t^ O^^-^r 40^^'