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SKETCHES 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 
 
 EMORY F. WARREN 
 
 t JAMESTOWN, N. Y. 
 
 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED EY 
 
 J. WARREN FLETCHER. 
 
 1846. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, by 
 
 J. WARREN FLETCHER, 
 
 HI the Clark's Office of the Northern District of 
 
 New-York, in the year 1846. 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The Compiler intends to use the privilege of wri- 
 ting a Preface, for the purpose of making personal 
 explanations to his readers, (if he shall succeed in 
 obtaining' any,) of some matters relating to the fol- 
 lowing pages, which seem to require them. 
 
 The work was undertaken at the solicitation and 
 
 risk of llle Publiohcr -, and the Compiler expeCtS nei- 
 ther fame nor emolument from its publication. It 
 has been prepared under many disadvantages, which 
 have materially detracted from its completeness. 
 
 During the greater part of the time employed upor 
 it, the Compiler was engaged in the duties of a labo- 
 rious profession, and the subject was prosecuted only 
 at intervals, as his other avocations would permit. 
 Had he set about it with nothing else in hand, he- 
 flatters himself that it would have approached much 
 nearer to what such a work should have been, than he 
 has been able to make it. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The materials of which it is composed, have been 
 derived from various sources; some from the written 
 testimony of others; some from the personal relation- 
 of individuals; and some from the researches and 
 investigations of the Compiler. It is not pretended 
 that the statements embodied in it, are accurate ir> 
 every particular; but the most he can hope on that 
 subject is, that they are an approximation to the 
 truth. It contains at least, the best evidences of the 
 facts attempted to be given, which were within his 
 reach. Neither is it pretended that it embraces all 
 the incidents connected with the History of Chautau- 
 que County, deserving- a place iii a work of this char- 
 acter. It does however contain all that have come 
 under his observation, which he deemed of particular 
 importance. Had he been able to devote more time 
 to the subject, and made more frequent personal ap- 
 plication to early settlers, for facts remaining only in 
 the store-house of memory, he does not doubt that he 
 might have enriched these pages, by many additional 
 incidents of peculiar value. 
 
 The work however, imperfect as it is, may serve as 
 the basis of a more elaborate performance, which 
 more competent hands may hereafter execute. 
 
PRFFACBS 
 
 The only attempt hitherto made, to embody in a. 
 written form, any facts in relation to the early history 
 of this County, was made by Samuel A. Brown, Esq., 
 in a series of Lectures, delivered at the Jamestown 
 Academy, in 1843, and which, on their publication in 
 the newspapers of the County, excited public atten- 
 tion, and were extensively circulated and read. To 
 these sketches by Mr. Brown, the Compiler is largely 
 indebted for many valuable facts which they contain. 
 He is also under particular obligations to Abner Ha- 
 zeltine, Henry C. Frisbee, and Phineas Palmiter, 
 Esqrs., for the essential service they have afforded in 
 contributing facts, for the purpose of rendering these 
 sketches more perfect than they otherwise could 
 have been made. 
 
 From the desultory manner in which the labors of 
 the Compiler have been performed, it will not be 
 strange if repetitions have occurred, which a more 
 methodical pursuit of the'subject might have avoided. 
 If any such shall be found, the courteous reader will 
 attribute them to the proper cause. 
 
 Early in March, of the present year, and before the 
 body of the work was printed, the Compiler had 
 changed his business, and place of residence, and 
 
Xn PREFACE. 
 
 could not therefore correct the sheets as they came 
 from the press. For these reasons, some typograph- 
 ical errors have occurred, which, by a personal in- 
 spection of the matter, as it was printed, might have 
 been avoided. The errors however, are generally of 
 such a character, as v/ill be readily detected, by per- 
 sons at all familiar with the facts in connection with 
 which they have occurred; and can mislead such only 
 as are but slightly acquainted with them. One 
 of the most glaring, will be found on page 48, in the 
 entire change of the name of Anselm Potter, Esq.; 
 
 and also 'on page 50, where the same name again 
 occurs. 
 
 Another may be found on page 59, in the name of 
 Mr. Bovee, who was killed in the battle at Black 
 Rock. Another of a somewhat different character' 
 and attributable entirely to the Compiler, will be 
 found on page S3, in which Charles Carroll is de- 
 scribed as a "citizen of Virginia," while it is well 
 known to every iritelligent reader that he was a citi- 
 zen of Maryland. 
 
 There are doubtless other errors of a similar char- 
 acter, which are too apparent to mislead, and will be 
 readily corrected by the reader. 
 
PREFACE. Xllf 
 
 The work, imperfect as it is, goes forth to the 
 world with the wishes of the Compiler, that it may be 
 useful as a book of reference for the facts embodied 
 n it; and may serve in some slight degree, as a con- 
 tribution to the local History of the country, not en- 
 tirely valueless to the general reader, or to the citizens 
 of the County of Chautauque. 
 
 E. F. W- 
 
 Stockton, April 1, 1846. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 OF 
 
 CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 
 
 * 
 * 
 
^iO 
 
HISTORY 
 OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ORIGIN OF THE NAME LOCATION BOUNDARIES AND 
 
 EXTENT SURFACE SOIIi PRODUCTIONS CHAU- 
 TAUQUE LAKE STREAMS, 
 
 The origin of the name of this County is involved 
 in some obscurity. One authority derives it from a 
 corruption of the Indian word Ois-ha-ta-'kay which 
 signifies ' foggy place,' and was applied to the coun- 
 try around the head of Chautauqne Lake, which was 
 said to be noted for the prevalence of its fogs. Another 
 derives it from the words, Chau-tau-qua^ in the same 
 dialect, which signify ' a pack tied in the middle,' 
 from the resemblance which the Lake bears to that 
 object. 
 
 By reference to a map it will be observed to present 
 the appearance cf two lakes joined together by a 
 narrow neck or strait. 
 
 A 
 
18 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Location. Boundaries. Extent of the County. 
 
 Whatever may have been the origin of the name, 
 which is singularly euphonic, the beautiful sheet of 
 water which lies within its borders and forms one of 
 the distinguishing characteristics in its natural sce- 
 nery, has given a name to the County, sketches of 
 the history of which are attempted in the following 
 pages. 
 
 Chautauque is the south-western County in the 
 State of New-York, and is bounded north-westerly 
 by Lake Erie, East by the County of Cattaraugus, 
 and a email part of Erie County, from which it is 
 separated by the Cattaraugus Creek, south by the 
 42nd parallel cf north latitude which forms the south- 
 ern boundary of the State of New-York, and sepa- 
 rates this County from the County of Warren in the 
 State of Pennsylvania, and on the West by Erie 
 County in the latter State. 
 
 Its greatest length from North to South is about 
 40 miles, and its breadth on the Pennsylvania line 36 
 miles. Its north-western border for upwards of 40 
 miles, is washed by the waters of Lake Erie, and in- 
 cludes several harbors, which with suitable improve- 
 ments may be rendered sufficiently capacious and safe 
 for the largest class of vessels usually employed in 
 navigating the great Western Lakes. 
 
 It is situated on the elevated ground commonly 
 denominated the ' ridge,' which separates the waters 
 which fall into Lake Erie from those which flow south 
 
OF CnAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 19 
 
 Soil. Productions. Chautauque Lake. 
 
 into the Gulf of Mexico. This ridge varies from 3 
 to 6 miles in its distance from Lake Erie, and is ele- 
 vated from 600 to 1400 feet above it. The general 
 surface is hilly, though not mountainous ; and the 
 most elevated portions are susceptible of a high state 
 of cultivation. There is very little land within its 
 borders, which can be called waste land or that is not 
 adapted to some kinds of tillage. The soil along the 
 shore of Lake Erie, extending from 1 to 4 miles in 
 width, and along the principle water courses, more 
 especially those running in a southern direction, is a 
 rich alluvion, originally covered with a stupendous 
 growth of the different species of timber indigenous 
 to it, and in a state of cultivation, is productive of all 
 the varieties of grain, fruit and vegetables adapted to 
 the climate, in great abundance. 
 
 The upland portions are less fitted to produce the 
 small grains, but the coarser kinds and grasses, flour- 
 ish plentifully. There is probably no section of the 
 State better adapted to the growing of stock and 
 wool, and the productions of the dairy. 
 
 This County contains within its limits, a sheet of 
 water, which gives it a name, that will vie with those 
 60 justly celebrated for their beauty, in other portions 
 of the State, if not in the world, for the natural rich- 
 ness of its scenery. The Chautauque Lake is 18 
 miles in length and from 1 to 5 miles broad, stretch- 
 ing from north-east to south-east, through the cen- 
 
20 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Chautauque Lake. Streams. 
 
 tral portion of the County. It is elevated 726 feet 
 above the waters of Lake Erie, and 1291 above those 
 of the Atlantic Ocean ; and is the highest body of 
 water upon the globe navigated by steam. 
 
 The land on its borders, with some unimportant 
 exceptions, rises graduallj- from the waters' edge, is 
 arable in its whole extent, and susceptible of being 
 improved and beautified in an eminent degree. It 
 abounds with the finest fish, which are readily taken 
 at all seasons. 
 
 Its bottom, for the most part is covered with coarse 
 gravel, which renders its waters pure and as transpa- 
 rent as crystal. It has no Etreams of any consider- 
 able magnitude, falling into it, but is fed mainly 
 from springs under and around its margin. 
 
 There are several str^cams cf some importance, 
 within the County, navigable in the Spring and Au- 
 tumn, and many of which serve as highways, either 
 to Lake Erie, or to the Allegany and Ohio Rivers. 
 The Connewango creek rices in the north-eastern 
 section of the County, flews through nearly its entire 
 eastern portion and unites with the Allegany River 
 at Warren in the State of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Its principal tributary is the Casadaga creek, which 
 takes its rise in a small lake, or ecries cf lakes, o 
 the same name, each of about a mile in extent, near 
 thS summit cf the 'ridge,' at the difctance of about 6 
 miles from Lake Erie. These small lakes, three in 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 21 
 
 * Streams Continned ^^^ 
 
 number, lie easterly from Chautauque Lake, and dis- 
 charge their waters in the same direction, and re- 
 ceive those of the latter about 8 miles from its south- 
 ern termination. The Casadaga creek also receives 
 the waters of Bear Lake, a small body of water of 
 some 300 acres in extent, situated about two miles 
 westerly of the Casadaga Lakes. French creek also 
 rises in the County, and passes out at its south-west- 
 ern border into Erie County Pennsylvania, and unites 
 with the Allegany River at Franklin. Big and Little 
 Brokenstraw Creeks, also take their rise in the south- 
 ern section of the County, and flow in a southerly 
 direction into the Allegany River. Several of these 
 streams are navigable to a greater or less extent 
 within the limits of the County, and all furnish water 
 power for manufacturing purposes, at various points, 
 according to their several capacities. 
 
 The Cattaraugus creek, which forms a small por- 
 tion of the north-east3rn boundary, is a heavy stream 
 and navigable for some distance from its mouth. It 
 falls into Lake Erie, and possesses advantages in a 
 commercial point of view, as a harbor for vessels 
 navigating the lake. Silver and Walnut creeks take 
 their rise in the high lands of the ridge, as do all the 
 streams discharging their waters into Lake Erie, and 
 unite a short distance from the Lake, and enter it at 
 Silver Creek harbor, about 3 miles from the mouth of 
 Cattaraugus creek. Canadaway and Chautauque 
 
22 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Streams Continued. 
 
 creeks, also flow into Lake Erie, the former a short 
 distance above Dunkirk Harbor, and the latter above 
 the harbor at Barcelona. 
 
 They are short but rapid streams and with the most 
 of the others that have been named, and many others 
 of less note, furnish abundance of water at most sea- 
 sons of the year, for hydraulic purposes. 
 
 Twenty mile creek, also rises in the Western sec- 
 tion of the County, and passes into Erie county 
 Pennsylvania, and thence into Lake EriCc. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQ,UE COUNTY. 23 
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 MINERALOGY — INFLAMMABLE GAS — SULPiroR SPRINGS 
 SHELL MARL STONE CLAY. 
 
 There are Mineral Springs at various points in 
 this County, many of which are deserving particular 
 notice. 
 
 Of these, several emitting inflammable gas are 
 found in and near the village of Fredonia, at Van 
 Buren Harbor, in the town of Sheridan and at Barce- 
 lona. These springs furnish the most interesting 
 exhibitions of the kind, that can be found in the State 
 of New-York. Those at, and in the immediate vi- 
 cinity of Fredonia, are of deserved celebrity, and 
 have attracted much attention for many years. 
 
 They have their origin in the strata of elate, which 
 form the bed of Canadaway creek on which the village 
 stands. The gas is evolved through fissures in the 
 rocks, and bubbles of the gas may be seen in various 
 places, rising through the water. 
 
 When collected in a proper vessel, it burns with a 
 white flame, and emits no offensive odor. Its strong 
 illuminating powers, and the abundant supply, sug- 
 gested its use in lighting the village. By sinking a 
 shaft to the depth of something more than 20 feet, 
 and inserting a tube, the gas is conducted to a gas- 
 ometer, and thence to different parts of the village 
 for use. When lighted with this material, the public 
 
94 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Inflammable Gas^ Sulphur Springs. 
 
 houses, stores and offices present a novel appearance, 
 the brilliancy of which cannot be equalled. 
 
 At Van Buren harbor on Lake Erie, 4 miles from 
 Fredonia, bubbles of the same gas may be seen rising 
 through the waters cf the Lake, a rod or two from 
 the shore. 
 
 The same may be seen on the shores of the Lake, 
 3 miles easterly of Barcelona. The light house, at 
 the latter place is illuminated with this substance, 
 It has also been discovered in the town of Sheridan, 
 6 1-2 miles east of Fredonia, also on one of the branch- 
 es of Canadaway creek, 4 miles south east of that 
 village. 
 
 Sulphur Springs are of frequent occurrence, and 
 have some connexion apparently with the inflamma- 
 ble gas, for which the County is celebrated. These 
 Springs are found in the same sections of the County 
 and often in the same vicinity with those emitting 
 gas. Some are more strongly impregnated with the 
 sulphur than others, and have often been resorted to 
 for their medicinal qualities. 
 
 Bog ore has been found in several localities, but 
 not in sufficient quantities for practical purposes. 
 
 Shell marl is found in abundance in the immediate 
 vicinity of Casadaga Lake, and has been prepared and 
 used to a considerable extent for building purposes 
 as a substitute for lime. Alum and Copperas are 
 said to be spontaneously formed in the town of Sher- 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 25 
 
 Minerals. Stone. Clay, 
 
 idan, though in quantities quite too diminutive for use. 
 
 Quarries of sand stone of an excellent quality for 
 building materials have been discovered in different 
 sections ; these in the towns of Harmony and Car- 
 roll have been resorted to for many years. 
 
 Stone of other kmds are also found, which are ex- 
 tensively used in the construction of buildings. Ma- 
 terials for brick are found in almost every part of the 
 County ; in some, clay for the coarser kinds of pottery. 
 
26 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOLLAND COMPANY ORIGIN OF THEIR TITLE — ITS 
 
 HISTORY. 
 
 The land titles of the state of New-York, known 
 as the Holland Purchase, which includes the County 
 of Chautauque, may be said to be derived from a 
 Patent, granted by James I. King of England, to the 
 Plymouth company in the year 1620. 
 
 The territory included in this patent, extended from 
 the 40th to the 48th degrees of north latitude, and 
 from the Atlantic westwardly to the Pacific ocean. 
 
 The settlement at . Plymouth Rock, to which we 
 recur with true New England pride, and which fur- 
 nishes a theme for the Orator and Poet when they 
 would awaken our veneration for the heroism and 
 eelf-sacrificing devotion of our Puritan ancestors, 
 was commenced uiidcr this grant. 
 
 The dominion of the Plymouth company was in- 
 terrupted on the west by tlie Dutch, who had ob- 
 tained a footing and claimed in opposition to the for- 
 mer, until 1664, when they ceded iheir lands to «he 
 English crown. In ihat year Charles II. granted the 
 New Netherlands to the Duke of York, which from 
 thenceforth took the name of New York. This 
 grant included the territory, which was afterwards 
 known as the 'Holland Purchase.' 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE CODJfTY. 2T 
 
 History of Land Titles. 
 
 Massachusetts, by virtue of the grant to the Plym- 
 outh Company, still claimed title as against New- 
 York, and the result was a prolonged controversy 
 respecting the rival claims, which was not finally 
 compromised until after the Revolution. Massachu- 
 setts presented her claims to the Congress under the 
 confederation, and New- York was cited to appear and 
 controvert the claims of her rival and make good her 
 own. 
 
 Commissioners were appointed on the part of both 
 States, and their negotiations resulted in a comprom- 
 ise of all the difficulties between them : and a con- 
 vention was concluded in 1786, at Hartford, by which 
 Massachusetts ceded lo New-York, 'the government 
 sovereignty, and jurisdiciion' of the lerritory in dis- 
 pute, and New- York ceded to Massachasetis, ihe right 
 of pre-empticn of the soil from the Indians. 
 
 It would appear from the history of the origin, 
 progress and adjustment cf these different claims that 
 the title to the lands, which are at present comprised 
 within the limits cf the county of Chautauque, was 
 never vested in the State of New -York. 
 
 In March 1791, the State of Massachusetts, through 
 a committee of her Legislature, specially appointed 
 for that purpose, co' tracted to convey all the lands 
 comprised within the Holland Purchase, excepting 
 one undivided sixtieth part, to Samuel Ogden, who 
 thereupon immediately assigned th6 interest which 
 
08 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 History of Land Titles. 
 
 he had acquired under the contract, to Robert Morris, 
 of the cit]i- cf Philadelphia. In May of the same year 
 the commiftee conveyed to Mr. Morris all the inter- 
 est of the State of Massachusetts, in the lands con- 
 tracted to Mr. Ogden, and the acts of ihe committee 
 were approved and ratified by the Legislature, in the 
 month of Jimt following. 
 
 In 1793 Wilhem Williuk and others, who were af- 
 terwards known as the 'Holland Land Company,' 
 purchased cf Rcbert Morris the lands before mention- 
 ed, and in July cf that year, the latter executed a 
 ocnvevance cf the same to Herman Leroy, John 
 Lincklean acd Gerrit Boon, in trust for the use of the 
 persons who had made the purchase, they being for- 
 eigners, resident in the kingdom of Holland, and in- 
 capable by law of acquiring the title to lands in ihie 
 State. 
 
 The Legiskture of this State in 1796 passed an act 
 making it lawful for the trustees to whom the lands 
 had been conveyed, to hold them for the use of the 
 persons who had made the purchase of Morris. 
 
 The trustees v.ere required to execute declarations 
 stating particularly the lands so held, for the purpose 
 of identifying th?m, and to prevent their setting up 
 a claim to a larger territor}- than had been purchased. 
 The lands were to become forfeited to the State, un- 
 less the aliens, for whose benefit the law was enact- 
 -ed. should within seven years, become citizens of the 
 
OF cHAUTArquE courrrr. 29* 
 
 History of Land T:il-?s. 
 
 United States, or should within that time make con- 
 veyance to persons who were already citizens. 
 
 Subsequent acts were passed in 1797 and 179S, 
 extending the privilege of aliens, in respect to their 
 rights to hold and convey lands, ani in some meas- 
 ure removed the disabilities under which they had 
 formerly labored. 
 
 In July 1798 Leroy, Lincklaeu and Boon conveyed 
 the lands included in the Holland Purchase, to Paul 
 Busti of Philadelphia, an alien. The design of this 
 conveyance, undoubtedly was merely to change the 
 title of the trust estate to the hands of Busti, who 
 was general agent of the proprietors in Holland. 
 
 Immediately after, Busti conveyed to Leroy and 
 four others, trustees for the owners, Willink and 
 others, and in December of the same year, these last 
 mentioned trustees, conveyed the lands which had so 
 often changed hands for no ostensible purpose, to 
 Wilhem Willink, Nicholas Van Straphorst, Peter 
 Van Eeghen, Hendrick Vollenhovcu andRutgen Jan 
 Schimmelpinninck, the five originai Dutch trustees 
 of the vrhole tract and who were afterwards known 
 as the Holland Land ComTieny. 
 
 This Company caused sur\-eys of their lands to be 
 made into Ranges, Townships and Lots, and opened 
 their £rst office for making sales at Batavia, in 1801. 
 
 The present County of Chautauque, was surveyed 
 in 1800, and laid into townships, and these we^re- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Extent of Holland Purchase. 
 
 afterwards subdivided into lots. The townships were 
 eix miles square, and contained each 64 lots. Six 
 ranges of townships, numbering from the Pennsyl- 
 vania line to Lake Erie, are included within its limits. 
 
 There are 27 entire townships, and six fractions, 
 formed by the irregular boundary, the shore of Lake 
 Erie, on the northwesL 
 
 The lands of the Holland company lying within 
 this state, were bounded on the south by the Penn- 
 sylvania line, and included about two fifths of the 
 present counties of Allegany, the greater part of Wy- 
 oming. Genesee, and Orleans, and the whole of Ni- 
 agara, Erie, Cattaraugus and Chautauque, with the 
 exception of several small reservations, to some of 
 which, the Indian title is not yet extinguished. 
 
 In 1819. an act was passed by the Legisla-ure, con- 
 firming the conveyances that had been made, of the 
 lands known as the Holland Purchase, and author- 
 izing the persons then holding the titles, to convey 
 to other aliens, in the same maimer as to citizens. — 
 Subsequent to the passage of this act, and at difierent 
 times, several conveyances of portions of the Holland 
 Company's lands, were, made to difierent persons, 
 though all foreigners, and who still, notwithstaning 
 these changes, continued to be designated as the Hol- 
 land Company. 
 
 In 1838 John Jacob Van Derkemp, under a power 
 of attorney, executed by the persons then composing 
 
OF chautacque county. 31 
 
 Acta confirming Titles. Present owners. 
 
 the Holland Company, conveyed the unsold landa 
 within this county, to John Duer, Morris Robinson, 
 and William H. Seward, in whom the title still re- 
 mains, excepting to such parts as have since beea 
 sold and conveyed to settlers. 
 
S2 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 STATE OF THE COUNTRY WHEN FIRST EXPLORED IN- 
 DIAN SETTLEMENTS REMAINS OF ANCIENT INHABI- 
 TANTS EVIDENCES OF THEIR CONDITION. 
 
 The territory west of Seneca Lake, now the fair- 
 est portion of Western New York, before and during 
 the Revolutionary war, was an unbroken wilderness, 
 the abode of Indian tribes belonging to the Six Na- 
 tions. When the first white man. Col. James Ma- 
 han, now an inhabitant of the village of Westfield, 
 passed through this country in 1795, with a view 
 to a residence, there was a small settlement of Indi- 
 ans on the Conewango creek, in the present town of 
 Carroll, on the farm now occupied by Judge Prender- 
 gast. This, it is believed, was the only Indian set- 
 tlement within our present limits — at least it is the 
 only one of which we have any authentic account. 
 There were other tracts of small extent, which bore 
 marks of cultivation, and which had been occupied as 
 planting grounds at more remote periods. 
 
 According to traditions derived from the Indians, 
 their ancestors had used them f6"r* purposes of tillage, 
 but at what time is left entirely to conjecture. The 
 forest trees which have since overgrown them, fur- 
 nish us with no satisfactory answer to the inquiry. 
 The cultivation, of which these are only faint traces, 
 nearly obliterated by the hand of time, was evidently 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 33 
 
 Early state of the Country. Remains of Ancient Inhabitants. 
 
 resorted to, merely for the purposes of subsistence ; 
 as evidences of tillage for other purposes, either in 
 the traces which are left, or in the character of the 
 people who drew them, are wholly wanting. 
 
 The question has often been asked, what was the 
 origin and design of the various evidences of a more 
 advanced state of civilization, which are plainly dis- 
 cernible at numerous points ; but of which the abo- 
 riginal inhabitants at the period of the earliest settle- 
 ment by the whites, could give no account ? Many 
 of these remains are more ancient than the forests 
 themselves, which for centuries have overshadowed 
 them ; but we have neither history nor tradition to 
 which to recur, to solve the impenetrable mystery 
 which hangs over the subject. We have fortifica- 
 tions evincive of a degree of judgment and military 
 skill, which would do no discredit to the tactics of 
 more modern days — mounds, for what purposes con- 
 structed are entirely unknown, in which human bones, 
 many of them of almost gigantic size, have reposed in 
 unbroken stillness for ages ; and pits of circular forms 
 and various sizes, bearing marks of use by fire, but 
 for what purpose digged or used, is as much a subject 
 of conjecture, as the origin and destiny of the people 
 by whom they were fashioned. 
 
 Various implements of industry and of death, such 
 as earthern ware, hatchets of stone and arrow heads 
 of flint, have ben found, which indicate the existencee 
 
34 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Their Condition. 
 
 of a race of men, to whom the peaceful arts were not 
 entirely unknown, but practised in some rude forms 
 and who resented injuries and avenged their wrongs, 
 by means of the weapons usually employed by uncul- 
 tivated nations for such purposes. But the questions 
 who were they, what was their origin and whence 
 are they departed, return upon us unanswered. 
 
OF CriAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 35 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 OCCUPATION IN 1782 BY THE BRITISH AND INDIANS— »» 
 
 TRACES OF THEIR LABORS FIRST PURCHASER OF 
 
 LANDS FIRST PERMANENT SETTLEMENT BIRTH 
 
 OF A CHILD GEN. PAINe'S ROAD SURROUNDING 
 
 INHABITANTS. 
 
 In 1782, a party consisting of about 800 British and 
 Indians, with a train of artillery and other munitions 
 of war, spent the months of June and July around 
 Chautauqua Lake, in constructing canoes, and other 
 preparations to navigate the Allegany River, in a 
 contemplated attack upon Fort Pitt, now Pittsburg. 
 During a season of unusual drouth and consequent 
 low water for hydraulic purposes, in 1822, the citizens 
 of Jamestown and its vicinity in order to supply the 
 deficiency by producing a greater flow of water from 
 the Chautauque Lake, made an attempt to deepen 
 the outlet at the upper end of the village. During 
 the operation of removing the gravel from the chan- 
 nel, they found it obstructed by a row of piles from 
 3 to 4 inches in diameter and from 3 to 5 feet in 
 length, driven firmly into the earth across the bed of 
 the stream. For what purposes and by whom this 
 eflPort to ' improve the navigation ' was undertaken, 
 then and for a long time subsequently, continued to 
 be a mystery ; but the circumstance above related, 
 furnishes at least a probable solution of the matter^ 
 
36 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Navigation. First purchase of Lands Improvement. 
 
 It will scarcely be doubted, that in order to float the 
 
 heavy burdens of this hostile party to their destina- 
 tion, a greater depth of water was required, than the 
 natural flow of the stream afforded, to attain which, 
 these obstructions were placed in its channel. 
 
 The first purchase of lands for the purposes of set- 
 tlement within the present limits of this County, was 
 made by Geno John McMahan in 1801, of the present 
 town orf Ripley, at $2,50 per acre, on a credit of ten 
 years. About 4000 acres of the present town of 
 Westfield was purchased soon afterwards, by CoL 
 James McMahan, whoso name we have before had 
 occasion to mention. 
 
 The first attempt to subdue the dense forest, that 
 every where covered the surface, was made in 1802, 
 by the last named individual, near where the village 
 of Westfield is now located. On this spot ten acres 
 were cleared, and the first dwelling of the white man 
 erected. Edward McHenry, settled on an adjoining 
 tract during the same year. These were the first 
 locations of proprietors within the County, with the 
 intention of making it a permanent residence. 
 
 It should be mentioned however, that for nearly 
 four years previously to 1800, Am.os Settle had resi- 
 ded near Cattaraugus creek in the present town of 
 Hanover. After which he was absent for several 
 je^j and finally returned and became a permanent 
 citizen. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 37 
 
 JSirth of a Child; Gen. Paine's Road." 
 
 Two or three other persons came into the county 
 and located near the same spot at about the same pe- 
 riod. 
 
 John McHenry, who was born in the summer of 
 of 3 802, it is believed was the first child of white 
 parents, born within the present limits of the County. 
 An incident of this kind, which ordinarily excites but 
 little interest, beyond the family circle, to which it 
 adds a member, was a subject of notoriety, of suffi- 
 cient importance, at this period of the history of this 
 County, to claim a passing notice in this connection. 
 
 During the same year, Gen. Paine, who was in the 
 -employ of the State of Connecticut, opened a waggon 
 road from Buffalo to Chautauque Creek, to enable em- 
 igrants to reach the tract of country since known as 
 the '• Western Reserve," which the State of Con- 
 necticut then owned within the limits of Ohio. The 
 settlers afterwards continued this road to the Penn- 
 sylvania line. 
 
 At this period, the settlements over the western 
 country, which now teems with an active and intel- 
 ligent population, and is dotted with cities and vil- 
 lages in token of the rapid advancement it has made, 
 were very sparce, and could hardly be said to have 
 any intercourse with each other. To the people of 
 zhis county, Buffalo on the east, Erie on the west, 
 rand a few scattering families in Warren county, Pa. 
 comprised the surrounding inhabitants. 
 
38 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DEATH OF m'hENRY SETTLEMENT AT FREDONIA AT 
 
 MAYviLLE — Kennedy's mills — hardships of 
 
 EARLY SETTLERS — INSTANCES PRICES. 
 
 In 1803, an accident of a painful characte roccurred^ 
 which suddenly deprived a rising family of a protec- 
 tor and the infant colony of one of its founders. 
 
 Edward McHenry and two others, started for Erie, 
 in a boat, from the mouth of Chautauque Creek, for 
 ♦ the purpose of obtaining- a supply of provisions. 
 They encountered a storm on Lake Erie, which upset 
 their frail bark, and McHenry found a watery grave. 
 His companions were saved by clinging to the bottom 
 of the boat. 
 
 This incident was doubly afilicting in this instance; 
 as the scene of it .was in a wilderness country, remote 
 from any considerable settlements whence succor 
 could be derived, or sympathy imparted to the dis- 
 tressed family. 
 
 In 1804, a settlement was commenced by David 
 Eason and others, on the Canadaway creek, near the 
 present village of Fredonia. Dr. Mclntyre also lo- 
 cated near the head of Chautauque Lake, at the vil- 
 lage of Mayville. He adopted the Botanic system 
 of practice, and claimed to have derived his skill in- 
 the healing art from his intercourse with the Indians 
 among whom he had resided for many years,. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 39 
 
 Kennedy's Mills. Hardships of Settlers. 
 
 Dr. Kennedy from Meadville in Pennsylvania, 
 erected a saw mill on the Connewango creek, at the 
 place still known as Kennedy's Mills. 
 
 This, it is said, was the first structure of the kind 
 erected in the County. This too, Was the germ of 
 the first settlement in the section of the County 
 south of the Ridge. 
 
 The early settlement of a new country, covered 
 with a heavy forest, as in this instance, is always 
 fraught with hardships and privations, of which those 
 who follow the hardy pioneers know but little. What 
 added to the burdens of early settlement here, was 
 the remoteness of the location from any other con- 
 siderably advanced, from which the inhabitants could 
 derive assistance in times of scarcity, or obtain sudR 
 indispensable articles as they were not able to produce. 
 
 One of the authorities which has been consulted, 
 and to which the compiler is indebted for many of the 
 facts connected with the early history of this County, 
 contains the narrative of an incident, which, however 
 strange it may appear at this remote period, shows 
 how toilsome was the work of settlement, and how 
 slow its progress. 
 
 In 1804, John Frew, Esq. now of Carroll, with 
 Thomas and John Russell, undertook a journey from 
 near Pine Grove, in the State of Pennsylvania, to 
 Chautauque Lake, to procure a supply of salt. Their 
 team consisted of two pairs of oxen and their carriage 
 
40 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Hardships of Settlers. Incidents. 
 
 a sled. They opened a road from the State line to 
 the Lake, near the mouth of Goose Creek, in Har- 
 mony, and obtained three barrels of salt, for which 
 they paid seventy-jive dollars in cash ! 
 
 They carried with them such scanty means of sub- 
 sistence as the country afforded, and were compelled 
 to sleep in the open air upon the ground. At that 
 period an axe was worth ^25 in cash, which sum was 
 often paid for an article of the kind. It was indis- 
 pensable to the pioneer. Without it he could do noth- 
 ing. His track through the wilderness was marked 
 with it, and his road opened. His first efforts at 
 building were made with it, and the food for his cattle 
 furnished from the tops of the forest trees, which his 
 sturdy arm felled for that purpose. 
 
 Other means of subsistence were oftentimes as 
 scarce and obtained with even more toil and expense. 
 Some of the early settlers, it is said upon good au- 
 thority, were compelled to travel through an unbro- 
 ken wilderness, guided for the most part by marked 
 trees, to Franklin, at the mouth of French Creek, on 
 the Allegany River, in Pennsylvania, a distance of 
 seventy miles for a supply of flour for their families, 
 for which they paid at the rate of $30 per barrel. 
 And when obtained, each man would carry upon his 
 shoulders about 70 pounds of the dear bought article, 
 and retrace his steps to his home and anxious and 
 perhaps suffering family. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 41 
 
 Means of Subsistence. Privations. 
 
 After the settlers began to raise grain, as there were 
 no mills for grinding within reach, they prepared it 
 for food by pounding, with a hominy block, a rude 
 structure, though an advancement in the art of build- 
 ing and machinery, equal to many other methods to 
 which they were compelled to resort. 
 
 It was not uncommon for whole families to subsist 
 for days and even weeks, upon such food as the chase 
 would supply, not tasting a morsel of bread, or other 
 provisions, which later periods and more advanced 
 culture furnish. But with these privations, came ap- 
 petite, and health, and enjoyment, without any of the 
 diseases incident to the indulgences in the luxuries 
 of more modern times. 
 
mSTORICAl. SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER MI. 
 
 TOW>* OF CHAUTArqUE EN'CORPORATED FIRST >nLLS 
 
 ERECTED ELUCOTT SETTLED ELECTIO". 
 
 Previous to 1804, the whole of the present County 
 of Chautauque, formed a part of the town of Batavia 
 in the county of Genessee. The elections were held 
 at the village of Batavia, a distance of nearly 100 
 miles, to which the electors were compelled to go to 
 vote. During this year the town of Chautauque was 
 incorporated, and embraced the entire territon- now 
 Included within the limits of the County. 
 
 A grist and saw mill were built by Gen. McMahan 
 on the Chautauque Creek, near Barcelona, the former 
 of which, was the first structure of the kind erected 
 in the County. 
 
 Previous to this time, the mills nearest to the peo- 
 ple of this County, at which grinding could be ob- 
 tained, were at Erie in Pennsylvania, and Black Rock 
 on the Niagara River below Bufialo. 
 
 In 1S05, a Mr. Dickinson erected a saw mill at 
 Silver Creek, to which he attached a mortar, and a 
 hammer or pestle for the purpose of pounding com 
 for food. A Mr. Moore erected a grist mill at Forest- 
 ville at about the same period. Flour then commanded 
 from 812 to §15 and Pork from 818 to S30 per barrel, 
 prices to which we should most unwillingly submit 
 at the present time. 
 
OF CHArTAUqUE COU>TT. 
 
 Town Meetings. Justices of the Peace. Setilenaents. 
 
 In April of the succeding year, the first town meet- 
 ing iu the newly incorporated to^^Ti of Chautauque 
 was held, at which John McMahan was elected to the 
 office of Supervisor, and James Montgomery to that 
 of town Clerk. The oath of office,, was administered 
 to the first officers in the new town, by a Justice of 
 the Peace who resided beyond Buffalo, in the present 
 county of Erie. 
 
 Justices of the Peace wete then commissioned by 
 the council of appointment at the seat of government, 
 and the persons first selected to fill that office for the 
 new town, were John McMahan, David Eason and 
 Ferry G. Ellsworth. 
 
 In 1806, Mr. William Willson settled on the Chau- 
 tauque Outlet, in the eastern part of the present 
 town of Eilicott, and was the first inhabitant located 
 within the limits of that town. At about the same 
 time, Joseph Akin, commenced a settlement in the 
 present town of CarroU : Messrs. Griffith, Bemus, and 
 Barnhart, on the eastern shore of Chautauque Lake, 
 at points, which are still familiarly known by the 
 names of those who first located at them : and John 
 Mack at the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek. 
 
 From this period, owing to the high reputation 
 which the tract of country now embraced within the 
 limits of this County, had acquired for salubrity of 
 climate, and fertility of soil, emigrants from the east- 
 ern portions of this State and New England, crowded 
 
44 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Mills. """ First General Election. 
 
 hitherto in Buch numbers, as very soon to divest it of 
 the character of a wilderness, to a considerable ex- 
 tent ; and renders it impossible, in this connection, 
 except in general terms, to note their advent. 
 
 A grist and saw mill were erected on the Canada- 
 way creek in the present village of Fredonia, then, 
 and for some time afterwards known as Canadaway. 
 
 The first general election held in the town of Chau- 
 tauque was in 1807, at ^ich 69 votes were polled 
 for Governor. Of these Daniel D. Tompkins, re- 
 ceived 41 and Morgan Lewis 28. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. -SS 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 TOWN OF POMFRET ERECTED — ^ LIMITS OF THE COUNTY 
 
 J&EFINED — STORES -^ WORKS' MILLS LUMBER 
 
 TRADE — INTERCOURSE WITH PITTSBURGH. 
 
 In March 1808, the town of Chautauque was divided 
 and that of Pomfret erected. The 10th and lltli 
 ranges of townships, from the Pennsylvania line to 
 Lake Erie, and the 5th and 6th townships in the 12th 
 range, including the present towns of Carroll, Polan d, 
 Ellington, Cherry Creek, Villenova, Hanover, Sheri- 
 dan, Pomfret, Arkwright, Charlotte, Gerry, EUicott 
 and a part of Busti, were embraced in the new town 
 of Pomfret. Philo Orton was elected the first Su- 
 pervisor. 
 
 At the same period, the limits of the County were 
 defined, and the name given to it, which it still bears. 
 The population did not then entitle it to be fully or- 
 ganised as a separate County, and it was therefore 
 continued as a part of Genessee until 1811, when it 
 took its place as the youngest, as it was the remotest 
 from the State capital, and the feeblest, member of 
 the family of counties in the State of New York. 
 Its organization was completed, by the appointment 
 of County officers by the proper authorities. 
 
 A store was opened at Canadaway by Gen. Risley, 
 nnd another on the Cattaraugus Creek, at the present 
 
46 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Work's Mills. ^^ Lumber Trade^^ 
 
 village of Irving in 1 SOS. These were the first at- 
 tempts made at selling goods in the County. 
 
 The first appropriation of the large water power 
 of the Chautauque Lake, was made by Edward Work, 
 Esq. on the outlet near his present residence, at 
 which place he erected a saw mill. This was the 
 second structure of the kind upon the waters of this 
 County, connected with the immense pine forests, 
 which flow southward into the Allegany River. 
 
 The manufacture and transportation of Lumber to 
 market, by means of these water courses, attracted 
 attention at an early period, and have constituted a 
 principal occupation of a large portion of the popu- 
 lation residing upon them to the present time. Lum- 
 ber then brought about S7 per thousand feet in Pitts- 
 burgh, beyond which it was seldom taken. 
 
 Public attention was early directed to the naviga- 
 tion of the Allegany River and the streams flowing 
 into it from this County, for other purposes than the 
 transportation of Lumber. A considerable trade was 
 carried on between the inhabitants and Pittsburgh, 
 through the Chautauque Lake and outlet, the Conne- 
 wango creek and the Allegany River, by means of 
 Durham boats and log canoes, which were the only 
 vessels adapted to the ascent of the rapid current of 
 these streams. Flour, pork, iron, nails, castings, 
 glass and whiskey, formed the chief articles of this 
 traffic. 
 
OP CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 47 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 EXTE>'T OF GEXESSEE COUNTY — CATTARAUGUS AND 
 CHAUTAUqUE ORGANIZED NIAGARA FIRST REG- 
 ULAR PHYSICTAN LAND OFFICE FIRST ATTOR- 
 NEY — CENSUS. 
 
 Hitherto the county of Genessee included ihe coun- 
 ties now embraced in Genessee, "Wyoming, Cattarau- 
 gus, Chautauque, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, and a part 
 of Allegany. The public business for this county, 
 so extensive in its limits, was transacted at Batavia 
 the county seat. 
 
 An act was passed in March 1808, erecting the 
 counties of Niagara, Chautauque and Cattaraugus and 
 defining their boundaries. The former included the 
 present counties of Niagara and Erie ; the others were 
 defined by their present boundaries. The act provid- 
 ed that Cattaraugus and Chautauque should be organ- 
 ized with, and act as a part of Niagara, until they 
 should respectively contain 500 taxable inhabitants. 
 The numbers were to be ascertained by the board of 
 Supervisors from the assessment rolls of the several 
 towns ; and when the Supervisors should certify un- 
 der their hands and seals, to the governor of the state, 
 the facts upon which their separate action depended, 
 they were to be fully organized. 
 
48 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Public Buildings. Land Office. 
 
 The Governor was authorized to appoint commie - 
 Bioners to fix upon a site for county buildings within 
 a year from the passage of the act. 
 
 The supervisors of the counties of Cattaraugus and 
 Chautauque at their first meeting, were required to di- 
 rect the collection of a tax, not exceeding $1500 in 
 amount, for the purpose of erecting a court house and 
 jail in each, and to contract for, and procure them to 
 be built. 
 
 The county seat for Chautauque was fixed at May- 
 ville, that of Cattaraugus at Ellicottville, and at New 
 AmBterdam, now Buffalo, for Niagara. The Holland 
 Land company were required to erect county build- 
 ings at the latter place, at their own expense, and 
 convey them with a parcel of land on which they wero 
 situated, in quantity not less than half an acre, for the 
 use of the county. 
 
 Squire White of Fredonia, was the first regularly li- 
 censed physician who located in this county. He set- 
 tled there in 1809, where he has since continued to 
 reside, and has been extensively and favorably known 
 as a skillful practitioner in his profession. 
 
 The land ofiice was established at Mayville the 
 succeeding year, and William Peacock appointed 
 agent for the Holland company. 
 
 Anselm Potter established himself at Mayvills in 
 1810, and was the first lawyer who settled in the 
 county. 
 
or CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 49 
 
 Census. Condition. 
 
 The census was taken this year under the authori- 
 ty of the United States, and the population found to 
 be 2381. But little more than eight years had elaps- 
 ed, since the first white inhabitant had located with- 
 in the limits of the county. The change that had 
 marked the features of the county during this period, 
 were probably as striking at that time, as at any sub- 
 sequent period of equal duration. The sense of sol- 
 itude, which pressed upon the minds of the pioneers, 
 had in a great measure been removed, and the evi- 
 dences of industry and cultivation were on all hands 
 obliterating the traces of savage life, and lifting the 
 gloom which had hung over it since creation. 
 c 
 
50 raSTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHL\PTER X. 
 
 APPOr?fTME>'TS or COUNTY OFFICERS — FIRST COUNTY 
 COURT TANNERY ELLICOTT. GERRY ANT) HAN- 
 OVER ERECTED BOARD OF SUPER^^SORS THEIR 
 
 PROCEEDINGS 21ST CONGRESSIONAI. DISTRICT. 
 
 Up to this period, Chautauque had no separate ex- 
 istence as a county, and had no voice in the legisla- 
 tion of the state. Previous to 1808. it had constitu- 
 ted a portion of Grenessee : and from that time to 1811 
 it had acted with Xia^ra, as we have before had oc- 
 casion to observe. 
 
 In 1811, its organization was completed, and coun- 
 ty officers duly appointed and commissioned. Zattu 
 Gushing was appointed first Judge, and Matthew 
 Prendergast, Philo Orton, Jonathan Thompson, and 
 William Alexander, associate judges. David Eason 
 was appointed Sheriff and John C. Marshall, county 
 clerk. 
 
 The first court of Common Pleas was held at May- 
 Tille, on the 25th day of June 1811. 
 
 There were at this time three practising attorneys 
 who were residents of the county. They were 
 Messrs. Patten and Brackett of Mayville. and Jacob 
 Houghton of Canadaway. Daniel G. Gamsey and 
 Casper Rouse were licensed to practice at the first 
 term of the court, and afterwards resided, and pursued 
 the practice of their profession in the county. J. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE CODWTT. S?l 
 
 Ellicott, Gerry and Hanover Incorporated. 
 
 & M. Prendergast opened the first store at Mayville 
 during the same year ; and Gen. Leverett Barker es- 
 tablished a tannery at Canadaway, which was the 
 commencement of the manufacture of leather within 
 the limits of this county. 
 
 In June 1812, the towns of Ellicott, Gerry and 
 Hanover were incorporated, and at the ensuing town 
 elections made choice of officers and were fully or- 
 ganized^ J^mes Prendergast was the first supervisor 
 and Ebenezer Davis the first town clerk of Ellicott. 
 That town then included within its limits, the pres- 
 ent towns of Carroll, Ellicott, and Poland, and a part 
 of Busti, being the 1st and 2d townships in the 10th 
 and llth ranges according to the Holland Company's 
 survey. 
 
 The town of Gerry included the present towns of 
 Gerry, Ellington, Charlotte and Cherry Creek, and 
 embraced the same extent of territory, and laid im- 
 mediately north of Ellicott. Maj. Samuel Sinclear 
 was the first supervisor. Hanover included town- 
 ships 5 and 6 of the llth Range according to the Hol- 
 land company's survey, and which are now embraced 
 in the towns of Villenova, Hanover, and parts of Ark- 
 wright and Sheridan. Joseph Brownell was the first 
 supervisor. 
 
 The Board of Supervisors, at their annual meeting 
 in 1812, and previous to the election of officers in the 
 new towns of Ellicott, Gerry and Hanover, consisted 
 
52 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors. 
 
 of but two members, representing the towns of Ch au- 
 tauqiie and Pomfret. Besides the transaction of the 
 ordinary business of the board, it became necessary 
 in executing the provisions of the law of 1808, to 
 which allusion has already been made, to raise the 
 sum of ^1500 by tax for the purpose of erecting a 
 court house and jail for the new county. The site 
 for these buildings had been fixed at Mayville in the 
 town of Chautauque, and the supervisor from that 
 town was in favor" of levying the necessary tax. — 
 Strong effort had been made to procure the designa- 
 tion of Canadawa}^, as the site for the county build- 
 ings, and the people of the northern and most popu- 
 lous part of Pomfret, in consequence of the failure, 
 entertained no very friendly inclinations towards the 
 construction of these buildings on the rival site. The 
 Pomfret supervisor, representing the feelings and . 
 wishes of his immediate constituents, was opposed to- 
 levying the tax, and a majnily could not therefore be 
 obtained in its favor. 
 
 The hopes of the rising county, seemed for a time 
 prostrated, by the want of unanimity in the board of 
 supervisors to execute the law. After repeated ef- 
 forts to effect the subject, but without success, the 
 question was temporarily laid aside, for the transac- 
 tion of the other business of the board. Among their 
 other duties, was that of auditing the accounts of 
 town officers ; and when the Pomfret supervisor pre- 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 53 
 
 21st Congressional District Formed. 
 
 sonted his papers for that purpose, the Chautauque 
 supervisor would not concur ; and as unanimity was 
 equally necessary in this instance, as in raising a 
 tax for county buildings, and a majority of votes could 
 not be obtained for either, matters at once came to a 
 dead stand. After gravely deliberating upon this 
 unpropitious state of public affairs, it became appar- 
 ent that no progress could be made, without some 
 compromise upon the question of raising money. — 
 This was finally effected, and the money for county 
 buildings voted to be raised, and the town accounts 
 audited. 
 
 At the session of the Legislature in 1812 the State 
 was divided into districts for the election of represen- 
 tatives in the congress of the United States, upon the 
 basis of the census of 1810. By the apportionment 
 fixed by Congress, this State become entitled to 27 
 members. The counties of Ontario, Allegany, Gen- 
 essee, Niagara, Cattara ugus and Chautauque com- 
 posed the twenty -first district, and were entitled to 
 .elect two members. 
 
54 raSTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XT. 
 
 PORTLAND ERECTED LATE WAR PERRT^S VICTORY 
 
 INCURSION OF THE BRITISH AT DUNKIRK SERVI- 
 CES OF THE MILITIA AT BUFFALO THEIR LOSS — 
 
 BRITISH REPELLED FROSI CANADA WAY CREEK. 
 
 In 1813 the town of Portland was erected. It was- 
 taken from Cbautauque, and at its first organization 
 embraced the territory now included in the towns of 
 Westfield, Portland and Ripley. 
 
 During the last war with Great Britain, the people 
 of this county were on numerous occasions, subject- 
 ed to the alarms, which in times of public danger,, 
 extend more frequently to frontier settlements, and: 
 shared honorably in the hardsMps and sufferings in- 
 cident to their situation^. 
 
 Although from their position, they were, in an un- 
 usual degree, obnoxious to the disquietudes and a- 
 larms, which an unsettled and warlike state of public 
 affairs would be likely to occasion, yet they partook 
 largely of the satisfaction, which intelligence of the- 
 success of the American arms, in many a well fought 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 
 
 Perry's Victory. Incursions of the British. 
 
 battle, in the field and on the waters, produced. The 
 general joy, which the brilliant victory, gained by the 
 gallant Perry and his fleet, over the British squadron 
 on Lake Erie, on the 10th of September, 1813, while 
 it was shared in common by the people of the whole 
 union, was hailed with unmixed delight by the inhab- 
 itants of this county. Aside from its achievement 
 upon the waters adjoining their territory, which serv- 
 ed to render them more alive to its importance, the 
 superior force engaged against the American fleet, 
 and the decided character of the engagement, were 
 circumstances which invested the intelligence with 
 peculiar value. As the results of this victory, they 
 saw the way opened, not only for retrieving the loss- 
 es which the country had sustained by the vicissi- 
 tudes of war in other quarters, but for future success- 
 es on the western frontier, and their consequent ex- 
 emption from danger, in which they felt a deep per- 
 sonal interest. 
 
 Several incursions were made by the British at dif- 
 ferent points in this county, doing however but little 
 else than alarm the inhabitants, lose their men by de- 
 sertion, and meet with a warm reception by the set- 
 tlers. Chadwick's Bay, now Dunkirk, was visited by 
 a British armed vessel of 10 or 12 guns, for the pur- 
 pose of landing some property that had been plunder- 
 ed from Lay's tavern, long known as a house of en- 
 tertainment near the lake shore, between Cattarau- 
 
56 mSTORICAl SKETCHES 
 
 Incident at Dunkirk- Miliiia Called Oat. 
 
 gus Creek and Buffalo. A boat maimed for the pur- 
 pose, and carrying a flag of truce, was sent ashore to 
 effect the object of their visit. Directly upon land- 
 ing, twelve of the boat's crew, relishing British gold, 
 with the restraints and dangers of a warfare against 
 freedom, less than their prospects of success in a 
 country which offered them in exchange, the novel- 
 tiea of a fertile soil and salubrious climate, with a de- 
 gree of personal liberty to which they were wholly 
 unaccustomed, bade their commander adieu, and 
 "quit the sen-ice." The officer in charge of the ex- 
 pedition was left with a single sailor, a Frenchman, 
 to aid his return to his vessel. While they were 
 parleying with the citizens resident at the place, the 
 neighboring militia, whom a notice of the arrival had 
 attracted to the spot, not observing the flag of truce, 
 but having their attention principally directed to the 
 red coats of the officer and his remaining sailor, fired 
 upon them, and broke the leg of the latter. This ab- 
 rupt salutation terminated the interview, and the of- 
 ficer failing to obtain assistance from the people to 
 row his boat back to the vessel, picked up his maim- 
 ed Frenchman, and made the best of his way on 
 board. 
 
 The militia of this county were called out in De- 
 cember of this year, by Gov. Tompkins to repel a con- 
 templated attack by the British upon Buffalo. They 
 constituted the 162d Regiment, and numbered about 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. Sl 
 
 Affair at Black Rock. Chauiauq-je Forces. 
 
 400 effective men, about 200 of whom responded to 
 the call of the commander in chief. There were four 
 companies under the command of Col. John McMa- 
 han and Majors William Prendergast and Barnes. — 
 They were ordered to rendezvous at Buffalo, and on 
 their arrival at that place, were quartered in log huts 
 a little to the eastward of the village. The militia 
 force assembled at that point, including those from 
 this county, amounted to about 2000 men, under the 
 command of Gen. Hall. The British force, detailed 
 for the attack upon Buffalo, consisted of about 1500 
 regulars, and 400 Indians under Gen. Riall. 
 
 On the night of the 30th December, between 11 
 and 12 o'clock, the American camp was alarmed by 
 receipt of intelligence, that the enemy were crossing 
 Niagara river at Black Rock. A portion of the mili- 
 tia from the counties of Niagara, Genesee and Onta- 
 rio, was immediately marched down to oppose their 
 landing. The main body of the British had effected 
 a landing at the mouth of Conjockity Creek, a mile or 
 more below the ferr}-. Efforts were made to prevent 
 their progress, though with but partial success. The 
 militia who had proceeded to the ground, not in a body, 
 but in detached parties, were easily routed, by the 
 disciplined troops of the enemy, and driven back, aa 
 fast as they arrived at the scene of action. 
 
 The skirmishing between the hostile forces, con- 
 tinued during the greater part of the night, the firing 
 
58 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Affair at Black Rock. Engagement. 
 
 of which, was distinctly heard at Buffalo, where the 
 Chautauqua regiment had remained, under arms, para- 
 ded in front of Pomeroy's tavern, as a reserve. About 
 4 o'clock on the morning of the 31st, Col. McMahan's 
 regiment were marched to Black Rock, posted oppo- 
 site the ferry, in the rear of the battery that had been 
 erected at that point. Soon after day-light, six or 
 seven boats, containing each fifty or sixty men, were 
 eeen to put off from the Canadian shore, with the 
 evident intention of effecting a landing. A firing 
 was kept up by the battery at the ferry, and was re- 
 turned from the opposite shore. One of the enemy's 
 boats was struck by a cannon shot from the American 
 side, and sunk with its hostile freight. About the 
 break of day the Chautauque regiment was ordered to 
 advance in the direction of the enemy. They proceed- 
 ed down the river, nearly half a mile, and met them 
 in force, near the residence of Gen. Porter. A sharp, 
 though unequal contest ensued, when the militia broke 
 and fled, as those who had preceded them had done. 
 During the engagement a part of the British force 
 had passed up under the bank of the river, and taken 
 post in the road leading from Buffalo to the ferry, with 
 a view of cutting off the militia in their retreat. Es- 
 cape by the avenue through which they had arrived, 
 being thus prevented, and pressed as they were, by 
 the advance of the enemy, they were compelled to 
 take to the woods in the rear of the ferry for safety, 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 59 
 
 The Retreat. Buffalo Burned. Killed. 
 
 through which many of the American force, includ- 
 ing a portion of the Chautauque regiment, fled pre- 
 cipitately ; and such of them as escaped the rifle and 
 tomahawk of the savages, who immediatel y filled the 
 woods in pursuit, reached the main road at Bufialo 
 and at various points for several miles to the eastward 
 in the direction of Batavia. The largest portion of 
 the whole force returned to their homes, among whom 
 were the principal part of the Chautauque Militia.— 
 The remainder, who had survived, were afterwards 
 quartered for several weeks, at Miller's tavern, about 
 two miles to the east of Buffala. Towards noon of 
 the 31st, the British set fire to Buffalo, and finally re- 
 crossed the river to Canada, the second or third day 
 after that event. 
 
 The loss to this county was severe in proportion to 
 the numbers engaged. James Brackett, a lawyer 
 from the village of Mayville, was killed and scalped 
 by the Indians, during the retreat from Black Rock. 
 Joseph Frank, from Busti, William Smiley, from El- 
 lery, Messrs. Pease and Lewis, from Pomfret, Nash 
 Bover, and Hubbard, from Hanover, with severai oth- 
 ers, shared the same fate. Maj. Prendergast had 
 several balls shot through his hat and clothes, and 
 -narrowly escaped with his life. Capt. Silsby was 
 severely wounded, and Lieut. Forbes had one killed 
 and five wounded, of the twenty-one men under his 
 command. Of the killed, the bodies of those which' 
 
•60 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Killed and Wounded. . Burial. 
 
 were found, were buried in a common grave, near the 
 road leading from Buffalo to Black Rock, into which 
 eighty-nine were promiscuously thrown. They were 
 afterwards disinterred, and many of them claimed by 
 their relatives, and taken awa)' to he baried near the 
 homes they had laid down their lives to protect, that 
 their afflicted families might weep over their prema- 
 ture graves, and protect them from desecration. The 
 bodies of several ethers, who had been killed on their 
 retreat through the woods, and scalped by the Indi- 
 ans, were found during the winter and spring, and 
 committed to the earth. 
 
 At this period, the frontier presented a scene of 
 desolation rarely witnessed. The inhabitants w^ho 
 had escaped the tomakawk, fled into the interior, in 
 the depth of winter, without shelter or means of sup- 
 port ; and subsisted on the charity of their friends. 
 The panic was general, and pervaded this county, 
 though in a degree somewhat less than in the section 
 of country in the immediate vicinity of the point of 
 attack. The only buildings remaining in Buffalo, 
 were the jail, which was built of stone, a small frame 
 house, and an armorer's shop. All the houses and al- 
 most ever}^ building between Buffalo and Niagara* 
 Falls were destroyed, as were also many of those on 
 the Batavia road, for several miles beyond Buffalo. 
 
 The ensuing year, a British armed schooner, carry- 
 ing eight or ten guns, came into Canadaway Creek, 
 
OF CHAUTACQUE COCNTT. Qt 
 
 Affair at Canadaway Creek. 
 
 in pursuit of some smaller craft laden with salt, that 
 were on their way up the lake from Buffalo. A boat 
 with a detachment of men was sent ashore from the 
 schooner to capture the salt boats. At the approach 
 of the armed vessel, the neighboring militia hastily 
 assembled, and gave their visitors a reception quite 
 too warm to make their stay agreeable, and they pick- 
 ed up their wounded companions and fied, without, 
 having accomplished their object. 
 
€2 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ■QUALIFICATIONS OF JURORS SETTLERS INCOMPETENT 
 
 LAW ON THE SUBJECT NEWS OF PEACE EF- 
 FECTS OF WAR UPON SETTLEMENT SUBSEqUENT 
 
 GROWTH — SENATE AND ASSEMBLY DISTRICTS 
 
 CENSUS. 
 
 Previous to 1815, the qualifications of persons to 
 serve as jurors in Courts of Record, were the same 
 throughout the State, excepting in the cities of New 
 York, Albany and Hudson, In addition to the other 
 qualifications of age and residence, a freehold estate 
 in lands situate in the County, of the value of one 
 hundred and fifty dollars was requisite. Owing to 
 the method pursued by the Holland Company in the 
 -sales of their lands, very few of the settlers were 
 legally competent to the discharge of these respon- 
 sible duties. Most of them occupied their lands un- 
 der contracts, that gave them the right to acquire 
 titles, by paying the purchase money, which was 
 usually stipulated to be paid in annual instalments, to 
 «uit the convenience of the settler. Under this 
 arrangement, the title to the lands remained in the 
 proprietors ; in consequence of which, the burdens 
 of jury duties fell upon a few persons in each of the 
 Counties upon the Holland Purchase, who owned the 
 necessary freehold estate. Although at that time, 
 and ever since, the settlers possessed every intellec- 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 63 
 
 ^ury Duties. News of Peace. 
 
 tual endowment to qualify them for the enlightened 
 and faithful discharge of the duties of this branch of 
 public service ; it was nevertheless often found ex- 
 tremely difficult to procure the attendance of a suffi- 
 cient number who had the legal qualifications that 
 rendered them competent to serve in the capacity of 
 jurors. To remedy this inconvenience, and equalize 
 the public burdens, a law was passed in April, 1815, 
 applicable to the counties embraced in the Holland 
 Company's purchase, and a few other counties, in 
 which a similar method had been adopted in the sale 
 of lands, making tha occupation of lands, under a 
 contract for the purchase thereof by the person in 
 possession, if worth the sum of one hundred and fifty 
 dollars in personal property, or in improvements upon 
 their lands, free from incumbrances, and otherwise 
 legally qualified, competent jurors in those counties. 
 
 This law was re-enacted in the Revised Statutes, 
 and is still in force ; and since its passage has called 
 to the administration of the laws, in the responsible 
 station of jurors, the great body of the hardy pioneers 
 of the country, who, by the former regulations upon 
 the subject, had been excluded from a participation 
 in that important service. 
 
 The news of peace with Great Britain, which had 
 been concluded at Ghent in December, brought repose 
 to the disquieted inhabitants of the frontier counties. 
 Chautauque shared largely in the benefits which 
 
64 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Efferts of War upon Settlements. 
 
 resulted from the cessation of hostilities. Prosperi- 
 ty, such as the country had never known, immediately 
 succeeded. During the war, not only had emigration 
 entirely ceased, but many who had removed hither, 
 selected lands and commenced improvements, with a 
 view to a permanent residence, abandoned them alto- 
 gether upon the commencement of hostilities and 
 the approach of danger, and returned to the more 
 populous, and as was thought, secure portions of the 
 State. 
 
 At the return cf peace, the current cf population 
 set strongly to the fertile regions of Western New 
 York, which has since, through the energy and enter- 
 prise of its citizens, become the garden of the State. 
 The .rapidity of its growth has been unexampled ; 
 and its fame abroad, for the patriotism and integrity 
 of its population, the richness and variety of its pro- 
 ductions, and the salubrity of its climate, have kept 
 p?.ce with its growth. 
 
 This County, as has already been remarked, was 
 not fully organized until- 1811. From that period 
 until 1812, it had acted with Niagara and Cattarau- 
 gus in the election of members of Assembly. In the 
 latter year Niagara and Chautauque were made an 
 Assembly district, and become entitled to elect one 
 member. At the same time the State was divided 
 into four great districts for the election of Senators. 
 This County with Schoharrio, Otsego, Herkimer, 
 
 I 
 
OP CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 65 
 
 Assembly and Senate Districts. Census of 1814, 
 
 Oneida, Chenango, Madison, Jefferson, Lewis, St. 
 Lawrence, Onondaga, Cortland, Cayuga, Tioga, 
 Broome, Seneca, Steuben, Allegany, Ontario, Gene- 
 see, Niagara, and Cattaraugus, constituted the West- 
 ern district, and elected twelve members of the 
 Senate. In 1815, a new apportionment of members 
 of Assembly was made, and Niagara, which then in- 
 cluded Erie, with Cattaraugus and Chautauque, were 
 erected into a new district, and became entitled to 
 elect two members. This apportionment was made 
 upon the basis of the census of 1814, which exhib- 
 ited a population of only 4259, being an increase of 
 1878, since 1810. 
 
 D 
 
66 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Harmony and ripley erected — masonic lodge — 
 
 SLAVERY representation IN THE LEGISLATURE 
 
 RELIGIOUS SOCIETY INCORPORATED DUNKIRK 
 
 AND MOSCOW TURNPIKE COMPANY — DISTRICT ATTOR- 
 NEYS SURROGATE. 
 
 The towns of Harmony and Ripley were erected by 
 the Legislature in 1816. The former included the 
 present town of Harmony and a portion of Busti, hav- 
 ing for its northern boundary the line between the 
 second and third tov/nships and the Chautauque Lake ; 
 for its eastern, the line between the eleventh and 
 twelfth ranges of townships ; for its southern, the 
 Pennsylvania line ; and for its western, the line of 
 townships between the thirteenth and fourteenth rang- 
 es, according to the Holland Company's survey. 
 
 The town of Ripley comprised the present town of 
 that name, and that part of Westfield which lies west 
 of Chautauque Creek. 
 
 Forest Lodge, at Fredonia, was the first Masonic 
 Lodge organized in the County. The date of its ori- 
 gin is 1816. Lodges in several of the other towns 
 were afterwards instituted, and continued their or- 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 67 
 
 Slavery. Member of Assembly. 
 
 ganizations and assemblies until they were overborne 
 by the tide of opposition which they encountered in 
 the Anti-masonic excitement in 1827 and 1828. 
 
 When that benign law, so consonant to the spirit 
 of philanthropy, was enacted in 1817, providing for 
 the gradual emancipation of all persons held in slave- 
 ry in this State ; and for the entire freedom of all 
 born thereafter within its limits, it found eight per- 
 sons in bondage in this County, whose masters resid- 
 ed here. Under its remedial influence, that stain up- 
 on the escutcheon of this State, has long since been 
 entirely obliterated, and it is believed that not a ves- 
 tige remains of its accumulated evils, within our ter- 
 ritories. 
 
 At the election in the same year, Jediah Prender- 
 gast, of Mayville, was elected a representative in the 
 Assembly, from the district of which this County 
 composed a part. He was the first member of that 
 body elected, whose residence was in this County. — ■ 
 In the succeeding year he was chosen a Senator from 
 the w^estern district. 
 
 The first religious society w^as organized during 
 the same year, under the general law of 1813, which 
 is still in force, at Cross Roads, nov/ Westfield, a 
 house of worship erected, and a pastor installed over 
 the congregation. Since that period the number of 
 regularly incorporated religious societies excecdr 
 fifty, and the increase and influence of their memberc 
 
68 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 ' Turnpike Company. District Attorney. 
 
 have kept pace with the growth and prosperity of the- 
 county in other respects. 
 
 A company was incorporated by the legislature of 
 1818, called the Dunkirk and Moscow turnpike com- 
 pany, for the purpose of constructing " a good and suf- 
 ficient turnpike road," from Moscow in the County of 
 Genesee, to Dunkirk in this County. The right to 
 erect gates, and exact tolls, was conferred, where, and 
 as often as ten miles of the road should have been 
 completed. This was one of the earliest projects for 
 improving the facilities for travel and transportation 
 by which this County was intended to be benefitted. 
 Nothing, however, beyond a survey was ever done- 
 under it, and the act itself, like many succeeding 
 ones, relating to improvements of the same general 
 character, long since expired by its own limitation, 
 and the thoughts of completing the enterprise buried- 
 in oblivion. 
 
 Hitherto, for the purposes of administering the 
 laws relating to criminals, the State had been divided 
 into a convenient number of districts, in each of which 
 an attorney was appointed, to conduct criminal pros- 
 ecutions on the part of the State. For some years 
 John C. Spencer, who then resided at Canandaigua, 
 held that appointment for the western district, and 
 officiated at the courts held in this County. In 1818 
 a law was passed' by which the former system was 
 superseded, and the appointment of an attorney pro- 
 
OF CHAUTArqUE COUNTY. 69 
 
 Surrogate. 
 
 vided for in each County to conduct these proceed- 
 ings, in the courts of Oyer and Terminer and Gener- 
 al Sessions. The appointment was vested in the 
 Governor and Council of appointment. Daniel G. 
 Garnsey was appointed the first attorney for this 
 County, under this act in 1819. He also received the 
 appointment of Surrogate from the same source, the 
 same year, and was succeeded in the latter ofHce by 
 William Smith, Jr., in 1820. 
 
70 mSTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 CENSUS OF 1820 CONGRESSIONAL DIS-TRICT — CLT- 
 
 DIER, STOCKTON, AND ELLERY ERECTED CONVEN- 
 TION OF 1821 — NEW CONSTITUTION — SUBSEQUENT 
 
 AMENDMENTS JUSTICES OF THE PEACE — COUNTY 
 
 CLERK JUDGES. 
 
 By the census of 1820, the population was shown to 
 be 15,268 being an increase of 11,009, in the period 
 of six years. The rapidity of the growth of this 
 county, was at that time unexampled in the history 
 of the country, and its general prosperity, kept pace 
 with its increasing population. The state of the 
 country at large was highly favorable to the rapid 
 settlefhent of the west. The clouds of war had dis- 
 appeared, and peace brought industry, enterprize and 
 wealth in her train. The crowded cities and over- 
 peopled sections at the east, both in New England 
 and in this state, sent out thousands of their intelli- 
 gent and hardy sons and daughters, to become the 
 founders of an empire in the fertile valley of the Gen- 
 esee, and around the great inland seas of the western 
 continent. The country that lured them to its 
 bosom, was most inviting, both in soil and cli- 
 
OP CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 71 
 
 Clymer, Stockton and Gerry Erected. 
 
 mate, and the rapidity of its subsequent advancement 
 and present strength, sufficiently attest the propriety 
 of their choice. 
 
 A new apportionment of representatives in congress 
 viras made in 1821, upon the basis of the census of the 
 previous year, and the counties of Genesee, Livings- 
 ton, Niagara, Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautau- 
 que, were erected into a district, and became entitled 
 to elect one member. 
 
 The towns of Clymer, Stockton, and Ellery, were 
 organized the same year. The former embraced 
 townships one and two in the fourteenth and fif- 
 teenth ranges of townships of the Holland Compa- 
 ny's survey. The town of Stockton included the 
 fourth township in the twelfth range, and one tier of 
 lots from the third township in the same range, and 
 the same from the fourth township in the thirteenth 
 range. Ellery embraced that part of the third town- 
 ship in the twelfth range, not included in Stockton, 
 the fractional part of township number two in the 
 same range lying northerly of Chautauque Lake, and 
 a small part of township number three in the thir- 
 teenth range, lying easterly of the Lake. The two 
 towns last named, have retained their original bound- 
 aries to the present time. 
 
 At about this period a man by the name of Buffing- 
 ton was engaged in boring for salt water, near the 
 fihore of Lake Erie, a short distance below Portland 
 
t^ HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Buffington's Well: Constitutional Conrention. 
 
 Harbor. He persevered in the attempt, until he had 
 penetrated to the depth of 642 feet, but without suc- 
 cess. He is said to have expended in this futile at- 
 tempt, the sum of three thousand dollars, which he 
 possessed ; and when his own means were exhausted 
 solicited aid from such of the citizens as were not 
 wholly faithless in the final success of the enterprise, 
 and would contribute to its promotion. He was ex- 
 cited to the undertaking from his belief in the theory 
 that the earth's centre was a body of salt, which could 
 be found in any location, by penetrating to a sufficient 
 depth. He was engaged in the effort nearly three 
 years. 
 
 In March, 1821, an actw^as passed recommending 
 a convention of the people of this State, for the pur- 
 pose of revising and amending the Constitulion, and 
 providing for ascertaining the sense of the people up- 
 on that subject, at the annual election in the month of 
 April following. A ballot was accordingly taken, 
 which resulted in a large majority in favor of the prop- 
 osition. The vote of this County was 1134 in favor, 
 and 177 against it. The same act provided for the 
 election of delegates to the convention on the third 
 Tuesday of June thereafter, in number equal to the 
 representation of the several counties and districts in 
 the Assembly. The counties of Cattaraugus, Chau- 
 tauque, Erie, and Niagara, were included in an As- 
 sembly district, and entitled to elect two members. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTT. 73 
 
 New Constitution. 
 
 Augustus Porter, and Samuel Russel, were chosen 
 delegates from this district. The convention assem- 
 bled at the Capitol in Albany, on the 28th day of Au- 
 gust, and closed its session on the 10th day of Novem- 
 ber thereafter. 
 
 The constitution under which we live, was the fruit 
 of their labors. By it almost the entire structure of 
 the State government was changed. Scarcely a pil- 
 lar in the venerable fabric reared by the political fa- 
 thers of the State was left standing. The Legislative, 
 Executive, and Judicial departments were remodelled. 
 The appointing power, which had wielded an annual 
 patronage of millions of dollars, was changed to an 
 untried, yet it was thought an improved, method ; — 
 but the experience of a quarter of a century under it, 
 has demonstrated the necessity of further chanj^es, to 
 bring it nearer the people, the source of all political 
 power. Among the details of the labors of this tal- 
 ented body, may be found important changes in the 
 manner of selecting various public officers, which had 
 before received their appointment from the Governor 
 and council, among which were sheriffs, clerks of 
 counties, and district attorneys. The property qual- 
 ification of electors was in part abolished, except in 
 cases of persons of color. Justices of the peace, who 
 had previously received their appointment from the 
 Governor, were thereafter to be appointed by the board 
 of Supervisors of counties and Judges, in the samo 
 
74 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Appointments. Clerks. Judges. 
 
 manner that commissioners of deeds continued to be 
 until that office was abolished by law. 
 
 The new constitution was submitted to the people 
 for their approval on the third Tuesday in January, 
 1822, and on the two succeeding days ; and after a 
 thorough canvass of its merits, was adopted by ? ma- 
 jority of nearly 34,000 votes in the State. 
 
 The provision for the selection of Justices of the 
 peace was found in practice, to be but a slight im- 
 provement upon the former method. An amendment 
 was matured, and adopted in 1826, conferring their 
 choice upon the people at the annual election in No- 
 vember. In 1 829 the time of their election was chang- 
 ed to the annual meeting for the choice of town offi- 
 cers in the spring, which having been found much 
 more convenient in practice, has remained without 
 further alteration to the present time. 
 
 Thomas B. Campbell received an appointment to 
 the office of County Clerk in May, 1820, and was suc- 
 ceeded by John Dexter in March, 1821. He also 
 represented the Assembly district of which this Coim- 
 ty constituted a part, in the legislature of the latter 
 year. 
 
 John Crane, Ebenezer P. Upham, and Joel Bumell, 
 were appointed Judges of the County Courts at about 
 the same period. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CHAUTAUQUE AN ASSE3IBLY DISTRICT — CHANGE OF 
 ELECTION — ELECTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS IN 1822 
 COUNTY OFFICERS OFFICERS UNDER NEW CON- 
 STITUTION — CIRCUIT JUDGES — BUSTI AND VILLE- 
 NOVA ORGANIZED. 
 
 In April, 1822, this county was organized into an As- 
 sembly District, and became entitled to elect one 
 member. Erie, Niagara and Chautaiique were at the 
 same time erected into a Congressional District, and 
 had one member apportioned to it. Since 1813, up 
 to this period, the general elections in this state, had 
 been held in April. The new constitution contained 
 a provision altering the time for the next election to 
 the first Monday in November, and requiring all sub- 
 sequent elections to be held at such times in the 
 month of October or November as the legislature 
 should by law provide. Under this provision, the 
 legislature of 1822 fixed the days of election on the 
 first Monday and the two succeeding days in No- 
 vember in each year, on which they continued to be 
 held until 1842. The election for Members of Con- 
 
■^6 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 County Officers Elected and Appointed. 
 
 gress, however, took place in April, under the former 
 law, and Albert H. Tracy was elected to that office 
 from the newly organized district. Near the close 
 of the legislative session, Nathan Mixer was appoint- 
 ed a Judge of the county courts. At the November 
 election, the officers elective by the people to serve 
 under the new constitution, which came in force on 
 the first day of January, 1823, were chosen. Joseph 
 C Yates was elected to the office of Governor with 
 scarcely a show of opposition. Gilbert Douglass 
 was chosen for Sheriff without opposition, and John 
 Dexter Clerk, over Thomas B. Campbell, by 445 ma- 
 jority. James Mullett, Jr. was elected to represent 
 this County in the Assembly. 
 
 The new constitution provided that the commis- 
 sions of all persons holding civil offices on the last 
 day of December, 1822, should expire on that day. 
 Under this provision it became necessary to fill the 
 offices, the appointment to which was conferred upon 
 the Governor and Senate, at an early period in the 
 ensuing year. 
 
 The first County Judges appointed under it, were 
 Elial T. Foote, First Judge, and Ebenezer P. Up- 
 ham, Nathan Mixer, Joel Burnell, and Isaac Harmon, 
 Judges, each to hold the office for five years. Wil- 
 liam Smith, Jr. was appointed Surrogate. Daniel 
 G. Garnsey was appointed District Attorney by tha 
 County Court at its first session in 1823. 
 
or CHAUTAU«iUE COUNTY. Tt 
 
 Circuit Judges. Changes Vice Chancellor. 
 
 The new Judiciary System for the State was alsc? 
 organized, in conformity with the amended constitu- 
 tion. William B. Rochester received the appoint- 
 ment of Circuit Judge for the Eighth Judicial Cir- 
 cuit, in which the County of Chautauque was em- 
 braced. He discharged the duties of the station with 
 marked ability, for three years, at the termination of 
 which he resigned his commission, in consequence of 
 having received from President Adams, the appoint- 
 ment of Minister on the part of the United States, to 
 the Congress of Panama. He was a candidate for 
 Governor, in opposition to Dewitt Clinton in 1826 ;. 
 the latter gentleman succeeding over him by a mai- 
 jority of 3,650 votes. Judge Rochester was distin- 
 guished for his amenity of manners, his talents as a 
 jurist, and his erudition. He was succeeded in his 
 office of Circuit Judge by John Birdsall, who resigned 
 the office in ] 829, and was in turn succeeded by Ad- 
 dison Gardiner, v/hose appointment bears date the 
 29th of September in that year.. He continued to dis- 
 charge the duties of the office until ihe winter of 
 1838, when he resigned. After his resignation, the 
 appointment was conferred upon: John B, Skinner, 
 who declined to accept it, and Nathan Dayton, the 
 present incumbent, was selected to fill the vacancy,. 
 Up to 1839, the duties of Circuit Judge and Vice 
 Chancellor of the Eighth Circuit, had been discharged 
 by the same individual. The growth in business and 
 
78 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Busti and Villenova Organised. 
 
 population of the western portion of the State had so 
 augmented the business of the courts, and more judi- 
 dicial force being necessary to its dispatch, that in 
 March, 1839, a law was passed separating the Chan- 
 cery duties from those of the Circuit Judge in the 
 Eighth Circuit, and in April following Frederick 
 Whittlesey was appointed to fill the office of Vice 
 Chancellor. 
 
 The towns of Busti and Villenova were organized 
 in 1823. The former received its name from Paul 
 Busti, the General Land Agent of the Holland Com- 
 pany resident in the city of Philadelphia. It em- 
 braced portions of the first townships in the eleventh 
 and twelfth ranges, lying south of Chautauque Lake, 
 and between the towns of Ellicott and Harmony as 
 then organized, and taken in part from each. Ville- 
 nova was taken from Hanover, and includes the fifth 
 township in the tenth range, according to the origin- 
 al survey. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 79f 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 MAIL ROUTES POST-OFFICES — ROUTE TO MEADVILLB 
 
 ELECTION IN 1823 ELLINGTON AND MINA OR- 
 GANIZED ACADEMIES CLERK's OFFICE POLIT- 
 ICAL PARTIES IN 1824 ELECTION IN THAT TEAR. 
 
 CARROLL ORGANIZED. 
 
 Previous to 1813, communications by the people of 
 this County with the inhabitants of older sections, 
 were both infrequent and difficult, and as often carri- 
 ed on through the agency of emigrants and explor- 
 ers, as by the government mails. The earliest public 
 arrangement for facilitating intercourse among the 
 inhabitants, was the establishment of a mail route 
 from Buffalo to Erie, in 1806, and the employment of 
 a man by the name of Metcalf, a resident of Ohio, to 
 transport the mail over it, once in two weeks on foot. 
 The mail matter entrusted to him in the early part of 
 his services, was carried in a pocket handkerchief, 
 and distributed to the several post offices on the route, 
 of which there were four in this county in 1813. 
 C anadaway post office was located about four miles 
 east of Fredonia, and Orsamus Holmes appointed 
 post master ; Pomfret post office at Fredonia, and 
 Samuel Berry post master ; Chautauque post office 
 at Westfield and James McMahan post master ; and 
 Mayville post office and Charles B, Rouse post mas- 
 
80 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Mail Routes Election, Ellington and Mina Organised. 
 
 ter. In 1813, Col. Bird commenced carrying the 
 mail from Buffalo to Erie, once a week on horseback, 
 for six hundred dollars per annum. In 1820, im- 
 provements in the facilities for travel and conveyan- 
 ces, enabled him to perform the same service, with 
 the same frequency in two horse waggons, for five 
 hundred dollars ; and in ] 823, he commenced carry- 
 ing it in four horse post coaches, for the same amount 
 of compensation that he had received for carrying it 
 on horseback, ten years before. 
 
 In 1816, a communication by mail was opened be- 
 tween Mayville and Meadville Pa. by way of James- 
 town, a post office established at the latter place, and 
 James Prendergast appointed post master. 
 
 In November, 1823, James Mullett, Jr. was re- 
 elected to represent this county in the Assemby, over 
 John Crane, by 368 majority. 
 
 Ellington and Mina were organized in 1824. The 
 former embracing the third and fourth townships in 
 the tenth range, was taken from Gerry. The latter 
 was taken from Clymer, and included townships No. 
 two in the fourteenth and fifteenth ranges of town- 
 ships. 
 
 The Fredonia Academy was established in Novem- 
 ber of the same year, and was the first Institution of 
 the kind located within tlie County. In April of the 
 succeeding year it received legislative aid, by the 
 grant of three hundred and fifty dollars a year for five 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTT. 81 
 
 Academies. 
 
 years, to be applied exclusively to the payment of the 
 salary of a competent teacher. The first term com^ 
 menced October 1, 1 826. The effects of an institu- 
 tion of this kind were immediately and sensibly felt, 
 in the stimulus it gave to the acquisition of knowl- 
 edge, and the higher tone it imparted to morals in the 
 wide circle of its influence. Its character for useful- 
 ness is still maintained ; and its flourishing condi- 
 tion evinces the public sense of the benefits it has 
 conferred upon the rising generation. It was re- 
 ceived under the visitation of the Regents of the Uni- 
 versity in February, 1830. 
 
 The Mayville Academy was incorporated in April, 
 1834, by the legislature. To carry out the objects of 
 its institution, an elegant and substantial building 
 of brick has been erected, on an elevation overlooking 
 Chautauque Lake, and the surrounding country for 
 many miles, the view from which is remarkably pic- 
 turesque, and in every sense delightful. This insti- 
 tution is in a flourishing condition. It became sub- 
 ject to the Regents of the University in February, 
 1829. 
 
 The Jamestown Academy was incorporated in 
 April, 1836. A substantial and commodious wood 
 building upon a stone basement has been erected, for 
 the purposes of the incorporation. It was also re- 
 ceived under the visitation of the Regents in Febru- 
 ary, 1839. It is imparting a healthful tone to public 
 
83 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Academies. Clerk's Office. 
 
 sentiment, and receives a support, which renders the 
 permanency of its establishment undoubted. 
 
 The Dunkirk and Westfield Academies were in- 
 corporated in May, 1837, and became subject to the 
 visitation of the Regents, at the same time with those 
 located at Jamestown and Mayville. These institu- 
 tions are highly useful, and could not be dispensed 
 with, without a serious loss to the community in 
 which they are situated. Their merits are duly ap- 
 preciated, as is shown by the liberal support which 
 they receive. 
 
 These several Academies partake of the public lib- 
 erality, in the share of the literature fund which they 
 respectively receive from the State. 
 
 The sum of seven hundred dollars was raised by 
 tax, upon the people of the County in 1824, for the 
 purpose of erecting a lire proof clerk's office. A 
 building, answering that character, and adequate to 
 the wants of the County, was subsequently erected at 
 the county seat, at the aggregate cost of about $1,500. 
 
 'the different political parties at this period were 
 known as Clintonians and Bucktails. Party strife 
 ran high throughout the State. Gov. Clinton, whose 
 name characterized that of his supporters, received 
 1483 votes in this County, and Col. Young, the can- 
 didate of the Bucktails, 1093 ; while at the same time 
 Nathan Mixer, the candidate of the Bucktail party 
 for the Assembly, was elected by a majority of two 
 
OF CHAUTAUqrE COUNTY. 83 
 
 Election. Carroll Erected. 
 
 votes over Samuel A. Brown, the former having re- 
 ceived 1250 votes, ^and the latter 1248. Daniel G. 
 Garnsey was elected to represent this district in the 
 Congress of the United States. 
 
 The town of Carroll was organised in 1825. It 
 was taken from Ellicott, and occupies the south- 
 easternmost portion of the County. In includes the 
 first township in the tenth range, and the east half 
 of township number one in the eleventh range, ex- 
 cept a tier of lots on the north side of the last named 
 township, which still formes a part of Ellicott. It 
 received its name from that of Charles Carroll, a dis- 
 tinguished citizen of Virginia, and the last surviving 
 ^signer of the declaration of American Independence* 
 
84 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 ELECTION IN 1825 CANAL ROUTES SURVEYED — -■ 
 
 STATE ROAD GEN. LAFAYETTE CENSUS OF 1825 
 
 SENATE AND ASSEMBLY APPORTIONMENT ELEC- 
 TION OF 1826. 
 At the annual election in November, 1825, Elial T. 
 Foote and Thomas B, Campbell were opposing- can- 
 didates for the office of member of Assembly, and 
 the former was elected by a majority of 3^84. Elijah. 
 Kisley, Jr. was eliosen to fill the office of Sheriff, over 
 Samuel Barrett, and John Dexter was re-elected; 
 Clerk over Asahel Lyon. 
 
 By an act of th« legislature, the canal commission-, 
 ers were required to make surveys and estimates of 
 the most eligible routes for navigable communications 
 from Lake Erie to the Allegany River, through the 
 valley of the Connewang^o ; and from Portland Har- 
 bor to the head of Chautauque Lake^ The duties of 
 the commissioners were executed, and the results of 
 their examinations, and the estimates of the expenses, 
 of the construction of these works submitted to the 
 legislature ; but no action of that body, with a view 
 of carrying out these projects, was ever taken. 
 
 During the same year, Nathaniel Pitcher, Jabez D. 
 Hammond, and George Morell were appointed State 
 road commissioners, for the purpose of making sur- 
 veys of the various routes for a State road from the 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 
 
 B5 
 
 State Road. 53il^L?^5':!£!!^_„ 
 
 -Hudson River to Lake Erie, through the southern 
 tier of counties. 
 
 They discharged their duties, and recommended 
 two routes, which were identical from Bath in the 
 County of Steuben westward to the town of Gerry in 
 this County, From this point it was proposed to 
 have branches to Portland and Dunkirk Harbors on 
 Lal^e Erie, to be constructed by the private enterprise 
 'of the inhabitants. A bill to authorize and provide 
 for its construction, was matured in the legislature, 
 but was defeated through the influence of the repre- 
 sentatives from what was then, and has since been 
 known as the "canal section." Members represent- 
 ing those portions of the State through which the 
 canals pass, and which have been, and continue to 
 be largely benefitted by them, have for years con- 
 trolled the legislation of the State, on all subjects 
 regarding public improvements, and still maintain a 
 jealous watchfulness over, and bring the power of 
 numbers to bear upon, every projected improvement) 
 the success of which may be calculated, either di- 
 rectly or remotely to effect the interests of those 
 highly favored sections. The southern counties still 
 feel the weight of this influence againet them, in all 
 matters of legislation, which tend to develop their 
 resources, or place them upon an equal footing with 
 those portions which owe their prosperity in a great 
 sflegree to the munificence of the State. 
 
86 raSTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Gen. La Fayette. Census of 1825. 
 
 Gen. La Fayette visited this County in the sum- 
 mer of 1825, during his triumphant passage through 
 the United States. The Governor was authorized by 
 law to procure a full length portrait of this distin- 
 guished friend of liberty, to be placed in the capitol 
 of the State : and to provide for his public reception 
 in Albany in a manner suited to his character and 
 services to the country, and evincive of the affection 
 and gratitude entertained for him by the people ; the 
 expenses of which were to be defrayed out of the 
 treasury. 
 
 At this period, the County of Chautauque contained 
 a population of 20,639 souls, as shown by the census 
 taken under the authority of the State, in the fifteen 
 towns which were then organised. This enumeration 
 showed an increase of 5,371 since 1820, and 16,380 
 since 1814.. 
 
 In April, 1826, a law was passed apportioning the- 
 members of Assembly, and re-organising the Senate 
 districts, upon the basis of the census of the preceding 
 year. Under this apportionment this Comity became- 
 entitled to elect two members to the Assembly ; and 
 at the election in November following, Elial T. Foote, 
 and Samuel A. Brown, one candidate of each political 
 party, and both residents of the village of Jamestown, 
 were elected, over Nathan Mixer and Philo Orton. 
 Daniel G. Garnsey was re-elected to Congress. 
 James MuUett, Esq. was appointed District Attorney* 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 87 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 CONSTITUTION AMENDED ANTI-MASONIC EXCITEMENT 
 
 ELECTION IN 1827 SHERIDAN ERECTED VIL- 
 LAGE OF JAMESTOWN INCORPORATED CASADAGA 
 
 NAVIGATION COMPANY INCORPORATED DUNKIRK 
 
 LIGHT HOUSE BUILT SILVER CREEK, CATTARAUGUS, 
 
 AND PORTLAND HARBORS. 
 
 At the general election in 1826, two amendments to 
 the constitution of this State, which had been matiu-ed 
 by the legislature of that and the preceding year, 
 were submitted to, and voted upon, by the people. 
 
 The one was to change the method of appointing 
 Justices of the Peace by the Supervisors and Judges 
 of the several counties, to an election by the people 
 in the several towns. The other abolished the prop- 
 erty qualification of voters, other than for persons of 
 color. Both these amendments were adopted without 
 serious opposition. 
 
 In September of the same year, an outrage was 
 perpetrated upon the life of a citizen of Western 
 New-York, which convulsed the people of that sec- 
 tion, and to some extent those of the whole State, for 
 several years, and became the basis of a new political 
 organization. It will readily be perceived that the 
 
88 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Anti-Masonic Excitement, 
 
 event alluded to, is the abduction of William Morgan, 
 and it is supposed subsequent violent death, by per- 
 sons connected with the Masonic fraternity. It is not 
 deemed important or even proper, to give the details 
 of the exciting scenes which followed this event, in 
 the brief sketches which these pages are intended to 
 contain ; but a reference to the subject, as it became 
 connected with the subsequent elections, is all that 
 seems appropriate. 
 
 The excitement which followed the perpetration of 
 the offence, arose, not from the atrocious nature of the 
 act alone, but also from the opposition, concealment, 
 and resistance, which everywhere met and retarded 
 the progress of those, who from motives of humanity, 
 and a sense of just indignation at the occurrence, 
 attempted to investigate the circumstances attending 
 it, and bring the offenders to justice. As intelligence 
 of the general nature of the offence, of the impenetra- 
 ble mystery which shrouded the whole subject, and 
 the efforts to elude detection which arrested inquiry, 
 were sent abroad, the excitement grew more and more 
 intense, until it pervaded private circles, and became 
 the absorbing topic of discussion in the columns of 
 nearly all the newspapers in the western section of 
 the State. A law was passed for the punishment of 
 kidnapping, and although not alluding in terms to 
 the subject of the recent outrage, was evidently the 
 offspring of the state of things which then existed. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COtJWTT. 
 
 Election. Sheridan Erected. Jamestown Incorpioraled, 
 
 At the election in November, 1827, Nathan Mixer, 
 and Nathaniel Fenton, were elected to the Assembly, 
 on the Anti-Masonic ticket, over James Mullett, Jr., 
 and Thomas A. Osborne, the candidates of the oppo- 
 sition. In the contest for Senator for the Eighth 
 District, Timothy H. Porter, who was the nominee 
 of the Bucktail party, was elected, over George A. S. 
 Crooker, who had been adopted as the candidate of 
 the Anti-Masons, in the then immature state of the 
 party, and the haste in which they were required to 
 act. On learning that their nominee was not only a 
 Mason, but obnoxious to other objections ; and that 
 in point of character and in his freedom from any con- 
 nection with Masonry, Mr. Porter was unexception- 
 able, the former was dropped by the Anti-Masons, 
 and the suffrages of the party given to the latter. 
 
 In 1827, the town of Sheridan was erected. It was 
 taken from Pomfret and Hanover, and embraces the 
 sixth township in the eleventh range, excepting lots 
 one, two, three, and four, in the southeast corner, on 
 a portion of which the village of Forestville stands, 
 which remain attached to Hanover. 
 
 In 1810, James Prendergast purchased a tract of 
 land, on which the village of Jamestown now stands ; 
 and in the succeeding year erected a dam across the 
 outlet of Chautauque Lake, and at a place which was 
 then known as the ' Rapids.' A saw-mill was erected 
 in 1812, and in 1815 a survey and village plot were 
 
90 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Steam-Mill Company. Navigation Company. ' 
 
 made, which took the name by which it has since 
 been known. It was incorporated by an act of the 
 Legislature in 1827, and was the first village in the 
 County, on which corporate powers were conferred. 
 In 1840 it contained a population of 1212 ; in 1845 
 it had increased to 1642. 
 
 During the year 1827, the " Casadaga Steam Mill 
 Company " was incorporated with a capital of $10,000. 
 A dam had been constructed across the outlet of 
 Casadaga Lake, the waters of the Lake raised several 
 feet above their natural level, and mills erected for 
 the use of the inhabitants. Owing to the state of 
 the lands surrounding the lakes being low, and cov- 
 ered with a heavy growth of timber, it became 
 necessary to remove the dam, and draw the water 
 down to its original hight, on account of the sickness 
 which the decaying timber produced. In order to 
 save the buildings which had been constructed at 
 considerable expense, the project of propelling the 
 machinery which they contained by steam power 
 was started, and the efforts of those interested, re- 
 sulted in the passage of the act before mentioned. 
 Nothing however, was done under it, and the project 
 was finally abandoned. 
 
 In the same year, a company with a capital of 
 ^20,000, was incorporated for the purpose of improv- 
 ing the navigation of the Casadaga Creek from the 
 lake of the same name, to its junction with the 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE'COUNTT. 9J 
 
 Navigation Company. Dunkirk Harbor. 
 
 Chautauque outlet, and of the latter stream from the 
 junction, and of the Connewango Creek to -the State 
 line of Pennsylvania. It received the name of the 
 " Casadaga Navigation Company," and was required 
 by the act of incorporation to complete the improve- 
 ment of the streams mentioned, within two years, or 
 the act would become void. 
 
 Operations were commenced under it, and several 
 miles of the upper portion of the Casadaga creek 
 was cleared out, so as to facilitate the passage of 
 boats. A boat was constructed at the Lake, and at- 
 tempted to be navigated down the stream ; but owing 
 to its small size and its many sudden turnings, the 
 navigation to any considerable extent was found to 
 be impracticable. The boat was taken out and drawn 
 by land to Walkup's mills in the town of Gerry, 
 where the stream was navigable, again committed to 
 its destined element, and afterwards found its way 
 down the Allegany River. Hitherto no farther efforts 
 to render the upper portion of the stream navigable, 
 have been attempted. 
 
 The first expenditure of public moneys, in the way 
 of improving the facilities for navigating the waters 
 of Lake Erie within this County, were commenced 
 in 1827, under an authority derived from a law of 
 Congress, by which the sum of $4,000 was appro- 
 priated for the construction of a light-house at Dun- 
 kirk harbor. The sum of $3,000 was appropriated 
 
J02 HISTOltlCAL SKETCHES 
 
 Dunkirk, Silver Creek, Cattaraugus and Portland Harbois. 
 
 -for a break-water, the subsequent year ; and furthel" 
 appropriations from time to time, have been made by- 
 Congress, until the sum of f 80,000 in the aggregate, 
 iias been expended upon the improvements in that 
 harbor, 
 
 A beacon-light was constructed at Silver Creek 
 Harbor in 1828, at the expense of ^3,500. Cattar- 
 augus Creek and Portland Harbor have also been 
 improved by expenditures of the public moneys un- 
 der the direction of the General Government. At 
 the latter place a light-house was built in 1829, at 
 the expense of $3,400 which is illuminated by the 
 natural gas evolved from the earth in its vicinity. 
 
OF CHAtTTAUqUE COUNTY. 953 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 CHERRY VALLEY COMPANY- CHAUTAUqUE LAKE STEAM- 
 BOAT STEAM BOAT COMPANY INCORPORATED — 
 
 CHAUTAUqUE OUTLET LODI AND JAMESTOWN ROAD. 
 
 FREDONIA AND PERRY ROAD CANAL ROUTE a 
 
 SURVEYED FREDONIA INCORPORATED ELECTION, 
 
 IN 1828 APPOINTMENTS, 
 
 In 1828, the Holland Land Company, who had hith- 
 erto retained their titles to the lands lying within the 
 limits of this County, sold out their interest in 60,000 
 acres of those wh«ich remained wild lying in the south 
 eastern and eastern sections of the County, to Levi 
 Beardsley, James O. Morse, and Alvan Stewart of 
 Cherry Valley.. These persons have since been 
 known as the Cherry Valley Company, and have^ 
 employed local agents, and continued the sale of 
 these lands to actual settlers. A considerable por- 
 tion yet remain unsold. 
 
 The first application of steam to the purposes of 
 navigation upon Chautauque Lake, was made in ] 828., 
 The steamboat Chautauque, to ply between James- 
 town and Mayville, was built in that year. It con- 
 tinued to run during the summer seasons until 1836, 
 when it was laid aside, and gave place to the more 
 spacious and elegant structure, known at first as the 
 Robert Falconer, and afterward as tl>e William H». 
 Seward. The latter has remained in use, until the 
 
^ HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Steamboat Company. Chstitauque Outlet. 
 
 present time. Chautauqua Lake is probably the most 
 elevated body of water on which a steamboat floats in 
 the known world. 
 
 In 1829. the Chautauque Steamboat Company was 
 incorporated, with a capital of 810,000. to continue 
 for twenty years. The business of this company was 
 to be confined to the navigation of Chautauque Lake 
 and outlet, with steam and other boats, and to the 
 carryinor of freight and passengers. 
 
 During the same year, an act was passed, authori- 
 sing several citizens of the village of Jamestown to 
 improve the Chautauque outlet from the steamboat 
 landing to Prendergast's mills, in such a manner as 
 to render it navigable for such boats as were or might 
 be used upon the Lake. The rapids, commencing in 
 the outlet at the landing, about half a mile above the 
 central portion of the village, and extending through 
 nearly its whole course until its junction with the 
 Casadaga Creek, formed a total obstruction to its fur- 
 ther navigation by steamboats, or such other craft as 
 might be required for use upon the Lake. The con- 
 templated improvement was designed to facilitate the 
 passage of the boat that had recently been constructed, 
 and to enable her to discharge her passengers and 
 freight much nearer the business part of the village, 
 instead of terminating the voyage at the commence- 
 ment of ^oal water at the head of the rapids. No 
 pleasures were ever taken to carry out the original 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 95 
 
 Lodi and Jamestown Road. Fredonia and Perry Road. 
 
 design under the last mentioned act ; nor to organise 
 the company that had been incorporated for the pur- 
 poses of navigation. 
 
 The previous year a law v^^as passed appointing 
 commissioners to lay out a road from Lodi in the 
 County of Cattaraugus, to Jamestow^n in the County 
 of Chautauque, to be opened and improved, for the 
 purpose of facilitating intercourse between Buffalo 
 and the east, by way of Lodi, to the waters flowing 
 into the Mississippi. 
 
 In 1829, commissioners were appointed by law, to 
 lay out a road from the village of Perry, in the Coun- 
 ty of Genesee, to Fredonia, in this County, by the 
 most direct and eligible route. 
 
 Whether this act, or that of the previous year, be- 
 fore mentioned, was ever complied with, further than 
 to make the preliminary surveys, does not appear 
 from any evidence in the possession of the compiler. 
 Of one fact however he is certain ; that no public 
 roads, connecting the places names in either of the 
 acts, were made, except b}^ the enterprise and public 
 spirit of the inhabitants most interested in their con- 
 struction. 
 
 The canal commissioners were required by a joint 
 resolution of the two houses of the legislature, to 
 cause surveys of several routes, for canals to connect 
 the Erie canal with the Allegany river. Two of these 
 routes passed through this County. The one by the 
 
96 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Canal Routes. Fredonia Incorporated. Election in 1829. 
 
 way of the valley of the Conewango Creek, and the 
 other through that of the Casadaga. The route final- 
 ly selected for this communication, was by way of the 
 valley of the Genesee river, and the point of junction 
 with the Allegany, at Olean, in the County of Catta- 
 raugus. 
 
 The village of Fredonia was incorporated in 1829, 
 being the second village within the County on which 
 corporate powers were conferred by the legislature. 
 In 1837 its charter was amended, and the boundaries 
 enlarged. Its present limits are embraced in the 
 form of a square, of one and a half, miles in extent, 
 with the centre of the observatory of the Johnson 
 House, a spacious edifice, as its centre. 
 
 The election contest in 1828, assumed somewhat of 
 a triangular aspect. There were three parties in the 
 field : the Anti-Masons, who were the strongest, the 
 Jackson party, and the National Republicans. Abner 
 liazeltine, and Nathan Mixer, the candidates of the 
 Anti-Masons, were elected to the Assembly, over 
 Joseph White, and John McAllister, the Jackson can- 
 didates, and John Crane, and James Hall, the candi- 
 dates of the National Republicans. Daniel Shear- 
 man, was elected Sheriff, and James B. Lowry, Coun- 
 ty Clerk. 
 
 Elial T. Foote, was appointed First Judge, and 
 Benjamin Walworth, Judge of the County Courts. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 97 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 TOWNS OF WESTFIELD, CHARLOTTE, ARKWRIGHT, CHER" 
 RY CREEK, AND FRENCH CREEK ERECTED TEMPER- 
 ANCE SOCIETY — OTHER BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES — « 
 
 ELECTION IN 1829 MAYVILLE INCORPORATED — 
 
 CENSUS OF 1830 — ELECTION IN 1830. 
 
 The towns of Westfield, Charlotte, Arkwright, Cher- 
 ry Creek, and French Greek, were erected in 1829. 
 
 Westfield was taken from Ripley and Portland, 
 and includes parts of the third and fourth townships in 
 the fourteenth range. It is somewhat irregular in 
 its shape, bordering on Lake Erie on the north, and 
 extending into the interior, as far south as the north 
 line of the second tier of townships, within twelve 
 miles of the Pennsylvania line. 
 
 Charlotte was taken from Gerry, and embraces the 
 fourth township in the eleventh range, entire. 
 
98 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Arkwright, Cherry Creek, and French Creek Incorporated. 
 
 Arkwright was taken from Pomfret and Villenova, 
 and includes the fifth township in the eleventh range, 
 excepting lot sixty-four, in the northwest corner, 
 which remains attached to Pomfret. 
 
 Cherry Creek was taken from Ellington, and in- 
 cludes the fourth township in the tenth range. 
 
 French Creek was taken from Clymer, and embra- 
 ces the first township in the fifteenth range, lying in 
 the southwest corner of the County, adjoining the 
 Pennsylvania line. 
 
 The Chautauque County Temperance Society was 
 organised in 1829. Its origin can hardly be said to 
 have indicated its future strength, and wide spread 
 usefulness and success. At its first organisation, it 
 was composed of only fifteen members. So general 
 was the use of intoxicating drinks, so firmly had man 
 become wedded to the habit, and so h armless was the 
 indulgence then regarded, that but few men possessed 
 the moral courage to stand up in the face of the world, 
 and proclaim their determination to put away the evil 
 from among them. But such has been the success of 
 the enterprise, that the great mass of the people are 
 not only in the practice of total abstinence, but have 
 publicly arrayed themselves on the side of temperance 
 and virtue, in aid of one of the most extensive and 
 efficient reformations of modern times. 
 
 Other benevolent societies have since been organ- 
 ised, and are still difi'using their benefits among the 
 
Of CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 99 
 
 Election in 1829. Mayville Incorporated. Census of 1830. 
 
 people. Among- these may be named the Bible, Mis- 
 sionary, and Sabbath School Societies, the anniver- 
 saries of which, with that of the County Temperance 
 Society, are reg-ularly held by appointment at the 
 same time and place. 
 
 At the annual election in 1839, Abner Hazeltine, 
 was re-elected, with Squire White, to represent this 
 County in the Assembly. Benjamin Walworth, and 
 Horace Allen, were the opposing candidates. 
 
 Artemas Hearick, was appointed Judge of the Coun- 
 ty Courts, 
 
 The village of Mayville was incorporated in 1830. 
 It was selected for the County seat at an early period, 
 and continues to occupy the same position. 
 
 The first Court House and Jail were constructed of 
 wood, and having become somewhat dilapidated, and 
 deemed unsafe, the Board of Supervisors were author- 
 ised by the legislature of 1830, to take into considera- 
 tion the propriety of raising $5000 by tax, to build a 
 new Jail, The act was not imperative, but left the 
 subject to the discretion of the Supervisors, who suf- 
 fered it to pass without any action on their part, and 
 the question was defen-ed for the time. 
 
 By the returns of the census, taken by the marshals 
 appointed under the authority of the United States, 
 the population of this County was found to be 34,671, 
 being an increase of 14,032 since the last enumera- 
 tion. For the preceding five years, this County had 
 
K)^ HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Improvements. Election in 1830. 
 
 increased with unexampled rapidity. The hardships 
 and privations of early settlement, and the perils of a 
 border war, had long since passed away, and an intel- 
 ligent, busy population, had settled in every section, 
 and were rapidly converting the dense forests into 
 fruitful fields, from which the labors of the husband- 
 man were amply repaid by the rich harvests which 
 succeeded. Intercourse by means of improved roads 
 and the navigation of the Lakes, was facilitated, and 
 the whole aspect of the country presented a condition 
 of prosperity and increasing wealth, which gave assur- 
 ance of future greatness. 
 
 At the annual election, John Birdsall, who had re- 
 signed the office of Circuit Judge for the Eighth Cir- 
 cuit in September of the previous year, and Squire 
 White, were elected to the Assembly, on the Anti- 
 Masonic ticket. Elial T, Footo, and Evne'^'t Mullett y 
 were the candidates of the Jackson party, 
 Philo Orton, was appointed Judge, 
 
 \ 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTt. Tt>l 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 ^ANK INCORPORATED — NON-IMPRISONMENT LAW — = 
 
 ELECTION AND APPOINTMENTS IN 1831 N. Y. AND 
 
 ERIE RAIL ROAD COaiPANY INCORPORATED — POOR 
 HOUSE ESTABLISHED. 
 
 The Chautauque County Bank, located at Jamestown, 
 was incorporated by an act of the Legislature, in 
 April, 1831. It was organised under the safety fund 
 act, and the capital fixed at ^100,000, with the privi- 
 lege of issuing bills to twice the amount of its capital, 
 Elial T. Foote, was the first President, and Arad Joy, 
 Cashier. The former has been succeeded by Samuel 
 Barrett, in the Presidency, who still remains at the 
 head of the Institution, Aaron D. Patchin, Thaddeus 
 W. Patchin, and Robert Newland, have successively 
 occupied the post of Cashier ; and the latter is still 
 ■its financial officer. 
 
102 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Election in 1831. Appointments. N.Y. & Erie Rail Road. 
 
 A change in the laws of debtor and creditor took 
 place in the passage of the act to abolish imprison- 
 ment for debt, in April of the same year, which* 
 affected more sensibly all the business rehtions of 
 society than any law of the Legislature which had 
 been passed in many years. The opponents of the 
 measure were for some time violent in their denunci- 
 ations, and clamorous for its repeal ; but the incon- 
 veniences resulting from the sudden changes which 
 it effected, having gradually worn off, the public voice 
 subsided into acquiescence with its provisions, as at 
 once humane and just, until scarcely an individual 
 can be found in the community, who would raise his 
 voice in favor of restoring the laws to the condition in 
 which they existed prior to 1831. 
 
 At the election in November, 1831, there was no 
 opposition to the candidates of the Anti-Masonic par- 
 ty, in this County. Squire White, and Theron Bly, 
 were chosen as members of Assembly, Benjamin 
 Douglass, Sheriff, and James B. Lowry, Clerk. 
 
 Thomas B, Campbell, was re-appointed Judge, and 
 William Smith, Jr., Surrogate, by the Governor and 
 Senate ; and Samuel A. Brown, District Attorney, by 
 the County Court. 
 
 The act incorporating the New-York and Erie Rail 
 Road Company was passed in 1832. For many 
 years the people of the southern counties had been 
 looking to the Legislature for aid in developing their 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 103 
 
 New- York and Erie Rail Road. 
 
 resources, for the means of facilitating- their inter- 
 course with those sections which would best aiFord a 
 market for their various productions, and for a bestow- 
 al upon them of some share of the benefits of State 
 liberality, of which the canal section had become so 
 largely a recipient. The passage of the act itself at 
 once excited the expectations of the people to be im- 
 mediately affected by it, to a high degree, as those 
 expectations were based upon the supposition that the 
 road would be commenced and prosecuted to a speedy 
 completion. These hopes and expectations, the nat- 
 ural offspring of their wants and their capabilities, are 
 as far from being realized now, and even farther, than 
 when the first step was taken. Like the fabled bowl 
 of Tantalus, it still eludes them, and is farthest from 
 their grasp when apparently nearest being tasted. 
 
 To trace the history of this project from its incep- 
 tion to the present time, would more properly belong 
 to a work of more pretensions than the present. It 
 is here alluded to, in connection with other incidents 
 hi the history of Chautauque County, because its west- 
 ern termination has been fixed at Dunkirk ; and be- 
 cause the hopes and fears of the people in this section, 
 have been excited as often, and as intensely as in any 
 portion of the State. 
 
 The course of legislation upon the subject of this 
 great improvement has been singular at least, and 
 has had the effect to bring the work into disrepute in 
 
104 mSTORIOAL SKETCHES 
 
 ^] Poor House Erected. Keepers. 
 
 sections not immediately contiguous to it : and to ex- 
 cite in the people a distrust of the practicability of 
 the work, and of the intentions of those who have 
 been esteemed its friends. 
 
 The County Poor House wa^ erected in IS30, on a 
 farm purchased for that purpose near the pleasant 
 village of Dewittrille. in the town of Chautauque. on 
 the east side of Chautauque Lake. The expense to 
 the County for the farm and buildings was about 
 S8,000. The buildings are substantial and commodi- 
 ous, and well adapted to the convenience and comfort 
 of^ose, who from povertj- or misfortune may seek 
 an asylum within its walls, William Gifibrd, was 
 appointed the first keeper, by the board of Superin- 
 tendents of the Poor. He was succeeded by William 
 M. Waggoner, and he in turn by John G. Paimiter. 
 
OF CHAtJTAUQUK COUNTY. 105 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 TOWNS OF POLAND AND SHERMAN ERECTED — NEW JAIt 
 BUILT MAYVILLE AND PORTLAND BAIL ROAD COM- 
 PANY BUFFALO AND ERIE RAIL ROAD COMPANY 
 
 CONGEESSIONAL DISTRICTS ELECTIONS IN 1832 &6 3 
 
 APPOINTMENT NEW COURT HOUSE. 
 
 The town of Poland, taken from Ellicott, and embra- 
 cing the second township in the tenth range, was 
 erected by the Legislature of 1832. 
 
 Sherman, taken from Mina, and including the sec- 
 ond township in the fourteenth range, was incorpora- 
 ted the same year. 
 
 By a law of March 22, 1832, the Board of Supervi- 
 sors were required to raise the sum of S3,500 by tax, 
 in three equal annual instalments, for the purpose of 
 erecting a new Jail. Elijah Risley, Jr., Daniel 
 Shearman, and Seth W. Holmes, were appointed 
 commissioners to superintend the work. Under this 
 act the present structure of brick, sixty feet in length 
 by thirty-five in breadth, two stories high, was built. 
 It is a well constructed and substantial edifice, safe, 
 and well adapted to the uses for which it was designed. 
 It contains sixteen cells, of massive hewn stone, im- 
 
106 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Buffalo & Erie R. R. Company. Election in 1832. 
 
 pervious alike to assaults from without, or pent up 
 knavery within. 
 
 An act to incorporate the Mayville and Portland 
 Rail Road Compan}'-, was passed at the same session, 
 with a capital of $1 50,000. It was intended by means 
 of this incorporation, to construct a Rail Road from 
 Portland Harbor to the head of Chautauque Lake at 
 the village of Mayville. The designs of the projec- 
 tors of this improvement were never carried into exe- 
 cution, and the passage from one point to the other is 
 still labored and slow over the high lands which sep- 
 arate them. 
 
 The Buifalo and Erie Rail Road Company was in- 
 corporated during the same session. This company 
 was allowed four years to commence operations, and 
 ten in which to complete the work. The capital 
 stock was fixed at $650,000, and the charier extended 
 fifty years. Beyond a survey and location of the route 
 no steps towards its construction were ever taken. 
 
 The congressional districts were re-organised upon 
 the basis of the United States census of 1830. In 
 the new apportionment, the counties of Cattaraugus 
 and Chautauque constituted the 31st district, and be- 
 came entitled to elect one member. Abner Hazel- 
 tine, was elected to represent the district in the Con- 
 gress of the United States, over Alson Leavenworth, 
 of Cattaraugus County, by a majority of 1580. The 
 majority for Granger, for Governor, over Marcy, in 
 
OF CHADTAUqUE COUNTY. }^^ 
 
 Election in 1833. New Court House. Loan. 
 
 this County, was 1736, being the largest majority that 
 had ever been given at a contested election. Alvin 
 Plumb, and Nathaniel Gray, were elected to the As- 
 sembly, over Robertson Whiteside, and Albert H» 
 Camp. 
 
 In 1833, Thomas A. Osborne, and James Hall, the 
 candidates of the Jackson party, were elected to the 
 Assembly, over Waterman Ellsworth, and Austin 
 Smith, the candidates of the party who had outnum- 
 bered their opponents by more than 1700 votes the 
 previous year. The successful candidates were main- 
 ly indebted to the apathy and indifference of their op- 
 ponents for their success, as the vote they received 
 was but a trifls heavier than the candidates of the same 
 party received in 1832. 
 
 Elial T. Foote, was re-appointed First Judge of the 
 County Courts. This was his third appointment to 
 the same office. 
 
 The Board of Supervisors were required, by a law 
 passed in February, 1834, to cause the sum of $5,000^ 
 to be raised by tax upon the inhabitants, in instalments 
 in future years, to reimburse a loan which the Treas- 
 urer of the County was authorised to make, for the 
 purpose of building a new Court House. Commis- 
 sioners were appointed to superintend the work. In 
 April of the same year, the Comptroller of the State 
 was authorised to loan to the County Treasurer the 
 sum of $5,000, upon his bond, conditioned that the 
 
^l08 'HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Additional Loan. Go'St of Jail, 
 
 same should be refunded in instalments of $1000 each, 
 "with annual interest. The loan was obtained, and 
 the work progressed. 
 
 The sum of $5000 was found to be inadequate to 
 the accomplishment of the intended object, and the 
 additional sum of $4000 was required to be raised the 
 succeeding year to complete the work. This sum 
 was obtained in the same manner as before, and the 
 result is, after the expenditure of $9000, the erection 
 and completion of one of the most substantial, com- 
 modious, and elegant structures of the kind in West- 
 ern New-York, that does credit to the County, and is 
 the just pride of her citizens. 
 
 As with the Court House, so it was found to be with 
 the Jail ; the sum intended to be laid out in building,' 
 was insufficient to complete it, and the additional sum 
 of $1,500 was raised and expended upon it, making 
 in the aggregate the sum of $5000. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTr. 109^ 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 TRIAL OF DAMON FOR MURDER ELECTION IN 1834—*.. 
 
 APPOINTMENTS IN THE SA.ME YEAR CENSUS OF 
 
 1835 — SCHOOL DISTRICT LIBRARIES INSTITUTED 
 
 STATISTICS OF SCHOOLS — ELCTION IN 1835 — AP- 
 POINTMENTS. 
 
 On the 24th of April, 1834, Joseph Damon committed 
 murder upon the person of his wife, in the town of 
 Pomfret, for which he afterward sufTered the extreme 
 penalty of the law. He was tried at a court of Oyer 
 and Terminer held at Mayvilie in September of the 
 Bame year, and convicted. Exceptions were taken to 
 the opinion of the court upon some points of practice 
 which arose on the trial, and reviewed by the Supreme 
 Court on the application of the counsel on behalf of 
 the prisoner. Sentence of death was pronounced at 
 the Oyer and Terminer in March, 1835, and the 15th 
 day of May following, appointed for his execution. 
 He was executed at the time appointed, in the presence 
 of a large concourse of spectators, who had assembled 
 to witness the melancholy scene. 
 
 In 1832, the Anti-Masons and Nq,tional Republi- 
 cans, became virtually united under the name of 
 Whigs. At the election in 1834, they showed a 
 
110 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Election in 1834. Appointments. Census of 1835, 
 
 Strong front, and elected their candidates by a major- 
 ity of about 1,500. Abner Hazeltine was re-elected 
 to Congress, over Oliver Lee ; William Sexton, 
 Sheriff, over Daniel B. Parsons ; George W. Tew, 
 County Clerk, over Norman Kibbe ; and John Wood- 
 ward, Jr., and Orren McCluer, to the Assembly, over 
 Joseph Wait, and John Z. Saxton. Benjamin Wal- 
 worth, and Artemas Hearick, were re-appointed 
 Judges, by the Governor and Senate, and Samuel A. 
 Brown, District Attorney, by the County Court. 
 
 The census of the State was again taken in 1835, 
 and the returns for this County exhibited a population 
 of 44,869, being an increase of 10,212 in five years. 
 The number of towns had increased to 24, the same 
 as at present. 
 
 In April of the same year, an act was passed, 
 which, although applicable to the whole State, was 
 the germ of that beneficent system that has placed 
 the literature of the age in the hands of the entire 
 people of this, in common with the other counties. 
 It authorized the raising of a sum of money in each 
 school district, to be expended in procuring books for 
 the use of the inhabitants. The same act provided 
 for the gradual enlargement of the fund, and an ac- 
 cumulation of books. Subsequent provisions have 
 rendered the fund thus raised available for practical 
 good, by adding a portion of the interest accruing 
 fiom the surplus revenues of the United States, de- 
 
or CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. Ill 
 
 "^ School Libraries. School Statistics in 1844. 
 
 posited with the States. School District Libraries ■ 
 have thus become objects of profit and a just pride to 
 all. The choicest productions in literature and 
 science are placed in the hands of every person who 
 has a taste for reading-, or an incling^tion to profit by 
 the intellectual labors of others. 
 
 In the 24 towns of which this county is composed, 
 there were on the first day of July, 1844, 315 school 
 districts, in which, during the year preceding, there 
 had been taught an average of eight and a half 
 month's school in each. 
 
 The district libraries contained 26,475 volumes, in 
 general of the choicest works that issued from the 
 public press. Of the public money received and ap- 
 plied for teacher's wages, the amount was Si 0,389 18, 
 and for library money the sum of ^2,180 53, during 
 the same period. Besides the amount of public 
 money received and applied for the payment of 
 teacher's wages, the sum of of $8,049 29, in addition, 
 was contributed by the districts to that object. The 
 whole number of children taught in the common 
 schools of the County, was 18,272 ; and of these be- 
 tween the ages of 5 and 16 years, the number was 
 14,704. Of the teachers employed jn the winter, 166 
 were males, and 34 females ; in summer, 11 males, 
 and 156 females. 
 
 This brief view of the operations of the school sys- 
 tem, which is a distinguishing characteristic of our 
 
112 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 School System. Election in 1835. 
 
 institutions, is most gratifying to the friends of popu' 
 lar education. The great mass of the people are im- 
 bibing sentiments, which will make them wiser and 
 better citizens, and preserve for our State the char- 
 acter among hep sisters of the great confederacy, 
 which she already sustains — the " Empire State" of 
 the American Union. 
 
 At the election in 1835, great apathy prevailed 
 throughout the entire State. In the Eighth Senate 
 District, Chauncey J. Fox, who was the Whig can- 
 didate for Senator, was elected over Benjamin Wal- 
 worth, by a small majority. In this County, the 
 latter received a majority of seven votes. Richard 
 P. Marvin, and Benjamin Douglass, were the Whig 
 candidates for members of Assembly, against Thomas 
 B. Campbell, and Bela Tracy. Messrs. Marvin and 
 Campbell were elected. William Smith, Jr., was 
 re-appointed Surrogate, and Jared Freeman, Judge 
 of the County Courts. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 113 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 SE^'ATE DISTRICTS — MEMBERS OF ASSEMBIiY MU- 
 TUAL INSURANCE COMPANY INCORPORATED WEST- 
 FIELD AND NETTLE HILL TURNPIKE COMPANY 
 
 i:9C0RP0RATED BUFFALO AND ERIE RAIL ROAD 
 
 COMPANY HOLLAND COMPANY FIELD NOTES 
 
 CASADAGA RAIL ROAD COMPANY INCORPORATED 
 
 FREDONIA AND VAN BUREN HARBOR RAIL ROAD COM- 
 PANY INCORPORATED ELECTION IN 1836. 
 
 Upon the basis of the census of the preceding year, 
 the Legislature of 1836 proceeded to re-organise the 
 Senate Districts, and re-apportion the members of 
 Assembly among tli'e several counties. The Eighth 
 Senate District was ma?^*1X)'"consist of the counties 
 of Chautauque, Erie, GeneseeyMonroe, Orleans, and 
 Niagara. Wyoming, which has since been erected 
 from Genesee, was also included. This County then 
 became entitled to choose three members of As- 
 sembly. 
 
 The Chautauque County Mutual Insurance Com- 
 pany was incorporated during the same session, with 
 the privileges usually conferred upon institutions of 
 the kind. Its operations are carried on in the village 
 of Fredonia, and the charter is limited to the term of 
 twenty years. It was organized and commenced 
 business soon after the passage of the act, and has con- 
 
 G 
 
114 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Turr.pike Companies. Field Nofes. 
 
 tinued its business with ordinary success to the pres- 
 ent time. 
 
 The Westfield and Nettle Hill Turnpike Company 
 was incorporated at the same time, with a capital of 
 Si 0,000, for the purpose of constructing a turnpike 
 road between the places named, both being within 
 the town of Westfield. They w^ere authorised to take 
 tolls upon their road when completed, and to take 
 and hold real estate for the purposes of the incorpora- 
 tion. Like many other projected improvements, it 
 was suffered to sleep in silence, and will soczi pass in- 
 to forgetfulness. 
 
 The time for commencing operations on the Buffalo 
 and Erie Rail Ptoad was extended by the Legislature 
 for two years, and new.commissioners were appointed 
 to take up subscriptions to the stock. Nothing was 
 done however, towards constructing the road, and the 
 charter was finally permitted to expire. 
 
 The Supervisors of the counties included in the 
 Holland Purchase, were authorised by the Legislature 
 of 1836, to obtain, and prepare for record, such field 
 notes, maps, books, and other statistical information 
 as might be of value, from any of the offices of the 
 Holland Land Company, which the local agents would 
 consent to furnish, which were to be delivered to the 
 Clerk of the County to which they related, whose du- 
 ty it was, to make a record of them, or put them on 
 file in his office. Copies of these papers, properly 
 
OF CHAIITAUQ,UE COUNTY. 115 
 
 Casadaga Rail Road Company Incorporated. 
 
 uuthenticated, were declared to be evidence of the 
 facts they contained, in the same manner as the orig- 
 inals. Under this act, the field notes of the original 
 surveys of this County were transcribed, authentica- 
 ted, and deposited in the office of the Clerk. 
 
 In anticipation that the New-York and Erie Rail 
 Road would be constructed, arid that it would pass 
 along the valley of the Casadaga Creek, application 
 was made to the Legislature, and a charter granted to 
 a company, who were authorised to construct a rail 
 road from a point near the junction of the Casadaga 
 Creek and Chautauque outlet, upon the line of the 
 New- York and Erie Rail Road, through the village of 
 Jamestown, and westwardly through the southwest- 
 ern towns, to the western boundaries of the State, in 
 the direction of Erie in the State of Pennsylvania. 
 It was intended to connect the latter place with the 
 city of New-York, by means of this branch road, 
 which was to have been connected with a similar 
 work in Pennsylvania, extending from the State line 
 to Erie Harbor in the latter State. The capital stock 
 was ^250,000, and the time of its commencement lim- 
 ited to two years, and that of its completion to four 
 years. 
 
 A company was also chartered for the purpose of 
 constructing a rail road from the village of Fredonia 
 to Van Buren Harbor on Lake Erie, with a capital 
 stock of 812,000. 
 
116 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Election in 1836. 
 
 The charters of both these roads, like many others 
 granted near the same period, were suffered to expire, 
 without any action on the part of the companies, to- 
 Avards the construction of the contemplated works. 
 
 At the election in November, 1836, Richard P. 
 Marvin, was elected a. member of the Congress of the 
 United States, over Oliver Lee, the candidate of the 
 Democratic party. The vote in this County was 
 . ?)957 for the former, and 2881 for the latter ; givinga 
 majority of 107G votes.. 
 
 A.lvin Plumb, Calvin Rumsey, and William Wilcoy, 
 were elected to the Assembly, over Thomas B, Camp 
 bell, James Hall, and Daniel B, Parsons.. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTT. Il7 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 * GENESEE tariff' — PUBLIC MEETING — LAND OFFICE 
 
 DEMOLISHED — HOLLAND COMPANY'S SALE LAND 
 
 OFF.ICE RE-OPENED AT WESTFIELD U. S. LOAN. 
 
 Is 1835 the Holland Land Company contracted their 
 unsold lands, with the outstanding and expired con- 
 tracts to Trumbull Cary and others of Batavia. A 
 like sale had been made of their lands in Genesee 
 County, and it was] understood that such of the settlers 
 as could not pay for, and take titles to their farms, and 
 would be under the necessity of renewing their con- 
 tracts, would be required to pay a certain sum per 
 acre in addition to the original, contract price and an- 
 nual interest, as a consideration for forbearance.— 
 This exaction on the part of the new company was 
 denominated the " Genesee Tariff." It soon became 
 generally known that the principles of this Tarift' 
 were to be applied to the settlers in Chautauqua 
 County, which at once created great excitement and 
 alarm. A public meeting was held at the Court 
 House, in the month of December, to take the subject 
 into consideration. The information respecting the 
 intentions of the new proprietors, was too vague to 
 form the basis of any definite action upon the subject. 
 A committee of citizens was appointed, with instruc- 
 tions to proceed to Batavia, tlie residence of the pro- 
 prietors, to confer with, and obtain some reliable in- 
 formation from them, in relation of th eir intentions 
 
118 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Public Meeting. Exaction of Compound Interest. 
 
 respecting the people of this County. The meeting- 
 then adjourned to the 8th of January, to enable the 
 committee to perform the duties of their appointment, 
 and to report thereon. They were unable to obtain 
 any satisfactory or definite information on the subject 
 — but were given to understand that the terms which 
 the new proprietors intended to exact, would be made 
 loiown through their local agent at Mayville on the 
 first of January. On re-assembling on the 8th, the 
 interest of the whole population seemed to be aroused, 
 and the meeting was much more numerously attended 
 than before. The committee reported the result of 
 their mission to Batavi^, whereupon another commit- 
 tee was immediately appointed to confer with the lo- 
 cal agent at Mayville. The information received from 
 him was definite, though very unsatisfactory. It was 
 no less than the exaction of principal and compound 
 interest from all those who should immediately pay 
 for, and take titles to their lands. From such as 
 should ask an extension of time for payment, the sum 
 of four dollars would be exacted where but three dol- 
 lars was due ; in other words, in cases where three 
 dollars per acre would be found due upon a contract, 
 four dollars would be required, as the condition upon 
 which a contract would be renewed, and the time for 
 payment extended ; and in the same proportion for a 
 greater or less sum. The report by the committee, of 
 ihe answers of the agent, threw the meeting into* 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 119 
 
 Great Excitement. 
 
 great excitement, which it was very diiRcult to re- 
 strain. Spirited resolutions were adopted, declaring 
 in the most emphatic terms that the exactions were 
 exhorbiant and unjust, and ought not and would not 
 be submitted to on any account. The meeting then 
 adjourned. 
 
 The excesses which followed, were such as might 
 have been anticipated. The state of feeling between 
 the settlers and the owners and their agents, was fa^ 
 from being the most friendly ; and the recent devel- 
 opement of the intentions of the latter, served to ex- 
 asperate rather than allay them. The early settlers 
 had braved a wilderness, and wrought for themselves 
 homes, that only extreme toil, privation, and hardship 
 could accompfish. They had rallied at the call of 
 danger, and shed their blood, and perilled their lives, 
 in defence of the soil. The owners had grown weal- 
 thy by the industry of the settlers, and their agents 
 rolled in fatness ; and to impose such terms, at a 
 time, and under such circumstances, as in a majority 
 of instances, would deprive the settlers of their farms, 
 and compel them to abandon their possessions, while 
 a course of fair dealing, and equitable requirements on 
 the part of the owners, would enable them, after a 
 few more years of toil, to call the soil on which the 
 fire and vigor of their manhood had been expended 
 their own, was more than they would submit to or 
 endure. 
 
1^0 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Land Office at Mayville Demolished. 
 
 On the 6th of February, a mass of people, mostly 
 from the interior towns, assembled at Barnhart's Inn, 
 about two miles easterly of May\-ille, at four o'clock 
 in the afternoon. They were armed with axes, crow- 
 bars, and such other implements as the nature of their 
 enterprise would be likely to require. After a formal 
 organization, and the choice of leaders, they proceed- 
 ed to Mayville, where they arrived at eight o'clock in 
 the evening. Their first movement was to surround 
 the land office, and demolish that part which was built 
 of wood. This was very readily accomplished.— 
 Their efforts were then directed to the strong stone 
 vault, which contained a large amount of valuable 
 books and papers, belonging to the Holland Compa- 
 ny. Entrance to this was not so easily effected. 
 After numerous and well directed efforts, the stone 
 structure gave way, and the contents of the vault 
 seized and carried to Barnhart's, and there burned in 
 the public highway ; after which the assembly dis- 
 persed. 
 
 From that time all intercourse between the Holland 
 Company or their agents, and the settlers, ceased un- 
 til 1838, when a sale of the interests of the former to 
 Messrs. Duer, Morrison, and Seward, before men- 
 tioned, was effected ; since which an office has been 
 opened in the village of Westfield, and the business 
 of selling lands, renewing contracts, and conveying 
 titles, has proceeded undisturbed by any popular out- 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 121 
 
 United States Loan. 
 
 break or dissatisfaction, though upon terms at once 
 just both to the owners and settlers. 
 
 In April, 1837, a law was passed, authorising the 
 loaning the surplus revenues of the United States, 
 which had been deposited with the several States un- 
 der a law of Congress. This County received ^110,- 
 000 as its proportionate share, which was loaned out 
 by commissioners appointed for that purpose, to the 
 inhabitants upon bonds and mortgages, for five years, 
 on interest, payable annually, on tho first Tuesday in 
 October in each year. The borrov/ers were Kable to 
 refund the amount borrowed, the one-half after a no- 
 tice of one year, and the remainder on a notice of two 
 years. No difficulty was found in investing the 
 whole amount in safe hands, and upon ample security, 
 nor would there have been, had the amount been macli 
 larger. 
 
 As the relations between the successors cf tho 
 Holland Company and the settlers, sopn after, as- 
 sumed a more friendly aspect, the distribution of this 
 sum among the people of the County so many of whom 
 were in debt for their lands, afforded them substantial 
 and timely relief ; & enabled many to obtain titles to 
 their farms, who could not otherwise have done so. 
 Subsequent legislation has so far modified the act un- 
 der which these loans were made, that none of tho 
 principal sum has yet been called for, but still remain!? 
 in the hands of the people. 
 
1^2 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 FREDONIA AND JAMESTOWN ROAD SURVEY — DUNKIRK 
 MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY INCORPORATED DUN- 
 KIRK VILLAGE INCORPORATED LAND SPECULA- 
 TIONS — AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY ORGANIZED — E. 
 RISLEY& CO. SEEDSMEN — ELECTION AND APPOINT- 
 MENTS IN 1837. 
 In April, 1837, an act was passed appointing commis- 
 sioners, and authorizing the survey of a road from 
 Fredonia to Jamestown, through the valley of the 
 Casadaga Creek. The duties of the commissioners 
 were discharged, but the provisions for assessing the 
 expenses upon the several towns through which it 
 was laid, met with many popular objections, and the 
 project was abandoned. 
 
 In 1840, another board of commissioners were ap- 
 pointed in a similar manner, to survey and lay out a 
 road from near Work's mills in Ellicott through the 
 Connewango valley to the Pennsylvania line in the 
 town of Carroll. It was intended to connect this 
 road with that which had been laid from Fredonia to 
 Jamestown, through the valley of the Casadaga.— 
 Both projects shared the same fate. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 123^ 
 
 Marine Insurance Company. Dunkirk Incorporated. 
 
 The Dunkirk Marine Insurance Company was in- 
 corporated by the Legislature of 1837, with powers to 
 effect insurances upon vessels and goods upon the 
 navigable waters of this and the adjoining States and 
 Territories, and also upon the inland transportation of 
 goods, by land and water. No steps were taken to 
 carry out the provisions of the act, that have come to 
 the knowledge of the compiler ; and it was suffered 
 to expire. 
 
 The village of Dunkirk v/as incorporated the same 
 year, with the powers and privileges usually conferr- 
 ed upon bodies corporate of a similar kind. 
 
 The speculations in real estate, v/hich were at their 
 hight during this period, and which have resulted in 
 such incalculable injury to the interests of the v/hole 
 people, affected the village of Dunkirk more serious- 
 ly than any other point in the County. The termi- 
 nation of the New-York and Erie Rail Road at this 
 place, pointed it out to those most deeply affected 
 with the contagion, as a spot on which operations of 
 the kind might be carried on for a while at least with 
 success. The rage for corner lots, and eligible sites, 
 was rife, and ran to so high a pitch, that men of all 
 pursuits — farmers, mechanics, merchants, lawyers, 
 and even minis'ters of the gospel, embarked upon the 
 wild sea, without rudder or ballast, with nothing to 
 propel them but a whirlwind, that soon scattered them 
 in broken fragments upon a lee shore. 
 
1-24 HISTORICAL SKETCHES ^ 
 
 Agricultural Society Organised. 
 
 The general result has been a stagnation of trade, 
 depreciation in the prices of all kinds of property, the 
 ruin and entire prostration of many families who had 
 been in prosperous circumstancesj and on the high 
 road to competence. and even independence, and the 
 hopeless bankruptcy of thousands of others. Though 
 affected to a greater degree, this village v^ras not alone 
 in its madness. Most of the other villages were 
 more or less influenced by the mania that swept over 
 the land, and suffered in proportion to the extent of 
 their operations. 
 
 The Chautauque County Agricultural Society was 
 formed in 1837. A society had been formed many 
 3'ears ago, in 1820 or thereabouts, of which Zattu 
 Gushing wss President. It was limited in its opera- 
 tions, wanting the encouragement and patronage of 
 the State, and soon went down. It was however the 
 germ of the present society. 
 
 A meeting was held at the Court House in October, 
 1836, to take the subject of its re-organization into 
 consideration, which was well attended, and a com- 
 mendable spirit prevailed. 
 
 It was adjourned to the 4th day of January follow- 
 ing, when the present society, which is effecting so 
 much in the character of the agricultirral pursuits of 
 our people, and in the reputation of the county abroad 
 for the quantity and excellence of her productions, 
 was organized. Officers are chosen annually, and 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTT. 125' 
 
 Election and Appointments in 1837, 
 
 fairs held at various points, for the exhibition of arti- 
 cles of produce and manufacture. Legislative aid. 
 which was granted to the several counties in 1841, 
 was participated in by this County, and the sum of 
 $143 received by the society, for the purpose of pro- 
 moting agriculture and the household arts. 
 
 In connection with this subject, allusion to the ope- 
 rations of Messrs. E. Risley, & Co., of Fredonia, in 
 the business of seedsmen, may not be inappropriate. 
 
 TKey commenced in 1834 with but six acres of 
 land, and put up seven hundred boxes of seeds for 
 market. Their operations have since been con- 
 stantly increasing, until they now cultivate near 
 sixty acres, and put up for market ten thousand 
 boxes of seeds. It is found to be a lu6rative business, 
 and brings amply compensating returns for their in- 
 vestments. 
 
 At. the annual election in 1837, Judson Southland 
 v/as chosen Sheriff, over John Z. Saxton, by 959 
 majority ; George W. Tew, County Clerk, over 
 Joshua R. Babcock, by 1136 majority ; and George 
 A. French, Abner Lewis, and Thomas J. Allen, to 
 the Assembly, over Otis Skinner, Gideon Evans, and 
 Pearson Crosby. 
 
 Thomas B. Campbell was re-appointed, and Thomas 
 A. Osborne appointed. Judges of the County Courts,. 
 
126 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 0E:>5^ERAL BANKING LAW — BANK OF SILVER CREEK — 
 
 ELECTION IN 1838 — APPOINTMENTS CONTEST 
 
 FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNTY TREASURER ITS RE- 
 SULT. 
 
 The general act, authorizing the business of banking 
 was passed in 1838. But one institution has been or- 
 ganized under it in this County. The Bank of Silver 
 Greek, located at the village of the same name, with 
 a capital of $100,000, was established, under the aus- 
 pices of Oliver Lee, who was the principal proprietor 
 and its first President, and Chauncey Smith, Cashier. 
 George W. Tew afterwards succeeded to the office of 
 Cashier, and subsequently to that of President, which 
 he now holds. The office of Cashier has been sup- 
 plied by the appointment of Clark C. Swift. It has 
 been in successful operation since its organization in 
 1839. 
 
 At the election in November, 1 838, Gov. Seward 
 receives of the votes cast in this County a majority 
 of 1 909, over Gov. Marcy. Richard P. Marvin was 
 re-elected to the Congress of the United States, over 
 Charles H. S. Williams. His majority in this Coun- 
 ty was 1755. Abner Lewis, Waterman Ellsworth, 
 and Timothy Judson, were elected to the Assembly, 
 over Rodney B. Smith, Elias Clark, and Ethan Sawin. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTY. 127 
 
 Contest for Treasurer. 
 
 Elial T. Foote was re-appointed First Judge by the 
 Governor and Senate, and Joseph Wait, District At- 
 torney, by the County Court. 
 
 An incident occurred in the autumn of 1838, which 
 for its novelty, and the public interest wliich it excit- 
 ed, may claim a notice somewhat extended. 
 
 It will be recollected that several County appoint- 
 ments had been conferred upon the boards of Super- 
 visors and Judges of the County Courts, among which 
 was that of Treasurer. The board of Supervisors for 
 this County, which assembled in November, poss'essed 
 a decided majority of Whig members. During their 
 annual session, they adopted a resolution, requesting 
 the Judges, who were of the opposite political par- 
 ty, to assemble with them in joint meeting, to take 
 into consideration the propriety of removing Dr. Up- 
 ham, the County Treasurer, from office. The Judges 
 declined to comply with the request, as the incum- 
 bent was of the same political party with themselves. 
 A subsequent joint meeting was held for the purpose 
 of comparing nominations for other officers, the ap- 
 pointment to which had been conferred upon them. — 
 After the organization of the joint meeting by the 
 appointment of a chairman, a motion was made to re- 
 move the Treasurer from office. As soon as the 
 motion was made, the Judges in a body started to 
 leave the room, remarking that they had not assem- 
 bled in joint meeting with the Supervisors for that 
 
128 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Contest for Treasurer. 
 
 purpose. Notwithstanding the withdrawal of the 
 Judges, a ballot was taken on the question of remo- 
 val, and carried. The Judges did not participate in, 
 n%r were they present, during these proceedings. 
 The Judges soon afterwards again appeared, for the 
 purpose of completing the business on which they at 
 first assembled. While so engaged, a notice to the 
 Judges was read by the Clerk of the board of Super- 
 visors, informing them that the office of County Treas- 
 m-er was vacant, and inviting them to assemble in 
 joint meeting in the afternoon to supply the vacancy. 
 While the Clerk was reading this notice, the Judges 
 in a body again left the room. The joint meeting 
 was then dissolved, and the board of Supervisors 
 again organized, and as such nominated Robertson 
 Whiteside as Treasurer, to supply the vacancy occa- 
 F;ioned by the removal of Dr. Upham. In the after- 
 noon the Judges again assembled in joint meeting 
 with the Supervisors, to complete the appointments 
 which had been left unfinished in the morning. Up- 
 on its completion, a motion was made and carried 
 that they proceed to appoint a Treasurer, and the 
 Clerk of the joint meeting announced the candidate 
 on the part of the Supervisors. They were informed 
 by the Judges, that they had made no nomination, 
 that they had not assembled for any such purpose, 
 and declined to participate in the proceedings for 
 making an appointment. 
 
129 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Contest for Treasurer. 
 
 A ballot was taken, and Mr. Whiteside declared 
 appointed. When the balloting was about to com- 
 mence, the Judges again left the room and did not 
 return. A certificate of the appointment of Mr. 
 Whiteside was made out, and signed by the chair- 
 man of the board of Supervisors, and presented to the 
 Judges, who refused to sign it. It was then filed in 
 the proper office, with the official bond of the newly 
 appointed Treasurer, who took the oath of office and 
 entered upon the discharge of its duties. 
 
 Dr. Uphara soon after, instituted proceedings in the 
 Supreme Court, for the purpose of contesting the 
 right of Mr. Whiteside to the office, which it was al- 
 leged he had usurped without the authority of law. 
 The questions growing out of the facts before stated, 
 which involved the regularity of the proceedings, in 
 the removal and appointment of the contending par- 
 ties, were tried at the Circuit Court in this County in 
 July, 1839, before Judge Dayton. 
 
 The jury, under the direction of the court, and 
 by the agreement of the counsel for the respective 
 parties, found a special verdict, embracing the facts 
 in the case. The questions in controversy were 
 argued before the Supreme Court, at Albany, in 
 January, 1840, and judgment rendered in favor of 
 Dr. Upham, which established the illegality of 
 his removal and the appointment of Mr. White- 
 side, 
 
OF CUAUTAUqUE C0UNT7. 130 
 
 Contest for Treasurer. 
 
 The latter, not content with the decision of the Su- 
 preme Court, removed the proceedings to the Court 
 for the Correction of Errors — the highest tribunal 
 before which it could be brought. It was again ar- 
 gued in the latter Court, and in December, 1842, the 
 decision of the Supreme Court reversed, thereby es- 
 tablishing the claim of Mr. Whiteside to the office of 
 Treasurer. 
 
 In consequence of this contest, respecting the office 
 of Treasurer, both claimants exercising- in part the 
 duties of the office, the Legislature of 1839, to prevent 
 the inconvenience and embarrassment, which had 
 already resulted, and was still further likely to result, 
 and to facilitate the public business to be done through 
 that office, passed an act requiring the County Clerk 
 to receive from the Treasurer of the State the moneys 
 appropriated to this County for the support of schools, 
 and to distribute it, as Treasurer, to the several towns. 
 At the subsequent session, another act was passed, 
 constituting George W. Tew, tlien Clerk of the 
 County, Treasurer, and empowering him to perform 
 all acts that a Treasurer of the County would do, un- 
 til the next meeting of the board of Supervisors. 
 
 In order effectually to prevent the recurrence of 
 similar difficulties, an act was passed in 1840, repeal- 
 ing the law under v/hich the County Judges and 
 board of Supervisors were associated, in maldng ap- 
 pointments. 
 
ISrl HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 H-OLLAND COMPANY TITLE PAPERS &C. TO BE DEPOS- 
 ITED SURVEY OF CONNEWANGO CANAL NO AP- 
 POINTMENTS ELECTION IN 1839 — CENSUS OF 1840 
 
 MILITIA REFORM ELECTION OF 1840 APPOINT- 
 MENTS. 
 
 The Legislature of 1839, directed the Secretary of 
 S-tate to request and receive from the agent of the 
 Holland Land Company, the original title papers of 
 the tract of land formerly owned by them, with the 
 original field notes, books, surveys, and maps made by 
 surveyors and agents employed by the company, to 
 be deposited in his office for safe keeping. Copies of 
 these original documents, when properly certified by 
 the Secretary of State, under his seal of office, were 
 declared to be evidence of the facts which they con- 
 tained, in the same manner and to the same extent as 
 the originals themselves. Provision was also made 
 for depositing and recording in the offices of the sev- 
 eral County Clerks of the counties in which the lands 
 # to be affected thereby were located, transcripts of 
 these title papers, field books, surveys and maps, for 
 the purpose of placing within the reach of every per- 
 son whose title could in any way be affected by them, 
 the evidences of its validity. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNXr. 152 
 
 Connewango Canal. No Appointments. 
 
 The canal commissioners were directed by the 
 Legislature of the same year, to cause a survey of a 
 canal route from the Erie canal near Buifalo, to the 
 State line of Pennsylvania, through the valley of the 
 Connewango Creek. This was but a repetition of 
 the service that had been performed in 1829, and 
 seemed to be but an additional expenditure of the 
 public moneys without any intention on the part of 
 the public authorities to carry out the project. If 
 these surveys are henceforth never to be acted upon^ 
 they have at least established the practicability of a 
 v/ater communication between the points mentioned, 
 however seriously that position may have been pre- 
 vi^usly controverted. 
 
 During 1839 no appointments were made by the 
 Governor and Senate for this County, excepting such 
 as were indispensable to the public welfare, owing to 
 the diiierence in political sentiment of the two branch- 
 es of the appointing power. Gov. Seward being a. 
 V/hig, nominated his friends for office, and a majority 
 of the vSenate being politically opposed, refused to 
 confirm his appointments. 
 
 The result was, that a large number of County 
 Judges, and other officers whose appointment had 
 been conferred upon the Governor and Senate, held 
 over after the expiration of their respective terms 
 of office, as well in this, as in most of the other 
 counties of the State. 
 
iSS HISTORICAL SKETCHKS 
 
 Election in 1839. Census of 1840. 
 
 At the election in November, Abram Dixon was 
 elected to the Senate from the Eighth District. Ha 
 was the first incumbent of that office who was a res- 
 ident of this County, since the election of Judge Birds- 
 all in 1832, The vote in this County for Senator, 
 was — for Dixon 3815; for Isaac R. Elwood the dem- 
 ocratic candidate 2478; showing a majority of 1337. 
 ■George A. French, Odin Benedict, and William Rice, 
 were elected to the Assembly, over Thomas B. Camp- 
 bell, James Hall, and Jonathan Patterson. 
 
 The census was again taken under the authority 
 of the United States in 1840, and the population of 
 "this County found to be 47,551; being an increase of 
 only 2672 in five years« The accuracy of this enu- 
 meration has frequently been questioned; principally 
 on the ground that the difference in the increase from 
 1830 to 1835, and from the latter period to 1840, was 
 30 wide as apparently to preclude the possibility of 
 the correctness of the latter. There are facts how- 
 ever, which tend to show that that enumeration was 
 probably much nearer the truth than has been silp- 
 posed. The emigration to the west from this Coun- 
 ty has been large, and it is believed much larger than 
 the accession to our numbers in agricultural sections^ 
 The pursuits of the agricultural population have ten- 
 ded to diminish rather than increase their numbers. 
 The accumulation of real estate in the hands of those 
 engaged in grazing, has materially diminished the 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNT r. 134' 
 
 Emigration. Census Statistics. Reforms. 
 
 number of those who held small tracts of land, while 
 the latter have sought wider, and more fertile fields in 
 the valley of the Mississippi. 
 
 According to that enumeration, there were of the 
 citizens of this County, 12,195 engaged in agricultu- 
 ral pursuits; 2088 in trades and manufactures; 341 in 
 the learned professions; 344 in commerce; and 104 
 in navigating the ocean, lakes, rivers, and canals of 
 this State. The general prosperity of the County 
 continued to be highly flattering, and the fruits of 
 productive industry materially increased. 
 
 Among the reforms which followed the change of 
 the administration of the State government, was a 
 law in 1840 reducing militia fines ; the effect of which 
 was, in a great measure to dispense with the militia 
 parades, which are but ridiculous farces at best, and 
 as disciplinary exercises, worse than useless. 
 
 The election of 1840, will be remembered as the 
 most exciting political contest, probably that has 
 ever been known in the country. The excitemerA 
 pervaded this County in an eminent degree. All men 
 of all parties participated actively in the campaign: 
 and the gentler sex lent their assistance and counte- 
 nance on numerous occasions, in aid of the struggle. 
 Meetings, that beggar description in the numbers and 
 enthusiasm of the people, were held at various points, 
 until the whole population seemed carried away by 
 the one all-absorbing subject of the Presidential elec- 
 
135 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Election in 1840. Appointments. ~ 
 
 tion. The exertions of the rival parties brought out 
 all the voters of every description, and the result in 
 this County of the efforts of the successful party, as- 
 tonished themselves. The Harrison electors received 
 6985, and those for Van Biiren 3345 votes; being the 
 largest vote ever cast by either party. The majority 
 was 2640. The electoral vote of the " liberty party " 
 was 23. Staley N. Clarke was elected to Congress, 
 over Benjamin Chamberlain; Amos W. Muzzy, Sher- 
 iff, over David McDonald; John G. Hinckley, Clerk, 
 over George A. Greene; and George A. French, 
 Robertson Whiteside, and Benjamin Douglass, to the 
 Assembly, over Ira F. Gleason, Orsell Cook, and 
 William Colville, Jr. Austin Smith v/as appointed 
 Surrogate; and Elisha Ward, and John Chandler 
 Judges of the County Courts, by the Governor and 
 Senate. 
 
OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 136 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 STEAMBOATS WASHINGTON AND ERIE BURNED SILK 
 
 CULTURE ENCOURAGED — ELECTION IN 1841 — AP- 
 POINTMENTS — JAMESTOWN VILLAGE CHARTER 
 AMENDED — EXEMPTION LAW OF 1842 CONGRES- 
 SIONAL DISTRICTS — i ELECTION IN 1842. 
 
 On the 14th of June, 1838, the steamboat Washing- 
 ton in her downward trip to Buffalo, was burned 
 while off Silver Creek, in this County, and about fifty 
 of her passengers and crew perished. 
 
 In three years afterward, the same portion of Lake 
 Erie was the scene of one of the most appalling ca- 
 lamities, that has ever been witnessed in American 
 waters. On the 9th of August, 1841, the steamboat 
 Erie, Capt. Titus, on her passage from Buffalo to 
 Chicago, with a complement of nearly three hundred 
 passengers, was burned in the night time, while op- 
 posite this County. A severe storm had swept over 
 the lake, swelling its waters into mountainous bil- 
 lows, which, although the winds had abated, and the 
 atmosphere become calm, had not subsided. 
 
 The boat left her moorings at Buffalo, crowded 
 with her living human freight, at 4 o'clock in the 
 afternoon, and directed her course westward. She 
 had proceeded about thirty-five miles, and when off 
 Silver Creek, at 8 o'clock in the evening, an alarm of 
 fire was given. 
 
tSt HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Burning of the Erie. Loss of Life. 
 
 The consternation can be imagined, but cannot be 
 described. A large portion of the passengers had 
 retired to their berths in security, and many were en- 
 joying the sweets of repose. The boat had then been 
 recently painted and varnished, and the fire, which 
 originated from the bursting of a vessel containing 
 varnish, that had been placed over or near the fur- 
 naces, spread over the entire boat, with inconceivable 
 rapidity. The horror and anguish of the hundreds of 
 helpless beings, surrounded by the darkness of night, 
 and the restless billows of the lake ; and pursued by 
 the raging element, from which there was no escape, 
 was complete. The dreadful alternative of death by 
 fire or water, was presented. About two hundred 
 and forty perished in this direful calamity, four of 
 Avhom were, or had recently been, residents of this 
 County. Those who survived, by clinging to the 
 burning wreck, or on pieces of furniture, boxes, 
 Wood, or timber, after suffering every thing but death 
 itself, were relieved at about 11 o'clock, by the ar- 
 rival at the scene of the steamboat Dewitt Clinton, 
 from which the flames were discovered, as she was 
 passing up the lake, or by boats which had put out 
 from the shore to their relief. The intelligence of 
 this disaster, caused a thrill of horror throughout 
 the country. 
 
 An act was passed in 1841, to encourage the 
 growth and manufacture of silk, by providing for the 
 
OF CHAUTAUQ,UE COUNTY. 138 
 
 Silk Culture. Election in 1841, 
 
 payment of a bounty of fifteen cents for every pound 
 of cocoons raised in the County, and fifty cents for 
 every pound of reeled silk, from cocoons raised in this 
 State. Some attention had been paid to the subject 
 of growing silk in this County in previous years. A 
 small quantity is said to have been raised from the 
 black mulberry, as early as 1827. The seed of the 
 white or Italian mulberry was brought into the 
 County for cultivation at about the same period ; and 
 in 1834 the moms viulticaulis, or Chinese mulberry, 
 procured from Long Island, was introduced. Soon 
 after the introduction of the latter species into the 
 United States, speculation was rife, in giving it an 
 artificial value ; but this, like most other speculations, 
 where a real value in the subject is wanting, resulted 
 in a loss to a large portion of those who embarked in 
 the traffic. In 1842 about one hundred pounds were 
 raised in the County ; and public sentiment having 
 become rational in relation to its practicability as a 
 production of our soil, the business of silk growing 
 has been hitherto gradually increasing. 
 
 At the annual election in November, Rosseter P. 
 Johnson, Austin Peirce, and Emory F. Warren were 
 elected to the Assembly, over James Hall, John Mc- 
 Whorter, and Suel H. Dickinson. Francis H. Rug- 
 gles was appointed Judge of the County Courts, in 
 place of John Chandler who resigned. David Mann 
 was appointed District Attorney by the County Courts . 
 
139 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 New Exemption Law Passed. 
 
 The act incorporating the village of Jamestown, 
 passed in 1827, though well adapted to the size of the 
 village, and the pursuits of its population at that 
 period, was found inadequate to their wants, and was 
 remodeled and amended in 1842, with important al- 
 terations and improvements. 
 
 The law to extend the exemption of household fur- 
 niture, working tools, and team, from distreas for 
 rent, and sale under executions, commonly known as 
 the $150 exemption law, was passed at the regular 
 session the same year. It was received with decided 
 disapprobation by a large portion of the people, 
 owing in some measure, to the retrospective effect, 
 which it was supposed to have upon debts already 
 contracted. It effected material changes in this sec- 
 tion of the State, where so much business was done 
 upon credit ; but was however acquiesced in, and the 
 affairs of debtor and creditor adjusted to the rule hy 
 which they were to be governed. Much of this dis- 
 satisfaction would have been prevented, had the law 
 itself contained a provision rendering it inapplicable 
 to debts then contracted. The constitutionality of 
 that feature of the law was early questioned, but a 
 case for the decision of the Supreme Court did not 
 arise until 1845. In the case alluded to, that tribunal 
 declared what the Legislature should have done, that 
 its provisions could not effect debts contracted before' 
 its passage. 
 
OF chautAuque county. 140 
 
 Congressional Districts. Mill Tax. Election in 1842- 
 
 At the same session, the act to provide for paying 
 the debt, and preserving- the Credit of the State, im- 
 posing the mill tax, was passed. 
 
 An extra session of the Legislature was held in 
 August, to execute the law of Congress, by district- 
 ing the State, for the election of members of Congress, 
 upon the basis of the census of 1840. The 31st 
 district, embracing the counties of Cattaraugus and 
 Chautauque, was left as it had been for the ten pre- 
 ceding years. Asher Tyler was elected to represent 
 that district in the Congress of the United States. 
 
 The vote for Governor, cast in this County at the 
 election in 1842, was for Bradish, 5,070, for Bouck, 
 2,226, and for Stewart, 67. 
 
 Emory F. Warren was re-elected to the Assembly, 
 with Odin Benedict, and Adolphus F. Morrison, over 
 Woodley W. Chandler, Elijah Miller, and Erastus 
 Holt. 
 
141 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 WESTFIELD CEMETERY ASSOCIATIOJN — HOLLAND COM- 
 PANY'S FIELD NOTES, &;c. ELECTION IN 1843 . 
 
 APPOINTMENTS POOR HOUSE SYSTEM APRIL 
 
 COURT ELECTION IN 1844 ASSAULT UPON N. A.. 
 
 LOWRY. 
 
 The Westfield Cemetery Association was incorpora- 
 ted in 1843. The plan of improving- and embellish- 
 ing places of burial for the dead, has within a few 
 yearsj received a due share of public attention. Im-. 
 provemeats of this character, have, however, in.; 
 the main, been conJfined to cities and large towns, or 
 the old and oiore populous portions of the country.—^. 
 The design is highly commendable, and can as well, 
 and often better be effected in rural districts than in. 
 more densely populated places. 
 
 In executing the law of 1836, which provided for 
 the preservation of the maps and field notes of the 
 Holland Land Company's surveys, it was substantial- 
 ly, though not strictly, complied with. To remedy 
 the defect in proof?, which this non-compliance would 
 occasion, alaAv was passed in 1843, rendering the pa- 
 pers transcribed, as valid and effectual, as though 
 there had been a literal compliance with the former 
 art. 
 
OF CHAUTAUqUE COUXTY. 142 
 
 Eleclion Contest in 1843. The Result. 
 
 The action of political parties in this County, pre- 
 ceding the November election in 1843, assumed a 
 character at once novel and exciting. At the annual 
 nominating convention of the Whig party in October, 
 Charles J. Orton received the nomination for Sheriff 
 and John G. Hinckley, the then incumbent, for re- 
 election as County Clerk, after an active aud spirited 
 canvass, over Orren McCluer, and Alvin Plumb. — 
 The latter gentlemen had been candidates for these 
 offices in 1840, but were defeated. 
 
 The friends of Mr. Plumb, in a particular manner, 
 were dissatisfied with the result of the doings of the 
 convention; and claiming that he had been unfairly 
 dealt with, determined to withhold their support from 
 the ticket. The friends of Mr. McCluer entertained 
 like feelings of dissatisfaction, though in a less intense 
 degree. Samuel A. Brown, Timothy Judson, and 
 Valorus Lake, were the candidates for the Assembly. 
 To effect a defeat of this ticket, the friends of the de- 
 feated candidates united with the democratic party in 
 a call for, and the holding of, a County meeting, at 
 which Messrs. McCluer and Plumb received the nom- 
 ination for Sheriff and Clerk: and Elijah Waters, also 
 a Whig, and Marcus Simons, and Forbes Johnson, 
 Democrats, were nominated for the Assembly. The 
 contest was bitter in the extreme. McCluer was 
 elected Sherifi^ by a majority of 706 votes, over Orton. 
 Wiseman C. Nichols, the candidate of the Liberty 
 
•"'^43 HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 Appoiruments. Poor Eouse System. Election in 1844, 
 
 party received 218 votes. Plumb was elected Clerk, 
 by a majority of 585, over Hinckley. William S. 
 Hedges, the candidate of the Liberty party for Clerk, 
 received 164 votes. 
 
 The irregular Assembly ticket was elected entire. 
 Thomas A. Osborne was appointed First Judge, 
 and John M. Edson, Judge. 
 
 Several counties, among which was Chautauque, 
 were authorized by the Legislature of 1844, to restore 
 the distinction between county and town poor, by a 
 vote to that effect by the board of Supervisors at their 
 annual meeting. The vote in that body in this 
 County, was strongly adverse to the change ; the 
 present system being deemed preferable to that of 
 supporting the poor by towns. 
 
 An additional term of the Court of Common Pleas 
 was appointed, to be held on the first Monday in 
 April in each year, at which no juries are summoned, 
 and such business only is transacted, as can be done 
 without their intervention. 
 
 ?■ The Clay electors received 5612 votes, to 3407 
 for Polk, giving a majority for the former of 2205. 
 The Birney ticket received 314 votes. Fillmore re- 
 ceived a majority of 2125 over Wright, for Governor. 
 Abner Lewis was elected to represent the 31st 
 district in Congress, over Thomas B. Campbel '. 
 Samuel A. Brown, Henry C. Frisbee, and Jeremiah 
 ^lann, were elected to the Assembly, over Horace 
 
OF CHAUTAUq UE COUNTY. 144 
 
 Election in 1844. Appointments. N. A, Lowry. 
 
 Allen, John I. Eacker, and George Goodrich. Caleb 
 O. Daughaday was appointed Judge, and Orsell 
 Cook, Surrogate, by the Governor and Senate, and 
 David Mann re-appointed District Attorney by the 
 County Court. 
 
 On the 4th day of November, at a late hour in the 
 evening, Nathaniel A. Lowry, a merchant residing in 
 the village of Jamestown, was assaulted in a public 
 street near his dwelling and stabbed in the side, with 
 a knife, w'th the evident intention of producing 
 death. His life was despaired of; but after remaining 
 for some time in a highly critical state, at length, and 
 contrary to the general expectation, recovered. Sus- 
 picion fell upon Jeremiah C. Newman, who resided 
 at Pine Grove, in the adjoining County of Warren in 
 the State of Pennsylvania. He was arrested by the 
 authorities cf that State, examined upon the charges, 
 arid held to answer. He was afterwards delivered to 
 the authorities of this County, on a requisition from 
 the Governor, brought here, and underwent a second 
 examination. He was again held to answer, and 
 committed to prison. At the earliest opportunity he 
 was indicted, and tried at the Chautauque Oyer and 
 Terminer in January, 1846, convicted, and sen- 
 tenced to the State's i^rison for five years and three 
 months. 
 
 The occurrence excited great public interest, which 
 continued unabated, down to the period of the trial. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
 
 145 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 TOWN OF ELLICOTT ENLARGED CONVENTION TO 
 
 AMEND THK CONSTITUTION EXCISE LAW CEN- 
 SUS OF 1845 — ELECTION AND APPOINTMENTS IX 
 
 1845 AND 1846. 
 The boundaries of the town of Ellicott were enlarged 
 by the Legislature of 1845, by taking nine lots from 
 Busti, and annexing them to the formor. They now 
 constitute the southwest portion of the town of Elli- 
 cott lying west and south of the Chautauque outlet, 
 above the village of Jamestown. 
 
 Efforts had been made for several preceding years 
 to perfect legislative amendments to the Constitution 
 of this State, in important particulars, but without 
 success. Public sentiment tended strongly in favor 
 of a Convention to revise that instrument; and the 
 Legislature of 1845 passed an act submitting to the 
 people at the annual election in November, the pre- 
 liminary question, whether a convention should, or 
 .**hould not be called. 
 
146 OF CHAUTAUqUE COUNTT. 
 
 Call for a State Convention. Ne*'/ Excise Lavvf. 
 
 The majority in favor of a convention was large 
 and decided. The same act provided for holding an 
 election for the choice of delegates to the convention 
 on the last Tues-lay in April, 1846. The several 
 counties are entitled to choose the same number of 
 delegates as they have members in the Assembly. 
 The first Monday of June, 1846, is fixed as the day 
 on which the convention is to assemble at the Capitol 
 in Albany. The amendments to be agreed upon by 
 the convention, are to be submitted to the people of 
 the State for their adoption or rejection at the elec- 
 tion in November of the same year, and such of them 
 as shall be adopted to take effect on the first day of 
 January, 1847. 
 
 At the same session, a law was passed providing 
 for a special election to be held on the Tuesday next 
 preceding the first Monday in May, 1846, in each 
 town for the purpose of taking the sense of the peo- 
 ple upon the question whether licenses for the sale 
 of intoxicating liquors fhall be sold in the several 
 towns. In case a majority in any town shall be found 
 voting against granting any such license, then none 
 shall be granted by the board of excise, until a major-;- 
 ity of the persons voting in such town, shall haye vo- 
 ted to grant licenses therein. 
 
 The day fixed for taking the vote upon this subject 
 having been, through inadvertence, the same as that 
 on which delegates are to be chosen to the conven- 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 147 
 
 Census of 1845. Slaiislics of Census. 
 
 tion to amend the constitution, the friends of the new 
 license law being anxious to disconnect that question 
 from all others of a partisi^i character, procured the 
 passage of a law, m the early part of the legislative 
 session of 1846, altering the day for the first meeting 
 of the electors to vote upon' the license question, from 
 that fixed by the law of 1845, to the third Tuesday of 
 May, 1846. 
 
 The census was again taken under the authority 
 of this State, in the summer of 1845. The subjects 
 upon w^hich the marshals were required to o"btain in- 
 formation were materially increased, with a view of 
 rendering the results of their labors more satisfactory 
 ^^nd valuable. The returns for this County show a 
 population of 47,548; being a diminution since 1840 
 to the number of 993. It is apparent from this, that 
 -the returns in 1840 were much nearer the truth than 
 was at first supposed. The causes of this decrease in 
 the population, wnich were alluded to when speaking 
 of the last enumeration, have continued to operate in 
 the same manner, and to a greater extent, until it is 
 > evident from returns, quite as I'ktly to be correct as 
 those taken in 1840, that the population has actually 
 fallen off. 
 
 By the returns in 1845, the number of persons sub- 
 ject to military duty was found to be 3709; of voters 
 10,159; persons of color 118; the number of children 
 attending schools of every kind 12,93G. The amount 
 
148 or CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY* 
 
 Statistics of |Census of 184.>. . 
 
 of produce of domestic industry is large, and in view 
 of the independence of the people is highly flattering 
 to their industry and skill. Tfte Dunrrbe? of yards of 
 cloth of all descriptions manufactured during the year 
 preceding the first day of July, not including that made 
 in factories, was 268,905; the numher of acres of 
 improved land, was 252,783; there.were 686,768 bush- - 
 els of potatoes; 269,169 bushels of wheat; 448,833 • 
 bushels of oats; 453,320 bushels of corn raised in the > 
 year 1844, besides the vaijaty of other grains and field; 
 crops, in the growth of which nearly every farmer 
 participated to a greater or less extent. The whole 
 number of neat cat'Ie were reported at 66,885; of 
 these, 25,024 were milch cows, from which 2,739,396 
 pounds of butter, and 1,073,274 pounds of cheese 
 were made. The number of sheep was 235,323, from 
 which were taken 485,812' pounds of wool. There 
 were 43 grist mills, consuming ^288,556 in value of 
 raw materials, and producing S3 15,689 of manufac- 
 tured articles; 216 saw mills, consuming ?9i,625 in 
 raw^ materials, and producing §161,863 in manufac- 
 tured articles; 49 tanneries, using §45,563 in raw 
 materials, and producing ^89,155 in manufactured ar- 
 ticles. There were 72 churches; 308 common schools; 
 88 taverns; 135 stores; 6122 farmers; 147 merchants; 
 198 manufacturers; 1542 mechanics; 61 lawyers;. 
 lOG clergymen; aad, 90 physicians. 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 143 
 
 Election in 1845. ~ Appoinlments. ~ 
 
 At the election in 1845, Madison Burnell, Elisha 
 Ward, and Valorus Lake, tho candidates of the Whig 
 party, were elected to the Assembly, The Demo- 
 ' cratic party presented no candidates. The only oppo- 
 sition the Whigs encountered was from the Liberty 
 party, who had in nomination for the Assembly, 
 Theron Plumb, James Pettit, and Hiram Putnam, and 
 . polled about 630 votes in the County, 
 
 Thomas B. Campbell was appointed First Judge, in 
 the place of Thomas A. Osborne, resigned; and Niram 
 Sackett, Judge, in the place of Elisha Ward, whose 
 term had expired, 
 
 Franklin H. Waite, was' also appointed Judge, in 
 February, 1846, in place of Francis H. Ruggles, 
 ^ whose term had expired. 
 
150 OF CHAU TAUQUE COCNTT. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 VILLAGE PAPERS CHAUTAU^UK GAZKTTF CIIAU- 
 
 TAUi^UK KAGLK FRKDONIA CENSOR JAMKSTOWN 
 
 JOUHNAL CHAUTAUqC.K RKPUBLICA.X REPUBLI- 
 CAN BANNER GiWlDSOF LIBERTY — WKSTFIEi:i> 
 
 PAPKRS MAYVILLE SENTINKL WKSTKIlN DKMO- 
 
 CRAT FORKSTVILLE PAPERS CIIAUTAUQUK WHIG= 
 
 BOOK PRINTING. 
 
 The sketches which the preceding pages contain^ 
 could hardly be deemed in any sense complete, with- 
 out a notice of the newspaper press, with its mutations 
 and present condition. Few enterprises are attended 
 with more hazard than the es'aolishment of a newspa- 
 per; and if ably and faithfully conducted, few of the 
 means of disseminating inl"crmation, affect mere sen- 
 sibly and beneficially the public mind. As no village 
 considers itself fmishsd, and entitled to its proper rank, 
 without a press, to ]?rociaim its rising greatness, it 
 necessarily results that many ephemcal establish- 
 ments spring into existence, which f:carcely survive 
 their first year. Of these short-lived productions^ 
 Chautauque County seems to have had her full share^ 
 The first, nev/s;;aper published in the County, was 
 the " Chautauque Gazette," established at Fredonia,. 
 in January, 1817, by James PereivaL The means to 
 estabhsh it were raised by citizens subscribing from 
 five to thirty dollars each, for the purpose, making it 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 151 
 
 Chautanqne (inzeiie. Cliauiaiique Eafile. 
 
 a joint stock concern; a large portion of Vv'hich was 
 afterwards relinquished by the subscribGrs, in view of 
 the difficulty of sustaining a single paper in the County 
 at that early period. 
 
 The paper soon passed into the hands of Carpenter 
 &; Hull, and subsequently into those of James Hull, 
 exclusively, by whom it was continued until some 
 time in 1822, when it was suspended for nearly a year, 
 after which he again resumed its publication. It was 
 Clintonian in its politics. 
 
 In June, 1826, the " People's Gazette," which had 
 been published seme two years at Forestvilie, by 
 William S. Snow, was united with Mr. Hull's paper, 
 and continued for several mcnths thereafter by Hull 
 & Snow, under the title of the " Fredonia Gazette," 
 when the establishment was removed to Dunkirk by 
 Mr. Hull- It was lyablishe;! at the latter place, how- 
 ever, but a few months, when it vv as removed to West- 
 field, and united with the '- (,'hautauque Phenix."' 
 
 The " Chautauque Eagle " was commenced at 
 Mayville about the first of May, 1819, by Robert J. 
 Curtis, and its publication continued about one year. 
 It was a paper of the smallest class, but Mr. Curtis 
 was not destitute of ability, and his paper was fre- 
 quently enriched by poetical effusions from the pen of 
 James H. Price, a gifted but unfortunate member of 
 the bar, then residing at Mayville. Mr. Curtis has 
 since published a paper at Wheeling, in Virginia. 
 
152 OP CHADTAUqUE COUNTY. 
 
 Fredonia Censor. Jamestown Journal. 
 
 The " Fredonia Censor" was established in March, 
 1821, by Henry C. Frisbee. It advocated the princi- 
 ples of what was then familiarly known as the " buck- 
 tail " party, as contra-distinguished from that of 
 Clintonian. In illustration of the difficulty and haz- 
 ard of starting a new paper, in a newly settled coun- 
 try, it may be stated, that the Censor was commenced 
 with about forty subscribers, and for the first three 
 weeks it had not a single paying advertisement. It 
 was ably and successfully conducted for seventeen 
 years by its founder. It was then disposed of to E. 
 Winchester, who conducted it for two years, and then 
 sold it to R. Cunnington. It continued in the hands 
 of the latter for about one year, and then passed into 
 those of W. McKinstry, by v/hom, and by W. Mc- 
 Kinstry 6c Co., it has since been, and is at present, 
 conducted. It was opposed to the political organiza- 
 tion of the Anti-Masons; but subsequently upon the 
 formation of the Whig party, it became, and still is, 
 an efficient advocate of its principles and measures. 
 
 The first newspaper published at Jamestown, was 
 the "Jamestown Journal." It was commenced in 
 June, 1826, by its present publisher, Adolphus Fletch- 
 er. The first year of its existence it was edited by 
 Abner Hazeltine, Esq., and a considerable portion of 
 the original matter, for several years, was furnished 
 by him. For a time it was neutral in politics; but 
 the excitement which followed the abduction of Wil- 
 
itnSTORICAL SKETCHES 168 
 
 Chautauque Republican. Genius of Liberty. 
 
 Ham Morgan, was too strong to allow of neutrality in 
 ■a public journal, and it espoused the cause of Anti- 
 Masonry. Except for the period of about two years, 
 when it was published by John W. Fletcher, this 
 paper has been under the supervision and manage- 
 ment of its original proprietor. Since the Anti-Ma- 
 sonic party lost its distinctive character, this paper 
 has supported the principles of the Whig party. 
 
 Early in 1828, the " Chautauque Republican " was 
 commenced at the same place, by Morgan Bates, now 
 of Detroit, It was established for the express pur- 
 pose of opposing Anti-Masonry, and promoting the 
 election of Gen. Jackson. After being published 
 about a year and a half by Mr. Bates, it passed into 
 the hands of Richard K. Kellogg, who retained it 
 about a year. 
 
 Lewis C. Todd, a Universalist clergyman, at that 
 time engaged in publishing the '^Genius of Liberty," 
 a paper devoted to the support of the religious views 
 of the Universalists, then became its proprietor; but 
 he was very soon succeeded by Charles McLean. 
 Mr. McLean soon after associated with himself the 
 original proprietor of the paper, Mr. Bates. To these 
 succeeded Alfred Smith & William H. Cutler, who 
 were in turn succeeded by S. S. C. Hamilton. Mr. H. 
 changed the name of the paper, calling it the " Repub- 
 lican Banner," and soon after removed the esta-blish- 
 ment to M^ville. This was in the fall of 1833, 
 
154 OF cHAUTAuquE cor.vTr. 
 
 Wesineld Papers. Ma%vil!e beminel- 
 
 The "Genius of Liberty" mentioned above, was 
 published at Jamestown, and edited by Lewis C. Todd. 
 It was commenced in 1829, and continued about two 
 year?. It was printed at the office of the Chautauque 
 Republican. 
 
 The newspaper press at Westfield has undergone 
 many mutations. The first paper commenced at 
 that place, was the "' Western Star," by Harvey 
 Newcomb, in June, 1323. It was discontinued for a 
 while in lS2ri, and afterwards revived under the title 
 of the "Chautauque Phenix," and conducted by Hull 
 & Nev.-CDmb. In 1831 it dropped the latter title, and 
 assumed that of the " American Eagle." Previously 
 to this time Harvey Newcomb had left the concern; 
 and about this period Mr. Hull also left it, to be con- 
 tinued by G. W. Newcomb. In October, 1S33, the 
 latter disposed of the establishment to G, W. Bliss, 
 who changed its title to that of the " Westfield Couri- 
 er." This was not long continued. The "Western 
 Farmer" was published for a year or two by Bliss & 
 Knight, about 1835. The " Westfield Advocate ** 
 was commenced in May, 1841, but did not long sur- 
 vive the appearance of the " Westfield Messenger," 
 establishe J by C. J. J. cV; T. Ing-ersoll, about the first 
 of August, 1341. The latter paper is. Whig in its 
 politics, and is still conducted by its founder. 
 
 The ''Mayville Sentinel" was established in the 
 fall of 1834, by Timothy Kibby. In about a year it 
 
HIST ORICAL SKETCHES 155 
 
 Wesierii Democrat.^ People s Guz'tte. 
 
 passed into the hands of Burban Brockway, who con- 
 tinued his connection with it until 1845, w-hen he be- 
 came the proj?rietor of a paper at Oswego. It is at 
 present conducted by John F. Phelp?, who was for 
 some time connected with the paper previous to its 
 relinquishment by Mr. Brockway. It is the only pa- 
 per represontincr the interests, and advocating the 
 principles cf the Dsmocratic party in this County. 
 
 In the early part of 1833, the publication of the' 
 " Western Democrat and Literary Inquirer." was 
 commenced at Fredonia. It was published by Wil- 
 liam Verrihder, and edited by "an association of gen- 
 tlemen." It soon passed into the hnn.Is of Randall, 
 Crosby; k. ('o., as proprietors ; and for a portion of 
 the time of its publication was edited by Rufus Wil- 
 mot Griswold, who has since bec3m?not?d as a book 
 compiler. Ho was succeeded as editor by W. H. Cut- 
 ler ; and v/hile in his charge, the cstabuEhm.ont was 
 purchased by Arba K. Maynard, and removed to Van 
 Buren Harbor, where it was contln"ued nnjer the title 
 of the "Van Buren Times," by JVIr. Cutler, for a year 
 or two, and until it became extinct. 
 
 The "People's Gazette" was commenced in For- 
 estville, in August, 1824, by W. S. Snow. After 
 two partial suspensions it was finally discontinued, 
 and united with the Chautauque Gazette, at Fredonia, 
 which thenceforth took the name of the " Fredonia 
 Gazette." 
 
•156 OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 
 
 Western Inte I't^encer. Chauiauque Whig. Book PrifHing. 
 
 The " Western Intelligencer," was published for 
 several months at Forestville, in 1833, by W. H. Cut- 
 ler, the materials for which were procured at West- 
 field. 
 
 The " Chautauque Whig " was established at Dun- 
 kirk, in August, 1834, by Thompson & Carpenter, by 
 
 ■ whom it was mostly conducted as partners, and by 
 turns individually, under that title, and that of the 
 "Dunkirk Beacon," until 1845, when it was entirely 
 discontinued. It was commenced as a Whig paper, 
 
 • but subsequently came out in favor of Mr. Van Buren 
 for President, and aftervvards vrent over again to the 
 Whig side. 
 
 Very little has hitherto been done in this County 
 in the way of book printing. The first attempt was 
 
 ' made in 1824, of a book of some 250 pages, entitled, 
 
 "^'A contrast between Christianity and Calvinism," 
 written by Rev. David Brown, and printed by Henry 
 
 '-C Frisbee, at Fredonia, 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 151,^ 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII.. 
 
 PATRIOT WAR LINUS W. MILLER COUNTY DIVIS"^ 
 
 IONS. 
 
 Is 1837, a popular outbreak occurred in the British 
 Provinces of Canada, which affected to a considerable - 
 extent the inhabitants residing- along the frontier of . 
 the States. It originated in an attempt to overthrow 
 tbe constituted authorities of the Canadas, and to 
 establish what was intended to be a government 
 giving more freedom to the governed, and less power ■ 
 tp the governor. The excitement pervaded thi> county 
 to a great extent, . Arms and munitions of war were 
 contributed by those friendly to the cause, and many 
 young and adventurous spirits enlisted in the enter- 
 prise. After many ill-judged and ill-directed efforts, 
 the power of the British arm was found too strong for 
 the badly equipped, and worse disciplined forces of 
 those who had taken up arms against the govern- . 
 ment, and the rebellion was speedily crushed. . 
 
 Many of tiiose who had been most active in pro- 
 moting the outbreak, were condemned and executed 
 for treason. Others were tried and condemned, and ; 
 their punishment commuted to transportation for 
 life, to the penal colonies of the British Crown, . A . 
 
158 OF CHAUTAUQUE COUNTY. 
 
 Linus "W Miller. County Divisions. 
 
 large number were sent to Va,n Dieman's Land, 
 where, after suffering all the haiMiships that privation 
 and craelty could inflict, many of them laid down 
 their lives ; while others, after lingering out years of 
 punishment, were relieved by the British authorities, 
 and permitted to return to the United States, Among 
 the latter was Linus W. Miller, who resided in 
 Stockton in this County. He returned to his home 
 and friends in the winter of 1846, after ^i absence of 
 nearly eight years. 
 
 As early as 1831, and perhaps earlier, elTorts were 
 made to procure divisions of this County. These 
 efforts have been repeated, at intervals, until the 
 present time. Various plans to effect divisions, favor- 
 able to particular section?, and calculated to promote 
 the interests of particular locations, have from time 
 to tim3 been projected, but hitherto without success. 
 In general these efforts have been confined to the 
 north-eastern section of the County, while the people 
 of the west, north-west, and south, have steadily op- 
 posed them. Bills have several times been reported 
 in one or the other branch of the L3gislature, de- 
 signed to carry out these projects. It is true, a 
 respectable portion of the citizens residing in the 
 north-eastern section, are to some extent incom- 
 moded, on account of their remoteness from the 
 County seat, but after all, there caji be but little doubt, 
 '.that the "greatest good of the greatest number," will 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCHFS l59 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 be best promoted, by permitting tha large, respecta- 
 ble, and to many " old settlers," cherished territory 
 embraced within its original limits, to be known 
 henceforth at home and abroad, as the County of 
 
 ^CHAUTAU(iUE. 
 
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